Endangered Species Ch. 41-48

"Then we nuke them to oblivion, Colonel. That's the only other choice on the table." He got input from his staff, but Command is a lonely place. He made his decision. "Major, Ensign, we're going back to the hospital. I want to speak to the men first. After that, you have my permission to turn all those who volunteer to join the assault. Extend the offer to the troops if you don't get your two hundred warriors. That is all."

"Ten-HUT!" We all jumped to attention, everyone else remaining in place as the General waved for us to follow him.

Bruce started the fevers while the General was giving his speech.

I bit two-hundred-and-eighty-seven people before sundown.

Ch. 47

Everyone who took my bite got moved to the ground floor. The rooms were interior to the building or had the windows covered with sheets to cut down the harmful UV, not that it mattered. It relieved the space issues in the basement and kept the people close during their change.

A half-dozen doctors were assigned to monitor the patients and document their findings. The healings they saw over the next thirty hours blew them away. Some volunteers were in the final stages of radiation sickness, yet the bite brought them back to health. Swelling disappeared, internal organs regained function, and skin healed before their eyes. They wrote down observations and vitals with wide eyes and shaking heads. It must have been hard for them to watch people die without being able to help, and now they'd watched me heal them with a single bite.

The most shocking recoveries were among those blinded by the light. The doctors could do nothing, finding permanent retinal damage and scarring. The change helped because they started getting wolf vision. It was black and white only and worked great in near darkness, but it was life-changing. Over fifty volunteers went from being burdens to assets in a day. They could see in the dark better than their human peers.

The General walked through with me that next night, shaking his head in amazement. Patients were smiling, thanking him for letting me do this for them. "When can you bite more?"

"That wouldn't be a good idea, General," I replied. "These people will start the fevers soon, and the shifts begin after that. I need to be there for both. If I bite more people now, I can't participate in training for the assault."

"The soldiers know how to fight," he replied.

"It's not the same with a wolf. We must learn to use the mind-link because that is our communication on the battlefield. We have sensitive noses and vision, and we need to exploit that. If they go wolf, they need to learn to move and fight in that form. It's a lot to do, and I can't be distracted. They are up against defenders who have been fighting with them for years."

One of the guards ran up to us, saluting the General. "Sir, there are visitors at the McChord main gate requesting to see Ensign Summers. They said they are from the Renfro Pack."

"How many, Private?"

"Eight vehicles, at least forty people," he replied.

I smiled, knowing my Pack had survived and returned for me. "I need them in here, General. They will be invaluable in helping those taking the change."

"They are civilians, and this remains a military base. Standing orders prevent access."

"They are the experts we need, sir. Look, I've been a wolf for TWO DAYS. Everything I know is what I've heard in the last week or experienced in the two times I've shifted."

"We could train outside the gate," he replied.

"They are my Pack, General. They will fight for me just like these soldiers will, seeking to topple an evil Alpha and save their friends and relatives." He stared into my eyes, but I was determined to win this one. Pack was Pack, and we needed each other.

"Private, the Ensign's guests have permission to enter. Escort them here immediately."

"Yes, SIR!" He took off running while I hid my smile.

"I have a feeling I'll be making a lot of compromises," the General complained.

"Nothing is the same now, and you have knowledge of things that were hidden before. Adaptation is the only way to survive," I told him as we sat at a table.

"What else are you seeing?"

I thought about how to phrase this delicately. "Shelter, food, power, water, sanitation, transportation, communication. These are things we never had to worry about before, yet they are now the most important things in our world. You're operating by candlelight and digging latrines. It's time to forget about the old world and focus on keeping your people alive."

"What do you mean, Summers?"

"You've got thousands of people here, so let's just talk food. You'll run out of canned food and MREs soon. All food animals are dead, and you have no gardens or crops. It may take years to become self-sufficient, and you don't have years of food in storage."

"So what do we do?"

"My ex-mate had his failings, but he always looked towards the welfare of the Pack first and foremost. Dry and canned foods are the short-term solution. Once he had shelter and security, he focused his resources on scavenging." I gestured towards the city of Tacoma, not far from the gates. "If the rats devour it or the fires burn it up, it's wasted. You need to send patrols out to not only search for anything useful. Running vehicles, food, toilet paper, medicines, clothing? Bring it all back. You've got tons of secure storage. Hell, those airplanes out there are nothing but storage space now." That got a chuckle. "You need to find out what skills and trades you have available. Lawyers are worthless, while farmers are invaluable. Forget about rank and focus on the outcome. The same rule applies to people who want you to take them in."

"We haven't been letting anyone in who didn't have access before," he told me. His face reflected the gravity of that decision. "It's been heartbreaking, hearing them scream and beg from the other side of the fence."

I nodded at that. "You can't save everyone, General. You don't have the resources. Still, you may run into those who can help. Medics, mechanics, electricians, farmers, and fishermen. Restore your infrastructure; clean water, sanitation, and power. Bangor has value because it has underground diesel generators that are still functioning. The military stuff doesn't matter now except for security." I could tell he didn't like hearing this. "I'm sorry, sir. If you haven't been outside the base, you don't know how bad it is. If you're worried about hordes of people begging for help, don't. I went through entire towns where everyone was dead. I drove through Tacoma and Olympia twice in one night and didn't see anyone else. The ones you do find? They'll probably be shooting at you."

He ran his hand through his thinning hair. "Wonderful."

We were interrupted by the sound of vehicles pulling up to the curb. "With your leave, General?"

"Go ahead," he said. I practically ran outside, leaping off the steps and into Ted's arms. "You made it!"

He quickly put me down, letting Lois embrace me next. Melanie was after that, followed by Oscar. The other members of the Renfro Pack didn't know me. They'd only heard of me from those four. "Welcome, Renfro," I said to the group as they gathered around.

"Wow, you've got some power, Alpha," one of the females said.

"I was hoping you'd be Alpha rank, but DAMN, girl," Melanie said. "How does your wolf feel?"

"She's strong. She wants her Pack to run with her."

There were smiles all around at that. The people knelt before me, and I accepted their submission as my wolf brought them into her Pack. I felt something tickling the back of my head and started scratching it. "It's the Pack link," Lois said. "Close your eyes, think about a phone ringing in your head, and answer it."

It took a few seconds, but I focused on the sensation. "It's Lois, Alpha. Now that you know who I am, you can think of me and send a thought. As everyone contacts you, you will remember what it feels like and know who it is. You can contact everyone or a small group as you get better at it."

"This is fucking awesome!" It didn't take long for me to get it all figured out. I took my Pack inside, introducing them to the General. "We'd like to take a run, sir."

"I'd like to see that." He was the only human in the entry area, and I didn't want to freak him out. "Can you turn around until we tell you it's all right? Shifting with clothes on gets them tangled or ruined."

"Of course, Ensign." He turned around, and the forty-six of us stripped and shifted. I shook out my fur, then nosed the General's hand so he would turn around.

Everyone was staring at me, and they started to drop to their bellies, exposing their necks. I opened the link to the whole Pack. "What?"

"Your wolf is SILVER," Melanie replied.

"So?"

"It's rare and special. I think the last silver wolf died around 1950."

"I didn't pick it. The Moon Goddess chooses your wolf, right?"

"That's what we believe, yes."

"When I was fighting to merge my wolf into my mind, the Goddess stepped in to help us. She told me her people had lost their way, and I was to show them."

"Show them what?"

"She never said. She told me I was doing fine, that I was her beautiful werewolf, and she was with me."

Melanie crawled forward, rolling onto her stomach in front of me. "Pure silver wolves are moon-touched. You are much more than our Alpha, Angela. You are Luna's prophet to our people. Alphas will bow before you and beg for your favor."

I looked around my Pack members; all had rolled onto their backs and exposed their bellies in submission. I didn't deserve this, and I sure as hell didn't ask for it. The fevers were hitting, and Bruce would get his wolf soon. "Rise, Renfro Pack. We have much to do, but my wolf wants to run. Follow me."

My wolf was giddy during the night run with her Pack. I let her have her fun.

That would be in short supply soon.

Ch. 48

With my Pack here, the mass change went smoothly. There were no icemakers or fans to move air, so we had to improvise. Gathering all the vehicles we could find, Melanie worked with the soldiers to transport everyone to the Shoreline Park Beach on the north side of Interstate 5. This area was still part of the Joint Base but contained mainly dependent housing. It was outside the patrolled perimeter, but my Pack ensured it was secure.

I stayed behind with Major Perriman.

I'd warned him about the pain that was to come, but the reality was different. He tried to tough it out, but the bones breaking overcame even that. We'd moved far from humans, making the change in the woods behind one of the many firing ranges to the south. I did my best to encourage him, but the pain would prevent him from even hearing me soon. Watching his first shift brought back painful memories of my own.

When it was over, a grey and white-furred wolf with a silver patch on his chest lay on the grass. I'd already shifted, so when he went to attack, I pinned his neck to the ground and let my dominance out. His wolf calmed as he submitted to me, and I brought him into my Pack. He sat up and looked around, his human and wolf now integrated inside his mind. "Congratulations, Bruce. You're one of us now."

Bruce was looking over the terrain with his wolf night vision and taking in the scents around him. "It's overwhelming," he replied.

"You'll get used to it. Come on, moving around will help ease the aches." He stood on four paws and stretched, ending with the 'downward dog' stretch. In human form, Major Perriman was intimidating and dangerous-looking. His wolf was no different. His dominance level wasn't as high as mine and was a match for Lead Warriors Ted and Lois. I could tell immediately he would have a leadership role in my Pack.

We spent the rest of the night learning about our new bodies, with Oscar giving us lessons on general wolfiness. I was exhausted by the time we turned in. Oscar taught us to run, track, fight, and shift while moving. We'd be at a full sprint in wolf form, and he'd tell us to shift. We had to jump high enough to make room for human legs, then land at full speed. It was much easier doing it the other way, with fewer faceplants. We could barely eat a big dinner before going to sleep.

The next day was going to be busy. Our group took over one of the airplane hangars, keeping the new shifters in a big, enclosed area. The Major and I spent most of the time talking strategy while the new wolves suffered through their shifts. When the first ones became wolves, I stayed busy by placing dominance on them and bringing them into the Pack. Melanie had organized WolfyCamp stations around the hangar with different topics. As wolves finished their shifts, they started classes.

After all, we didn't have much time. By midnight, all 287 volunteers had completed their shifts. "I can't believe it," Ted told me as the last one headed for his training.

"What?"

"They all made it."

"So?"

"This doesn't just happen, Alpha. Humans die during the change all the time. Sometimes the first shift is too stressful for their body to handle, or they give up because of the pain. Maybe they are too injured to heal, or they cannot integrate their wolf with their human side. Even with a mate and an alpha, not everyone makes it. We expected to lose ten, even twenty percent of them, but they all made it!"

I didn't know how to explain it. "Maybe the Goddess knew we needed them?"

"Or maybe the bite of a silver wolf did it," he speculated. "Look around, Alpha Summers, because you did this." I did look; groups of people were learning about their new bodies and abilities. Their mix of dominance levels skewed higher than a typical Pack. We saw many posturing and dominance displays, but not many fights, as wolves slotted into their Pack ranks. Nearly all were at warrior level, with some higher-ranking wolves mixed in. I guess it made sense; most of the volunteers were soldiers already.

Two new wolves were mates with women who had come with Renfro, while three other pairs found each other among the changed wolves. I sent the happy pairs off to private rooms; they would be excused from tonight's activities so they could complete the mating process.

As the night finished up, my much larger Pack dined together on oatmeal, pancakes, and juice. The changes and the training resulted in huge appetites, followed by fatigue. We formed into units led by Beta-rank wolves and marched back to the Madigan Army Hospital's main floor. The base personnel had heard about us, and many of them turned out to watch us arrive.

That's when I lost fourteen more.

All found mates among the humans. All fourteen wanted their mates turned as soon as possible. And all remaining injured personnel and a bunch of healthy ones wanted to become werewolves too.

The Pack would return to wolf form overnight, choosing to puppy-pile in one of our larger interior rooms. I was exhausted, but I had to deal with a worried General. I mind-linked my senior leadership in on the conversation so I wouldn't have to repeat it later. "Ensign Summers, reporting as ordered, General."

He returned my salute, then started walking away from the group at the door. When we were alone, he finally spoke. "I've probably got another two hundred who want the change now, Ensign. I'm still struggling to understand how I can maintain order and discipline among the three-hundred-some you have here now!"

"What do you mean, sir? Everything is proceeding as expected. Tomorrow we'll start unit exercises, and we are on track to attack in three more nights."

He nodded at that. "I noticed the formations, Summers. You told me military rank wouldn't matter in the Pack, but I didn't believe it until now. There are officers and senior NCOs in the ranks and Corporals leading squads and platoons!"

"There is order and discipline, sir. The Pack will be ready for the fight."

"What about the ranks?"

"I'm sorry I'm fucking with your pay scales, General."

He let out a laugh at that. "Money is the least of anyone's worries now, Alpha. I think I'll call you that now because an Ensign commanding a battalion of warriors seems wrong."

"On the scale of everything wrong in this world, I can handle that one."

"I suppose you can." He looked over at the new mated pairs, some of whom faced the long task of getting their mate to agree to the change. "What do we do about them?"

"That depends on whether you want another batch of turns before I leave, sir. I can't be here for the shifts and be there for the scheduled attack on the submarine base. An Alpha has to be here on the third day."

He looked out at the horizon, where the first glow of dawn was coming over the mountains. "I can't push back the attack; Northern Command is adamant we retake the base."

"Then they will have to wait," I told him.

We practiced our plans and contingencies until we moved with precision and perfect coordination. Finally, it was time to go. There was one hitch as we loaded up the canvas-topped trucks that would carry armed soldiers and wolves to the north, and it came from the General. "I need one of your wolves to drive the command vehicle," he told me.

"Sir, I'm in the lead truck."

"There's been a change," he told me. "As soon as you take over the base, Colonel Tester will roll in and take command from you."

"Sir?"

"Alpha, when you proposed this plan, you told me you'd report directly to a Base Commander I would appoint. My boss is adamant about this; he wants a HUMAN military officer in charge, not another Werewolf Alpha he's not sure he can control. The Colonel will hang back until the base is secure, so his presence won't affect your plan. I've given him orders that he cannot take command or exert authority you're your unit until you report back, through his driver, that you have taken the base. If you fail, he will turn around and report back to me."

"Aye aye, General." I asked for a volunteer who could drive a Humvee, selecting one from the group that would remain at the main gate. We left the base twenty minutes after sunset.

We didn't see much human activity as we drove north towards Silverdale. There was enough moonlight to see, and any working lights had been disabled. We stopped on the south side of the hills, sending out our recon teams under Major Perriman. Their wolves wore harnesses to carry their rifles and observation gear. We sprayed them with scent blocking solution used by hunters before having them roll around in the pine needles and forest floor. They ran off to take their overwatch positions.

Fifteen minutes later, Bruce informed me they were in place, and the road to the main gate was open. "Good luck, Alpha."

"Stay safe, Major." I ordered the column forward, the drivers pushing their speed near eighty miles an hour as we rolled down the roads the Pack had cleared. My truck had white truce flags flying on each bumper.

The guards at the main gate saw us coming, and Overwatch reported hundreds of armed men were streaming out of the underground bunker. I smiled as I linked my inside girl, the teen who had been my first Pack member from my reconnaissance run. "Eden, it's Alpha Angela. We're coming up on the main gate. When the warriors and Pack leaders have left the tunnels, I need you and your allies to close the blast door and disable it."

"You can count on me, Alpha."

We didn't run the main gate because I didn't want a fight. Instead, the trucks stopped a few hundred yards short, and the soldiers and wolves jumped out. They formed a line opposite the Quinalt Pack fighters, using stalled vehicles, rocks, and tree stumps for cover. "How many are we facing, Bruce?"