Harvest Moon Ch. 13

(Seven Days to the Wolf, Nightwish)

A week had gone by, and Joe had been working back at the camp. Joe and River easily started to develop a routine and they were happy and content with their life together. Memories of the compound and fear of losing Joe started to fade, and instead River looked ahead to a happy future.

On Friday afternoon, River drove back from the shop and thought she would take a nice long soak in the bath before Joe got home. As she ran the water, she thought about how her new life compared to her old one. She had been happy, or so she thought. She had resigned herself to the fact she would spend her life alone, and then Joe had come and turned everything upside-down.

She now had to juggle two lives and lie to her friends, but the ache she felt deep in her loins every time she thought of Joe told her that it was all worth it. She smiled as she thought about the errant strands of his dark locks that would often fall in his face, the firm plane of his broad chest, and the rounded contours of his deltoids. He was so perfectly put together, more like the progeny of some errant god than a mortal man. She could stare at him all day.

River swirled some of her favourite vanilla scented bubble bath through the hot water, and was about to climb into the tub when someone banged hard against her front door. The noise was unexpected; her nostrils were full of the scented steam and she had not detected their approach. It caused her wolf to rise to the fore, and she almost shifted in her bathroom. She stepped out of the bathroom, grabbing a robe, and a growl slipped from her throat. Her wolf's hackles were up as she smelled another werewolf on the other side of the door.

As she edged closer, the person on the other side called her name. She realised that the scent was familiar, and so was the voice. Opening the door, she saw a naked man lying on her porch, battered, bruised, and missing a portion of his left arm from just below the elbow. It was Clay.

River bent down and helped the tall man into her home. She got him to the sofa as he weakly asked for Joe. After she had him seated, she immediately went for the first aid kit. As she rifled through the meagre kit, she thought how ridiculous this was; she didn't think she had anything that could cope with a severed limb. Water, gauze, antiseptic, and as many bandages as she could find would have to be enough.

She ran back to Clay, and found that he had passed out. Looking at the wound, it appeared his arm had been chewed off. It had stopped bleeding, thanks to the superior werewolf regenerative powers, but it was a dirty and ragged mess. It looked like it had happened about a week ago, which meant it was actually only a day or two since it happened.

She cleaned it as best as she could, trying not to throw up at the sight of raw flesh. She was grateful that Clay was out cold as she bandaged it up. When she was done she started to clean the rest of him. He was filthy, looking like he had literally been dragged through the proverbial hedge backwards. What the hell had happened to him?

River looked at the clock, and saw that Joe would be home any minute. He would get to the bottom of it. Moments later she heard his truck screech down the track to their cabin, and within seconds he burst through the door, his face full of rage. River realised she didn't need to tell him that Clay was here; he already knew. She rushed to him, and calmed him, explaining that Clay was here looking for him, but was injured. Something terrible had happened.

Joe's chest rose and fell quickly as he took in the scene. He looked at the unconscious Beta sitting on thier sofa, and noticed the bandaged stump. River's scent and presence filtered through the mist of his aggression, and he calmed. She was safe. Clay meant her no harm, nor had he come to take her. He walked towards the man and barked at him:

"Clay!"

The younger man jerked into consciousness. He gasped from the pain, and laid his right arm against his bandaged stump. His face looked pale and pinched, and Joe knew he was hiding great pain. Softer this time, he spoke the man's name again.

"Clay. What happened?"

"Alpha," the man nodded with respect. "I am sorry to intrude in this manner, but I ... I didn't know where else to go, and I had to warn you."

"Warn me?" growled Joe.

"A few days after you left, the compound was invaded. About twenty armed and trained Betas turned up, and killed some of my ... the Omegas, and imprisoned the rest. Their leader was greeted as a pack mate by Bart, or as the stranger called him, Bartosz."

"Bartosz?" Joe shook his head, the name unfamiliar to him.

"Bart was the Beta that ran the kitchen for Caleb," River interrupted.

Clay nodded. "They spoke in a language I didn't understand, something European, but I heard Bart mention your name. From what I could tell, it seems that Caleb's operation had been underwritten by another pack. Bart was there to keep an eye on their investment. When they heard of Caleb's death, and that I was going to shut down the drug lab, they moved in to protect their investment."

"What was the name of their leader?"

"Gyorgy."

Joe stepped back in shock, his worst fears confirmed. He knew Gyorgy well. He was an ambitious Beta and a close friend of Demeter, his brother. The people now running Caleb's compound were from his old pack.

River felt the fear and aggression emitting from her mate. She saw the recognition on his face at the name Clay mentioned, and it wasn't difficult for her to work out the rest. This pack was Hungarian. She feared for her furniture, as it looked like he wanted to smash something. She pressed herself to him, hoping her contact would calm him down.

River was worried for her friend Avril, and asked Clay what had happened to her. Clay's eyes closed, and sorrow darkened his face.

"Avril was one of the few Omegas left unrestrained. The invaders handpicked a few to serve them. I was kept in a separate building from the others and Avril risked her life to free me. She and I ..." He sighed, unable to finish.

River spoke gently. "Avril is your mate?"

Clay nodded and looked at River, his blue eyes cresting with tears, his voice dry and broken. "We knew that we were meant for each other as soon as we met, but I held back because I feared Caleb's cruelty. He had already raped and murdered the mate of one of his other Betas. I couldn't risk that happening to her. As soon as Caleb was gone, though, we were free to be together. We are mated."

River sat next to him, and offered him a glass of water, which he drank gratefully.

"We thought we had gotten away, but Gyorgy had sent five Betas after us. I tried to fend them off, but two of them grabbed Avril and dragged her away. I managed to defeat the final three, but at a cost." Clay waved the stump of his arm. "I then ran all the way here, on three legs. I'm sorry, but I didn't know where else to go."

Joe looked at the man with great sympathy, and placed a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. He could only imagine the anguish Clay was going through. His pack had been decimated and his mate stolen. River was obviously distressed at Avril's plight, and Joe found he was feeling equally protective of Clay. Even though they had met under terrible circumstances Joe knew he was a good man with a lot of promise, and to kill three other Betas was no easy feat.

Something had to be done. It was bad enough discovering the Hungarian packs had financial involvements here, but now they were trying to gain a physical foothold ... they had to be stopped.

River started to freak out, thinking that Joe was going to go off after them on his own.

"River, please calm down," Joe said as he pulled his distressed mate to him. "I want to help, but even I have to admit that I can't realistically take on a whole pack of armed and trained Betas single handed."

"I think I know someone who may be able to help," said Clay weakly.

Clay told them that he used to be part of a pack in north Vermont, but left as he couldn't find a mate. He came to Maine, and ran into Caleb, who said he would find him a mate.

"That's the only promise that fucker ever kept, and it's the only one he never intended to keep," Clay laughed dryly. With a deep sigh, he continued. "My old Alpha, he's a good man, nothing like Caleb. In fact, you remind me a lot of him, Joe. He may be able to help."

River handed Clay the phone, and pulled Joe away to give Clay a little privacy.

"Please don't do anything stupid," she whispered into his chest, as she held him tightly.

When Clay finished on the phone, he told them that his old Alpha would be there in a few hours. River fetched a blanket, and draped it over Clay, telling him to rest until their guests arrived. She pulled Joe into the kitchen and did what she always did when she was stressed. She baked.

It was late in the evening when they heard two black SUVs pull up outside. By then, River had a large pot of pasta with meatballs simmering on the stove, some fresh bread baked, and a tray of cookies cooling on the side.

She peered through her kitchen window and watched two men get out of each car. One of the men was massive. Huge bulging muscles and a confident stride signalled him as the Alpha. He had silvery-grey hair and looked to be in his late fifties, which meant he was obviously much older. He wore a black vest, his arms were covered in tattoos, and he had a thick silver handlebar moustache that made him look more suited to a motorbike than an SUV.

Joe opened the door, and for a moment the two Alphas stared at each other, both refusing to look away in a silent battle for dominance. River could sense a mounting tension, and did what she could to diffuse it.

"Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable."

The elder Alpha smiled at River, with a nod. "That is very gracious of you, Madam." Joe stepped aside and allowed the four men into the room. He still didn't look happy, but at least he wasn't growling. River had always thought her living room a good size compared to the other cabins, but with six large werewolves in it, it suddenly felt quite small and cramped.

"Thank you for coming," she continued. "Can I offer anyone some refreshments, or food? I appear to have made enough food to feed an army," she laughed.

The older man looked at River, with a deep intense scrutiny from his sharp blue eyes. River had seen that look before. It was exactly how Joe had looked at her when they first met. For a moment she felt the same fear that this man was considering having her as an entrée, but then he smiled charmingly.

"I would be delighted," he said before turning to Joe. He held out a large hand and introduced himself. "I am Leon, Alpha to the Kingdom pack." Joe shook it, and introduced himself.

Leon then turned to his former Beta, and took in the man's pale and injured condition. Clay looked up with a crooked smile.

"Hello pops."

"How are you doing, son?"

"As good as can be expected," he answered with a grimace.

River was a little surprised. She hadn't realised this man was Clay's father, but looking again she could see a resemblance. They both had the same cool blue eyes. She served the food, which everyone tucked into appreciatively, while Clay related his story to his father and the other men. He told them all about Caleb, and River could tell he was embarrassed to admit the kind of man he'd gotten involved with. He told them about Caleb capturing and torturing Joe, which River found difficult to listen to.

Leon listened intently, not interrupting. He glanced over at River briefly, a hint of surprise and a smile on his face when Clay told how she had killed three of Caleb's Betas during her rescue of Joe.

Leon asked Joe what he knew about this Hungarian pack, and so it was then Joe's turn to tell his story. He explained that he knew Gyorgy. He was ambitious, but not Alpha material. He made up for the shortcomings in his abilities by being manipulative, devious, and downright cruel. He was a typical example of the kind of Beta that did well in his homeland.

"We can't allow them to get a foothold here in the US. They are obviously looking to move some of their operations here," Joe said earnestly.

Leon looked at Joe. "Caleb's pack is an unusual case. Most packs in the US operate well within the law as family businesses. I don't like the precedent this would set if we don't quash it immediately. Give me twelve hours. I'll call the Alphas of the other New England packs and see if we can't arrange a small welcome party for our European cousins. I'll be in touch." There was a mischievous crook to his smile, and River could tell the old man was relishing the idea of a fight.

He shook hands with Joe, the two men locking eyes again, but there was a nod of mutual respect. Leon turned to River, and kissed her hand.

"Madam, thank you for caring for my son. You had every right to turn him away, and you didn't. For that, you have my undying loyalty and gratitude."

Two of Leon's men helped Clay out to the car, and they all disappeared up the track to the road. River started to clean up, and Joe offered to help. It was only a few hours before she was supposed to get up for work. River was emotionally and physically exhausted, and was happy to collapse into their bed if only for a few hours.

River went into work earlier than usual on that Saturday morning. She was in a sombre mood, and her two friends asked what was wrong. She couldn't think of a suitable answer, so declined to say. Sensibly, they didn't ask again, but she could feel Dot's eyes burning into her and knew she must think there was trouble between her and Joe.

Dot's mind was put to rest however, when at his usual time, Joe walked into the shop. River hadn't been expecting him at all, but came hurtling out of the back room when she smelled him walk in. Dot fussed over him, congratulating him on his marriage to River in one breath and admonishing him for not 'doing it properly' in the next. She demanded a hug and a kiss, which caused River to laugh at how embarrassed Joe seemed at the attention, especially when some of her customers asked for hugs too.

River came out to join her mate and rescue him from all the smitten females in the shop. She had to confess that her wolf was feeling possessive, and she felt that she needed to make it clear that he was hers. They stepped outside for a moment, and he wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on her lips as Dot looked on like a proud mother.

"Shouldn't you be waiting in for a call from Leon?"

"He's already called," Joe replied, suddenly looking more serious. "Leon said that he has arranged for Alphas from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York to meet us at the motel in Presque Isle this evening, along with his men from Vermont."

"I hope you weren't thinking of going there without me?" she said sternly.

Joe smiled at her as he cupped her face in his hands. "I wouldn't dream of it, my love."

They were interrupted then by Steffi, who thrust a sandwich towards Joe. "Your usual," she said, as she strained her neck up to look at Joe towering over her.

Joe gave Steffi a warm smile, causing the young woman to blush, before kissing River quickly and then heading off towards his car. "I will see you in a couple of hours," he said as he walked off.

River sighed, admiring how lovely his ass looked in those jeans. It wasn't often she got to see him clothed these days.