Endangered Species Ch. 17-24

He leaned down and kissed me, which had me shivering with desire. I watched him leave the room, and the guards stayed on the outside as they closed the doors again. The hundreds of women in the room watched Cole depart before turning their eyes to me. "What did you DO," a woman in front asked.

"I played the hand I've been dealt," I told her. "It wasn't MY idea to be that man's mate. I am, though. I can't deny what I feel and what Cole and the Pack believe. All I can do is make the best of the situation that I am in."

"You used your influence on our behalf," another said.

"Yes." I looked around the room. "I have zero chance of escape from this. If I reject him, he will kill or imprison me. If I accept him, Cole won't let me leave his side. The powers I've gained came because he feels guilty about my punishment and hopes being around him will convince me to mate. I gave him no choice; women would be my responsibility after mating, so I'm taking that authority now." I sat down on a chair, wincing as I did so. Those bruises weren't gone yet. "If you wish to become a werewolf, you can start that tonight. It is strictly voluntary, so don't feel any pressure. If you aren't ready for that yet, you can stay human but ask to become a member of the Pack. You would no longer be a slave or a breeder; your status would be below full wolves, but you would be part of their structure. You would gain freedoms and improved living conditions. You would continue to work as directed for the betterment of the Pack. If you want to live and be part of the repopulation of this land, this is the best place to be. I can't imagine a more secure location, safe from the sun and the roving mobs, with supplies galore, power, and indoor plumbing. You would share in the future with every other Pack member, taking the change later or leaving altogether."

"I just want to get the FUCK out of here," a younger woman said.

"You will be able to, but it might take a few days for some of you," I said. That didn't go over well. "Look, we can't just open the gates and let people start walking out. It would draw too much attention to the rest of us, and the Pack has stripped the shelves bare of supplies within a five-mile radius."

"So what is the plan," she asked.

"If you leave, I want you to have a chance to survive out there. I'll arrange to provide clothes, food, and water, plus some basic supplies. I will arrange for this in the afternoon before you witness the after-dinner joining ceremony."

"I don't want to watch," came an objection from the back.

"And I don't want you to die out there," I replied. "You will see others get the choice, and I hope you will realize it is better to give this place an honest try before braving the horrors beyond the fence. Your best chance of survival is if our people drop you off with most of the night remaining to travel and find shelter. It's not enough to leave here; you have to survive. Small groups of you need to form and stick together during days and weeks of travel. I want you to put together teams heading towards particular places. I'll work with the Alpha to put you on vehicles heading that way, and they will let you go when you ask." That calmed down the hard cases. "The ones who want to give it a shot or go full wolfy, stay here. I'll get Pack members to explain the details of everything involved and answer your questions. If you are determined to leave, follow me." Just over a hundred women fell in behind me.

The guards must have notified Luna Melanie of our meeting breaking up because she arrived before all the women following me left the room. Melanie took over for me, joined by a half-dozen female wolves. I followed the guards to the warehouse bunker.

The warehouse space was well-organized. We went to boxes filled with new and used backpacks, and I had the women grab one. We went to the boxes of shoes and clothing, and the ladies changed out of scrubs into more sensible clothes like jeans or cargo pants, underwear, T-shirts, and a warmer waterproof jacket and hat. Moving to the supply storeroom, I had them take sunglasses, matches, toilet paper, and a flashlight. While they were working on this, I asked the guards for a map. It took a little more time to get a list of areas the Pack was planning to search tomorrow night.

The girls left their backpacks by the wall as we gathered around the map on the wall. Cole planned to send six teams out, and I taped sheets of paper with the locations spaced out along the walls. "These are your choices tomorrow night," I told them. "Groups are limited to six people, so not everyone gets to leave tomorrow. You might get something better later if you don't like where they are going tonight." They probably could have taken more than eight, but I'd worked this detail out in advance. It was enough movement to get them to patiently wait their turn, yet slow enough that most would still be here for the reports of those who changed their minds. I hoped to change some minds over the next four or five nights.

There were two women I needed to speak to, and I pulled them aside as the others tried to form groups. You see, I'd lied about being the senior Navy officer in our group. Two commissioned officers were in the group; Lieutenant Mary Connolly and Ensign Anna Natchez. "I need your help," I said. I quietly explained the mission given by the Captain of the USS Maine. "I can't leave here, and communications weren't working when I left the sub. You need to make your way to Everett, maybe Bremerton, and carry this message to any surviving members of the chain of command." I handed them a handwritten copy of the message I'd memorized.

The Lieutenant looked at it. "How? That's like forty miles away and across the Sound!"

I nodded. "Bremerton is closer, but that's all over land, and it's a much more dangerous trip. The shipyard is right in town, not surrounded by open land like Everett is. I got here on a two-person sea kayak. It's still down by the triangle dock; it is safe and silent. You follow the peninsula north, head east to go below Whidbey Island until you hit the mainland again, then north to Everett." I handed them the pocket compass I'd used to get here.

"That's a hell of a paddle in one night," Anna said.

"You'll have to find a place to hole up overnight. Under a bridge or a road would be best, someplace with a lot of steel and concrete above you. We found an overhanging cliff that kept us out of direct sunlight. That's the killer." They nodded. "There are three boomers out there without orders. I can't finish my mission, so I give it to you."

"I understand," Mary said as she tucked the paper into her pocket. "What should I tell them about this place?"

"The truth," I said. "All other military are dead, the base is under the control of a hostile force, and hundreds of innocent civilians are here under the control of a werewolf pack. Oh, and they have control of God knows how many nuclear weapons." Their expressions showed their sudden realization about how that message would come across. "Yeah, I'd lead with the message from Captain Grimes."

"No shit," Anna said. "When do we leave?"

"I'll take you to the kayak as soon as the sun goes down. If they ask, you want to go to Whidbey Island, so their trucks won't work." The other women were getting organized.

The women had hope again as we headed to the dining room to prepare and serve dinner. Since they weren't joining the Pack tonight, the group got tasked with the service. I had promised to be by his side, so I ate with him at the head table. As the Pack and the other humans finished the meal, Alpha Cole called for their attention. "Tonight, we begin the voluntary changes of thirty-seven women into Werewolves of the Brinnon Pack. I have ensured they understand what they are doing and agree to their change. Would the women come forward to receive the blessing of the bite."

The ladies lined up facing the crowd, all the wolves standing to witness the event. I held them from behind as Alpha Cole asked their name, verified they were volunteering to become wolves, and gave them a bite on the left forearm to start the change. It was just enough to draw blood, and Doc Pine and the medical staff helped stop the bleeding as soon as we moved on. In ten minutes, it was over.

"That isn't all," Alpha Cole said. "Our future Luna is wise beyond her years. She convinced us that Pack membership shouldn't be limited to werewolves, not when so many women volunteer to stay with us. Those who remain human but desire to join the Brinnon Pack, come forward."

This group was much larger, with over a hundred and fifty women. They swore to be loyal to Alpha Cole and the Pack Leaders and to live under Pack Law. The crowd applauded as they finished. "In the future, many more women will choose to take the bite and join the Pack Link. In the meantime, they are Pack members with all the rights of membership in the Brinnon Pack. Let us celebrate!"

The door to the kitchen opened, and carts bearing pieces of cake rolled out. Other women brought out five-gallon buckets of ice cream. It only took a few minutes for everyone to get dessert, and the mood was festive. I spent a lot of time watching the servers for reactions. I would bet a few dozen change their minds by morning.

I was giving up my life to change these women's lives. I didn't want them to die out there alone.

Ch. 22

I listened to a group of bitten humans as the party broke up. I felt a soft touch on the back of my neck, and the tingles told me exactly who was behind me. "Time to go, my mate."

I hated having to act loving in front of everyone, but that was the deal I'd made. I moved a hand to cover Cole's, looking up and smiling at him. "I have to go, ladies. Get your rest before the fevers start."

As I stood up, Cole offered his hand. I took it, playing the dutiful mate-to-be as we said goodnight to the Pack and humans. He led me to his quarters, opening the door with his key. As soon as the door closed, I let his hand go. "I'll take my shower first," I told him. I grabbed clean clothes from my drawer and headed to the bathroom.

I took my time, finally opening the door. Cole was waiting naked by the bed, clothes in hand. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I stood there, mouth hanging open, openly admiring the physique of the man who had done so much evil. I could feel my body preparing for sex, and I hated it. He scented my arousal, and his own body responded. "Put that away," I told him as I walked past him to the far side of the bed. "Take your shower. I'll be in bed, but I don't want you grabbing me. If you want to be on the bed, change to your wolf and stay on top of the covers. I trust your wolf more than I trust you," I told him.

"My wolf and I are the same," he said.

"No, they aren't," I said. "Your wolf didn't wonder if I was worthy to stand with him. Your wolf didn't kill innocent people. Your wolf sure didn't plan to enslave and impregnate hundreds of humans. Your wolf didn't order his mate to be whipped and imprisoned for speaking the truth. And it wasn't your wolf that I had to make a deal with." It was his turn to stand there with his mouth hanging open. "Cole is the one who needs to gain my trust. Wolfy has never let me down."

"I love you, Angela." With that, he walked into the bathroom. The door slammed a little, startling me as I pulled the covers down. I heard the shower start as I turned the light off and settled in for the night.

I was awake when the door opened, but I didn't look. I could barely hear the big wolf approach the bed. He came to my side, sniffing at my hand where it lay by my hip. I felt his cold nose push its way under my palm, lifting my hand so I could scratch his ears. "You're such a slut for scritches," I said as I gave in. I'd always had a soft spot for dogs, and I loved running my hands through his fur, feeling the tingles running up my arm. "Jump up here and go to sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

He pulled back, moving down by my feet before leaping up on the bed! When that three-hundred-pound wolf landed, I popped up like I was on one of those water tubes! I landed on my side, rolling downhill towards where he lay on his stomach. He didn't care; his wolf's big tongue licked my face as I laughed my ass off. "Ugh! Puppy slobber!" I felt his head tilt like he was questioning me. "Lie down, and I'll cuddle up to your back." He laid on his side, and I threw an arm over his furry chest. He raised his head, giving me a nice fluffy pillow for my head as the contact relaxed my body.

I was asleep in minutes.

When I woke up, the bed was empty, but the space was still warm. I heard a faucet running and could see the light under the door. I walked to the dresser to find clothes. Someone had filled them with new things my size. "Cole, what should I wear for the run today?"

He came out of the bathroom wearing combat boots, cargo pants, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, all in black. "Something like this," he said. "Not everyone still out there is friendly, and they have difficulty picking us up in low light. When we gear up after breakfast, you'll get a vest and plate carrier you can wear under the hoodie."

"And my pistol and holster?"

"In the closet with your gear." I looked inside the door to see what I had. There was a complete tactical loadout inside on the shelves. My gear included a Kevlar helmet with a night-vision device clipped to the front, black gloves, boots, and elbow and knee pads. I could tell it was Marine camouflage spray-painted black. I pulled out the helmet and looked at it carefully. There was blood spatter on the strap that the cleaning had missed. The helmet hadn't saved that Marine's life when the wolves attacked. I put it back on the shelf for now. I dressed and used the bathroom, and then it was off to breakfast.

I ate at the main table, talking with Lead Warrior Ted Fulman about plans for the day. "We head out in five three-vehicle groups. Each is led by a Humvee with a fifty-cal gun turret, protecting a pair of two-and-a-half ton cargo trucks. The leaders of each team have their destinations and a list of items to look for."

"I've got groups of six females set up to go to each location," I replied. "I want them in the front of the trucks, where they can see what is going on out there. Ideally, they would recognize leaving the Pack is a bad idea."

"Everyone will ask one last time before dropping them off," Cole replied. "The groups will make a few stops before reaching the dropoff point. They will see how bad it is getting."

"Good. I'll bring the women out in twenty minutes," I said as I stood up from the table. The ones leaving stood up in the back when I did.

Lois Fulman, my Luna Guard, stood up with me. "Stay with her," Cole ordered. "I'll meet you at the truck heading towards Silverdale." That was good news for me; from the hills in Silverdale, I could see fires as far away as Bremerton and Seattle.

The women had their bags packed along the side of the cafeteria, and there was one last place to go before we loaded up. "Take me to the armory," I told Lois.

She looked at me quizzically. "Why? I put your pistol in your closet myself."

"It's not for me. I'm not sending these women into the field without the ability to defend themselves. Knives and pistols."

"I'll have to ask," she said before her eyes glazed slightly in the mind-link. "This way." We walked to a room guarded by a wolf, the vault door already open. "One pistol or rifle, and no more than three knives per group," Lois said. "We aren't going to give away our armory for them."

It would have to do. It took a while to decide who got the weapons, what weapons they wanted, and issue them. Luckily, each group had at least one woman who knew her way around a gun. Using the confusion, I slipped two Glocks into my cargo pockets. "Escort them to the trucks. I've got to gear up."

Lois followed me to our room, where she helped me don and fit the combat gear. On the way out, I picked up Mary and Anna. Both were carrying their backpacks. "They aren't part of the groups," Lois objected.

"Nope. They are leaving, but not on a truck." We exited the underground bunkers into the twilight. With the filtered air underground, you didn't have the smell of rotting flesh and fires. The pungent smell hit us like a hammer. "Jesus, Lois! Did you leave the dead where you killed them?"

"That would bring disease and rodents," she replied. "We trucked them to the docks, then tossed them in the water on an outgoing tide. The Sound will take care of the rest."

"Get us a vehicle. We're heading to the triangle dock." Lois started to object, but I reminded her Cole had given me run of the base provided I had an escort. She found a flatbed truck and started it up. The girls tossed their bags in the back, and I slipped them the guns with my body blocking what was going on.

We stopped by the guard shack near the shoreline. I hopped out, and the girls followed. The kayak was where we left it; it only took a minute to stow their bags and put the lifejackets on. "Good luck," I said.

"You too," Mary replied. I got back in the truck with Lois, and she drove us to the assembly area. The other four groups had already left when we arrived, and the last group was loaded up and waiting on me. I joined Alpha Cole in the back of the Humvee. As soon as the door closed, we took off with the two trucks following us.

"Lois informed me you made a diversion," Cole said with a hint of annoyance.

"Yes. Two of the women wanted to go to Whidbey Island. Since you can't travel there by land, they are using the kayak I arrived in."

"We should have discussed that first, just like we should have discussed arming them," Cole replied. "You and I need to communicate freely and often to make this work."

"The women are mine, and I told you I wanted to give them a chance to survive. You have more guns than you could ever need." I stopped arguing and looked out the window, not wanting to miss what had changed during my captivity.

We left electric lighting behind, exiting the gates to a post-apocalyptic nightmare of useless vehicles, bloated bodies, and burned-out or looted buildings. The headlights went from one ugly scene to the next. Entire towns were gone, burned to the foundations.

It was far worse than I'd seen on the way here.

Ch. 23

"We've already searched and cleared this area," Cole told the three humans in the lead Humvee. "It takes time; we clear vehicles and trees from the road, search the homes and businesses for anything useful, then raze everything to the ground."

"You burn the buildings?"

"Yes. We cannot leave hiding places for anyone who might come our way. Our security plan envisions a five-mile uninhabited buffer zone to the base fence."

Wow. "That encompasses a LOT of towns and homes!"

"It does. Poulsbo and Silverdale are weaknesses because the fastest way for the hordes escaping Seattle to get here is by water. By going scorched earth on the land, we convince the refugees to go elsewhere before they get close enough to threaten our base." He looked at the women. "You don't want to head towards Bremerton or Bainbridge Island. My scouts tell me hundreds of people land there every night."

Oh my God! "Is it that bad in Seattle?"

"Worse than you can imagine," Cole said. "Plenty of people survived in the underground areas but have no food, running water, sanitation, or the rule of law. Roving gangs rob, rape, and take whatever they want. Half the city has already burned. You have to be damn desperate to risk that trip across the Sound, but they are doing it on anything that floats. The hipsters aren't happy when they get here and find Starbucks is closed and they don't have cell coverage. You'll see."

A few weeks ago, the Seattle area was thriving, with four million residents. Now? If there were forty thousand, that was still too many once the stored food ran out. "How many people are you finding out here?"