I stepped away from the four-wheeler I was leaning on, letting my fingers trail along Dad's shoulder. I let out a big sigh, then smiled at the wolves that were almost circling.

"Thank-you all for coming." I looked out further to include all of the gathered wolves. "I appreciate it more than words can say."

One of the circling wolves, one I didn't know, raised up and shifted to man.

"Appreciate? This, rescue," he sneered at me, "meant letting humans know of our existence. Their deaths are on your head. Know this before you die for exposing us."

I gave a breathy laugh. I couldn't help it.

"Really? You think anyone here is going to die?" I looked at him more seriously. He looked to be in his early thirties, with sandy brown hair, and a decent, if not defined, build. I looked past him, focusing on the wolves he led. "I pity you, and I grieve for those you have needlessly killed."

One of the wolves with him gave me such a look, it broke my heart. I could tell someone he had loved had been killed by these wolves. I hoped they didn't make him do the deed himself.

I stood taller, got sterner, a touch of the wolf surfacing at the thought of who knew how many needless deaths. My hand twitched, as if reaching for the rock within my medicine bag. "Know that you will not kill innocents again."

There was a stare down between us. Just when he moved as if in preparation to attack, someone else I didn't know spoke up.

"They don't have to die. We can either hold them or change them," said an older wolf who had shifted to man. "We can split them between us." He paused. "I'll take the female," he added possessively.

I didn't even have time to react to such nonsense. Anna, who was the only human female here, brought up a gun faster than any of the guys.

"That won't be happening," she said immediately, her sawed-off shotgun pointing without the slightest waver. I noticed old Michael was a close second with his gun, pointing it at the same wolf.

"d.a.m.n, I'm in love! That move was hot! Don't you think so bro? I mean the speed she brought that gun up, it was so d.a.m.n hot as h.e.l.l..."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wasn't the only one who turned to stare at Mac.

"Mac, when I'm done with this a.s.shole, I'm going to take care of you," Anna said without letting him distract her from the wolf who thought he could just claim her.

"I'll be here waiting, darling, cause that move blew me away! Where'd you learn to swing a gun like that? You and me gonna have to get together on a shooting range somewhere..."

"Mac, later if you don't mind?" I interrupted. "And somehow I don't think she meant the same thing you're thinking when she said she'd take care of you," I managed to get out with only a hint of a smile flashing across my otherwise straight face.

"I don't care man, whatever she wants to do, I'm down for it. I ain't never..."

Anna swung her shotgun toward Mac. "One more word!"

I was having a hard time keeping from busting a gut with laughter. G.o.d only knew what the wolves around us were thinking! I knew Anna wouldn't appreciate me laughing at her situation. I figured the stress of this situation was getting to her. I also knew I was going to have a blast ribbing Mac later.

"Cousin, please, there are wolves waiting. Put the gun down, at least for now? Please."

I couldn't keep the humor from my voice, and from the look Anna threw me, I'd be next after she dealt with Mac. She slowly lowered her gun, aiming it back in the general direction of the wolf  she had previously targeted, as she gave me a nod. I could practically taste the adrenaline coming out of her.

I tried to refocus on the gathered wolves. I was tired. I looked out on the numerous wolves as dusk settled in, before I focused on the one in front of me.

"Shall we establish some ground rules?" I asked. "First. There will no longer be killing or kidnapping of innocents. Second. Those who do not choose the wolf will not be bitten. And lastly, you will learn what it truly means to be one with the wolf within you."

"And who are you, that you think you can command us?" the werewolf that spoke of killing my family demanded.

"He's the Alpha King," called out Sheep, standing tall and sure. He had two wolves behind him.

I closed my eyes and prayed for patience.

"This?" growled my challenger laughing. "Then I challenge you for the right of kingship over these wolves!" He shifted to wolf, preparing to attack.

There was uneasy movement among the gathered wolves, many, I'm sure, who had no intention of calling anyone their king.

I held up my hand, glancing around, making eye contact with those who were mine.

"Be still. Let me deal with this one. Those who know me, well, the rest will learn. As for you," I said, focusing once more on the wolf in front of me, "whenever you're ready."

Mac gave a chuckle, practically rubbing his hands together in antic.i.p.ation. "Bro," he called out over his shoulder to Lone Wolf, "a grand for under two minutes?"

"Two grand, over ten. He's got to show him who's boss," said Lone Wolf.

Mac fiddled with his watch, bringing his eyes up to focus on me. I shook my head at him. This was a serious challenge, with lives at stake. A b.u.mp on my leg had me looking down. I pushed Dad back.

"This is my fight," I told him. He growled, but backed up. He paced behind me, keeping a snarl on his face.

Looking at my waiting opponent once more, I figured how long it had taken him to shift. I took just a little bit longer to throw him off guard.

He waited until I was done shifting, then rushed me with a frontal attack. I caught him with furry arms, using his momentum to flip him over and send him sailing. He landed with a slight yelp. I faced him on two legs, clawed feet and fur, but human arms and torso.

I could hear Sheep chuckle slightly as he whispered to the two he had brought.

"Leadership challenges are always full wolf. You fight dishonorably," the one who thought he could just take Anna shouted out angrily.

"The last leadership battle I fought, we fought with all we are. I want everyone to be sure there is no question about the winner of this battle. As my hunter said," I spared an amused glance at Lone Wolf, "I have to show him who's boss."

I shifted back to wolf, even though I didn't plan on keeping to his rules. I had my own.

We circled for a moment longer. He made a long leap toward me, aiming for my back. I flipped over as he came so I was under him on my back. My feet caught his underside and, with my suddenly human hips and thigh muscles, sent him flying again. I kept my whole demeanor one of amus.e.m.e.nt as I maintained my momentum to face him on two feet.

I refused to take this a.s.shole seriously until the end when I would indeed show him who was boss. I already knew I could take him. I had a feeling he was one of those who ruled by bullying.

With every lunge he made at me, I shifted closer to wolf, holding the partial shift. My control did not go unnoticed.

"I told you," Lobo told his friend, "he told the old one. They are n.o.ble born as well as being royal. Only such a one can make a claim to kingship of all wolves."

"And you know the only command I would give if I commanded as a king," I growled at Lobo.

I was beginning to do a bit of circling myself at this point. I looked at the wolf who had complained about me fighting as human. "All wolf, hmm?" I growled out. There was a wolffish grin on my mostly human face. I gazed intently at my opponent. He snarled back at me.

I accessed the alpha within me. I lunged, full wolf. My lips curled, but I made no sound and gave no warning. It wasn't until I was practically at his throat I let out some angry growls, tearing into him, leaving small puncture wounds on his neck and shoulder.

I leapt away, silent once more, the unspoken snarl rippling across my snout. He started to move and I rushed him again, grasping a forepaw as I flipped him to his side. I left scratched skin instead of broken bones. He knew I was playing with him.

The faintest smell of fear started to come from him. It was like a signal to the wolf I had become. This time I pinned him, my jaws around his throat, much like Sheep had once held Lone Wolf.

He couldn't get up with my weight on his shoulder. When he started to struggle I tightened my grip. When he growled at me I tightened it more, giving his neck a shake. His jugular was between my teeth. All I had to do was bite down and he was dead.

I didn't want him dead. I didn't want to be some d.a.m.n alpha king either, but like with Sheep, if I didn't break the authority of these alphas, these werewolves would never change how they lived; and how they lived was something that desperately needed to change!

I slowly let go. The second he was clear, he tried to come up into my neck. Wolf fury filled me again as I rounded on him. I was literally biting him everywhere. His one tooth barely drew blood on my shoulder. I ripped open his shoulder, my claws digging into his sides as my teeth left a tear in his flank. I didn't leap away this time, continuing to tear into him with my teeth.

He was breathing hard, beginning to accept that he was not going to win this battle. I was the one who no longer waited. I continued to press my attack, leaving damage on both sides of his body.

So far, there wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed with a few dozen st.i.tches. I circled once more. It was a panicking man who looked back at me from his wolf form. My snout wrinkled in satisfaction.

I rushed him once more, pinning him, grabbing a front leg. I knew he felt the pressure from me that would break it. He held very still, not daring to move, but he didn't submit. I growled at him. He knew what I wanted and refused to give it to me. I let go and backed up a little.

My whole demeanor changed from fierce, almost feral, wolf, to something almost playful. Instead of circling him stiff-legged, it was a casual, teasing pounce toward his back end. I had my rump high in the air, daring him to try and bite it while I purposely bit him in the a.s.s.

I got off him, circling around admiring my work, wagging my tail. Hissing laughter came out as I went for the opposite b.u.t.t cheek. He was not going to be sitting down without thinking about me for a long time.

I thought about Sister's story and her contemplation about wearing earrings before and after shifting. I knew about where an earlobe would be after shifting back. I pinned him again, no growls this time, and purposely nipped an ear.

He yelped, squirming away from me.

I laughed, taking my time pinning him to nip the other ear. All of his wolves that looked at him would have this physical reminder staring them in the face, his face! I nipped him in his lip, eliciting a painful howl from him. I shoved my rump in the side of his face, pushing his head to the ground, shifting slightly to grab his back paw, bringing it closer and nipping a pad on the underneath side.

I could smell his emotions. If he was human, he would be crying like a little child right now. I walked a short distance away from him. I caught his eyes and held them with my own.

"Submit," I growled out softly.

He gave me the barest shake of his head in refusal. I was instant wolf fury and didn't stop this time until the wolf in him couldn't help but continually whimper, rolling over, tail curled in, neck bared to me in submission.

"Let's review the ground rules, shall we?" I asked from a wolf throat, my nose in his neck.

"First. There will be no killing or kidnapping of innocents. Let me hear you say so. Come on, shift back to man. I will not kill or kidnap..."

He shuddered under me. I stayed above him as a wolf as he shifted. He whimpered in pain as human muscles felt the effects from my bites. Tempted as I was to look him over, I kept my wolf stare on his face. He barely glanced at me before looking away. He drew his legs up, curling into a ball. I pressed one paw on each of his shoulders,  keeping him from turning away from me.

I snarled softly. "No killing," I growled quietly.

"No killing," he whimpered, keeping his eyes down, p.i.s.sing a little.

"No kidnapping," I snarled.

"No kidnapping," came out in a whisper. I wanted him to say it louder but I didn't push it.

"Don't bite someone unless they ask for it," I said in a louder voice, so all could hear. "Like you did," I added with hissing wolf laughter at his marked up body.

He didn't say anything, but turned red in embarra.s.sment. I got off him, returning to man-form as a rose above him. Reaching down, I tugged on his arm, grabbing his hand to pull him up.

"I cannot force you to learn what it truly means to be one with the wolf within you. I wish I could. I am willing to help you, if you are willing to accept my help and learn. So much would make sense to you if you understood the nature of what you are."