06

Author's Note: This story involves characters first written about in the short story, "Saved by my Human Mate." You may want to read that first; this story starts about ten years later.

-Partwolf

*****

The wolf pups tore through the open plan kitchen, the brown and white male chasing the black female as they yipped at each other. The black one took the turn around the island better than the larger male, who skidded on the laminate flooring before slamming sideways into the big stainless steel refrigerator. "Michael! Raven!" Both pups froze at the sound. "No fur forms in the kitchen, now change back and get ready for breakfast."

The two changed into their human forms, and the young girl looked up as her hand clutched nervously to the young boy's. "Sorry Mom."

The boy also looked up, and said, "Sorry Aunt Rachel."

Rachel looked down from where she was grilling the pancakes and bacon for breakfast and smiled at them. "Go back to your rooms and get changed and washed up, breakfast is in ten minutes." They ran off, their sounds of "You got us in trouble" and "No, you did" echoing through the hallway as the four year olds went back to her room.

The back door off the dining room opened and Mary walked in with her mate Tom. "Is Michael giving you any trouble?" She looked around then smiled, her werewolf hearing could make out their squeals in the bathroom as both got washed up.

"No more than normal. I swear, I don't know which one of them winds the other up, but once they get going they just don't stop." She smiled at her neighbor and sister in law as she walked in and started to wash up, while Tom went to see Marcus in his home office. "They have a good time, though. Too bad they are related, they are thick as thieves and I'd swear they were mates otherwise."

Mary looked horrified. "Don't you even TALK about mates yet. I'm not even ready for them to go to school and you're already trying to get them married off!"

"They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"Once they arrive, yeah." Mary had gotten a late start on her family. A few months after Marcus and Rachel mated, she broke up with her long-time boyfriend and came to stay with them for a while. They were able to keep their werewolf status secret for a while, at least until Tom came home from his job as a smokejumper with the Forest Service.

When he walked in, his eyes locked with hers, recognition hit him, and he rushed over and grabbed her. She didn't have a chance to react before he had her over his shoulder and out the door. They didn't return for two days, and by then she knew all about mates and werewolves and was sporting a claiming mark on her neck to match his. She smacked her older brother around for not telling her, then settled into Pack life.

They had been trying to have a child for over five years before she finally got pregnant. Werewolves have long lives, but low fertility rates; even healthy pairs are lucky to have babies closer than five years apart. "Do you need any help cooking?"

"Nope, it's about done now. Can you pour the juice and milk while I plate these up?"

She nodded and moved to the fridge. "This new?" She pointed to a dent about knee height.

"Yep, they were playing chase a few minutes ago. Raven is much more agile, and Michael couldn't make the turn."

Mary shook her head while she got the orange juice out. "I swear these kids are going to ruin every nice thing I have in the house."

Just then there was an uneven set of steps into the kitchen, and Rachel's waist was encircled by Marcus's strong arms as he hugged her from behind. "Morning, love." He kissed her cheek and buried his nose into her shoulder, taking a deep sniff while he sucked on the scar from his claiming bite ten years ago. She was a little older, her hips and breasts a little fuller after childbirth, but she could still take his breath away and he loved her more every day. He moved his hands slowly across her rounded stomach to her side, then nipped at her neck.

Rachel turned in his arms and looked up at her mate's face, and saw the glint in his eye as he looked her over. "Come on, honey, it's time to eat. Wasn't I enough for you last night?"

"You're always enough, yet never enough. You should know that by now, a little rest and we're like newlyweds again." His hands moved down to her shapely butt, not worried at all about his sister a few feet away or his brother in law coming down the hall.

She smacked his hands away. "Yeah, well, that's all you get when the morning sickness arrives and once again it's all your fault." He smiled at her; the bad scars on his face were much less noticeable after the change, but her bite couldn't make him a new eye or leg. She didn't care, he was hers and was more than she could ever hope for. "Now take the pancakes over to the table, and tell Tom to get in here before I eat his breakfast too. I've got a craving for bacon this morning."

He did as she asked, then poked his head into the living room and called Tom. As they were coming in, their children were running down the hallway and jumping into their booster seats at the table. Mary helped them get settled in and helped cut their pancakes while the adults made their way to the table.

Mary looked at her brother. "Today is clinic day up in North Fork, right?"

Marcus nodded. "Yep, every other Tuesday." The North Fork pack was small, about thirty members, and was located north of their neighborhood in Salmon, Idaho. "I've got a pregnancy to check on and the normal routine stuff." Marcus's life as the new Pack Doctor was a little more exciting than most. He actually served five packs in the area in addition to his own.

(Flashback)

Rachel led her mate to her father's office in the big house on the outskirts of Salmon. "Come on, honey, it won't be bad. He likes you, and he's happy we are mated now."

"He is, but my wolf is always nervous around the Alpha, and he's got five other Alphas in there with him right now. What's going on?" He squeezed her hand as they got near the double wood doors.

"I guess we'll find out." She knocked then they entered; her father gave her a quick hug and shook Marcus' hand then gestured for them to sit at the conference table.

"Alphas." He bowed his head in greeting to them, he knew all five as their Packs cooperated in all things and they regularly visited each others packs. The werewolves of the Idaho panhandle had been very successful in keeping good relations; none could remember the last trouble between them, and it was this spirit of cooperation that had brought them here today. He pulled out the chair for Rachel then sat next to her, at the opposite end from her father; the other Alphas filled the chairs along the sides.

"Marcus, Rachel, we have a proposal for you." Alpha Netters was the oldest Alpha in the group and often took the lead in discussions. "Your Pack doctor has informed your Alpha that he intends to retire in the next decade. That creates a big problem, as none of our Packs have a replacement available. We can't afford to use the human medical system, it's too dangerous for us. We need to grow our own." All the Alphas looked to him. "We would like you to replace him."

Marcus looked at Rachel, then back to them. "But how? I'm a combat medic, not a doctor. I don't know the first thing about werewolf physiology."

"Not now, but that is something we can fix. We'd like to send you to medical school; between your veteran benefits and our support it is doable. Take your residency in the human side. In your off time, you'll work with Doctor Roberts and study werewolf medicine."

"I'm flattered, but it will take me eight years to get through all that."

"We know. That is why we want you to start now." His father in law, Richard Wolfe, stood and came around between them. "You know that every Pack member has a job, something that makes the Pack stronger and keeps us self-sufficient. Saving lives is in your blood. It doesn't require two eyes; it doesn't require you to fight. It is a very important job, though. The Pack doctor ranks only below the Alpha pair and my Beta."

Alpha Wilson nodded his head. "The cost of your education will be split among the six packs, and each Pack will outfit a room for you to work out of while there. Since this is your home pack, we will use the existing clinic and surgical suite here for more serious cases." He looked at Rachel. "He will need an assistant, as his mate is also going to retire with him. Rachel, we'd like you to study nursing in the human world. You'll be done quicker, so you can spend more time with Doc before he leaves."

Marcus looked over at his mate, they had only been together for a month but he knew he couldn't answer until they had talked this out. "May we have a few moments to talk about this?"

His Alpha smiled. "Take all the time you want to talk, but give us an answer after lunch. We have to get you into med school and time is running out."

---

The seniors formerly of Girl Scout Troop 887 out of Pocatello, Idaho were on their final trip together. All five girls had turned 18 in the past six months, so they had become too old to be together as Girl Scouts. They didn't want to break their streak, the group had camped together every summer since kindergarten. Josi had found the solution, one last epic trip before they all went different ways to college or jobs after high school. An overnight river rafting trip was just the ticket for the adventurous group.

Josi looked around, as the leader of this expedition to the North Fork of the Salmon River she wanted to make sure this trip went off perfectly. Her mom was driving the Ford Excursion to the dropoff point, and would pick them up on Wednesday night at the end of their two day camping and rafting trip.

They had worked with an outfitting company out of North Fork on this trip, they provided the raft and a guide plus transport back to North Fork at the end; the back of the truck was filled with their packs and food for the trip. It was all packed in waterproof bags or coolers so it could be tied to the center of the raft. Josi had done this trip once before and it was a blast, and with all the snow the past winter the river conditions were excellent. The river was wild, scenic and hit Class 5 in some places. She was athletic in build and was a tomboy; her shoulder length black hair was tied in a ponytail and pulled through the back of the Minnesota Vikings ballcap she was wearing. Her body was toned and tanned from a life spent outside fishing, hunting and hiking.

In the seats behind Josi and her mom, twins Britney and Bethany were texting each other despite being two feet apart. They looked like stereotypical California girls- long straight blonde hair, curvy bodies that couldn't hide behind the T-shirts and shorts they wore, and electric smiles. In the third row, Cheyenne and Willow were both sleeping, something they had proven they could do anytime and anywhere. Cheyenne was one quarter American Indian. She was the tallest of them all at five foot eleven, with the characteristic skin tone and glossy black hair that hung down to the middle of her back. She was quiet and shy, never one to lead but was loyal and hard working. Her best friend Willow was opposite in looks and personality; she was a Scandinavian blonde, who only came up to five foot one and barely a hundred pounds. She was one of those bubbly people who knew everyone by name and was invited to all the parties. They were a terror on the volleyball courts where they had bonded over countless seasons on school and summer teams.

The girls' conversations would center around college, sports, fashion and boys now. This weekend, it was about sun, waves and fun. Josi was practically bouncing in the seat as they got closer to the river.

Her Mom pulled into the parking lot of North Fork Excursions, and Josi made sure everyone was awake and ready to go. They unloaded all their gear and the hot college age guides secured them in a large raft while they were doing their safety brief.

Chip was going to be their main guide for this trip, which made the girls very happy. He was tall, tan and had a toned chest and abs that he liked to show off. A college senior, he had spent every summer on the river since he was 14 and knew every rock and eddy. The girls were whispering and sneaking glances at him, talking about how fun it would be to sneak him into the tent, until their other guide walked in. Rose was a buxom redhead who walked over and kissed Chip before she was introduced as his girlfriend as well. You could almost feel the mood deflating. "Oh well," Josi said, "At least we won't fight over him."

The brief was comprehensive, and Josi had to help keep the girls attention on it. Rafting was a dangerous activity and she was the only one who had experience at it. You go over the side once in Class 4 rapids, and you start to appreciate things like safety gear and throw lines. Finally, it was done and they were putting on their life jackets and helmets. Most of the girls chose to wear shorts and T-shirts over their swimsuits, but the "Killer B's" Britney and Bethany treated any time outside as a chance to work on their tans. Rose glared at them as they stripped down to their skimpy bikinis, making sure to bend over in Chip's direction as they put their clothes into a waterproof bag.

The girls double checked their bags were tied in, then they walked the raft out to the deep calm water of the landing and climbed in. Chip gave everyone lessons on how to paddle as a team and what commands he would be using. Working together was a must, as the guide picked a line down the rapids that they needed to hit in order to stay safe and hit the best waves.

The late summer sun beat down on their young bodies as they paddled hard to the first small set of rapids. Soon, the river dipped into a canyon and the rapids started to pick up. Josi was beaming as she looked around. The scenery was magnificent, her friends were all having a great time, and they had two days of camping and rafting ahead of them. She looked back upriver and caught a glimpse of her mom before the river dropped and she had to focus on shooting the rapids again.

Their first afternoon was a total blast. The water was raging through the canyons, and in between rapids they would talk and swim and generally find ways to annoy their guides with their antics.

In one calm stretch, Britney had teased Cheyenne about a boy who they both liked but hadn't asked either of them out yet. Willow took offense, and without warning she leaped across the raft and shoved Britney backwards. She fell backwards into the water, and got really mad when some of the girls started to paddle away. "Sorry, Brit, you looked like you were getting a little worked up." Willow started laughing at the edge of the raft, so Bethany grabbed the back of her life vest and lifted. She screamed as she flew out of the water to the Killer B's laughter. Cheyenne then jumped up and tackled Bethany, taking both of them into the cold river water.

Josi and the guides were the only ones left out, although Josi had taped the whole thing on her iPhone. The girls were splashing each other, then they were teaming up to see who could dunk the others the most. Their laughter echoed in the canyon until Chip's voice stopped it. "Girls... you might want to get back in the raft before this next set of rapids." The girls looked ahead, even in the deep waters of the pool the current had been moving them along. They could hear the pounding water and it lit a fire under them. As they swam back, Josi linked arms with them and pulled them up into the raft so they could take their places again.

Rose had their attention now while Chip focused on lining them up for the run. "Girls, this next run is Class 4 with some parts that approach Class 5. Remember, do EXACTLY what Chip says when he says it, and if you fall out, keep your feet downstream and your head above water. This is your adventure!" The girls screamed out as they hit the first hydraulic, a standing wave about five feet high that almost folded the raft in half. They bounced back up, Chip yelling "Strong right, right, PULL PULL PULL" as they worked to set up for the next big one. Their backs were pained and they didn't quite get there in time. The left side of the raft caught on a rock, causing the raft to spin and enter the rapids sideways.

It was the worst thing for Josi and Cheyenne, who were now on the lower edge. The side of the raft dropped quickly then stopped, but they didn't. Josi flew off into the water, her paddle clenched in her right hand as she reached for the raft with her left. It was inches away but it might as well have been a mile. The rolling current grabbed her and pulled her under, spinning her like she was in a washing machine. The paddle was lost and soon she was fighting to catch a breath.

Cheyenne had grabbed the rope on the outside of the raft and was being pulled in by Britney and Willow when Rose caught a glimpse of where Josi was caught. She yelled to Chip, who was frantically trying to turn the raft to point downstream again, then grabbed the rescue rope. With a strong throw, the rope made it. Josi popped above water and struggled to breathe; when her right arm touched the rope she grabbed it for dear life. Rose held on as the raft continued downstream, now pulling Josi clear of the standing wave.

Rose made sure she was following, then started to pull her in while Chip got everyone on the paddles again. Josi held on while keeping her feet in front, making sure that they would hit any of the huge rocks before the rest of her body. It was still way too wild to get all the way back, and so when the rope caught on a rock she let it go. The raft disappeared around a huge boulder as she was carried along, her arms working frantically to stay aligned.

Finally, the rapids ended and she was spit out into a deep and calm pool. The screams for her to be all right soon turned to shrieks of laughter as they saw that she was all right... and what the river had done to her.

The tanned globes of her ass were mooning them all as she swam to the boat. It wasn't until she was pulled up that she realized that the rapids had torn her bikini bottoms clean off. Mortified, she sank to the bottom of the raft and covered herself with her hands. Her face was beet red. Cheyenne opened up a gear bag and tossed her a pair of shorts. She quickly pulled them on as the rest of the group paddled closer to the shore.

"We're going to stop here and set up camp, it's the best spot around." Chip aimed them towards a sandbar, above which there was a raised sand and grass area against the base of the canyon wall. The girls jumped out and helped pull the raft clear of the water as Chip tied a line to a big log caught in the rocks. While the rest of the girls were getting their gear out, Rose was checking out Josi for injuries.

"I'm all right, just a little beat up." She looked at the bruises that now covered her thighs and hips, anything not protected by a helmet or lifejacket had gotten bounced around pretty good.

Rose checked her back and head, then used a flashlight to check her pupils. "No sign of concussion, you might be sore for a while. I'd recommend staying in the raft next time." They both laughed. "And no flashing my boyfriend." She walked away as Josi turned red as a beet again.

Twenty minutes later the girls had the tents set up and their guides were starting the fire to cook dinner. The Killer B's walked by, clearly not caring that Chip was having a tough time staying out of trouble for looking. "We're going to get some tanning time in, give us a yell when dinner is ready." They left the rest of them in the broken shadows of the canyon wall and walked into the bright sunlight closer to the river. The two set up their towels on a flat rock, and after applying more lotion they started to take advantage of the strong mountain sun.