Chapitre 16 :

°Disclaimer still in the prologue.

° Just to avoid confusion:

"speech"

'Mind speech'

With that said Xander ran outside in the direction of the cemetery where he knew Ripper would be starting his patrol. He had discussed it with Ripper that afternoon and they had agreed that should Xander not be on time to meet Ripper when he left, they would meet at the cemetery nearest to the school. As he was coming closer to the place he couldn't help but run, there was something wrong here he could feel it. Finally reaching the cemetery's gate Xander looked around observing the grounds and surroundings. What was suspicious was that nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, even though there should be fledglings wandering those grounds.

Xander knew that some persons, who had died by exsanguinations the previous day, had been buried here. The cemetery shouldn't be that silent, and there was no trace of Ripper; he should have at least seen or heard him. He wasn't late enough to miss him and Ripper wouldn't have left without him, so something was really wrong.

As he was wondering where to search first, a noise gained his full attention, it was coming from the far end of the cemetery and that was when he saw it. There covered in shadows, something was moving. From where he was, Xander couldn't see anything and if it hadn't been for the noise he wouldn't have noticed it at all. He made his way to the end of the graveyard knowing instinctively that he would find Ripper there, but knowing something and seeing it was completely different.

What he saw enraged him; they had dared to hurt one of his and they would pay for it. On the ground was Ripper's bruised and battered body; it was the apparent result of a fight with six fledglings' vampires. Those same ones who were going to regret their actions, because even if Ripper wasn't marked yet, he was surrounding by Xander's sent which should have protected and kept him from those morons.

Fortunately enough Ripper hadn't been bitten and was looking at him with relief in his eyes. He had been attacked in the back and though he had been able to fight them off for a time, he hadn't had a chance to eliminate them before they knocked him down. He had been wondering if this time he was going to be able to sort himself out of this death trap, when Xander made his appearance. It had been a great relief to see him, knowing that the look of protective rage in his eyes was promising a hell to pay for those idiots who had dared to attack him. Looking at what was going on he gaped, not able to believe it; he didn't know Xander had that capacity.

For the first time since the merging Xander let himself transform in his inner beast, letting his animal instincts come to the fore and with it, his protectiveness only grew. He never hesitated, jumping the two closest to him, ripping the head of the first one and plunging his paw through the heart of the second one. He turned to take care of the following three who were trying to attack him in the back, they never had a chance as wicked claws ripped them to shreds. The last one and apparently leader of the group was already running in a futile tentative of escape.

A predatory gleam entered Xander's eyes at the vampire's flight as his hunter's instincts came to play. A thrill of adrenalin came through him as he jumped to the vampire's pursuit, in the blink of the eye Xander had his throat torn out and his heart crushed in his paw. All that was left of the vampire's existence were their ashes which were blown away by the wind.

Now that the threat was destroyed, his worry for Ripper came back ten fold and he ran back to him. He crouched down beside the man and made sure he had not been bitten then he took a look at his injuries. Most of them were bruises and scratches but some were really bad particularly a deep cut under his throat, a broken arm judging at the angle it was rested on the ground and a deep wound in his side. Xander was surprised at how calm he felt, he was sure he should have been panicking at the sight of Ripper being hurt, but no; he was carefully thinking of the best way to help the injured man.

He knew that Ripper was seriously injured though not fatally and that the best and closest place to help him was the manor, there he would find all the help he needed. He wouldn't even think of the hospital, the two of them went there a little too much for his liking and they hated it. So comforting Ripper with tender words, he helped him to stand up. He was shocked by the ease he had, in basically holding Ripper up. It seemed that the transformation had unblocked Mayaeb's gifts. He would have to test it later but it appeared that his senses were much stronger and sharper, his strength seemed to have increased much more than he would have thought as well.

So making his way to the manor with a Ripper that was virtually out of it, took a lot less time than it would have normally. They finally arrived at the door with Xander calling Angel for help after opening it. Angel must have heard the lingering worry in his voice as he rushed to them from wherever he was. He was shocked at the sight of a badly injured Ripper but rapidly regained his composure. He took Ripper's other arm mindful of his broken state and helped Xander in leading the other man to a room. "What happened? Who did this? Are you alright?" Angel asked.

It was Xander who answered. "Ripper was attacked by a bunch of fledglings' vampires though we are alright. Well Ripper will be too once we have taken care of his injuries, nothing is threatening."

"But why? I know you have scented Ripper and I did as well; they should never have attacked him while wearing two as powerful scent as ours are. It made no sense, except if he had been targeted since the start." Angel said becoming angry.

"But who would?" Xander asked getting angry too.

"I can think of only one person who would dare to target the slayer's watcher openly, and it is the Master. He must have tried to weaken the slayer by eliminating her watcher." Angel replied.

"That guy is beginning to really annoy me, but we have to take care of Ripper before anything else." Xander said and went to the closest bathroom in search of bandages and anything that would help heal him. That was when he looked at the door and saw Kyle leaning against it an emergency kit in his hand, he looked refreshed and completely at ease for once, if not for the worry that could be seen in his eyes when he looked at Ripper.

"Don't worry he will be okay, we are here for him and we will help him recover." Xander said.

Nodding back his agreement he followed Xander in the bedroom and began helping the other two in healing Ripper's injuries. Once they had healed his worse injuries, Ripper became more aware of them and his surroundings. Feeling his pain receding and recognizing his room at the manor; he smiled at them the relief he felt, showing in his eyes.

They were all thinking the same thing 'it had been too close', but it was Kyle who said aloud what everyone knew was needed to be done, if they wanted Ripper protected.

"Xander, Ripper I think it's time. Ripper, you need to be marked as pack, to be protected as well as become family. It's too dangerous for you to continue being Buffy's watcher the way you are right now, not only did you become the Master's target, but Buffy's isn't that safe either. You need the Were's strength and instincts to come out of it alive. Don't you agree Angel?" Kyle said.

"Yes I do, Kyle is right. This time has been too close to comfort, next time… We need to make sure that everyone is as safe and protected as possible." Angel replied.

Xander looked at Kyle and Angel then turned his head to Ripper, watching his impassive face carefully. If Ripper's face wasn't showing a thing, his eyes were another story altogether; they were showing him a glimmer of hope. A hope to belonging, to a family, to not be alone, something he had lost when he was retrieved by the council and separated from Ethan. Xander nodded to himself and with a smile said "You two are right, I have waited long enough and Ripper was the one to be hurt because of it. I'm sorry but I was scared you wouldn't want to belong and I was an idiot. Well what do you think Ripper; will you agree to join the pack?"

Ripper looked gravely at him his face totally blank for a few minutes when a small smile lifted his lips and he replied, "Of course I will, I could and would never hope to join a better pack and a better person than you"

The tension that had been spreading around the room at the lack of reaction from Ripper disappeared in that instant, everyone smiling as Ripper was laughing at Xander's relieved if not annoyed face. He had been tricked and tricked well, but it was his own fault. He should never have doubted Rippers feelings for them, he knew the man better than that.

Once Ripper had regained his breath after he had stopped laughing, they all sat in a loose circle on the bed, making it easier to speak to each others. Angel had asked if they wanted him to leave as he wasn't pack nor a Were, but Xander told him to stay, that he had to listen to what he was going to say to Ripper, that he had to understand why the pack was important, what it meant to be a part of it… Then Xander told him frankly that he intended for him to be part of his pack once his curse was lifted and he had become master of his line, like Angel intended for them to be part of his clan and family. There was no way he would let Angel leave them if he could help it and for that he needed Angel to be aware and understand everything. Though they would talk of it at another time, for the time being they were to focus on Ripper and his marking.

Xander moved comfortably on his spot on the bed and began explaining everything. He explained where the Weres were coming from, Mayaeb and Draith's story, Kyle's marking and place into the pack as its Beta and more… He explained his role as well as leader and alpha of the pack, that he had complete control on his transformation and on those of the ones belonging to the pack. Should they have any problem he would be able to guide them in or out of their transformation and as he was strong enough to restrain his inner beast instincts keeping them balanced with his human nature, so would they. It showed a great will of mind that Xander was able to balanced his two contrary natures. Some Were packs preferred to live away from civilisation and surrounded by nature, because they were living by their animal's instincts (favouring their animal's form) and were too afraid to be discovered and hunted by humans. Their Alphas weren't able to balance their human natures and were living like the first Weres did, in complete harmony with the nature surrounding them though they tended to forget their human instincts.

He explained about the mind link they would share as well, it would be different from the one he shared with Kyle and the one he would share with his soul mate. Kyle's link with him was completely open to the both of them, as the Beta of the pack he needed to use it at will to protect everyone. So he and Xander were able to mind speak to each others at any time, for any situation; there was no limit, only the trust and respect they had for each other to use it when needed and not for annoying the other.

Ripper's link though would be control by Xander and he would need his permission before speaking to his mind or Kyle's one for that matter. He wouldn't be able to mind link with anyone else except for his soul mate with which he would have a completely free link. It was a way for the leader and his Beta to guide their pack, enabling them to give it a better protection.

Ripper had then asked about his place in the pack but Xander told him that they wouldn't know it before they knew what his inner beast and instincts would be; promising to explain him later as it would be easier for him to understand once he felt his inner beast instincts lurking in his mind. He also told him that he knew about Kyle being his Beta before his transformation because it was a role that had to be shouldered by someone extremely close, strong and that had the Alpha's complete trust. They had all agreed with Xander then, that Kyle was the one to be his Beta as the role suited him to a T, making him blush.

Once Xander had finished explaining everything he could about being a pack member to Ripper, they all sat in silence letting the man think about all the things he just learned and make his choice. They stayed like that for a while, patiently waiting for Ripper's response and hoping for the best.

They were looking at each other nervously when Ripper spoke, "Thank you for giving me the time to think about it, and I have to say that I agree with you all. Xander I trust you completely and I know I will be safe. It's an honour for me to be invited in joining your pack; I love the idea of not being alone anymore. I thank you for telling how the Weres really came to existence, I have to say that a lots of things are making much more sense now. I know that the watcher's council knowledge is wrong and twisted, but even Ethan didn't know the truth on this subject."

"Yes, someone took great care in hiding the truth and twisting the reality. Now Weres are seen as evil monster, and are place in the same category as those cursed ones. I don't know who or why they did it, but it had worked too well and I hope we can change that." Xander replied.

They all nodded in agreement and began to move in order to help move Ripper in a comfortable position. Kyle sat himself against the bedpost, holding Ripper against him in a show of support and approval according to his Beta status. Ripper was grateful of the boy's support; even though he trusted Xander, the unknown was nerve breaking and with the false information he had been fed as a child by the council; there was still some confusion and tension from his part.

Everything else he was going to think of was forgotten as Xander came on the bed and sat between his legs. He embraced Ripper and with a reassuring and comforting smile he said, "Don't worry everything is going to be alright, are you ready?"

Ripper could only nod his accord and with one last smile Xander brought his face closer to his neck rubbing it. Once he felt Ripper relaxed he bite the spot between the man's neck and shoulder and let the mind link open and flow through them, letting them know the feel and touch of each other's mind.

After a few moments of rest Xander finally let Ripper go and said, "Well I have had a feel of your beast and mind, and I can already say that you will be a protector and a wolf but I can't say much more because of a powerful curse that is still twisting your real self. Though this time it's affecting you physically and magically, it didn't touched to your mind; but there is something else. When I was in your mind I felt your beast and it felt older than it should have been like it had already been there, but I can't explain it. We need to go to England and make the one who did this to you, stop the curse."

"Yes I knew about the curse but unfortunately I can't do a thing about it without the caster, so yes I would like to go to England when this fake master is taken down." Ripper said smirking to Angel. They all agreed on that they needed to find Ethan as well anyway, and the change of air would be good to them. They continued to talk for some time loving the closeness and warmth they could feel from each others and then went to bed, knowing that Angel would be there to protect them.

It would still be a week before they finally learned about what was really going on with Oz…

AN:

° Thanks to LostGryffindorFoundSlytherin, Emeralden Rapley and Veronica (whose reviews were greatly appreciated, they helped me a lot) for reviewing.

° Please review.

° Oh and as you can see Oz will finally make his apparition^^