The Final Insult Ch 03

Dear Readers,

Things come together and fall apart.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

********

Callum was working with Edmund again. He was almost ready to take over as Beta. Alex had been a real help the past four years but he knew the position was temporary.

However, Eddy was distracted today. Jen had just turned 14 and she was starting to show interest in him. Callum sighed and began to wonder if he would ever have a mate of his own.

His father had been mated by the time he was 17 and he was already 22.

*****

She never stayed away more than overnight. They'd all gotten used to it although they all worried while she was gone. Alana and Callum finally stopped grilling her every time she came back. They were still bothered that she would leave Devon and Bev for a day but she knew they would be cared for and watched until she returned.

She'd gotten the hand pump working and had gotten all the rusty water out of the way, had checked the fireplace, and had gotten firestarting materials and some utensils. She checked the snares and skinned and cleaned the rabbits. She set up the skins to tan them.

Suddenly, she straightened up, with a hand to her belly. Then she sat back down on the floor, with her back to the wall, resting her head back against it. They'd moved. She'd just felt the quickening. It seemed early, but she knew the sensation. She opened her eyes and stared off into space. Unshed tears glistened as she wished fervently that these belonged to Devon and that he was still alive.

*****

It was a couple of days later that Ethan caught up with Owen again. He had had a lot to think about after the initial conversation. The new blood edict initiated. His father dead and Dylan now in charge. Owen had started telling him about a female that ran away from the McKennas, apparently she had something to do with his father's death. Devon McKenna's wife, a human female, brought into their pack and changed. The new blood edict meant bringing in females, changing them, and mating with them to produce offspring. Bringing in new blood. So, if Devon had mated her, she must have been pregnant when she ran.

Owen, where was Owen? He needed him to finish the story and so he could make the connections. He also needed to know what was going on now with the men and the virus, since he had apparently been exposed to it through this woman, his mystery woman.

Who was she? Where was she?

He also now realized how much he missed pack life. But there would be trouble if he tried to come back. He didn't know how well everyone liked having Dylan in charge and he certainly didn't know if he could come back into a subordinate position. The fight for Alpha was a fight to the death. Did he want it? Did he want it that badly?

Owen finally emerged on the edge of the range. "Thanks for coming back, Owen."

"It is good to see you, Ethan. This is a hard time." Ethan looked a bit more closely at him. Owen sighed. "Where was I?"

Ethan closed his eyes. "The McKennas came after their female Alpha."

"Pregnant, of course. Part of the terms of the decree. Well, Ian wanted her in the worst way. He collected a bunch of us and we went back after them. Eight of us against five of them. They were getting close to their range when we caught them. But one of them came back with a truck and they got away from us. Ian was pissed."

"He had us go back, a few days later, to try and get into the compound, and get to them, to her. But they had set up some serious defenses. Roland and Joshua were injured pretty badly. So we backed off. But Ian was obsessed."

"Later, it was reported that she had had a daughter, and died. So that was that."

Ethan looked at Owen. "But, you're telling me this story for a reason. How did he die?"

"She wasn't dead. We were out hunting later that summer when he caught wind of her again and we all went off after her. We caught her outside the compound with her pups. She had three." Ethan's eyes widened. "Anyway, we surrounded her. Levi knocked her down and then Ian was on her. He mounted her, right there in their compound."

Ethan couldn't believe his ears. "That's insane!"

"He was nuts about her, wanted her in the worst way."

"So, that's when..."

"The McKennas came out, and Devon knocked them over. Ian grabbed one of the pups, and took off. Devon went after them."

"He left the pups alive?"

"Nuts. I told you. Anyway, there were four of them, with her, and four of us. And the fighting began. She ended up blinding Liam in one eye, got the pups inside and went after Ian and Devon. The fighting went on a bit longer until a couple more males came out and we were outnumbered."

"So, we lit out for home, chased by the McKennas. We passed them on the way back. Ian was dead, Devon was badly hurt, and she was standing over him with the pup."

"Dylan had a helluva time in the transition but ended up doing OK. He's got his legs under him and has done well by the pack for the last 20 years. Except for lately."

"What's been going on?"

"The men are dying now. We've lost eight in the past couple of years. More before that."

"How?"

"They start having trouble walking, then the joints swell and get painful. Sounds like they just hurt all over. Once it gets into their lungs they go downhill fast. Doesn't take much more than a month."

Ethan closed his eyes. "Because of this, the Alphas have sent some of their females out to pull in human males."

The last piece fell into place. He mumbled to himself. "That's what she was doing."

"So, you heard all you need? Ready to tell me why you came back?"

He took a couple of deep breaths. "Owen, I haven't seen anyone since I left. I got a note, a few weeks back, just two lines. It said it's affecting the men now. And that I'd been exposed."

"If you haven't seen anyone, how do you think you were exposed?"

"There was a woman." Owen nodded, knowingly.

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know yet. I'm gonna hafta think a bit. Thanks, Owen."

"I'd better get back. I'll check a couple more times if you decide to hang around a bit longer or if you decide to do something else."

"OK."

"Hey, Ethan? How is life with the humans?"

"Not the same." Owen turned to leave. "Oh, Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there an Anne in the pack?"

"No." He thought a minute. "Only Anne I know of is Devon's female. He died about three or four years ago. Callum McKenna is Alpha now."

"Thanks again, Owen."

*****

She'd driven most of the mice away and devised containers that they'd have trouble getting into. She could also now close up the building so that the critters couldn't get in and mess things up.

She had a good mess of wood assembled and could use the other old buildings if things got dire. Furniture was set up and some hides and covers readied.

Now she needed lights and some things to keep her occupied. Some books, her journals. She was bringing in fruits and leaving them to dry. Still a bit to do before winter came but she had to get back.

*****

He went back to the copse of trees where he'd been staying outside the range. He had to think. His father was gone, his younger brother in charge. The pack was doing OK but they were losing men to the virus now.

Anne. His mystery woman. The women, at least, some of them, were being sent out to bring in human males. But she hadn't tried to lure anyone away, she just came to the bar every few weeks to, apparently, have sex with men. Her Alpha apparently giving her some latitude.

She had worn no makeup, no perfume. She came to the bar in a skirt and a button down shirt without much of a bra underneath. She'd gone out to have sex in men's vehicles. The pace hadn't been leisurely; there was no drawing out of pleasure. In fact, now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure she got much pleasure from him that night. And she hadn't insisted on a condom. And, after she'd been with him, she hadn't come back.

It hit him like a punch to the gut, and he lost his breath. She was pregnant.

She had come to the bar, having sex, with the express purpose of getting pregnant. The timing was about right. And she hadn't come back so she must have accomplished what she had intended. Pregnant.

There was a werewoman out here who was carrying his child.

*****

Anne was on the table in Medical, as Beth and Alana were checking her condition and the babies. She'd told them she expected twins again.

She didn't seem to care how things were going, didn't want to listen to the heartbeat.

"You might want to gain a little more weight but things seem fine."

She didn't answer and Alana and Beth looked at each other. She seemed far too depressed and they were worried.

Alana took her hand. "Mom?" Anne's eyes went to her. "Have they moved yet?" Anne looked to her daughter, her eyes a little wet, and nodded. Alana patted her hand. "Good. Any problems?" Anne shook her head. "OK, we'll check on things in another month."

Alana cleaned off the couple of instruments as Anne sat up on the table.

Beth climbed up to sit beside her, put an arm around her and took her hand. "Anne, listen to me." Anne nodded. Beth turned her face so she could look her in the eye. "No, really. I want you to actually assimilate what I'm saying."

"OK. What is it?"

"Did he hurt you? Hit you? Force you?"

"No."

"Even if he is Ethan Matlin, they can't all be that bad."

"Have you talked to Alicia? Really talked to her? The men in that pack are mostly brutes, and, even still, with Dylan in charge. Do their women still really choose?"

"Ethan left the pack over twenty years ago. Either Ian forced him out, or he left on his own. That would indicate he wasn't aligned with his father's interests. It's not the babies' fault who their father is. They're McKennas now. Your babies."

Anne slid off the table, Beth still had ahold of her hand. "They aren't Devon's." She let go, and walked away.

*****

The only Anne Owen knew of was Devon McKenna's widow. Their range wasn't too far. He had four days left. He would go and see if he could find her.

*****

Her trips to what she had begun to consider her new home were becoming more frequent. She felt comfortable there. There was little to remind her of the sad times in her life and she had a lot to keep her occupied. It would only get more difficult as her pregnancy progressed. She'd have them in early winter. What would she do then? She wasn't sure yet.

*****

He moved his 'camp', such as it was, closer to the McKenna range and started looking for her. He stationed himself downwind of the entrance, up above on a little ridge. He watched the comings and goings. Luckily, no one came his way. If they'd seen or scented him, they would hunt him down.

There were a number of children outside, running around and playing. They seemed to be doing well. His father had been jealous of the McKenna compound, the size, the defenses. The size of the pack that could be housed there.

Nothing the first day. He was gonna hafta head for home sometime tomorrow.

He came back the next morning to watch again. A few pack members started to emerge as he settled down to watch. Later in the morning he watched as one woman walked around the back. He could just see her as she sat on the ground there. He took a closer look as she came back around. Long brown hair, about the right height, thick around the waist. But he wasn't sure. He couldn't smell her.

It was about lunchtime when they all went inside. He snuck closer.

When they started coming out again and he saw her emerge with two small children. It was her. He could smell her now!

He headed for her, before he could think better of it.

The women yelled and they and the children hurried inside. She turned, stood, and watched as he approached and a couple of the pack's males advanced to meet him.

He dropped into a relatively submissive posture as the two males came out and growled and sniffed at him. The two men shifted and the younger man demanded, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

He shifted to face them and he watched her eyes go wide. "My name is Ethan." He pointed at Anne. "I'm here because of her." Involuntarily, her eyes took in the look of his body in the daylight.

"What do you want with my mother, Matlin?"

"I haven't been with the Matlin pack for years." He looked to Anne, addressed her. "That's mine, isn't it?" She put a hand on her belly and backed away. Without a word, she turned her back on him and walked into the compound.

"You aren't welcome here. Go away, Ethan. And don't come back."

He watched her retreating back, looked at Callum and the other males, beginning to collect behind him. He shifted to wolf and walked away.

His mind raced. He'd found her. She was pregnant. No one had denied that she was bearing his child. Devon McKenna's widow was having his child. What was he going to do?

What could he do? Not much for now.

He left, went back to his job, his other life.

He was distracted; everyone noticed it. Rick asked him what was wrong, if he was OK. Ethan made noncommittal answers.

One day Rick caught him staring at the corner table where she used to sit. "You got it bad, Ethan. Haven't found her, huh?"

"Yea, I did. She went home."

"You talked to her?"

"No. She wouldn't talk to me."

"Ouch." Rich shook his head. "Sorry, bro. Guess you gotta move on. Here. On me."

Ethan took the beer, took a long drink. "Man, I can't."

"Whaddaya gonna do?"

Ethan looks Rick in the eye. "Go back there."

"Thanks, Rick." He stood to leave. "See you later."

Another couple months

He gave notice at the plant; they made furniture. The owner had always liked his work, and told him he'd always have a job if he ever decided to come back. He started selling his stuff and buying supplies. He rented a garage as close to the McKenna range as he could get and began loading it up. Mostly food, canned or dehydrated. A couple of little luxuries, as far as camping was concerned. He set up the back of his Blazer so he could live in it. He'd lived amongst the humans for too long; he wouldn't have included some of those things, years ago. Finally, he bought a small lockbox, pulled all his cash out of his bank accounts, and put all of it, and his important papers (from a human standpoint), into it.

He sat behind the wheel of the truck; everything was ready. He took a deep breath, started the engine, and drove away from the life he'd known for 24 years.

He set up camp a distance away from the McKenna range then began watching the compound. He watched the McKennas come, and go, hunt, and play. He saw her, sometimes with children, sometimes alone, but never where he could get to her.

She was bigger now. He counted back, almost 6 months. How much longer would it be?

While waiting for his chance, he started concentrating on her face. He rarely saw her smile. Whatever was going on with her, she wasn't happy.

He watched her one morning, then left to get something to eat. When he came back, she had disappeared. Their Alpha, and a couple of the women, looked like they were searching for someone briefly, then gave up. She wasn't there that afternoon, or evening, or the next morning. Was she having the baby?

He saw a brown wolf later, slinking in from the northeast. It turned out to be her. Where had she been?

He kept watching the ins and outs of the McKenna pack. He concentrated on being there at lunchtime and, a few days later, saw her take off to the east. He circled, looking for her scent, and followed. He lost her when she went into a small stream. He cast about, searching, but couldn't figure out where she'd gone.

Giving up, he returned to where he'd lost her and settled down to wait. He spent an uncomfortable night, watching for her return. He was about to give up the next day, tired, hungry, when he caught her scent. God, she smelled good.

He headed for her. Leaping out at her, she stumbled, and he got over her, his jaws around her throat. She went rigid, still, considering, then kicked at his belly. She started to struggle. He shifted and grabbed her hind legs. She left a good gash on his forearm as he tried to get ahold of her forelegs.

"Stop. Stop. I just want to talk to you." He had a raging hardon that she felt when she shifted and she struggled more. "Stop!"

She went limp and he loosened his grip. She started to scrabble away and he grabbed her legs and hauled her back, trapping her legs under his calves, holding her wrists with one hand, her throat with the other. The position was awkward, because of her belly. Though she would be stronger now, as a made werewolf, she couldn't match his strength, since he was born one. He wasn't going to let her go until he got the answer to his question.

She glared at him; he looked at her. "It's mine, isn't it?"

No answer, just that look. "Goddammit! Answer me, woman!" He took a firmer grip.

She answered him through clenched teeth. "Yes. And, gods, how I hate them."

"Because of me?" She glared at him. "Why?"

"I never would have let you touch me if I'd known what you are."

He was confused. "A wolf?"

"A Matlin!"

"You don't even know me." He looked at the hate and suspicion in her eyes. "My father hurt you, didn't he?" Looking at her closely, he saw it was true. "I'm not like my father; I left because of him." She wasn't sure, still suspicious. "Look. I didn't hurt you. I didn't force you. I did what you wanted and you got the result you were after."

Now she simply looked at him, annoyed. "Let me go."

"What are you gonna do?"

"None of your business."

He touched her belly; she twisted, trying to avoid it. "This makes it my business." The babies moved under his hand. His attention shifted. "Oh, wow." She closed her eyes and he looked at her again. "You're not mated, are you?"

"The pack will take care of us."

"Then why are you running away?" He surprised her; it was true. She was planning something.

Her chest heaved. "Let. Me. Go." He remained where he is, looking at her. "You can't keep me here forever."

He blinked. It was true. He never thought past finding out if she had his child in her belly. Now what? He sat up and looked her over, cooler air suddenly washing over his erection. Damn, what was this? He wasn't even thinking of sex. Medium brown hair, longer than he remembered, brown eyes. The scar on her left shoulder, probably where she had been bitten for the change. The mating mark on her neck. Her breasts were fuller now, the tips rose colored. He hadn't seen that in the darkness outside the bar. And it smelled like she was aroused.

He suddenly felt the urge to touch her, reached out, and brushed his fingers over her left breast. She gasped, scrabbled away, and stood, chest heaving. Her nipples were now both firm and taut. "Leave me alone." She shifted to wolf and took off.

Damn. Damn. As if she didn't have enough trouble to try working around the others, now this. He knew for certain now. He had come back, looking for her, and had obviously seen her take off. He must have tracked her to the stream.

Now what? What did he want with her? Had he gone back to his pack, and come here to claim her? He hadn't said anything. Wasn't it her choice, now? The next council meeting was in another week. So they didn't know if he was Alpha now. He hadn't acted that way. He'd come alone.

She raced into the compound and went to her room. And, now, of all times. She was in her horny phase and his smell and touch had her going.

She lay back on the bed and ran her palms over her sensitive breasts, teasing her nipples, a little painful now because of the swelling but pleasurable because they were so sensitive.

She felt the throb, down below, as she flicked and pinched them lightly.

Then, one hand reached around her swollen belly, to stroke her swollen lips. She dipped a finger in, spread the slickness to her clitoris, and began to rub. Spreading her knees wide, she worked herself up and over the edge. She squealed, then dropped back, panting.