"Normal Talking" "[Whispered Talking]"

"Thought-Speak" {Sign Language}

D/C: I do not own or wish to claim ownership of the characters from Stephenie Meyer's books. I'm just writing this story for fun, my characters and plot are mine, there may be some elements from other Fanfic stories I have read but no direct copying.

Chapter 20: Alpha Beta Meeting

~Red~

Alpha Dark and I were both the first ones to the meeting. We sat in our small Wolf forms. I was currently 2'6" tall from ears to paws and 4' long with the rest of me proportioned to look like a normal native wolf. My short rough-looking fur was my natural Crimson-red with my undercoat of red amber glinting from the setting sun. I adjusted my night vision, so my eyes were Indigo with a slight dark Violet glow.

Dark Claw sat 5 feet to my left and was matching my size. His slick even all Gray fur seems not to move from the wind. When he turned to look at me I saw his black fangs and I could make out his black claws. He turned his head in a curious manner and signed {What on mind}

I could hear the pads and huffing of a Wolf approaching us as I signed. {My mate} I keep my eyes on Dark Claw waiting for his response as I catch their scent on the wind.

He turned his head to the left slightly so I turned mine to the right to see the 2'6" tall brown Wolf with moss-green eyes and an Emerald glow around them.

The tall 7' man with green slitted eyes and moss green scaled-leathery wings coming out of his thin white t-shirt. His short black ruffled hair was getting blown around in the wind as he ran just behind her.

They came to a stop 5 feet across from us. Terrien spoke aloud. "My love, I still cannot understand how you deal with hair that gets in your eyes and feels like something is climbing on your face. You should just shave it off."

Mia gave her mate a look and flicked her ears in a sign. {You like I am not furless}

I could see Terrien's smile as he bent his knees to kneel down without touching the ground to run his hands through Mia's brown fur.

All of us could hear her *growling purr*. We could also hear two more sets of paw steps.

We all turned to see the SunWolf alpha and Light Shift, Dark Claw's Beta approaching from the direction of the SunWolf's dens.

She stopped 5 feet to Alpha Dark's left and Light Shift stood next to him. We were all quiet as we waited for the rest of the Wolfs to arrive.

The light of the sun was just disappearing when the SunWolf alpha in her 2'6" form with white-blue-tinged fur and lines of Sun gold running around her ears like a tiara, signs. {Who we waiting for? My Beta not coming}

I saw everybody flick their response that they were not waiting for anyone else. They look at me as Terrien said. "Are the Wolf-Shifters coming from the Quileute?" I was shaking my head no as I felt the aura of Terrien's power as he put up a magical barrier. I used the moister in the air to create my own barrier an inch inside his.

My barrier would feel like trying to walk through thick mud that went to our necks. It would stop a 25mm AA shell in midair or I could solidify it to stop a 45mph double-heading freight train engine.

Both our barriers would stop a high-velocity object but not another Wolf, or a slow-moving being from crossing it. We have had humans shoot at us while we had our meetings in the past.

After I had my barrier all set I spoke to everyone. "(Red) Since everyone is here let us start with what happened to the Stewert human. Then we can get to what to do with the Quileute pack that has an Alpha we do not recognize."

I turned my attention to Mia and Terrien as I spoke. "(Red) First Mia do you know what happened to the human or tell me what to tell Chief Swan about him?"

I already knew the human had gone out into the forest after finding out that he was being boycotted from the Olympic forest area. That with his one hand, he used a handgun with a few clips to start shooting Wolfs and anything that moved.

When I investigated it by asking the native wolfs, they said the massive green Avian that watched Mia picked up the human and flew off with him.

Terrien was the one to speak with a scowl on his face and a growl in his tone. "He is Helzelton Cannida's problem now."

All of us except Mia turned to look at Terrien as he looked at us with a neutral expression, and then he relaxed when Mia nudged his left thigh.

"(Red) OK, I will think of something to tell Chief Swan then. Now the Quliutes. I still have that young uncaring Alpha banished from our territory."

Beta Light decided to speak up at this with a huff of annoyance. "(Light) I tried going over there to speak with him and he would not let me sign. His two other Shifters tried to intimidate me, and I have heard they hound native wolfs. They are nothing like when Alpha Black and Beta Ateara led them. I remember them treating all native wolfs as equals."

"(Red) That is true, I was here while Ephraim Black was growing up and he was my friend until he joined his mate in death. After his death, I came by to see Tania Hood and found that the Quileutes stopped shifting. I thought that their line of Shifters was over. With my recent return after Tania passed away and I took the role of Wolf Guardian, I have noticed their view on the native wolfs and us."

Terrien spoke up. "I saw that young Shifter girl at the Wolf-House when I treated the Avian girl. She is Beta Ateara's great-grandniece and could make a better Alpha for the Quileute Shifters."

"(Dark Claw) I have spent time with Leah. I have seen how kindly she treats native wolfs and we Supernatural Wolfs. She has even started learning our signs. I have seen only 37 Winters. I never met Beta Ateara. I heard from the previous Alpha of my pack that Beta Ateara played with native wolfs and learned our signs. He was better at it than Alpha Black."

Dark Claw was looking at me when he was talking about how Leah treated all Wolfs. I was going to answer the group when I felt something lightly land on top of my domed barrier. I turned my head to look at Terrien whose barrier was surrounding mine.

His head tilted up and his scaled leathery wings, which connected to his inner shoulder blades went up past his head. Each of them had a sharp 4-inch-long black claw. Going down his moss-green wings they went an inch past the back of his knees. Being that he was in his smallest shifted form of a 7-foot guy they were big.

Terrien was unfolding them slowly to wrap around his mate Mia like an armored tent when a tree-colored back spotted Owl sank through my barrier since it was not struggling, to land in the center of us.

Before Mia could see Terrien trying to protect her, he folded his wings back onto his back. We all looked at Asha, who is one of Athena's Familiars. She helps us watch the sky when it is too clear out for Terrien to be mistaken for a bird or when Terrien is busy like now.

Asha did not move her body but turned her head almost backward to look at the SunAlpha. "Trouble young lighted one, in the sky of sleeping bright Wolfs."

I saw her turn to run out of Terrien and my barrier in the direction of the SunWolf's dens. Before she took a step a *Howl* came from the direction of the Olympic highway. The sound was from a single Hunter-Wolf. The howl did not sound like an attack howl and there was only one Wolf making the noise.

"(Shifter Light) Alphas I will go see what that is about and Alpha Red can use his shadow ability to take her."

Even though Shifter Light was a Beta his opinions and strategies are listened to. If we were to choose Alpha based solely on strength it would go, Terrien being a Dragon Heir which meant he has mastered his natural magic.

Mia would be next, she inherited the Hood's family gift, Plant Matter Manipulation. She could use the roots in the ground or wood to strangle or snap a Dragon's neck in its true form. I would be next in power followed closely by the SunAlpha.

Alpha Dark was last since he did not have an extra ability, but his fighting ability earned him his Alpha position.

I was just bringing down my barrier when a 2' black cat with gray stripes randomly patterned around its body like a tabby cat, walked up to me and tilted her head up to look at me with confidence.

"(Red) What can I do for you Slickpaw, High Enforcer of the Catweres?"

Her purred cat voice spoke in my mind. "(Slickpaw) The York Idaho Panther Shifters would like to speak with you concerning a group of Vampires."

I kept my face neutral not showing the annoyance from the last time I met with the Panthers. "(Red) Tell me is the Pantheride coming this time?"

"(Slickpaw) Yes the Pantheride, two Enforcers, and I will be there too."

"(Red) That will help with preventing fighting. The Pantheride is collected and we Wolfweres have an alliance with you Catweres."

"(Slickpaw) Of course Wolf Lord, that is why I was sent to negotiate a meeting."

I was about to begin talking about when and where I was going to meet with the Panther Shifters when a Hunter-Wolf Delta ran up to me.

"(Hunter-Wolf) Alpha Red, Snow Crystal needs you at her sleeping den."

I did not even take the time to speak to Slickpaw or wait for the SunWolf Alpha I just signed. {Later, I have to go}

Before she could respond I turned and leaped into a shadow cast by one of the tall trees. I came out of the shadow created by the lip of the cave that led down to the SunWolf Princess's den.

Putting my paw forward still in my 2'5" form I sniffed the air. The smell of heat and release hit me, wrinkling my nose. The smell did nothing to me, only one female's scent made my head swim and my heartbeat faster.

Walking down into the cave I adjusted my eyes to see clearly in the dark. The tunnel was large enough even if I was in my true Wolf form. I made it to the large open cave area where Snow Crystal sleeps. The first thing I noticed was she was not sleeping in her normal spot, she was curled up in the left-back corner of the cave.

At 50-feet from them, the smell of what they did was too strong. Their mixed scent was not making me crazy but my thoughts of Edythe and my scent like this was.

The Avian guy was on his right side facing me while he slept snuggled into Snow Crystal's stomach. His cheek was resting on her forepaws and the top of his head was tucked under her muzzle.

It made them look right for each other with his white wings that matched her white fur, one of which was extended back to cover her like a blanket that touched the floor behind them.

I was still looking over the two when her blue eyes opened. She was a Wolf so there was no point in me explaining how I knew what they did. I just flicked my tail and ear to sign. {Wanted to see me}

She lifts her head and the guy's own blue eyes focus on me. He propped himself up, then touched the side of her face with his right hand. I saw her glance down at him and the love in her expression.

When he said. "Who is that little Wolf?" She looks down at him. I could hear his Avian heartbeat get even faster and smell his desire. She was explaining who I was and her title when he stood up and asked if she would show him her shrunken form.

I stayed quiet as I watched her shrink. Once she was close to my 2'6" form, the guy walked around her and then crouched to wrap his arms around her midriff. He whispered into her ear but with my hearing, I could hear him say. "[Still beautiful.]"

The scent of their desire got stronger, and I did not want to be here for two youngsters doing that.

I interrupted their snuggling that was about to turn into kanoodling, to say. "(Red) Crystal, I know you did not call me to show off your mate. I have my own that has been missing me since I have been dealing with York Panter Shifter pride and their Vampire nomad problem."

I could not tell if she spoke only to me when she said. "(Snow Crystal) Sorry Alpha Red, as you can scent, I have found my mate. His name is Gazzy and he is an Avian. I was, we kind of. Ok, you can smell it, I need your help finding out if I'm a Wolfwere or not."

I kept my question short and to the point. "(Red) Yes I can, did you let him..." Before I could finish, she was quickly shaking her head and her face showed embarrassment.

I reminded her of the fact that she would not be able to try shifting or shrink her form if she was with pups. The Avian was quiet as we talked.

After I told Snow Crystal, I would have Fairwind make her an infidelity-enchanted charm I turned away from them to leap into one of the cave's shadows.

~Mara~

As the sun went down the 6' white Wolf with blotches of black named Shift Light, fur changed from that to black with blotches of dark gray. Every time he looked back at us, well it seemed he was looking at me, I noticed that at one point his eyes switched sides. His right black eye was now blue-silver and his left blue-silver eye was now black.

His aura was still fierce and seemed to not have changed since his transformation into this night form.

Another thing that had my Leopard instincts on high alert was that the 6' Wolf did not make a sound as it walked on the twigs and leaves covering the ground. Our group on the other hand was making so much noise as we walked that I was sure everything could hear us.

I was trying to make as little noise as possible with my steps, but it was nowhere near as noiseless as Beta Light.

I was concentrating on this so much that the hand touching my left shoulder had me jumping a good foot in the air. I saw Beta Light looking back at me as I turned to Max. "Sorry Mara, I did not mean to startle you." "That's ok, what do you need?"

"I can tell you are worried about something and that is making me worried in turn."

I lowered my voice to a level I think just Max would hear and not the Wolf. "[It's the Wolf if he is the Beta and has that aura of power. What does his Alpha have? What about you Max, are you worried about anything?]"

She spoke in a low tone too. "[Yes, what he said about us not having permission to fly over their territory. I let Gazzy fly alone over it. What if he gets hurt because of me?]"

"[Max, Gazzy is almost 18 and he is a strong and smart Avian guy.]" We fell silent as Beta Light stopped to wait for us. Max and I were the first to see that just ahead of Beta Light there was a small clearing with three normal-sized Wolfs and a tall human.

The human has short black hair, emerald eyes, light-tanned skin, and stood taller than Nudge's 6'. When the rest of the group stood behind us. Beta Light walked over to a solid dark gray Wolf with silver eyes that was about 2 feet shorter than him.

Max took a step and I put my left arm out to stop her. The Wolf may seem less intimidating than the 6' Beta Light but their aura told me differently.

The two that gave off the most intimidating auras were the tall human and the solid brown Wolf with green eyes that sat leaning against the man's left leg.

I looked at Beta Light to see him flicking his ears at the solid gray Wolf who did the same back in a different pattern. After standing there for a minute still holding onto Max's arm, Beta Light and his companion approach us.

The aura of the gray Wolf was not as strong as the others but as it got closer my Leopard instincts scream at me danger, run.

A new male growly voice spoke. "(Dark Claw) Helo Leoparod and Avians, I am Alpha Dark Claw. Call me Alpha Dark. Whose charge of your group? What brought you here?"

As he asked this, he stared at not just Iggy but all of us. Stopping to look at Max and me which put my nerves on end.

Max spoke up. "My name is Max I'm the head of my Avian family. This is Mara she is helping me find my youngest girl. Um, Alpha Dark I do not mean to disrespect but why are you Alpha?"

A shiver went down my back and I hissed out. "Max." Alpha Dark smiled showing us his teeth and his four long black fangs. With my sensitive hearing, it was like the light crackling of a campfire as Alpha Dark began to grow from a normal-sized Wolf to one almost eye-to-eye with Beta Light.

We all took a step back as Alpha Dark was now a 5'10" tall, 8' long muscular Wolf. I hissed again this time with fear and annoyance. "Maxx."

Beta Light turned his head cocky and gave me a smirking Wolf smile. I glared at him before remembering that he may take it as offensive.

I turned to look at Alpha Dark who had one lip up in a scowl or crooked smile I could not tell. That was when a female voice with a slight growl to it spoke. "(Mia) Alpha Dark, stop scaring the Avians and the Leoparod. Bring them over so we can get started, Alpha Red should be back soon."

Alpha Dark turns and begins walking back to where he was standing before. Beta Light walked around Max then I felt his wet nose on my right shoulder blade as he pushed me forward. I tried to stop but he just moved his head to push the center of my back with his forehead.

I let go of Max as he pushed me toward the group of Wolfs and the one human. I tried to dig my heels into the ground, but he was ridiculously strong.

Finally, I said. "OK, I can go on my own. Stop pushing me." He stopped and I turned to walk back to the others still standing next to Max.

I made it just past Beta Light's back when something hot and soft wrapped around my waist. *eek* I squeal as I was dragged back to the group of Wolfs. I look down to see his tail wrapped twice around my waist and the end of it at my belly button.

I tried using my Leopard strength to pull it off, but it was like a band of iron. It was not tight around me so I could breathe but damn this, Wolf.

He stopped and swung his tail, so I was pressed to the left side of his hot soft body. As he sat, he unwrapped his tail once from around my waist. He still has me trapped with it still one and a half times around me. This time he had the end of it on my belly button up the front of my shirt.

I could not turn around to see the others, but I said. "Max, get over here and help me."

I heard their footsteps and Max stood next to me but did not look at me. She was staring across from where Beta Light had me trapped.

I followed her gaze and my mouth dropped open. The man I thought was human had large moss green scaled wings slightly extending from his back. Now that I was not too worried about the Wolfs, I saw his green eyes were slits.

Nudge walked past us to stand in front of the tall man. She reached her hand up to touch his chest. "I'm Nudge and you are?" I could see what she did not.

The brown Wolf leaning against the man's leg began to grow in size. It was taller than Nudge's 6' height and still growing.

Letting out a fierce possessive *snarl* with its hackles rase and white fangs elongating. The now large brown Wolf was about to leap at Nudge who was frozen in fear.

Max was across the distance in a blur of movement. She grabs Nudge by the back of her shirt and yanks her back, at the same time the man shoots his arm out to wrap around the Wolf's shoulders. He pulls the Wolf into his chest as it glares at Nudge.

The man pulls the Wolf tight to him and whispers something I could not hear into its left ear. Its hackles settle down but keeps its glare on Nudge.

The man spoke in a calm deep voice. "Sorry about that, my name is Terrien as you can tell I'm a Dragon and this is my mate, Mia."

Max had Nudge back to standing next to Beta Light and me. We were all silent for a minute then Nudge said with disappointment in her voice. "Oh, you're mated."

I snapped out of my shock to say. "That is what you care about, not that he just said he is a Dragon, and his mate almost bit your arm off."

I was still trapped by Beta Light's tail and staring at the brown Wolf when I felt my instincts screaming at me again. This much adrenaline and sudden spikes of fear were going to give me a heart attack.

I turn to see what set off my instincts this time. I saw a Crimson-red 2'6" Wolf with glowing Dark Violet eyes. Its aura was as intimidating as the Dragon man's. It was so powerful I ducked my head down and pressed myself into Beta Light's fur. I heard him let out a *huff* and felt his body shudder. His tail wags under my shirt causing tingles to shoot through my stomach and chest. I had to bite my lower lip to not make a sound.

The new Wolf stopped 5 feet on the opposite side of Beta Light. It stared across at a white and gold striped Wolf that had been pacing since before we arrived. The Wolf was now staring at the new Wolf as it flicked its ears in a pattern.

"[Beta Light, can you tell me what they are saying?]" I whispered into his left ear. "(Shift Light) Yes, Alpha Red has just come back from checking on her daughter. He is saying that Snow Crystal has asked to be trained to see if she is a Wolfwere."

"Wolfwere, you said that before. What do you mean?" "(Shifter Light) You saw with my Alpha and Mia that we can alter our Wolf forms to blend with native wolfs. It is rare but some of us are born as Wolf-born Shifters. It means we can Shape-Shift into a humanized form. Mia's family were originally SunWolfs but are now Wolfweres."

"What is up with that new Wolf? Why is it aura as grand as the Dragons?"

"(Shifter Light) Aw, you can see auras. That explains your reaction to our group. First what you need to know is that all the Wolfs here are Alphas. The only non-Alphas are Terrien, Slickpaw, and me. Now your question, that is Alpha Red he is a Lycan and the Wolf Lord."

"Wolf Lord?" I said in a questioning tone. "(Shifter Light) Yes a title forced on him long before even Terrien was born, by his self-proclaimed Wolf King brother, Lykaonis"

My mouth was hanging open as I looked over Beta Light to Alpha Red. Max caught my expression and looked confused as she looks at Alpha Red too.

Before Max could ask me what, I heard Iggy's voice. "Um, Max, Mara can you tell me why I can see a big cat with a blazing aura around it?"

I had a bad feeling as I turned my head to see Iggy and a 2' black and gray striped tabby cat sitting next to Iggy. Its aura was not a slight outline of the cat. It was bigger than a tiger and looked like a Leopard Beast.

I was fixed on the cat as it rubbed Iggy's right leg. "(Shifter Light) Mara, that is Slickpaw she is the Catwere's High Enforcer. To give you some information. Catwere Enforcers protected the King and Queen of Cats in their pride. High Enforcers travel to other prides to help with problems. In human terms, they are front liners, the deadliest Catwere warriors."

I barely managed to get past my fear to say. "Iggy do not worry about it." In a low tone, I said to Beta Light. "[Why is she here, if this is Wolfwere territory?]"

"(Shifter Light) I do not know, she came to see Alpha Red. I am a Beta, but High Enforcer and Wolf Lord business is above me."

Before I could ask more questions a new growly male voice spoke. "(Red) I will quickly introduce us then you guys can. Ok to my right is Mia and her mate Terrian. To the right of them is the SunWolf Alpha. Standing next to her are Alpha Dark and Beta Light. Next to your friend with the sight is the High Enforcer Catwere Slickpaw she is here to speak with me after we take care of the Avians. Lastly, I am Alpha Red and I have a mate so do not try anything."

At his last word, he looked at Nudge who looked at the ground with red cheeks. Max spoke. She pointed to me first then Iggy, Nudge, and then herself as she gave our names. "We are here tracking the scent of the youngest member of our family. Her name is Angel, she is 15 years old, has white wings, blue eyes, and long blond hair."

The group of Wolfs were silent as they all stared at Alpha Dark. Alpha Dark was staring only at Alpha Red and they were flicking their ears and tail at each other very quickly.

"[Beta Light, what are they?]" I did not finish my question because he was shaking his head no, as he continued to stare at Alpha Dark.

We waited in silence for 10 minutes as the two Alphas signed back and forth with snarling mixed in. They did not move closer to each other, and Beta Light would not tell me what they were arguing about.

It was getting late and with us driving for hours and then walking through the forest I did not care when I rested my tired head on Beta Light's warm back.

Terrien spoke up, interrupting the two Alphas snarling. "Ok, you two let us talk this over tomorrow or later today depending on the time. Alpha Dark go spend time with your mate and Alpha Red finish speaking with Slickpaw so you can spend time with yours. As for the rest of you. You will spend the night in one of the summer cabins near our house."

I caught the will in his statement, meaning we had no choice and going against a Dragon was not something I ever wanted to try.

30 minutes later the Avians all walked into a medium-sized cabin. I was riding on top of Beta Light's back as he walked past the cabin to another similar slightly smaller one, 200-feet next to it. I was too tired to say anything.

I closed my eyes and in the next second, I was sliding off his back to land on a soft Alaskan King bed, which was 108"x108". I was way too tired to ask why the bed was this big.