New Order to Things

Cataldo wonder if one of his friends had slipped him a psychotropic drug, for what he and Mel had just experienced had to be the result of one such action.

It all started at his families garage , when several men had attacked a group of men outside its doors, then had rushed in and grabbed the two of them, , throwing them in to a van and screeching away. The next thing he could be sure of was that they where standing on little rise in a forest, with a large group of people on the plain below, and neither Mel nor him believed what they saw, men and woman changing into animals and what looked like half man/animal things.

Sure that he was hallucinating , he wondered why one looked so much like a brother he had never met, and then the man who looked like his long dead brother changed in to a giant white bear and crushed the head of what looked like a Bengal tiger , then the thing shifted into an even more massive creature and shredded another man, one who had looked like the Hollywood idea of a vampire, all claws and teeth.

The man/beast/hallucination walked up to him minutes later and came to a stop before him, speaking to him and Mel." hello brother."

All six foot four and 220 pounds of Cataldo collapsed to the ground, mal not far behind him.

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Joe looked down on his out cold brother, shaking his head and turning to the woman beside him." well that was not an auspicious first meeting with a relative."

Ash looked up her mate, humour in her eyes." well what did you expect??"

Joe glanced at her ." well not that , but then again , maybe I should have."

"yah think."

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MINUTES PRIOR

Joe rushed over to where roux and the others had stood and fought, arriving just as Roux was speaking his last words." Karl , Michele my love, I am going to be gone soon, watch over all ash, ally and our returned child , Michele" and as he looked up to the man he new was going to need the most encouragement" and Joseph, you must rule well, as you are now indisputably the most powerful of us all."

Joe shook his head, kneeling so Roux did not have to strain to look up at him," no father, while a powerful . My beast and I are not suited to rule, but if the prophesy leon and lily thought so true is indeed fact, there is nothing she will not be capable of." Michele the younger looked at Joe, seemingly try to disagree, Joe just looked at her, " do not worry, I shall be at your side , as I was once was for leon"

Both of the Michele's and Karl started to speak, Joe just waved his hand" I think we all can agree that she is in no danger of becoming like Leon, and if she does, I will be the first to tell her that she is wrong, she is not going to be my alpha, but she is my sister in law and ward , so trust me."

Karl spoke up first ." Joe after seeing what you alone did this day, your ability to do as you say I do not doubt, but if you are not going to claim the alpha ship that you have won, there will be many many problems , and you know that."

Joe nodded his head in agreement , then spoke" I think that what I am about to say will explain my position" and he turned away from the group and stepped up to the highest portion of the dais, glancing at the dead and dieing that surrounded it. He shifted into his hybrid form and roared out, knowing the vocalization would call all to listen to him.

As the assembled started to gather towards the area, Joe glanced and saw that his brother was still with some of the ancients and decided to deal with that problem as soon as he was done with his announcement.

Within a few minutes those were who could where assembled and waiting for what they thought would be a decree of Joe being their collective new alpha, for those packs who had lost alphas in the battle.

But they where in for quite a shock

"Those of you who are assembled here . You where here for a joyous occasion, not the violence that erupted due to the actions of those who sought power. So I will tell you this, those that lost your Alpha's. follow the procedure that you would if they had not died in a battle, for not one was formally challenged by myself, thus I do not lay claim to your pack, pride, pod or whatever. But this be known, any who attempt to force the young Michele. whom is now not only my ward, but my sister in law into a mating. Will have to deal with my displeasure, and as you can see, being on the wrong side of me in a battle is not conducive to remaining healthy." Joe then looked towards the ancients who where gathered around Diana and Lilly. " as for the vampires and elementals that are here, I hold no ill will towards any who fought following a master or coven leader. You where acting as you should, honoring leaders, but I extend a similar warning, do not attempt revenge for the vampire king nor the coven lord, who I now was gravely injured in an attack on humans earlier this day, a human who happens to be a relative of mine, and to quote , well someone whose name I do not remember, you mess with a member of my family, you mess with me!"

nervous twitters went amongst the assemblage, but after the throng had witnessed the man speaking in action, the unspoken concisions was that what he asked for, he would get.

" so return to your homes, do what needs to be done to honor your dead, for they should be honored , as they fell in battle, like warriors should, and at the next full moon return with the alphas that replace those who have died , so that we all can get to know one another, and possibly come up with a new system , one that replaces the absolutes of the 6 councils, which we see has led to corruption and desire for power, with something , well more human, democracy."

Shock went around the assembled, for Joes pronoucment was far from what any expected.