Part 18

"Man you should have seen it," giggled Justin lounging on the sofa, "It was fabulous. I don't think I've ever seen Joshy look so shocked in all his life."

The den filled with laughter. It was late evening and almost all of the pack was gathered together before dinner. Alex though had remained outside, the tiger looking more confused and uncertain than ever but each time anyone had tried to approach him, the big cat had simply growled at them and padded further away. In the end the pack agreed the cat needed his space and so left him alone. As the pack took up their normal places around the den, only Josh and the Alphas were missing. The little omega had vanished upstairs almost as soon as they had all come back in from the gardens. His face had been burning red as various members of the pack made rather unhelpful suggestions as he vanished as fast as he could up the stairs.

John was slumped in his normal chair, glaring at the pack as they called after Josh but even he couldn't help but chuckle at the banter flying around the den. He looked away into the open fire and sighed. He really had no idea what had happened in the garden but the jolt that had shocked the 3 of them had been the strongest mating spark he had ever felt. Gnawing his lower lip he wasn't aware of anything until a sharp pain made him yelp and retract his right foot. Glaring down he saw a mischievous little pup staring up at him, Alanna practically chuffing with wolfish laughter as she proceeded to torment her favourite uncle's feet. Not that he minded. With a good natured huff he lifted his other foot and tickled the little pup making her yap in delight

Watching the interaction Randy gave a low rumbling laugh, tightening his grip around the wolf occupying his lap. Evan was still in his wolf form and the little chocolate wolf had curled up into a tight ball so he fitted on his mate's lap. He had his muzzle resting on Randy's chest, and each time Randy stroked his back the little wolf gave a low, contented sigh.

Nuzzling his face against the thick chocolate fur, Randy whispered in Evan's ear, "Maybe we should ask John to babysit for us one night?"

Evan twisted his head around and licked his mate's chin, barking in totally and utter agreement.

Lex meanwhile had claimed the space around Chris and was sitting on the arm of the sofa, with Chris resting between his legs, the injured wolf arranged so he put as little pressure on his hurting leg as possible. With a soft chuckle Chris lent back, resting his head against Lex's thigh. He was listening carefully as Justin told him and Randy what had actually happened in the garden, his smirk getting wider and wider as he heard the full details.

Sniggering to himself, Lex absently raked his fingers through his mate's hair smirking as he remembered what had happened in the garden.

"It was brilliant," he agreed. Nudging Chris with his thigh, he added teasingly, "I've never seen John look so dumbfounded before, it fucking hilarious."

John glared at the two troublemakers but the twitch of his lips gave away the fact he could see the humour in the incident as much as they could. He still flipped Lex the finger though before going back to playing with Alanna and basically ignoring the rest of the pack.

"Lex, don't be mean," corrected Chris but the grin splitting his face showed he as enjoying John's discomfort just as much as his mate, "You know John can't help being a big dumb bum. It's his speciality in life – being big and dumb."

John was about to reply but the sound of a car pulling up and footsteps heading towards the front door cut him off. It was Justin who saw the new comers first and as his face hardened the atmosphere in the den changed. The relaxed nature vanished and instantly everyone was on alert. Even Chris, who despite being virtually crippled by his injury, was sitting up straight his wolf straining in readiness to deal with the new arrivals.

As a knock sounded on the front door, Shawn appeared on the main stairs. Yawning slightly and pulling his hair back into its usual hairband, he paused as he realised the state the pack were in. Shaking his head he continued down the stairs, drawling soothingly, "Guys relax. No need to act like World War three is about to break out."

The pack mellowed slightly but not one of them relaxed fully. Evan though was far too agitated to be soothed by the alpha's words. Jumping down off Randy's lap the little chocolate wolf shook himself before taking a few strides forward and snarling at the door. As Shawn ignored him and continued towards the door, Evan gave a low menacing growl followed by a loud angry bark. It was a bark that was that was harsh enough to stop Shawn dead in his tracks. Turning back the Alpha mate closed the space between them and crouching down he regarded the little wolf carefully. Sensing how upset and on edge the normally relaxed wolf was, Shawn sighed and reaching out he petted Evan's on the head, soothing, "Easy, snappy. No need to get all worked up. You're barking at shadows, that's all."

He looked up and sighed. The pack looked more on edge than he could ever remember and it saddened the Alpha mate to see his family so upset. Raking the pack with a knowing look he soothed, "Guys, I mean it – relax. We're not under attack."

As he gazed at each wolf in turn, the lesser wolves looked away instantly, each bearing their neck to their alpha. But Randy held his gaze. His jaw clenched and Shawn could feel the wolf inside Randy demanding to be released. Standing up he walked over and running a hand over Randy's shorn head, he murmured softly, "I won't let anything happen. I promise. Just keep your mind on taking care of that gorgeous daughter and your mate and everything will be fine. Understand, Pup?"

Randy glared at him, his shoulders hunched at the use of the pet name but even so, after a few seconds, he nodded and finally he lowered his eyes, showing the alpha mate his due respect. Patting the tense man on the shoulder, Shawn looked at the pack again and giving a wide grin, he called, "Guys I mean it. Relax."

He turned away and without hesitation he yanked the front door open and called, "Hey boys, how y'all doing? How was the drive up from Tampa?"

Ted gave him a wide grin and bowing his neck he replied, "Good, drive wasn't too bad. We managed to miss most of the traffic." He and Shawn settled into a relaxed conversion neither of them mentioning the glowering figure still standing on the porch.

Cody listened as Ted talked chit chat with Shawn. He could feel the animosity rolling off the pack and if he was honest it ripped him apart. His wolf howled in distressed at the feeling of loathing he was getting from the rest of the pack. He glanced behind him wishing he could get in the car and just run away. But he couldn't, not if he wanted to stay part of the pack. Hunter had made it very clear if he didn't attend the pack run it would be seen as a personal insult to his alpha and would result in instant exile from the pack and that was a fate worse than death for any wolf, let alone a wolf as damaged and broken as Cody. Besides which he knew the extended absence from the pack was starting to affect Ted and knowing that he was hurting his mate caused his wolf even more pain that it was already suffering.

He sighed softly and pushed his dark glasses back up his nose. He knew he should really take them off, eye contact was vital for the pack but for some reason right then he didn't want eye contact with anyone not even the Alpha mate who seemed to be going out of his way to make them feel welcome. So he kept them on, even though it limited his vision and made everything slightly blurry,

"Cody get in here," chuckled Shawn holding a hand out toward him.

Cody took the offered hand and stepped over the threshold of the house. His wolf sent up a loud howl that emerged as a whimper as he realised almost all of the pack was already there and they were all glaring at him. He bowed his head as Shawn continued to speak to him but he didn't answer. Screwing his eyes closed he tried very hard to hold it together. He jumped as he felt Ted brush past him, the older wolf carrying their bags and heading towards a less crowded part of the hallway. Still wearing the dark glasses Cody went to follow him but the smoky lenses made everything blurred. So when he saw a small, unexpected, black blurry shape at his feet, he did what that anyone with a phobia of rodents - he lashed out with his foot, yelping, "Ewww! What the hell is that? Stay away from me!"

There was a sickening thud as his booted foot caught the little black pup full in the chest and sent her flying through air.

For a moment no one moved then suddenly the house was in uproar.

Evan launched himself at Cody. The chocolate wolf snarled and snapped in pure rage as he floored the stunned and surprised Cody. Randy crossed the hallway and was at Alanna's side in a split second, torn between comforting his daughter and ripping Cody's head off. Lex grabbed Justin's arm holding the smaller man back, realising any more bodies in the now crowded entrance way would only cause more problems. Chris was craning his neck not caring about the pain shooting through his leg as he called out, "Randy is she okay?"

Randy didn't answer. He was too busy trying to consul his howling daughter.

It took both John and Shawn to pull the chocolate wolf off Cody and not before he had taken a good chunk out of Cody's right bicep. Ted grabbed his mate, hauling a stunned Cody back to his feet. Turning him slightly, Ted tried to shield Cody with his body as he attempted to stem the bleeding on Cody's arm.

"What the hell is going on?" roared Hunter as he ran down the stairs. He took one look around the scene in front of him and without acknowledging the shaken couple in the doorway went straight to Randy demanding gruffly, "Is she okay?"

Alanna had shifted back to human form and was clinging to her father's chest, crying and sobbing more in fright than pain. There was an angry mark on her chest where Cody's' boot had caught her in wolf form. But other than that she seemed unaffected by her traumatic flight.

"Take her upstairs," soothed Hunter, his hand resting on the small of Randy's back. He could feel how close Randy was to losing his temper and he knew if Randy's wolf got free there would be a bloodbath. And that was the last thing they needed right then and there. "I mean it, Pup," he growled, putting a little of his power into his words, trying to reach out and soothe Randy's angry lupine. "Take her upstairs, go get Alanna sorted out. I'll deal with everything down here."

Randy glared at him and the look in his eyes was scary enough to make even Hunter's wolf give a rare yap of fright -he looked ready to kill. Leaning in, Hunter brushed a kiss against the shorn head whispering, "I promise this won't go unpunished but right now Alanna is your main priority. Go."

He pulled back giving Randy enough space to move, watching as his beta gathered his sobbing daughter in his arms and carried her up the stairs. Glancing over his shoulder Hunter looked at the snarling chocolate wolf being restrained by John and Shawn. With his own wolf howling in distress at the scene in front of it, he walked over and crouched down in front of the struggling wolf. Reaching out he laced his hand through the thick chocolate fur, not caring about the snapping jaws that were dangerously closer to his all too human wrist. Stroking the thick pelt he soothed, "Easy, Evan, easy."

He took a sharp breath as he looked into Evan's eye and saw only wolf staring back at him. Evan had let his beast take full control and that scared Hunter. He'd never seen the little man so enraged as to loose totally control. Knowing the longer Evan remained pure wolf the harder it would be to pull him back, he growled, "Come back to us, Evan. Come on your mate needs you in human form right now. Randy needs you."

He waited, hoping that the mention of his mate would help Evan regain control of his lupine side. For a few moments nothing happened then slowly as Hunter let a little of his power roll over the snarling beast he saw the change. He saw the lupine eyes shift and suddenly he could see Evan gazing back at him through the fur. He gave a warm smile encouraging, "That's it, come on, come back to us."

Slowly the snarling wolf clam down until it lay subdued under John and Shawn, the little form whimpering and twitching as it tried to regain control of all of its natural instincts.

"Shift," ordered Shawn gently stroking the soaking muzzle, "Come on, sweetheart, Randy needs you human right now. Don't you want to go hug him?" asked Shawn, "You know that mate of yours loves to be hugged."

For a moment the little wolf didn't respond then as he felt Evan shudder beneath him Shawn flicked a relieved look at Hunter. He smiled faintly when Hunter reached over to grasp his hand, the alphas needing the comfort of the pack just as much as the pack.

Within seconds Evan lay naked on the hallway floor, still pinned down by the larger bulks of John and Shawn. His face streaked with tears and blood.

"Let go of me," he rasped, his voice rough and coarse, thick with the angry howl of his wolf.

Slowly John and Shawn pulled back, both men caressing their pack mate as they did; knowing the more physical contact Evan had the easier it would be for him to regain control of his wilder side. John's hand lingered on Evan's hip, the larger gamma offering his smaller pack mate some much needed comfort.

Without taking his eyes off the couple still frozen in the doorway, Evan got unsteadily to his feet. Pausing to wipe the residue blood from his chin, he looked at Cody and snarled, "You ever touch her again and I will rip your throat out."

"Evan," growled Hunter.

Evan turned and held his alpha's gaze a moment before turning away. Breaking into a run he sprinted up the stairs heading for his distressed mate and their daughter, leaving Hunter to deal with Cody, who stood quacking in Ted's arms, the younger wolf looking on the verge of passing out with fear.

TBC