Rated M

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing about this story...the writing is all L.L. Raand's and the Characters are all from various television shows (South of Nowhere, The O.C., Orange is the New Black, Lost Girl, The Fosters, and The L Word) Credit goes completely to all listed above.


Bo vaulted into the Rover along with Kenzi and Vex. Everyone grabbed pants from the pile on the floor. Aiden climbed in front, Bo pulled the doors closed, and Dyson gunned the motor, rocketing them away. The warehouse erupted into flames that licked at the undersurface of the low-hanging clouds. The sound of approaching sirens cut through the roar of the fire.

Still naked, Bo knelt on the floor and tugged her cell phone free from the waistband of her black cargoes. Instead of pulling on her pants, she opened her phone.

"Who are you calling?" Ashley asked.

"Chelsea, to let her know you're injured," Bo said.

"No," Ashley said. "I don't need a medic."

Bo, her eyes still a dark hazel, growled low in her chest and gripped Ashley's shoulder. "Alpha, you've barely recovered from the wounds you suffered yesterday, and now the claw marks are not healing as quickly as they—"

"Enough!" Spencer said before Ashley could answer. A red haze of fury narrowed her vision until all she saw was Bo's throat. Another female had put hands on her mate. She grabbed Bo's wrist and yanked her away from Ashley. Shoving Bo back across the space between the two benches, she loomed over her. "You forget yourself, Imperator."

Spencer's claws emerged along with her wrath and dug into Bo's bare shoulder. Thin rivulets of blood ran over Bo's collarbone and onto her naked breasts. Bo's claws and canines shot out, and she snarled, the bones in her face sliding as she started to shift. The air grew pungent with the scent of sex and rage.

Spencer didn't think, she didn't wonder at her own actions. Instinct drove her, a primal need to establish order and protect her mate. She gripped Bo's neck and threw her onto the floor of the moving vehicle. Crouching over Bo's nude body on all fours, she scraped her canines over the bounding pulse in Bo's throat. "Do not question the Alpha's judgment. And don't touch her. She's mine."

Bo thrashed, struggling against Spencer's hold. Her eyes rolled, saliva gleaming on her bared canines. Spencer bit Bo's throat, and scarlet ribbons welled from the punctures. Straddling Bo's thighs, she forced her pelvis into Bo's, crushing Bo's sex under hers. Bo arched and whined. Spencer bit deeper. Shuddering, Bo turned her head away, submitting.

Spencer kept her canines buried in Bo's neck and ground her pelvis into Bo's until Bo's breathing slowly eased and she lay docile. Spencer growled low in her chest. The order in the Pack has changed. I am Ashley's mate. I am Prima now.

She was second only to Ashley in rank and dominance now, and she would prove she deserved that place if she had to fight every dominant Were in the Pack. She would never give up her right to stand by Ashley's side, not while she still breathed.

When Bo was completely subdued, Spencer eased her canines free and pushed up on her hands to allow Bo a breath. Slowly, Bo licked Spencer's neck.

Spencer whispered, "If the Alpha needs care, I will give it to her."

"Yes, Prima." Bo whined and licked her again. Spencer rumbled comfortingly. She'd had to discipline Bo, swiftly and clearly, for challenging Ashley. Now she had, and the Pack bond had to be reestablished. She nuzzled Bo's neck and traced the bite marks she had made with her tongue. "I trust you to guard her in my absence."

"With my life, Prima." Bo's back arched, and her clitoris lengthened and pulsed against Spencer's leg.

Spencer rolled off before Bo released in a show of sexual submission. Bo had already submitted in every other way, and any further surrender would humble her unnecessarily. Bo loved Ashley, and Ashley loved her. Spencer was not threatened by their affection, and she needed Bo to protect Ashley. She yanked on a pair of jeans, but her sex was too swollen to close them. Ashley had pulled on jeans, too, but left them open. She leaned with her head back and her eyes closed, her posture approving all Spencer had done.

"Are you all right?" Spencer covered the gouge in Ashley's side with her hand, hiding from the others the blood that seeped between her fingers. If they had been alone, she would have drawn Ashley into her arms, but she could not do that in front of the others.

"Just tired," Ashley murmured. "I'll be all right."

"We're almost to Pack land," Spencer said.

Ashley smiled, the stark planes of her face softening. "Home."

Spencer kissed her, wanting to mark her as hers. First Ashley's fight had unleashed every protective and aggressive instinct she had, and now her tussle with Bo had excited her even further. Her clitoris was tense and swollen, her sex glands full and ready to burst. Ashley sensed her need and arched on the seat, her nipples hardening, her onyx pelt line thickening on her lower abdomen. Spencer traced the soft strip of pelt between the hard columns of muscle with her fingertips. She didn't care they were not alone. Weres frequently coupled within sight of others. Displays of sexual dominance and claiming were as normal as hunting together or the young sleeping in a tangled pile of Packmates.

"Wait, Prima," Ashley whispered, her words strangled. "I am close to losing control."

"Good." Spencer licked the purplish mark on Ashley's chest, her mark, and Ashley jerked. She needed to taste her. The need was so strong she whined softly and pressed a hand between Ashley's legs. She rubbed her cheek over the bite on Ashley's breast. "I want you."

Ashley turned her head toward Dyson at the wheel of the Rover. Adrenaline and endorphins were driving her wolf to ascend, and she was close to shifting. She battled down her wolf, but Spencer's call was so strong her sex glands tightened painfully, the way they did right before she released. She needed to be inside Spencer, needed to empty into her. "Head to my quarters. Hurry."

Dyson slammed the Rover to a halt in front of Ashley's secluded log cabin, and Ashley, one arm around Spencer's waist, shoved open the rear double doors. "Convene the war council. We'll be there soon."

She dragged Spencer from the Rover onto the wide front porch and down into the shadows. She ripped Spencer's jeans open and shredded the material loose. Spencer tore open Ashley's jeans, and before she could throw them aside, Ashley thrust between her legs. Ashley notched her swollen clitoris into the wet channel of Spencer's sex.

"I'm ready to come already," Ashley groaned.

Spencer's claws dug into Ashley's shoulders, and her eyes gleamed with shards of gold.

"Come in me, come in me," Spencer gasped, her legs clamped around Ashley's hips, her mouth on Ashley's chest.

"Bite." Ashley needed her mate's bite to trigger total release. Neurotransmitters and sex kinins boiled in the glands buried deep at the base of her clitoris. She threw her head back, canines erupting. "I need to come in you now. Please." Her vision fragmented, and the world shifted to sharp planes of gray. Her wolf was winning. "Spencer! Bite me!"

Ashley's anguish drove every thought from Spencer's mind except giving Ashley what only she could give her. Snarling, she bit her mark on Ashley's chest, releasing the hormones that would make Ashley empty. Ashley swelled at Spencer's opening, and the pressure pushed Spencer to release. Canines still buried in her lover's flesh, she arched her neck, exposing the vulnerable vessels. Ashley roared, her hips pumping, and bit into the curve of Spencer's neck.

With Ashley's essence filling her, Spencer orgasmed instantly. Her stomach convulsed, and she poured her release over Ashley's sex. She'd never come so hard for so long. The relentless contractions continued even after Ashley collapsed against her. Shivering, trembling, she stroked Ashley's damp back and kissed her neck, her jaw, her mouth. "Ashley? Love? Are you all right?"

Ashley panted, her chest heaving. Her hips twitched, and her clitoris, still swollen erect, rolled against Spencer's, sending Spencer into another spiral of climaxes.

"I love you," Ashley said.

Spencer's heart seized. She could no longer imagine an existence without Ashley. She couldn't imagine taking a breath without her, and war was coming. Ashley would be at the heart of the battle. Tears welled in her eyes, and she fought to contain them. She would not burden Ashley with her fears. Ashley was Alpha and would die before forsaking her destiny or her duty.

"I love you." Spencer wrapped her arms around Ashley.

"I need you." "I need you," Ashley whispered. An admission that no one but Spencer would ever hear.

Spencer cradled Ashley's face against her neck. "You don't believe the rogue you killed was the only one behind the attempt on your life, do you?"

"No." Ashley eased onto her side and stroked Spencer's abdomen. "He had his own agenda, but he was following someone else's orders. Someone with a larger plan. I suspect we'll know what that is soon enough."

"You can't fight again until all the silver is purged from your system. You need to shift."

"Soon. After we convene the war council. Don't worry, mate."

"Asking me not to breathe would be simpler," Spencer said.

"If I could spare you what's coming—"

"No." Spencer feathered her fingers through Ashley's hair. "We fight together."

Ashley nodded and relaxed in her embrace. Spencer didn't fear death. She only feared losing Ashley, and she would never let that happen. Never.


At three in the morning, traffic on the highway was light, and Lena piloted her Impala north from Sacramento at eighty miles an hour. If she got stopped by one of the ubiquitous state troopers, she'd play her investigative reporter card and tell them she was on the trail of a hot story. She wouldn't be lying either. Of course, she had no idea what the story really was, but she was damn well going to find out.

She exited the highway and drove slowly down a one-lane road into the King High forest, searching for signs of the boundaries of the 700,000-acre wolf Were territory. Flipping on her high beams, she peered right and left as the road progressively narrowed, changing from pavement to gravel and, finally, to dirt. A deer bolted from the forest into her path, standing with spindly legs spread, its liquid eyes more curious than frightened. She slowed even further. If she killed a deer tonight, she would totally lose it. She'd spent too much time on her knees in Ashley's and Alex's blood to tolerate one more ounce of pain and suffering. Just when she was about to give up, headlights blasted into her rearview mirror and nearly blinded her. She slammed on her brakes, her breath rushing from her chest. Okay. She was alone in the middle of God knew where, and she hadn't the slightest idea how to shoot a gun. If she'd had a gun. She did have pepper spray, and she scrambled in her bag for it.

A rap on the window sent an icy hand squeezing around her heart. Her fingers closed around the canister, and she palmed it as she turned and squinted into blackness. A light shone into her face and she blinked furiously.

"Please identify yourself," a female voice demanded in the brusque tone used by every cop Lena had ever met when they wanted to be intimidating.

"You first," she yelled through the closed window.

"You're encroaching on Pack land."

"Says who?" Lena called. "I didn't see any signs."

"You drove past one a mile and a half ago."

"You ought to make them bigger, then, because I was looking for it. Who are you?"

The light flickered out of Lena's eyes and briefly illuminated the face of a gorgeous redhead with green, green eyes. Lena recognized the sculpted cheekbones and carved jaw of every single Were, male or female, she'd ever seen. Did they all have to be so beautiful? The light was back in her eyes.

"I am Lieutenant Tamsin Skarsten. May I see your ID, please."

"You first."

Lena thought she heard laughter, although the low resonant rumble could've been a growl. Goose bumps broke out on her skin, but her fingers relaxed a degree on the pepper spray in her hand. Something slapped against her window, and she flicked on the overhead lights. A laminated ID. The same gorgeous face. Rank and name underneath. Tamsin Skarsten, Lieutenant. Taking a deep breath, Lena slammed her press ID against the glass next to Tamsin's with her photo facing out.

"Lena Adams," she said. "I want to see the wolf Alpha."

Tamsin laughed. "The Alpha does not see visitors on demand, particularly in the middle of the night. Her office number is listed in the telephone directory. Call for an appointment."

Lena rolled her window down. "Wait. What about Detective Stef Foster. Is she here?"

The Were's lip curled at one corner. Lena's goose bumps grew goose bumps.

"I'm sorry I can't help you. Please turn around and exit Pack land."

"I know what happened to your Alpha last night. If you don't want a story in the newspaper about someone shooting her, then I suggest you take me to see her."

Tamsin snarled and thrust her face into the window, and the gorgeous Were wasn't gorgeous anymore. She was fucking terrifying. Lena choked back a scream and instantly flushed at her reaction. God damn it. She'd seen Weres shift before. Just not right in her face. The gleaming canines and shimmering gold eyes and the warning growl chilled her to the bone, but she had a job to do too. One that mattered a hell of a lot. And she'd had plenty of practice standing up for herself. Straightening sharply, she glared at the Were and snapped, "Don't threaten me. I'm on your side. Now back off."

The Were lieutenant made a visible effort to stop her shift, if that's what she was doing. The muscles in her face tightened, her elongated jaw tensed, and as her throat rippled, her snarls quieted. She actually ducked her head. What the fuck was that all about?

"My apologies, Ms. Adams," the lieutenant said, her gaze sliding just to the left of Lena's ear. "If you'll wait here, I'll call the Compound."

"Thank you." Still shaking inside, Lena slipped the pepper spray canister back into her bag and quickly checked to be sure she had her essential tools. Digital recorder. Digital camera. Cell phone. Good old pad and pencil. Pepper spray. Backup pepper spray. Breath mints, wet wipes, and a protein bar. She closed her purse and gripped it in her lap. She was ready.

She had to tell herself that because she had no idea what to expect if and when she breached the Were Compound. Reporters never got through the gates. Hell, reporters rarely had an opportunity to interview Councilor Davies in her offices in Sacramento. They sure as hell did not demand an audience with her in the heart of Pack territory. She figured her chances of getting inside were zero to minus a hundred, but she was going to sit here in her car until someone talked to her.

"If you'll come with me."

Lena jumped. Damn it! She needed to stop reacting like she was afraid of the Weres. But they walked so damn softly, although nothing like the way Stef glided invisibly from one place to the other, too quickly for the eye to follow. The Weres prowled, swift and lethal, like the animals some people felt they were. They weren't animals. They weren't humans who sometimes became animals either. They were what they were. They were Weres, with a fascinating combination of humanoid and animal traits. She wasn't yet sure how to characterize the Vampires, and she couldn't seem to stop thinking about that. About who and what Stef was. About who and what Stef needed.

"Why should I get out?" Lena asked.

"I'll drive you to the Compound."

"Thank you," Lena said in her coolest, calmest voice. She gripped the door handle and pulled it up with determination. As she stepped out, she said, "I could drive and follow you—"

"In my vehicle, please," Lieutenant Skarsten said, and from her tone, the conversation was over.

The Were quickly disappeared into the darkness, obviously thinking Lena could see as clearly in the dense forest as she could. The narrow dirt road was heavily overgrown, or more likely had been left that way to conceal it, and the little bits of moonlight filtering through the trees gave her barely enough illumination to stay on the cleared track. A dark shape loomed ahead and she hesitated. A Humvee, or something like it. Bigger. Like armored-tank big. Jesus. What were they expecting? A war? Lena's throat went dry.

Lieutenant Skarsten suddenly loomed in front of her, switched on a flashlight, and aimed it across the front of the vehicle. Lena trailed her fingertips along the hood for balance as she squeezed between the matte black vehicle and the underbrush. When she reached the passenger door, she hoisted herself into the high seat. No roof. Just a roll bar. Tamsin was already behind the wheel, and Lena had barely gotten the door closed when the vehicle shot forward. She gripped the handhold next to her shoulder and strained to see where they were headed. She couldn't see a damn thing. North. East. West? Not a clue. Hell, they could take her anywhere out here, leave her, and she wouldn't have the slightest chance of finding her way out.

"You're in no danger," Tamsin said in her low, throaty voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I can smell your fear."

Wonderful. Lena twisted on the seat to face the Were behind the wheel. "I'm not afraid of you. I just dislike not knowing where I'm going."

"You don't like not being in control."

"Oh, and you do?"

"I'm a Were."

As if that answered everything. Lena's eyes had adjusted enough for her to see the smile that flickered at the corner of the lieutenant's mouth. She was back to being gorgeous again. Not only gorgeous, but downright incredibly sexy. Lena caught her breath. Maybe Weres had the same ability to attract prey with a sexual thrall that the Vampires did. Oh my God. Was she going to start throwing herself at the Weres the way she wanted to with Stef?

"Are you married?" Lena said. "Mated, I mean?" Slowly, Tamsin Skarsten turned her head and met Lena's eyes for the first time since she'd left her to call the Compound. Little flecks of gold flickered behind the dense curtain of her lashes. "Are you inviting me to tangle?"

Lena played that word through her mind. It wasn't difficult to decipher it. "No, I was making conversation."

A rumble that might've been laughter churned upward from Tamsin's chest. "Weres might think of that as something other than a casual remark."

"I see. Well then, you can just pretend I didn't—"

"I am not mated. Even so, as I said, you are safe."

"Actually, what I am is really embarrassed. I'm quite sorry for—"

"Do you mind when a human male finds you attractive or invites you to…have a personal interaction?"

Lena's face felt warm despite the cool breeze streaming through the open top of the vehicle. "Ah, no. Depending on the circumstances, I might be flattered. Well, not if it was a man. But if it was a woman? Yes, probably. But I wasn't—"

"I'm teasing."

Of course she was. Weres, like all Praetern species, had lived side by side with humans for thousands of years. They'd remained invisible by learning to fit in, by hiding their essential natures. What had she expected? That in their natural habitat the Weres would be less civilized, unable to control their basic urges? "I'm incredibly sorry. I didn't mean to insult you."

"You didn't." Tamsin laughed. "Just for your information, Weres rarely have human partners. Although I'm not mated, my interest is only in other Weres. I hope you're not insulted."

"Not insulted. Absolutely not. Embarrassed? Absolutely. Are we almost there?"

"Nearly. I would have blindfolded you, but the centuri said to extend you the utmost courtesy." Tamsin looked from the road back to Lena, and the gold glowed brighter in her eyes. "Please do not make me regret that."

"I won't," Lena said, hoping she wouldn't discover any reason to change her mind.