Endangered Species Ch. 41-48

I gave him a quick check as I pulled down his body armor. He'd taken two in the chest, stopped by the ballistic plate in front. The third shot had missed the plate and smashed through his shoulder near his neck. Blood was pulsing out through his fingers. "Med kit... waist," he grunted out through the pain.

I found the small pouch and took out the quick-clot bandage. "Get over here and help me!"

The two female wolves I didn't know. One was in her twenties with a mating scar, the other a teen not of age yet. As soon as we were ready, I had Bruce move his hand so the younger female could hold the bandage over the entry and exit wounds. Blood sprayed out onto the dock, which wasn't good. I had the other work to remove the Major's body armor and clothing.

I took the two chest wound bandages out of the kit, placing them on top of the soaked bandages before having her apply pressure again. The bleeding was still significant, the pain severe, and he would be going into shock if he didn't bleed out first. I had the Gamma grab the pack out of the boat and use it to elevate his legs.

"How bad is it," Bruce asked.

"Your shoulder is fucked up, and it probably hit an artery," I said. "You need a hospital, fast."

"We don't have anything here," Gamma Sean replied. "We could take him to the base where Doctor Pine is, but he's human, and you'd be crazy to go there. Is he your new mate?"

"No," I replied. "And we're three hours away from the doctors at his base."

From the bleeding, it didn't seem like he'd make it to either place. "My feet are cold," Bruce wheezed. I could tell it was getting harder to breathe. "I'm losing too much blood."

"You're not going to die on me, Major!" My confidence didn't come from my knowledge or experience; I knew basic first aid, but this was WAY beyond me. The bandages were not stopping the bleeding, even when she pressed to the point of him screaming in pain. It collected on the dock before dripping into the water through the openings. It was impossible to see how much he'd lost, but he was right. I was an engineer, not a doctor. I couldn't slap a band-it clamp on an artery to stop the leakage. "What else can I do?"

"I'm fucked, Angela. No Pedros are coming in their helicopters to get me out of here. You have to do it."

"Do what?"

"Bite me," he replied. My eyes went wide in shock. "You said a werewolf bite can heal. I'm asking you to do it."

I looked over at the Gamma. "He's a human and knows of us, Luna. If you were in the Quinalt Pack with us, the Alpha would make you do it or let him die."

I looked at him in shock. "Quinalt?"

"Luna, if you're going to change him? The sooner you bite him, the better."

"How hard do I have to bite him?"

"The more saliva, the better," he said.

I stood and quickly stripped before shifting into my silver wolf. Sean whistled while the other two stared at me as I shook my fur. "You're so beautiful," he said out loud.

I looked down through my wolf eyes into Bruce's, asking if he was sure. "Do it," he said.

I figured the saliva would do best near the wound, so I picked the meaty part of his right shoulder. Opening my jaws, I took it in my teeth and bit down.

I felt his blood in my mouth as my sharp teeth made a dozen punctures. He tensed up, and I resisted the urge to shake my head. I held the bite for five seconds, hoping enough of my saliva would make it in. As soon as I let go, I stepped back and shifted again. "Is that good?"

"We'll know soon," Gamma Sean replied as he stared at me.

He and the women kept staring as I pulled on my underwear. "What?"

"Your wolf is VERY powerful," the older woman said. "I've never met a female with that kind of dominance."

"And the silver color is rare, the mark of a holy one. Our priests call it moon-blessed," Sean said as he knelt before me. "I acted hastily, and I have harmed one of your people. Take my life as my apology for my offense, so the curse does not extend to my family." He bared his neck to me.

I looked at the three as I pulled my top back on. "No one is dying tonight," I said. "I'm no Angel. I'm Angela Summers, Alpha of the Renfro Pack and Midshipman First Class in the United States Navy. Stand up, Gamma."

He stood up, keeping his eyes down. "I'm not a Gamma anymore, just a warrior now," he said sadly.

"What happened?"

"Alpha Edward happened," he said. "The other Alphas freaked out when you left with Luna Melanie and the others. They wanted to pursue you, but it was already past sunrise. Alpha Edward called the Council together. Alphas Mark, Brian, Trent, and William all gathered in the conference room for the meeting. They were waiting on Edward when his men overcame the guards outside, and Edward tossed grenades into the room. None of them survived."

"Jesus," I said.

"Yeah. It was crazy; all our Packs were in turmoil. Luna Kelly arrived soon after the explosions and attacked Edward, calling him a coward. Alpha Edward ripped her throat out in seconds. A few Betas thought they might step up, but he had them killed before they could challenge him. It was real Godfather-level shit. What he did went against Pack law, but who was left to stop him? He IS the Law now."

"What happened then?"

"Alpha Edward got everyone together and gave us an ultimatum. We could join his Pack or die. You and Cole were gone, Melanie went with you, and our new Alphas were dead. None of us had a choice. We submitted to him, as did the leadership of the other Packs."

I understood what they did and why. Dead people accomplish nothing. "I warned you about him."

"You were right all along, Alpha. As soon as Alpha Edward saw what Brinnon Pack had underground, he would stop at nothing to get it. Now Edward is consolidating everything at the base. He's put you and Renfro on the back burner for now. Our orders are to bring everyone and everything to the submarine base. There's a working fishing boat here we're using to haul cargo because it's faster than going over land."

We'd been talking so long that I'd forgotten about Major Perriman. "I think the bleeding has stopped," the woman holding the bandage said.

I knelt by Bruce's head. "How do you feel?"

"My shoulder is tingling, but it doesn't hurt as much as before. I can breathe better now."

Looking at her hand, I couldn't see blood leaking out anymore. "Let the pressure off, but don't pull the bandage yet." My first aid training was specific; you add new bandages on top because pulling the soaked ones off will open up the scabs again. She slowly released his shoulder, and I didn't see any bleeding. "Holy crap, that's fast!"

The bite marks had stopped bleeding, too. I had the girls help him to a sitting position while I pulled a bottle of water out of the pack. He chugged it down. "Thanks, Angela. I thought I'd bought it here."

"You'll be much harder to kill as a wolf," I promised. "Rest up and let the healing happen." I sent the girls down the water to clean up as Sean asked for a moment of my time. "What's the mood at your Pack?"

He shook his head. "No one is happy with the changes, but what can we do? No one is strong enough to take Alpha Edward in a fight. I wish you and Cole were still there. Seeing your wolf now, you would have been the most powerful Alpha Pair in the hemisphere."

"Not bad for a human, eh?" We laughed at that, knowing Cole based his hesitancy in our mating on his belief that my wolf wouldn't be strong enough to be his match.

"If you would take us, Alpha, I want to join your Pack. Many others will join me, and together we can hold off the attack Edward will send your way."

I thought about the implications of that before telling him no. "There are a few problems with that," I told him. "First off, I may have won the right to be the Renfro Alpha, but none of the members have submitted to my wolf. I knew I had to go to the base, so I sent Melanie and the others ahead. They will take everyone into hiding, then send for me at Joint Base McChord-Lewis. I expected someone would come after me, and I'm a new wolf. I'm not strong enough to win a challenge."

"You ARE strong," he told me.

"I am not ready. That is not the main reason, though." I had to tell him because I needed someone on the inside. "The military knows that werewolves have taken over a Trident missile base, and they won't let it continue. Sooner or later, they WILL attack. When they do, Alpha Edward and his leadership have to die so I can take over. I can surrender and halt the attack. It's the only way to keep our people alive."

Sean was skeptical. "Edward will have all the advantages. He will slaughter all the soldiers you bring."

"I need a contact inside, someone who can help us win."

He knelt before me. "I would be honored, Alpha."

"No, not you. You are strong enough to be watched, and I can't risk that."

The young teen walked up to me. "Eden Forrester, Alpha," she said as she knelt. "Let me be the one. No one cares about me because I'm not of age." I brought her into my Pack the way Cole had with my women days earlier. My wolf was thrilled to have her first Pack member.

I told them to keep quiet until the time was right. "You can bring a few key players in, but the more people that know, the greater the chance of discovery."

"You can count on us, Alpha Summers," Sean replied.

Bruce was barely conscious, the healing taking the strength from him. I had them help him to the motorcycle, tying him first to the seat, then his hands around my waist. "Get back to work before you are missed," I told the three. "May the Goddess watch over you."

They pushed the motorcycle to help get it started, and then I was off. If I hurried, I could be back before the moon set.

Ch. 44

I rode hard on the way back, pushing the Harley Davidson's speed to the limits of my night vision. I took the chance that highwaymen and ambushes wouldn't happen. Why? I was fucked if they showed up. Bruce went unconscious shortly after leaving the marina, but he was still breathing. Since the Major's arms were tied around my waist, and I needed to keep my right hand on the handlebars, the best I could do was an off-handed pistol shot. I had a better chance to survive by evading than fighting. The less warning time the bad guys had to prepare for me, the better.

I got lucky. The roads were clear, and I made it to the gate shortly after the moon set. I locked the brakes up when someone fired a warning shot in the air. "HALT! WHO GOES THERE!"

"Midshipman Summers. I've got Major Perriman with me, and he's injured."

"Advance and be recognized."

I put the Harley in gear, slowly pulling forward. One of the guards came out and shined a flashlight in my face, then at the Major. "Open the gate," he ordered.

"Where should I take him?"

"Headquarters building. The hospital was too exposed and useless without power."

I pulled through, and they closed up the gate behind me. I drove through the dark streets, finally parking in front of the building. "MEDIC! Get a stretcher!"

A dozen people came forward, helping to untie the Major and get him on the ground. Medical personnel met us and took him inside. The General watched the stretcher go by, then turned his gaze to me. "Take her inside and clean her up," he told the Military Police at his side. "Put her back in the cell until I figure out what is going on."

"You could ask me to give you my report, General," I said as the detail surrounded me.

"Give me the cliff notes version." That was something my Mom used to say, but I'd grown up with Google. I got the idea, though. The guards disarmed me and started removing my gear as I talked.

"It's a worst case for the base. Leadership has consolidated under one hostile leader, and there could be a thousand wolves living there soon. Alpha Edward Winters killed the other leaders after I left. He is forcing their Packs to join him at Bangor. Once he has consolidated everyone into one Pack, the next step is expanding his control beyond the base's boundary."

"Shit."

Yep. "The good news is that I made contact with a wolf I know, and I will have allies on the inside when I return. The bad news is that my people shot the Major." His eyes got wide. "It was a mistake. We came upon them, and he brought his rifle up. They fired before either of us could identify the other."

"That's a lot of blood on him."

"He was dying, sir. He asked me to bite him, trusting it might save his life. He's still alive, thank God. In three days, he will change into his wolf. I need to be here to help him through it."

"You bit him?"

I nodded. "The bullet hit an artery. Major Perriman would have died inside of ten minutes without the healing power of my werewolf bite. It was an easy choice, and it was HIS choice."

The guards had attached the shackles by now. "I'll have to confirm your story with Major Perriman before I believe you, Summers. I'll send my intelligence officer to take a report in the meantime."

"I understand, sir." I didn't like the confinement, but I needed the General to cooperate. If I couldn't get his troops and equipment, everything I'd worked for would get blown up.

Literally.

We went to the Office of Special Investigations building and back down to the detention area. The guards removed my shackles after I was back in the cell. They gave me a washcloth, soap, and a water bowl to clean the blood off my body. When I was as clean as I was going to get, I dried off with a towel and put on the shower sandals and clean scrubs. I handed the things back out, and a few minutes later, the door opened again.

The woman coming in was in her early forties, with black hair in a tight bun and some graying at the edges. She was carrying a briefcase and a candle. The guard set up a chair for her outside the bars, and she sat down after giving me the 'at ease' order. "I'm Lieutenant Colonel Lana Pullam, First Corps G-2, Intelligence division," she told me. "I'm here to debrief you on your mission."

"Yes, ma'am." She motioned for me to sit on the bed. "How familiar are you with my background?"

"I've spoken to the General and others who have had contact with you."

I nodded. "So you know that I am a werewolf now."

"I confess that I find it had to believe such creatures exist, but I trust the General."

We couldn't move forward until she got her head around this. I stood and began doffing my scrubs.

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you, Colonel. I'm going to challenge a lot of things you thought you knew. If you aren't convinced I'm telling the truth in the basics, you won't trust me for the rest. Some things you have to see to believe." I tossed my clothes on the bed, then dropped to all fours and shifted to my silver wolf. I could hear the Colonel's sharp breath intake and the guard's muffled cry as I looked around. Letting out a yip, I jumped on the bed and sat down. The Colonel had her hand on his sidearm but didn't draw. I tilted my head as I looked at her, and she finally relaxed. I crawled forward, my eyes pleading.

It took a minute, but she finally reached through the bars with her left fist. I sniffed it and gave it a lick, sneaking forward so she could scratch my ears. It felt great, and my tail started wagging fast. My wolf wanted more scritches, but I had work to do. I sat up, then shifted back to human form. "I'm the same person I used to be, Colonel. I'm just MORE now." I told her about the physical changes I'd noticed in myself, plus what I'd learned in the informational sessions the Brinnon Pack gave their human females. "Tonight wouldn't have been possible without the physical capabilities I've gained after my first shift."

"Like what?"

"Night vision. I rode a motorcycle for three hours each way with no lights, some of it before the moonrise. I can see in those conditions better than you could with military night-vision equipment. At least, if you still had any that worked."

"And we don't. Electronics were especially susceptible to the initial burst."

The Colonel was easy to talk to over the next three hours, including a dinner of warm Coke and MREs. She was a good interrogator, taking notes and repeating questions in different ways to try and trip me up. We spent a lot of time discussing the 'float-by' of the base. She'd found a map of the Bangor base and quizzed me endlessly on it. Who did I observe where? Were the blast doors open? For the patrols, where did I see them, what was their composition, and how did they behave? Armaments? Vehicles? Command and control?

We also spent an hour on Pack structure, rules, and werewolf society. She had a hard time accepting the idea of mates, despite my personal experience with it. "So what are werewolves loyal to, Angela?"

"Your mate is the highest; you would leave the Pack for them. The Alpha is next, and the Pack he represents. No wolf wants to be outside the Pack structure. It isn't healthy to be outside of it for too long."

She tapped her pen on her notebook. "What about you? Where does your military loyalty fit in with your wolf?"

That was a question I had to think about first. "I'd like to think I can be loyal to both," I finally replied. "I only have one person in my Pack right now, but I know the others are out there. My wolf and I want to find them, bring them in, and protect them."

"And your military oath?"

"I came here because I had orders to carry out. I knew I'd expose our kind, which is against Werewolf law and endangers us all. I had to trust that I could find a way to help us both."

There was a knock on the door. "Colonel, please report to General Payne's office."

She smiled and put her notebook away. "Thank you, Midshipman Summers. It's been enlightening."

"Ten-HUT!" I jumped to attention as my senior officer left the room.

I was exhausted. Like any good midshipman, I caught some rack time, asleep by the time the sheet settled around me. I was in the middle of a hot dream involving Cole when the door opened again. "Let her out," Colonel Pullam ordered. "Major Perriman is awake and corroborated your story. Get dressed, Angela. The General wants to see you immediately."

Ch. 45

The Colonel's aide gave me a stack of clothing; new underwear, a tan-colored T-shirt, socks and boots, and Army Combat Uniform pants. I stood up after tying my boot laces. The Colonel handed me the jacket. I recognized the insignia on the collar and froze. "This is an officer's device, ma'am. I should cut it off."

She handed me the hat with the black bar. "Battlefield promotion," she responded. I put on the jacket and hat. Colonel Pullam shook my hand. "Congratulations, Ensign Summers."

"Thank you, Colonel." I saluted her, and she returned it. I followed her out of the basement, returning the salutes of the guards on the way out. We were back in the command building and in a conference room. The General was there with his staff and two additions I didn't expect. "Ensign Summers, reporting as ordered, General," I said as I stood at attention.

"At ease, Ensign. Be seated. We'll start once my Operations Officer gets here."

"Aye aye, sir." I sat next to Major Perriman, who looked wiped out, but a LOT better than the last time I saw him. "How are you feeling," I whispered.

"Much better," he replied. "I freaked out the doctors. I woke up when they started poking my wound. They didn't believe I'd been shot through the shoulder just a few hours earlier, but they couldn't ignore the holes in my uniform and the blood. My collarbone wasn't shattered anymore, and my skin had healed over. I'm getting my strength back after a good meal and lots of fluids. That werewolf bite is some powerful medicine."

"I'm sorry you got shot."

He put his hand on my arm. "Shit happens when people with guns get scared in the dark," he said. "We completed the mission, and you got me back here. I won't forget that, Angela."