Serving the Council

THANKS TO CANNED FOR EDITING

Roux's den

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"Yes, Ash, you have a twin sister who is younger by 15 minutes. Your mother, Anna, and I hid her because we knew of Leon's first attempt and wished to hide her in an attempt to protect her from him. The prophecy, which he believes is his right to fulfill, says the youngest of the descendants of Iona and Ajax is needed."

"Why didn't you ever tell Ally and I though? We would not have told anyone," Ash asked.

Roux looked at his daughter and replied, "Because we could never be sure that it would not slip, but the problem now is that we have lost track of her."

Ashlynn glared at her father, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN LOST TRACK OF HER?" Michele and Roux looked at each other, wondering how to explain the situation.

It was Michele who spoke first. "We sent her off with an Elemental who was going to place her with a family after binding her were abilities until her 18th birthday. The problem is I cannot contact him and he never told us where he put her. Until your shared birthday, I will not be able to sense her location.

"He did not even give you an idea of where she is?" Roux and Anna shook their heads and shrugged. "So Ally and I have a sister that you never told us about and you lost her. That's fucking unbelievable!" Ash yelled as she stormed from the room.

SANCTUARY

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Fen looked as his grandson entered the meeting chamber looking a tad troubled, his little shadow not a step behind him. "Joe and Michele, what can I do for you?"

Joe glanced back at the young girl and as he had for his entire time at Sanctuary, wondered why she followed him so intently. "Grandfather, Achilles, Alexander and the others have told me that I have yet to train with the best of the ancient fighters and that against him I would lose. Do you agree? And on another matter, I know that Michele does not talk to anyone other than me really, but I can tell by her body language something bothers her and I am at a loss as to what it is, but she will not even tell me."

"Joe, as to the first question, I do not know if Atlas could best you, but it is a contest that I would enjoy seeing. As for the latter, there may be someone that would put her at ease, but she is not here at the moment and I would have to call for her."

Joe pondered the answers and turning to look at Michele, he asked, "Would you like to talk to someone about what's bothering you?"

Michele turned a little red and answered, "Yes, I would." She looked up Fen, "Maybe talking to another woman would help, because I will admit something is bothering me, but what it really is, I do not know."

Fen looked at the both of them and started to speak but Joseph interrupted him, "I wish to meet this Atlas in the sparing circle."

Fen nodded his head, "Both will be done as soon as possible."

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Leon's Den

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"Two months until the highest moon and then I can lay claim on Ashlynn. It cannot come soon enough," spoke Leon to his second. They stood watching a challenge for position in the pack. Both the weres were in animal form and they were ripping one another to shreds because Leon believed in the concept of you keep what you kill. This meant all challenges had to be to the death, making them hazardous not only for the combatants, but their mates as well. Many chose suicide over becoming the forced mate of another, but all knew the rules about cubs. The winner was responsible for the welfare of any defeated opponents cubs.

His second answered, "Do you think Roux or Ashlynn will deny your claim?"

Leon looked at him and answered with a evil glint, "I hope so, I really hope so."

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Sparing ring, Sanctuary

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"So where is this were that has bested the two of you?" asked Atlas.

Alexander chuckled, "At, not only has he beat us separately, but has beaten both of us at the same time."

Atlas looked at his two friends in disbelief, but before he could speak again, he saw someone entering the area and heard in a laughing voice, "Ask them about our first meeting and the predicament I had them both in." Achilles and Alexander both looked at their friend and looked chastened, "Not going to tell him? I guess I will then. Achilles knocked over a person in my protection and when Alex came to his aid, I ended up with each in the air by their throats and neither could escape."

Atlas looked at him like he was telling a joke. Alexander confirmed the story by adding, "In our defense, Joe caught us off guard."

"Well, knowing that, I will not make the same mistake," answered Atlas.

"We will see then, I still may be able to surprise you," Joe responded.

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Michele walked into the room, wondering if the woman she was about to meet could help her with her feelings of unease and worry. As she stopped, a voice came from the shadows, "Come in, please come in. I have been waiting for you."

Michele walked further into the room and saw a woman who looked to be much older than her, and since she knew that many people here were quite ancient, she knew old was a relative term. The older woman motioned her closer, "My name is Electra, and I think that I can help you."

Michele looked at her, "And what makes you think that?"

"Well, my young friend, I already have an idea of what your problem may be," the woman answered.

Michele looked at her incredulously and asked, "And what is my problem and how do you know when you have only just met me?"

"Because you look just like your mother and sound like her too," said Electra.

Michele stared at the woman and laughed, "Are you sure of that? My mother and I looked entirely different in hair, eye and skin color."

Electra stood and walked over and stood in front of Michele, "I meant to say, because I know your birth mother, even though I have not seen her since the day of you and your sister's birth."

Michele let out a gasp, "What do you mean by that?"

Electra's cryptic answer was, "In a few days you will know. For now, I have to speak to your protector, as he needs to be someplace in a few day and you must go along with him."

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Atlas looked at Joseph, measuring him up as he warmed up. He saw the obvious strength in his build, and was aware that he was a shifter. Both had agreed that for the challenge to be fair, Joe must remain in his human form. The two men finished warming up and came to the edges of the circle. Fen walked to the middle, as he was going to referee the match, and asked if both of them where ready. The area looked like an old gladiatorial arena, thus it was surrounded by seating which was filled to its capacity, for many wanted to see if Atlas could best Joe.

Just as they were preparing to engage, Fen saw Electra and the young girl enter and take a seat. Electra made contact with Fen's eyes and he knew she wished to talk to him. He simply nodded and pointed to the man, which she understood to mean, we will talk after.

Fen backed away from the center of the ring and waved for the men to start the match. For the first minute or so they circled and feigned, trying to look for weaknesses and tells as to how the other would fight. Atlas, tiring of the game, charged and was met head on by Joe. To Atlas's surprise, even though he had three or four inches in height and more weight over Joe, he was pushed back by the collision. The two separated and circled one another some more. This time it was Joe who charged, but instead of going straight into Atlas's body, he angled and took out one of the bigger man's legs. He held on as he rose up again, sending Atlas crashing face first into the ground. Atlas now understood how Joe had repeatedly defeated the others because not only was he strong, he was fast and agile too.

This time Atlas decided to try a different tack, so when they came together he attempted to use his height to lift Joe from the ground and hip throw him. When they met this time Atlas started the maneuver, using Joe's momentum against him. What shocked him was instead of landing and sprawling in an attempt to slow his fall, he instead just rolled with the landing and before Atlas could shift to meet him, the smaller man was up and onto Atlas's back and had knocked him forward and pinned his arms to his side. Atlas tried to shrug the bear hug off, and found that every effort only allowed Joe to cinch his grip in tighter.

"I submit," Atlas called out.

The assembled group looked on in quiet awe, for they had all seen Atlas in action and had never thought he could be bested in such a quick manner. They watched as Joseph helped the big man to his feet and it was Atlas who first saw the change in the young man, as his head suddenly whipped up and looked into the crowd. In two strides he was at full speed and leaped into the stands, shifting into his animal form, and though a few of them had viewed it when he was exercising and hunting game in sanctuary's forests, he never failed to impress them with his size and color.

Electra gave a loud gasp when the animal landed in front of her, the shock of its speed and the violence that its eyes bore made those standing near her worry for her safety, as they did not know what his intentions were.

It was the next thing that startled them even more, as the young human girl suddenly growled, the gigantic were stopped and looked at her, its head cocked to the side as if it was seeing her for the first time. Electra backed away as the girl stepped towards the were, she put her hand out and he approached and lowered his head, allowing the girl to stroke his muzzle.

Fen had followed Joe, wondering what his grandson was doing, but it was the voice of Ghost, the other man that Joe called grandfather, that tingled through the air, "Grandson, what are you doing? This is Electra, the woman who Fen asked to help Michele."

It was Electra that answered for the massive were, "He has met me before, in my other guise, and the meeting was not a good one."

Alexander spoke, "Electra that is interesting, but did the girl just growl?"

Electra looked at Fen, Ghost and the rest and let out a sigh, "I suppose what I wish to tell Fen will now have to be brought out into the open, as he recognized me, even though he never met me in this form."

Questioning looks came from the group but it was Michele who asked, "What do you mean?"

Electra looked pained and spoke, "First things first, I was present when Leon first attacked him." At which point Electra's body started to shift and phase into the body of a young man.

At the same time Joseph shifted back into his human form and one of the elementals summoned up some sweatpants for him to put on. "Yes I remember seeing you prior to the attack, you where hiking and stopped at our campsite and had dinner with us, but you left," spoke Joe.

"Yes, it is I, and your being here means that what has been foretold is coming to be. I must tell everyone that the reckoning has arrived. Next to me stands the youngest of the daughters of Ajax and Iona, and before me stands her guardian. They were destined to meet and to bring the new age to the earth." Michele and Joseph looked at each other, wondering what the man/woman was talking about.

"The reckoning, you mean to tell us he is, Fenrir?" "No, he is not, he is more than that, he is the fulcrum, for there are two that can influence him, one stands before you, the other is unknown, but they are to meet soon."

Ghost spoke before anyone could bring a thought, "No, she is known, that explains Lily and her ability to cloud his mind as she did."

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I stood and listened to what was being said, all the time looking at Michele, knowing that she was important to me, but not as a mate, but as someone that I had to instinctually protect. As we stood and had people talk about us like we were not even there, a thought came to my mind and with it a decision. "Grandfathers and you, whomever you are, it doesn't matter why you were at the camp site that day, none of this matters at this moment. I have a mission to complete, and if what little I understand is true, it is no longer my mission, but a mission for Michele, am I wrong?" Michele looked up at me with questioning eyes, I knew that she had no idea what was going on, but I had a guess, actually more like I knew it to be fact, even without information to back it up.

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Everyone grew quiet as Joe spoke, but it was his next sentence that stunned them into complete silence. "Michele, you are the sister of my mate, how or why I know that does not matter. Fen, it's clear from what I've gleaned in my short time here that all you say about the ancients staying out of the business of the younger ones is obviously bullshit. The only destiny that is going to be filled is the one where I kill Leon and Lily and after that, except for claiming Ashlynn and continuing to protect Michele, I do not care what any of you do or think. You have said I am more than a were, but that isn't true. I am only a were!"

Everyone stood quietly, not wanting to anger Joe any further. They all knew that in a fight, none stood a chance after watching him best Atlas. The sudden appearance of Hermes made everyone glance at him and his words did not make sense at first. "He is not a were, but he is, but he is not," is what he repeated several times, until Fen and Diana got him calmed down. When he calmed he spoke again, "the healer was looking at Joe's aura and just realized that he is not showing his true animal form."

The ancient named Niva looked at Hermes, "What do you mean by that? Every were turns into their one animal form, there are no multiple forms."

Hermes simple that this was what he was asked to tell them and if they had any questions, to go to the healers for more of an explanation.

When the group arrived at the building the healers used as an office and lab, it was Niva who spoke first to them, "What was Hermes babbling about in regards to Joe?"

Pharos, the elder of the healers answered, "What Hermes was trying to say is that when we look at his aura, along with Michele's they show more power than any of us have ever seen, including what I know of Ajax an Iona."

"And what does that mean exactly?" Asked Diana, who had just arrived.

Pharos continued, "It means that the both of them are stronger than any one were, elemental or vampire."

Joseph spoke, "But what exactly does that mean? Are Michele or I Alphas or something entirely different?" This seemed to stun the assembled group. Those who had experienced Joe's power in the fights with Atlas earlier and against those who had sparred with him before, clearly were wondering why he did not understand his and Michele's obvious power.

This time Fen answered, "I truly do not know, but it seems that the two of you can or will be what you wish for, good or bad, and I know of no one who could match you two in power."

"Where is Hermes, I need him to do something for me," was Joes answer to the statement. "I want him to contact Roux and tell him that his youngest daughter is here and that I wish to bring her to him."

Fen asked, "Is that wise?"

"Joe answered, yes, I think it is and I want to add one thing to the message."

"And that is?" Fen inquired.

Joe continued, "That I wish him to make sure every alpha, lord and master of the realms is at the mating moon ceremony as I am going to tell them of Leon's treachery and violations of the law," Joe said. "Then, I am going to kill him and any that stand with him!"

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Roux's compound

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"My alpha, there is a messenger from the ancients here to see you," said one of his guards.

Roux looked up from the paperwork he was reading and asked, "Did he say what it is about?"

His man continued, "Yes, it's about Leon and your youngest daughter. The odd thing is, he said it's not Ashlynn that he speaks of and the message is from Joseph, Leon's beast."

Roux's eyes grew large as he heard this, "Send him in immediately then."

Hermes soon entered the office, not looking quite happy about his mission. He quickly relayed Joe's message and as he was finishing, Ashlynn walked into the room and heard it. Before Roux could even give Hermes a message to take back, she spoke and said she wished for Hermes to take her to see her sister.

Both men started to tell her that she could not go when she suddenly went stiff and spoke, "He is near , is he not?" Shouts started to come from outside the office and Roux felt raw alpha power start to wash over him, not knowing who or what was throwing off such power he shifted into his hybrid form and stood up to go to see what was causing it.

Before he could even exit the room, two of his largest warriors came flying through the wall, shattering tables as they landed and right behind them was the biggest Hybrid he had ever seen. To his shock and amazement, Ash went right up to it.

It was Hermes who put a humorous twist on the whole thing with a simple statement, "Impatient are we Joe? I thought you were going to wait in the forest?"

The massive creature shifted into its human form and spoke, "Patience is not my strong suit, but my beast makes me look like the paragon of restraint and he sensed Ash and wanted to claim her immediately."

Hermes laughed and Roux looked perplexed, he knew that over 50 of his best warriors must have been in the compound, yet it seemed that they had been nothing but a simple nuisance to Joe, which both pleased and worried him.

Ash walked up Joe and he lifted her in his arms and engulfed her in a bear hug. Joe spoke, "Hermes, I know I just wanted to pass a message, but Shele convinced me to bring her immediately to meet her family and I could not argue with her and my beast's desire. So, go to where Atlas is and bring her, as she's probably is driving him nuts by now," laughed Joe.

Hermes did his usual blink out of view and popped back moments later with Shele and Electra, whose presence shocked Roux and made Joe laugh even more, "What did you do? Wait for Atlas to leave and then follow." Electra gave a smirk, "No shit. Obvious is it not?"

Joe turned Ash around in his arms, speaking as he did so, "Shele meet your twin Ash, who is also my mate." The two girls stared at one another. Except for Ash being taller, they were mirror images.

It was Electra who spoke first, "The height difference will disappear after Shele's first change."

"And tomorrow, after Shele's first change, I am going to mark Ash as mine just as a little surprise for everyone at the ceremony. Until the ceremony we all must disappear because Leon has spies in your den, and I do not want Shele's existence found out until then," Joe said. No one, including Michele, who had just arrived, was about to argue with the assertion.

"Hello," spoke Michele. She watched Joe's eyes grow large as he recognized her, "Long time no see, and I guess that I was right and wrong, about your being my mate, but I guess I was just a little early in my assessment. Having you as a son-in-law is going to be interesting."

Joe just stared, seeing Michele alive, but he quickly got his bearings back, "Michele, it is a surprise to see you, and yes being your son-in-law is going to be interesting but being your daughter's champion is going to be even more interesting and my killing Leon for what he did will be the thing to look forward to most."

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The next day, somewhere in the wilds near Ghost's camp

"Ok, Shele," spoke Ash, "Just look inside your mind and call for your wolf."

Shele looked at her, "What do you think I have been doing for the last few minutes, I'm just not getting an answer," she said, clearly frustrated.