Bonded and Bred Ch. 05-06

Chapter Five

The double patio doors stood open to the night air, and their father held on to his human form as he watched his daughters transform into their wolf like shapes.

It was not a painful shift for them - something that he was deeply thankful for. Often with humans or half humans, the breaking of bones and stretching of tendons was an agonising experience, but his daughters when they made the change they did not fight it, and so it lessened the pain.

He saw the emotions twirling in their eyes, the discomfort, the agitation, and then the elation.

The look of absolute peace, just before their features shimmered, and they became the wolf like creatures, one of thick white fur, his little Laurie, and one of thick reddish fur - his beautiful Iris.

"Oh Belle, you would have been so proud of them!" he murmured tearfully, as his emotions washed over him, taking his human form with it, and leaving a large black wolf in its stead.

He gave himself a great enthusiastic shake, and then looked to the two females.

"We shall hunt in the woods to the south of us, this night," he instructed them, with their mind and body talk. "There are other packs to the north, and though they promised to keep off my lands, they may stray close to my borders - I will not risk a confrontation."

"Yes, pack leader," the females both said submissively.

He stood up on all fours and his fur seemed to thicken, making him seem larger than ever.

"Good, then let us hunt!"

The black wolf led the hunt, with the white and the red wolf following close behind.

He knew that they could have outpaced him easily, for what they lacked in strength, they more than made up for in speed and agility.

But his daughters were respectful of their pack leader and they kept their place - behind him.

It was a good night for the three wolves.

Their hunt was successful and fun.

They had eaten well throughout the day so that when they became the wolves, they would not be so hungry for meat, so as to lose their minds totally to the beasts.

And so their hunt was more for sport.

The animals that they tracked and caught were all released unhurt and only a little shaken.

Chasing down that stag had been the highlight, as the three wolves came from three directions to streamline, into one dart like creature.

Greg dropped back a little to let his daughters make the contact, and he was immensely proud, when Iris also dropped back a little, allowing little Laurie to give one last lurch and leap, as she tapped her paw on the stags large flank.

The stag kicked out in panic, but the three wolves had already dropped back letting the stag bound away unharmed.

"Contact," Laurie exclaimed excitedly. "The kill is mine!"

"You did well, little white," the pack leader stated formally. "The honours are yours, this night!"

She let out a delighted howl and yelp, and brushed herself up against the large black wolf.

He nuzzled at her white fur affectionately and the red wolf settled on her hunches to watch their affection for a moment.

A sound from behind caused her to look back over her shoulder, and she was up and around and growling immediately.

"Something is there!" she barked out in warning.

The black wolf moved in front of her. "Who is there - show yourself!" he growled.

There was silence for a moment, and then the sound of branches breaking, and leaves crackling.

A moment later a massive black wolf came out into the clearing.

He was young and strong, and Iris felt her fur bristling in response to him.

"I mean no harm," the newcomer bowed down in submission, and refused to make eye contact with her father - showing clearly that he had no intention of challenging him.

"You are trespassing on my lands."

"My apologies, pack leader, I am new to this area, and lost the pack I was hunting with, I was making my way back to the main stead, but crossed over boundaries when I came to a river."

"Are you afraid then of a little water?" Greg mocked.

"If that is how you wish to see it." The newcomer was obviously not going to be riled, and Iris felt her father relax as he perceived no threat in him.

"I will grant you safe passage off my lands, and I will expect your return on the morrow to offer your respect to myself and my daughters."

The newcomer bowed down lower. "That is the least I can offer you, wise one. My thanks and my apologies are yours for now though.

Iris was surprised at her father for demanding the return of such a dominant male, but her speculations were cut short when the old black wolf turned to her.

"Little red and little white - you two will return now to the den. I will escort our visitor across to the northern border."

The two females bowed down immediately, in response to his authority. "As you instruct, our pack leader; we shall obey."

The red wolf turned her back on the two black wolves, and marched away proudly, with the white slightly ahead of her.

Greg turned to find the newcomer's wolf like gaze fixed hungrily on Iris - the red haired wolf.

"My daughters," Greg growled warningly.

"My apologies - AGAIN, pack leader; it is just that I have never seen wolves with such vibrant colouring... stunning they are, magnificent they are!"

*

The two females ghosted through the forest, as the moon dropped low, and the sun tickled the horizon.

They just made it through the patio doors as the fur melted from their naked forms, leaving the two lovely young women once more.

Iris shivered as she grabbed her robe and shrugged it over her shoulders.

Laurie did the same and then grabbed the long cardigans and handed one to her sister, even as she pulled the other one on to her own shivering body.

"Leave father's robe on the patio," Iris said softly. "And I will pour us all a drink."

It took another half an hour before their father came strolling in with his own robe, tied securely at his waist.

Iris handed him the brandy, and glanced down at his muddy bare feet.

"You changed back in the presence of the stranger?" she asked in surprise.

"I wanted to get a look at the man," her father shrugged as he sipped at the drink. "And he seemed to be too polite to hold back when I had made the shift."

Iris and Laurie both picked up their own drinks, now that their father had returned safely.

They curled up on the sofa and sipped at the warming alcohol.

It was always a chilling experience when they changed back to human form.

And the exhaustion that would shortly follow would have them all staggering to their beds if they were not careful.

Iris pulled herself up and moved wearily into the kitchen.

She came back shortly with a bowl full of cooked chicken, which had been put in the fridge last night for just this purpose.

"Here, eat some of this," she handed it around and then took some for herself.

The meat would help to keep their energy levels up for a little while longer, long enough for them to shower, and then crawl into their beds.

"Pour us another brandy each as well, will you please, Iris."

The second brandy made the girls slightly fuzzy headed, but they were grateful for its warmth as it hit their bellies.

"So did he shift back to human form, daddy?" Laurie asked quietly.

"Yes girl, he did."

"What was he like, dad?" Iris asked curiously. There had been something about the stranger that had felt... she had almost felt a sense of recognition, of him in some way.

"Well all I can say is, the man more than matched the wolf... he was what you would describe as a fine specimen, of a man."

Once again, Iris has a moment akin to déjà vu, as a sense of recurrence washed over her, now why did that term seem so - so, familiar - was the only word that she could come up with!

The sun was climbing in the sky, and Iris noted the grey cast to her father's complexion.

He'd made the change out in the grounds and had had to walk back as a man.

He must be exhausted.

"Time for rest, I think," she said firmly as she stood up.

The others also came wearily to their feet.

"It was good hunting with you again, girls." Greg said tiredly. "I shall look forward to tonight's adventure, and dream of the last time that your mother was with us."

"Good night, daddy, sleep well."

He watched as his daughters slowly made their way up to their rooms. The stranger had said that he would wait until late afternoon to visit with them, and Greg was thankful that he could have a good sleep - and that the girls could too.

He had high hopes for this newcomer; he seemed different from the others; more appreciative of the uniqueness of his daughters.

He sighed tiredly as he headed for his own bedroom.

He was not a young man anymore, and he worried for the future; if anything was to happen to him - then his daughters would be alone and unprotected in the world.

Something would have to be arranged, his daughters may not like it at first, but they would adjust in time, and they would at least be protected from others of their kind, others who would see them as vulnerable and alone and who would seek to seize control, seek to take from them what was rightfully theirs. And then there was his sister too.

His sister was a successful and powerful businesswoman in her own right. But she only held that power amongst their own kind, due to the protection of her brother; her only male blood relative.

That was the most important thing to him right now; making sure that there was another male in their family - if only for his own peace of mind.

*************** 

Chapter Six

***************

Iris stood under her shower, just letting the water pour over her.

Her muscles still ached from her exertions from the night before, and her bones still felt more than a little sore.

Her skin was bruised in places and there were a few scratches as well.

She tentatively rubbed soap over her flesh and winced as she felt the telltale stings, and burns.

"Oh well," she muttered as she switched off the taps. "Just one more night, and then we are done with it for another few months."

It was true that she did not relish these experiences; that the only real pleasure she gained from them was the chance to go out with her father and her sister; although last night had been something else again.

She smiled as she remembered Laurie's jubilation the night before, when she made contact with that stag. "The kill is mine!" she had howled out to the night and for the first time in her life, sweet little Laurie was a fearsome beast.

Iris's smile faded as quickly as it came, when she remembered the stranger.

He had been so big! So powerful, and yet he had also been so respectful of her father.

Last night she had met the wolf, and today she would meet the man.

Her lips parted on a soft pant as she felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect; but then the image of James Atherton wiped away the feeling, leaving her feeling confused and on edge.

There was a light rap on her door, and Laurie came strolling in, looking fresh and bright after just a few hours of sleep.

"Hi there, I thought that I heard you moving around," she exclaimed happily.

"Gosh, someone's feeling chirpy," Iris mocked lightly, but she could not keep the happy grin from her own face either.

"I had fun last night," Laurie shrugged, "and I find myself really looking forward to tonight as well."

"It was good to break loose for a bit, wasn't it," Iris agreed.

She brushed through her damp locks quickly and throwing her brush down onto her bed, she draped her arm through her sister's arm. "Shall we go and find some food now?" she asked lightly.

"Oh, yes please - I am absolutely starving!"

They strolled into the kitchen to find their father already there, and making the most of a rather nice looking breakfast.

"There is just something very enjoyable about having breakfast at two o'clock in the afternoon," he grinned as he sipped at a cup of hot coffee.

"Isn't there though," Iris agreed as she grabbed the eggs and bacon and began to efficiently cook herself and Laurie some, high energy and high protein food.

Laurie poured them both coffee from the percolator on the side, and in no short order, they joined their father at the breakfast table.

They were both famished and for a little while it was silent in the room as they enjoyed their late breakfast.

*

Laurie and Iris were just finishing putting the washed dishes away when there was a loud knock on the front door.

Iris turned to look at her father.

"Is that?" she asked a little nervously.

Greg nodded his head. "Yes, that is probably our trespasser from last night... why don't you brew a fresh pot of coffee and I will take him through to the living room?" he suggested.

Iris nodded in agreement and a small amount of relief, for some reason she was suddenly feeling all shy and tongue tied about meeting this man!

The door bell peeled and her father stood up and ambled out of the room with a muttered, "Yes, yes I'm coming... the youth of today is just so impatient!"

Laurie put the last plate away and dropped down onto her father's just vacated chair. "I'll wait for you, Iris."

Iris glanced quickly at her sister, and realised that she was a feeling apprehensive about meeting this man as well; but then after yesterday's encounter with Bill Frawnings' friends who could really blame her.

"Well, what do we think he will do, for crying out loud," she muttered under her breath. "Eat us or something!"

And she was mortified at the heat that rushed through her at the mere idea.

"Bloody full moon!" she cursed under her breath.

They heard their father open the front door, and the low murmur of voices.

The voices were too low to hear what was being said, but Iris gave a little shiver as the male tone vibrated across her flesh.

She filled the reservoir of the percolator with water, and spooned in coffee, and then flicked the switch with an impatient click of her tongue. This full moon had so much to answer for! It was playing havoc with her hormones right now - even though it wasn't even in the sky right now, she was all too aware of its power, and energy.

"What do you think he is like?" Laurie whispered suddenly, and Iris flashed an irritated glance in her direction, which thankfully her younger sister did not see.

"He's just a man - like all the rest, probably." She shrugged trying to sound indifferent.

The coffee maker spluttered and dark liquid began to pour down into the jug, and so Iris took clean cups down from the cupboard and added them to a tray with a sugar bowl, and a jug of cream already sitting there.

They could not hide away in the kitchen for too long and so as soon as the coffee jug was full, Iris added it to the tray and then picked it up cautiously.

"Okay then," she said to her sister. "You can lead the way."

They could hear their father's voice as they walked slowly towards the living room, and although Iris was partially hidden behind Laurie, she heard the conversation come to a sudden halt, and her father then said.

"Ah, here they are now!"

She just knew that the visitor stood up politely, which was a point in his favour, and as Laurie moved to one side she got her first look at him.

Iris stalled in the very act of putting the tray down on the coffee table, and stood staring in open mouthed shock, at the man who was so much on her mind these days.

"Hello," she finally muttered as the silence filled the room. "This is a surprise, isn't it?"

He took the heavy tray from her unresisting hands, and placed it carefully down on to the table.

"You could say that couldn't you." He laughed a low slightly bewildered laugh.

"Do you two know each other then?" Greg demanded suspiciously, and Iris pulled her gaze away from the man, and smiled stiffly at her father.

"Mr Atherton is my new boss, dad."

*

James sat talking politely to her father whilst Iris poured coffee for them all. She didn't even have to ask him how he liked it, she thought to herself silently.

There were so many little things that she already knew about him, but the one thing that she just could not get her head around was the little voice inside her which kept on whispering, 'he's just like us!'

She handed out coffee, and as she passed his cup to him, their fingers brushed against each other.

"Damn the moon!" she muttered under her breath as she fought not to snatch her hand back.

And he would have seemed unmoved by the contact, had the dark liquid in the cup not splashed over the side, announcing to her that his hand shook almost as much as hers did.

"Thank you," he murmured huskily.

Iris could not stop her eyes flying to his, and once again, once their eyes met they locked on, in a deep soul searching look.

"Iris," her father snapped softly and she blinked at his authoritative tone, and the contact was broken.

She handed out the rest of the drinks, and then sank down into her chair, where she cupped her hands around her own cup in a rather vain attempt to stop them from shaking.

She sipped at her coffee making no attempt at joining in the conversation, which seemed to be a general easy going one.

And as she sat listening with half an ear, Iris was rather surprised that Laurie was such an active animated, contributor to the conversation.

Her younger sister was a rather shy reserved young woman normally, especially around young men - and most especially around young men of their own kind.

But James Atherton was not like the usual men of their own kind, he was certainly not like the men they had met yesterday.

James had a deep respect for another's personal space, and he had not so much offered a hand to be shaken, let alone attempting one of those traditional bear hugs and scent testings, such as the ones which they had been forced to endure on the previous day.

For all his height and build, James Atherton was a gently - if gruff spoken young man.

He was intelligent and articulate, but not one to hog the conversation.

He actively encouraged her father and her sister to talk; making this whole encounter seem more like a - family gathering - or at the very least old friends.

It was relaxed and pleasant for everyone concerned, excepting Iris who just could not come to terms with the fact that her boss, the man she had instinctively bonded with, who she had had lustful thoughts about, who she was deeply in danger of falling in love with, this man who was one of them!

*

"Iris, could you show Mr Atherton to the door please." He father requested as the meeting seemed to come to halt and their guest seemed to want to leave.

"James; please, Mr Beaumont."

Greg grinned at him suddenly and his brown eyes twinkled. "Only if you will call me Greg then."

He held out his hand and the younger man gripped it in a firm but not bone breaking clasp.

"It was very good to meet you, Greg; to meet all of you and thank you for your kind hospitality."

"Not at all... in fact I'm of a mind to offer it out again tonight."

Iris looked at her father in shock - did he just?

James looked surprised as well, and as his eyes flew quickly to her, a dull colour flared along his cheekbones, and his eyes glazed over briefly, as some thought drifted through his mind.

"I would be honoured... pack leader."