Disclaimer: None of J.K's characters are mine
Time Together
"So that was Millicent that attacked us?" Hermione asked quietly, not looking at me.
"Yes," I nodded.
"What are you going to do to her?"
"Bulstrode is nothing to worry about," Rasha cut over me as I was about to answer and I slapped her upside the head.
"Annoying little cousins aren't experienced enough to have an opinion," I snapped. "As for Bulstrode, she'll be reported to her Alpha, for whatever good that will do," I scoffed. "She's from a weak Pack; I plan to take it when I am Alpha. Make a legitimate Pack out of it."
"Why hasn't your father taken over it?"
"Because he believes they still have a chance. We are giving them until I take over to better themselves," I flashed my gaze to her to find her staring at me as we walked. "If they don't, it will be my job to take the Pack."
Hermione stared at me for a moment, frowning before speaking again. "What does that entitle? How do you take over a Pack?"
"Kill their Alpha," Rasha said and I 'accidentally' ran her into a tree.
"Sadly, that is it," I sighed. "We're an ancient people, Hermione," I went on, seeing the look of panic in her eyes. "Pack Law is set in stone. Revolutionizing the system is out of the question."
"You can't just, I don't know," she struggled with the words for a moment. "Banish him? Or maybe keep him in a cell or something?"
I looked at her and shook my head. "If only it were that easy, Hermione. The only way to take over a Pack is a fight to the death."
"And what if you lose?" genuine concern flashed through her eyes.
"Then I die," I said. "But, Hermione, I have yet to lose a challenge. I train three times a week to build my strength and strategy."
"You've killed people already?" she looked horrified.
"And what would you do if someone attacked your mother?" I countered her. "They had her cornered in our own territory one night during the full moon. Luna and I were running together and we had to save my mother. Luna sees my mother as her own and I am very protective. We had no other options. That night, three werewolves lost their lives, and one escaped with a torn throat. That was Millicent. So, you see, I owe her one."
Hermione didn't seem to know what to say to that. She just looked at me, eyes concerned and scared at the same time.
As we neared the Lunapar, she finally spoke again. "I suppose I can understand it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it," she said.
"I don't like it, either, Hermione," I sighed. "But it is the way things are done. Here we are," I said, stepping into the clearing in front of a large stone building that might have been mistaken for a mausoleum. There were no doors, just the archway with wolves engraved in the stone.
I took the blind fold off of Rasha and tucked it into my pocket.
"Wow," she sighed in amazement and ran forward.
"Stop," I growled at her and she did as I said, not able to disobey. "You can't go in without at least one alpha in there first." I moved forward, taking Hermione with me and walked through the archway first.
Leading them both down the hall and into the chamber, both Hermione and Rasha let out a surprised sound.
The entire building was made of carved stone, save for the dirt floor. The shelves on the walls held the books of my people's history. Huge tomes, some that were older than even Hogwarts, lined the wall to the right of the two stone thrones at the head of the chamber.
The thrones where, hopefully, one day Hermione would be sitting by my side.
I looked at Hermione and saw her looking longingly at the books. "Go ahead," I smiled. "Just be careful with some of the older ones, they're thousands of years old."
She rushed forward to the shelves and let her hand hover over the spines of the books. "Look at these," she whispered. "They're amazing. Lord knows how many years of history are in these pages."
I moved behind her, my mouth close to her ear. "Nearly thirty thousand," I said. "We made it a point to collect any and all books of our kind. We do not trust other Packs with the information; they may let it leak out into the world."
"And what if I do?"
"I won't allow that, Hermione," I said. "You know the options; no doubt my father told you."
"He did," she nodded. "Be your mate, have my memory erased, or die."
"Yes," I whispered. "I just hope that, maybe, you can someday feel for me the way I feel for you."
"I don't understand that," she said. "How can you love me after only a few months of talking to me?"
"I can't explain it," I swallowed hard. "I want to, but I don't know how. When we meet our mate, we know it. I know this is a lot to take in, and it can't be easy. For that, I'm sorry." I was quiet for a moment, not sure what else to say. After a minute, I reached for one of the newer books and pulled it out of its spot. "Here," I handed it to her and backed away.
Hermione took it in her hands and opened to a page in the back. "It's blank," she frowned. "Why?"
"That is to be my history," I explained. "It fills itself out as my time goes by. It's a newer tradition, but it is still a tradition. My father's is still filling itself out as well. But I thought that I should offer you some of myself rather than keep it all a secret. It'll take a while to read, but we can come here whenever you want. After all," I added, "that is my full life so far."
As Hermione was about to say something, there was a crash behind us and I whirled around, catching sight of Rasha standing next to a shattered stone vase. "This is why young wolves are not allowed," I growled at her. "You just broke great grandmother's vase!"
"I can fix it!" Hermione rushed forward with her wand and repaired the vase as I stood over my younger cousin. "Don't hurt her, Pansy," she said, firmly.
I looked over at her, ready to snap at her but realizing that I couldn't bring myself to do it. Normally, no one ever dared to tell me not to do something, save for my parents. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to yell at Hermione, or threaten her in any way. That said quite a lot about the way she affected me.
"Don't," she repeated.
I looked at Rasha as she cowered under me and back at Hermione. My beast told me to hit Rasha, but my own mind said no.
"Thank you, Hermione," I said, picking up the stone vase and putting it back on the podium. I glanced at my cousin again and saw her staring wide eyed at Hermione.
"You really are meant for her," she said, moving toward Hermione. "She only ever listens to her parents. If you were able to stop her from punishing me… This is amazing." She moved to her knees and bent over, baring her neck to Hermione.
"Um," Hermione looked at me and I smiled at her.
"You've just been acknowledged as dominant," I explained. "Not many humans have that honor."
"Oh," Hermione stared at Rasha. "Uh, why is she still down like that?"
"She'll remain like that until you tell her to get up," I said, moving toward the throne and sitting at the foot of it.
"Um, you can get up," she said, obviously uncomfortable.
Rasha rose and moved over to the bookshelves herself, picking one up and sitting down on the ground to read it.
Hermione made her way over to me and sat at my side, still holding the book in her arms. "I have so much to learn," she said. "And I still have school to finish."
"We'll be going back to school after… well, you know," I said.
"After the ritual or spell?" she looked at my eyes.
"I'd prefer after the mating ritual," I said. "I won't lie to you. The thought of you being dead or not remembering me at all hurts too much to even think about."
"Oh," was all she said. There was an awkward silence before she turned the book over in her hands, opening to the first page and beginning to read.
I sat there and waited. I waited for her to be disgusted at the fact that I had been born a wolf cub and not a baby. She would see the picture of me and run screaming out of the chamber and into the woods. She'd-
"This is you after you were born?" Her voice was quiet and I looked up to Hermione's hand resting under the picture of a small wolf cub trying lying between her mother's paws. My eyes were half open and motions jerky as the enchanted picture looked around, confused.
"Yes," I said, my voice shaking slightly, waiting for the outburst. "It isn't often that one of us is born a wolf."
Hermione studied the picture of me looking up at her, trying to crawl out of my mother's paws. She would just keep picking me up and putting me back in her paws, licking the top of my head.
"It's sort of cute," Hermione said, running her hand over the picture lightly before looking over at me.
The look of surprise must have been evident on my face because she smiled and gave a nervous chuckle. "What?" she raised an eyebrow. "Did you expect me to go running for the hills?"
I had to struggle for a moment before I was actually able to form words. "Yes," I nodded. "I thought you would be disgusted that I was born that way."
"It says you turned into a baby as soon as you fell asleep for the first time," she pointed at the side note under the picture. "I suppose this is sort of weird, but then it's also part of what makes you different from so many others."
I wanted to reach out and kiss her. She understood and she didn't want to run away from me. She accepted that I was born a pup instead of a baby; she didn't just decide to have her memory wiped clean of me. That one small comfort brought tears welling to the surface of my eyes.
"Thank you," I nearly choked on my words. "You don't know what it means to know you aren't disgusted with me."
Hermione continued to read through my childhood, smiling now and then at a picture of me. One of my first steps and others of me frowning or making silly faces at my mother.
It was nice and I never thought she would have reacted so well to it.
Dinner time, dear, my mother's voice slid through my mind. And later I want you to tell me all about it.
Yes, Mother, I smiled, not having realized we had been there so long, and then looked at Hermione again. "We need to get going," I said. "Mum says it's time for dinner. We can come back tomorrow if you want."
"Tomorrow is fine," she said, moving to put the book back on the shelf. "I'd like you to show me around the mansion tonight."
"Sure," I nodded and followed, taking the blindfold and wrapping it around Rasha's eyes. "I can do that."
After lunch, as the plates were being cleared away by the kitchen staff, Mum reached over and touched Hermione's hand lightly.
"Dear, did Pansy tell you about tonight?"
Shit! I cursed myself. I'd forgotten entirely that it was Halloween and that meant that the Pack would be running tonight, even though it wasn't a full moon.
"What about tonight?" she frowned, glancing over at me.
"Well, since it is Halloween, the Pack will be running tonight," Mum explained. "Which means Pansy has to shift as well, because she is present; the question is what do you wish to do? You may accompany us to the Lunapar, and … oh, I don't know," she sighed, holding her head in her free hand. "You must forgive us; we are so used to living exclusively with werewolves, and very few humans.
"We would offer to allow you to stay here, but it would not be safe. If another Pack runs by and catches wind of you… Let us say that it would not be a good idea."
"Pansy mentioned that here are other humans in the Pack," Hermione said. "What do they normally do?"
"Most are animagi," I cut in. "We prefer to run with our mates and not leave them home alone."
"Oh," Hermione gave me a strange look. "Is that how you feel about leaving me here tonight? I know it's not the same thing, but still."
I looked at my mother, and then to my father, who raised an eyebrow and smirked at me. Turning my gaze back to Hermione, I blushed and said, quietly, "more or less, yes that is how I feel."
"Ah," Hermione blushed as well and looked down at her lap. "Well, I could come with you and we could walk together. Would that be ok?"
I looked around to Dad and saw him smile. "I suppose that could work for now," he nodded. "We normally split into pairs, anyway."
Thanks, Dad, I thought at him. What he meant, but did not say, was that mated pairs normally ran together.
I'm not entirely tactless, he gave a chuckled as he stretched his arms. Just keep her safe tonight. You know how some of the boys can be.
I'll rip them apart if they even think about her, I clenched my fists, angry at the very thought of the young males of the Pack. They thought that they could have any girl they wanted, even if they belonged to someone else.
Of course, technically, Hermione didn't belong to me.
Don't get it wrong, though. Mates are not seen as property by werewolves, but we are territorial by nature; no stopping that.
I think they know that, dear, Mum butted in to our conversation. Especially after the last time one of them challenged you for a female.
Damn straight, I let out a laugh, almost like a bark, without meaning to do so and shocked Hermione. "Sorry," I smiled sheepishly.
"Was there conversation I was missing out on?" Hermione raised her eyebrows. I had explained to her that we could communicate telepathically with each other, and she found it fascinating rather than weird.
"Nothing to worry about, dear," Mum smiled, patting Hermione's hand. "Pansy's father was just teasing her."
"I see," she still sounded skeptical but let it drop.
"There is something you need to know, Hermione," Dad said, sitting back in his chair. "Werewolves are not ashamed to be naked in front of complete strangers."
"I've figured that out already," Hermione blushed, glancing at me.
"I'm sure you have," Mum shot a dirty look in my direction.
"I can't help if I don't like pajamas," I shrugged, taking a drink from my water goblet.
"Uh huh," Mum rolled her eyes before looking back to Hermione. "The point is, dear, that we don't want you to be shocked if a few of our female Pack members show up naked. Men will show up shirtless, but normally wear some kind of pants until it's time to shift."
I folded my arms across my chest and sighed. "Don't be shocked by what Mum wears tonight," I smirked. Though I wish it were you wearing only shimmering gold body paint, I thought to myself and immediately felt my mother's foot connect with my shin and I grimaced in pain.
"What's wrong?" Hermione frowned at me.
"My daughter is rather perverted at times," Mum ran a hand through Hermione's long hair. "I do apologize for her."
Hermione couldn't seem to find any words so she just blushed and nodded.
"But you will need something suitable to wear," Mum went on. "I do not expect you to flounce around naked, but I will give you something appropriate to wear. It is, after all, a very important occasion for us."
"I understand that," Hermione nodded.
"Come on," Mum winked and stood up, "we'll go up and find something for you to wear."
Hermione's POV:
I followed and Mrs. Parkinson pulled me level to her, looping her arm through mine and smiling warmly at me.
"No need to feel timid, dear," she said as we ascended the stairs. "I know that Pansy comes on strong at times, but she means well."
"Oh, no," I shook my head. "She didn't do anything wrong, Mrs. Parkinson."
"Ally, Hermione, call me Ally," she insisted. "And you are very kind, but Pansy has done wrong by you. She deceived you and you deserve to feel angry about that, but keep in mind that she did have only the best of intentions."
I thought about that for a moment. She had done a lot that I wanted to be angry about, but I couldn't find it in me to hate her. I couldn't find it in me to even think about leaving the house and trying to disappear all together.
Even after everything, the time I had spent with Pansy in their Lupanar showed me a new side of her. It had been her way of apologizing for essentially lying to me; she offered up intimate information about her. Literally, she dropped her entire life into my hands when she let me read the book with the story of her life. Important parts of her life were printed there for me to see and she'd allowed me access to it all.
"Here we are," Ally's voice yanked me back to reality.
We were standing in front of a black wood door and she opened it, allowing me into her room.
It was much like Pansy's, but even bigger.
Ally led me through the large sitting room and into the bedroom. The impossibly huge bed was covered in bright white silk sheets and piled high with pillows.
"Take a seat there, Hermione," Ally patted the bed and smiled at me. "I'll go through my closet and pick out a few outfits." Opening a door and disappearing through it, I sat there and waited patiently, allowing my mind to wander as I ran my hands over the cool silk of the sheets.
Casting my eyes around, they landed on a picture on the bedside table. I moved over and picked it up, running my fingers over the glass. It was a picture of three wolves, two larger, and one smaller one. The largest was a pure black wolf, and it had to be Mr. Parkinson. Beside him sat a pure white wolf, beautiful and majestic, an almost serene expression on her face. The eyes gave away that it was Ally.
And there was no mistaking the medium sized wolf sitting in front of them both. Mostly black, but the presence of her mother was unmistakable in the white chest, paw and tip of her tail. Pansy was a beautiful wolf, I had to admit.
"That was taken on the night of Pansy's first hunt," Ally's voice broke through the silence and I looked up, startled.
"You're beautiful as well," I said, smiling at her. "I'd never seen a white wolf before."
"It's rather rare," she came out of the closet fully, carrying hangers of clothing. As she began to set out the clothes, she continued. "Even among animagi, actually. White wolves are considered to be precious to our kind, so the few that exist are highly respected."
"And you being the… uh," I couldn't think of the words I was looking for.
"Alpha female, dear," Ally smiled.
"Yes, alpha female," I nodded. "That must make you even more respected."
"Yes, but we do not let that go to our heads," she shrugged. "Now, pick out what you like." She gestured to the clothes she'd laid out on the bed.
Setting down the picture, I turned to the clothes and raised an eyebrow.
"There's not much cloth…," I said slowly.
"No, there is not," Ally laughed gracefully. "I do not own much that doesn't show a lot of skin."
I took another look at her and knew she was telling the truth.
She was wearing a small black shirt that, while had long sleeves, showed her shoulders and was very low cut. It clung to her body to about two inches below her breast before bare skin was again visible until the short black skirt began to cling to her hips and to her upper thighs.
"Hold on," Ally said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I may have something that might make you a little more comfortable."
A second later she'd disappeared into the closet again and was back out a moment later, holding out an outfit to me.
"Yeah," I nodded, smiling. "This is much better, thank you."
"Of course, dear," she kissed my forehead and hugged me. "Now, you get dressed, and go meet Pansy. She's in her room waiting for you. I have to get dressed, or lack thereof," she added with a wink at me.
With that, she walked back into the closet, closing the door behind her this time.
Sighing, I began dressing myself, smiling as the clothes fit me perfectly.
Catching sight of myself in the mirror as I finished and cast a quick straightening spell on my hair and shaking it slightly, I was pleased with the results and smiled at my reflection. Sure the boots were kind of long but they looked good.
Pansy's POV:
"So you're running with her tonight?" Luna asked, sitting down on my bed, completely naked.
"Yes," I nodded, pulling my short black silk robe over my naked body, since I could smell Hermione coming toward the room. "She agreed to it. I just won't be doing much running, mostly walking."
"Think she'll become an animagus if she chooses to stay with you?"
"I hope so," I sighed. "Now, enough of that talk, she's almost here and I don't want her to hear that."
Luna nodded, standing up and walking toward the window to look out at the woods behind my home. She often just stared at the trees longingly, wishing she could be out there all the time. I knew the feeling; it was like being in a second home sometimes.
My bedroom door opened and I turned to see Hermione walk in, not expecting to be blown away by what was before me.
A low cut, blood red long sleeve blouse hugged her body; the top three buttons undone, revealing more of her than I'd ever had the pleasure to see before. Tight black pants clung to her legs and just below the knee, black leather boots made her look nearly dangerous.
My beast bubbled up inside of me but I pushed her down, refusing to allow her a chance at Hermione before I had even any hope.
"You look amazing," I swallowed hard, moving closer to her and running a hand through her soft hair. "Mum sure knows how to pick out an outfit."
"Thank you," she blushed. "You look… um… ready for bed."
"Not even close," I laughed. "I'm wide awake. I haven't been able to attend one of these for years."
"Me either," Luna's dreamy voice startled me. I had forgotten she was in the room as soon as Hermione had walked in. "I cannot wait until I can get out there."
Hermione turned and caught sight of the naked blonde at my window before turning back with a glare at me. "Am I interrupting something?"
I raised an eyebrow for a moment before beginning to laugh until it hurt.
"I fail to see what is funny here," she glowered.
"I forgot to clear that up, I apologize," I tamed my laughter and tried to keep a straight face. "Luna and I don't really sleep together. You just happened to find us after the full moon when you saw us together. Trust me," I added seriously, "there's only one person I'm interested in… been that way since a train ride I took a while back."
Hermione blushed, a brilliant shade of scarlet, and looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's not as though I have anything to be jealous over."
I felt as though I'd been struck and it hurt, a lot.
"Hermione," Luna warned quietly, "keep in mind that even though we're strong, werewolf hearts are easily broken by those we care for."
"Leave us, Luna," I growled, my eyes boring in to Hermione's.
Without another word, Luna backed out of the room and closed the door behind her.
"So," I huffed, "nothing to be jealous of? Well, if you have nothing to be jealous of, then I suppose I should just have my father wipe your memory."
"Can you blame me?" she snapped right back at me. "I'm trying, Pansy! This is hard for me and the least you can do is understand where I'm coming from!"
"Were you anyone else," I took a step toward her, "you would be flat on your back begging for mercy right now."
"What's holding you back, then?" Hermione did not back down from me. She took a step forward so that our bodies were so close that I could feel her heat against my exposed skin. I could smell her, her anger but also mixed in was passion, and that gave me a shred of hope.
"You know exactly what is holding me back," my voice was quiet and my eyes intense. I was fighting my beast again; she wanted me to punish Hermione, but the idea of what the beast had in mind… no, it was outlawed and I could never do it to her.
My words seemed punishment enough, because a look of understanding graced that beautiful face and she took my hand in hers before looking up at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… But you still need to understand."
"And I do, but it hurts to think that the things you said about me, when you thought I was a dog, may not count for anything," I sighed. "I know you have some kind of feeling for me. We have a chance, Hermione, even if I don't expect you to warm to me right away. I can't really blame you." I bit down on my lip and took a step back from her. She would be in heat again soon, I could smell it coming, but I was safe for the night.
"What's wrong?" Hermione frowned, reading something on my face.
"You'll be ovulating again by the time the full moon is here," I sighed. "It's easier when we're at school. I can run the forest without wondering if you're all right. Here… well, I'm very protective of you here with so many male werewolves. They're rather," I searched for the word, "well, they're males. That says it all."
"Then why can't we go back to school and you can woo me there?" she suggested, sitting down on my bed and crossing one leg over the other, leaning back and supporting herself on her elbows.
My mouth went dry as I looked at her and my beast howled in longing. I knew how she felt, and I couldn't blame her.
"I mean," she went on when she realized I wasn't going to say anything, "we're Prefects, so it'll be easy to have alone time and we're in a lot of the same classes."
I finally found my voice and sighed. "It would only work if we knew you wouldn't tell anyone about our secret," I said, leaning against my dresser. "I've told you how protective we are of it and we can't have it spread around for everyone to know. It's not that I don't trust you, but I know you tell the Weasleys everything, along with Potter."
"I wouldn't tell them," she sat up and looked at me, the sincerity in her eyes almost pleading. "I don't think I can stay away from school for six months. I just can't; it's not in me to be away from classes."
Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair and looked at her. "I'll talk to my father, but I'm telling you right now. You will be coming here for the Christmas holidays. Tradition and all that, you know how it is."
"I can do that," she nodded, her face lighting up. She leapt to her feet and hugged me tight around the waist.
I smirked, not hugging back and simply waiting. After about twenty seconds, Hermione's eyes snapped open wide and she let go of me, realizing that I was naked under that thin silk robe.
"I'm sorry," she blushed a bright red.
"No need to be sorry," I smiled. "I was enjoying it, but didn't want you to think I was taking advantage if I hugged you back."
"That's very polite," she swallowed, shuffling her feet.
"Call it not wanting to get on your bad side," I took a step forward and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "I never want to be on your bad side again, not now that, well, you know."
Hermione nodded, and was about to say something when a loud howl sounded outside and Luna crashed through the door.
"It's time! Let's go!" she was bouncing up and down excitedly, still naked.
Hermione's eyes widened and she looked away, embarrassed.
"Luna," I sighed. "You go on, we'll see you there."
Without another word, Luna opened my window and jumped.
"Do either of you know how to use a door?" Hermione squeaked.
"She's excited," I said, offering my hand to her. She took it and I began to walk us out of my room. "The whole Pack is together, now. When we shift, sure it's always a rush, but when we're with our Pack, it's like truly being home."
"Oh," Hermione nodded.
We reached the back yard where my father was waiting, wearing only a pair of dress pants.
"Hermione," he smiled. "You look lovely."
"Thank you," she smiled back.
' "I hope you don't mind, dear," he said, "but it would be more efficient if Pansy picked you up and ran. The rest of the Pack is waiting outside of the Lupanar."
I turned to Hermione, asking with my eyes if it was all right.
After a moment of struggling, she nodded and allowed me to lift her into my arms. "Just don't hit my head on a tree."
"I haven't run into a tree since I was four," I smiled. "Don't worry."
My father took off running before me, and I followed a few moments after.
Hermione let out a loud squeak at the sudden burst of speed and closed her eyes, arms locking around my neck, clinging to me for dear life.
For me, the run took all of five minutes and I stopped easily in front of my parents before the rest of my Pack. There were loud whistles from some of the younger members as I sat Hermione down on her feet.
She stumbled slightly, but I caught her until she got her balance back.
After a minute, Hermione opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was my mother, bending to give her a hug and those beautiful eyes went wide as grapefruits.
My mother, as I knew she would, was wearing only gold body paint. It was barely splattered over most of her body, but thick enough to hide the most intimate places. Many of the females used body paint, but only my mother used gold. No female in the Pack would ever dare challenge my mother and didn't want to accidentally do so by making themselves look equal to her.
"Welcome, Hermione," she whispered in her ear. "Don't be alarmed, dear; no one here will hurt you." My mother's eyes flashed to me. "I know pansy would never allow that."
Hermione pulled away and nodded, moving back and taking hold of my hand again.
My mother took my father's hand and they turned toward the open doorway to the Lupanar and began moving forward.
"Come on," I whispered, kissing her cheek lightly. "We go in behind them, then everyone else follows."
She nodded and moved with me behind my parents. Behind us, I heard the rest of the Pack whispering excitedly as they moved behind us. Most of them were glad I was finally picking a mate, others were angry that they were not the ones I picked, and the older ones were angry that she was an outsider.
Thank goodness they had sense enough to whisper quiet enough so Hermione couldn't hear them.
My parents moved to the thrones and sat down, keeping their hands clasped between them and I led Hermione to the foot of their thrones. I sat on the step in front of my father's and Hermione on the step in front of my mother's, our hands also clasped.
Now, Hermione caught her first sight of the Pack in the bright light of the fire in the hearth and the torches on the walls.
Most of the women were naked, save for the older ones who had become somewhat shy in their old age.
The men all wore pants or shorts.
The mated pairs stood to the right, holding hands, while the young, unmated wolves stood to the left.
"Welcome," my father's voice resounded through the Lupanar, calling the attention of all forty-seven members of the Pack. "On this All Hallows Eve we come together, the whole of the Pack. Tonight we will run, mate with mate or friend with friend. Tonight we guard our territory from those whom seek to take it."
Inwardly, I snorted at that. No Pack or single wolf would be stupid enough to try and take on the Pack of the Howling Winds.
"Tonight, we are as one with nature and everything in it. We are creatures of nature and we treat her with respect and love.
"The young males shall be our hunters tonight," he gestured to the unmated males. "Each of you is to bring down a deer or bore tonight, but do it so that the animal does not suffer. They do not deserve such an agonizing fate, you know this as well as I; lest we remember how we were once hunted and killed and enslaved so many long years ago."
There was a murmur of agreement among the older members of the Pack and the young ones kept a solemn look on their faces. Clearly stating that they refused to ever be enslaved.
I squeezed Hermione's hand, my eyes connecting with hers, trying to communicate what was about to happen as my parents stood, and we followed.
My I let go of Hermione's hand and untied the sash of my robe before letting it drop to the floor.
Hermione made a slight movement as if to cover me from the view of the Pack but she stopped quickly. A chuckle of laughter washed over the Pack, and I squeezed her hand again before kissing her cheek lightly.
"It's best if you stand to the side for a moment, dear," my mother whispered in Hermione's ear. "We're going to shift, and you do not want to be standing in the way of that. It is neither sanitary nor pleasant."
Hermione nodded and moved to the side of the thrones, looking rather confused as I moved to stand between my parents.
My father began to shift first, then my mother, and finally me before the rest of the Pack.
It was over in the matter of seconds, but the mess left was horrid. When we shifted, a clear thick liquid spilled off of our bodies and splashed on the floor.
I had decided I would only shift half way, and quickly scooped up Hermione so that the liquid didn't reach her. It was never pleasant to have it touch any part of your body, but I was used to it.
Hermione squeaked and didn't seem to know what to do as I scooped her up in my arms, careful not to scratch her with my claws. I moved and stood before my parents again, facing the Pack. My father let out the first great howl and my mother and I followed suit, followed by the whole Pack.
I was the only one in half beast form, the rest were all full wolves. I would probably shift fully later.
As the collective howl finished, the mated wolves bolted first, followed by the mated pairs.
Take care of her, Pansy, my father, a great, pitch black wolf, stepped in front of us and gave Hermione's hand a soft lick.
I gave a nod as my mother, a brilliant white wolf, also gave Hermione's hand a lick. She'll be fine, dear, just don't move too fast for her.
I nodded again and they bolted from the Lupanar. Slowly, I moved through the disgusting swamp of clear liquid before finally reaching the cool night air, the half moon shining high above us.
Setting Hermione down, I looked at her and waited for her to say something.
A/N: Let me know what you think! R&R and I have some more to put up soon :D
