How I Became A Werewolf Bodyguard

What does one wear when gong to Change in front of a large group of men and take a chunk of flesh from the guy she likes arm?

Hm. I bit my lip. Well, if there was a lot of blood I'd say something old but I wanted to look nice. This was all new for me and I wanted to make a good impression on the Pack. On Thraxx. That was another thought floating through my mind. I felt really girlie after our snuggle session and wanted to turn heads.

I laid on the floor of my closet and let my eyes drift over my clothes. Matching and rematching every article. Picturing what shoes would go with what combination.
A form fitted tank, black skirt, and flip flops? No. No flip flops. Not practical for the woods. Boots. Boots are good. The black pair with the inch heel are nice. That sounds good right? Not too feminine?

I stood up onto my feet and pulled my shirt over my head to replace it with the tank top. Running a hand through my hair to clear the stray pieces of hair from my face. Shimmying out of my pants, I pulled the black skirt off the hanger and stepped into it. It cut off mid thigh. Zippering up the inside of the boots and I was out of my closet and headed towards the bathroom.

Make-up. Such a pain with all those different brushes and tubes, compacts, and wands. after running a brush through my hair I looked at myself. My face was complete done up. Foundation, blush, highlighter, eyeshadow, lip liner, a light lip stick, mascara, eyeliner. All things to make us look fake. I flinched at the thought. I bit my lip and continued to stare at myself. Damn it. Sighing, I grabbed a wash cloth and turned on the faucet. Couple minutes later I was a blank canvas again.

A light knock came from my bedroom, setting the butterflies into a flutter. I stepped into my room and headed for the door. I could see the shadow of a person from the crack beneath my door. I reached out for the handle and stopped. My mind was having an internal last minute battle and I made a face.

"Just a minute!" I yelled and ran back into my bathroom, grabbing the eyeliner.

Okay, so I may have some insecurities.

Smiling at myself briefly in the mirror I placed the eyeliner back on the counter and happily walked back to my door, opening it with a flourish.

"Hey," Thraxx smiled. "Ready?"

I wrinkled my nose but nodded, stepped out into the hallway and closed my door.
Every single Werewolf was mingling around the stairs on the first floor. talking, mock fighting, laughing and enjoying themselves. Solomon was near the bottom of the stairs talking to Lyer and two guys I've seen around but never actually met. All eyes turned to Thraxx and I as we stepped off the last step and my back stiffened instinctively, my chin rose.

Solomon smiled warmly at me, and I returned it, as I walked over to his side.

"Marlee, this is Pulsic and Ganzer."

Both sounded like last names. Maybe, they were just used to being called by them. They were good looking but couldn't focus my attention on them well enough to really take them in.

I nodded at them with a small smile. Not really in the mood for talking. The butterflies were swarming now. I just wanted this night to come and be done.

A hand fell on my shoulder, warming the tense muscles there. I looked up and met Thraxx's eyes. He had an encouraging smile on and patient, knowing eyes. His fingertips started to knead into my muscles to make them relax. I took a deep breathe and slowly let it out and with it my tension.

"Fell better?" Solomon asked.

I turned to him with a sheepish smile, "Yeah."

"Like I said, don't worry. It's all really simple and only takes a few minutes."

I nodded my head, still very nervous.

He rolled his eyes at me.

The front door opened and people started leaving, following their friends out the door. The butterflies grew intenser and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Clasping my hands behind my back so no one could see them shaking. I don't know why I was so nervous. I was more dominant than most of them, hell maybe even all of them. Who knows?

I looked around at our group, the only one that hadn't left, waiting, not wanting to make the first move. They must be ignoring what everyone else was doing because they were talking lightly. Care free. I couldn't even comprehend what it was they were saying. I waited at least five minutes after the last person left before I broke.

"Ar. . uh, aren't we going to follow them?" I asked, scolding myself for my nervous tone.

All eyes turned to me. Bad move. I felt all my hair stand on end, feeling like an animal cornered. Never make an animal feel cornered. You never no what they might do.

I took a step back. Not submission. More for their protection. My wolf felt my nervousness and was prepared to take over if need be. How quickly things can go from nervous to hostile energy.

Solomon, Lyer, Ganzer, and Pulsic dropped their eyes to the floor. Now that was a submissive move and it was all it took to calm my wolf tremendously. Thraxx, of course, didn't drop his eyes. Couldn't. He was Alpha. But for some reason my wolf was okay with it.

I sighed and shook my head, "Sorry."

"Your okay." Thraxx said, "We can leave now. We were just waiting for everyone to get there. I have to make an entrance, you know."

I smiled at him.

"Let's go." Thraxx said and everyone filed out the door.

Outside was a world of black and white. The trees loomed superior from their distance in the night. No one talked as we made our way up the hill, the only noise coming from our soft breathing and padded footfalls. The Full Moon was casting her glory onto the trees. Creating a beautiful silver tinge to them. Stepping into the shadowed woods we blinked, adjusting our eyes to the lower light.

Lyer knocked my shoulder with his, "Wanna run?"

I looked over at him and felt the smile swept across my face, "Hell yes."

Smiles formed on everyones face.

I took a step, preparing to take off when Thraxx stopped me.

"Wait," He said, "Marlee, I want you to stick with Solomon while I do the opening introductions."

It was an order. Not a suggestion or a question, but an order. And my Wolf didn't even raise her head.

"Sure." I nodded, confused with my Wolf.

"Good." He said, then flew past me.

I blinked in slow confusion but quickly snapped back and started after him with everyone else.

The woods are so different at night. It was a purely sensual thing. Slivers of shining light and shadows playing over me as I raced in between trees. The breeze sweeping through my hair like playful fingers. Taking in deep lungfuls of crisp, forest scented air. My legs stretching and clenching with speed. Sensing the bodies that ran along side me on a whole nother level of being. The true world of the Wolves.

We came up on the back of the Clearing quickly, pausing at the edge to make sure we entered as a group. Solomon took the first step into the Clearing, catching the attention of the Wolves closest to us. I followed after him and glanced back over my shoulder to watch Pulsir and Ganzer emerge from the trees. I waited, but no Thraxx. I turned back to Solomon with a frown.

He lifted his eyebrows at me and looked to his left. I followed his gaze and saw Thraxx Emerging from the trees beside the Thrones. A ripple of Power tightened the air around us. All talking stopped and every head turned to watch him climb up the stones steps with purely animalistic moves and gracefully sit in the middle Throne with the highest back. An entrance, he'd said. Head turning.

Nikoli broke away from the front of the crowd and made his way up the stone steps and took a seat on the Throne to the to Thraxx's right. I watched the crowd for another person to break away and take their place on the last Throne, the one on Thraxx's left. No one did.

I leaned into Solomon and whispered, "Who gets the other Throne?"

His eyes sparkled with laughter as he looked down at me, "The Alpha's Queen."

My heart wrenched to a stop. Halting all functions like breathing and thinking. Thraxx's Queen? He had a Queen? No. no, no. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't have a Queen. My hands started to shake and I clenched them into tight fists. I've sat in that Throne. More than once and he hadn't said a word. The detestable scum bag.

A ripple shot down my arms under my skin, making my skin roll. The Wolves around me turned as one to look at me, sensing my Wolf coming forth. And not in a good way.

Solomon grabbed my shoulders and shook me once, "Marlee. His future Queen. Future. He doesn't have one yet."

My breathe left my lungs in a giant sigh. Closing my eyes, I tipped my head backwards, letting the relief wash through me. My words came back at me, I had sat in that Throne multiple times. I let out a small hysterical laugh and opened my eyes to look at Solomon.

I shook my head, "Don't ever do that again."

He smiled and nodded.

Another ripple of Power washed through the Clearing, this one bigger, meaning business.

We all looked toward the Thrones and narrowed in on Thraxx.

"Welcome." He spoke. He didn't yell, didn't raise his voice, but it carried throughout the Clearing perfectly. "Tonight we have come here, not just to celebrate under the Moon's full face, but to welcome a new member into our Pack."

He stood up and came to the edge of the platform. His eyes searched the crowd quickly and landed on me, "Marlee Hartley, I invite you to Change with us."

With us? As in, in front of a whole group of males gunning for me? No way.

I glared at Thraxx and folded my arms. If I wasn't so far away from him I would of said he rolled his eyes. Must be my imagination.

"Solomon." He said.

Solomon nodded and turned to me, "You can go a little ways into the trees and strip there if your not comfortable with this just yet."

"Just yet." I mumbled.

He grinned, "Noob."

I scowled up at him. I pushed past him and into the trees. I rounded a wide one that was just a few feet from the Clearing and pulled my tank top over my head. A minute later, as I was placing my clothes into a pile at the base of the tree, a wave of Power slammed into me. My knees gave out and I fell to the ground, gasping for air. The wave intensified, causing my skin to ripple, the muscles expanding and reshaping. Pops and cracks signified the breaking and rejoining of my bones. My skin itched as the hair on my body grew, thickened. My fingers curved into the dirt as my face contorted, lengthened.

I collapsed onto my stomach when it was over, panting. The wave receded, calming into a gentle lazy roll. I stood up and shook my whole body, ruffling up my fur. I rounded the tree and headed back into the Clearing.

When I reemerged from the cover of the trees every face was turned my way. Furred faces.

"Come here, Marlee." Thraxx said, his voice a little deeper than normal. He was the only one not in Wolf form, even Nikoli was four-legged in front of his Throne.

The Wolves directly in front of me stepped back, parting to allow me a clear path to the platform. I stepped into the crowd, watched as more of them stepped back for me and then closed in on my sides to press their noses against my fur to catch my scent. If I was in my Human form I'm sure I would feel awkward and very uncomfortable about people I barely knew sniffing me, but the Wolf was quite at ease with it all.

It took me several minutes to reach the front of the crowd and shake off the last of them to look up at Thraxx, waiting for my next cue. He hadn't taken his eyes off of me the entire time. He gestured to the stone stairs. I moved up them slowly, the Human part of me turning squeamish.

Thraxx sat down on his Throne and waited for me. I padded over, passing Nikoli's intent stare, and came to a stop in front of him. He leaned forward, holding out his forearm towards me.

"Join us," He said, "In flesh and in blood. Join us as one."

My Wolf came to the forefront, crowding my mind and fogging my eyes over. Covering my world in gray. The world came back a minute later, my tongue sliding over my muzzle, cleaning away blood. Thraxx was now on the floor beside me in the middle of his Change. His coat covering him.

He didn't take a moment to collect himself just stood up and turned to the riveted crowd. He stepped up to the ledge of the platform and surveyed his Pack, his eyes slowly meet each members eyes and waiting for them to drop theirs first. He turned and looked at Me. I could tell he was waiting for me to drop mine also but my Wolf didn't heed him. Didn't feel like a submissive to his dominance.

He waited another second before throwing his head back and howling. The sound called to me, slipped past my skin and sunk into my bones to call up a reaction. Nikoli was the first to join him almost at the same moment I did and then all around us everyone joined in.

Howling together like this did a number on my Wolf's soul. It's equivalent in Human form would of been welcoming arms, a body to hang onto, and soft words of encouragement and love. The feeling of truly being home.

Howls started to die off one by one until the only one left was Thraxx. His raised in pitch for a second in time before lowering and fading out. He looked back at me and wagged his tail joyfully. Wolves started whining playfully and happily.

The call had been sent and the Hunt was about to begin.