by Delta James
Greg and Oliver both watched Declan closely.
“So that’s the transition or change Ava’s bite initiated? So Ava is like you?”
“Yes,” said Oliver quietly. “But as you pointed out, the bite was not intended. She would never have deliberately turned you without telling you everything. It’s just that she-wolves when being used hard often bite.” He chuckled low. “Roz routinely chews up my collarbone and rakes my back.”
“That’s why I feel so different? And feel like all of my senses are sharpened and more attuned?”
Greg and Oliver both nodded.
Declan shook his head. “The lone black she-wolf that’s been reported in the area. That would be Ava, I’m guessing?”
“Most likely. Her human coloring is right for her wolf form to be black instead of gray.”
“She must have thought it quite humorous that I was so intent on protecting her from it... from herself.”
“Most likely she never expected the two of you to be together and it’s not normally something we share with outsiders. Greg, why don’t you leave Declan and me to talk alpha to alpha. I think we can both agree, things got a little out of hand earlier but that it won’t happen again.”
Declan grinned at him, beginning to truly like the alpha of the Hamptons. Greg nodded in deference to his alpha and left them alone.
“So you think I’m an alpha as well?”
“Yes, Ava is an alpha female and shifter-born. Rare and highly valued in our society. She would never be able to submit to anything other than an alpha male. I take it from watching her demeanor that she has accepted your dominance over her?”
“I don’t know that accepted is the correct term, but she’s getting used to the idea. Is that why I’ve had this overpowering need from the very beginning to discipline and possess her?”
Oliver nodded. “Yes and now that you’ve turned, you will find you have other things that drive you where she is concerned. You have seen and felt how she responds to you when you growl or make a rumbling noise?”
“Yes. It makes her far more willing to yield to me and frankly puts her libido into overdrive.”
Oliver laughed. “That would be what we refer to as the call of a fated mate. That is not something that is exclusive to alphas, but we do feel it more keenly as do our mates. Your fated mate not only hears your call or howl, but it is deeply felt and spreads throughout her system. As an alpha you also possess the ability to direct a burst of energy in a focused way. It is effective on anyone, but most especially so on one’s fated mate.”
“Okay, so far I’m thinking if it gets me Ava, I’m okay with not being human.”
“That’s good because there is no going back. Now this is where it really gets awkward.”
“As opposed to the part where you tell me I’m no longer human and then strip naked before shifting to a wolf?”
Oliver laughed. “Oh, God, yes. Trust me when I tell you that was nothing.”
Declan laughed as well. “Then this ought to be really good.”
“The pain you’re feeling at the base of your cock? You might want to take a look at it.”
Declan’s look was questioning but Oliver sat back and waited. Declan turned his back and opened his pajamas so he could see what he knew was a very swollen and hard cock. What he wasn’t expecting to see was the large ring-like swelling around the base of it.
He turned back to Oliver. “What the fuck?”
“That, my friend, is a knot.”
“Like wolves get when they breed?”
“Just like. Only in our kind while all males can form a knot in wolf form, only alpha males can form them as humans. The thing is when you are around a breed-able female, most especially your own mate, the damn knot will form unless you learn to suppress it.”
“Is it as painful when you suppress it? Because this thing hurts.”
“No, frustrating but not painful. The only place a well-formed knot isn’t painful is when it is buried inside your woman.”
“Doesn’t that hurt her?”
Oliver smiled and nodded. “Yes, the initial breach is quite painful. The trick is that once you are buried in her you need to lie still regardless of her attempts to dislodge you. Pulling back out at that point could be damaging to both of you. Once her body accepts your cock’s invasion, you will feel her contract and sort of draw you forward and down until the knot is cushioned by her pussy, the knot will swell until you have her completely sealed to you.”
“Do they let you do this often?”
Oliver smiled. “It needs to occur at least monthly on a full moon. But if done correctly and with care, your mate may well wish to be knotted and tied on a far more frequent basis. Once you have her sealed to you, you have a bit of room to move and you can rock within her until you flood her with your seed.”
“And they like this?”
Oliver laughed. “When you start to rock, her eyes will literally roll back in her head and both of you will experience her having multiple climaxes one right behind the other.”
“You talked about a tie. Is that like with wolves?”
“Yes. Until the knot dissipates you are tied to your mate. Some men roll over on their back to take their weight off their mate. Roz, however, prefers to be under me. She says it makes her feel very safe and loved. While knotting your mate is most likely the most intense sexual experience you will ever have, the tie is the most intimate and the most deeply satisfying.”
Declan sat back. “Jesus, this thing hurts. You were afraid I’d breach her with it and hurt her because I didn’t know what to do.”
Oliver nodded. “As alphas we are driven to knot and tie our mates as well as to mark them.”
“Mark them?”
Oliver grinned. “The first time you mate with Ava you will feel a strong need to bite her in the same spot she bit you. Only your bite will be deeper and more painful and will leave a pronounced scar. It’s a warning to any other male that your mate has been claimed and to try to violate that claim could well result in loss of life. That urge to go for my throat?”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
“No need for apologies. But that’s part of being alpha as well. As you are a game warden and I understand have a degree in wildlife biology, some of this is easier for you to understand.”
Declan laughed. “My dissertation was on... wait for it... wolves. So a couple of questions.”
“Shoot.”
“How am I actually going to bite her hard enough to mark her? And I’m surprised at how appealing that sounds. I’m assuming that appeal is not lost on you.”
“Oh, the need and drive to do so will only get worse the longer you wait. You will actually feel your canines elongate so you can mark her. And you want to make sure that when you sink your teeth into her, she is actively climaxing. Forgive me for being so blunt, but you want to be hammering on her with enough power that all she can think about is your cock pounding her pussy or rocking her hard. The other time they are best marked is at the moment when they climax and you begin your release as you have her knotted.”
“But they don’t mind?”
“Some of them aren’t crazy about the idea, but actually they come to see their mark with a sort of reverence and love. Seeing as how Ava already marked you, I wouldn’t give her a whole lot of latitude to complain.”
“And the knotting? I have found that taking Ava from behind is far more conducive to her behaving.”
Oliver nodded and smiled. “You can knot her from behind. Both the rock and the tie are considerably longer. Keep in mind that while she may welcome your knot, it does tend to make them a bit sore.”
“And the compulsion to dominate and spank her when she misbehaves?”
“Oh, plenty of human males have that, but in our society it is an accepted way of life. Alphas lead the pack. You will find that there will be wolves, mostly younger males, who want to come join you. Ioan and I can help with that. I’ll also introduce you to Dylan
Grainger down in Virginia, Jean-Michel Gautier in New Orleans, Griffin Owen who is establishing a pack in the Outer Banks, and Marco DeMedici in Italy. Also, you should know that Ava and Griffin had one night together, in wolf form. Something he deeply regrets. For our kind the taking of a woman as a wolf has less significance than when you are human. I can tell you that once mated, most alpha males lose any and all interest in anyone but their mate.”
“Do our packs form a hierarchy like our four-legged friends?”
“Yes, as alpha your word is law, but it is your responsibility to lead and ensure the safety and viability of your pack. You will need a beta or second in command who is your enforcer of sorts. Generally, they take on the mantle of disciplinarian for any unmated females who decide to misbehave. Last is your omega who is your peacekeeper and who looks to restore harmony in the pack if there has been a disruption. Packs are patriarchal in nature. We men are dominant. Our women are cherished, but submissive to their male counterparts whether they like it or not.”
“It’s funny, but it almost feels like I’ve been preparing for this my entire life. And last, how do you know Bess?”
“Her family has been a part of my pack for close to a century. When wolves, both two- and four-legged were driven out of Maine, her family chose to remain here at this estate. My pack is the closest American pack and has always offered them our protection. With you establishing a pack here, I will turn over her care and safekeeping to you.”
Chapter Sixteen
Oliver stood up and extended his hand once more. Declan took it, saying, “Thanks, Oliver, for talking to me. As Bethan said, a bit awkward but information I needed.”
“You’re more than welcome. I will tell you Ioan, who is technically still Ava’s alpha, feels a strong need to ensure she is safe. He may well want you to jump through some hoops in order to claim her. Both Bethan and I will back your right to claim her as your fated mate.”
“What if she doesn’t want to be claimed?”
Oliver smiled. “She doesn’t. Not because she doesn’t love you or hear your call or know that you’re her fated mate, but because she too is alpha and resists the need to be dominated... even though she will be happiest when she is.”
“Your Rozalyn... is she an alpha?”
“Thank God, no. Just a strong-willed, turned beta with a lot of alpha tendencies.” He laughed. “But that’s why it will be good for you to talk with Dylan, Griffin, and Marco. All three are mated to alphas.”
“So she can refuse me?”
“She can, but it will do her little good if you press the issue. If she decides to be difficult, you can appeal to Ioan. You’ll need to convince him that she’s your fated mate and therefore you have the strongest claim to her. At that point you can force her to run. She’ll shift to wolf form and you literally run her to ground. You can claim and mark her in wolf form if you choose. Or you can allow her to shift back and accept your claim. The other way to coerce her into behaving is to have her alpha and at least one other ranking pack member witness her agreeing.”
“If she’s refusing, how the hell would I coerce her?” asked Declan, fascinated by all the new information and yet comforted in knowing Ava would be his according to the rules she’d grown up with.
Oliver ginned. “You either put her over your knee and spank her until she decides to behave and agree or put her on her back and mount her until she yields. Both are effective, but I think if you have to force your claim, they are less likely to resent being made to run.”
“Did your Rozalyn agree?”
“Good lord, no. She was part of a pack of rogue females that were disbanded over their strenuous objections. Both Dylan and Jean-Michel are mated to members of that former pack. In fact, Gautier has three of them—each mated to a ranked member of his pack. I challenged my mate to run and caught her. I chose to let her shift back to human form and accept my claim. I believe Dylan’s beta Nick made his Bianca accept by spanking her in front of Dylan and the pack’s omega.”
“You and Bethan will back my claim with Ioan?”
“Absolutely. There’s no denying she’s your fated mate. Her response to you when you call to her is easy to see. I wish for your sake I thought she would yield easily, but I don’t think she will. Try not to mark her until you’ve talked to Ioan. Doing so before your claim is acknowledged is a serious breach of protocol and frowned upon.”
“So I’m supposed to suppress this damn thing or worse, not even lay a hand on her?”
Oliver laughed. “No, go ahead and discipline and knot your mate as needed. Just try to avoid marking her until you’ve talked to Ioan. But a word of advice?”
“Anything would help.”
“I’d knot her first and spank her afterwards. The tie will be more comfortable for her if you do so.”
Declan laughed. “You’re a practical wolf, Oliver.”
Oliver joined in his humor. “I’m a wolf with a passionate but naughty mate that he frequently knots. I know of which I speak. But seriously, Declan, this never should have happened the way it did, but now that it has, I’m glad to have you amongst us. There’s trouble coming that some don’t want to see. But we can fill you in on it down the line. For now, see to your mate.”
“Thank you again, Oliver.”
Oliver nodded. “Greg is going to want you to eat. Why don’t I see if Bess will bring you something?”
“Why not send Ava?”
Oliver chuckled. “Because if it’s Ava, food will be the last thing on your mind.”
“I have news for you, I don’t care who you send, it’ll be the last thing on my mind. Right now all I want is Ava either underneath me or on her knees in front of me.”
“Another piece of unsolicited advice? Pay attention to what Bethan told you. If it were me, I’d make sure the first time I knotted her, it was face-to-face.”
Oliver left, leaving Declan with a great deal to consider.
* * *
Bethan entered the kitchen where Roz, Bess, and Ava had taken up residence.
“He’s all right, isn’t he?” asked Ava anxiously.
Bethan petted her arm. “Your mate is fine, little wolf. He’s having a nice little chat with Greg and Oliver about what is to be wolf and what is to be alpha. Bess? That wouldn’t be Irish Breakfast tea that I smell, would it?”
“Why, yes it is, let me get you a cup.”
“Sit down, Bess. I can get it.”
Bethan made a cup and then joined them at the big farmhouse table. She petted Ava’s arm again.
“What’s got you so fretful?” asked Roz. “From what I could see he made the transition really well. My guess is the only thing that still hurts is that knot.”
All four women looked at each other and began to laugh.
“Gods, what I wouldn’t give to hear that conversation,” laughed Bethan.
Ava sobered quickly. “How much trouble am I in?” she asked Bethan.
“Let me count the alpha males you’ve managed to anger with this little stunt. First there’s your own alpha, Ioan, who is angry at you on several levels. He’s backed up by Colum who was making comments about wearing his strap out on your behind when you get home.”
“Then,” said Roz, “there’s Oliver into whose territory you came without so much as a word to him that you were here. He would have expected you to ask for sanctuary or at least his protection but nope, you came up to a relatively uninhabited corner of the U.S. and then proceeded to turn an alpha male game warden without his consent or knowledge of our kind. If it weren’t Declan wanting to make a claim, I fear my mate would be inclined to have Bash, my sister’s mate and our beta, welt your behind and either send you back to Calon Onest or keep you at the estate to find you a mate. He’s pretty damn clear that you need to be mated. Bess?”
“And then there’s Declan, your fated mate, who you have been lying to for weeks. Who you also bit and as Roz pointed out turned without even saying a word to him. Don’t forget he already thinks you
are owed a spanking for lying to him all this time.”
All three women looked at Ava’s morose countenance with the gravest concern until they burst into laughter.
“That’s not funny,” Ava cried.
“Yes, it is,” said Roz. “While all of it is true, I’d avoid the welting by Bash if you can. My sister says he’s a nasty bastard with a belt.”
“Aren’t they all?” queried Bethan.
Bess reached over and patted Ava’s hand. “Don’t you worry. I know Declan. From now on the only wolf’s hand or belt you need concern yourself with is his. But I wouldn’t hold out any hope that he isn’t going to take you to task for this. Not the bite or the turning, but the lying to him. He’s not going to put up with that. You’ll be lucky if you don’t get a taste of soap to go with your spanking.”
Ava grinned at them. “Tell me again why I wanted him to wake up as an alpha wolf?”
Roz, Bethan, and Bess looked at each other and said in unison, “The knot.”
All four women were still laughing when Greg poked his head in.
“Oliver is on his way down. We need to get some food and liquids into Declan.”
Oliver joined them and said to Bess, “I’d prefer it if you take it up to him. He’s not inclined to be overly tolerant about other males right at the moment.”
Ava stood. “I’ll take him a tray.”
“You,” Oliver barked, “will be explaining yourself to me...”
Ava growled, cutting him off. “You have no dominion over me, Halsey.”
“Uh, Ava?” said Roz sweetly. “You might want to tread lightly. While I love him to death, my mate is still alpha and for all you know has been given a green light both by Ioan and Declan to stand in for either of them and put you over his knee. Trust me when I tell you, not something you will enjoy.”
Roz then stood and leaned on the table to get closer to Ava. “And you growl at my mate again, alpha or not, I’ll teach you a lesson about threatening the mate to the beta of Bae Diogel.”
