What We Must Ch. 08

"OK, so, unless he got some serious support behind him, they won't be coming for us anytime soon. What about the council? What would they do or say about what happened?"

"A fight for Alpha wouldn't be an issue, but Ian encroached on our range, attacked and kidnapped some of our pack members. If we report this, it won't be looked upon favorably by the other packs. Our numbers are small enough as it is without infighting."

"If we report it?"

"Anne, you don't understand all the ins and outs of pack existence. Sometimes it's better not to say anything."

The discussion continued, with the older pack members giving considered opinions. It was decided not to report anything to the council unless the Matlins tried to cast a bad light on the incident for the McKennas. The others would all learn of the change in leadership soon enough.

While it would be tempting to try and change the situation in the Matlin pack by taking over, the temptation would be too great for some of them to get together and attack Devon. They'd believe that he killed Ian; no matter the truth or what anyone else said. No, unfortunately, it was best to let Dylan take control.

"OK, now for our current situation and response. First, I want that body out of McKenna range tomorrow if it isn't already gone." Again, Duncan looked to object. "I'm serious, Duncan. The McKenna range isn't to be tainted by that bastard's remains."

"Second, except for that, no one outside of the compound for three days. If we aren't attacked in that amount of time we'll assume they've thought better of it, and, I believe, most of you will be healed by then."

"Third, I want Devon taken down to the bedroom." This time Lily objected.

"Anne, we could rip open the stitches and he could start bleeding again."

"Then, he is to be moved carefully. But he will not lie on this table any longer."

"Anne, don't bite my head off, but maybe we should get your wounds taken care of before we move him?"

She looked down at herself. Her hands and forearms still had blood on them and she could only imagine what was on her face. Her hip was bleeding again and something on her shoulder burned. "All the men are taken care of, and we heal faster. We need to take care of your injuries." The pups began to whimper, signaling hunger, and her breasts started to leak.

"Can we move Devon after we take care of you, and the babies are fed?" She sat down heavily in a chair.

"You're right. OK."

"Who do you want first?"

"My brave little girl." Joy was brought to her and she cradled her eldest in her left arm as her right shoulder was swabbed with antiseptic. Lily then began to stitch up the wound on that shoulder. Beth took a wet cloth and began to remove the dried blood from Anne's face.

"Did you really kill Ian?"

"Yes, Beth, I really did."

"Can you tell us what happened?" The rest were hanging on every word. Kevin had his arms around Jen and Duncan had pulled Amanda to his lap.

"After you grabbed Callum and Alana..."

"No, start at the beginning, please?" She closed her eyes at the unpleasant memory, while Joy suckled a little noisily at her breast. "I'm sorry. Maybe you don't want to."

Anne raised a blood streaked hand to Beth's face. "Ignoring something unpleasant doesn't make it go away. Sometimes the only way to fight off the demons is to talk about it." She took a deep breath and let it out.

William and Abigail had come back upstairs to sit with the others. Both glanced at Devon before turning to listen to Anne.

"We were outside with the little ones, watching them play and enjoying the warm sun. I didn't smell them but I saw something move. I told my babies to go home and told Abigail to run. She took off with Wesley."

"We couldn't move very quickly, of course, and the other males were closing." Devon's eyes opened slightly, then closed again. Callum released a puppy bark before licking his father's muzzle. Devon was very tired, but trying to listen to the story. "They were closing, too many of them, and there was no way we were going to make it in time. I tried to warn them off and keep an eye on all of them. But there were five of them, all concentrated on me. And then I smelled him, and focused on him, since he was in charge. I figured he would be the first to make a move against us. I tried to keep the little ones under my belly so they wouldn't be hurt. Maybe I could have gotten one of them back to the compound but how do you choose? So I kept them all with me, and hoped I could keep us all alive until help came. And I hoped it would be quick."

Beth had finished cleaning the blood off of her arms and stepped back.

"How do you fight as wolf? All I could think of was teeth. Then they came in at me, once, twice, I don't know how many times. So quick. I felt something burn in my hindquarters. Then, one of them knocked me down. Then Ian came up behind me as I was getting up, I knew what he wanted; I could smell it. He knocked me down again and mounted. I twisted and squirmed but he held me tighter. He managed one plunge in before Devon knocked us over and him off of me. Ian recovered enough to come back, grab Joy, and take off. Devon took off after him."

She closed her eyes, taking a moment. She swallowed. "I... I... There was one male left, facing me. I kept backing us toward the compound when he came at me. After the second or third time he backed off. I'm not sure where I got him but he didn't come back after us. Jen and Beth came out and", she winced as the stitches went into her hip, "got Alana and Callum. When I was sure they were alright, I took off after Devon. Hoping Joy wasn't hurt, that Ian wouldn't get too far, and that we could get her back."

Lily straightened up from her work. "Could someone bring Callum over?"

She called over. "Alana, baby, stay with Daddy, OK? Make sure he's OK for me?" Alana responded by curling up under her father's chin, giving his muzzle a couple of little licks.

Their female Alpha, with a babe at each breast, continued her tale, surrounded by the other members of the pack. "It was all I could think of, to get her back." She looked down at her daughter before continuing. The women all nodded, understanding her reasoning. "I never wanted anyone deader than I wanted Ian Matlin. I hoped that Devon could stop him before he got too far." She stopped again, to collect her thoughts, and released a big breath. "I knew what Ian wanted, and I hoped that, if I gave myself up to him, that he'd let Devon have Joy. And then I started thinking of ways to kill him. I told myself that he'd be dead before the month was out. Callum, ow, stop that. I know you're hungry but it only comes out so fast."

"And I saw them, standing there, they were talking, and Ian had Joy, growling and squirming in his arms. I was getting ready to shift when, for some reason, Ian dropped her. Devon was on him immediately and told me to grab Joy and get out of there."

"Why do you think he dropped her when you were that close?"

"I don't know." She kissed her daughter's head. Joy was starting to fall asleep. "Maybe she bit him or something."

"Please, could someone take Joy over to Devon and bring Alana?"

Gentle handed transferred the girls. Joy was placed in the warm spot Alana just left and Alana was brought to her mother's breast. "Yes, sweetie, there we go."

"Um, where? Oh, yes. I can't imagine why else he might have dropped her, but he did. Devon launched himself at Ian and, then, both of them were on the ground, wrestling. I grabbed Joy and moved away, made sure she was alright, and proceeded to remove his smell from her. By now Devon and Ian were wolven and continued to fight. I started back with Joy and turned around once more to look at the men. Something happened because Devon ended up on the ground, and Ian went for his throat. I just dropped Joy and headed for them. I hit Ian as hard as I could and he went over a couple of times. Almost before he came to a stop I got him by the throat and I, I, well, I guess I ripped it open. He didn't move. He was dead. I lifted my head and howled. Then I went back to get Joy since I could smell the other males coming."

"Devon wasn't moving, well, he was breathing, I could tell that, but he wasn't getting up. I brought Joy back to his head, put her down, and stood over them both as the other males came at us, ready to fight them again if I had to."

"But, Duncan and Marcus and Sam and William and Kevin were chasing them so they ran right by us. One of them checked on Ian and ran off. Devon was starting to get to his feet when Duncan and Marcus came to help him. I grabbed Joy and ran back as fast as I could. And, well, I guess that's it."

Callum's eyes began to close as his sister continued to suckle. She kissed both of their heads and sighed. "I just hope... Well, with Ian gone, was it too much to hope that we won't have any trouble with the Matlins?"

"Dylan's studied too much at his father's side. Ethan was to be Alpha but he's only been gone a couple of years so we don't know a lot about Dylan's decisions or what his father may have put him in charge of but, growing up in that pack, how much different from his father can he be?"

"Are the countermeasures still in place?"

"Most of them. I'll check and see if anything needs to be fixed or replaced."

"Good. What do you think, Duncan, two at the gate, in rotating shifts, for a couple of days?"

"Sounds reasonable. William and I will take the next watch."

Alana started rubbing her eyes with her little fists. "OK. Can someone take Devon down to our room now?"

"Sure." She started to get up from the chair and Duncan grabbed her as she started to collapse. "I'm fine; I'm fine."

"OK, everybody grab a baby. Kevin, come help her downstairs. Sam, help me with Devon, would you?"

The entire family was taken to their room. The babes put in the crib, Devon placed on the bed, and covered, and Anne moved to the rocking chair, as if she was keeping watch over her family.

A tray of food was brought in later for her, and she ate sparingly, thanking Jen for bringing it. While Anne ate, Jen checked briefly on Devon, who seemed to be holding his own. She looked at the five of them as she left the room. "Good night, Anne. Just stick your head out the door and yell if you need anything."

Anne nodded her head, obviously thinking intently about something.

*****

He woke the next day to a wonderful smell. He was achy, sore, and tired. Moving slowly, he touched bandages and stitches in his neck and on his hip. He felt soft skin against his as he opened his eyes.

She was on the bed with him, with stitches in her hip and shoulder as well and red marks on her neck. But she was facing him, with their babies between them. He counted, three, thank god. He checked on Joy; she whimpered, but, thankfully, only had a couple of bruises.

He inhaled deeply, reveling in Anne's scent, and reached over to touch her face as he hardened. She murmured and opened her eyes. Noticing his growing erection she smirked at him. "I don't think you're ready for that but it looks like you'll live."

"I haven't decided yet..."

She shot him a questioning look.

"I haven't decided yet, woman, if you're more trouble than you're worth."

"Oh."

Epilogue

In a whisper, Anne talked to her three children. "OK, children, let's play a game. Let's go off a ways, and see how long it takes Daddy to find us."

One yap of agreement and they all showed readiness for play. Then, tongues lolling, the pups took off. Anne watched for a moment, looked back at the compound, then took off after them. Racing ahead, she led them off in an easterly direction.

It was a warm summer day. She was in a meadow, miles from the McKenna compound, with her children. Running, chasing each other around, tumbling over one another.

A large wolf was watching them from up on the hill. Downwind of them, he could smell her. The scent had his cock protruding from its sheath.

Tired from running and romping, the pups all curled up together under a tree. She gave each of them a couple of licks, then turned to scan the area. Turning back to them, she didn't notice the male coming down the hill.

He slunk closer, watching her from behind a bush.

She turned, facing away from him, as he leapt up and rushed her.

Knocking her down, they rolled down the slope on the other side of the tree.

He stood over her. She looked up into blue eyes and he nuzzled her neck. Shifting form, he kissed her. "Gotcha!"

"You really think I'd be facing upwind while watching over my babes?"

"Our babes."

"You didn't have to try and push Callum out."

"You're right."

He traced her lips with his fingers, then his mouth moved down to her breast, no longer pale, but tanned by the sun. He tasted the milk that was still there for his children. Her hands twined in his hair as she felt his throbbing cock in the space between their bodies. "The children!"

"Are asleep and will be for a while. You know what your smell does to me when your fertility peaks. Besides, I want to make up for lost time. I want to lick you until you can't remember your own name."

She pushed at him, playfully, laughing. He slid down her body and parted her thighs, not taking his eyes off her glistening pussy. "May I?"

She smiled at him. "You'd better not wake them."

"Look who's talking."

"I never thought wolves were such a randy bunch."

"Only because of you, woman." She began moaning under the assault of his tongue at her entrance. He picked up his head briefly. "Only because of you."

FIN