A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I'm going to stop saying I will update soon. it rarely happens, but my plan is to finish this story this year.. Hopefully within the next three months.

Thanks for the reviews and for those that have stuck with the story so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter characters (sadly), places, or anything else that you may have read about in the Harry Potter books; they all belong to J.K. Rowling.

The females watched as Harry ran around the tree house hanging a mixture of Yuletide and muggle Christmas decorations with the children and Mark. The building was filled with high pitched laughter as crudely handmade decorations were put on display for all to see. Oddly colored wreathes made from various materials decorated each door in the building and glitter dusted the floor after falling from the paper snowflakes that were hanging from the ceilings. The entire sight brought smiles to the faces of those who were watching and created a joyous atmosphere that the pack had rarely experienced since Voldemort's defeat.

"It's too frivolous, there are more important things that child could be doing besides making a mess."

The other women turned, only slightly shocked that Bella had once again put their future leader down in the presence of pack members. Her comment was another reminder that she did not have the instincts a wolf needed to survive.

"Stop, just stop!" Rose shifted restlessly and her growled words were a clear sign of her anger. "He is reminding us to have fun. It's what the pack needs, what these children deserve after spending their lives just trying to survive. I still haven't forgotten my holidays as a muggle or how the alphas enjoyed celebrations before we were all forced to run, even those that were born weres."

Storm scoffed as she watched Bella roll her eyes. "Don't waste your breath on that one, she never experienced those times of freedom."

"Oh, that's right!" Rose narrowed her eyes at Bella as her lips turned up in a mocking smirk. "You were just an accident. Turned by a young horny man while we were on the run. No mate or memories to share with this pack and definitely no future here."

For a moment Layla felt bad for the harsh words as Bella turned her head away in what appeared to be pain. Until she faced them. Bella held her head high to look down her nose at them in contempt and rage. Her nails had already begun to lengthen and as she spoke her sharp canines were displayed.

"I wasn't unwanted by the men of this pack, especially the alpha, and all that boy will ever be the leader of are those insipid pups." Her voice was an inhuman growl. "And after one night with that skinny boy, the alpha will be back in my bed and you will be at my feet."

Her stance and words immediately brought out the wolves in the other females. They would not tolerate this direct challenge from the pack omega, especially not on the day of the full moon. Rose grabbed Bella's throat before she had time to recognize the signs of an impending attack. Bella hooked her leg behind Bella's knee to throw her off balance so that she stumbled to the floor after a rough push was delivered to her torso. The three women descended on the fallen woman before she could draw her next breath. The females basked in the confrontation, the smell of their opponent's blood, and working past the pain to show their superior statuses. Growls of anger mixed with whimpers of pain as the women allowed their wolves the freedom to assert their dominance over the omega. The noise quickly drew the attention of the young werewolves and adults decorating the room.

Harry watched the fight with the critical eye of someone who witnessed physical confrontations and participated in sparring sessions on an almost daily basis. He already knew that the omega had no chance of winning; her fighting skills were sub par at best with just one opponent. However, as he continued to watch the females deliver a few well placed blows he felt his own wolf itching to join the fray. It was the first time he had ever been drawn to the idea of using violence to establish his place as an adult in the pack. He tried to push the urge away, sure that it was a symptom of the approaching full moon, but he could not think clearly as the smell of blood filled the room. It was the smell of the woman who had attacked him as a defenseless child and continued to question his rightful place by his mate's side.

The three women rose with a victoriously energetic air, blood on their lips and hair. Harry saw that his rival was sprawled out on the floor her body littered with bloody lacerations and bite marks. He knew that there would be no satisfaction in fighting the weakened woman, but the walls were becoming confining and the need to dominate another adult submissive was growing. Harry pushed past the women and stepped over the woman laying in front of the doorway. He swiftly made his way outside and to the area where the submissives were sparring. He spotted his opponent before the others even noticed that he was there. Lynn was only a few years older than him and though not a talented fighter she was energetic; she would present him with the fight he was craving. As he approached the group of females they turned to greet him, but backed away as they noticed the light in his eyes. He was no playful pup or determined student, this was the wolf that would protect and lead the pack at the side of their alpha someday soon. That bright amber gaze challenged them to keep him from his prey.

The group formed a circle around the two young pack members, both were eager for the other's blood. The alpha's mate, ready to take his place in the pack, and the fifteen year old female, whose wolf sensed the challenge to her earned place within the pack, sized each other up. Harry made the first move, leaping the short distance between them, his lengthened nails dug into her shoulder and neck as he pushed her head down. Lynn dug her own nails into his vulnerable side and near his spine as she wrapped her arms around his torso. The scent of their combined blood filled the air, further inciting their wolves and the noisy crowd that watched their fight. Harry raked his nails down to firmly grasp her upper arms and pull her nails from his shin. Lynn curled her nails as she began to lose her grip on her opponent and Harry let out a deep growl of pain and anger as shin tore from their movements. As he broke from the girl's grip Harry twisted her arm behind her back and hooked his foot behind her knee to force her to the ground, but he had not expected her to fall onto her back onto the snow covered ground. She had held onto him as she fell and as their combined weight settled on the arm behind her back he felt a sharp stab of pain that he pushed aside as her mouth opened near his shoulder. Harry moved his body, placing more weight on his injured wrist, but putting distance between himself and her sharp canines.

Lynn grabbed his neck as Harry focused on trying to capture her flailing leg and she bucked to try to get him off of her trapped leg. He pressed his fingers and nails into the pressure point on her wrist and waited for her to loosen her grip with a gasp of pain. As her claws dropped from their position Harry moved quickly to place his lengthened canines on Lynn's vulnerable neck and began to let out a steady growl, demanding her submission. Lynn refused to accept defeat; she continued to buck her body, but each movement caused Harry to tighten his legs, press his weight into her chest, dig his nails into her wrist, and bite down on her neck. The smell of her blood grew stronger as her erratic movements caused deep scratches to form where his nails and teeth rested. Other submissives watched with excitement as Lynn finally fell limp with a piteous whine and Harry released her. He came to his feet with lupine grace. As he stood in the center of the group with an air of victory the others could clearly see the young leader he would grow to be, a strong man that would guide at the side of their alpha.

After a moment Harry reached down to help Lynn stand with his good hand, both groaning from the strain it put on their bodies. Harry noticed that the crowd had grown to include most of the adults, including Fenrir, and they seemed to be just excited by the fight as he had been by the one he had witnessed earlier. The two moved out of the circle and away from the danger of being as quickly as their aching bodies would allow, putting distance between them and the more experienced wolves still eager to fight. Lynn's sister, Arista, pulled her sister away to take a look at her wounds. Sinicae ran toward him with a bag of ice, which he placed on Harry's swollen wrist; the treatment was a clear indication that he would not be receiving any healing potions. However, Harry was proud to keep his wounds and the scars that would form later as a sign to all that he was deserving of his position in the pack.

Fenrir followed close behind Harry, eager to check his mate's wounds. He was quickly realizing the odd predicament he was in; Harry was rising to take his place as an adult in the pack with ease, but he was still a young boy years away from his first heat. He was left with the mixed emotions of wanting to cuddle his mate like a wounded child and licking every single wound clean. He shook the thought from his head as he closely studied the swollen and discolored wrist Harry was icing.

"We'll need Remus to make a cast that will change shape with your transformation tonight." Fenrir winced as he remembered his own transformations with broken bones. "That arm's gonna hurt as much as the first time you turned into the wolf."

Harry looked at Fenrir from the corner of his eye, suddenly shy and worried about what the other man could be thinking of his display. "I couldn't stop myself! I couldn't think of anything, but the need to fight."

Fenrir nodded his head and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder to direct him toward the garden, where he had last seem Remus. "It's like that with our wolves, not usually at such a young age, but that just means you are more in tune with your wolf. That's something to be proud of, it makes you stronger, just the mate I need. No more worrying about that, especially since you won that fight, lets focus on healing and resting up for tonight. It's the last full moon of the year."

Harry knew that was significant in some way, but it was becoming hard to think as his wrist throbbed in pain. "So?"

"The last full moon the year Bradley turned three. His first transformation is tonight, so you have to sit through the ceremony."

"No." Harry groaned at the thought of staying alert when he and his wolf wanted to curl up and sleep until it was time for the moon to rise.

Fenrir smiled down at his adorably pouting mate. "Don't worry, we'll get you something for the pain and the ceremony shouldn't last very long."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! I am going to start skipping large amounts of time after the next chapter just to make the story move faster, if you hate it let me know in a constructive manner!