"You heard Renee. I know she dreamed of her mate, and I also know that with the war and the destruction of packs in this area that she thought she would never have the chance at being mated and having pups. It hasn't been easy for her to be growing up in this war, and to see her chance at happiness being pulled away from her is tearing us apart."
"Derek, if you kill her mate, best case is she hates you forever and leaves the pack. Without the support of the pack, she won't last a week before she kills herself or is taken out by the enemy. Even though she has not physically mated with him, in her mind she already has. You know that to be true, she would never defy you in front of the Pack if it wasn't to protect her mate from you."
"That is another thing I have to deal with publicly, no matter what happens with him."
"Yes, but not now. Is there really a hurry to do anything at this time? Renee is removed from the rest of the pack and will not be able to interfere with your decision. Only you and I were left to take the turn on his punishment. There was never a timeframe on it, in fact you said he had to be conscious and aware of what was going on before the sentence could continue. He's not recovered enough for our turn yet, so we defer any decision until he is."
Derek lifted his head and rested it on his hand while he gazed down at his woman. Luna had truly blessed him with a partner who was so wise, who saw things so clearly. Amanda continued, "We know that he will turn soon, and Doc already said he probably won't survive the change. You couldn't stop that if you wanted to. So, let it happen. If he dies, then you have kept the sentence you proclaimed and Renee can't blame you for his death, after all she was the last one to injure him. If he lives, he still has to make it past the rages, and if he can't then you won't be blamed for having to put him down. If he lives, then you can decide the best way forward, but you will have time for emotions to settle and to make a deliberate decision."
Now that she explained it, it was all so obvious to Derek. His eyes expressed his love, respect and more than a hint of lust for his beautiful mate who had so quickly helped him find the way forward. "So we wait, then." She nodded, her voice caught in her throat as her wolf responded to the predatory gleam in his eyes as he raked her body. "My love, you are amazing. I don't know how I would do any of this without you by my side." She reached up to cup his strong jaw while shifting her hips slightly towards him. The smell of her arousal rose up between them; she always wanted him, always knew just what he needed, and right now he needed her.
"Allow me, my dear, to express my appreciation properly. I don't think this body has been worshiped for the wonder that it is for at least a few days. I can't neglect my responsibilities now, can I?" Amanda giggled as he started to kiss her from her forehead, down her thin nose until he started to plunder her lips and mouth with his tongue. His hand continued down from her chin and across her shoulder, then gently tickled down the inside of her arm as she started to squirm under his attentions. The kiss deepened as he rolled over her, supporting himself on his elbows and knees as he moved both hands to the sides of her breasts, cupping them and rotating his thumbs around her rapidly stiffening nipples. She groaned in loss as he slid down her body, but that was replaced with a sharp intake of breath as his mouth found her right nipple. She reached up to grasp his growing erection, but he grabbed her right hand and pulled it over her head, where it was soon joined by her left hand. "Interlock your hands and keep them there." Amanda did as instructed and lay back, knowing that his wolf needed to show its dominance again. Her wolf so loved being dominated by him!
Both of her nipples were now hypersensitive due to the alternating pinching and sucking as he worked from one to the other and back. The smell of her arousal now filled the room, and as his hands moved slowly down to her hips, she rolled them up towards his chest. He didn't take the hint, instead his hands caressed her stomach and thighs as he kissed the line down her firm stomach and then across her hips. He skillfully avoided the one area she wanted his attention at, ignoring her attempts to move it under his mouth, and it was driving her crazy with desire. She trembled when he finally touched her wet slit with the tip of his tongue, softly running from top to bottom and back up. Her hips were bucking against the forearm he held them down with as the sweet torture continued. Using his thumb to rub her swollen clit, he used a forefinger to plunge into her depths and caress her inner walls. She gasped when he took a moistened finger and started to circle her back door. Amanda was rapidly losing control, and when he bit down on her clit while simultaneously a finger in her ass, she went off like a rocket ship.
He grinned at her as her body locked up and her back arched off the mat. She spasmed and twitched as the orgasm did its work, and when she brought her hands down to push his head away, he just grabbed them and pinned them to her side. He shook his head slowly while telling her with his bond, "I'm not done with you yet." He started to slowly insert and remove the digit in her ass while using his other hand to spread her lips for his tongue. He allowed his tongue to shift, first licking her clean from the bottom up before plunging it into her and flicking it around against her g-spot. His wolven tongue was far longer, thicker and more talented than his human one, and he put that to good use. Her orgasm came quick and hard on the heels of her first one, and since her arms were pinned she could only squeeze his head and arch backwards as the sensation washed over her. Derek stroked her thighs and eased her back to the mat as the tremors finally subsided.
He was kissing back up her body to continue his sweet torture when Doc's voice came through the bond. "Alpha, we need you out here. The change is starting." Derek reluctantly got up, wiped his face and dressed. Amanda was still out of breath, so he told her he would leave the bond open to her while she rested.
When her returned to the main chamber, many pack members had not departed but there were still a number of interested parties waiting to see what would happen. Doc looked up from his patient and reported, "He's stable now but still out. I've managed to patch up the major injuries and I've given him two pints of blood already. His fever just spiked, I need to know what you want to do with him before the change occurs."
Derek motioned for four men and sent one back to get some rope and blankets. "Pick him up and follow me." The men rolled him onto a stretcher before he was lifted up. The Alpha led them back into the cave before stopping at the pit to gaze down on Renee. She had been pacing back and forth and glared back up at him. "Renee, I've made a decision."
She charged the wall again shouting "YOU BASTARD I'LL KILL YOU!" Derek waited impassively for her to stop before continuing. "His sentence has been suspended. He has been patched up, but the shift will be upon him soon. For the safety of the pack, that change will happen in the same pit you now stand. The only way he leaves the pit is if he can gain balance with his wolf and come to accept what he now is. When you come out, we'll deal with your insubordination. You can come out now and leave him there, or you can stay there and help him through it."
She considered for a moment only, she wanted her mate. There was no way she would abandon him during this most dangerous time, and both of them knew it. "Give him to me then." The men tied the rope around the prisoner and carefully lowered him into Renee's waiting arms. She carried him to a flat and slightly elevated spot in the corner of the pit and gently laid him down on his back. She then returned to get the blankets and food that was lowered back down. Looking up at Derek, the tears were still in her eyes but the determination showed through. "Thank you, Alpha, for giving him a chance. I apologize for my behavior and will accept the consequences of my actions."
"Let's see what happens in the next few days first. The guards will remain up here, if you need anything you may ask them. If you request it, they will pull you out of there but they will not let you back down. May Luna's grace be upon you both... I love you." Derek turned back and left the two of them to work it out.
Renee asked for some towels and a bucket of water to clean him up while she waited. She rolled him over on his side and cleaned his back before placing him on a blanket. His fever was way up, and he was sweating profusely despite the cool air in the cave. She gently cleaned away the dried blood and grime, then shifted into her wolf form and started licking his wounds to stimulate the healing. There was very little time left, but she would do anything she could. As the change accelerated, he started to twitch body parts at random. She tore a towel lengthwise and placed the center between his teeth, tying it loosely behind his head. It would stop him from biting his tongue when the pain really started.
She did not have long to wait. It started with some loud pops, then he started to convulse. His eyes shot open, but quickly turned bloodshot and golden. His screams echoed through the chamber as his body started to realign. His chest deepened and narrowed, his hips shrank and his legs started to reshape. Brown fur started to sprout on his skin, and it started to move as the muscles and bones underneath rearranged. His face lengthened and narrowed, as his nose and mouth moved forward and his eyes got closer together. The screams stopped, only because his throat had changed and could no longer make that noise. A deep growl took its place. Blood started to erupt from skin that was stretched beyond limits, soaking the blankets and spraying her body as she caressed his face.
