Lupa (Second Edition)

by Kimberly Odum Wells

The reception was legend and went on into the early morning. Without Max and Josette. They were ushered out after only an hour to a clearing in the forest surrounding the pack’s land where an outdoor bedroom had been set up. Josette and Max stood opened mouthed for a full minute looking at the set up. A bed hanging from flower covered thick rope from the branches of two trees and covered with mosquito netting was in the center of a thousand candles.

  Luke assured Max that no one would disturb them and their privacy was protected because the human guards had been replaced with five of the wolves that Diana brought with them. The wolves circled the area, Max and Josette catching sight of them every now and then.

  Max mouth was dry and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. There had been a few close calls, some near misses but now nothing stood between him and Josette being together in all ways. He took a deep breath, his body tight with anticipation. He couldn’t help it; every hormone in his body was going crazy to take his mate. He tried to calm himself down, afraid Josette would pick up on how much he wanted her, to hell with that, how much he needed her. He didn’t want to scare her. He was scared enough for the both of him. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to make it through the night without breaking a bone...hers and or his. Josette hand landed light on his arms and he almost jumped ten feet in the air. She laughed as he opened his eyes.

  “You’re the one who told me no,” she said smiling at him, “Remember that when you’re breaking bones.”

  He laughed. “No broken bones, I promise,” he said taking her into his arms. “You’re so beautiful Josette, he whispered before kissing her. Her mouth was warm against his lips. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she said a little breathless breaking from the kiss.

  With steady fingers he unbuttoned her dress before removing his own clothes. He smiled down at her, running his hands down her arms across her hips.

  “I love you Tehila,” he said.

  He picked her up and laid her down on the bed. It rocked, swaying from the branches a little. Someone had anchored the thing to the ground. Max could only imagine what would have happened otherwise. The thought led to an ill-timed bit of laughter. Josette picked up on his thought and started to laugh with him.

  There was no awkwardness between the two young loves. No worries of age or death or war or reigns, in this moment it was just him and her. Time stood still and changed all together. No longer were they in a place and time where a madman had killed her parents and his grandmother. The Sun-wolf and White Queen was a dream for another night. In this place there was room for only two, Ulric and Ulrich, a true mated pair.

  Josette kissed Max breathless, digging her nails into his arms as she pulled him close to her. He moved her leg a little with his knee and rolled on top of her. The power rolling between the two of them was too much and Max felt his teeth grow in his mouth, his arms and legs became thicker, longer, as his body prepared to change into his half form. He stopped and tried to pull away from Josette.

  “No,” she said grabbing his arms and locking her legs around his waist. “I love you Honi. All of you,” she said. She kissed the large canines sticking out of his mouth, ran her hands through the fur that covered his body. His whole body vibrated from the shudder that ran from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. He nuzzled her neck and as their bodies joined he bit her. She cried out into the night air, her screams mixed with the howls of seven wolves.

  Josette woke with the sun and a smile on her face. She was in Max’s arms and he was licking the new bite on her neck.

  “Are you okay,” he said and went back to licking her.

  “I am,” she said snuggling closer to him.

  They lay in the outdoor bed for more than an hour. Max licking her bite, her enjoying it, every once in a while he’d growl sending chills down her spine.

  “Did I hurt you,” he asked satisfied with the attention he’d given the bite or tired of licking her.

  “No”

  “Lair,” he said but he laughed. “I didn’t mean to bite you,” he hesitated, “But I really like doing it.”

  Josette laughed. “I like you biting me.” He smiled his sly smile having been given permission to bite her anytime.

  “Let’s get back, there’s a lot to do,” he said.

  Josette groaned but climbed off of the bed and grabbed the shirt Max had worn last night. It had been unusually cool last night but it was hotter than Hades now and she had no intention on putting the dress back on. It was beautiful but too heavy for Southern heat. Max put on his pants and they walked back hand and hand. Everyone was already up and most of the pack was outside eating breakfast at the tables that had been brought out for last night’s reception.

  “The lovebird’s return,” Wallace voice boomed through the morning when he spotted them. “Ulric,” he nodded to Max.

  To keep the confusion down Max and Josette decided to be addressed as Ulric and Ulrich by the European group since they called Jean Rene and Diana Lycaon and Nonakris. Josette liked it enough to want to change it to the official title for the American wolves. But that could be discussed after they got rid of Thomas Ronin and his pack.

  “Oh my God Max, your back,” Josette said. He’d pulled ahead of her to go up the stairs leading into Luke’s trailer. It was covered in long deep scratches from his shoulder blades down into the waist band of his pants.

  “That’s nothing, you should see Jean Rene’s,” Virginia said from Constantine’s lap. He was feeding her fruit from a plate.

  “See me about what.” The man in question said appearing like magic in the trailer doorway.

  Josette gasped. His body was covered in healed scratches. Well mostly healed there were a few fresh ones. Very fresh, as in, just stopped bleeding fresh. He laughed at Josette’s expression.

  “It is only fair that I allow Diana to mark me as well,” he said.

  “That’s not marking that torture,” Josette said and her mouth shut with an audible snap.

  “Indeed, the sweetest of all torture,” he said, “Wouldn’t you agree Maxwell.” Josette saw him wink at Max.

  “Agreed.”

  “Get a room,” Thomas yelled from across the yard.

  “And go back to yours Lycaon,” Constantine added.

  “Come, get dressed Ulric and Ulrich. There’s much to discuss before the day is done,” Jean Rene said and moved out of the doorway.

  Freshly showered and fully clothed the European wolves were seated with Max and Josette and Luke and the a few men from his pack.

  “So tell us Ulrich, what would you ask of the European wolves for your people. How can we assist you,” Jean Rene said.

  Josette lowered her head, deep in thought. Everyone was quiet while she figured out how to answer the question.

  “I want to join all the American clans into one pack so that this doesn’t happen again,” she finally said.

  There were a few words mumbled by Luke’s men, Wallace was smiling, but the rest of the European group expressions were blank. They waited for her to continue.

  “We’ll start by making an example out of Ronin.”

  “And how would you make an example out of him,” Jean Rene asked.

  “I want a public challenge,” she said.

  “Not no—but, hell no,” Max said.

  “She’s making you look bad Diana,” Wallace said laughing his big deep down belly laugh.

  “I won’t allow it,” Max said. He looked around the table for backup; for someone to co-sign on his objection. All he saw was a bunch of blank expression from the European group, and shocked silent ones from Luke and his men.

  “The full moon is near. We send word ahead and let him know that we’re coming. He’s arrogant, he’ll want to fight in the day but he doesn’t know I can change form in the sun.”

  “I’m your ulric, your king, I’ll fight for you Tehila,” Max said, his voice loud.

  Josette shook her head. “Not this time honi. I
t’s personal, he killed my parents,” she said.

  “Excuse me Nonakris,” Luke said.

  “Yes,” Diana answered.

  Luke looked confused a second then corrected himself. “Sorry...I mean Ulrich.” When Josette looked at him he continued. “I don’t mean to overstep my place but I think the Lyc....Ulric is correct. You’ve not even changed into a wolf yet. This will be your first full moon. There’s no limit to the number of things that can go wrong if he decides to fight you at night. But even if he declares a daylight challenge I’ve seen Thomas Ronin. He’s six five if he’s a foot and weights about three hundred pounds.” There were murmurs of agreement from the men Luke brought to the table.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t want Maxwell to fight in your stead,” Constantine asked. He pulled Virginia closer to him, as if Josette volunteered the woman to fight.

  Virginia was watching Josette closely. She could swear the woman was trying to send her psychic messages. The girl was tall but model thin. She looked completely different today in a pair of cut off shorts and lace edged tank top, last night she had been dressed like a warrior. Josette also noticed she didn’t have a mating mark. She was human.

  “Virginia you’re not a werewolf,” Josette said.

  “No,” Virginia said.

  “And you fight werewolves.”

  “I do.”

  “She’s had years of training,” Thomas Wolfe said.

  “And Constantine is always with her,” Lillian added.

  Josette turned to Constantine. “You’re always with her,” she asked.

  “Oui.”

  “See,” Max all but shouted.

  Josette could feel the power heating his skin, making her body sweat more where their skin touched. “Has she ever saved you’re life,” she asked ignoring Max outburst.

  The blond Frenchman nodded once and said, “Many times.”

  “Max stood up, almost dumping Josette on the ground. “I forbid it!” He was yelling now.

  “It’s not up for negotiations. It’s my decision to make. I rule the wolves not you.”

  “You are my wolf to call Josette, not the other way around. Do you think I’m just going to let you walk into almost certain death? Do you expect me to stand on the sidelines and watch you get torn to shreds and do nothing?”

  There was a gust of wind cool on his skin which was weird since he had on a shirt and the cool was on his chest. Then a stinging set in and lastly, pain. He looked down to see four long, deep claw marks across his chest.

  “Did you just fucking claw me,” he said stunned. When he raised his head she clawed him again across the face.

  “What in the hell’s the matter with you Josette.”

  She moved to do some more damage but he caught her arm, hooked his leg behind her knee and pushed her to the ground, intending on landing on top of her and pinning her to the ground. But she turned mid-fall, holding onto his arm and turned her body. End result...her on top.

  The hell with this.

  Max felt his shirt rip as he turned into half form. Josette was growling and snarling and Max was thinking maybe she was rabid when he sat up meaning to pin hear again. She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed hard enough that he swore he heard his ribs cracking. He put both her hands in one of his and grabbed her thigh digging his claws into her. God help him he had a point to make. She screamed a second before he sank his teeth in the brand new wound and screamed again. She went still and in error, he loosened his hold on her hands.

  His reward?

  Ten razor sharp claws embedded in his back. He would have howled but he had a mouth full of Josette’s neck and wasn’t about to make the mistake of letting her go. He bore down on the bite, closing his jaws further, causing her to scream again. The hand he’d held her with previously he sank into her other thigh.

  Someone was yelling for someone to do something, he heard a few words of French and to top it all off he was aroused. What the...

  Josette was crying, but a lot of it was in frustration rather than the pain he was causing her. He released her neck and looked in her face. Tears were streaming down the sides of her face falling into her hair, but she looked almost feral with angry determination.

  “Stop!” he yelled at her. She dug her claws in his back deeper and he growled at her. A loud deep warning. When she didn’t let him go he bit her again this time at the top of her breast. She screamed again and he bit her harder.

  “Call it a draw!” Diana yelled.

  But Max didn’t need her to be his equal, he needed her to submit. He took his claws out of her thighs and felt his pants rip and the waistband of his pants snap as his grew larger. This was a first for him. He’d never had two transformations before, his hair on his body grew thicker and his teeth grew longer. He pulled his upper body away from her, leaving a trail of deep gauges in his back as she tried to keep her grip. He grabbed her hands and held them at her sides.

  “Stop Tehila,” he warned her.

  Max heard Jean Rene say “Time to go” a second before Josette growled her refusal. Max was buzzing with power and rage and the need to have his mate submit to him. He’d already decided that he’d allow her to fight. She was damned good at it. The lack of concentration got his ass bit. Son of a....

  Before Josette could latch onto him good and proper, he yanked his head back to get his throat out of her way. He raised his upper body and pried her off him and by some miracle got her on her stomach. She was bucking like a damn bronco beneath him. Both of them were breathing like a couple of bulls.

  Submit to me Tehila,” he growled in her ear.

  “No!” she yelled, throwing her hips up and back trying to get him off her back.

  “You are mine Tehila, mine to protect, even from yourself. You are my wolf to call, he said.

  “And I am still queen of the wolves,” she said with just as much heat in her voice.

  “But I am your king and you will obey me in all things Josette.” His bit was quick and hard and Josette screamed until it turned into a ragged kind of half howl. And then she went still.

  Max and Josette came out of the trailer with smiles on their faces. They were freshly showered....again and fully clothed...again. Josette jumped on Max’s back when he took the last step from the rickety wooden stairs at the trailer’s entrance. He put his arms behind her holding her in place by her butt. After a long shower together where they tended each other wounds, first begrudgingly, then lovingly and finally frisky. By the time they got out it was right as rain between the two of them.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a fight,” Wallace boomed as they neared the table. “She’s going to look as bad as the Lycaon.”

  “You were too rough with her,” Lillian scorned Max as he sat down in the same spot he’d been in an hour ago. He pulled Josette in his lap and kissed her shoulder and caught himself licking the bite on it.

  She was covered in scratches, claw and bite marks. There were bruises on her legs, her arms and both sides of her waist. Both of them were stiff from the fight.

  “She’s stubborn,” Max said.

  “He’s a bully,” Josette said.

  “You two are going to kill each other,” Luke said.

  “I’d never,” Max said into Josette hair and kissed her behind the ear.

  “You almost did,” Luke said and Max realized the man was mad.

  “Luke you don’t understand,” Max started.

  “I understand that our queen sits before me looking like she’s been sent through a damn meat grinder.”

  “I’d never hurt Josette.”

  Luke pointed at Josette. “The hell you say. Look at her.”

  “It’s torture,” Josette said.

  “Exactly,” Luke said nodding his head in short quick snaps of his head. He was confused at the laughter going about the table. “What?”

  “It’s the sweetest kind of torture Luke,” Josette said, hardly believing her boldness.


  The fight with Max had unleashed a side of her she didn’t think existed. She’d submitted in the end, but she’d fought hard, doing as much damage to him as he did to her. She wasn’t tired and could have held out even after the last bite but she knew in the end Max would win. He was bigger and stronger than her. He’d been created to take care of her. She’d felt his body grow larger when he needed to be stronger to win. She wondered how much stronger he could be.

  “Don’t be angry at Max Luke, I started it,” she said. “I should have stopped earlier but I pushed him.”

  “But he didn’t have to hurt you like that,” he said.

  “Do I look hurt Luke?” The look on his face was...duh. “Not the wounds Luke. Do I look hurt to you, can I not walk; am I still bleeding? If you want me to prove how not hurt I am, we can fight.” She felt Max stiffen beneath her but he didn’t say anything.

  “Girl, you really are stubborn,” Thomas said, he looked at Max and in all seriousness said, “I’m sorry.”

  “I would never strike you Ulrich,” Luke said.

  Males were always alpha’s over females. Women and small children were protected at all cost, and pregnant women...forget about it, every male werewolf in the pack will fight to the death before a single hair was out of place. Women did help protect the pack and even fought.

  Diana saw that the conversation was getting them nowhere. She called out to her seven wolves. She could feel them running, playing, a few stalking prey.

  “What is that?” One of the men in Luke’s pack asked.

  “Awww shit, the Nonakris about to go wolf on your ass Luke,” Wallace said.

  The sound of howls broke through the early afternoon. They came to her, black wolf, red wolf, Jean Rene’s grey wolf, her beloved white wolf. She stood up from Jean Rene’s lap and stepped away from the table a few feet. They circled her feet, a wave of fur, growling and snarling low. She looked at Josette and held her hand out. The girl left her mate and joined her. The wolves let her through their sea of fur. She felt Josette’s power, so strong, press against her body and she knew the girl was on the same page.

  Josette and Diana looked like twins from different times; brown skin, long wavy black hair, curvaceous. Diana felt the bodice of her dress get tight, felt the material around her arms pull taut. A breeze blew her hair and she saw that it was white, as white as freshly fallen show.

  The pack came to them; the men, women and children that had not been invited to the meeting. They came out to see what was going on. Josette and Diana where surrounded by people and by wolves.

  “Look at us Luke,” Diana said. She turned her head and almost forgot what she was about to say. She had to force her head back to look at the man who was now slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

  “We are the mothers of all wolves. We are the most powerful of any werewolf, save one.” She looked at Jean Rene who was smiling his secret smile, the one that was only for her. He stood up and walked to her, shucking his shirt, toeing off his shoes. His form breaking through with each step he took.

  “They are our protectors, our guardians, they watch over us and offer their lives for us because none of you can,” she said. Diana saw Maxwell stand. He followed Jean Rene’s lead.

  “They have to be stronger, tougher. I am Jean Rene’s white wolf to call; only he has this power over me. Together we keep our wolves safe. We’ve challenged and won, we’ve fought and won. I’ve been in many battles. I am just as deadly as he. I can rip a throat out as quickly as he, I can kill and maim as good as he,” she said.

  Diana turned to look at Josette and Maxwell. Her own mouth opening a little at the sight. Josette stood seven feet, covered in white fur, thick on her arms and legs, across her shoulders and on her sides. Like the men, the fur thinned as it reached the middle of her in back and front. Diana’s half form gave her slightly longer and thicker limbs, elongated claw tipped fingers, a change in hair color, but her teeth didn’t grow and she didn’t get fur. Josette gained it all. Height, muscle mass, claws, teeth. She was as tall as Jean Rene’s wolfman, but thicker. Her arms and legs bigger, she was bigger now than when she fought with her mate earlier and her mate? He was HUGE. Taller and bigger than Josette; covered in black fur. They were the monsters that humans feared. Vicious and beautiful. Terrifying and regal.

  Diana pushed her form further, willed her transformation to take her. She’d almost been killed changing into wolf and she and Jean Rene were given a second gift by Odin himself. They both fell and before their hands hit the ground they were wolves. Jean Rene a grey wolf, and she a great white wolf, no other werewolf turned into a white wolf, both the size of ponies, the biggest werewolves in full wolf form. That’s why she was named the white queen even though her human self was black.

  “We are Nonakris and Lycaon, all wolves are ours to call, ours to protect. Our word is law, who amongst you deny my claim? Who among you challenge me?” Josette words were spoken around a mouthful of teeth and thinned lips. The threat was thick and half growled.

  Diana wolves howled, seven necks stretched tight, seven heads thrown back before they all lowered their bodies to the ground, like the people standing before them.

  “I see why clothes are optional,” Josette said slipping on the robe that Lillian was handing her.

  “I remember the first time I had to parade around naked in front of a bunch of strangers. I was terrified and I had been a werewolf for months. You did well,” Diana said.

  They hadn’t gone inside. They were still standing in the clearing in the middle of Luke’s pack compound.

  “Thank you Lillian and Virginia,” Diana said.

  “No problem, but if we’d known Josette was going to change into a seven foot tall beast I don’t think we would have gone,” Virginia said.

  “Now can we get down to business, all this show is making me bloodthirsty,” Wallace announced.

  After everyone was settled...again, there was no discussing or arguments about Josette’s plan to challenge Thomas. Luke offered to make the call himself.

  “We’ll call right after we break here. Ronin will be allowed to set the terms of the challenge,” Josette said.

  “It’s a ten hour drive to my father’s house. Everyone not a part of the conference call with Ronin will need to pack. We’re leaving right after the calls are over,” Max said.

  “And you father will be alright with this plan. Josette mentioned she’s encountered some...resistance where’s he’s concerned,” Wallace said.

  “My father hasn’t met Josette. He doesn’t know about any of our abilities.”

  “Why on earth not? He knows you married her,” Lillian asked.

  “Everything changed after...after my parents were killed. Max and I were supposed to visit with him to tell him everything, but Ronin’s strike changed everything.”

  “I haven’t even told him that you were here,” Max said. “He doesn’t know that I wrote to you. He doesn’t believe the old stories. I don’t think he would have believed me if I told him about me and Josette being a matched pair of wolves.”

  “I know I would have doubted what I just witnessed without seeing it with my own eyes,” Constantine said.

  “Let’s get this show on the road,” Wallace said. “And thank you Ulrich.”

  “For what?” Josette asked the red giant.

  “For allowing us to join your fight. The Lycaon and Nonakris have all the European wolves so scared they write in for permission to howl at the moon.”

  “The point of the challenge is for the other wolves not to fight,” Luke said.

  “And you really believe this of a man who kills grandmothers in their beds. You don’t think he will fight dirty,” Max said.

  Luke shook his head, “I guess not.”

  Josette, Max, Jean Rene and Diana were the only four in the room when the call to Thomas Ronin was made. They stood in Luke’s hotbox kitchen, standing around Max’s cell phone that he’d put on speaker. It took two re
turn calls. The person answering the phone hung up on them, out of disrespect or disbelief, they didn’t know. But on the third call they were put on hold for twenty minutes. Finally the line was picked up.

  Ronin had the voice of a large man. He didn’t sound so different from Wallace. His voice was deep, almost musical. Josette bet he had a wonderful singing voice, too bad she was going to rip his voice box out...with her teeth.

  “Lupa.” If he was trying to sound menacing to scare someone, he had the wrong girl on the phone.

  “Ronin,” Josette said.

  “You may call me Freki, or Lycaon if you’re not familiar with my old title, princess.

  “I’m familiar with your old title, but you are no king to me, and if you want to be politically correct, than you can address me as Nonakris.”

  The great booming laugh from the other end of the phone was genuine. Nothing sinister, he wasn’t threatened, he was amused.

  “Please,” he said and actually sounded like he was wiping tears from his eyes, “I wasn’t expecting a proposal for marriage.”

  “I plan on killing you, not marrying you,” she said.

  He chucked again, still finding her funny. “Don’t be ridiculous child. You are no match for me. Even in wolf form.”

  “What I’m a match for is my concern. Do you accept the challenge? If not, then I expect you to be gone from my house when I arrive tomorrow.”

  There was silence on the other end now but they could hear the man breathing on the phone; hard and heavy, like an obscene phone caller. Was that anger, or did he always breath that way?

  “So you’ll sacrifice your Maxwell. The Dupre wolf is an old line, but even he is not strong enough to take me Lupa,” he finally said.

  “I am the queen, I fight my own fights, I don’t send others to do the dirty work.”

  “Then you have much to learn, on being a wolf and a queen. You’ve challenge me with no way to win. Do you hope to make yourself a martyr in hopes that your pack will rise up and defeat me for the love of a bastard child of their dead prince, a prince that put his own need above the need of his people?

  “And my grandmother, she was doing what she thought was good for the people. Don’t you think those loyal to her will want to avenge her death? Why risk it and kill her?”

  “Your grandmother had her chance. Pack 101 princess, I asked her to rule by my side. She refused. I couldn’t leave her alive. She’d imprisoned her own son and arranged to have you killed. She made the mighty Black Warrior Clan weak.”

  “We are still the largest pack of wolves in the United States. I have three thousand wolves to call. The Grey Wolf Clan doesn’t have half that.”

  He laughed again. “I see you inherited you grandmother’s delusions of grandeur and your father’s stubbornness. You don’t have to challenge me Lupa, come be my queen. Come rule by my side your three thousand missing wolves.”

  “I’m already happily married. Thanks for the repeated offer,” Josette said.

  “Then stop wasting my time,” he said, “I don’t have time for games. Come to me young Josette, if you dare. I accept your challenge but you cannot kill me and I will not kill you. I will make you submit and then kill your Maxwell. I’d had plans on marrying another, but I think you a better fit.”

  “You will never have her,” Max said, the words almost lost in a thick growl.

  “Young Maxwell Dupre, your father must be so proud. How is Benjamin? His house was the only one my wolves failed to take.”

  That was news to Max. His dad hadn’t mentioned their home being attacked. “He looks forward to feasting on your remains.”

  “I thought your pack smarter than this Maxwell. I knew that your king and queen were weak. I thought they weaken the pack, but it seems I was wrong, maybe it was the pack that made them weak. Let us do it as in the days of old. No need to fight on the first day of the full moon. Join me and my pack in a hunt. I can kill you both the next night.”

  Josette and Max looked at Diana and Jean Rene. Was it a trap?

  Jean Rene spoke, “Then you swear no harm will come to Josette and Maxwell while they are in your house and they are allowed to bring with them supporters and witnesses to the challenge.”

  “Who are you?” Ronin asked.

  “My wife and I are visiting European wolves that have heard of the BlackWarrior plight.”

  “Then you are not of their pack and therefore not allowed.”

  “You are declaring a public challenge, our old laws say any wolf can attend.”

  “Your name wolf,” Ronin said. It wasn’t a question or a request, it was a command.

  “Alphonse Jean.”

  “I don’t know that name Jean.”

  “Nor should you, my line is small and never crossed the ocean,” Jean Rene answered. “If you are offering a public challenge wolf law states that any wolf is welcome to attend, the host of the challenge offers safe harbor until the challenge is done. The Nonakris and Lycaon have arrangements to make if that is what is being offered. As you mentioned earlier, time is being wasted. Give your oath as wolf and we will take you at your word and end this phone call to allow you the time it will take to make your own arrangements.”

  There was a long silence... silent expect for the heavy breathing of Ronin. “Your line is old.”

  Question? Statement? Who knew.

  “That is not an answer or an oath Freki,” Jean Rene said.

  “Very well, you have my word and oath as wolf, I will offer safe harbor for any wolf in my territory in attendance for the challenge.” And with that he ended the call.

  “What was that all about?” Josette said.

  Jean Rene had taken over the call and the negotiations. Not that she was complaining, she certainly didn’t know the terms and conditions of old werewolf laws, she barely knew the new ones.

  “Challenge of old. Let us pack. Josette will require a ball gown. We’ll need to stop and pick up something. As lovely as she looked in Mon Lune’s dress, she needs something for her. Something that says what type of queen she intends to be.”

  “What do you mean?” Josette asked.

  “We follow the old ways in Europe. We are only ever called Lycaon and Nonakris. Our wolves are to obey us in every way, our word is law. To disobey means punishment and it is swift but just, according to what law has been broken. We live in a castle with servants that wear livery. It’s a way of life, a lifestyle that suits us,” Diana said. “We reign supreme.”

  “So who’s ruling now, with you here?” Max asked.

  “Our daughter Geri, “Diana answered.

  “So Ulrich, what sort of reign is it for you, and your American wolves?” We left America many years ago. The pack structure worked for the people who lived in a democracy. It was never our intentions to rule here and even after hearing that the wolves had adopted our monarch ways, we had enough on our plates overseeing every wolf in Europe. We monitored the wolves here through the remaining Wolfe Hunters. If we hadn’t received Maxwell’s letter we would have received news through Thomas’s family,” Jean Rene said.

  “You said earlier that you wanted all of your wolves in one pack but if you would allow me to make a suggestion,” Diana said.

  “Of course.” Max and Josette answered together.

  “Allow the American wolves to keep their individual packs. Each pack ruled by its own king or queen who will be part of a council.”

  “Run it like the government,” Max said.

  Diana nodded, ‘Exactly. Your wolves are not use to a supreme ruler. They were all born or turned here in America. If you try to take away all their rights and freedoms I fear you’ll have a civil war on your hands. And that can’t be allowed. Ronin has already drawn too much unwanted attention. The US has a little more than thirty thousand wolves in it. Every major city has its own reigning queen and king. Finish this and then go to them all. Tour your country, let your wolves see you and get them all on the same page.”

  “A wise and
just decision Mon Lune, you are truly Nonakris,” Jean Rene said taking his mate’s hand and kissing it.

  Chapter Sixteen