Jericho (The Strong Pack)

by Crystal Dawn

  We followed my dad to a place behind the house. It was next to the orchard where we grew many types of fruit. T.J. was nervous and I was worried. The others with us just seemed to anticipate what was to come. To them it was just an unusual event, to me it might be life changing. My dad stepped in close to me speaking so low few if any could hear what he said. “This will be painful for her the first time. You need to find a way to relax her or the morph may not even come. Since it’s been a week and she has gone into heat, I think she will morph under the right circumstances.”

  “How do I relax her?” I asked not really understanding what he meant.

  My dad gave me a look that made me feel like a kindergartener. “Use your imagination, son.”

  When I did, I flushed slightly. I turned to T.J., pulled her into my arms, and kissed her slow and deep. I pulled back, whispering in her ear, “Imagine your wolf. She will be beautiful just like you.” I leaned in giving her another kiss. I could feel the energy running through her as she did as I asked. I stepped back to watch the morph take place. She jerked and I could see the pain running over her even as the morph kicked in. I knew what she was feeling as the energy ran through her. It felt much like the build up to a monster orgasm only the body morphed instead. Not that it was unheard of to find release during the morph. Whether release was found or not, an incredible feeling of relief and well being would wash over her once the change was complete.

  It seemed like forever but it was only seconds before my lovely white wolf stood before me. Her warm whiskey colored eyes looked back at me. They glowed with the presence of her wolf. I think her wolf had always been there only she was hid under layers of consciousness. Now she was free and she was happy. She was almost completely white except for a little tan patch centered on her chest and the tips of her ears. Everyone around us was silent and awestruck. Not only was she a white wolf with incredible whiskey colored eyes, but she had a majestic bearing. T.J. was struggling to stay on her legs. It was like watching a pup first learning to walk except it didn’t take as long. Once she figured it out, she wanted to run.

  “Go with her, son. We’ll be in the meeting room when you get back.” My dad said. He seemed as awestruck as everyone else.

  I morphed quickly and took off at a run. I could sense her following me so I didn’t stop or even slow down. I took her to the woods where she could truly be one with her wolf. I set a pace that she could keep up with but still get a good workout from. Wolves had a lot of energy and she would have new emotions to deal with so a good run would help her sort things out. It still seemed almost surreal to me when I realized I not only had a new mate, but she was truly a white wolf. We ran for twenty minutes then we headed back. I knew she would have many questions, but we had time to teach her everything she needed to know later. We morphed back and she started asking questions as I knew she would.

  “I’ll answer questions until we get to the meeting room, if you’ll stop asking them once we join the others.” I knew Dad would want to handle other things during the meeting. I didn’t want any disagreements between the two most important people in my life.

  “Alright. I already know a lot about wolves and the morph. What I don’t know is what you and your pack will expect from me.”

  “As the mate of the future alpha, you will have a leadership role. The females will look to you when they need help or when they have a dispute.”

  “Who is handling that now?” She asked probably wondering if she would have to jump in immediately or not.

  “It has been split among several of the older females, mostly the beta’s mates.”

  We arrived at the door to the meeting room so we stopped talking as we entered. The same seats we had before, across from the alpha, were empty and waiting for us. Alpha said, “We have notified the council of your successful morph.”

  “That may have been a mistake. It has been clear for some time that there is a leak in the council,” T.J. said.

  “You are mated to my son now. What possible use would this information be to anyone?”

  “White wolves have been taken after they were mated. Who knows what reasons there were. Seymour still has plans for me as well.”

  “I will have my betas dig into this. We’ll make sure you aren’t in danger.” My dad said taking the information seriously as he always did.

  Once everyone welcomed and congratulated T.J., we were finally left alone. I pulled her into my arms hugging and kissing her. “Everything will work out just fine.” I hoped to reassure her even though I realized I didn’t have a clue what might happen now. I had only heard rumors of the problems that had been plaguing the white wolf family especially when one actually changed. T.J. telling me that a mating could be undone only concerned me even more. I had never heard of that happening, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t. Our numbers were dropping instead of increasing. We were dramatically outnumbered by humans and our numbers were less than vamps who could turn humans easily. Some of the other supernatural species had similar problems they faced and rumors said they wanted the white wolf blood for their races as well. I didn’t know much, but I did know she was mine and no one would take her from me.

  Chapter 3

  Life Changes

  *****

  T.J.

  I couldn’t say I was surprised when I went through the change. I was lucky I guess since I knew more about wolves than most people who changed. I knew that those who changed had wolf blood somewhere in their family. I knew that clothes became part of the morph so they weren’t torn off nor did they disappear. I could list many of the differences between wolf and human. The most obvious ones being an increase of strength, better senses like sight, and an increase in aggression. Health improved since few diseases afflicted them and their natural life span was long. Most wolves died of unnatural causes. The males, and even the females to some extent, were territorial fighting and dying for position in the pack, mates, and they fought as a pack for territory. Many wolves died with their throats ripped out and their bodies lying on the ground jerking as blood oozed out until the light of life disappeared from their eyes. It was a harsh way to die. Now I was part of that world.

  A few days passed without hearing from Seymour, but Sandy told me he was still in town. He was biding his time, for what other reason could he have to hang around? I stayed with Jericho at the pack house but now it was time for me to go back to my bar. I couldn’t hide out forever. The first night I went back to work was business as usual. Jericho hung out with me intending, I suppose, to give me protection. The next night seemed to go quietly too until it didn’t. Some males came in that no one recognized. It wasn’t Seymour’s men, at least not the ones that had been with him the day we saw him. I could feel a charge of power or magic running through the air. I didn’t believe these males were wolves.

  One of the males was taller, stronger looking. I was sure he was the leader. They sat in the corner while he watched me steadily. It gave me the creeps. I knew there were magic users in the world. I had family that was powerful witches and other things. This magic felt tainted with ill intent. Other than watching me, no other action was taken. I felt relieved. It was like dodging a bullet.

  The next night, when the attack came, no one was expecting it. It wasn’t Seymour, at least not personally. Witches and wolves rarely mixed so I assumed he wasn’t involved. I stepped outside for a breath of cool, clean air. My guard, one of the pack protectors, stood against the backdoor frame watching me and occasionally his gaze would rove around the area for any perceived threats. I was about to head back in to help Sandy when I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. A voice in my head said ‘duck’ so I did. The wolf behind me did as well. A bolt of electricity came out of nowhere and arced just over my head and that of the wolf. Had we not ducked, we would have been struck. It didn’t look strong enough to fry us, just enough to incapacitate us. It seemed their intent was to capture, not destroy. The bolt hit the door and the noise it made alerted those inside that
something out of the ordinary was happening.

  Jericho and Kaleb came running from around the front of the bar. Those who had done this were long gone. I could still smell and even taste the residue of tainted magic in the air. Jericho came straight to me pulling me into his arms and holding me tight. “I was so worried about you. Did you see who did this?” He asked as he pointed to the charred wood on the back door.

  “I was too busy ducking to see a thing.” I said amazed I could talk since I was shaking all over.

  “How did you know to duck?”

  “I felt a tingle on the back of my neck and someone seemed to scream in my head to duck.”

  He looked at me torn between a desire to believe the unbelievable and the need to express his disbelief. Even with adrenaline still coursing through my system, I couldn’t help but look at my mate. It still seemed a bit of a shock that I hadn’t been able to resist the inexplicable draw I felt to him. It must be that he was simply the other half of my soul and that resistance was impossible. Yes, he was incredibly good looking, but I wasn’t so shallow that looks would be enough to secure my love. He was also strong but compassionate. He was loyal, loving, and giving. He showed all the traits of a good leader. He was firm in his beliefs and opinions, yet not so rigid that he wouldn’t bend a little when he needed to. The longer I was with him, the more I admired and respected him. Perfect, he is my perfect mate. I ran from one of the poorest examples of an alpha wolf into the arms of one of the best. Maybe things would work themselves out eventually.

  A few more quiet days passed but I couldn’t help but feel like the enemy was just regrouping. Jericho and I were enjoying and exploring our relationship when we weren’t working at the bar, the woodshop, or dealing with pack issues that the alpha assigned us. Most of the pack seemed to accept me, but I still had my work cut out with the few that resisted. Two of the females seemed to resent me and I was certain it was because they had designs on my mate that they had never had any success with. One of the males seemed to both hate and lust after me making it difficult to decide how to deal with him. I knew everyone wouldn’t love me, but in a pack it was important that everyone be able to work together.

  Life was starting to settle into a routine except for the fact that danger hung over our heads like an axe ready to drop. Seymour was seen every few days but the group of strangers that had visited the bar hadn’t been seen anymore at all. A little over two weeks passed quietly. I worked at the bar three or four days a week and I went to work with Jericho two or three days a week. One day every week, we saved just so we could spend time together getting to know each other better.

  “So why did you and your sister buy this place anyway?” Jericho asked as he sat at the bar and made an all encompassing motion with his arm.

  “We had some money that our dad left us. We wanted to keep some in savings and invest some. A business seemed like a good investment and this one was up for sale. It was run down, but not so bad that we couldn’t envision what it could be. Mom wasn’t happy, but she was ready to move on with her life. Neither I, nor Sherona wanted to move away with her. The apartment above the bar worked out well for us at the time. Tabby’s has worked well for us all the way around.”

  “How many siblings do you have?” He asked.

  “One brother and two sisters. Brantley isn’t like Sherona and I, he didn’t stick close to our cousins. Brantley works at a school in another state. He’s a principal at the high school here. My other sister, Adeline is military. How about you?”

  “I only have a brother. Judah is a year younger and not as good looking as me so you definitely got the best one. He’s away in the military. He’s planning on getting out soon. Funny both of us having siblings in the military.”

  “It’s common in my family. I have tons of cousins, aunts, and uncles in the military.”

  We finished up our night and headed back to the pack house. A sense of impending danger continued to grow in the distance. I wished something would just happen so we could be done with it.

  *****

  Seymour

  I was always close with my father. I have always loved him enough to go the extra mile to make him proud. Never have I failed my father, my alpha so badly as when I tried to mate a white wolf. I was so close that I’m still not sure what went wrong. I knew we weren’t soul mates but in this day and age, who really expects that? I chose carefully, she was beautiful, smart, and sexy so breeding her wouldn’t be a chore. It wouldn’t be a chore for her either since all the she wolves assured me I was quite the catch. So I lied a little when I vowed my never ending love. That just proves I’m a male. Don’t we all do that to get what we want?

  She was a distant cousin of that enigma, the first white wolf found in hundreds of years. T.J. was a distant enough cousin that she wasn’t on anyone’s radar but mine. I had no doubt she would change. I needed her to complete my plans. These plans would finally show my father that I was worthy to take his place sooner rather than later. I knew that T.J. thought me a villain, but I wasn’t really a bad guy. I hated to be cliché but I was just misunderstood.

  I had lost her once she left me. She disappeared and no one seemed to know where she was. I took the time to check out other possible mates, but found nothing my father deemed acceptable. I felt hopeless with my father being angry and disillusioned with me. My father was the one that located her. He had contacts in the council. His contacts were apparently corrupt council members or at least someone who worked closely with council members.

  While I didn’t think of myself as a bad guy, I was starting to have some doubts about my father. It occurred to me that he didn’t really plan to turn the pack over to me any time before he died. I also didn’t like this male witch he had come to some kind of agreements with. He had gone after T.J. with no better results than I had, but he had taken a chance on killing her or someone near her. I didn’t like him and I didn’t trust him anymore.

  What I wouldn’t give to retreat back to the days when I was a pup. My father had been slightly indifferent, but my mother had made up for it by lavishing love and attention on me. I couldn’t really say if theirs was a love match or not. I wasn’t sure my father could love anyone, or if he did, that he would ever allow it to show. My mother, on the other hand, loved everyone and love flowed from her like water from a fountain.

  My need to please my father had set me on this path, now I was forced to follow it. I hoped it would not lead me to a bad end. I was no longer in charge of this, I was only following the directions I was given. I felt a little guilty when I thought about T.J. and the obvious happiness she had found that would soon be ripped from her. If it was my choice, I would leave her be. I was sure I could find another given a little time.

  My phone rang. It was once again my alpha. Speaking to him had never been a joy, but lately it was a chore. The witch would make another attempt to obtain my reluctant mate. If it didn’t work this time, my father would grace us with his presence. “Are you listening to me, Seymour?” He asked not for the first time. “I will not be happy if I have to join you there. Of course I will not be surprised since it seems I am the only one who can do anything right.”

  Yes, that’s my alpha. The only one that can do anything right. He’s also the only one willing to do whatever it takes, no matter what that might be. I thought back to a time when I felt nothing but love for my father and realized that I had been too young to really know him then. I still loved him, but I had no respect for the wolf that had now been revealed to me. All I could do now was hope that no one innocent would end up killed by all this scheming and wish to hell that I had never heard of a white wolf.

  *****

  Jericho

  Every day that passes is filled with a golden glow of contentment. I have found everything that was ever missing from my life when I found T.J.. I can hardly bear to be parted from her. My only concern is that she is hunted. I find it hard to believe that Seymour could manage or even would desire to cause all this tro
uble to gain a female who does not want him. I believe he is but a puppet and another pulls his strings. T.J. says I have picked up a flair for the melodramatic lately. If I have, she can only blame herself for introducing me to some of the old classics. I knew of them before, but who would have thought they would be so interesting? Maybe love has changed my outlook on everything.

  “Jericho!” I look up realizing T.J. has been talking to me for a while.

  “Yes, my sweet?”

  “Are you reading those ancient highlander books again?”

  “Guilty as charged. You did introduce me to them.”

  “True, but I showed you a variety of other books as well. You start talking funny when you read one of them.”

  “Aye, tis true. But you end up walking funny and you seem to enjoy that.”

  “You do get frisky when you read those books.”

  “Yes, but you like it. Why don’t we get a little frisky now?” I pulled her into my arms giving her hot kisses until she was breathless. I unbuttoned her shirt. I needed to get rid of all her shirts with buttons. This was just too frustrating. My fingers slipped on the little buttons. She finally takes over so I strip off my clothes. Once we are both bare, I pull her back into my arms. She feels so good, so perfect right there in the circle of my arms pressed against my body.

  I move my hands to her breasts stroking them. Her nipples tighten and peak begging for more attention. I drop my mouth to one sucking hard on it as I roll it around in my mouth. She moans, yeah she loves what I’m doing so I move my mouth to the other one. We wouldn’t want one of her lovely nipples to feel left out. Mine! My hands and my mouth lay claim to her in the most basic of ways. She squirms with uncontrollable arousal as I work to drive her out of her mind. I can tell she’s close. I need to be inside her so much. I slide my rock hard cock into her hot, wet, welcoming sheath. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck! She feels unbelievable. I think I’m gonna die from pleasure. What a way to go. Her muscles lock up around me squeezing me so tight I think she’s gonna break my cock in two. Her muscles squeeze, relax, squeeze and then I scream her name as hot streams of cum under incredible pressure blast into her tight pussy. I have no doubt that she can feel every drop as I unload into her. She jerks with me as each stream is triggered. When I stop jerking, I am so empty I think I may never be able to cum again.