Rise of the Alpha

by Jessica Snow

  "How's this?" he asked, fierceness and tenderness battling in his voice as he thrust inside her, possessive but still holding himself back enough to not cause injury to her or the baby. Mel could only moan in response as he filled her in one sure, smooth stroke until she felt the now familiar and always wonderful sensation of his soft body hair tickling the back of her hips and thighs.

  Keith began his thrusts, his body strong and powerful above hers, and Mel could feel herself swept away in the lust-filled situation. She felt both strong and weak at the same time, proud that her body could reduce this intelligent, well-spoken man behind her into the growling, barely coherent being behind her. He filled her over and over again with his delicious cock, rubbing her body in all the right places, his thick shaft rubbing over her g-spot with every movement of his powerful, masculine body.

  At the same time, she knew he could do whatever he wanted to her, and she couldn't stop him in any way, creating a heady mix of emotions and desires that left her soon on the edge of another orgasm. Thankfully for her, she felt Keith's breathing quicken, as soft grunts joined his thrusts, and she felt his cock swelling inside her. Squeezing her walls with all she had left, she felt her second orgasm crash over her, huge and mind-blowing, obliterating her conscious thoughts as her body quivered and her head quaked against the mattress. She felt herself reach an even higher plane as Keith's howl of his own climax tore from his throat, and she could feel his warm come fill her insides, claiming her again, forever, as his Mate.

  Chapter 17

  The next day, after a warm shower and a luxurious breakfast, Melanie emerged from the bedroom to find Valeria waiting for her in the outer sitting room, dressed in what could best be described as business casual clothing, a chic pair of slacks and a blouse. Melanie had dressed the same, knowing today was the first official day of Gathering business. "Did you have a restful evening?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

  Mel could feel her cheeks redden. "I guess you heard?"

  Valeria laughed. "Melanie, he's a werewolf. The entire main house could hear. But don't be ashamed, I'm sure Keith and Kimberly both grew up listening to their Father and myself doing the same thing."

  Mel shook her head, her cheeks still red. "That may be something I'm going to have to get used to. I don't know if anyone's ever told you, but normal human children don't normally grow up with the sounds of their parent's lovemaking interrupting their sleep."

  "I suppose not. My apologies, since I've retired I've become much more a blabbermouth. Maybe I'm going a bit senile?"

  Melanie laughed. "I doubt it. So, what's this morning's agenda?"

  "Today is the first formal meeting of the Gathering. As you can probably guess, the incident last night is on everyone's lips, although thankfully Morrigan kept herself out of my listening range for the rest of the party. But from what I heard, her tongue kept wagging all night. Keith is going to have quite a headache dealing with all this."

  "Valeria, if I may ask, what role did you have in this arrangement prior to Keith meeting me?"

  Valeria's mouth quirked, and she shook her head in a bit of embarrassment. "I am ashamed to say I was a willing participant. I only saw the advantages for our Clan and forgot that love was what brought Bardulf and me together. I am happy to find that my plans were undermined and that Keith found love regardless. I'm prouder to have you as my daughter in blood than if Keith had married the noblest princess from the purest lycanthrope lines."

  Melanie blinked away tears and hugged the surprised elder werewolf, who returned the hug after a few seconds. "You raised two wonderful children, Valeria," she whispered in the matron's ear, "and I am proud to have you as my mother in blood."

  Stepping back, Melanie checked her cheeks carefully to make sure her light makeup wasn't running. While as a pregnant woman she may not have needed to dress with the formality of the other attendees of this meeting, that was no reason to show up looking like a streaky raccoon. "Now, shall we?"

  Mel and Valeria quickly made their way to the main dining hall, which had been re-arranged into a large meeting room. The forty Alphas, representing the twenty Clans in attendance, were seated in a roughly decagonal shape, four at each of the ten tables. Keith and Kimberly sat at the head table, next to an older white haired Alpha and his wife, who as most senior would serve as moderator of the meeting. The white haired Alpha had just finished his opening remarks when Melanie and Valeria entered the hall, finding a seat along the wall. Keith saw her enter and gestured for her to join him at the head table, in an empty seat next to his. Mel stood up and made her way over, to the angry grumblings of a few of the seated Alphas.

  "What is this outrage?" she heard one of them whisper, as she swallowed her nerves to sit next to her Mate.

  "Members of the Council, before we begin, I have asked my First Mate to take her place next to me at my table," Keith said, interrupting the mutterings. "Yes, Melanie is human. Yes, Kimberly still serves as Clan Lockwood's Alpha Female. That isn't going to change. But last night, my Clan and I were gravely insulted by Morrigan Thornblood's treatment of my First Mate. I demand an apology from Clan Thornblood."

  "You shall have none from me or my Clan," the Thornblood Alpha replied, his red hair unbound and flowing around his shoulders today. "You broke your word with my Clan, and as such, neither you nor your woman are worthy of our respect."

  "Nioclas Thornblood, your words both sadden and anger me," Keith replied, his fingers tensely gripping the table. "For two generations, our Clans have gotten along if not as friends, then at least peacefully. I sent my apologies when our pact was broken and swore at that time that I would do everything within my power as Alpha of Clan Lockwood to maintain good relations between us. Yet your daughter's actions last night and your actions here now force my hand. If you will not recognize the status of Melanie Richter Lockwood as my First Mate, and First Mate of Clan Lockwood, then I must declare a Blood Insult, and demand you face me, or leave in dishonor."

  The entire crowd grew quiet as all eyes swung to Nioclas, whose own face trembled in fury. Standing, he pushed back his heavy oaken chair to stare at Keith. "Trial by combat it is. Where?"

  "Outside on the lawn," Keith said, pushing back his own chair. The entire room broke into what Melanie could only describe as quiet pandemonium, as all the assembled parties made their way towards the door. Melanie, desperately confused, tried to use her mental link to speak to Keith, but he wouldn't answer. Finally, she found she could get through to Kimberly, asking her what was going on.

  "Keith has declared Blood Insult," Kim sent back, her words electric in her mind. "Nioclas has chosen to answer the Insult via trial by combat. Keith and Nioclas will fight outside on the lawn until there is a settling of the Insult."

  "Isn't that dangerous?" Melanie thought back, fear tingeing her thoughts. Kimberly's grim face and link back made her even more worried.

  "It is. There is an old saying amongst our kind. 'When two Alphas fight, one will be injured. The other will be dead.'"

  "You cannot let this happen!" Melanie thought back, only to see Kimberly shake her head.

  "I cannot interfere, as my place as Alpha Female does not permit it. But do not worry, the rules have changed from the old times. There is a chance that nobody will be killed today."

  Kimberly shut off her mental link, and Melanie could only follow the crowd out to the back lawn, which servants had quickly cleared of all furniture and impediments. All but the two Alphas stayed at the top of the steps, watching as the two men walked towards the grass, the white-haired Alpha between them. Finding the middle of the area, the old Alpha turned. "We have a declared Blood Insult, and a demanded trial by combat. Keith Waldwyck, as the Insulted, you may at this time declare which rule set you will use for this trial."

  "Modern rules. Bare hands, no wolf form," Keith replied, stripping off his shirt to reveal his muscular upper body. Nioclas Thornblood did the same, and the two stared at each other across the few meters separating them.
/>   "As you wish. Nioclas Thornblood, as the challenged, you have the right to declare a champion to fight in your stead, as long as they are not a member of Clan Lockwood. Is there any you wish to stand in your place?"

  "None."

  The old Alpha nodded. "Then.... you may begin."

  The fight was vicious, from Melanie's point of view. With almost blinding speed and breathtaking power, the two Alphas clashed in the middle of the lawn, punching and kicking. Niolcas was a powerful fighter, Melanie saw, with at least three inches and forty or fifty pounds on Keith, who was younger and more agile. Also, she could see Keith was more restrained, using skill and technique rather than raw power and rage on his opponent. Whereas Nioclas would swing in huge, sweeping punches and kicks, Keith kept to the teachings she had seen him practicing of martial arts, keeping his strokes short and compact, traveling in direct lines from his shoulders to his target and back, never giving Nioclas a large enough opening to take advantage of.

  "Look at them go," one of the Alphas, a female that Melanie hadn't met the night before, remarked. She was speaking to her neighbor, another woman who Melanie didn't think was an Alpha, but was either the child or bodyguard of one of the minor Clans.

  "So tell me Cassie, who do you think will win?"

  "The Lockwood is faster, that is for sure," the younger woman replied, looking at Keith with enough hunger in her eyes Melanie could feel a surge of jealousy, "but Thornblood hasn't been defeated in a trial by combat in what is it, twenty, thirty years?"

  "Yes, but the last one to do it was Lockwood's Father, the former Lockwood Alpha," the older woman remarked. "I was there for that conflict, just after I became Alpha of our Clan. It was a very vigorous fight, leaving both men battered. Although in my opinion, younger Lockwood here looks more than a match for the situation."

  Melanie felt pride in the Alpha's words, who glanced over at her with a polite nod. Melanie nodded back in acknowledgment. "Your Mate will give a fine showing of himself, regardless. Rumor has it you were a police officer, is that correct?"

  "Yes, it is. I apologize, Madam. I must have forgotten our introductions last night. It is a pleasure to become reacquainted."

  "Thank you. I am Helen Greenstone, of the Greenstone Clan. This is my daughter, Cassie."

  "I thank you for the kind words. If we may, though, I feel my attention diverted from the fight."

  "Of course. Let's watch," Helen said, clearing a bit of space next to her for Melanie to step. She slid into the opening and found she had a much better view of the proceedings. Nioclas swung his right hand in a huge open-handed clawing slap, which Keith avoided by pulling his head back. At the same time, he kicked his left leg out, catching the other Alpha in the thigh, knocking him off balance. Keith took advantage of the stumble, gliding forward into a thunderous leg sweeping throw that took both men to the ground, Keith on top. Straddling Nioclas' torso, Keith landed thunderous elbows to the red-haired Alpha's head, bloodying him and sending an audible crack across the ground as his nose shattered. Nioclas's head rocked back, and Keith threw his arm over, sliding his body into a side chokehold that slowly squeezed the man's head until his face was bright purple.

  Melanie was familiar with the choke, having used it herself on the streets. She knew that Nioclas had two options at this point. He could surrender, or be killed. The entire crowd watched as Nioclas struggled valiantly against the hold before finally slapping Keith's shoulder in surrender. Keith got up from the ground, his body trembling in adrenalin fueled anger and power, barely controlling himself. He stared down at the gasping body of Nioclas Thornblood, before turning and walking away without a word.

  The white haired Alpha stepped onto the grounds again. "Keith Waldwyck of Clan Lockwood has emerged victorious from the trial of combat," he declared. "By Council law, his First Mate shall be seated amongst us, and the Insult is finished."

  Melanie watched as Keith approached, a gentle smile on his face when he saw the worry written upon hers. Kissing her softly, he shrugged his shirt back on. "I was in no danger," he whispered, kissing her on the temple. "Nioclas was a fierce warrior in his day, but his day is past. You will be honored by all from now on."

  Chapter 18

  For Melanie, the aftermath of the Blood Insult was that every feeling of comfort and fun had been sucked out of the Gathering. At every turn, she swore she could see whispering comments in the side conversations of every meeting, every event she attended. Contemptuous sideways glances and barely overheard remarks from one werewolf to another filled her days, and she could feel the tide shift against her, regardless of Keith's assurances.

  Morrigan Thornblood was also visible more, standing in a secondary position behind her father's chair at almost every meeting, saying nothing, but glaring her deep hatred at Clan Lockwood constantly.

  On the formal political side of the Gathering, Melanie also sensed the increasing problems Keith was having as well. With the disruption caused by the Blood Insult, the various Clans had polarized, with Clan Lockwood on one side and Clan Thornblood on the other. While there were quite a few Clans that stood next to Keith and still supported him, many of the others, seeing a chance to take down a strong rival, temporarily allied themselves with the Thornbloods.

  Melanie watched as vote after vote was brought to the Council's attention, only for each of them to go against Keith's wishes. While Keith and his allies may have been the Alphas of the more powerful and respected Clans, the Thornbloods have greater numbers. All of the disgruntled, second tier clans that were ready to take down those they felt were above them allied themselves with the Thornbloods.

  The first sign of the new alliance was a dispute on air rights. Previously, travel fees for werewolves going through another's air territory was paid directly to the Clans involved. Via a proposal by the Thornbloods and carried by their new alliance, the Council itself would collect the fees, equally distributing them to all Clans regardless of if the travel went over their territory or not. It was a clear disadvantage to the Clans with major airports in their territory, while Clans with minor territory or even no air routes would greatly benefit. As Clan Lockwood contained four of the busiest airports on the Eastern seaboard, they stood to lose the most in the new, "equal" redistribution.

  "It's not a matter of the damn money," Keith grumbled to her and Kimberly via mental link, "But the fact that the minor clans can now literally sit back and do nothing and make money off of our Clan."

  Melanie could see the tight lines of Keith and Kimberly's faces as decisions kept going against them, until after three more days, she didn't think Keith could stand anymore. They had lost on almost every vote: air rights, education rights, Council fees, whatever else she could think of, each decision whittling away at the Lockwood's finances and power while enriching the minor second tier Clans. Desperate to help Keith, Melanie knew she could do nothing except help him relax at least a little bit. Retreating to their quarters, she waited up, making sure she was awake when he came in from his latest side meeting, his face black with concern. "We have lost another ally," he said as he slumped down in the chair of the sitting room.

  "What happened?" Melanie asked. She felt more out of touch than ever, as Keith's stress levels led to him cutting off their psychic link more and more often, sometimes not even by choice. She could still feel his emotions, and his presence was always there, but his actual thoughts were now often just blurry impressions. "I could only tell you were talking to the Blanc Loup Alpha."

  "Mmmm, yes. Henri has been a good friend for a while, but he is in a difficult position. His territory is now surrounded by enemies, and he cannot survive if he continues to support us. He informed me tonight that while he will not vote against me, he will abstain from supporting our Clan for the rest of the Gathering."

  Melanie could feel her shoulders slump. While the Blanc Loup were small, she had found the time she could talk with their Alpha Female, a softly French beauty named Cherise, enjoyable. She had hoped that they could deve
lop a friendship and had expressed as much to the woman in their last conversation.

  Now it looked like that chance would never present itself. "What of our other allies?" she asked, kneeling at his feet and rubbing her hands along his tense thighs. Keith looked at her through his fingers, sighing as she worked at his knotted muscles.

  "The Mac Tíre are an old alliance, their support is still strong. Like us, they are on a seaboard, so they cannot be totally cut off from support, and they have plenty of power on their own. There are others, but after this Gathering, I do not know how many."

  Melanie rubbed her hands harder over his thighs, not knowing what to say. She felt her presence at the Gathering was a mistake, and had weakened Keith and their Clan with her even being there. She knew she had to show her support to her Mate, and shifted her hands, taking her hand from his thighs to her right hand tenderly caressing his cock through his pants, smiling as she felt it swell under her touch.

  "Well, I'm glad to see that at least your stresses haven't taken away your desire for me," she joked, as Keith swallowed thickly.

  "Melanie, you know that...."

  "That I don't have to do a damned thing other than what I want to," she finished for him. Giving him her sexiest gaze, she kissed the fabric covered hardness, while her hands reached up to unbuckle his pants. "And what I want to do is show my Mate that he is still the strongest, sexiest man I have ever known, the other fools be damned."

  Unzipping his pants, Melanie carefully pulled Keith's erection out of his underpants, immediately swallowing it whole. This wasn't a time for tenderness and making love, she knew. This was a time to let her Mate feel how powerful he was, and how devoted she was to him. She sucked him greedily, slurping and licking him all the way from the fine hairs at the base of his cock to his shiny red tip, plunging herself over and over on him, burying him as deep in her throat as she could before hollowing out her cheeks and dragging herself off, her body's arousal growing as she felt his soft moans and growls grow in frequency and volume.