Everything Changes Ch. 03

"I know. I know. Alright, already."

"Why so grumpy?"

She mumbled against him. "You know."

They stood together a bit longer until she pushed away. "I should get back to work."

"OK, sweetheart, I'll see you at lunch."

***

Emmett hunted down Ariel. "What can I do for you Emmett?" He closed the door behind him and ran his hands through his grey hair.

"She's so touchy, Ariel. I never know what she's going to react to."

"Something happened today?"

"I was sparring with Madeline and Lyssa seemed mad that I had her scent on me." Ariel stood, resting her backside against the edge of her desk, and crossed her arms. "I don't know what to do with her."

Ariel dropped her head slightly and shook it. "Ah, Emmett, while all females and their pregnancies are different they are also all the same." Emmett furrowed his brow. "She's becoming more territorial and the fact that you smelled like Madeline did not sit well. As the other Madam Beta, she is competition. It would have been worse if it were me."

"So, OK, I only have to worry about having your scent, or Madeline's, on me?"

"Mostly. But the scent of other females may also set her off. Again, Emmett, territorial."

"But, I don't get upset when she smells of the other males. I know she has contact with them and she knows I have contact with some of the females."

"Rationally, logically, yes." She took a deep breath. "Our hormones take control of us when we go into heat. They rise, then fall. But pregnancy brings more."

Emmett's voice dropped. "What do I do?"

"Just what you've been doing. Love her and keep showing her."

*****

"This is my pack! This is my mate!"

Things had finally come to a head with the Ross pack. Calvin had known he was tempting fate by not dealing earlier with all the issues that resulted from Michael's reign. Erica and whomever her cronies might be. The pack had been unsettled, edgy, for months.

Calvin had been busy, with the Alpha candidates, mating Stephanie, looking for her pack, and her first heat.

Yes. He had waited too long.

It was the new moon, petitions, and they had finished with two of the most aggravating. Tobias had grumbled about his age and asked when the Alpha candidates would be returning. And then Erica had questioned a couple of Stephanie's recent decisions.

Stephanie had not so skillfully repressed her anger and discomfort and Erica began needling her. Emboldened, Tobias brought up her interference in their challenge.

Calvin finally exploded.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone looked at him. It wasn't often he raised his voice. The pack generally worked pretty well.

He strode over to Erica and she cowered a little. "You have a problem with our female Alpha. Since you have trouble accepting her authority and, in doing so, mine, we will settle this now, today."

"But.."

"Quiet." He bared his teeth at her and she whimpered. He wrapped his hands around her throat. Tobias caught himself before he stepped forward but Calvin and Stephanie

caught the movement. Sampson scanned many of the others, looking for any evidence of duplicity.

[I see no one else, Cal.]

[Only Tobias looks guilty, Calvin.]

"Tobias, step forward." Woodenly, he complied. "What part have you played in this little drama?"

"Drama, my Alpha?"

Calvin snarled back, "You are in cahoots with Erica. To kill me, my mate. To overthrow your Alphas. To take control of this pack."

"I saw an opportunity. I took advantage of it."

Calvin growled and strode over, dragging Erica with him. "Were you forewarned?"

Tobias made no reply. "Did she tell you?"

Calvin, and everyone else for that matter, could smell the fear begin to rise from him. Of course, the whole area smelt of Erica's fear.

The word was dragged from his lips, short, clipped. "Yes."

Calvin shook her once as Stephanie stalked around them. He shoved Erica at her. "Hold her." Stephanie grabbed Erica by the upper arms. Erica shrieked. "She promised you sex. She promised you power." Tobias nodded. "Foolish. She has none to give."

Calvin looked between the two of them. "Would you fight for her?"

Tobias looked down, his chest heaved. "You suspect she would betray you, too, when she tired of you." Calvin looked at the dark-haired Omega. "Would you fight me, now, for Alpha?" Tobias shook his head. "If I thought you showed any ability to lead I would cede the pack to you. Would you fight my mate, for Alpha?" Tobias' head jerked up and the pack gasped in surprise.

"Is that why you mated her? Because you're getting weak?" was ground out of Erica's throat. The pack gasped again, at her boldness in the face of punishment.

Stephanie's eyes flicked to him; it was a question she had never considered. [No, Stephanie, that is not why you are my mate.]

"Tobias? Would you wish to fight either of us, for Alpha? Would you fight for her?"

Stephanie's green eyes bored into him, a feral grin on her face. Tobias shook his head again and the smell of fear rose. "There is some wisdom in you. Perhaps you can be salvaged."

Tobias looked briefly hopeful as Calvin's attention now turned to Erica. "This one, however, I fear is beyond saving."

Erica's eyes widened as Stephanie's hands clenched tighter.

Calvin turned back to his pack. "My grief weakened me. I lost my mate, my son, my focus. It. Will. Not. Happen again. This is my pack, our pack."

He turned back to Erica. "You have poisoned my mate. You have poisoned me. You continue to sow dissent. This cannot be tolerated. This will not be tolerated."

"She is yours, my mate."

Stephanie dragged Erica outside and tossed her toward the circle. She turned toward it, changing to intermediate form as she moved forward.

Erica landed in a heap, stunned briefly. She changed to wolf, shook off her clothing, and ran.

Stephanie smiled, changed to wolf, and took after her with a howl.

Calvin turned back to his pack. "Tobias, you are banned to the outbuilding at the edge of our range for the next moon. No one is to seek you out or speak to you in that time. On the day of petitions, you may return."

Stephanie's prey bolted away from her, a dark-furred wolf, stinking of fear. Erica ran flat out, in a straight line. She was easy to follow.

Stephanie streaked along, enjoying the run. It was a pleasant day and the sun warmed her dark saddle and shoulders. Her ears were tuned to the sounds of the outside world and the smells enticed her. But, she would not be turned from her path. Erica's headlong flight was loud.

While fear spurred her she was not in good shape and would likely tire soon.

A yelp went up as she slipped crossing a gully. Stephanie caught her just as she exited the treeline. Erica rolled and came up, facing Stephanie. She bared her teeth and growled, backing away as Stephanie advanced. Head down, hackles raised, growling.

Backed into a corner, panicked, Erica attacked.

It didn't take long; Erica lay on the ground with Stephanie's teeth at her throat.

[Don't kill me. Don't...]

[This is for my mate.] Warm red blood spurted as Stephanie's teeth closed.

As the wolf below her went still and the blood flowed sluggishly, Stephanie sat back on her haunches and howled.

Calvin closed his eyes and exhaled. "Sampson, we need to prepare a pyre."