Bat Country

"Look at how they bend to her presence." Nikki whispered to Brian, impressed. A slight smile took up his face. "Even Matthew is afraid of wolves, and here she demands their submission."

Alexis walked through the ranks of werewolves that bowed at her feet so she could speak to the alpha, currently in human form.

"And she did it all for you. If she can do this 2 or 3 more times, I think she's put the ball back in our court." Nikki continued, watching Alexis examining the wolves.

"She's creative, I'll give her that. We told her not to go after his nest, and she didn't. Instead she came up with this plan." Brian pursed his lips. "Matt found her."

Nikki's eyes shot to Brian. "When?"

"The night she brought the alpha back home to make a coat out of. He came and asked if she'd go peacefully."

"I imagine she told him to fuck off?"

Brian nodded, stepping out of the way of a wolf who came to sniff around his shoes. Looking down, Brian knew it was a young wolf, given the size of it. "She did. But he said he'd kill me. So this is her form of insurance."

"Not really a child's idea, is it Brian?" Andy asked, his tone mocking.

Nikki laughed quietly. "Andy."

Brian's head snapped over to Andy. "No. In fact I'm impressed by it."

"Guys." Alexis called. "This pack was already taken. And I have a feeling that's why the other alpha wouldn't submit to me."

"Taken?" Nikki asked, crossing his arms and stepping forward. "By who?"

"Well, you're not going to believe this..." Alexis sighed. "Thor." She said darkly, her eyes coming to Brian.

"I tried to kill him." Andy said as a reminder.

"And you will get the chance again." Nikki said to quiet him.

Alexis smiled. "He lost this one too. And he won't be able to get them back unless he kills me. Now to the next." Alexis's face shadowed with determination and she side stepped, kissing Brian's cheek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I wish to speak to your alpha, if at all possible." Alexis spoke softly to a lone wolf, who must have been sent out to report on the scent of vampires in the territory.

After an angry growl, and a few shifts of his paws, the wolf craned his neck back and howled loudly before stepping away from Alexis.

Moments later, a few more wolves appeared, with one being larger than the others. The Alpha.

"If you could shift into a human form, that would work better for the both of us." Alexis said flatly at the wolf, who was clearly putting on an air of dominance.

The wolves all looked at each other before the large one shifted into a man. "Well, here I am. What could your kind want with mine?"

Alexis's eyebrows raised as she eyed the man. He was completely naked. Finally she looked up to his face and smiled, trying to pretend she didn't just see him naked. "Your assistance."

Brian watched cautiously, with Nikki close by him.

"Why would you need my assistance. I have never smelled one like you, or the older gentleman or the skinny one back there, but I've heard of you. Aren't you supposed to be the be-all, end-all of vampires? I ask again, what can I offer you?" The alpha asked, the subordinate wolves crouched at his feet.

"There is a nest of vampires that has produced a small army of their type to attack my own nest. I require assistance to prevent them from doing so."

"What's in it for us?"

Alexis smiled and raised her eyes in though. "Killing hundreds of vampires, satiating your lust for hunting...and after it's over I will never return to your territory."

The Alpha eyed the wolf fur at Alexis's neck and then looked back at her. "So far you have my attention. I'm willing to commit on one condition."

"Your condition?" Alexis asked eagerly.

"Our territory is being invaded by the pack to the north of here. If you make them stop invading my territory and injuring my pack, I will commit the whole to defeating your...army...of vampires."

Alexis nodded and looked to Nikki, Brian and Andy. When Nikki nodded almost invisibly Alexis turned back around. "I think I can handle that for you. I ask one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Before I leave here, I need you, in your wolf form to show submission to me."

"But...why?"

"Your subordinates follow you...I need them to see that you trust me, so that they will also trust me. If not, then this whole thing is likely to get your pack killed, even if they trust you."

Finally, the alpha nodded. "How will I know when to come?"

Alexis looked back at the wolf and waited until he made eye contact and dug as hard as she could, until it felt heavy behind her eyes. When she was sure it was done she let go. "You'll know. Now if you could bow to me for a few seconds, I'd like to go take care of the pack to the north."

The alpha stared at her curiously, then finally shifted back into wolf form. He bowed to her feet and whimpered.

The other wolves examined him and stared back at Alexis before following the alpha's suit.

"Thank you." Alexis beamed at them before turning to leave.

"Magnificent." Nikki complimented.

"Necessary. He wants to make an army, then I will make one who can destroy and obliterate his." Alexis said flatly. "I won't stop until I know I can crush his numbers. It's my fail-safe. I'm already sure I could crush him. But it depends on how well I can grasp what Amy taught me, and it's a tricky thing to hold onto and I don't know if I can do it in the numbers Matthew has, but God as my witness I will make his life difficult."

Andy looked at Brian confused, and Brian shrugged in return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's in it for me?" The blonde alpha asked.

"There's a pack in the east currently under submission to me. If you assist me, I will relinquish the pack, and it's territories to you."

The blonde man's eyes widened.

"But there is a catch." Alexis continued. "You cannot kill any of the wolves from that pack that survive service to me. You must integrate them and I will let them know they are under allegiance to you. If that's an unacceptable condition, I'll give them to the pack to the south, whose territory you keep invading, giving them the numbers to wipe out your pack if you fail to stop."

"You don't have the authority to do that." The man argued.

Alexis smiled and stroked the wolf fur at her collar. "I promise you I do."

"So if I help you, I get control of the east territory?"

"Yes. As long as you no longer invade the south. If I found out you have, well...I can always come back and visit." Alexis said menacingly. "And your pack will go to the south as well."

"I swear to stay out of the south as long as like you promise, you give me control of the east territory when your war is over."

Alexis nodded. "We have a deal. Now submit to me in wolf form."

"Now you're asking a bit much." The alpha laughed.

Alexis snapped to him, her eyes lightning in the dark. "Do not make me force you, because I'd hate to work up a sweat trying to force you to your fucking knees. I'm really not in the mood and it wouldn't bode well for you."

When the alpha continued to refuse, Alexis closed her eyes and when she opened them, instead of yellow, her eyes were white. Suddenly wolves started howling.

"What are you doing to them?" He asked worriedly, looking around at his subordinates.

Alexis waited a moment, a look of determination on her face before finally she snapped back to normal.

"I cut off their bonds to you. They no longer pay allegiance to you and better pack up to integrate into the pack to the south. Unless you fucking submit to me, it will remain that way. If you want to continue being stubborn I can always use a new coat."

When the alpha shifted, Alexis raised her head as a show of dominance to him. Finally he bowed to her feet.

"Now we'll see whose stubbornness will get who killed." She whispered.