The Pack

Reader discretion is adviced, this story contain graphic content depicting violence which may not be suitable to all readers. This is a fictional story and do not portray real events or real persons.

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Concordium Chapter 52

The Pack Chapter 10 

(Friday part 2)

This chapter picks up on the same day as chapter 9, and it will complete the events of that Friday.

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Chase

After breakfast, I helped clean the dishes. I thought Sammy was angry with me. He seemed to be avoiding me. He wasn't in the kitchen to supervise for most of the cleanup, and when he was there he was taking inventory and he walked by me without saying anything. Maybe he wasn't mad. Maybe he was disgusted because I'd chosen to be with Aidan. I hadn't mean to make him mad, but there was just something about Aidan that made it hard for me to resist him.

I was just cleaning out the sink and getting ready to see what else Inga needed me to do when Lew Muller came in and said, "Zeno wants to talk to you, Chase."

I dried my hands and followed him out of the kitchen. I wasn't looking forward to meeting with Zeno. He scared me a little. He was so handsome and so well-built that he made me drool, but I'd seen him fight, and that side of him terrified me. When we had been escaping the hunters back home, he and Naomi had taken out some who must have been waiting in ambush. Zeno and Naomi had been clearing the path ahead of us, but we'd seen the bodies anyway.

Lew must have sensed my fear because he threw an arm around my shoulders and said, "Don't worry, son. Zeno's not mad at you. He just wants to talk."

I leaned against him as we walked back to the room the alpha's used to hold conferences. I liked Lew. He wasn't handsome like Zeno or Aidan, but he was nice, and he really seemed to care about all of us. The alphas hadn't made an announcement or anything, but everyone knew that Lew was the top beta right now, with Sammy just behind him.

When we got to the conference room, Zeno called me over to sit on a small sofa against one wall. Then he sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I could tell that he was sniffing me. It was funny that we all did that, even on the new moon when we couldn't draw on our wolves to enhance our senses. Zeno's arms were strong, and I couldn't help but lay my head back against him when he squeezed my shoulder. Lew left us alone and closed the door.

"Tell me about you and Aidan," Zeno said.

"He's my boyfriend, sir," I replied.

Zeno turned my chin so he could look at my face while we talked. Then he asked, "Did he coerce you into submitting to him?"

"No, sir," I said. "He didn't coerce me at all. He kissed me and told me that he wanted me, but I wanted him too."

"When do you turn eighteen?" he asked.

"Three weeks, sir," I replied.

"And did you have a boyfriend before Aidan?" he demanded.

I shook my head. "No, sir. After my dad died, my momma married a mundane. He did business with the pack, but he wasn't part of it. He didn't approve of faggotry, as he put it. He knew that I was a beta and was going to be mounted by all the alphas, but not until I turned eighteen. That was the law in our pack. But he didn't like it, and he used to beat me and say that I wouldn't be a beta if I wasn't such a faggot."

Zeno wiped the tear from the corner of my eye with his thumb and said, "There's no excuse for his behavior, Chase. He didn't know anything about the pack or our ways. I'm surprised your pack leader didn't set him straight, but a sweet little gay boy like you is a gift. Too bad your step dad didn't see that."

"Thank you, sir," I said. "Did I do something wrong?"

Zeno shook his head and replied, "Not wrong. Foolish perhaps, but not wrong. I worry about Aidan though. He saw you, a horny virgin eager for a man, and I'm wondering if he lured you into something you can't get out of."

"I don't want to get out of it, sir. I like being with Aidan," I insisted.

Zeno sighed and said, "Aidan has invoked ancient law that few even know about. He claimed you as his and you acknowledged him. You had no family to speak for you, and you were old enough by pack law to speak for yourself. I couldn't have stopped it without violating the law myself, and that would have cast my leadership in doubt with most of the betas. I'm glad that Drew wasn't here. He would have saved you and gotten himself into trouble. I'm more open minded than he is when it comes to pack tradition. Do you even know what you've submitted to?"

I shrugged and replied, "I've read up on the internet about dominance and submission, sir. I've always known I liked dominant men."

Zeno shook his head again and closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "In the old days, a man could lay claim to a beta and that beta would belong to him and to him alone. No one else was allowed to touch the beta without his permission. In exchange, the beta became almost his property. Not quite because we're a free people, but close enough. This relationship was usually between a male alpha and female beta who was willing to submit completely in exchange for protection from the others."

"Men didn't take male betas in this ritual?" I asked.

"Sometimes," Zeno said. "But it was less common. As a beta, you were equal with the pack and your howl was as valid as any other beta. I know you think that the alphas rule without check on our behaviors, but that's not true. We know that we must serve the betas. We listen to them in council, and we listen to their howls when we are in a group. We make decisions, but never without taking the betas and their opinions into account.

"But you've accepted a different status. You're now a gamma wolf. I've never met another in my life, but I've heard the tales. And Sammy and Inga filled me in on the details I didn't know. You are no longer equal to the betas. You're gamma. No one will ask your opinion, and no one will listen to you howl. Your howl belongs to Aidan, and it serves only to amplify his own. Even if he ever let you go, everyone will know that you're a gamma, and both the alphas and the betas will try to gain your submission to enhance their own position. You will never be a beta again.

"It's my fault. That's why Sammy came close to challenging me last night. I could have demanded that the ritual be performed in front of the whole pack. That would have delayed your change in status until the pack could be assembled. Maybe someone would have changed your mind. But I didn't know all the ramifications of what Aidan was doing. You're seventeen years old and I let you make a decision that will be with you until the day you die. I'm not going to beat around the bush. You have chosen to be another wolf's gamma bitch for life. You can't even walk away from Aidan. If you want to leave him, you'll need to get another to fight him for you."

It was a lot to take in. Aidan had told me that he wanted me for his bitch. He'd even hinted at some of the things Zeno had just said. I thought it was just sexy talk, but it was as real as it could get. I felt a little sick in the pit of my stomach, but on some level the idea thrilled me. My cock was painfully hard right now.

"Did Aidan know what he was doing?" I asked.

"I think he did," Zeno replied. "He must have been coached. This is an ancient and obscure pack law that few know these days. The question is why? I think... Well, don't worry about what I think. Just tell me the truth. Do you want me to challenge Aidan for possession of you? I will if you want me to, no matter what it costs me in prestige before the pack. As leader here at Wolf House, it would make me look like a bully, attacking a weaker member to take his gamma away from him."

"No, sir," I said. "I don't want you to challenge Aidan for me. I really do like him, even if he did trick me into agreeing to something without telling me what it was."

"Okay," Zeno said. "I'll give you one month to change your mind."

He called Lew Muller in and told him to take me down to see what Inga wanted me to do, and to tell Sammy that he wanted to talk to him next.

 

Drew

I'd just had the strangest meeting with Sebastian. He'd asked me a lot of questions about how one becomes a werewolf. He was a smart guy, but he still held a lot of strange notions about our people. The whole scene had been brought on because one of my betas was dating one of the mages. It was Lalo Arenas, that cute little Latino boy from Virginia, and Oliver, the little twinkie mage with the blond hair and the big owl eyes.

I wondered what two bottoms did when they were dating, but then I realized that I could have misjudged Lalo. He may be more versatile than I'd given him credit for. According to Simon, Lalo was one of the betas who was trying to get mounted by the alphas in the pack. He always seemed soft and flirtatious around me, but maybe he was trying to get my attention. And who knew about mages? Oliver was little and kind of nerdy, but for all I knew, he could be a tater top, a dominant top hiding inside a little twink body. With a werewolf, I'd be able to scent the truth out, but mages weren't werewolves.

I put on a pair of sexy high-rise briefs with an ample pouch to put my dick on display. Then I chose a tight green muscle shirt that clung to my body like a second skin. I had a pair of jeans that were loose enough to let a hand slide inside, but tight enough to show what I had going on down there. Last, I picked a black athletic cut collared shirt. I left the top three buttons undone. I was still pulling on my cowboy boots when Xav came in.

He took one look at me and whistled. "You didn't dress like that to come see me," he said.

"Sorry. I'm still trying to decide if I'm greedy enough to have sex with my brother just to increase my power," I said. "I love you, Bro, but the whole incest thing is a little weird for me."

He sat next to me and put a hand on my knee. Then he said, "It's weird for me too, Drew. I wouldn't keep suggesting it if I wasn't worried about you. And if that's not enough to convince you, imagine what Cromwell would do with this pack."

"I know," I said. "You don't have to pile more worries on me, Xav. I think of almost nothing else but the dangers Cromwell poses to this pack. Darren keeps trying to find him ahead of the full moon, and Meghan thinks we should shoot him in the head with a silver bullet and a sniper rifle."

"I'm sorry, Drew. I don't want to increase your anxiety, but Cromwell could make his move as early as the end of the month. Personally, I think he'll wait until he gets a chance to undermine you with the betas; he'll wait a month or two. But I could be wrong," he said.

I had to change the subject, so I turned to Xav and held out my hands. "On a different note, my wolf is wide awake," I announced.

Xav took my hands and stared into my eyes. For a moment, I felt like we were both on a flat grassy plain with our wolves standing by our sides. Then we were both seated in the room again. Xav's eyes were opened wide, and I could see the surprise lurking there.

"I didn't believe you, Drew. I didn't think you were lying, but I was sure you were mistaken. Has your wolf ever been awake during the new moon? I mean except for that time I showed you I could wake it," he asked me.

I shook my head and said, "No. Never. Not until Simon woke my wolf up this morning."

Xav wrapped both arms around my shoulders and hugged me. It wasn't sexual. It was brotherly. I was eleven years old the last time he could hug me like that while we were both standing. When I was thirteen and he was fifteen, I was already tall enough that I had to sit while he stood. Still, it felt good. Xav was my emotional support, even more than I was his physical protector.

We were still hugging when Simon came in. Xav let go of me and held out a hand toward him and said, "Come here Simon."

I saw the two of them embrace and I could tell there was something going on between them that defied words. I could only see the spirit plane when a spirit talker led me, but I could almost feel the stirring in the air around me. When they finally parted, Xav said, "Simon, we're going to need longer to examine your wolf spirit. I'll drive you back to my place once you're ready."

When Simon went into the bathroom to shower, Xav looked at me and said, "I've never seen anything like it, Drew. Simon's wolf spirit isn't a neonate any longer. It's matured at an accelerated rate, and I'm not sure how. The two of us will have to commune deep in the spirit plane tonight. It's a good thing you made other plans. You were right. This is too important for me to delay."

Simon came back and had made himself look good in only a few minutes. Then we all piled into the truck that we were supposed to be sharing but could always be found at Xav's house. They dropped me off at Wolf House on their way to what I expected would be a very eventful evening.

 

The Observers

Alpha Prime walked into Wolf House at 16:16 on Friday. He was dropped off by the Lone Alpha and the Littlest Alpha who then drove off in a truck. It wasn't another alpha meeting, then. It made sense because the one called Alpha Bear wasn't here. Another observer had followed him and Baby Beta to Pappy's Pizza.

Another report showed that all targets designated "Red" went to a code 0 house designated Mage Retreat not too far from Ibis House (also code 0). Group Red drove in the black SUV belonging to Red 2. Only Red 2 has been observed driving to Mage Retreat. Mages Twin M and Twin F have been seen in the yard and on the street near Mage Retreat, but it is unknown how they travel between Mage Retreat and the college.

Monitoring equipment still sits ready. There has been no opportunity to place equipment in Wolf House. We are still limited to observations from outside.

 

Drew

"So let me see if I have this right," I said. "You're telling me that you think Aidan is actually an alpha masquerading as a beta for some reason?"

"That's right," Zeno replied. "We all heard the growl lurking under his voice, and it was powerful even on the night before the new moon."

"And he has a lot of charisma," Naomi added. "His aura just screams alpha."

"And the other betas defer to him," Inga chimed in. "There's no doubt in my mind."

"That means that he's somehow transformed over the summer. He was a beta last year, no doubt about it," I said. "Let's go over the ways that can happen."

"He could be hunting and eating human flesh," Inga said with a frown.

"Possible," I said, "but let's keep that one on hold because it suggests a different problem."

Naomi said, "He could be meditating in the spirit world."

"Possible, but unlikely unless he's changed a lot," Zeno said. "I think it has to do with mounting. The more male wolves he mounts, the more his power will grow."

"That will work with male or female wolves if he dominates them while mounting them," Inga clarified.

"And especially if they're alphas," I said. "Someone must be coaching him. He was never an expert on ancient pack rituals."

"It has to be Cromwell," Zeno said. "Aidan is Jarod Stringer's younger brother and Jarod was Cromwell's right hand. It’s likely that the family is still loyal to Cromwell, given that we now know that he’s alive and none of the Stringers have rejoined our pack. I remember how surprised I was last year when he came back after Jarod had died the previous year."

"How did this Jarod die?" Naomi asked.

Zeno looked at me. We both knew the details. Darren and Meghan had hunted him down after I'd defeated Cromwell. They hadn't had my permission, but they'd done it anyway. They claimed he could never be trusted. But that was our secret.

"He was killed by another skinchanger in the forest," I replied.

Naomi and Inga both looked at me as if they wanted more information, but I wasn't going to say anything else.

"Was it a fair fight?" Naomi asked.

I shook my head no and replied, "It was as fair as he'd given some of his targets in the past, but it wasn't what pack law would consider a fair fight."

Inga asked, "Did he deserve it?"

"A thousand times over," Zeno said.

It had been Jarod Springer more than Cromwell himself who'd driven us to take over the pack. His cruelty was extreme, even given that he was Cromwell's right hand and chief enforcer, and he was bringing the attention of the mages down on us. There was no way that I was going to tell any wolf that it was Sebastian who'd given me the idea of challenging Cromwell, and it was Sebastian who'd provided me with the luck spell that turned the tide in my challenge fight.

"Where's Aidan now?" I asked.

"He's taken his new gamma wolf with him somewhere on his motorcycle," Inga said bitterly. "That child Chase who came in with us."

An argument broke out between the three Wolf House alphas about whether Chase counted as an adult. I had to call them to order. They were all surprised that I could muster an alpha growl on the new moon. I had Simon to thank for that.

"Pack law says sixteen is the age of majority for things like this," I said. "If his parents were alive, they could contest it until he turned eighteen, or they could just hand him over to another wolf at age twelve. Like it or not, the law is the law. Even mundane law says that Chase will be an adult in a few weeks. It's time to let this go. Zeno made his decision and I stand behind it."

 

Chase

Aidan had me put on my new loose jeans to ride with him on his motorcycle. He also gave me an old denim jacket to wear. It wasn't as tough as the leather jacket he was wearing, but it would provide some protection against road rash if we took a spill. He also had a helmet for me, which he put on and adjusted so it fit right.

"You're my little bitch and I always take care of my things," he said with a smile as he kissed me gently.

While he was putting a few things in the small space under the seat, I asked, "Did you know that you were changing my status in the pack when you made me submit to you?"

Aidan grabbed me and put me in a headlock. Then he smacked my butt ten times in rapid succession. "Ask it again, but remember to call me `Sir'," he ordered.

"Did you know that you were changing my status in the pack when you made me submit to you, Sir?" I asked.

Aidan let go of my head and replied, "I changed both our statuses, boy. I enhanced mine and you became my gamma wolf. And don't forget that I didn't make you do anything. You agreed to submit to me because you're in love with my cock."

"Yes, Sir," I admitted. "I did."

He wasn't wrong. He'd told me that I could go if I wasn't man enough to be with him. He hadn't even hit me. He'd just threatened to not let me have his dick anymore. Of course, I didn't really understand what I was doing when I had submitted to him, but I wasn't sure that I would have made a different decision if I had.

"That's right. You did," he said. "And I can see your hard little dick pushing against your jeans while I'm correcting you. You're a soft boy so I'm going to spank you when you get out of line, but most alphas just punch their gammas in the face when they don't follow orders."

He must have seen mine turn white because he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and said, "But I'm not going to do that unless it turns out you can't be corrected with a spanking."

He took my jaw in his hand and squeezed it until I was making a duck face. Then he added, "I don't want to mess up your face because I think it's cute. Boy, you're lucky your alpha is mostly gay. A straight alpha or a mostly straight alpha who owned your submission wouldn't care about that."

Then he got on the motorcycle and pulled me up behind him. We rode off down the street. He didn't tell me where we were going, and I didn't ask.

We stopped at a salvage yard several miles outside of town. When Aidan honked his horn, they opened the gate to let us in. He drove us further back into the lot and parked by the auto bays. When we got off the bike, he said, "You need to be on your best behavior while you're here. Don't leave my side unless I tell you to and be respectful. Don't forget that all the betas outrank you in the pack now."

"Yes, Sir," I agreed and tried to prepare myself for whatever might come.

The auto bays had no cars in them, but I could smell the grease and knew they were used often. A half dozen men were in the room. They looked big, but fit, and they had an aura of menace around them. I was immediately afraid of them, but Aidan didn't seem intimidated at all. They all seemed to defer to a single man, a man who dominated the center of the room. He was about six and half feet tall and broad, with shoulder length salt and pepper hair and a well-trimmed beard with the same coloration. He didn't look old, but he had a few wrinkles around his eyes that said he was probably in his forties or fifties.

"So, this is your gamma bitch, is it?" the tall man asked. "Have you trained him yet?"

"I just claimed him yesterday, Chief," Aidan replied.

"Did everything work out? Did Drew's alpha bitch just sit there and let you claim one of those under his protection for your own?" the tall man asked.

Aidan smiled and replied, "I just started, but he's a fast learner and he's a natural gamma bitch. He started reacting to me right away. And yes, Zeno just sat there and let me get away with it."

The tall man walked over to me. He was dressed much like Aidan, in jeans, boots and tee shirt under a black leather jacket. I noticed that he had a moonstone pendant around his neck. It was set in what looked like silver with strange writing on it. He grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me close so he could take a deep whiff off my scent. That seemed strange to me. I couldn't feel my wolf on the new moon, and neither could any other werewolf I knew.

"His scent is already changing to complement yours. Soon anyone who sniffs him will know what he is and who he belongs to," he said, then his head jerked around toward Aidan, and he asked, "Did they figure out that you're not a beta anymore?"

"I'm not sure, Chief," Aidan replied. "They haven't said anything, but I did let out a low alpha growl when I was talking to the room, and the betas' eyes fixated on me while I was speaking."

"Good!" the tall man exclaimed. "Let the alphas sweat! They're weakening themselves by refusing to participate in the old ways. When we're ready, it will be a piece of cake!"

It sounded to me like these wolves were planning something against Zeno and the other alphas. I thought that I probably should tell them when I got back. Zeno had always been nice to me. But I didn't know if I could bring myself to act against Aidan. The thought of him never touching me again made me feel sick to my stomach. I needed him.

My introspection ended abruptly when the tall man grabbed my shoulder hard and pushed me down to a kneeling position. Then he squatted down next to me and pushed me harder until I'd fallen onto the floor at his feet. In a loud voice he said, "You won't tell anyone about anything that happened here, will you? You can tell him that you came out here to Stringer Salvage because Aidan's grampa owns it. But all you'll say is that you met his family. Nothing else, or I'll order Aidan to chew your nuts off. And don't think he won't do it. Do you understand me, Gamma Bitch?"

"Yes, Sir, I understand you. I won't say anything," I cried.

I was so close that I heard the low whisper in the tall man's ear. "Have him swear it on the moonstone pendant, the Pendant of Silver Fire."

A chill went through me when I heard that voice. I didn't know what it was, but it terrified me. When the tall man ordered me to place my hands on the pendant and swear the oath not to reveal what was seen, said, or done here, I did so without hesitation. And with my words, I felt a bond tighten across my mind.

"Do we all get to fuck him tonight, Chief?" the oldest of the men asked.

The chief looked over at Aidan and said, "It's up to Aidan tonight, but I think it may be too early for that."

"Sorry, Gramps," Aidan said. "My bitch is too new to his position. Tonight, I gift him to my chief. You'll get your chance on my next visit."

And just like that, Aidan had decided to let his chief take me tonight. I allowed myself to feel grateful that he hadn't given me to all seven of the men, at least not yet. I nearly jumped when the tall man grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. "Let's see what I'm getting tonight. Strip! Gamma Bitch."

My fingers were trembling as I went to pull my tee shirt off. Suddenly the tall man backhanded me so hard that I spun around and fell to the floor.

"Don't make me mad, Gamma Bitch!" the tall man growled. "When I give you an order, you say Yes, Sir and you jump to do it."

"Yes, Sir," I said, as I stood up again.

I couldn't help it. I was crying because this man scared the crap out of me. I glanced over at Aidan, hoping he would help me, but his jaw was clenched, and his eyes were narrowed. When he noticed me looking over at him, he nodded his head and mouthed the words do it, please. He emphasized the last word.

I pulled my tee shirt over my head and kicked my shoes off. Then I dropped my jeans and stepped out of them. I heard one of the guys let out a wolf whistle, and I blushed. I'd forgotten they were all standing around watching me. I was afraid to show any delay, so I hooked my fingers in the waistband of my jock, but the tall man snarled, "You can leave that on. No one here is interested in seeing your little gamma dick."

He grinned and gave me a quick backhanded slap to my crotch. "Of course, the little bit that you've got down here is hard as a rock."

I gave a gasp and felt a stream of precum leak into the pouch of my jock. "Yes, Sir," I said, not wanting him to slap me again. My ears were burning. I didn't understand why I was so aroused when the tall man was being so mean and abusive. My ears were burning from embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed, kid. Bitches like you get off when guys slap you around. It's why you fuck up all the time. You're trying to get a man to slap you," he insisted.

"Yes, Sir," I said automatically.

He was trying to make it sound like it was my fault when he hit me. I couldn't believe that was true. My real dad used to say that to my mom when he hit her. She told me that's why she married a mundane the second time around, so she would be stronger than her husband.

Then the tall man slapped my ass hard enough to make me jump and he growled, "Get down on your knees. I'm going to fuck you like a bitch!"

"Yes, Sir," I replied, dropping to my knees on the dirty floor.

I felt the grit pressing into my knees. The smell of auto oil and dust was overwhelming. I looked over my shoulder to see the tall man removing his clothes. His chest was broad, muscular, and coated with hair. His scent was powerful and masculine enough that it sent shivers up my spine even though I didn't have my wolf senses tonight.

I could see Aidan coming closer. He pulled a couple of disposable packs of lube from his pocket and said, "I brought some lube, Chief."

"I don't use it," the tall man replied. "The bitch's juices will work just fine."

Aidan whispered, "He's small and he's young, Chief. I'd rather you didn't wreck his pussy. I just opened it the other day."

The chief gave a harsh whisper, "Back off, Aidan, unless you want me to fuck you next. Do you want to get mounted in front of all these guys again?"

"No, Chief," he admitted and backed off.

It made me feel good that Aidan wanted to help me, but he couldn't. Whoever this Chief was, Aidan was afraid of him. He reminded me of the pack leader back home in West Virginia. These other wolves deferred to him like he was their leader, but Severan already had a leader, or had we crossed a boundary into another pack's territory? It didn't seem like we'd gone far enough for that.

The chief shoved two fingers in my mouth. I started sucking on them because I knew where they were going. Once I'd made them wet enough, he pulled them out and shoved them painfully into my butt. I was glad that I'd cleaned my ass out before getting on that bike. He wasn't being gentle at all. Whenever they dried out, he shoved them back into my mouth. He went back and forth several times, occasionally adding a finger until he had four of his long fingers plunging into my ass.

He must have decided I was loose enough. He pulled his fingers out and shoved his cock inside me. His cock wasn't as big as Aidan's despite his great height and build, but Aidan was always gentle with me. The chief wasn't. Aidan always hit that magic spot inside me that made my dick jump and made me cum, but the chief didn't seem to care about that either. My ass was on fire because of the roughness of his fucking. He pushed my face down onto the concrete floor and slapped my ass.

"Push your ass up, bitch! Take my cock!" he growled.

It was a deep alpha growl, and he shouldn't have been able to do that on the new moon. There was something special about this chief. I couldn't have resisted him if I wanted to. I pressed my face harder against the floor and pushed my ass up to give him what he wanted.

"That's it, Gamma Bitch! Show your leader how much you want his cock. But I'm going to have to punish you for not acknowledging my last order," He shouted.

“Sir, sorry, Sir” I said immediately. I was a fool. I thought he was going to stroke my dick while he fucked me when I felt his hand slide along my belly and grab my cock. Instead, he squeezed my cock hard enough to make me squeal. And the harder he fucked me, the harder he squeezed my nuts. He hadn't been trying to make me cum at all, and now it felt like he was actively trying to keep me from cumming. The pain in my balls increased along with the nausea that threatened to make me vomit. As he slammed his cock into my ass, he used my balls as a handle to pull me tight against him.

I was sobbing and just praying that he would cum soon. Any arousal I had felt was long gone. I'd been a virgin until Aidan had taken me for the first time, and sex with him was a powerful, exciting experience that drove me mad with pleasure. This didn't feel like sex to me at all. It felt like someone was beating me up. His cock brought me no pleasure. It brought pain and humiliation. The torture he brought to my nuts was sheer agony.

I don't know how long it took him to cum. It felt like forever. When he finally pulled out of me, he rolled me over and shoved his cock into my mouth. I cleaned it automatically, like I was on autopilot. I hated him and I wished he would just die. He stood over me with an expectant sneer on his face. Then he smiled and shook his head. The next thing I knew, his booted foot slammed into my balls.

"Thank me, Gamma Bitch! Thank me for fucking your worthless, ugly ass!" he yelled.

"Thank you, Sir, for fucking my worthless, ugly ass," I cried.

"Better," he said, "now open your mouth!"

I had no idea what was coming, but I didn't hesitate to obey him. He hocked up a mouthful of spit and let it fall into my mouth. It tasted terrible, like stale alcohol and bad breath. He didn't have to wait this time. "Thank you for giving me your spit, sir," I cried.

He nodded at me and then looked around the room and announced, "That's how you treat a fucking gamma bitch!"

They were all cheering and howling, all of them except for Aidan. Aidan looked sick to his stomach. His fists were clenched, but he did nothing. I knew that he couldn't. The leader would beat the shit out of him. He might even give him the same treatment he'd just given me. Aidan had brought me here and had watched the leader abuse me. I should have hated him, but I couldn't. I started crying harder. What was wrong with me? Even after this, I thought that I loved him.

The leader walked over to Aidan and gave him instructions. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but he seemed serious about something. Then he gestured in my direction and said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Go cuddle your bitch if that's more your style, but you're bringing him back here next Friday. Trey's bringing his bitch too, and you will both share them with our pack. If Caleb gets his bitch by then, there will be three of them, otherwise yours and Trey's can pull a train. No more pussy footing around."

"Yes, Chief," Aidan replied.

Then he rushed to my side and pulled me into a sitting position. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "We need to get out of here before he changes his mind about me sharing you with the pack tonight. We'll talk later."

He helped me to my feet and held me steady while I pulled my pants up. As soon as I had my tee shirt and shoes on he took me out and got his motorcycle started. We rode out of there as fast as we could.

 

Drew

It wasn't much of a date. My boyfriend was dancing on a stage while a bunch of horny middle-aged men shoved money into his G-string. The tall basketball player next to me leaned over and said, "Your guy is popular, and I can see why. He's sexy as hell!"

I'd seen him around campus, but I had never spoken to him until tonight. His name was Terrance Green. He was a year younger than me, but he was about six inches taller. He was very good looking. He'd come in with Elijah who'd warned me quietly that Terrance was mundane and that he knew nothing of our world.

"Thank you," I said. "I think he's the sexiest thing to ever get on this stage."

Elijah leaned around Terrance and said, "Terrance has a thing for pretty boy white jocks with sexy asses, but don't spread it around. He's still hiding in the closet."

Terrance smiled and said, "I have my eyes on a few who could get me to consider coming out. There's that Viking guy in your dorm, the one with the tiny Latino boyfriend, and then there's Kyle."

I noticed him sighing a little when he said Kyle's name. Elijah patted his thigh and said, "I'm going to have to bring you to my club in Louisville sometime."

Then he looked at me and added, "You could come Drew. If we put you in a cute little puppy tail butt plug and a set of clip-on wolf ears, everyone would be drooling over you in mere moments."

I knew he was joking. I'd known him for the last two years. He was one of Sebastian's allies. He didn't hold an official position among the mages in Severan, but everyone respected him. He was a bookish mage, but he looked like a linebacker. He was six foot two and well over two hundred pounds of solid muscle. No matter how much he joked with me, I knew he was utterly devoted to the two boys, one pale little white sissy and one boyish Filipino, he lived with. But I had heard a rumor that he'd taken Kyle to that club of his one weekend.

Zeno finished his dance, and he strutted around letting the last of his fans shove money in his thong. It looked loaded already. He was popular. It wasn't just his beautiful Mediterranean features that made him look like a statue of an ancient god. It was the way he moved. Everyone was imagining what it would feel like to be inside him while he moved like that. I adjusted my cock a little and reminded myself that I didn't have to imagine it.

Another dancer was about to come on stage and Zeno was pulling the bills out of his pouch and organizing them. When he looked in our direction, Elijah waved a hundred-dollar bill in the air at him. Zeno handed me the wad of bills he'd made as tips, then moved over to Elijah.

"Damn if you're not sexy, Zeno," he said, sliding the hundred-dollar bill into the string, "but this is a gift for my friend Terrance. I have another for you, if you can make him cum in his pants, while you're giving him a lap dance."

Zeno smiled that smoldering, sexy smile of his and pulled the hundred out of his waistband and handed it to me. He looked into my eyes, then smiled and shrugged at the same time. He straddled Terrance's lap right next to me and wrapped his arms around his neck. He started to move, and Terrance's eyes flew open. It was against the rules for him to touch a client's cock, but Zeno was the kind of guy who did what he felt like doing. He reached down and put Terrance's hands on his waist then moved his own back to Terrance's neck.

When he moved across Terrance's lap, he allowed his amazing muscular cheeks to graze the athlete’s massive cock. I knew what he was doing. Zeno could flex his ass and make it feel like his butt was nibbling on your dick. When Terrance closed his eyes, Zeno looked into my eyes and licked his lips. He was enjoying the fact that I was sitting right next to him while he pleasured another man. He knew how much it aroused me to see him in action.

Terrance moaned and opened his eyes, and Zeno stared into them and licked his lips. He had a way of making a man feel sexy and powerful. It was an expression of his alpha nature. He loved taking cock, but he never let you forget that he was the one in charge. It's why Cromwell had beaten him so badly during his mounting ceremony. But Zeno wouldn't submit. Everyone in the pack had seen him milk Cromwell with his cock, bringing him to a helpless quivering orgasm, while he remained completely in charge of the scene. I'd almost cum in my pants watching it. That one act of his had set the ball rolling for me to overthrow Cromwell and take the pack away from him.

The betas had cheered Zeno on, but their inherent conservatism had prevented them from rallying behind him as a leader. It was why I knew he couldn't succeed me as leader next year when I went to graduate school in Athens. If I couldn't find someone else, I was going to have to live in Severan and drive to Ohio University every morning for classes.

Zeno did it. I could see the moment when Terrance started cumming in his pants. It was amazing what Zeno could do through your clothes while only touching the less sensitive upper side of your cock. We'd attracted a bit of an audience and some of them held out bills to pay for the show they'd just witnessed. The owner was glowering at Zeno for breaking so many of the rules, but he just shook his head and smiled when Zeno shrugged and tried to look innocent.

Zeno went back to change after Elijah handed me another hundred-dollar bill. I counted the money while he was in the backroom. After paying the manager and the staff their share, he was going to take home $600 tonight. That was high for this establishment, but Elijah alone had given him $200. He was a big tipper, but he was also a master transmuter, and I'd long suspected that he made money through his magic to cover his extravagance.

We left on Lew Muller's motorcycle. I loved Lew. He was kind and generous, but I knew that he loaned his motorcycle to Zeno every time he needed it because he was in love with him. What beta top wouldn't be in love with this sexy alpha bottom. I wrapped my arms around Zeno's waist as we sped up the road.

At the first stoplight, I said, "You were so hot tonight. When we get back to Wolf House, I'm going to fuck you so hard that you scream."

He turned his head a little and said, "Wrong, Leader. When I get you back to wolf house, I'm going to milk your big cock until you scream. Maybe we can both scream together."

I chuckled and said, "If we howl instead, no one will know who's submitting to whom."

Zeno gunned the motorcycle and drove like a maniac all the way back to Wolf House. We were laughing and holding onto each other when we came into the main room. Lew Muller was still awake. He was fiddling with some electronic equipment in the room we used for conferences.

"Hey Lew," Zeno said, throwing him his keys. "What's up?"

"I'm just installing some white noise generators that will project against the window. I don't trust the folks in the house next to us or the one across the street," he said. "This should make it hard for a parabolic mic to pick up what's going on in the room."

"Good thinking, Lew," Zeno said. "We're lucky you're on top of things. But, on a different note, did you find an accommodating bottom to warm your bed tonight? Now that everyone is calling you the top beta, it shouldn't be too hard."

"No, I… uhm… well, I didn't know that Drew was coming back to the house tonight," he said.

I knew that Zeno kept him in reserve to share his bed when I wasn't there. Zeno hated sleeping alone. It wasn't fair to Lew, I thought. He was a good guy, but he was smitten with Zeno, and he would pass up opportunities to get with one of the younger guys or girls if he thought there was even a chance Zeno would want him with him. It was a shame really. Lew deserved better.

When Zeno looked at me and raised his eyebrows, I shrugged back at him. He turned to Lew and said, "How would you like to join us in a few minutes? Just give me fifteen to get ready."

Lew's face brightened. "Are you sure, Zeno? I don't want to intrude," he asked.

Zeno had a reputation, not entirely undeserved, for being debauched. Lew was looking at me even though he'd mentioned Zeno in his question. I wrapped my arms around Zeno from behind and kissed his neck. Then I looked at Lew, gave him a wink, and replied, "You won't be intruding so long as you remember that betas get sloppy seconds."

"Yes, sir!" he said with a salute.

Zeno and I made our way up the stairs, giggling like schoolboys. When we got to the bedroom, Zeno started stripping his clothes off. He said, "I need to douche and jump in the shower. I'll be right back."

"Do you want me to join you?" I asked, rubbing my hands on his muscular ass.

Zeno gave me a look like I was crazy. He said, "Don't you dare! I need to shower because I need to clean my butt and because I've had men pawing me all night – and very few of them looked like you, Terrance, and Elijah. But somehow your wolf is active, and your body is giving off pheromones to wake the dead. I want to smell you while you fuck me. When my own wolf is dormant and yours is awake, I want to submit to you."

I kissed his neck and asked, "Are you going to be my bitch tonight?"

I noticed that he spread his legs and pressed his butt back against my dick. He was acting submissive today, despite all his bragging and posturing earlier. He whispered, "Only you and Lew will know, but spirits yes I want to feel you take control and pound me. As soon as we got out of that room with all the other guy's scents contaminating yours, I wanted it. I almost ripped your clothes off in the parking lot and rode you right there under the streetlights."

I wanted to take him right then, dirty ass or not, but Zeno whined at me – a real submissive whine – to let him go. I watched the dimples in his ass winking at me as he rushed to the other room. He was still in the bathroom when Lew knocked at the door and came in. He had a plain face, but I thought he was attractive in a quirky way. I had already stripped and was lying on the bed.

"How's this going to work?" Lew asked.

"This is a king size bed, Lew. You'll get naked and join us. We'll put Zeno between us when we're sleeping. I'm going to fuck him first, while you watch, then I'm going to watch you fuck him," I explained.

"So, no top swords crossing," Lew said with a smile. He was already taking his clothes off.

When we were both lying on the bed with a Zeno sized space between us, I decided to ask him the question that Simon had brought up. "Did I make a mistake, Lew, when I ended the mounting ceremony for the betas?"

Lew rolled over to look at me. I guessed he needed to see that I was serious. I noticed that he was a very hairy man. His chest, arms and legs were covered in a thick coat. Even his back had some. And his cock was surprisingly large for such a gangly man.

"Damn, Drew, talk about taking me by surprise!" he said. "I think your heart was in the right place, and Cromwell was abusive, but I think maybe you did. Our pack is large, and I think we're not as cohesive as we could be. I don't like bottoming, and I hated the way Cromwell always humiliated the betas when he topped them. But once he did it, I felt like I was really a part of the pack, like I belonged and that the alphas were looking out for me."

"Do you think you want me to take you tonight?" I asked.

"If you want to do it, I think... sure. You took me once before when I first came to join the pack and Cromwell was still running things. So, I don't need the ceremony, but if you're planning to reinstate the tradition, I don't want to be left out, if that makes any sense?" he said.

"Then this is the new plan," I explained. "I'm going to fuck Zeno and then when you fuck Zeno, I'm going to take you. Do you need to clean up?"

Lew smiled again. He was kind of good looking when he smiled. He said, "I did it fast before coming over. I wasn't sure what the hell to expect when you invited me to join you two."

We didn't say anything else because Zeno came back into the room. He paused for a moment and then said, "It looks like I'm going to be the filling of a very sexy sandwich."

Both mine and Lew's cocks sprang to attention as we looked at Zeno's smooth and sculpted body. He was physical perfection given form. He looked at the two of us and smiled. "I'm a lucky guy. I have two sexy men in bed waiting for me," he said. "What are we going to do first?"

"What do you want? It's your bed," I asked, as I stroked his smooth thigh.

Zeno lay down between us and said, "I want you both to fuck me like a bitch tonight."

I ran my hand down his body and gave his erection a squeeze. But that was just a brief stop on my way to his ass. I dug right in with my fingers and started stroking him. He spread his legs wider and threw his head back. "That feels good, Drew. Keep it up." He moaned.

I moved down between his legs and pushed his knees up to his chest, revealing his firm cheeks and his inviting hole. It made little kissing movements at me, and I bent down to kiss it back. He'd just showered and cleaned himself, so his taste was pure Zeno. I dove in and made love to his ass with my tongue. He was already relaxing, opening for me in its haste to taste my cock.

I looked up to see Zeno and Lew kissing passionately. Zeno had taken hold of Lew's beard and was holding him tight. I knew that dancing under the adoring gaze of men made him horny, but tonight he was especially aroused. I guessed that it was the lap dance that did it. He hadn't just danced; he'd stroked Terrance's cock off with his ass. And now he was feeling weak and needy because his own wolf was dormant and mine was awake.

I was staring at Zeno's face while my fingers teased his hole until it opened completely. I knelt there, stroking his prostate, watching him and Lew kiss. It should have bothered me. I knew he had other guys, but I'd never seen them being intimate before. I should have been jealous, but I wasn't. Zeno looked like a god. It was his right to receive the worship of men. Both Lew and I loved him.

While I was watching, Zeno moved Lew's face to his chest, and Lew began worshiping his pecs. I pulled my fingers from Zeno's ass and gently replaced it with my cock. I sank all the way into his warmth and then pulled almost all the way out before plunging in again.

"That's it, Drew. Drill me hard. I want you to fuck the cum right out of me," he said.

I started a steady rhythm with my hips and chuckled to myself. It wasn't just Zeno who had the moves. I had moves of my own. If I were in doubt, the groans Zeno was making as I stroked his prostate with my cock would have been all the reassurance I needed. I was moved, not only by lust, but also by love.

"Your ass was made for my cock, Zeno," I said, speaking words long familiar to both of us. But then I said the words I had been avoiding. "I love you, Zeno. I want to be with you always. I know you won't be mine alone, but I want you to know that I love you, and no one else will ever have my heart."

"Don't get sappy on me, now, Janowski," Zeno teased, but it fell flat. He sighed and admitted, "I know, Drew. Can't you tell that I love you, too."

Then we came. Our bodies were in sync, and our hearts were one.

Zeno called me up to kiss him and Lew moved down to clean the cum from my cock and from Zeno's ass. I'd never felt a beard against my genitals before. It was strange, but I didn't hate it.

I kept my word. When Lew took his turn, I took him. He wasn't my type, but his submission aroused me quickly and soon I was buried deep inside his ass. He was a dedicated top and he'd rarely had anyone inside him, only when it had been demanded by the alphas. Nonetheless, he was determined to submit. And once I was inside him and taking possession of his ass, his body responded with enthusiasm. Between Zeno's ass and my cock, we had him moaning in pleasure soon enough. And after we were done, we slept together all night. I held Zeno tight against my body and Lew lay on the other side. I had the better deal, playing big spoon to Zeno's little spoon, but Lew slept with his hands entangled with Zeno's.

 

Simon

Xav and I didn't speak much on the way back to his house, but I could feel his wolf spirit pressing against mine as if they were communicating on a level neither of us could perceive. The tension between us was growing, not a tension of hostility or of mistrust, but a growing tension on the spirit realm that I could feel but couldn't name.

The house was empty of guests. It looked so vulnerable considering what I knew of the dangers that surrounded us. But the last time I was here, I was blind to the spirit world. This time, I could feel them, the guardian spirits that watched this place. They accepted Xav and I, allowing us to pass unchallenged, but I knew that they would challenge any who didn't belong here.

In the meditation room, Xav and I knelt and allowed our perception to shift partially to the spirit realm. Our wolves prowled around us, looking for intruders. None would even be able to enter this area thanks to the wall of guardian spirits that surrounded us. But it was their instinct to protect us when we were engaged with the spirit world. We were able to commune on the spirit plane, exchanging ideas and information without words.

The feeling was intense, and I wanted it to go on forever, but we eventually returned wholly to the mundane plane.

Xav sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Simon. I feel that I've manipulated you even though I didn't know it until now."

I wasn't sure I understood everything he was saying, so I asked, "What do you mean? How did you manipulate me?"

He bowed his head for a few moments then raised it again to look me in the eye. "When an alpha wolf bites a mundane, they instill a nascent wolf spirit in them along with the bite. The wolf spirit sleeps until the next full moon and then erupts, triggering the first transformation. But I didn't give you a nascent wolf spirit. Somehow, my own wolf spirit split off a part of itself and introduced that smaller part into you. Your wolf spirit is powerful, much more powerful than any nascent spirit."

"That sounds like a gift to me. Why call it a manipulation?" I asked.

"I'd been looking for a wolf with a spirit powerful enough to train as a spirit talker. My wolf spirit made the decision for me and for you. Since it began waking, it has been pushing you in ways it thought would make you a perfect apprentice. Now it wants to be born." He said.

I was taken aback. I hadn't expected that answer. "So, my wolf spirit is the child, twin, clone or something like that of your own wolf spirit, and it wants me to learn the art of spirit talking, like you do," I stated, trying to clarify it in my head.

"More or less," Xav answered. "It has opened your eyes and your mind to the spirit world. If you don't get at least a minimal amount of training, you could be vulnerable to things you can't defend yourself against."

"It sounds like it's won, and we have no choice but to go along with it," I pointed out.

Xav nodded, and then said, "That's the gist of it. I must train you, and you must learn."

I shrugged. It didn't sound bad to me at all. Deep in my heart, I knew that I had always been jealous of my brother Marty for being mageborn while I was not. I’d always wanted power like that for myself. I'd even read up on the rituals necessary to make pacts with powerful beings from beyond, but it had scared me. When I'd asked Mom Tina about such rituals, she hadn't panicked, but she had told me of the dangers of that path. She was a competent mage, so I had accepted her word. This wasn't the type of magic practiced by the mages of the arcane order, but it was magic. I would finally be part of the magical world, not just an outsider looking in.

"Then I train with you and learn how to commune with the spirit world," I said. "That doesn't sound bad at all. But what about awakening my wolf?"

Once the possibility had been raised, I found that I didn't want to wait another two weeks. I wanted to become a full werewolf now. Xav looked at me with wide eyes and replied, "The wolf spirits say it's okay to do it tonight, but I don't want to risk it on the new moon. I'll examine your two spirits tomorrow and if it's safe, I'll risk it on the first night of the waxing moon."

We talked a little more, but the only way I could explain what I'd done for Drew was to show Xav. I'd said before that he was the prettiest man I'd ever seen (at least until I sat down with Kieran), so making love to him was never a chore. It was as pleasurable as it had the first time and just as pleasurable as it had been with Drew. Our spirits formed an even more impressive wheel of spirit energy than mine and Drew's had.

When we were done and were lying together in the bed, Xav said, "You enlarged his spirit, just as I enlarged yours before, just as we've enlarged our own this night."

"So, we can become infinitely powerful if we keep fucking?" I asked.

Xav laughed and shook his head. "No. It is most effective the first time two spirits come together. Any further enlargement is purely marginal," he explained.

We lay together, softly stroking one another's bodies, neither of us seeking to reinflame our passion. We were simply enjoying the afterglow. But we were interrupted by the sound of an approaching motorcycle. We both pulled on shorts and prepared to receive late night visitors.

 

Chase

I didn't even know that we weren't headed back to Wolf House until we pulled up in front of a smaller house two miles distant from our home, but also on the edge of town. Once Aiden had parked his motorcycle, he’d helped me off and then swept me into his strong arms. He kicked the door twice and it was opened by Simon. Xav was standing just a little behind him, his hand resting on a leather bag he kept around his neck.

They rushed us into the house and Aidan laid me gently on the couch. Xav sent Simon to get warm water, a washcloth, and the medical kit. Then he told Aidan to remove my clothes. With gentle hands, Aidan did as he was directed. He even removed my filthy grease and dirt-stained jock, leaving me naked.

When Simon returned, he started washing my body gently. Xav examined each part as it was cleaned, and Aidan kept his hands on me. I thought it was more than possessiveness on his part. He was gentler with me than he'd ever been before.

Xav looked at me and asked, "Who did this to you?"

I started crying, but managed to sob, "It was a tall man. The other wolves called him Chief or Leader."

Xav glared at Aidan and said, "This looks like a mounting ceremony, but a particularly brutal one. It reminds me of something I've encountered before. Do you care to explain why I'm seeing what I'm seeing?"

Aidan set his lips in a snarl and said, "Chase can't tell you because he was bound by the moonstone amulet Cromwell wears, but I'll tell you. Cromwell crossed a line tonight. I'll tell you what I know. And I'll tell Drew. Last year and this year so far my loyalties have been divided. I was sworn to Cromwell before I ever came to this town. Our families have been allied for years. But my loyalties aren't divided anymore. Chase is mine. I claimed him before three alphas, and he gave me his submission. I had no choice but to present him to Cromwell as I was ordered. But now I'm done with him."

Simon looked angry and Xav looked… well it was hard to see what Xav was thinking, but he didn't seem friendly right now. He knelt beside me and placed a hand on my forehead. "Are you alright? Do you want me to take you to my bed tonight, or are you okay sleeping here in the room with Aidan? After what he did to you, my inclination is to make a rash judgment that should really be reserved for the whole alpha council."

I swallowed hard and said, "I want to stay with Aidan. I don't blame him. He wanted to help me. I could see it on his face, but he couldn't. There were too many of them."

I was beginning to babble. Xav put his hand on my cheek and said, "Shh! I'll let you stay with him tonight, in my bed. Simon and I will stay here on the couch to keep watch in case they followed you."

Xav used a spell to heal some of my bruises and then he and Aidan helped me into the bedroom and onto the bed. It was rumpled and smelled of sex, but it was comfortable. Xav pulled Aidan back into the living room and I could hear him giving instructions. Although he didn't yell, his voice wasn't friendly at all.

Aidan came back into the room, and he pulled his clothes off to join me in the bed. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. When I didn't tense up or pull away, he pulled me close to him. "I'm sorry, Chase. Not sorry for claiming you and making you my gamma. You're a soft boy who needs someone to take care of him. By making it official, I meant to protect you as well as increase my prestige. But I am sorry that I took you to see Cromwell. If I would have known he was going to be that brutal, I would have refused."

I buried my head against his chest and said, "Why was he so brutal? You make it sound like he's not that way most of the time."

Aidan held me and gently stroked my hair and back. He took a deep breath and said, "He's always brutal, but not that brutal. He and I are different. When I see a soft boy, I want to make him mine. I know that I'm demanding, and I need to dominate, but I don't want to hurt him.

"I may push you to see how far you want to go. But when Cromwell sees a soft boy, he sees weakness. And weakness makes him sadistic. I will never take you back to see him."

It was a lot for me to take in, but I'd seen it in Aidan's eyes when Cromwell was hurting me. I knew that he loved me. I liked being his. I liked being his bitch and his gamma. I didn't care about pack politics or any of that stuff. I liked being with Aidan and having him take care of that stuff for me.

I snuggled closer to Aidan so I could smell him. It wasn't the same on the new moon because I couldn't smell his wolf, but he still smelled of sweat and pure masculine musk. My dick was getting hard despite the pain in my nuts.

I toyed with Aidan's chest hair and asked, "What's Xav going to do with you?"

He rubbed my back and said, "Don't worry about it. I'll explain everything to the Council tomorrow night. Until then, we'll stay here and await their judgment. Whatever punishment they decide on, I'll take it."

"We could run away together," I said. "I don't want them to do anything to you."

Aidan kissed my forehead and replied, "It's my job to make these decisions. You're still my gamma bitch. Besides, we can't go anywhere. Xav stuck a healing spirit in you. You'll be fine after a good night's sleep, but Xav can track you while you have one of his bound spirits in you."

He held me tight and said, "Go to sleep, now. Let me worry about things. That's one of the advantages of being my gamma bitch. You don't have to worry about anything but serving me."

It didn't take me long to fall asleep in Aidan's arms. Later I found out that he held me all night and hardly slept

---

You can read each story in The Concordium Cycle independently, or you can follow the author's preferred reading order that will blend the stories together. The next chapter in the author's preferred reading order is Alchemy and Soncraft Chapter 6. It will be out soon.

Special Thanks to my editor [email protected].