Everyone reacted at the same time. There were growls and bared teeth. Dad moved to one side, Cherokee to the other. Arctic and Lobo were also moving to take points to surround the odd couple.
The shy one had been too caught up in the joy of the group howl to realize what had happened. Old Grey merely sighed and moved to block the shy one so he couldn't leave the pointe in a panic without pushing the old wolf out of the way.
Businessman was actually the only one who shifted to human.
"What the hell are you doing that for?" he asked the young wolf in confusion. He looked around at the reaction from the others, at a loss for what to do.
I couldn't react at first. I knew Lone Wolf wasn't in any real danger. I finally stalked over to center myself in front of Lone Wolf and his companion. I rolled my shoulders, trying to decide whether to stand as man or stay wolf.
My intense gaze caused Lone Wolf to make a decision of his own. He moved. It took me a moment to figure out what was he was doing considering his wide throat was still being held.
I shifted to man so I could tell the others what I saw.
"Lone Wolf wants to speak. Might as well settle in. Took him almost an hour last time to shift. I'll hear what he has to say before doing anything else," I told the group of wolves. "I do, however," I said, directing my last comment to the young wolf who seemed stuck holding onto Lone Wolf, "strongly suggest you let go of him."
When he didn't, my gaze narrowed and I shifted from the chest, dropping suddenly to all fours.
"Now!" I roared, growling and advancing.
The young wolf let go, but didn't move off. He stayed crouched over Lone Wolf, baring teeth. I couldn't understand why the idiot was acting like he was willing to take us all on.
Wolves changing from thinking about attacking to stalking their prey didn't reduce tensions, merely changed them. There was lots of pacing going on.
Old Grey shifted, looking first at the shy one before looking back at me.
"We will wait," he said as if he spoke for the two of them. He shifted back to wolf and lay down to face the spectacle before him. It took a moment but the shy one finally laid down on the far side of Old Grey
I shifted back to furred man. I kept my eyes on Lone Wolf. Even as his huge wolf changed to bulky man, he stayed down on all fours. While it was still a lengthy process for him, it didn't seem as painful as the last time I watched him change. He made grunts and groans but no bitten back screams this time.
When he was closer, but not totally, human, he looked directly at me... and winked. Then, looking down, he bowed his head slightly. He raised his head. Looking intently at me again, he gave me a second wink.
Storyteller that I am, I understood what he was wanting. He wanted me to play up the Royal aspect to influence his companion. I tried to figure how to work that pitch without alienating the true wolves.
While Cherokee and I didn't share the same language, there was a few of his words I knew because of my love of stories. One phrase in particular was easy to remember and fit the situation at hand.
"Trickster fox," I said to Cherokee in his language, giving a nod toward Lone Wolf. He just gave me a look, then a slow nod.
"Black Wolf?" I figured my dad understood. Dad let out a humph. He said something in Russian to Arctic and Spanish to Lobo.
I couldn't think of any way to give a heads up to the others without giving things away.
"What are you saying? What's happening here? I don't understand," said the businessman, still confused.
"Let me begin with how and why we are here in the first place. We were summoned by the Spirit of the Wolf himself," I announced dramaticly. "Each of us, or in a few cases the person represented, heard his call.
"We have gathered from around the world, representing all wolves. From the far northern tundra, from both the northern and southern American continents, and from the ancient Black Forest itself," I said, gesturing toward each wolf in turn as I spoke.
"Those who have chosen life as wolf are represented," I said nodding toward Old Grey, "as well as those who have chosen life as man, like yourself and the one you represent, which is why you are here."
Everything I had said so far was true, as far as I understood things. We had been gathered to meet and renew the connection between wolves.
I was part of that connection. Brother to all wolves. It was still not time for me to take the name waiting for me.
Connecting wasn't the only reason we were here.
If Spirit Wolf were to have one law, it would be that no one was forced to become wolf. To be wolf was an honor and a privilege. It should be a choice for those not born wolf.
These wolves had been gathered to act as witnesses. These events were rooted in the breaking of that unspoken law. The witnesses were to insure this story would not be lost or forgotten. Whatever happened today was only part of that story. I knew there would be more. That Alpha needed dealt with. The history of what made him how he was needed to be told.
What I did next, well, Mom always told me I had a flair for the dramatic. I played my part to the hilt.
I turned my gaze toward the wolf who had shifted to a young man. He still stood possessively behind Lone Wolf. I pulled myself even straighter. I shifted, slower than I usually did, concentrating on my face like I had for the girl in the fire. Focus was the key. It was harder doing it now on purpose with an audience like this, but I managed.
I brought one furless hand up, dropping my gaze to examine my clawed fingers. I closed my fingers in one at a time.
My wolf head moved forward just slightly as I brought my eyes back up to look at him over my clawed fist. I stood, obviously a man below my furred shoulders. My next words were spoken incorporating wolf sounds.
"We are the Royal Council of Wolves, brought together to judge those summoned by Spirit Wolf himself to face his council."
Also true, as far as I knew, except the royal part, and my theatrics.
Lone Wolf was about done shifting. I could see his nostrils flare as he hid his amusement at my theatrical wording. He knew his wink was the only reason I used the hated word royal. Suddenly his fear spiked again. He had finished shifting and looked up at me.
I was practically in the form of some ancient Egyptian deity. I couldn't remember which one had the dog head.
Lone Wolf was on his knees, head bowed tight against his chest. He had one hand behind him, tugging on his companion, silently begging him to be subservient and respectful before such a gathering.
The young man hesitated. It was wolf that kept staring at him through my eyes. He looked away. I closed my eyes, drew on Spirit Wolf.
A slight growl came from me, a demand for attention. When the young man looked back to me, I could see the fear in his eyes. He lowered his eyes and slowly went to his knees.
I was suddenly wolf on all fours. It wasn't a normal shift and it wasn't under my control. Spirit Wolf closed on him, circling tight again and again. When the young man started to shift, I growled.
"Stay as man," Spirit Wolf and I growled as one. We used wolf sounds. "You deny the wolf."
It was strange, feeling Spirit Wolf this time. I could feel the depth of the anger within him. It wasn't anger the way I had been angry. It was judgement. There was anger but it was entwined with everything else. There was disappointment, regret... love.
It was bold of me, perhaps, but I reminded Spirit Wolf that Lone Wolf had wished to speak.
Spirit Wolf stopped circling the young man. He stood before him, huffing breathes through a grimacing and growling snout. The young man's head bowed until his chin was against his chest. This seemed to satisfy Spirit Wolf.
Spirit Wolf turned toward Lone Wolf. He put our nose against the tatted collar.
Lone Wolf trembled and I couldn't blame him. I could feel the love Spirit Wolf had for the big man. Spirit Wolf withdrew, taking a back seat, letting me deal with the situation.
No pressure, I thought wryly. I felt drained.
Paw on that massive shoulder turned to hand as I shifted to man. I leaned on Lone Wolf for a second, taking a breath, feeling my body. One hand tilted his head up so he could see my smile and my exhaustion. My other hand brushed his hair back from his face.
"Hey my friend," I said as I pulled myself to my feet. "What I tell you about this shit?" I pulled him to his feet after me. He didn't want to stand but I insisted.
His companion started to glance up and stand. I let out a small growl, a rumble really. He decided to stay down, keep his head down, and not interrupt.
I put my hand to the side of Lone Wolf's face again, applying pressure every time he tried to look down. I kept his eyes on me, just me looking out my eyes now.
"You ready to be wolf yet?"
I felt sorry for Lone Wolf. He couldn't do anything but stand there, and he could barely do that. Old terror wouldn't let him go. His body twitched. My hand on his elbow was the only thing keeping him upright. He started to piddle and stopped himself.
"Tree," I sighed, letting him go.
When he was done he came back before me. He had considered his options and came to some conclusion while he passed water.
He knelt before me again, in front of his companion, out of my reach, his eyes begging my forgiveness. When he found his voice I couldn't decide if he was talking to me or Spirit Wolf or both. Maybe he couldn't tell the difference.
"My lord." His voice choked on a held-back sob. "My Alpha," he half-whispered, "if you will have me. I offer myself to you in his stead. Command what you will of me. Please lord, do not hurt him. He..."
I was already moving forward, put my hands on his head, on his shoulders. He fell silent, unable to finish his plea. As much as he had planned to play up the royal story, I knew his words were real. Silent tears ran down his face, falling on my toes. Once more I tilted his head up.
"Foolish wolf," I said gently, "you've been mine since you first heard my name. You know there is only one command I could ever give you. Are you ready to obey?"
When he started to look at his companion I gently grabbed his chin. Easy to do with him kneeling before me.
"Uh-uh. Don't you look to him for anything. Not anymore." I made him stand once more. "This has to be your choice, one you make freely."
I let go, my smile still soft but I knew there was a teasing glimmer in my eyes. I was hoping he would accept the freedom of the wolf, even as I knew he would go back to that hell-hole.
"Will you obey my command to learn of the wolf within you? I will never give you any other command. It is the only command I will ever, could ever give, and it is a command you can refuse. The wolf should never be forced upon anyone."
He gave me a slow nod as if he understood. I wasn't interfering with his situation, just his personal life as man and wolf. There was a difference. The tension, at least a big part of it, seemed to slide from him.
"I'd like to know more about what I am, really know it," Lone Wolf said longingly. He was more desperate than the shy one to understand the wolf within him. It had been denied him for too long. "What about..." and he glanced at his companion.
"What indeed?" I drawled thoughtfully.
"I think Spirit Wolf was going to do something to him. I intervened because of you," I told Lone Wolf. "What your companion did was based on what he had been taught by another."
"Is there a name we can call you?" I asked, turning to the still kneeling young man. "Go ahead and stand up," I added.
He stood but didn't answer. He kept his head bowed down.
"He is Beta," Lone Wolf said.
Mine wasn't the only snort. No way any of us wolves were calling this tweeb Beta.
"No," I said thoughtfully, grinning slightly. "I think until he earns his true name I'll call him Sheep."
There was a round of amused snorts, and a quiet glimmer of a growl from my dad warning me not to push things too far.
At Sheep's angry look I glared at him.
"You're Sheep," I told him, "until the day comes you stop blindly following another. On that day you can tell me your true wolf name, but I'll never call you something stupid like Beta. It's a rank, isn't it? Not a name? Every man deserves a name, just as every man deserves dignity.
"Which brings us to your judgement."
I paused for dramatic effect, and was gratified to watch him squirm.
"There is a task set for you, the first step of an overdue journey. You get to go back to your alpha. You tell him all that happened here."
He would take the story back to the alpha, who would freak out knowing there were so many different "royal" wolves. The alpha had taught his pack to obey royalty without question. He used it to mean obey him without question. The reality of others would threaten his hold on them. He would want to prove his right to stand with the Royal wolves as a leader. He would come out of his city in time.
"You tell him things need to change. Sad part is I don't even have to tell you what needs changed. You already know. You tell him, no man is to made wolf without it being that man's choice. He bites anyone again and he will suffer Spirit Wolf's wrath."
The young man cringed, his increase in nervousness obvious to us all. He kept squirming, uncomfortable with the attention and my pronouncements.
"I'll tell you the truth. Me, personally, I want to charge in there right now, tear the shit out of him. But Lone Wolf begged for you to be given a chance. I'm giving it to you. Go take care of what is yours. Accept the responsibility you've been hiding from.
"You will have him at your side," I told the young man I had dubbed Sheep, glancing at Lone Wolf. "As much as I want to command that he stay as far away as possible, I know his heart. He goes to protect others and I won't, can't, stop him. He is more wolf than that man you call alpha. Which reminds me..."
I relaxed, becoming less commanding, more casual.
"First time I met him, I could barely get any words out of him. There was too much fear. He didn't tell me anything about your pack but how many. I don't know exactly where it is, but I assure you Spirit Wolf does. So you make sure your alpha doesn't lash out at Lone Wolf in anger. He's under my protection and I won't have him harmed.
"Look at me!" I commanded sharply as Sheep's nervous gaze started to dart about. His breathing was close to hyperventilating. The smell of fear on him was stronger now than that coming from Lone Wolf.
"Do you understand what I mean, everything I mean, when I say he is not to be harmed? None of the wolves there are to be harmed. You understand me? It has to stop."
He nodded slowly, understanding, I hoped, that I meant the abuse, both physical and sexual.
"Good, because no wolf should live in fear. All deserve dignity. You see to it. And names. He is Lone Wolf. Say it."
He swallowed hard, the words coming out barely above a whisper, "His name is Lone Wolf."
Sheep's underlying fear was growing as his head bowed in submission to me. I hated commanding him, but I was playing by his rules. He needed this to be able to stand up to his alpha, the command of someone with undeniable authority over him. When he spoke to his alpha, he would be using my authority and not his own. That alpha was already afraid of me, of Spirit Wolf.
"Good," I said nodding. I took a cleansing breath, suddenly wishing for some peaceful time with my pipe.
I turned back to Lone Wolf. My eyes swept over the gathered wolves, stopping on the shy one. Somehow he was tied to all this, I just didn't know how. I needed to connect with him on a more personal level somehow. Suddenly I had a great idea. There was one way to join together and connect as wolves.
"Now that we have that settled, anyone interested in a hunt?"