Part 12

Josh glanced back over his shoulder and gave a shy smile. It was a smile Alex returned as he asked, "Do you all live here?"

"Most of us," explained Josh leading the way through the rambling corridors, "A few of the mated pairs have houses scattered around the pack territory but everyone has a room in the pack house. There are times when the Alphas like to have everyone in the same place, normally when a full pack run has been called."

"Like now?"

"Yeah," nodded Josh pausing to wait for the bigger man to catch him up. "Your room is just around here," he led the way down a pleasantly decorated corridor, pausing outside a white door. He caught hold of the handle and as he pushed the door open, he added shyly, "It's next door to mine."

"So I see" grinned Alex lingering in the hallway noting the door he had just passed had a small carved name plaque that read, "Josh's room" attached to front. "Did you carve that?"

"No," chuckled Josh stepping back, giving Alex space to enter his assigned room, "Shawn carved it. He likes to do wood carving; he says it keeps him out of mischief. We've all got plaques for our rooms. You should see the one he made for Alanna – its got stars on it."

"That's kinda cool," replied Alex looking around the room. It was pleasantly decorated, soft ale blues and white. A large double bed stood proudly in the centre of the room and there was a small chest of drawers, a side table and an old rocking chair beside the large windows that looked out towards the woods that surrounded the pack house.

"I'll go get you some bedding," called Josh backtracking quickly. He suddenly spun round adding, "Oh the bathroom is at the end of the corridor. It's just for this corridor so at the moment it's just you and me using it. There are fresh towels in the cupboard in there."

"Thanks," replied Alex, his tiger growling in annoyance as Josh disappeared out of sight.

Setting his small bag in the bed Alex took a moment to take in his surroundings. Everything had happened so quickly he was still trying to process the change in circumstances. He'd gone from being at Mike's beck and call, from hiding his true self to being surrounded by people who knew and understood his situation and didn't care. He ran a hand over his face and let out a long low breath. His tiger gave an unhappy snarl, the spirit shifting restlessly within him. Letting his head fall back he allowed a low growl to escape his lips, the low rumbling sound filling the room until the walls vibrated with.

"Oh wow that's cool."

He spun round and found Josh standing in the open doorway hugging the fresh bedding to his chest.

"Sorry!" exclaimed Josh misreading the look Alex was giving him, "I didn't mean to interrupt I just I...I..." the little wolf suddenly looked so worried It was all Alex could do not to chuckle. Instead he shook his head calling, "Its okay," his voice was lower than normal the echo of the growl still audible when he spoke, "My tiger was just venting steam."

Josh blinked at him then flicking a nervous look towards to the bed he asked, "Do you want me to make your bed for you?"

"You don't have to..."

"I don't mind!" offered Josh sounding so hopeful Alex didn't have the heart to say no.

Nodding he retreated to the bay window, sinking onto the window sill, quite content to watch the little wolf fuss over his bedding for him. If anything as Josh bent over to tuck the sheets in it gave Alex an unrivalled view of the pert little rear that was quickly becoming one of his favourite sights. Licking his lips Alex asked softly," By the way – what sort of wolf you?"

"Huh?" mumbled Josh his vice muffled as he fought with sheets.

"Your wolf," clarified Alex, "What's your wolf like?"

"Oh black, a bit like Randy's but I have blonde streaks and I'm way smaller than him," replied Josh blushing slightly as he turned around and asked, "Why d'you want to know?"

"I'm just curious," soothed Alex slowly getting to his feet.

He closed the space between them. Given the height difference he was all but loaming over the small man, absently making Josh tilt his head up to stare at him. And as Josh gulped Alex couldn't help noticing the way he licked his lips, a nervous little movement that had Alex's tiger roaring with delighted need. Rolling his shoulders Alex took another step closer, a hand coming up to closer over Josh's forearm. He felt the little wolf tense and cursed himself for hurting him earlier, a fact that made him murmur, "I'm sorry I'm hurt you the other night." He bought his other hand closer ghosting it down the side of Josh's face, "I would never...

"Everything okay in here guys?" called John boldly steeping into the room, grinning at them both as they jumped at his sudden appearance.

Alex's tiger roared in annoyance as Josh jerked away from him. Glaring at John he narrowed his eyes having to fight to keep his tiger in control. John held his gaze, the older wolf giving him a strange almost knowing look before looking at Josh and chuckling, "Shawn's looking for you, Joshy, he wants a hand in the kitchen."

Josh nodded and glancing up at Alex he asked, "You okay to finish making your bed?"

"Yep, I'm a big boy I can make my own bed," nodded Alex, hating the way Josh scurried away from him.

John watched closely as Josh squirmed his way out from under Alex's arm and hurried towards the open door. Catching Josh's arm, he asked softly, "You okay?"

Josh stared at him and nodded, offering him a warm smile. John held his gaze longer than necessary his wolf using its power to probe Josh's own wolf trying to see if the smaller wolf was hiding anything for him. Content the smaller man was telling him the truth, he let go and giving him a light thump to the rump, he ordered warmly, "Go on, Shawn's waiting for you."

He waited until Josh was out of sight before turning to Alex and growling, "He's only a pup. "

Alex frowned and folding his arms over his chest he snapped back, "He's a gown man. He's old en..."

"You don't understand," growled John stopping Alex's protest dead in it's tracks.

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Walking over to where Alex was standing he paused and holding Alex's gaze he waited a few moments before explaining, "Josh is the omega of the pack. He's the most innocent of us, the most inexperienced. For want of a better word he is our little brother, and every wolf here would do anything to protect him."

"So?" bristled Alex, his tiger not liking the way John's wolf was over-powering it without even trying. In that brief moment Alex suddenly realised his tiger would be hard pressed to beat the normally grinning man in front of him. With his tiger hissing and snarling at the sudden realisation it was all Alex could do to hold his ground and not lower his eyes in total submission to the were in font of him.

"So basically," growled John stepping even closer, breaking through Alex's personal space to end up chest to chest with the large man, "Mess with him and you mess with the entire pack."

"I don't intend to mess with him," objected Alex, doing his best to meet John's challenge head on.

They were standing toe to toe and nose to nose, their chests bumping into each other as they took up fighting stances. They were so close if either man moved their heads their lips would have brushed. In another situation they could almost have been mistaken for lovers about to kiss. It was only the balled fists that showed this was anything but a lover's stolen moment.

Despite Alex being the taller of the two it was John who dominated the encounter. His wolf's power rolled off him in almost tangible waves as he exerted his dominance over Alex. Staring into each others eyes they could see their respective animals, the tiger string back at the wolf. As Alex took a deep breath even more of his body brushed again John and for the second time in less than 48 hours electricity shot through his body. The shock was enough to make them both gasp and recoil slightly.

John blinked in surprise, regarding Alex suspiciously a moment, a slight frown flickering over his face.

"No way," he breathed softly. Cocking his head slightly he leant in sniffing faintly as he did. Pulling back sharply John's eyes opened wide and with shock flooding his face he hissed, "You smell fucking amazing."

"What?" Alex blinked in surprise. Of everything he expected John to say during what was an obvious challenge, to be told he smelt amazing was not one of them.

"You smell..." murmured John his voice fading into a faint expletive. Running a hand over his face, he shook his head as if trying to clear cobwebs out of his brain.

"What?" asked Alex his tiger giving a very strange growl. It was half needy half demanding and it confused the hell out of Alex. His tiger wanted something but he had no idea what.

Then without warning John was retreating, the wolf looking as shocked as Alex at whatever had just happened between them. Without saying another word John simply turned on his heel and all but fled the room, leaving Alex alone and very, very confused.

TBC