Tonks had woken up before the sun was even up. She knew without even looking at the calendar that tonight was the full moon. She could feel it in her bones, in her senses, in every fiber of her being. Tonight was the night of her first transformation. Tonight her life would change forever.

She had paced around the house, picking things up and putting them back down again. She was like a caged animal, pent up with nervous energy with no outlet. Even Remus was restless in his sleep, but he was still sleeping at least. At least a dozen times she had attempted to go back to bed and failed. If she didn't fear Fenrir so much she probably would have gone for a run. But she could smell his scent. It wasn't that close, but he was around and she wasn't taking any chances. They hadn't been able to perform the mating dance yet and therefor she was still fair game.

Remus felt her moving about the house before he was fully awake. She had an energy about her that scared him. He couldn't remember his first transformation, it was too long ago to remember clearly. He knew that she wasn't going to have a very good birthday this time. As he pulled himself out of bed he wondered if she would hate him tomorrow. Tonks had kept her attitude positive so far, but would it hold until after her transformation? Did he dare tie her to him tonight when she could loathe him tomorrow? It was a chance he was willing to take, he couldn't let Fenrir have her. She was too delicate to be on her own, she still didn't know all the ways of the wolf.

He walked to the kitchen and found her going through the pantry, as she tried to find something to quench her ever rising hunger. "Try the dried beef," he said softly from the doorway. Tonks took out the dried beef and divided it, offering some to Remus. Leaning against the wall, she ate the beef right out of her hand, without thinking about what it looked like. All she knew was that she was hungrier than she ever had been before. "I'm sorry, love, did I wake you? I know it's still rather early, but I just can't seem to settle." She said, finding that she couldn't even stand still for a few minutes and walking over to him.

"I understand," he said softly and moved close to her so he could pull her into his arms. He hoped that his scent would calm her, he could feel her energy rising off in torrents and he was getting worried. "I love you Dora, no matter what happens tonight please remember that." He kissed the top of her head. He loved her so much that he wasn't able to contain it all, and he was terrified to think that tomorrow everything he loved might be taken from him.

Tonks felt calmer in his arms, but at the same time his scent excited her more than it had ever before. She could feel the beast stirring within her although moon rise was still hours away. She laid her head on his chest and heard his heartbeat. He smelled worried to her, "Remmy, nothing is going to change tonight." She said, using the special nickname that she had given him. "I honestly believe that what happens tonight will only accentuate what we already have."

He sighed and hugged her tighter as they sat on the floor wrapped in each other's arms. "I'm more nervous about the transformation than I am about the mating ceremony. I've only seen it done once... and I'm not sure if it will work with only the two of us. I don't know that many werewolves that I trust enough to be the witnesses," he admitted, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head.
Tonks nodded, entwining her legs with her lover's, "I'm nervous about the transformation as well, but also very excited. I can't explain it, it's like nothing I have ever felt before. The mating ceremony, if it works...will we know it? I mean, will we know it after we go back to this form?" She leaned back against his chest, concentrating on the sounds of their heartbeats and their breathing.

"We will know it," Remus said assuredly. "When you take the wolfsbane potion you only transform in body, your mind is under your control. We will remember everything we did while in our wolf form. I just hope I don't mess up the ceremony. This will be the most important transformation either of us will ever have. It needs to be perfect."

"I wonder what I will look like in wolf form?" Tonks said, thinking about all the different looks that she'd had over the years. At the present moment, she was sporting a look which few had seen since she rather enjoyed looking different. But her hair was auburn and her eyes were golden brown. "What does the ceremony entail, Remus?" She asked, pressing her body to his in an attempt to get as close as she possibly could to him. Remus leaned down to kiss her, trying with all his might to keep control. He didn't want to scare her when he couldn't stop, on the full moon he couldn't keep himself away from her. He could taste her scent already, it was intoxicating. "What were we talking about again?" he asked as he kissed his way down her chin, his food forgotten.

"I honestly don't know," She said, breathlessly. "I don't think it matters..." She ran her fingertips down the front of his chest, her fingers tracing the scars that were there. She felt giddy and lightheaded. She nuzzled her head against his neck affectionately and her eyes flashed with desire. Her voice became husky as she tried to ask the question that she knew needed to be asked, "How soon before moon rise do we need to take the potion?"

"We should probably take it soon, the potion needs time to circulate in our bodies," he said softly, his breathing becoming ragged. He stood up quickly and stepped away from her. "I can't control myself today Tonks, I'm sorry." He sat down at the table and looked at her across the room. He could feel the energy crackling between them, he knew he wasn't going to last until the mating ceremony tonight without touching her. "Damn."

Tonks looked at Remus from across the room, not sure what the problem was unless they couldn't be together before the mating ceremony had been performed. She shook her head to clear it, her hair flying out like a mane around her head, and got the potions from the cupboard before her mind betrayed her again. Taking one vial for herself and giving one to Remus, she drank it down, making a face at its awful taste, "Ugh."

When she had put the vial down, she looked at Remus with concern in her eyes, "I haven't ever had a problem with you losing control before, Remus. I have come to enjoy it...why did you feel you had to back off?"

He sighed and looked at his hands. "I don't know how to explain it. You asked me about the mating ceremony, and I ignored the question. I'm afraid to tell you what it involves, it isn't the sort of thing that is talked about in polite company love. I don't know how to tell you what happens. It is so much more than a bonding," he said softly. She was going to hate him for keeping it all to himself.

Tonks went over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, "Remus, I knew that when this happened that everything wasn't going to be the way it should be. I mean, I knew that it wasn't going to be all pleasant," She said, having trouble saying what she meant. She was having trouble explaining herself, her mind was jumbled up. She concentrated really hard on what she wanted to say to him, hoping that she could keep her mind in check, "Remus, I love you and no matter what it entails, I want to do this with you." She could still smell faint traces of Fenrir about and she knew that he would be back tonight doing all he could to stop what they were about to do. "I want to be yours, in every sense of the word. Now and forever."

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly on his lap. "You deserve to know the truth about this, it won't do me any good to hide this from you." He took a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. "You do understand that when I say mating ceremony, that means literally what it is. There is more to it than the mating of our wolf selves, but that is part of it. The transformation and mating is a ritual, I don't know whether it will be witnessed, and I'm not sure if it that will matter. Normally the witnesses add to the power of the couple, but I think it should work without them. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Tonks smiled at him and put her arms around his neck. "I understand, Remus," She said, kissing him and laying her head upon his chest, "I am not scared. Well, I am scared. I am scared of what will happen if this doesn't happen tonight. He is out there. He wants me for his mate. If we don't do this tonight, that gives him more opportunity." Tonks knew that her sentences were short but she also knew that there was no way for her to control that. "Maybe we should rest. We will need energy tonight."

Remus was incredibly grateful for the way she handled his information. She hadn't backed away from him in disgust or told him that she couldn't do it, she had told him that she loved him. He kissed her neck softly and squeezed her tightly to him. "Let's go to bed love, you'll be glad later that you got your sleep," he whispered and carried her up to their room.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she awoke, but the sun was setting outside their window. She seemed a bit more in control over her thoughts...the potion must be working. Stretched out on her stomach on the bed, she stretched and yawned, glad that she was able to get a few more hours sleep. Noticing that Remus was still asleep, she rolled over on her side and gently caressed his scalp, then gave him a bite on the ear to wake him up.
He groaned and pulled her up against him. "Don't do that love please, we only have a few hours left and we need our strength," he said, his voice husky with sleep. He opened his eyes to see her stretched out before him, more catlike than wolf like "You would have made a better wereleopard," he teased with a soft and sleepy smile. She lay next to him, facing him and sinking into his beautiful brown eyes. She was acutely aware of how good he smelled; his musky odor was coming through strongly. She lay so that there wasn't a spare inch between them and fell asleep again in a few minutes, feeling safe and secure in his arms.

When she awoke again, the sky was dark and the sun had totally set. The first stars were just starting to come out, but the moon hadn't started rising yet. Her hunger was desperate and she went downstairs in search of meat. She found two steaks in the refrigerator and cooked them just enough to take the chill off, bringing them back up to the bedroom which they shared, "Remus, it's almost time. I brought you food." She knew that since they weren't going outside for the transformation that they had to eat while they were still in their human shape and could work the appliances needed.

He sat up and looked at what she had brought. "I think you have a grasp of being a werewolf even better than I ever did. Food is very important before a transformation, it keeps you from trying to hunt for food," he said and helped himself to one of the steaks. "We need to get into the safe room very shortly, we can't transform in the bedroom, I'd rather not to have to waste my remaining energy trying to repair the damages we could make to this room," he admitted, knowing that by the time morning came they would both be ready to sleep for a week, and it was hard to get the needed rest when your bed was ripped apart.

Tonks nodded as she ate the steak. She had only heated them, so that they still had the taste of raw meat on them, along with blood. She realized as she ate it that it was delicious, more savory than any meat she had ever tasted. She ran her tongue over her teeth to get off the traces of the meat, not wanting to waste any of it, "Moon rise is coming, I can feel it," She said, unable to keep the anticipation out of her voice. She removed the ring that he had given her for their engagement, not wanting it to be damaged in the transformation. "I think we better go there now...I call feel the moon's pull."

Remus took her hand and led her from the room. "We need to be locked in the room before the moon rises, otherwise we are vulnerable in the house," he explained as they walked down into the basement room that was opposite the kitchen. "I'm not sure if this will work without witnesses, but if it doesn't, we have to find at least two for the next full moon. Let's just hope this works." They walked into the room, it was cold, dark... windowless. It was perfect. He took out his wand and locked the door securely, turning to look at Tonks in the darkness. "Can you see me?"

Tonks nodded, her eyesight was sharper than it usually was in the dark. She could see the outline of his form, "I hope it works." She had smelt Fenrir as they were coming down to the basement and knew that he was out there, waiting. She also felt a bit strange because she knew that without the window the moon rise would come on them suddenly, as would the transformation, "We just wait here until moon rise? There's nothing that has to be done before then?"

He stepped forward and took her into his arms, pressing her tight against him. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "No matter what I do, follow me, don't hesitate just do it. The ceremony takes a long time and if everything isn't done right... trust me, just follow my lead."

He moved his mouth to the soft section of skin below her ear where he could feel her heart beat rapidly. He placed his lips to it and kissed it softly, not daring to open his mouth to the skin. "When a werewolf greets you, they will kiss you in this spot. It is a sign of trust. If someone bit you here... you would lose a lot of blood. They will usually press a soft kiss to this spot. This is how the ceremony begins, by kissing the pulse, even biting it softly, not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough to feel. It is a sign that we trust each other." He bit her skin softly, reigning in his lust for the blood underneath. "Now, it's your turn."

Tonks moved her mouth to the spot below Remus' right ear, kissing his pulse and giving it a gentle bite. She was careful not to break the skin, although it took a lot of willpower to do it. She could smell his blood through his skin and the scent excited her.

Remus released her from the tight grip he was holding her in, his breathing was fast and shallow. "Can you feel it? The moon is rising," he said, his voice no longer his own. It was low and hoarse. "Remember, follow my lead," he choked out and suddenly he was on all four, panting on the ground. A scream of pain ripped through him as his beast came through to the surface. Hair began to spout all over his body, his fingers and toes were lengthening. He was no longer man, but beast. His mind remained alert and human though and in his pain he looked for Tonks, to see if she was transforming without problems. Soon after Remus released her, she felt to the ground in a spasm of pain. She could feel her bones and muscles shifting and changing. Her teeth poked up through her gums and lengthened, as did her nails. She heard herself whimper in pain as the transformation continued and after eternity the pain lessened. She had become a wolf, and looked for her mate, for her Remus. She found that she could also think human thoughts, remembered who she was and who she had been.

Remus rose from the ground, a proud Alpha wolf. He spotted his mate and howled joyfully, he had found his life mate, and it was time to make her his. He began to walk around the auburn wolf licking his lips hungrily. They circled each other a few times, sniffing each other to learn the other's smell. It was time to join the pack, to become lukoi, family. He licked the side of her face gently, yet insistently. He needed to learn her taste, he needed her. She howled in answer to his call; then circled him and sniffed him, becoming familiar with his scent. She knew that he wanted her to be his mate, and when he licked the side of her face she responded with a lick of her own. His taste was good to her, his scent intoxicating. She wished for the tan wolf to take her and make her his. The two of them performed a sort of dance; they took turns tasting each other and exploring one another with their senses. The female would offer herself to the male, then sidestep him; this happened several times when it finally came to an end and the alpha male made her his.

They lay on the ground, wolf forms curled against each other taking in the warmth of the other. He nuzzled her with his snout and whimpered softly. He wanted her to know that this had been the best transformation he had ever had, even more so than with the marauders. He knew instinctively that the mating had worked, they were now pack... lukoi, they were one. It was an incredible feeling to have, he hoped that she could feel it too. He licked her again softly on her snout, even in wolf form wanting to be near her. She was his.

The female snuggled against her mate, she knew that it had worked as well. Nuzzling him affectionately with her snout and licking his ear tenderly, she whimpered to let him know how happy she was. The other wolf could not take her and make her his. He had been defeated. She had felt a surge of power when they had become one, telling her that the mating had been successful.

Just as the two were drifting off to sleep, the female heard a sound which made her growl and her fur stand on end. The other wolf was out there, prowling around, looking for a way in. But he couldn't get in, and he couldn't have her.

The male reared back his lips and showed his teeth menacingly. He growled and howled angrily at the other male outside. He had lost, he hadn't gotten what he had come to take, why wasn't he leaving? He must have known as well as they did that the mating had taken hold, even without the usual group of witnesses. He couldn't understand why Greyback wasn't accepting defeat. They heard an angry and mournful wailing from outside and the male instinctively moved to protect his lupa. Greyback couldn't get into the house, it was impossible... and yet he couldn't quite get rid of the frightened feeling that this matter wasn't settled yet.

Fenrir snarled menacingly and howled back at the wolf who had claimed his intended mate. He was angry. Angrier than he had ever been before. He growled loudly, so that the alpha male and the bitch inside would know of his anger. He had come here, waiting for them to come outside to perform the mating ritual so that he could overtake the female, but he should have known that they would hide from him. It was useless, the female was lost to him. For now, anyway. But he also knew that if the pair had cubs, that if he stole one of the cubs he could overpower the male and claim the female for his own. All was not lost, just delayed.

The lupa snuggled against her mate, whimpering slightly as she heard and smelled the angry male outside. A memory of their last encounter with him was still fresh in her mind and he frightened her greatly. She nuzzled her mate with her snout, looking for reassurance.

He nuzzled her back, his hackles raised as the wolf outside snarled and howled. He could feel the terrified energy coming off his lupa, and he was furious that Greyback had come to ruin the most important night of their lives. He hadn't succeeded in stopping the mating, but he was showing his displeasure. If they had transformed outside they would have been forced to comply with another part of the mating ritual... the duel between the Alpha Males for the right to the female. Remus knew that even though Greyback was older, he was stronger. He would have lost Tonks, and he couldn't let that happen. He just hoped that Greyback would leave them alone now, though he knew it was a futile hope.

After one last howl at the wolves within the structure Fenrir decided that it was time to leave. He thought maybe he would let them alone for now, let them think he had given up. Besides, the night was his and there was prey for the taking. Let them have their moment, for now. He would have his revenge later.

The auburn female relaxed as she felt the male going away. At last they were safe and Fenrir could not claim her as his own. Nuzzling her mate affectionately one last time she went to sleep, wearied by the ritual and the terror which had plagued them.