Savior, Alpha

Dear Readers,

Here is the start of a new chapter in the McKenna series.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

**********

"I had always assumed I would live a fairly normal life. Work in the lab, marry a guy, have 2.3 kids, a cat or two, and die after I reached a hundred or so.

I never expected to be the savior of a group of beings I never believed existed. Or to leave behind the dynasty that I have.

I've loved. I've killed. I've borne 17 children.

I've followed. I've led. And I've run at night in the hills under a full moon with the wind in my fur."

This is the beginning of my mother's memoirs. She came to us during a turbulent, chaotic time, when it seemed our kind could conceivably vanish from the face of the earth.

Her children, my half siblings, still lead the McKenna pack. She had 10 children with Devon McKenna, Alpha of that pack. After his death from the virus that had previously taken the women she found her way to a new mate, a rogue named Ethan Matlin. Together they started the Winters pack, where her six surviving children of those born to she and Ethan have also grown and prospered.

Of all the human women brought into our society, it is she who has had the most impact upon us.

The pack had been unconventional from the beginning. It was originally led by two unmated wolves, the parents of two pups. Followed shortly thereafter by the addition of two unmated females.

Ethan realized fairly quickly that Anne was a better leader than he, even though he had been groomed to be Alpha from a young age. In addition, the other members of their pack most often turned to her for direction. So, although his wolf had fought long and hard against it, he ended up taking a more subordinate role in the pack, as Beta. That Ethan had lived with the humans for 25 years made it a bit easier for him to swallow. The council, however, refused to recognize her in the role. She was female and a human woman turned wolf.

The leaders of the pack were always, always male. A female was subordinate to her mate. If the Alpha died the Beta would take over, never a female. However, she continued to bring matters of importance to the council and regularly attended the new moon meetings. As the eldest member of the pack, this was to be expected, but she kept coming, pregnant or not, and kept after them. Many learned to respect the wisdom in her views and, eventually, as the older Alphas died off, she was slowly recognized as the leader she was.

Early on, there were a few attempts by younger males to take control of the Winters pack. After all, it would be an easy matter to dispatch a female and become Alpha, and it was particularly tempting for some of the lower status males from larger packs. If she wanted to play it that way, they would take her up on it, particularly if 'her' pack was going along with the ridiculous concept of her as their Alpha. She stood against them, and fought them for Alpha, as required. After she killed the first couple, the others took her more seriously and the threats dropped. But threats still remained.

Lorna Riordan had been kicked out of her pack for what she was, a female wolf who refused to submit to a male mate. She and Emily had been spending time together and Anne demanded she be allowed to stay with them. When Beth and Nick found out the truth about their daughter, they were appalled. But they came to recognize and accept the love between the two. Emily marked Lorna as her mate later that first fall.

"We had had several discussions with respect to the vulnerability of a new pack, especially one as small as ours. However, there were a couple of things in our favor. The first was the limited size of our range and our small living quarters. The second was that we were between the McKenna and Riordan packs, neither having hostile intent towards us.

However, there were others who would try. The fight for Alpha was a fight to the death. Luckily, the challenged Alpha was given the choice of form for the fight. I had little chance of taking an opponent in other than wolf form."

She had begun by sparring with Ethan but complained that he was too easy on her. She then went to Callum. Callum, as Alpha, understood what needed to be done. He taught her strategy, tricks. He sparred with her as well, but also held back.

She ended up with scrapes and bruises, which Ethan dutifully kissed, but she learned some good moves. Callum, himself, got some bruises and scratches. She had an advantage most attackers wouldn't know about and another they would discount.

The first challenge came in the spring, three months after they reported the establishment of the pack to the council. The council recognized Ethan as Alpha and, after his time with the humans and the fact that he left his pack to begin with, well, many considered him to be a weak leader.

They were all outside when a young wolf came onto the range, baying his challenge. The pups were shooed into the cabin, along with Emily and Lorna. Beth stood behind Ethan, Anne, and Nick. Thankfully, he was alone. Or, maybe not.

Because there were no witnesses. It was over relatively quickly, the youngster running off. She ended up with a gash on her shoulder. Ethan had stood by, trembling, fearing for her life, while she fought him.

Violence and sex are inexorably linked. The relief sex had been great.

The second challenge came a few weeks later, and, this time, the challenger brought a witness. His wannabe Beta came with. He challenged Ethan and laughed as Anne stepped forward.

"Are you serious? Step aside, bitch."

"If you want control of this pack, you go through me."

He looked at Ethan. "What kind of a man are you? You're letting her fight?"

Ethan looked back at the younger man, steadfast, but fearful. This was no youngster. "Anne is Alpha of the Winters pack. She's accepted your challenge. I suggest you shift before she takes your throat out."

She had moved to one side of him, watchful of the 'Beta.' And hit her challenger just after he changed. This was to her advantage in two ways. Firstly, he realized she meant business and it took him off balance. Secondly, it would give him a good whiff of her. Depending on her cycle it would either startle him, or give him a raging hardon.

He came up quickly and skittered away from her, panting. His tongue was out as he started to circle her. She stood, watching him as he moved. He rushed her and she stepped aside, slashing. He closed again; she opened a gash in his leg. The next time he ran at her he twisted, knocking her off her feet. Ethan tensed and the Beta took a couple steps forward.

He closed on her again, and they grappled, growling, ripping, tearing, slashing. Beth gasped and turned away. Ethan held his breath, riveted.

They separated and she came up, head down, panting. The challenger backed a bit, looked at her, and howled his triumph.

Ethan now shifted, ready to defend the pack. The challenger came at her and she ducked, tripping him. On him now, she got her teeth on his throat and growled.

He held still for the briefest moment, then struggled, twisting, refusing to submit. She bit down, ripping the blood vessels in his neck, and stepped back. He struggled to get to his feet, blood flowing freely, took two steps forward and fell, as his lifeblood pulsed from his wounds. She raised her head and howled.

Beth startled the Beta as he was about ready to run off. "What was his name?"

"Jon."

"Tell the others what you've seen here. Now, get out." Ethan said as he went to Anne.

She stood to one side, watching the Beta take off. She shifted and spit, trying to get the taste of his blood out of her mouth.

Ethan checked the tear on the back of her neck as she asked, "Is he gone?"

He kissed her shoulder, "Yes."

She started trembling violently and dropped to the ground, her legs now failing to hold her. Ethan dropped beside her. "Hey, are you alright?"

Beth rushed over. "Anne?"

She was heaving deep breaths and shaking. "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to this."

Ethan kissed her and Beth patted her hand. "I hope you never do." She looked up at him and nodded.

"Could I have some water? I'd like to get this taste out of my mouth. It's almost as bad as..." She realized what she was about to say and stopped. Beth glanced up at Ethan.

Emily brought some water as the others gathered around.

Ethan folded her into his arms. "Ian's blood tasted worse?"

She turned her head into his shoulder and nodded. Ethan looked at Beth. "How was she after Ian died?" Beth looked to Nick.

"She didn't have time to react, she brought Joy back and drove right back out to get Devon." Beth thought for a moment. "I guess that's not quite right. After everyone was patched up and the triplets were fed she wanted them all back in the room. She collapsed when she started to get up."

Rose struggled in Lorna's arms and Ethan accepted his daughter as the boys sniffed the body.

"Who's Ian?" Everyone looked to Lorna. "Sorry, I just don't know all the stories."

Emily smiled at Lorna, pulled her close, and kissed her. Ethan squeezed Anne tighter. "I've never heard the whole story either."

"Anne was outside with the babies with Abigail and Wesley."

"Ethan, are you sure you want to hear this?"

"I've made my peace with it, wife. I know what my father was."

"Your father?!"

"Would you like to hear the story? Or not?" Everyone looked at Beth, expectantly. "I should start a little earlier. Anne had come to the pack under the edict for new blood. Devon mated her, in the winter, after she got pregnant. But, she wanted nothing to do with us, or this life, so, come spring, she ran away from us."

"Wait, she was pregnant when she ran off?"

"Uh, huh. Straight into the Matlin range." Lorna tensed in Emily's arms, even she was aware of the Matlin reputation. "Ian, Dylan, and another caught her. But Devon, Nick, and the others got her away from them. Ian wanted her, badly, and came back with what seemed like all the men, a couple of days later. We were able to drive them off."

"Devon reported to the council that she had died in childbirth." Ethan squeezed Anne again, kissing her.

"Why would he do that?"

"To take away the enticement. If Ian thought she was dead, he wouldn't attack us. We were very small, compared to the Matlin pack."

"But, we still posted guards. On a spring day..."

Anne took up the story. "It was a gorgeous spring afternoon, and Abigail and I were outside with the little ones, talking, and watching them play. A movement caught my eye and I ordered Abigail and the children inside. The males were closing but the triplets were small, and I couldn't pick them all up to get them back in. So I faced them, keeping my babies with me." She closed her eyes as Rose squirmed into her mother's lap, looking for a drink. On the exhale she resumed the story. "There were five of them surrounding me. I focused on Ian. And they came at me, rushing, snapping. One of them managed to knock me down. Ian came up behind me", Ethan twined his fingers in hers, "took hold of me and, after a couple attempts, shoved into me." Emily and Lorna gaped and Beth rubbed her arm.

"Abigail had sounded the alarm and Devon and the men came out, ready to do battle. Devon knocked us over and Ian grabbed Joy, and took off." She caressed her youngest daughter. "I managed to fight off one of the males and got Alana and Callum inside. Devon had gone after Ian and I went after them." She heaved a big sigh.

"The bastard had taken my baby girl. I only knew two things. That Devon had better stop him and that I had to get her back. I started thinking, planning. If he wanted me that badly, I'd trade for her. Get him to hand Joy over to Devon and go with him. If I couldn't get away from them, I started planning how I'd kill him."

They were watching her, listening, enraptured. The intensity of the memory still affected her. They could hear it in her voice and heartbeat, see it in the tenseness of her body, the determined set of her jaw.

She paused, leaning back against her husband as Rose finished her feeding. Anne ran gentle hands over her youngest, now settled in her lap.

She looked at the other four. "Yes, I expected the worst, but, one way or the other, it wouldn't be for long. I figured one or both of us would be dead."

"I found them, still in McKenna range, facing each other. Devon was tense, as would be expected, trying to convince Ian to give Joy back I suppose. Ian was holding her, but she was struggling, squirming. As I prepared to shift and surrender to him, he dropped her."

"Devon launched himself at Ian, telling me to take Joy and get out of there. I grabbed her and moved away. I checked to make sure she was okay. Oh, gods, I don't think I've ever been so relieved. And then I got his smell off of her as the men were fighting. I picked her up to go back and looked back to see how the fight was going. Devon made a misstep, and Ian had him on the ground. I put Joy down and rammed Ian with everything I had. I got him by the throat about the time he stopped rolling."

"As I bit down the only thoughts I had were how much I hated him. He had threatened me, my children, my baby and that he deserved to die. Or he'd do it again."

She looked past him, her eyes far away. No one spoke. Evan put his head on her leg and her hand dropped to his head. "I raised my head and howled. Then I smelled the other Matlins coming, so I went back, got Joy, and stood over Devon. I could tell he was alive, but he was badly injured."

"The others were chasing so they ran right by us, although someone stopped at Ian's body briefly. I ran back with Joy and drove back to get Devon..."

Ethan pushed her shoulders forward a bit, and put his warm, strong hands on the tense muscles in her neck. She dropped her head forward and sighed. A little more massaging and she murmured, "Mmm. I love you."

Ethan's hands came off her neck and everyone turned to stare. She picked up her head, opened her eyes and looked at them. "What?"

Ethan's voice was quiet. "You've never told me."

Beth, anticipating what was likely to happen, slid Rose off her mother's lap. Anne twisted to look at Ethan. "What are you talking about? Of course I have." She noticed some of the others shaking their heads. "But..." He can see her thinking back. She looked back up to him, put a hand to his face. "Well, husband, it appears I've been remiss." Ethan broke into a broad grin. "Ethan. I love you."

He crushed her against him, then took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Lorna kissed Emily and Beth snorted, "It's about time." as her husband put his hand behind her head and pulled her lips to his.

Ethan easily lifted Anne and carried her off into the woods, with Evan yapping behind them.

*****

Anne and Beth went back to the McKenna compound for a visit and to help train Lea and Shawna in medical techniques. This was to fulfill the part of the bargain that allowed Beth and Nick to leave, as that had left only Alana with any practical knowledge.

They walked through, and were greeted by, the pups, including some of their children. There was much hugging, kissing, and sniffing.

Callum noted his mother's newest scars. "How bad was it?"

"Bad enough, could've been worse. He even brought his Beta."

"So the others know now."

"Possibly. Would he report that the challenger was beaten, killed, by a female?"

"Depends on who it was. You know, you could still give Ethan control."

"We've discussed this. My idea, my pack. Ethan agrees I'm the stronger leader. The others look to me."

"Alright, Mom. You know how I feel and I know how stubborn you are. I'd hate to see you get killed."

She kissed him. "Sorry, sweetie. You know I have to do this."

They performed an examination on Abigail. She had had some difficulty in the birth of her most recent baby, a girl, and was having trouble in producing enough milk. Lea had been helping nurse Lily.

Abigail seemed to be healing well. Beth, Anne, and Alana assessed Abigail's nutritional intake and told her she needed much more protein as well as poultices of comfrey or cabbage leaf on her breasts and a tea of fenugreek seed.

While they were at it, they did an examination of Lily, as knowing what was normal would also give them an idea of what might be abnormal.

Lea and Shawna, already well versed in first aid, were then quizzed on administration of medications, herbal remedies, and diagnosis techniques. As wolves they were notoriously healthy and had accelerated healing as compared to humans. But things could happen.

Other than Abigail's current issues, the only other problems in the pack were with Peter. Injuries he sustained before being brought into the pack by Temperance were being exacerbated by his transformation to wolf and back. He had been in a bad car wreck and had had major damage to his left side. Both his shoulder and hip were stiffening up and he was beginning to have difficulty walking, particularly as wolf.

There was, unfortunately, only so much they could do to help him.

*****

It was high summer and the Winters pack was running around the woods, pups following their parents, couples stealing off, the young ones exploring. There was a grand celebration when Evan caught his first rabbit.

*****

They began to start concentrating on getting stores for the winter. Emily and Lorna were adept at catching fish and preserving food. Ethan made furniture and other wooden items to trade for things with the McKenna pack. Callum was willing to give them some of their food but Anne refused to take what she considered charity, especially after the work and money that they had already put into outfitting the Winters compound. Anne did needlework and made baby afghans. Ethan had been working on a loom. Nick had been working with plant fibers and generating some fine, stout rope.

Ethan still had his contacts with the humans. He had spent a few weeks back in town working at the furniture plant. He re-established his bank accounts, kept his storage unit, bought supplies.

Anne encouraged it, citing multiple advantages to maintaining the connection, but missed him terribly while he was gone.

A few weeks later

He wanted nothing more than to touch her, kiss her, love her, but he snuck up on the compound. She had taken to standing within sight of the buildings, pacing and watching for him.

He could smell her, since he was downwind. Oh, god, he'd forgotten how good she smelled. But there was an undercurrent of fear in the scent. She was afraid for him; that something had happened. She paced and peered, fidgeted, stared, as if trying to make him materialize by will alone. It was almost endearing but for the fact that she seemed so worried. He watched as she shifted, whined, paced. She looked back at the compound, out again.

Unable to bear it any longer, he rose and launched himself at her, catching her by surprise and bowling her over. She came up snarling, then yelped and licked his muzzle.

He shifted as she did and her eyes went wide as she took him in and he saw the relief and love in her eyes. She laughed then as she jumped at him and he caught her easily. As he supported her weight, she snaked arms around him, and up his back. Pulling herself against him, she kissed him. "Mmm. I missed you."

"It's good to be home."

"Is that all you're happy about?" Her legs were wrapped around him and she was feeling a pressure against her buttocks. "Mmm", she reached behind her to stroke his length. "Maybe more than that, huh?"

He caressed her behind, nuzzled her neck, pulled her more tightly to him. Her heartbeat picked up and he tipped her backward, nibbling on her throat, then working down to a tightened nipple. She moaned and gasped. He now sucked strongly on it and she moaned again. He licked up the small bit of milk that had come; Rose was almost weaned. He then licked his lips and raised his head. He could feel the moisture building down below, could smell her desire.