For Silence's Sake Ch. 09

Dear Readers,

Here it is. The conclusion of For Silence's Sake.

Am looking at a possible storyline for the next part but am also working on a couple of other things.

We'll see what comes together.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

*****

She was aware of his return and relaxed when she realized it was him.

There were times that he slept like a rock and nights when he slipped out once or more. It was rare that he didn't come back to their bed.

He sat on the edge of the bed and she could tell something was bothering him. "What's going on?"

"Go back to sleep, my stubborn mate. We can talk about it later."

"You're sure?"

"Mmm." He yawned. He got up so he could pull the covers back, then slid in. Stephanie moved closer to him, feeling the cool of his skin. It was midwinter and frigid outside. The den was cool. His time outside the bed had chilled him.

Calvin felt better in proximity to her body heat. His joints ached a bit. He was feeling his age again. A month. Next month they would decide the same sex mating and he would bring up the next item he wanted to be addressed. There were certain things he needed in place before he died. He wanted the future of his pack secured.

In a cocoon of warmth, he fell back to sleep.

-

Sampson ran. He didn't know what else to do.

He wanted to fight but any sparring partner might be the worse for wear.

So he ran.

After his third circuit of the range he finally felt tired enough to come indoors.

-

Emmanuel's birthday was celebrated by his parents, who had gotten a couple of his favorite dishes made. There was no cake. When asked, Emmanuel said he wanted cookies. Peanut butter.

So, Lyssa put a candle on one of the cookies. Emmanuel looked at it curiously and picked it up. He took a bite, trying to eat around the candle.

Emmett plucked it away from the cookie and blew it out.

His present? A stuffed monkey that he started dragging around.

-

The snow was falling thickly when the Ross Alpha female came into heat. Again.

They had taken over one of the small conference rooms.

Sampson consulted with Sharilyn, the pack's healer. The Madam Alpha's cycle was highly variable and her requirements during her heat meant their Alpha Male would be unavailable to do any business. As Beta, he could manage the pack for three or four days but other things required Calvin's attention. Anything they could do to give them some notice of her next estrus would be helpful.

One of their young males, Derek, was showing a predilection for healing. Sharilyn had sent him off to ask pack members about her recent moods and activities. "What else can we do?"

"Other than intrusive examinations..."

"She'll hate that."

"She surely will."

"We'll have to wait to ask the Alpha anything."

"Although it will be early to start, as soon as the Madam Alpha completes this cycle, I'll have Derek start tracking her eating habits."

Sampson exhaled, and turned to go. "Healer?"

"Hmm?" She was looking at Stephanie's chart. She looked up when he didn't answer immediately. She saw resignation in his eyes.

[Will his heart hold up? Will it kill him? And, what do we do when he can't satisfy her needs?]

Sharilyn dropped her head, unable to look at the Beta. [I don't know.] Calvin was a very old male, even by werewolf standards, his mate still in her prime years. There was no clear line of succession, his only heir dead. His forays into suitable candidates outside the pack had been halted due to the problems of the time and his mating of Stephanie.

For the good of the pack, Sampson needed to have a frank discussion with his Alpha.

-

Emmett was suddenly awake.

It was dark and the other side of the bed was empty. He sat up quickly with the now-familiar spike of fear. "Lys?"

She turned. "Here, Em." She heard the fear in his voice. "Sorry."

"What's going on, sweetheart?" She was standing by the crib, holding Little Em's stuffed monkey. She clutched it a little tighter. "He spends most of his time with the pups now."

Emmanuel was sleeping in the creche with the younger pups, again.

He spoke, softly. "That's not unusual, Lys."

"He's just barely a year old, Em."

"I know." Emmett thought of what he'd say next. "I don't want you to take this wrong, but what did..." he inhaled, exhaled, "..how long did you think he'd stay here with us?"

She sounded sad. "Years. Human babies are really dependent on their mothers for years."

"They stay in their parent's room for years?" He sounded incredulous.

"Well, no. Actually, I guess. A lot of parents put 'em in a nursery room a month or so after they're born."

"OK, then. Come here, Lys." He patted the bed beside him. "He's not gone." She sat beside him and he pulled her against him. "He's here, in the den, with us. Emmanuel's asserting his independence as a wolf pup and as Beta heir." There was a pause. "Perhaps a talk with Anna would help?"

"No. I guess I just have to get used to it."

-

The beginning of the month of February signaled the end of the Ross Madam Alpha's heat, ten days until the next council meeting, and two weeks until Joanna and Nathan's second anniversary.

Pauline was growing used to her son's mood of resignation. Phillip performed the duties assigned to him and nothing more.

Pauline was, however, hopeful, but nervous. The Ross Alpha had requested her presence at the council meeting. She would make sure her son was also there.

-

Sampson waited at the door to the Alpha suite, staring at the tray that had been left outside their door.

It should not have surprised him, but Stephanie opened the door to retrieve it. Her short hair was damp and in need of a wash and she smelled strongly of sex, and her mate. She looked up at him, curious. He saw some of the scars on her body that he hadn't noticed before as she got up from her crouch. Not that he ever looked there.

[My Alpha, when you have rested, we have something important we must discuss.]

[Sure, Sampson. In a while.]

Sampson went back to his room.

It was small; he'd never needed anything more. He'd never felt that being Beta was reason to have something larger. The bed was single, simple, a small dresser to one side. There was no adjoining bathroom. The Beta suite had been occupied by the Alpha heir, while he lived, and now held the Beta female, Amanda, and her mate.

He opened the top dresser drawer and pulled out an old photograph. He traced a fingertip over his parents' faces. What would they think of him?

Sampson closed his eyes and dropped the photo back into the drawer then turned and knelt beside his bed. Reaching beneath, he pulled out a Ziploc bag. He wasn't sure why he was holding on to it; he should get rid of it.

But, one more whiff, what would it hurt?

As he contemplated it, his cock rose to attention. He closed his eyes and swallowed, feeling the pressure of his stiffened length against the front of his pants. And he thought of blond curls and gasped as he twitched.

He threw the bag across the small room and dropped his face into his hands. He was only torturing himself.

He would never have the freedom the others had.

The scent wafted over to him and brought his head up. The bag must have burst a seam.

Phillip. A lovely male. So young.

Sampson dropped his pants and groaned as he took hold of his cock. He considered this act and realized there was no reason not to; it was what he had always done. So, he stroked, slowly. He rubbed at the slippery drop weeping from the eye. Felt the silkiness of the fluid, the softness of his foreskin, the velvet hardness in his grasp.

Sampson gripped a bit more tightly and began to pump. He dropped to his knees and thought of the last time he had done so.

He firmed up more, inhaled Phil's scent, and pumped his erection. His balls tightened and he howled as his cock spat forth into... nothing.

He fell forward, holding himself up with one hand, and inhaled deeply. Oh, Luna, Phil's scent.

He threw his pants over the bag to dampen it and rolled to his back. Sampson stared at the ceiling. What had happened to his life?

-

Lyssa had gone out, telling Em she was going shopping.

He inhaled when she told him but took her upper arms and kissed her. "OK."

She debated on telling him she wasn't going anywhere but decided they had to stop going over it. So, she smiled at him and went out.

Erich noticed he was a bit distracted later and invited him out for a sparring session. It took a few seconds for him to get into the swing of things. Emmett won two of the three matches. The snow of the circle was disturbed by both human and wolf tracks, as well as a couple of spatters of blood when they had finished.

Lyssa returned a couple of hours later with a couple of bags, one very large.

Emmett came out of the bathroom as Lyssa was pulling the sheets off their bed. "What's up, mate?"

She smiled at him as she kicked the second bag under the bed. "Got us some new sheets." She pulled out a pair of deep red sheets and threw a loose end across the bed. He grabbed a corner and pulled it over the edge of the mattress. He then ran his knuckles over them. "What is this?"

"Fleece. Whaddya think?"

"Soft."

They pulled the bottom over the corners and he took hold of her hand. He pulled her close, nibbled on her ear lobe. [I'd like to see how much softer your skin is.]

Lyssa giggled and then sighed when his hands slid under her sweater. Her hands went to his shoulders as he ran his fingers around her waistband and popped the button on her jeans, slid the zipper down, and pushed them off her hips. His hands moved around and he cupped her buttocks in his hands. She was wearing black lace boy shorts. "Mmm." And he pulled her pelvis to him.

Emmett was naked, from the shower he'd just taken, so they were in contact, essentially skin to skin, from the waist down. His fingers curled under the bottom hems of her panties and slid toward her center. She gasped. [Do you want me?] He nibbled her neck.

[Oh, yeah, Em. I do.]

Emmett pulled her sweater over her head and dropped it. He slid one arm around her back and the other around her waist. Kissing down to her left breast, he gently laid her back on the bed.

After leaving a wet spot on her lace bra, over the nipple, he laid wet kisses down her body as he pulled her shoes and pants off. He then climbed back over her and laid his body atop hers. On his elbows, he took her face in his hands and looked down, milk chocolate eyes looking into dark brown. She looked up at him, not sure of what he was looking for. His hands then moved, down her shoulder, onto the fleece and back. [Hmm. Soft. So soft.]

She smiled up at him, a smile that reached her eyes. "Which?"

He captured her mouth with a hungry kiss. [You, sweetheart. Always you.]

She wriggled under him, anxious now to get her panties off.

He grunted, feeling the slightly painful but delicious friction of the lace and her body against his. He inhaled, then licked her chin, tasting her, smelling her, feeling her.

She twisted again and tried pushing at his shoulders. [C'mon, Em.]

Emmett smiled and kissed her neck then rolled to one side. Lyssa quickly slid the boy shorts off and kicked them away. As she reached for her bra he growled, "No. Leave it."

He settled back on top of her and she shifted her hips, trying to capture him between her soft folds. He reached back and pulled her thigh up and she wrapped her legs around him as he slid in. He groaned. She sighed.

His pace was slow, gliding in and out. She clutched his shoulders, slid her hands down his back to his behind. Lyssa gripped his buttocks, drawing him closer, urging him to go faster. But he continued his slow, maddening pace.

In. Out. He nipped at her jawline, nibbled at her earlobe. In. Out. Bearing down on her mating mark. Feeling the scratch of the lacy cups against his chest. In. Out. Her nails in his shoulders. A hungry kiss. In. Out. Panting. Moaning.

He sped up, slightly. She moaned and ran her nails up and down his back.

He growled.

Emmett pulled one of her knees away from his hip and pushed it toward her shoulder. In. Out. Deeper.

Sounds came from both, unintelligible, but obviously born of pleasure. She met his thrusts and twisted her head on the pillow.

[Open your eyes, mate. Look at me.]

Lyssa opened her dark eyes and turned her head back as he began to pound into her.

He felt the tension in her body, the tightness of his balls. She was almost there; he only had to hold out a little longer.

There. A small ripple.

In again. A slight twist of his hips and she broke.

The rippling of her muscles undid him as well and howls tore loose from two throats.

-

It was later that evening that Calvin woke and washed up. He limped slightly as he sought out his Beta. [Sampson, you wanted to speak to me?]

The reply sounded weary. [Yes, my Alpha. Alone, please.]

[The office, then.]

Calvin dismissed Peter, who was looking at the pack's books in preparation for the annual tax filing. Sampson entered shortly after. "What's on your mind, my friend?"

"Alpha, I..."

Calvin's brow furrowed. "Sampson, why the formality?"

Sampson took a deep breath and swallowed. "It's my duty to ask and your responsibility to tell me..." Calvin rose, slowly, "...what you mean to do about a successor." At that, Calvin sat again, heavily.

Calvin looked at his Beta. "What prompted this question?"

"The Madam Alpha's estrus." Sampson gave him a significant look. "You're limping, Cal."

"I'm not the first to..."

"Cal," Sampson reproached.

It was true. There were occasions where one or both of a mating pair pulled a muscle or was otherwise injured during a mating session.

"I need to know your plan. You haven't brought back the candidates. What do you intend to do?"

Calvin clasped his hands together, between his knees, and leaned forward. Sampson pulled back a bit. "I am aware of my obligation to my pack," he growled. "You will not repeat what I am about to divulge, especially to the Madam Alpha."

"But, Calvin.."

"You will not speak of this!"

"Of course." Sampson acquiesced to his Alpha's command.

"I've thought about this a great deal..."

-

Some miles away was another difficult conversation.

Thomas stood before his Alphas.

"There has been no indication of our presence. We assume you have told her nothing but need assurance that you have not revealed your true nature to her."

"No, Alpha, I haven't said anything."

"You've been seeing her for months now. Do you intend to bring her into the pack? To mate her?"

"Um, no, Alpha. I don't ... No, not now."

"In the future, then?"

"Maybe. I really haven't thought about it."

"Then what is your relationship with the female?"

"Food." He inhaled. "Sex."

"There's no female here you wish to have sex with?" Thomas shook his head. "What hold does she have on you?"

"She... it's private, my Alphas."

"It impacts the security of this pack. We need to understand your relationship with her since you don't seem to want to mate her but want to continue to see her."

"We have a good time. She's shown me things that..." he tapered off.

"Go on."

"She's very .. inventive when it comes to sex. It's great even with the damn rubber."

The two Alphas exchanged a glance. [Rubber?] A shrug.

"Do you speak regularly with the Madam Beta?"

"At the beginning I did. Not really anymore. I've asked her a question or two." He tried to exude confidence in the face of their examination.

"You will tell us if anything in your relationship changes, anything that may impact the security of this pack."

Thomas gave a short, sharp nod.

"You may go."

[Inventive, mate. What do you suppose that means?]

-

Calvin took care of several items with regard to the pack's business and other affairs, including a delayed renewal of the markers for the range. As he had occasionally done before, he brought his mate along. Stephanie was curious as to why he had her lead him to the next marker at each point but didn't ask. Was his memory failing?

Following that, he sequestered himself in his office and began to prepare for the council meeting. He started to arrange his thoughts, the questions he would ask. He checked to make sure that Phil's mother would be coming to the meeting.

Stephanie watched her mate, watched as he prepared for a different kind of fight. He wanted their Beta to be happy, to potentially mate. Even if Sampson didn't seem to want it. She didn't understand why Sampson wasn't pushing for the resolution's passage. Why did he seem content to just let it happen?

-

Lyssa took some runs out in the snow, sometimes with Emmett, sometimes alone. She laughed as her little boy, in furred form, tried to catch small snowballs she tossed his way. Emmanuel requested, and was granted, one of his few rides on his mother's back. Lyssa wasn't used to his weight and couldn't carry him as long as his father could, especially now that he was bigger.

She sparred with Madeline and Ariel. Went to visit Jo and Lyria.

They stayed a couple nights at the cottage.

And she anticipated the explosion that was likely to occur at the council meeting. From either side.

Several members of different packs grew nervous as the date approached. Some spoke to their Alphas or Betas. Most whispered amongst themselves.

Cars began piling up at the Wyeth den the evening of the new moon.

The Ross Alphas arrived early, as they normally did. This time, however, they brought their Beta with them. Sampson sat by reservedly as the Alphas visited before the meeting.

The connection was giving her trouble tonight and Ross was helping her get things running. Randall told her that their last guest, from Foster, had arrived. Well, their penultimate guest.

"Sorry for the delay, is everyone here?"

The representatives, on this day the Alphas, of four packs responded. Tucker, Severn, Gates, and Macy.

"Wyeth, Ross, and Foster are here. Does anyone have something important to report before we start?"

No one answered. "Alright then. The Alpha Ross wanted to talk to a couple of wolves."

"Pauline of Foster pack, please." Calvin indicated a chair in front of the cameras. Pauline sat, nervously wringing her hands. "Be at ease, Pauline. My questions should be easily answered."

The Alpha female of Foster sat beside her.

"Pauline, can you tell me your age?"

She swallowed. "Um, uh," she thinking, "63?"

"How many pups have you borne?"

"Three. One was stillborn."

"I'm sorry for your loss. Have you taught both of your pups to be defective?"

"Excuse me? Uh, Alpha Ross."

"Have you had trouble with your mate? Is that why you taught your pups to hate the opposite sex?"

Mary Foster was lightly growling at the treatment of her pack member. [Madam Alpha, I apologize, but I'm trying to provoke an emotional response so it doesn't appear we staged this.]

"No! Um, no Neither. I didn't tell them anything like that. They grew up with the other pups in the creche. My Annabelle is mated, happily. To a male. I love my mate."

"What happened to your son?"

"Nothing," Pauline was getting ready to cry, "he grew up like everyone else."

"Then why isn't he normal?"

"Who says my baby's not normal!?" Pauline stood, growling.

"What do you want for your son?" [Look at the camera, Pauline.]

Pauline looked at the Alpha female of her pack, then to the screen. "I want the same thing for my pup that every mother wants, I want him to be happy."

"My thanks, Pauline."

The voice of the Gates Alpha came through. "How long have you known about your pup?"

"Um, since he was about eight."

"And you didn't try to correct him? Your mate didn't?"

"There's nothing to correct. There's nothing wrong with him!"

"Alpha Foster, how long have you known about your pack member?"