Behind the Lines of the Were War

"On the wings of the night

As the daytime is stirring

Where the speechless unite in a silent accord

Using words you will find are strange

Mesmerised as they light the flame

Feel the new wind of change

On the wings of the night

No more turning away

From the weak and the weary

No more turning away from the coldness inside

Just a world that we all must share

It's not enough just to stand and stare

Is it only a dream that there'll be

No more turning away? "

-Pink Floyd, "On The Turning Away"

*****

I-25 Rest Stop south of Socorro, NM

*****

The caravan exited the freeway late the next morning. Renee's vehicle led the group to the back of the rest area where Alpha Hastings and his top Betas were waiting outside their Humvee. Looking at Crystal and Ed, she ordered both to remain with the vehicle and wait for the Gila Beta to join them. "Michelle, you stay with me. We will be riding with Alpha Robert and his second. All of us will follow his vehicle into the Pack area, and his men will fall in behind us. They are friends, but they don't fully trust us yet so be on good behavior."

"Yes, Alpha, it will be done," Rich replied as they turned in next to the Gila Pack vehicle. The other cars in the caravan stayed back a few parking spaces.

"Michelle, you stay with me and behave, OK?"

"Yes, Alpha." She held her hand as they stepped out of their vehicle.

"Renee, so good to see you again!"

"Thank you Robert. Thank you so much for inviting us to visit you Pack. This is Michelle, she is the only cub in my Pack and has become kind of attached to me." Robert bent down and sniffed her neck while she sniffed his, in the normal manner of wolves meeting a stranger. He then escorted them into the back of his Humvee as one of his Betas joined her lead vehicle. Renee got in first so she could talk with Robert while Michelle could look out the window. "I'm glad we have some time in private, I need to bring you up to speed." Renee spent most of their drive relaying everything that had happened since they last saw each other at the peace talks. Robert remained quiet and calm, but she could see his fists clenching at parts and she knew he was trying hard not to frighten the cub.

"I'm glad you are here, Renee. Tomorrow I have asked other Alphas in this region to join me on a conference call. Diggs threatens us all, but it seems like with you it is personal."

"He's had a hard-on for me ever since the talks. He was smart enough not to approach me while I was still in mourning, but I could see him staring at me. Now I've made him look foolish and have taken a girl from him. He won't stop looking for me."

"No, he won't, especially since you're about to carve away a significant chunk of his pack. This betrayal will drive him into a killing rage. He won't stop until you are dead."

"Kelly says he wants to make me his Alpha bitch whether I want to or not. I'm thinking that may not be on the table."

"Well, this will be one of the topics for the call. Even with the losses, he came through the war with more warriors than any of our Packs, and he's a strong wolf. Taking him on will not be easy. We will have to be united to stand a chance."

Just then Renee's phone rang. "I'm sorry, I need to take this, it's about the gathering." She opened the phone and greeted Linda. "Hi Linda, did we find a place for Wolfstock?"

Linda giggled at the name, then said, "Yes. We're going to use the Red Rock ampitheater and surrounding land. The station manager was able to get the city and county to lease it to us for the weekend, and to process expedited permits It will be a challenge to get it all done, but we can have the first events Friday night and we have it through Sunday evening. It's convenient to Denver and still somewhat isolated, plus it can handle the crowds we may get."

"That's wonderful! I know it's asking a lot, but I need you two to coordinate the arrangements for this event. Hire people if you need to. Don't worry about the cost, use this." Renee rattled off the number of the Pack corporate credit card. "We want to make this a fun event, so look at getting food and entertainment set up, maybe some local bands. Focus on meat vendors, you know we like barbecue, maybe we can get them set up. Make a deal where they get a spot in exchange for helping to promote the event."

"Oh, we've got some ideas on that already. The station will sponsor the event and help me with arrangements, I'm still an employee after all. They want to provide the coverage."

"OK, keep me posted, I will be a few days before I get to Denver. I will take care of inviting all the Packs, you take care of advertising to bring in the humans."

"That's not a problem, we're looking forward to it. Like I said, our biggest problem with the humans is getting too many of them."

"Linda, I want to keep Friday werewolf-only. If there are going to be matings, a lot will happen that first night and we don't want to scare everyone off. There's also likely to be a lot of recreational sex, since this is the first time some of these people have been around other packs in years. Your camera crews may see more than they want. Make sure they are running on a tape delay and have some electronic blurring ready." Linda giggled, recalling her experiences with her mate on camera. "Buy a bunch of tents and sleeping bags so we can set up some out of the way places for the new mates. I'll schedule some 'fun runs' and mixers for that night, enough to keep those busy who don't find their mates right away. I'll work with the other Alphas to ensure we have enough mated pair Betas around to keep things from getting out of hand."

"It shall be done, Alpha. I will call you when I have more details."

"Thanks Linda, and don't forget to have fun with your new mate."

"Thank you, Renee. I'll call you later this afternoon." Linda was blushing as she looked across her desk to Andy as they sat in the station. "Fuck, I think she heard us the last time."

Renee sat back in the vehicle and looked over to Robert. "I take it you heard all that?"

"Yes, and it's a great idea. New matings are the best way to strengthen our packs and start to rebuild our numbers. It's a good chance for an Alpha meeting too. Now that we are out in the open, we need to discuss how we will handle it. The traditional rules may need to be changed."

"How long until we reach your den?"

"About an hour. How about if I take the first half of the list and you take the second? Then we can get all the Packs invited and you can relax a little today." She nodded and picked up her phone again. The first person she called was her brother.

*****

Santa Fe Pack Cave Area, NM

*****

Stanley Diggs was never a patient man, nor one to tolerate failure. His men knew this well.

His Betas were avoiding him, searching farther and farther out from the Santa Fe pack caves and finding nothing. They had returned after dark, the sting of being outsmarted by a brand new Alpha fresh in his mind. They had found nothing.

The Pack hadn't even gone back to their caves, all their stuff was still as they had left it a few days earlier. They had found the hiding place that had been used, and tracked the scents back to a place where the vehicles had been parked. Nothing else was found.

He called his men back to their base camp nearby. He couldn't sit around waiting for Renee to return, he had other problems right now.

His phone rang with one of those problems. "Hello Renee, nice to hear from you again. We missed you."

"Hello Alpha Diggs. Did you enjoy your trip?" Silence. "I'm calling to invite you to an Alpha gathering. It will be this weekend outside Denver at the Red Rocks ampitheater. All US Alphas will be attending."

"Renee, if you'll be there, I'll be there too. I so want to catch up on things." The menace in his voice was palpable.

"Yes, I will be there. We're also doing a gathering of all unmated werewolves starting Friday night. We are requesting that interested unmated attend, and asking the Alphas to provide a few mated Betas to help with security and mate control. It could get a little wild."

"I'll let my pack know. Thank you Renee, it's a pleasure." His mind was racing. An Alpha gathering could be good for him, he could take over multiple packs in a weekend... or the other Alphas could unite against him. He had some time to plan, though. He called his second, Blake. Blake didn't answer, nor did anyone at the Pack office.

Alpha Diggs ordered his men back into their vehicles. It was time to go home and kick some ass, starting with Blake.

*****

Gila Pack Den, New Mexico

*****

The caravan stopped in front of the Alpha's house and across from the community center. The Gila pack had carefully hidden ownership of the land from the government, making it appear as though it was a resort property, and upon its return had quickly moved back in. The pack had lost half its members so there was plenty of room for everyone.

Alpha Hastings exited the lead vehicle then came around and opened the door for Renee and Michelle. His senior Pack leadership was lined up along the stairs leading to the dining room while the rest of the Pack waited inside. They both waited for the Santa Fe pack members to exit their vehicles, and Renee was in the process of forming them into a line when all hell broke loose.

"MINE!!" A middle aged man in the reception line was sniffing furiously, trying to identify the source of the wonderful peppermint and cedar scent. He ran forward towards the cars until he saw the woman who was frozen in place, head up and sniffing as well. Both Alphas and a number of Gila Betas chased after him, and Renee yelled for everyone to give them room. You could get hurt getting between a man and his mate, especially if he had been waiting for her for decades.

Wendy locked eyes on her mate and her eyes lit up in lust and appreciation. He was tall, with short black hair and a goatee. His body looked like a basketball player, and his scent made her instantly aroused. She didn't have much of a chance to appreciate him, as he lowered his shoulder and picked her up around her waist without breaking stride. She didn't mind, she was too busy shredding their shirts and cutting her bra off so she could run her swollen nipples over his back while her hands reached inside the back of his pants. He didn't stop until they were in his cabin.

The other Pack members gave up their pursuit, the pair wouldn't come out of that cabin for a week now that they had found each other. They had just made their way back to the receiving line when a triumphant howl rang out, followed by a second more feminine howl.

"Shit." Renee started to laugh. "I guess it's a good thing I just gained a medic because I just lost my nurse."

Robert laughed. "They will make a good pair then. Terry is my pack Doctor."

"This road trip has been exciting so far, can you introduce us to your Pack?"

Robert started the receiving line and as the small group of Santa Fe wolves went past, there were no more matings but there were a lot of happy faces. Robert moved the group to the raised area at the back of the dining hall and let Renee do the introductions.

She was interrupted several times by loud squeals and screams as long lost extended family members found each other. A half dozen pack members were led away to sit with relatives they hadn't seen in years and had feared lost. The meal went on well into the afternoon, with groups of Gila Pack members coming by in small groups to introduce themselves.

Renee motioned to a young female Omega who was bringing food and asked her if she could bring a picnic basket for the new mates. "I want to check in on Wendy, and they might need to stop for five minutes to eat and drink." A few minutes later she had a box of food and some bottled water and walked with the Omega to Terry's home. They didn't hear anything so they knocked after ensuring no males were nearby. A minute and a few ignored commands to go away later, a naked and protective male cracked open the door. The smell of new mates- sex, sweat and arousal- was heavy in the air.

Renee didn't attempt to approach the door, not wanting to challenge him any further. "I wanted to check on Wendy and I brought you some food." He took the basket as Wendy came out of the bedroom. She walked up behind her mate and hugged his waist.

"I'm fine, Alpha. We've cleaned and treated our mating bites and I might let him out of here someday if I ever let this fine erection go down." She was reaching around and playing with his cum-covered balls as she talked. He was hardening again and was losing patience with the visitors already.

"Good to hear. I guess you won't need to go to Wolfstock then." She grinned as Terry turned and picked her up and carried her giggling to the bedroom. Clearly, the time for sex had returned. Renee closed the door for them and they walked back.

Robert met them at the door to the dining room. "Would your pack like to join us on a run? We've been doing it as often as possible since the end of the war."

"Absolutely, they will love it. I don't think we'll get the new mates to join us, though." They shared a knowing smile. The two Packs quickly assembled and switched in the field behind the dining hall, and they all disrobed and shifted, leaving a few elders and the young behind. Robert was a good sized gray wolf, and he drank in her white wolf form with appreciation. His wolf was forward and VERY interested in her. They both howled to start the run and he set off with her at his side.

Two hours later, the group returned, tired and happy. The mated pairs returned to their homes while many of the single wolves paired up; there was nothing that got the libido going like a good run! Pairs started to drift away into the woods as Renee and Robert retrieved their clothing.

"Tired?" Robert didn't want to push things too fast, she was still in mourning from the loss of her mate, he had to push down his wolf side that wanted to mate her now. His human side was captivated.

"I wouldn't mind a walk. I spent so much time cooped up in the caves and in hiding places that I've forgotten how nice it is to just be outside under the moon. The rock formations are amazing in this light."

"Amazing... yes, just what I was thinking. I'd love to walk with you." He offered his arm, she took it and they left by a narrow trail.

Renee looked over at the man she was with, she was strongly attracted to him but felt like she was betraying her dead mate by looking at another that way. It was uncomfortable for her human side. Her wolf was all for spending more time with him, especially naked. She was rolling over on her back and wiggling. "Can you tell me a little about yourself?"

Robert slid his hand down and interlocked it with hers as they walked. "Well, I'm forty two years old and I have been Alpha of this Pack for twenty of those. My parents were killed by a raiding party and I had to grow into the job quickly. Luckily, I found my mate early. Lucy was the daughter of the Sawtooth Pack alphas, and we made a great team." He paused, the emotion starting to overcome him. "She was smart and beautiful and wise and made me feel like the luckiest man in the world. When she got pregnant with twins I was over the moon." He stopped walking and looked at her, fighting to hold back the tears. "We don't talk about it much. She slipped on a steep trail while we were on a run, she liked to exercise even into her sixth month. I caught her before she went over the cliff, but she hit a rock hard with her stomach and started bleeding. The bleeding wouldn't stop, she was panicking and could feel the distress of the cubs. We were miles away from help."

Renee pulled him into a hug, knowing how difficult it was for an Alpha to share weakness. "You don't have to continue if it's too painful."

Robert wiped his eyes clear. "No, I need to talk about it and I want you to know." They walked in silence until they came across a fallen log they could sit on, she snuggled him under his arm as she buried her face in his chest. "I called for help as I picked her up and ran back. I moved as fast as I could, but she lost consciousness after a few minutes. By the time Doc arrived, she was gone." He was no longer able to hold back the tears. "Terry said she had an abrupted placenta. They tried an emergency C-section but the cubs had been without oxygen too long. My boys were dead too. I was absolutely crushed."

Renee held him tight, she shared his grief and let some of her own out. It was ten minutes before either could speak.

Renee looked up. "Didn't you want to join them?"

"Every day. I dreamed of ways to kill myself. The Pack tried everything to get me out of my depression."

Renee paused. "So did I. I went through the motions for those weeks, just because I still had to work to end the war. I didn't want his sacrifice to be in vain. I was planning to kill myself after the funeral so I could be with him. It was only when I found out I was pregnant that I found a reason to live."

Robert pushed her hair aside and kissed her forehead tenderly. "I would go to sleep every night thinking I couldn't go another day without her, and every morning I had to find a reason to get out of bed. I don't know if I was stubborn or a coward, but I could never do it. I buried myself in my Pack. I had no heir, we were on the edge of falling apart, so I forced myself back."

"How are you now?"

"It got easier as I got used to being alone, but I've not been happy. Busy, but never happy. Every time I would see new mates I would go into a funk and be depressed for days."

"You didn't seem to be sad with Terry and Wendy, did that change too?"

"That... is a very recent development. I think I've finally let her go and I'm ready to move forward."

Renee squeezed his chest. "I hope you find your happiness someday, someone who can share your life and give you a family."

Robert hugged her back. "I would like that. I will wait as long as I have to for that woman to come to me." With that, they walked silently, hand in hand back to the compound and to her guest room. "Have a good sleep, Renee, I've enjoyed our time." He cupped her face and lightly kissed her lips before releasing her. "My room is at the end of the hall, please don't hesitate to ask me or any other pack member if you need anything."

"Thank you Robert, I enjoyed it as well. Can I join you for breakfast?"

"I'd be delighted." With that, he reluctantly turned for his own room and she watched him for a few steps before closing the door. She listened to her voice mail- mostly updates on the planning for Wolfstock- and took a quick shower before going to sleep.

The dream came quickly, but tonight it was different. Her wolf was running along the riverbank, nose up and hunting for the scent that she desired so much. He appeared across the river, a majestic brown wolf, his bright eyes focused on her as she approached. She became aroused as she scented him, the need pulsing through her body to be dominated and loved again. She watched as he shifted into human form, his strong body sending her desire through the roof as he looked at her. "Follow your heart." He waved and after he shifted back he trotted away. She howled and whined and paced the river's edge but he didn't look back, so she put her head on her front paws and waited.

A new scent wafted over as she sensed another wolf approaching. This one was gray and strong and his eyes bore into her soul as he approached. He sniffed her as she lay there, then he put his head into her chest and pushed. When she didn't get up, he yipped and dropped his forelegs down, tail up and wagging. She ignored him, and he trotted back the way he came, looking over his shoulder occasionally to see if she was following.