Thank you all for your reviews, and for reading this story of mine. It makes my day, truly, especially when I find out I was able to tickle your imaginations a bit and possibly make your day in return. The more I hear back from you all, the more I wish to write, so here I am, hoping to get the next chapter out the very next day! I haven't had this amazing feeling in a long time. Thank you truly, from the bottom of my heart.

Linwe, I re-edited the previous chapter again. Thank you for alerting my attention to typos and such. Also, I am so glad you remembered the pup! And I am glad you are giving To Bare Witness a chance! I plan on up-dating that story within the next few days.

Mariet, I believe this story won't leave you feeling disappointed. You and I are two of a kind in that which we appreciate and hope to see. I promise not to let you down~.

To all of you: many thanks again. I couldn't help but hum in appreciation to your reviews. They all made my day that much brighter, and it means a lot to me to see how each and every one of you is effected. Thank you.

I do not own Sailor Moon.

Wolf Wind

Ch. 4

She couldn't believe the nerve of that Alpha! Endymion. She positively seethed at the thought of him, of his heated gaze—the touch of his hands running through her fur—over and along the skin of her arms. It was as if touching her came natural to him—as if he expected her submission to such acts.

Well.

He had another thing coming.

After his outrageous boast, for that is all Serenity would allow herself to call it, he had dispersed his people and called for the preparation of the Last Meal that had thus far been delayed. He walked away from her, calling a few of his men to him, and didn't even give her a backwards glance. By the time her halted thoughts had returned to the forefront of her mind he was too far away for her to loudly refute his claim.

Well.

She'd have to show him just whose Wolf she wasn't.

She had not been on the run from one Alpha just to suddenly be dubbed a potential mate for another!

Fuming internally, Serenity found herself slightly relieved to find her brother's assistance was needed by his alpha in securing the perimeter and looking for any straggling foes in the outskirts of their territory. Territory, she supposed, was also hers now as well. That realization gave her quite a bit of a nasty shock, and Serenity's anger diminished slightly as a newfound feeling bubbled up within her. It felt small and fragile, but oh, so wonderful.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."

Turning her wide blue gaze to the deep green eyes of the woman beside her, Serenity felt a small flush rise to her cheeks at the look she was receiving.

"Used to it?" She questioned softly, wondering if she could pretend she didn't understand.

Something that sounded suspiciously like a cackle erupted from Makoto's lips, and Serenity winced. Nope. No hiding anything from this woman.

"The pack, the alpha, the territory—our routine here—it won't seem so new and overwhelming for long."

Grumbling softly under her breath, Serenity nodded. It was true, she felt a bit like a pup stumbling around on her legs for the first time, but belatedly she realized when looking up to the woman standing at her side, at least she had a friend here. There was no denying it. This woman was already Sister in her mind, and Serenity clung to the strength of bond she felt between them and knew she would never relinquish. She had not felt a true bond like this since her brothers left her. Chewing uneasily on her bottom lip, she wondered if Kunzite and her relationship could ever be as strong as it once was.

"Come. Help me put out the Last Meal. It will preoccupy your thoughts from worrying and give you a chance to meet the whole pack when we serve them."

Serenity stared blankly at her new Sister for a moment before a small begrudging smile lifted her lips and the tensed muscles in her back finally loosened. "Alright. Can we keep talking? I have so many questions," she admitted with a bit of a grimace, earning a good-hearted laugh from her friend.

"Of course!" Makoto shifted her now human son from one hip to the other, and Serenity found herself staring into innocent brown eyes that seemed fixated on her face. "Ah, right! I haven't introduced you to my little one, yet. Serenity, meet my first and only son, Keitaro. Keitaro," she gave a soft sounding yip to the boy, "Serenity," followed by the short barking sound of friend, and another, Sister.

The boy had his fist in his mouth, but his eyes shone brilliantly and he managed to smile around it as his gaze remained glued to Serenity's.

"His father is the red-brown wolf from before?" Serenity asked, as they made their way to where a few members of the pack were beginning to set up a single long, wooden table with no chairs to be seen. Prepared foods were being set out, and she and Makoto moved to assist in setting out clay tableware and various dishes that must have been made throughout the long day.

Serenity was amazed. Not only was there so much food, but they prepared and ate cooked meat, as well as other dishes giving off sweet and tangy smells. The clay plates and bowls displayed repeated use, and she realized this pack was comfortable in both their skin as well as their fur.

"Yes, that would be Nephrite—my mate." Makoto blushed prettily. "No matter how many times I say it, it still seems so novice to me. My mate," she purred, tossing a wide smirk Serenity's way. "I would have it not other way."

Serenity shook her head ruefully, a soft snort escaping her as she playfully bumped Makoto's shoulder at her audacity. Makoto's grin was unrepentant, and she gleefully bumped Serenity in return.

"Speaking of mates…"

"No." That was all Serenity had to say on the subject.

Surprise bubbled in Makoto's eyes. "No? That's it?" She tsked sorrowfully, the humor in her gaze refusing to diminish. "He is our Alpha—and he is very good to us. You might be surprised—"

"No." A small growl escaped her this time, and Serenity's temper returned two-fold. "I am sick of alphas always out to get me. I just… I want to be free for once. I want to not have to worry about… about safety, or territory—where my next meal will come from." At this, the brown-haired woman's eyebrows both shot up. "I don't want to worry about mates and pups and everything else that goes along with that line of thinking."

Makoto was silent for a while. She led Serenity away from the few meandering pack members setting up the table, and toward the fire currently roasting delicious-smelling meat on a spick. "They have questions for you," Makoto murmured under her breath, so her other brothers and sister would not overhear. She fiddled with the spick, her laughing green gaze suddenly serious in contemplating thought.

"Well… I have questions for them."

A small breath of a laugh escaped Makoto, and the woman turned her face into her son's neck to nuzzle him gently. He seemed to be falling asleep after all the excitement.

"You aren't ready to face their questions, are you?" Makoto turned eyes that saw too much toward Serenity's, and Serenity felt the walls of strength she carefully built up around her start crumbling down.

Plopping down next to Makoto as she rotated the spick slowly, she winced, and finally admitted a soft, "No." After a small pause, she continued. "Truthfully, I may not even be ready for my questions to be answered."

Makoto nodded in sympathy. "Is Kunzite truly your Blood brother?"

The corner of Serenity's mouth quirked upward. "Yes, believe it or not." Her eyes suddenly felt pained. "Did he… did he never talk about—about me?" About us? She wanted to ask it, but her throat closed up around the word.

Makoto heaved a heavy sigh, and rocked back on her heels, the small gap between her and the White at her side closing until both women rested shoulder to shoulder. Serenity saw the act for what it was—one of comfort—and her chest burned painfully even as she drew strength from the woman next to her.

"You can't be angry with him. I don't know the particulars, but he rarely talks to anyone aside from his Alpha. He is a mystery to almost all of his brothers and sisters, but our alpha speaks for him, so we do not question Kunzite as our brother—or our alpha's second. Our alpha's trust in him is enough, and Kunzite has not once let us down."

He let me down.

Serenity couldn't stop the thought from coming, but she was thankful to have prevented the words from being said. The thought alone was enough for her to feel sickened over. She wanted to trust him—wanted to understand why the sudden disappearance. It was abandonment pure and simple. She had found him in a mere three days' time, and still he never sought to return.

Why?

So many questions, and they only seemed to aggravate and re-open old wounds. The worst part, however, was the fact that everything within her screamed for him to not answer any of them. What if his response brought more pain than she could bear?

These thoughts were too depressing.

"Help me get the meat off this spick?"

It was a distraction, and Serenity grabbed onto it with both hands. "Sure!"

With Serenity's two hands, and Makoto's one, both managed to slide the tender meat off the spick and onto the large clay platter keeping warm by the fire.

"So, do you have any advice for your newest sister and pack-mate?" Serenity asked, hoping to keep her tone light and casual as she accepted the half-asleep pup from Makoto so the woman could heft the heavy platter of meat and carry it to the table.

Makoto gave a hearty chuckle. "Well, first you need to know you aren't the only new pack member here. There are a couple members we gained a few weeks past. If you couldn't tell, this is a pretty mixed pack—very unorthodox in comparison to the Days of Old. While there are still a few who adhere to the belief in blood hierarchy, most of us get along well enough. Some of the old sticklers believe Kunzite should be alpha, and not Endymion, but Kunzite has never once tried, nor seemed to want the position, and thankfully the bond between alpha and second has never faltered. Out of the entire pack, I believe Endymion is the only one to understand your dear Blood-brother."

Serenity nodded in understanding. Whites came just above a Black in the hierarchy of Wolves. She hadn't even considered the possibility that such a thing could lead to problems.

"What is the true hierarchy here, then? I don't want to step on anyone's tail simply because I did not realize their standing within the pack."

Makoto seemed to think something was outrageously funny at that, and Serenity felt her temper rise once again at the joke she seemingly was unaware of.

"Well…" Makoto began, deciding to prolong her bout of humor. "I am mated to one of the Five, and therefore, as a female, have decently high standing in the pack." At Serenity's look of slow trepidation, Makoto shook her head, greatly amused, and bumped her brown fur-clad hip with Serenity's white one. "Don't even think it. You are the closest thing I've had to a Blood-sister since I've arrived here, and I will not have you watching your tongue when around me. Now, as I was saying. The Five consists of our Alpha, Endymion, and his four strongest and most loyal male counterparts, Kunzite, my mate Nephrite, Jedite, and Zoicite. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to get acquainted with them. The alpha seeks their council in all things concerning his pack, after all, even if the final say is, ultimately, his own."

Again Serenity was nodding, and she realized most of the prepared dishes were placed on the table. Soon, their conversation would come to an end, and she wondered if she could seek her friend out again after the meal.

"I understand their standing now, but what about the women?" Serenity couldn't help but quietly ask. True, the male to female ratio of this pack largely tilted in favor of the males, but surely there was some hierarchy involving the female wolves.

The soft breath of air Makoto let out was one more based on pity. "This pack is still relatively new, and grows more and more each year as more strays show up looking for a pack to call their own. Usually, if one wishes to become a member of this pack, they are given a probationary period to be sure they fit well with such a mixed family. Those that fit well are then later accepted. Those that do not…"

"Are turned away…" Serenity breathed, comprehension dawning as a look of shock overcame her expressive face. "But… I…"

Makoto's grin was pure evil, mischief leaking into her gaze. "You were not given a probationary period."

Suddenly feeling slightly chilled, all Serenity could do was nod.

"You were accepted as Sister in the matter of one night."

Ice trekked down the length of her spine. She paled.

Shaking her head, Makoto couldn't help her toothy grin. "You have been verbally claimed by none other than our Alpha."

Serenity was unable to breathe. This couldn't be happening. What if she wanted to refute such a claim? Surely this alpha of theirs could find someone else…

"As for the hierarchy of pack females, Sere," Makoto was enjoying this thoroughly, "you're it."

She didn't have time to pull herself from the icy feeling consuming her, because that very next moment the pack was called to their meal. Mind numb and on the verge of panic, Serenity was only able to half pay attention to names and faces of the pack members as they came to collect their Last Meal. The sun had long since set, and the night air grew pungent and cool. The thing that finally drew her from her state of shock was when Endymion's warm fingers brushed across her own as she handed him his plate, his dark eyes drinking her in.

It wasn't until he was walking away from her to sit and eat with the rest of the Five, that Serenity found her voice.

"He accepts his meal last?" The idea was completely novel to her. She didn't understand it—couldn't wrap the thought around her brain. An Alpha's position was first in the hierarchy, and thus ate first. It was how things were always done.

Wasn't it?

Jade eyes rested on her new sister's being with a bit more understanding present than Serenity felt comfortable with. "He eats last, so that his pack may be provided for. If we do not have enough food for all, he hunts his own kills, though he is always sure to provide for all others before him. He is good to us, Serenity. He is not an alpha who must stay strong by eating plenty and allowing his pack-mates to starve."

Serenity winced, her sister's words hitting a little too close to home. "So the first to eat are…?"

Head cocked slightly to one side, Makoto turned her full attention to Serenity, assessing her. "The pups, of course. Who else?" Now it was Makoto's turn to stare in confusion at the White before her.

Serenity's heart wept, and she could do nothing to stave off her sudden tears.

The pups. She could almost laugh, had it not hurt so much. Of course…

Hearing a small gasp from her sister, Serenity bravely tried to halt the downpour of her tears. There was no stopping them, however, and she soon found herself warmly embraced in Makoto's strong arms, Keitaro lovingly held between them.

"I'm sorry." Serenity hadn't the faintest idea why Makoto was apologizing to her all of a sudden. "Was it your pup? Did you lose your pup?"

It was too much to hold back, and Serenity found herself desperately clinging to the woman embracing her. "He wasn't mine," she finally wheezed, attempting to catch hold and control over her own voice. "He wasn't mine, he was not even my Blood, but I still called him Brother. Kunzite called him Brother. He was… the only brown in a pack of White Wolves…"

Makoto's hands caressed Serenity's back comfortingly, lightly massaging tensed or bunched muscles her strong hands came across. She made a sound that proved she understood. It must have been hard, being the only Wolf of color in a pack of Whites. It must have been hard to care so deeply for one that would most likely never be accepted.

"He wasn't mine…" Serenity repeated heart-wrenchingly, hot tears merely slipping down the length of her face as she buried her head against this woman's shoulder. Her voice was a breath of air when she continued, "But he was mine to protect."

He was mine to love…

Dinner continued without further mishap, and Serenity and Makoto made a point to eat along the outer edge of the gathered group so they might talk without being overheard, and so Serenity could attempt to re-gather the misplaced pieces of her soul. Her throat felt raw, and she had lost her appetite. Even the tantalizing smells could not reach her belly, and after a few persistent nudges from Makoto, the brown-haired woman finally gave in and stopped trying to force feed her new friend and sister, though she was not at all happy about her defeat. Serenity could catch a rabbit later, if she was hungry enough and had the energy to do so.

Or at least, that's what she continued to falsely reassure herself.

Feeling a strong presence behind her, Serenity stiffened and straightened her spine, noting her companion's wide gaze lifted someone over Serenity's head.

"It is late, Makoto, and there are many pressing things to be done tonight. Why don't you take Keitaro to the cave, and let him sleep?"

It was not a request.

With a slight bow of her head, Makoto rose gracefully to her feet, her son back in her arms, and pursed her lips in slight displeasure before grabbing Serenity's barely touched plate with her own, and disappeared. Serenity found herself wishing they sat closer to the others after all, as the hairs standing on end along the length of her body refused to settle.

Endymion was so near her she could feel intense heat radiating from him and settling into her skin. She heard movement, and then he was crouched down next to her, eyes assessing and yet inquisitive, and she stole a quick glance his way before staring straight ahead, certain she had nothing to say.

"You are unwell."

She started, then cursed her rapid heartbeat for tripping over itself at his words. She didn't know if he spoke of her tears, or lack of appetite, so she said nothing.

He sighed, and his hot breath wafted over her and across her skin. Then he rose to his feet and was gone, and Serenity allowed tensed muscles to relax. She didn't know what to make of this pack—of her Alpha. Why did everything have to feel so good? So utterly and completely right? She had not seen Endymion do one thing that could cause her to dislike him, or question his leadership, but she knew if she held out a little longer, just another day or two, his true colors would be revealed. After all, she had dealt with her share of Alpha's during her life time. This Alpha would be just as corrupt as the rest of them.

Wouldn't he?

Hanging her head, Serenity decided it was time to stop fooling herself. Some aspect of getting to know this pack rubbed at the heart of her until she was raw and bleeding. If it hadn't been for her first few glimpses of what a pack could be, she never would have realized the horrors of what were.

The thought that cut most deeply was the inner knowledge that Sammy would never know, or experience such a thing. Her heart called out to him, and she lifted her anguished face to the heavens as she closed her eyes and called to the soul that was her little brother. She wished for nothing more than for him to be alive beside her, experiencing the potential this pack had to offer, so that he might have been able to live the life she wanted for him.

Something hit the ground before her, and Serenity lifted heavy lids to glance down at a freshly killed pheasant. She stared at it as if she couldn't quite wrap her mind over what was before her. She frowned as her brow puckered in confusion, gaze lifting past finely muscled legs braced before her, followed by the thick, dark fur covering his lower regions, then up and over a wide expanse of a bronzed, well-muscled chest, to finally settle on a grimly set mouth and deep blue eyes.

"Eat."

She tilted her head, his words seeming foreign.

Endymion's brows lowered slightly, and he crouched before her, forearms resting on his knees.

"Eat." He glanced meaningfully down at his kill, then back into her beautifully somber eyes.

Swallowing past bile suddenly forming in her throat, Serenity found herself leaning away from her alpha and the kill he placed at her feet, and negatively shook her head. Her stomach was roiling at the idea, and even though this was more along the lines of what she was used to eating, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

A growl suddenly ripped from Endymions chest, and Serenity was given no warning before he was nose to nose with her. Both of his arms barricaded any escape route she might have taken, but Serenity's pale eyes merely widened at the nearness of his form.

"You will eat."

His tone was softer now, upon realizing he startled her, but it was no less of a command. Serenity felt weak—drained of all physical and mental strength. Her expression crumpled as a soft whimper escaped.

Again, she slowly shook her head.

The man before her tensed, and she held her breath and closed her eyes. This was it. She didn't know what this alpha would do to her for disobeying him, but now she had done it repeatedly. Certainly whatever came next would not be pretty.

Waiting in agonized silence, Serenity finally felt the urge to breathe, and her breath stuttered out of her lungs. A low rumbling could be heard, and she briefly wondered at the sound as she battled curiosity and bravery before slowly opening one very blue eye to catch a peek at the alpha's no-doubt enraged face.

Surprise had her other eye shooting open, and her mouth gaped open in shock. Yes, he had been angry, but that didn't explain for the pain she saw in his dark gaze. His eyes seared into hers, and once again Serenity found she couldn't manage to break the spell he seemingly held over her. Heated eyes locked, and Endymion watched her open, unguarded face as he gently pressed forward, nose ghosting along the side of hers in a small, endearingly hesitant nuzzle. The expression of anguish awash in her expression, Serenity did nothing to encourage or discourage her alpha's hesitant touch. She breathed in a shaky breath of cold night air, and inhaled the heated scent of him instead.

Her eyes widened and she gasped.

The rumbling sound coming from Endymion never diminished, and with a hooded gaze the alpha suddenly found himself moving into Serenity's form until she had nowhere to go but down. Startling cold seeped into her once again at the feel of the earthen floor cushioning her back as her alpha remained crouched above her.

"You will eat, little one. I can already smell the sickness within you. You will eat, and you will be strong, and you will not give in to any of the demons you are facing."

She was cold. She was cold and she was tired, and now that she wasn't on the run any longer her poor overtaxed and underfed body simply wished to shut down—wished to rest.

Why wouldn't this alpha let her be?

She was shivering now, perhaps because her frozen limbs could detect the heat radiating off the body so near her own. Pulling her shivering form to his, Endymion settled on the ground next to her, loosely enveloping her in his arms. It wasn't until Serenity's frozen and numb hands rose of their own accord and hesitantly embraced his back that his hold on her tightened. His nose buried into the crook of her neck, nuzzling up behind her ear, and Serenity felt a completely new kind of shiver rake up and across her form. She sighed blissfully into Endymion's heat, mind hazy as to the actual goings on between her and her alpha.

She was burning with fever, and that little piece of knowledge did not sit well with Endymion. Snarling his displeasure—he could sense she was already too far gone to protest much of anything at this point—Endymion grabbed the downed pheasant he had offered her just moments ago, and began ripping little chucks of meat from the bird and coaxingly holding the tidbits to Serenity's plush lips. Determination and patience paid off, and Endymion was able to coax her into swallowing just enough of the meat to please him. Her eyes were now glazed, and he mentally swore at her physical state. He carefully lifted her into his strong arms, intent on carrying her over the lazy gurgling stream and into his waiting den.

"Endymion."

Hard, sapphire eyes spliced over to where Nephrite had respectfully been keeping his distance. Kunzite also stepped from his hiding place in that instant, and it wasn't long before they were joined by Zoicite and Jedite.

"No one will press her for any answers to any questions until she is well. Is that understood?"

Three of the four nodded their assent without hesitation. Kunzite shifted slightly, just the barest movement from one foot to the other, and Endymion peeled his lips back slightly, eyes slitting in displeasure.

"Is that understood?" He enunciated his words with a low growl. He was not in the mood to have to worry about his second's reluctance when Serenity's breath rattled in her very lungs.

Attention flittering to the ill-state of his sister, Kunzite bowed his head in deference to his alpha.

"Good."

Gaze thoughtfully sweeping over Serenity's flushed and miserable face, Endymion firmed his lips together in a grim line, knowing he would have to push away his newfound selfishness wherever this White Wolf was concerned.

"She sleeps with Ami tonight. Jedite, inform her of Serenity's condition—it mustn't worsen. Nephrite, Zoicite, do another sweep of the area. We'll each take shifts until morning. I do not trust the Nijuushin. If they do not come back tonight, we most certainly know they eventually will come. We must all be on guard. Kunzite, you'll have first watch."

Orders given, Endymion turned to make his trek into the awaiting open mouth of his den. If he felt the tremor that swept over Serenity's fever-induced form as he carried her over the gurgling stream, he did not pinpoint the accurate cause. The sounds and smells that greeted him as he entered his pack's sanctuary allowed Endymion to breathe a little easier. He relaxed as familiarity washed over him, and the sense of his brethren settled deeply into his consciousness. He would protect them, just as he would protect the little she-Wolf he carried in his arms.

For she was his to protect; and his Wolf was more than eager.