Shari came down the steps, her hips and thighs covered with bruises from my hands gripping her while in the throes of my beastly *feeding* I had not controlled myself well.
"Hello darling. My pack will be here in a bit. We are planning on moving on today."
Her eyes flew to my face, a question (as yet, unasked) forming on her lips. I forestalled her, my hand going to my own lips in the universal gesture of shushing.
"You will meet them today. If they accept you as my mate, you will travel with me. It will bit a bit
unusual
but fuck it. If they don't accept you, then I will hand the pack over to my second. Usually, a fight to the death passes leadership but only if the leader is challenged. There will be no challenge. I will step down for the good of the pack."
Shari said nothing but I could almost feel the direction of her thoughts. 'Damn it Shelly, you came on too needy!!' My mind did a bit of bitching at itself and then it settled down. After a moment, I motioned for her to be seated. Leaning over, I captured her mouth with my own and then moved to a chair opposite hers, so I wouldn't be distracted by her scent whilst I was talking.
"Today is a test, for both of us. The most important thing you need to remember is how pack members greet one another. We don't hug. We sniff. Each person (male or female) will embrace you, while planting his or her noses behind your left ear. Some may nip you but as long as they are in full human or full wolven form, our disease is not transferable. Do not show fear. Fear is an aphrodisiac to us."
I took a moment to gather my thoughts. I knew I should show her the proper etiquette but I knew if I touched her right now, I would not finish my instructions. She smelled too clean. My scent was missing from her skin and like any alpha animal; I wanted to mark her as mine. Shaking my head to disperse those distracting thoughts, I continued with her crash course in pack protocol.
"You should stand on my left at all times. Not behind me, but beside me, so that they will see that I consider you as an equal to any of them. After the initial greeting they will give their names. Watch their eyes. If they feel submissive to you, they will not look into your eyes. If they stare unblinkingly at you (and I am sure that 2 will...) they are issuing a challenge. You may deal with those as you see fit. But remember we are lukoi (wolves). You cannot win in a fair fight.
After all greetings or challenges have been acknowledged, we will proceed to pack business i.e. getting a vote to include you in our travels. This should be fairly easy, but I won't guarantee it. They may lay a challenge at your feet. The choice is up to you to accept or not accept, as the case may be."
I ran out of steam at that point. I knew how some of them would respond to a human in our midst, especially one with her capabilities. They would smell that inner pain slut, just like I had. It was probable that this would turn into something harrowing for her, but I needed her beside me. Finally, I glanced at Shari and waited for her to speak.
"I will follow your lead but I want you to know that anyone who challenges me physically will be answered in the same way. I am not anyone's meat."
I nodded to show my understanding and then moved to the couch, my arms pulling her into a hug, tight enough to crack bones. Shari and I had just finished dinner. All we could do was wait.
When the first of the pack came to my door, I motioned her into the living room and went to answer, my hackles raised. No matter the spin I tried to put on it, it was going to be far more difficult to get her entrance passed then I had let on. It was my second and his girl. They stepped inside and looked at me intently before sniffing the air.
"Who's here, Shelly?"
"The one who is the reason for my delay and also the reason why I called this meeting before we left."
Berto's girl, Lottie by name, gave a little sniff and smirked up at me. "Well, damn, Shelly, I didn't know fresh meat was in season this year."
Berto tried to shut her up but it was too late. I backhanded her across the face, dropping her to her knees. I reared back to deliver a kick to her ribs and he stopped me.
"Enough, Shelly."
"Control your bitch, Roberto."
There was an awkward moment as Lottie flipped over onto her back, offering her neck in a classic pose of wolven submission. I bent down to help her to her feet.
"Don't piss me off, Lottie. You can't take me. Perhaps your man can, but it's for damn sure...YOU can't." She said nothing, only whimpered in a heartbroken way and moved behind Berto.
I waved them away, into the living room and waited at the door. The rest of the pack showed up shortly after. No one else made any comment as they shuffled inside. They could smell the blood from Lottie's split lip and knew better than to push just now. After everyone was seated, I tugged Shari to her feet.
"I want her for my mate."
There were a few giggles here and there, before it became clear that I was not joking. Roberto stood up, his eyes glaring into mine.