The Circle

Author's Note:

Hi all, just a fair warning - this is a LONG one. Grab your popcorn, snuggle your doggo and enjoy! - TC

Gavin

The forest floor felt soft beneath my feet - like it had rained in the days before, and each step was just as quiet as the last as I bounded through the trees. This was different from the treescape I usually ran through. The foliage types weren't the same. The dirt was a different color. The smell was even peculiar, heightening my senses as I scanned from left to right, taking giant leaps over piles of white rocks.

It all felt familiar, and yet, just as new. It wasn't the trees surrounding Fort Worth, that was for sure.

I heard leaves rustle several hundred yards ahead and froze. I could see my breath ahead of my elongated nose, coming out in white puffs in the winder air. The hair on my back hackled as I stepped slowly forward, moving towards the noise.

There it was again. Except this time, as I stepped closer, I could also hear water. Intrigued, I kept moving, until, in the distance, I spotted what looked like the start of a small stream, winding its way downhill.

The rustle of leaves sounded again, and my head snapped in the direction of the noise. Also edging up to the water was a wolf. Golden furred and graceful, she stepped towards the stream, glancing around cautiously. Before she could reach the water, there was a muffled sound of bones cracking into place, and the wolf in front of me became a woman.

From behind, I could see her beautiful, long blonde hair trailing down her back between her shoulder blades. Her steps were slow and measured as her long legs took her a few feet into the water. I could make out the edge of her supple breasts before her. I felt my body immediately react to her nakedness - strange, since nudity was something so natural and common for us - but it was a positive stirring that made my fur hackle again, in a different way. She pressed further into the stream, until she was chest-high, wading in the gently flowing tide.

In two bounds, I was jumping into the water, front paws first, and I heard her squeal as the water splashed her. I shifted under the water, muffling the noises of my body changing. I knew I had jumped in for several reasons - primarily to get close to her as quickly as possible, but also to hide the erection I knew was forming now that I was in human form.

When I came up for air, laughing, I was able to see who it was in the water in front of me.

Fiona.

Fiona stood, her heaving chest just barely covered by the water, staring at me with a glint of humor in her eyes. She grinned, but before I could say anything, she jumped at me, her arms wrapping around my neck and her legs around my waist. Her long hair flailed, falling over her shoulders.

I expected my body to freeze. To be unsure of what was happening. But instead, I eased into it, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her breasts pressed against my chest, her sex just barely sitting on my erection, I twitched underneath her as my arms wrapped around her instinctually.

And her lips were on mine. Hungry and -

The vibration under my pillow startled me awake, my eyes opening quickly, trying to get my bearings, before realizing where I was.

I groaned out loud.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ.

I wasn't sure whether I was more frustrated about the fact that I'd been in Austin 24 hours, and already I was having wet dreams about someone - much less the someone in charge of the whole damn pack - or the fact that the dream had been cut short.

I looked down at the cheap, itchy comforter covering my body. Pitched tent was in full view. I groaned again, and closed my eyes, silently willing myself to go back to sleep as the phone continued to vibrate beneath my pillow. I had intended to go get my car sorted first thing this morning, but the liquor I'd had delivered with my dinner had other plans. My head pounded in a familiar, frustrating way.

Finally, I reached to grab my phone, and opened my eyes, staring at the screen, dismissing the alarm.

George Lightwell

I'll look into it.

That was all he was going to say? After going outside the office with Fiona to find my tires spiked, I'd point-blank asked him if he sent cronies down to follow me, and he couldn't even give me a straight answer.

Coming to Austin hadn't been my idea in the first place. No, it was a punishment. The culmination of years of bad blood between myself and George, that had ended in a spectacular blowout even our mother and sister couldn't remedy. So, with no warning, I was told to pack my bags and get the fuck out. Out of the community I'd called home for more than 30 years. Out of the territory the Lightwells had ruled for generations. Out of DFW for good.

It's not like it wasn't somewhat my fault. Under the haze of the full moon, I'd let my hormones take over and when your Alpha - and brother - walk in on you in a compromising situation with his wife and mate of nearly ten years, he's going to be pissed. Understandably pissed. I just didn't think it would lead to this.

George had put himself in compromising situations, don't get me wrong. Some of them, I'd bailed him out of, or at least helped him fix before they brought the pack down with him. Despite not being his Beta, or even in his pack leadership, I somehow always managed to do his dirty work.

Lazily, I clicked on the next unread message.

Fiona Parker

Be here at 11, address to follow. Bring DL and whatever other form of ID the office had you bring. Not picky.

I couldn't help the shit-eating grin at the text. If she'd typed it, that meant she'd had to stare at the name I'd put in her phone. The idea of her rolling her big, golden eyes-

Stop. Holy shit,

I thought to myself.

Pull. Yourself. Together. Your dick is what got us into this mess in the first place.

Like a bad TV sitcom voiceover, my subconscious clearly wasn't on my side. And it was right. I needed to get my shit together.

Shaking my head, I threw my feet out of bed, bounding to the shower in a few quick steps and waiting for the water to heat up. I could see the window was condensating on the inside, meaning it was still frigid outdoors.

Stepping into the steaming shower, my erection still sprung up, and as I let the hot water cascade around my head and down my shoulders, my hand immediately traveled down to help myself find release.

The first thing to pop into my head was Fiona. I growled quietly to myself. Getting involved with an Alpha was the last thing I needed. But from the moment she'd walked into that conference room the day before, I knew exactly who she was. I would have, even if we hadn't been introduced. The way her Alpha aura rolled off of her, oozing grace and confidence. A woman with power.

The way George talked about her, she may as well have been a dungeon troll. I didn't hear it often, but whenever someone mentioned anything the Austin pack - the Circle, rather - was going, it was like it was a personal offense to him. He would rant about how Fiona needed to get off her high horse, or be knocked off of it by a man. He was never a fan of women in charge. In some ways, it gave me a lot of satisfaction, and I was even a little excited to meet the woman who made a name for herself in a world full of men when I'd seen her on the firm's website before applying. The real thing had been that much better.

She was tall, but even in those sky-high heels of hers, I could still have towered over her if I was close enough. The way that pink blazer she'd worn hugged the slight muscles in her arms; the frame of her full breasts had been covered in her high-collared shirt, but I could still appreciate from profile.

Letting my eyes drop down, I realized my hand hadn't stopped moving the entire time I'd been thinking. And while, somewhere in the far, far back, my brain screamed for me to pick something - someone - else to fantasize about, anyone but her, my body was fucking ecstatic to think about all the things I could do to that woman. The teasing pace at which I'd slip her out of those fitted dress pants. The way her lips would swell when I kissed her eagerly. The smell of her arousal as I made her howl in pleasure.

The things I couldn't do.

The Uber from the hotel to what I assumed was the pack house was longer than I'd expected. Maybe because I was used to the normal pace of DFW on a Saturday, maybe because time had flown when we'd been in the car the day before, just the two of us. But when the driver pulled up to the house, I triple-checked the address to be sure. It was a modern, split-level home, tucked into a suburban neighborhood between equally unique facades. Her house was painted a deep gray, with dark wood paneling above the garage and a door painted bright blue. The garage and front door were street level, but on each side hills rose up to meet the floor above, which was wider. The third story was more narrow, but large windows made the whole thing look more spacious than it actually was.

Pack houses were usually big, gaudy things tucked into sprawling estates. Or at least, the ones I'd experienced were. Mostly because they were expected to host pack gatherings, and Alpha families tended to be big. I'd been told by several members of my family that it was because they wanted to ensure the heir and the spare concept royal families always did. I had always suspected it was more of a problem with haughty Alphas being unable to control their super-heightened hormones. Maybe that wasn't a problem for female Alphas - or maybe, they were just better at controlling them.

Thanking the driver, I got out of the car and walked up to the front porch, a manila envelope in hand with my necessary documents. I took a deep breath to steel myself before pushing the smart doorbell. It sounded, and all was silent for a minute before a voice came over the intercom.

"Good morning, Mr. Lightwell," came Carter's clipped voice. I leaned towards the doorbell, and then backwards, realizing I was probably getting too close for comfort to the camera. "The front door is unlocked, you're welcome in." Slowly, I reached out for the front door and pushed through. Immediately, the warmth of the house hit me, a stark contrast to the cold of the outside. I relaxed at the heat, pulling my coat off and hanging it on the rack to my right. Shoes were neatly collected under a bench, so I slipped mine off too, and then cursed myself. I'd worn my pug socks. Fucking damnit.

"Up here," I heard Fiona call from upstairs, and I sucked a breath in at her voice.

Get yourself together, Lightwell.

With a glance back at the front door, my last chance to escape, I shook my head and slowly made my way up the floating stairs directly in front of the door. Through the wide-set panels that made up the stair wall, I could see the source of the heat radiating through the rest of the house. A double sided fireplace separated a large living room and open kitchen from a section of the space. At the top of the stairs, I noticed a white laundry basket piled high. At the top were several lacy bras, and pairs of matching underwear. I smirked to myself. Twice in two days.

A large, dark dog watched me come up the stairs from her perch on a gray leather couch, their head raised but never barking or growling. From around one side of the wall, Carter popped his head out, smiling and beckoning me over.

"We're back here," he said, and I continued to look over the space as I made my way over. Behind the living room were tall windows that looked out into a backyard I hadn't expected - it bordered a clearing behind the property, so it appeared incredibly large. A sunken pool was off to one side, and in the distance, a semi-circular stage stood in a corner.

This was a yard for parties, completely hidden by the unsuspecting home and neighboring properties.

"I think I can make it work with classes," a voice said from around the wall. "Amber's honeymoon is that week before, so I think I'll be ok to be gone for a few days."

As I rounded the corner, I felt something wet on my hand, and looked down to see the dog from the couch, who had moved silently across the room, nudging me with her nose.

"Sophia!" Fiona called, and I looked to where the voice was coming from. She sat at the end of the table, her long legs curled underneath her, glaring at the dog next to me. "I'm sorry, she knows better than that." She observed us, her eyes rolling over my body, until they landed on my feet. The smallest smirk came to the corner of her lips.

"It's fine," I responded, flushing, and crouched down to get eye level with Sophia, giving her scratches behind both ears before looking around at the table full of people in front of me. It's an eclectic group for sure - a couple near Fiona each held a sleeping baby in their arms. One couple was wearing blue scrubs, the circles under their eyes as dark as the couple with the babies, as they cling to the coffee in their hands for what looks like dear life. On the other side of the table was a muscled, clean shaven guy in a workout tank and basketball shorts, a blender bottle in his hand. A tiny redhead, wearing only a sports bra, leggings and a cropped jacket, stretched in her seat next to him. Carter sat closest to Fiona, a tablet in front of him. The other end of the table, with seating for 10, sat open.

"Well, welcome," Fiona said, gesturing to the empty seat next to Carter. I raised an eyebrow at her, clearly asking if she was sure she wanted me to join, and she laughed lightly. "It's fine, Lightwell, we're almost done."

I nearly corrected her, but something about the way she just called me by my last name only made me stir. I sank into the seat next to Carter, realizing that I was incredibly overdressed for what was clearly a casual meeting. Even Fiona was dressed down, in a pair of tight leggings and an oversized tee shirt from what looked like a festival that took place in Italy, based on the writing. Her hair fell around her shoulders, less tamed than the day before, and she held an oversized coffee cup in her hand, the contents steaming into her face. Wordlessly, she pointed to the carafe and cups in the center of the table, and I helped myself to some.

"This is my inner Circle, or council, I guess you'd call them," she explained, gesturing to the table full of people around me. "Margot is my Beta, and this is her partner, George." The couple in scrubs nodded their heads at me. "Beth, my Sigma, her husband Jeremy, and their twins, Isaiah and Iris," she pointed to the clearly new parents, who smiled, and then to the woman at the other end of the table from her, who leaned forward, grinning. "And my Delta, Poppy." Poppy reached over the table to me, extending her hand, which I shook. Compared to Fiona's handshake yesterday, Poppy's is practically childlike. Her tiny hand barely took up any space in mine. "Charlie, who helps us with security and training matters," she added, pointing to the walking bro tank next to me, who shook his bottle at me in a small gesture. "And you know Carter."

"Gavin Lightwell. No Gamma?" I asked, leaning back in my chair and taking a sip of coffee, feeling a little more comfortable after having been introduced to everyone. Fiona gave a knowing smile to Carter.

"We're working on it," she said, and there's a glint in her eyes. "We were just finishing talking about our upcoming Equinox conference. We usually all try to go, if possible."

"Well, minus us," added Beth solemnly, and then she gently adjusts the baby in her arm, who is snoozing away.

"I still think you should go, babe," her husband, Jeremy, responded with a gentle touch on her arm. "Your mum and I can hold down the fort. It'll be good for you." Beth gave him a small smile, and internally, my heart gave a little bubble. It's clear they care deeply for each other, just based on the looks they shared. I searched both of their bodies - what I could see, anyways - for a mating mark, but didn't see one on either of them. Jeremy, I noticed, smelled distinctly human. It was unusual, but not unheard of, for us to find companionship with humans. This was particularly true of those in leadership positions.

"I want as many of us as possible," Fiona added, taking a sip of her coffee. "Especially given what we're proposing for Camp Luna." I gave her a puzzled look, and she pressed on. "We're proposing some curriculum be added this year, based on some of the new League Health statistics from the December report," she explained. "Teen pregnancy rates are skyrocketing in certain areas, with poverty levels also on the rise."

I could tell the confusion I was feeling must have been evident on my face, because she pressed on.

"We want to make sex ed part of Camp Luna."

At those words, the coffee I'd just taken a sip of catches in my throat, and I splutter.

Fiona

I mean, that was one way of saying it. Just blurting it out like that.

Smooth move, Fi.

It took me a moment to realize that Gavin was choking on his coffee, and wordlessly, Poppy leaned forward, her hand on his arm. Carter reached in front of him and picked up a napkin, handing it to Gavin, who was clearly trying to recover.

I get it. Sex ed isn't exactly a popular topic, even among our communities, who, overall, tended to lean more sex-positive. But that wasn't enough. Having looked at the prior year's numbers, I had shuddered to see that while the country's overall rates of teen pregnancy were improving, in our communities, especially in the Southern District, they were on the rise. My bet was on the distinct difference in culture in the south. While in Austin, we were much more progressive - I required all of our new shifters to attend several programs before they pledge, including an intensive anatomy lesson that taught them about their bodies - the rest of the south was not as open. Nakedness, sure. But Artemis forbid, we discuss birth control.

"Sex ed?" Gavin finally gasped out, and I couldn't help the smile on my lips.

"You heard her right," Charlie said, smirking. I rolled my eyes.

"For the older kids," I clarified. "It's an important topic to us, right now, our incoming members are going through a training course the people at this table helped create." I gestured to the people around me - my people. "There's a reason our stats look so low compared to the rest of Southern District."

Gavin looked at me appraisingly, and I can tell he's trying to determine whether I was pulling his leg or not. After a moment, he seemed to let it sink in, and he blinked, shaking his head.

"Are you going to talk about consent, too?" he asked, and the question startled me. To buy time, I took a sip of the warm coffee in my hands. That idea hadn't crossed my mind. If we were going to sell sex ed - could we wrap it up with something more?

"Not currently," Margot said thoughtfully, leaning forward on the table and putting her coffee down. "But it's a thought."

"It is," Poppy added. "Maybe we can do little skits or-

"No skits," I'm quick to knock her idea, as much as her little pained expression hurts me. I love the girl, but as the youngest in our group, sometimes it took a little bit of channeling to get her ideas in the right direction. "This has got to be something we can sell a room full of overgrown mean girls. But consent," I continue, "I like." I looked Gavin up and down, finally taking in his appearance. Aside from the dog socks, which had nearly made me cackle, he was far overdressed for our meeting, in chinos and a button up, though his dark hair was messier than it had been the day before. The pants clung to the section of his muscular thighs that I could see from my seat, and his big hands gripped his coffee cup. I wondered to myself what those hands could do.