by A. C. Katt
“Alpha, I will have to get out of here by car.” Dimitri observed. “They will be watching the airport, bus, and train stations. I’ll ditch the car in Pennsylvania. I found a United Flight from Pittsburgh to Denver with a layover in Chicago, then I’ll rent a car in Denver to take to Albuquerque.”
“You can be sure that Murphy will notify the sheriff’s office and the local police to look out for you,” La Farge answered.
“It would be better if we could turn some disgruntled local wolves to help us. Are there any you know of in the pack?” Dimitri asked.
La Farge turned to Dimitri. “There are two possibilities, but we have to be very careful, most of the pack is fanatically loyal to La Marche.”
“I best be going before Murphy has the city closed down.” Dimitri put on his jacket.
“You know the Alpha Mate can’t use his Talent until he shifts.” La Farge said.
Dimitri answered as he opened the door, “Then I’ll have to kill La Marche and get the pup before the change.” He shrugged his shoulders. “With the right incentives, it’s doable.” Dimitri closed the door behind him.
* * * *
Armand strode into the pack’s portion of the house. As expected, he found Rene, Martin, and Edward in addition to the other pack Betas and Enforcers. “Call a meeting tonight. I need to present everyone to the Alpha Mate and show his mating mark. I also want a report of what happened at the Garou building and a debriefing on how it could occur. We have a traitor to flush out.”
“Yes, Alpha. Your mate is well?” Rene smirked.
“Just tired from the trip.” Armand looked Rene directly in the eye.
Rene didn’t back down, “And no doubt from the ass reaming he just received. You reek with the scent of sex.” The small group broke out in laughter.
Armand let out a small growl as he made his way to the kitchen to give orders for both their dinner and food for the pack meeting.
He caught Meg in the hallway. “Have the women begun to prepare food for this evening?”
“Yes, Alpha, Lillian told me that they began to cook before the plane hit the ground.” Armand noticed the baggage in the entryway.
“Pierre will unpack as soon as the suite is empty. Was the Alpha Mate pleased with the pottery studio?”
“He adored it. I told him he could have the workers come back and set up the wheel and the kiln anywhere he wishes. He is so sweet. I want to shower him with everything he never had. Thank you and Pierre for your care of my mate for the time we were in New York. It’s only been a two weeks and he is beginning to gain back some of his weight. His skin looks clearer and his hair brighter.”
“He’s a wolf, of course he will recover quickly. Although I must say, he was a joy to care for. He is well mannered and grateful for every courtesy, Alpha. The gods have chosen well.” Meg went up on her toes and kissed her Alpha’s cheek. “It couldn’t have been better if I picked him myself.”
“If I could beg a favor, could you prepare a light supper? He hasn’t eaten with the exception of snacks on the plane since the wedding breakfast. At the wedding I’m afraid he did more meeting and greeting than eating.”
“Immediately, that poor boy. Everything conspires so that he misses his meals. Blanche and Terese are in the house. May they meet the Alpha Mate?”
“Of course, as soon as he awakens.”
* * * *
Armand went into the master suite about an hour after giving his orders to the staff. His little mate was sound asleep burrowed under the down comforter with his ass in the air. If Armand wasn’t sure that Sean’s ass was sore, he’d take him again. Armand was overwhelmed with his mate’s sweet fragrance. He couldn’t wait to run with him in their shifted form. Now his mate would be able to touch his inner wolf.
Sean seemed to sense his presence. His mate turned over and put out his arms. “If I must get up, I’ll need kisses as an incentive.”
“Getting demanding, baby?” Armand set a tray containing some hearty lentil soup with ham hocks and a turkey, bacon and ham club sandwich with some chips on the breakfast table, then he sat down on the bed.
“You bet.” Sean pulled Armand into his arms.
“I’ve brought a light tray. Although you’ll eat tonight at the pack meeting, you skipped lunch. I can hear your stomach growling. You need to bulk up for the shift.”
“I can’t eat all of that and still eat supper.” Sean protested.
“If you start to eat, you’ll find you’re hungrier than you think. You’re burning up calories as your body prepares for the change.” Sean stood up while Armand handed him some sweats and a T-shirt.
“I’ll try.” Sean slipped on the clothes and sat down at the table.
“I’ve brought you some iced tea to wash it down. After you eat, we’ll take a shower and you can spend some time in your studio while I prepare for tonight’s meeting. Is that all right with you?”
“Yes, love, let me eat so we can get to that shower. I think I know what I want for dessert.”
* * * *
Sean and Armand walked into the meeting room. Sean was surprised that there were so few people. The room, designed to hold about two hundred people, held only half that amount. Counting Sean, Armand, Meg, the Betas, and the Enforcers, the entire pack consisted of only one hundred weres, three of whom were pregnant and the two children. He was first introduced to Pierre’s daughters and their mates; Blanche and Jean, and Terese and Louie. The girls looked like their Irish mother. They were obviously very much in love with their mates.
One of the heavily pregnant women approached her Alpha. Showing her neck as a sign of obeisance she asked, “Are the rumors true, Alpha? Does the Alpha Mate have la voix? I’m due in November and I’ve already had two stillborn children. Can the Alpha Mate help me?”
Sean looked at Armand looking for permission to answer. Armand gave him a slight nod of his head. “I’d be honored to do whatever I can to help you and your unborn child.”
“I’m Adele, Alpha Mate.” Sean reached over and hugged the small woman.
“Please, call me Sean.”
“We’ve had three pack pregnancies end in still born children so far this year. Your talents are gods sent.” Tears dripped down her cheeks.
One by one the pack came up to introduce themselves to Sean. The happiness in their eyes was palatable.
Armand called the meeting to order. “I’m sure by now most of you have met Sean, the Alpha Mate. I call on all of you now to bear witness to my mating mark.” Armand went over to Sean and bared his shoulder. Each of the pack came in turn to bear witness and touch the raised area between Sean neck and shoulder.
Lillian, the Alpha Bitch, stood and proclaimed, “Sean Lucien Quinn is the true mate of our Alpha. I proclaim him Alpha Mate.”
The weres in the room stood up and applauded.
They waited for the Alpha and the Alpha Mate to take a plate then lined up behind them.
Armand said in sotto voice to Sean, “Please take some of everything. All of the pack worked to make this homecoming buffet special.”
Sean looked at the long table set up on the side of the room. It held prime rib with horseradish sauce, and roasted lamb with mint jelly and a huge pork roast with applesauce. There were side dishes of roasted potatoes, white and wild rice, broccoli in hollandaise sauce and sweet carrots and onions. The pork roast was stuffed with sausage and apples. Pies and cakes were scattered over the credenza with a chocolate cake taking pride of place.
“If I have to eat some of everything, you’re going to have to roll me out of this room,” Sean whispered to Armand.
“You’ll find the room. Your body is adapting.”
Sean thought about it and realized he was hungry even though he ate a late lunch. He sat down next to Rene to eat his food. “I expected the pack to be larger.” Sean indicated the number of people in the room.
“Our women have a difficult time with childbirth. Over the years it has depleted our numbers. Our Alpha is truly
blessed with your gift. You will find many other pack Alphas clamoring to have you assist in births. Our birthrate is barely high enough to replace those who leave us to go to the gods.”
“Has anyone looked into the medical ramifications of this problem? There must be a reason the birthrate is so low.” Sean frowned at the Beta.
“We have looked into environmental factors, done tests on both our women and men. The results are inconclusive. It’s the same for all of the packs, even worse in Europe and Russia.” Rene said shaking his head. “That is why your Talent, though very welcome, also brings great danger. Adele may be carrying the next Alpha. We have no gay children in the pack.”
In confusion, Sean asked, “Can’t you take over for Armand?”
“You have much to learn about pack politics. I was born a Beta and will stay a Beta. You will forever be an Omega. We have no Alpha but Armand and if he wishes to step down from his duties to spend more time with his mate, then we will have to accept an Alpha from another pack or, gods forbid, Russia or Europe.”
“I’m afraid, Rene. I’m frightened for Armand’s life. They will go after him because as long as he is alive, they can’t have me.” Sean began to shake. “I can’t lose him now that I’ve finally found him.”
“Despite our numbers, we are a strong pack and Armand is the Alpha of all Alphas. We will have help to protect him. Our numbers are so few that no one wants war. Your discovery has led us to a decision to look over the territories to see if there are additional lone wolves with loup-garou blood who are unaware of their heritage.”
“Didn’t Dr. Artis say that you track the bloodlines?”
“We do, but there are lost lines, like yours. We are going to make a better effort to find the lost ones.” Rene shook his head.
“Sean, you suffered so much before we found you. I promise on the head of my Alpha, you will never suffer again.”
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep Rene. Life brings what it brings. We are at the mercy of fate.” Sean looked over the long table. “When we celebrate Thanksgiving; this year I’ll have a lot to be grateful for.” Sean folded his hands across his chest as if to keep all that he found near.
“As do we, Alpha Mate, as do we.”
Elena ran over to join them. “Soon we will have dessert. My aunt made a pumpkin pie and she makes the best pies of the whole pack. She serves it with both French hard sauce and whipped cream. Can I get you a slice?” She moved from one foot to the other in a kind of Irish jig.
“Let’s go and get one together.” Sean took her hand.
“You’ve made a real conquest in that one.” Rene smiled. “Her uncle is an artist of some note. Let me introduce you to him. He is Adele’s mate. His medium is oil and acrylic paints. One of his studies is in the master suite. He has an abstract at the Metropolitan in New York.”
“Your voice tells me that you have issues with those two.”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Rene said. “I don’t want to distress you with our troubles today of all days.” Sean stood and walked with Elena and Rene across the room.
“Can you teach me about the structure of the pack and their belief system? I was raised a Catholic although the church and I parted ways years ago.” Sean asked Rene as they hit the credenza.
“Here is aunt’s pie, try it first.”
“I see my niece has made a friend.” Bernard walked up to Sean.
Rene introduced Bernard to Sean. “This is the artist I told you about. Sean is looking to finish his masters in fine arts. His specialty is pottery and porcelain.”
“Interesting medium, especially in this area with all of the pueblos with distinct traditions. The Alpha has an extensive collection. I spend a lot of time at the Pueblos.”
Rene said something under his breath that sounded like “…casinos.”
“I’ve haven’t had a chance to take a close look at Armand’s collection.” Sean blushed.
“You were quite busy.” Rene laughed.
Armand sauntered over to the small group. “Did Sean tell you about his pottery?”
“I was just about to hear his technique when you came over, Alpha.” Armand laid his arm around Sean’s shoulders.
“I want to combine the fine brush strokes and Native American patterns with the translucence of Chinese porcelain.” Sean leaned back into Armand’s chest.
“Alpha La Marche built you a studio here in the house. I would like to visit it and have you come visit mine.” Bernard offered graciously. “Maybe some time this week, that is, of course, if the Alpha can spare you.” Bernard smiled.
“Sean’s time may be quite limited to our bedroom, but I’ll see what I can do.” Sean blushed. Armand whispered in his ear. “I love the way your body betrays your innermost thoughts, especially when you think of me.”
Sean, embarrassed, walked away from Armand and hailed Pierre. They sat down away from the rest of the pack. “Do you need something, Alpha Mate?”
“Please, Pierre, I’m fine. But yes, I would like some information.” Sean felt a bit uncomfortable.
“What can I help you with?” Pierre patted Sean’s hand.
“There is so much I need to know. From Armand I got the history of the loup-garou but nothing about the traditions. For instance, the pack refers often to the gods, who are they and what is the belief system? People expect a response and all I can do is nod my head.”
Pierre took a breath. “Our gods are the gods of sky, fire, earth, and water, the same as the Wiccans. We believe that the gods created the two races, the loup-garou and man. The loup-garou were tasked with stewardship of the land. For many generations we lacked the political, economic power, and the will to fulfill our destiny.”
“You’re talking about caring for the environment…” Sean interrupted.
“Yes, it is to our shame that we let the humans go so far along the road to destroy the earth. We are closer to the earth and its animal inhabitants. Because of our dual nature, we see more readily what is happening to our planet.”
“What are we doing to help?” Sean asked. “Environmentalism is something I take seriously.”
“The Garou Corporation is one of the major players in Environmental Science in the world. We fund green companies and research. We employ environmental lobbyists in Washington and around the world. We also make sure that all of our manufacturing facilities are either beneficial to the planet or neutral to environmental hazard.”
“This is good work. But our numbers are decreasing. Will anyone care if we die out?” Sean asked Pierre a frown lines crinkling across his forehead.
“That is why the gods sent you to us. La voix is not only a harbinger of reason, it brings fecundity to the people and ensures the growth of the packs.”
Sean was puzzled. “But I’m an artist, not a medical doctor.”
Pierre looked at Sean, his piercing blue eyes indicating Sean should pay attention. “An artist sees the earth as a thing of beauty as opposed to a scientist who sees moving parts. You have a soul that embraces the land. Just the fact that you embrace the art of the old cultures means you look for sustainable design. Design that embraces the environment yet appeals inherently to the human senses encourages the population to embrace green technology.”
“Thank you, Pierre. I need to think on this and see how I can help Armand with his mission.” Sean saw Armand coming his way.
Pierre put his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Sean, you help Armand by your mere existence. I’ve never seen him so happy.”
Armand came up behind him. “Baby, you must be so tired. The party has run long. It’s one am in New York. Let’s wrap this up and go to bed.”
Sean protested. “Meg and Pierre have to be as tired as we are. Maybe we should help them clean up.”
Armand raised one eyebrow. “Now I know why you are perfect for both me and the pack, you put other’s needs before your own. Don’t worry, baby, the pack is on cleanup duty. Pierre and Meg will get adequate sleep, besides here her
daughters work with her in the house so she has help even if the pack doesn’t pitch in.”
“All right, I am tired,” Sean said as he bade everyone good night.
He followed Armand into their wing where they made love for the second time at midnight.
* * * *
Dimitri called New York. “I’m in Denver. I’m staying the night and should be in Albuquerque by morning. I’ll need you to research the names of the possible disaffected pack members.”
“I’ll have some names for you in the morning but approach them carefully. It may take some time. You will have to be both discrete and patient.” The Alpha on the other end of the line snapped. “It’s late here now. I’m going to bed. Find a place you can hole up for a while. I suggest a small residential hotel, not a chain. They are too easy to check.”
“Alpha, how do I find such a place this late at night?”
“Stay at the airport. I’m going to bed. Find something else in the morning. Look online for small bed and breakfasts. Look close to the Sandias. Now, good night.” The phone slammed down in Dimitri’s ear. That is one alpha that will be toast when I’m in charge.
Dimitri had been removed from his position as Beta of one of the largest Russian packs for the crime of rape. Since the evidence was largely circumstantial, he was declared rogue instead of facing outright execution. He knew he’d committed the crime but deplored the way the packs became politically correct. In the old days a Beta could take any male he wished; even if that male was mated. Now, it was not permissible. The twice-damned council and Armand La Marche’s influence remained largely at fault for these changes even in the Russian and European Councils. Armand was going to pay. Then the Omega with la voix would be his, councils be damned. He would become the first Beta to fight his way to Alpha in over a thousand years.
Chapter 11
In the two weeks since his arrival, Armand thought Sean had settled well into pack life. His innate sweetness made him popular. All of the pack was appalled at the condition in which Armand found him in New York.