Devil Dawg Donnelly

Devil Dawg Donnelly's

Standard disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people or actual events is purely coincidental.

You may contact the author at ulfr57@gmail.com All comments, suggestions and/or observations are welcome if presented respectfully.

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Chapter Ten:

"One day, you'll get out of the Marine Corps; you'll put your uniform up, but you'll never not be a Marine."

John F. Kelly

"This is bullshit, I wanna talk to my brother" Billy Donnelly insisted, yet again, after Danal denied his request for the umpteenth time.

"And I repeat, once again, your father's orders forbid any contact with either Michael or Kent by anyone without his prior approval," Danal stated as calmly as possible, fully aware of the mounting frustration and agitation building within the stalwart youth.

Danal was beginning to think Max had made a mistake in not letting Billy join him, Carl, Jake, and JD hours earlier when they left suddenly due to the admission of that girl Andrea Thomas to the hospital, after going into labor with Max's future grandson.

The angst Billy had felt at being told, that because of his still tenuous grip on his emotions and the fear that such an emotionally heightened event might trigger, albeit reluctantly, a shift or possibly a display like the one he had had with Arliss Gundarson's parents, that he should remain at the compound for the time being.

At the time, Billy had seemed to understand the reasoning. Though right now, Danal was questioning whether that had been the right thing to do, considering the intensity of his demands at the moment.

Still, that being said, Danal kind of admired his tenacity and could easily see the same qualities in Billy that he had once seen in his father at the same age. Leaving Danal no doubt, Billy was definitely his father's son.

What had spurred this current interest in talking to his brother and Kent, was Elizabeth Dunne's revelation that she had formulated a temporary treatment that would inhibit their ability to shift, derived from the same concoction she had been using to treat her own son with for the last thirteen years. She had stated she had tweaked the formula slightly to accommodate the variable differences in their physiognomies, and though not a cure, would inhibit not only their shifting abilities but temporarily stem the more deleterious, life-threatening effects of Monaca's genetic manipulations, at least for as long as it took her in finding a more permanent solution.

It was Elizabeth's assertion, based mostly on a conjecture of their symptoms, that much of their aggressive behavior was due to their condition and speculated that perhaps, in such a fevered state, they were not only easily irritated but mentally susceptible to suggestion and emotional manipulation.

Of course, it hadn't helped that his old friend and fellow council member Hadrian Mumsford had agreed with Elizabeth's prognoses, adding further fuel to the lopsided debate he and Billy were now having.

During all of this, Jason stood to the side, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, with a distant faraway look in his deep blue eyes.

Danal had noted the more somber, semi-detached mood that seemed to now subsume him. It had been subtle, but noticeable right before and during JD's wedding, but had deepened since JD's departure earlier, leaving Danal with the impression, he was only marginally following their conversation. That is until Jason suddenly interjected: "We don't need Max's approval to speak to either Mike or Kent."

Turning to eye Jason dubiously, Danal responded, with a slight rebuff in his tonality: "Young man, I'm fully aware of what Max's instructions were, I was there when he said it and as I recall, so where you."

Jason pushed away from the wall, his arms dropping to his side as he crossed the distance between him, Billy and Danal, to stare the latter directly in the eye: "A decision he made before knowing what my mother's assessment and treatment plan would be."

Danal huffed: "That doesn't however negate his last instructions."

If Jason's previous thoughts had been distant before, they weren't now as his stare took on a laser-like focus before calmly insisting: "You're presuming I need either yours or Max's approval. Last I checked, I'm Alpha of the Southern District and I say if Billy wants to speak with his brother, I see no harm in that."

Jason didn't wait for Danal's response, he turned to his mother, after placing his hand on Billy's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance and unity: "Please gather what you need..." he began, holding his mother's anxious gaze as it flipped between him and Danal, before finally settling on him: "If Billy doesn't mind, I'd prefer he holds off long enough for you to administer your prescribed treatment."

He looked at Billy, a faint smile crossing his lips and with a slight wink concluded: "Better safe than sorry."

Billy grinned, clapping Jason on the back heartily: "Thanks dude, I'm really getting tired of people treating me like I'm some hair-trigger gun about to go off at a moment's notice."

Danal grunted grumpily behind them: "Maybe it's because of this very dismissive and cavalier attitude you both seem to share. Do I really need to remind both of you what happened just a couple of nights ago?"

Billy shot Danal a stern grimace: "Are you referring to the night my father ripped my mother's head off in front of everyone, including my little brother, right after my brother nearly took his head off?"

"No..." Danal groused back: "I'm talking about earlier when you confronted that farm boy's parents and nearly lost complete control. Do you have any idea how badly that could have all turned out?"

Not backing down, Billy shot back: "Again, you're presuming I was out of control, I knew exactly what needed done and acted accordingly. No one was hurt, Arliss is here and waiting for tonight for his long-overdue Ceremony and I procured a potential supplier for us that benefits both Arliss's parents farm and the Southern District's compound."

Danal shook his head, sighing heavily: "My point exactly. You did all of that without first consulting your father, who, despite Jason's assertion, is still very much in charge, shared as it may be. You knew damn well he was just a phone call away, but instead of spending one moment to consider the potential ramifications of your actions you just leaped head first, heedless of the consequences."

Billy bulked at Danal's words, knowing full well that everything that he had just said was true, and now found himself second-guessing his actions, even though, deep down, he knew he had been right and just as certain his father's approval was just a matter of semantics. Hadn't his father raised him to know right from wrong, to lead by example? Weren't they the ones that had spent the last couple of days insinuating that he was somehow special, different from all the others, even going so far as telling him that they believed he might be the one that would transform this Codex thing and change the Heritage forever?

How was he supposed to do all of that if none of them trusted him to even make one decision without their prior approval?

Billy turned to face Jason, noting the same doubtful glare in his own eyes as he also contemplated Danal's words, analyzing his recriminations, internalizing and processing them.

They had both spent the bulk of the day and afternoon frustratingly trying to make hide nor hair of the Latin lesson's Danal and Hadrian had insisted they learn before getting to parse through the compounds copy of the ancient Codex, whose teachings everyone in the Heritage was supposed to follow and live by, a simple task made overly complex and nearly infuriating by their insistence they learn some dead language so they could read it themselves in its original format. A slavish tradition passed down from one generation to the next, century after century.

Billy knew, that he and Jason could spend years trying to become proficient enough to read and understand the words in the book and even more time trying to interpret its content.

Atticus was twenty-one and he was still trying to make heads or tails of it and even Brock, who had studied Latin had barely made it through the first couple of chapters, mostly due to the dated cultural differences inherent throughout the text.

It was that frustration that had caused his thoughts to drift to his older brother.

He and Jason had barely spent a day and felt hopelessly daunted by the shear magnitude of the task before them, he could only imagine how other's felt, wholeheartedly believing that most must feel as defeated and foiled as they do.

Michael and Kent so much so, that they had gone rogue, seeking an easier answer until they had been seduced by their mother's nefarious machinations.

Billy couldn't help make the same comparison with Atticus's men. Billy knew damn well that the bulk of them were just as frustrated by the contents of the Codex as he and Jason were and he was equally certain that if he were allowed to speak to his brother and Kent, they would voice similar disappointments.

And then there were Arliss's parents. More precisely, Arliss's dad. A man denied the one thing all those within the Heritage craved but only a few ever found. Their place within the Heritage.

By all accounts, there were tens of thousands of them over the centuries that had wandered aimlessly hoping for the slimmest of chances that they would be one of the few chosen by an alpha to become part of a small pack and that for some reason, apparently gloamed from certain interpretations within the mysteries of the Codex, alphas had abandoned having full or large packs, maintaining instead small, fighter heavy, streamlined ones, whose sole intent was to defend against the perception that larger packs necessitated an act of aggression against other packs, penultimately leading to bloody battles for dominance over other packs and alphas for territories and control.

Danal and Hadrian had both spoken that the tenuous peace that was maintained between packs had been achieved when they limited the number of members an alpha could claim in a pack. Leaving most alphas to choose only the best fighters they could find to defend against any potential threat to their territory while the rest were just left to their own devices. Packless, alone and devoid of the fruition of purpose and their natural instincts.

An idea took seed in Billy's mind, fully aware that both Jason and Danal were eyeing him, trying to read what his next actions would be.

Jason had given him the option he had sought, but doing so would be in direct opposition to one of his father's most trusted allies and friends.

No, what Billy really wanted was to unlock the mysteries of the Codex without the mind-numbing tedium of years worth of study just to be able to interpret it.

"Why has no one ever translated the Codex to English?" Billy finally asked, staring intently between Danal and Hadrian.

Danal's brow furrowed quizzically, stating hesitantly: "Because the Avus Concilium forbids any alteration of the original text, they believe it would be a perversion of the Progenitors teachings."

Jason pivoted beside Billy, following his train of thought: "What is this Avus Concilium and what or gives it the authority to make such a decision?"

The color nearly drained from Hadrian's face, leaving Danal to answer: "The Avus is a who not a what and there are only two of them."

Finally finding his voice, Hadrian added haltingly: "The Avus Concilium is the leader of the Council of Greges."

Billy cocked his head sideways, biting his upper lip as he observed Hadrian's quick, furtive side-to-side glances, as if he expected that the mere mention of this as of yet unnamed individual, would make him pop right out of nowhere or something.

Judging by both Jason's and Billy's quizzical grimaces Danal knew he needed to elaborate: "There are two councils, one in Europe and one on this side of the world, each comprised of twelve councilors, one from each of the twelve districts."

Danal laid out the division of the districts on this side of the world: "There are four Districts in the US, three in Canada, two for Central America and three for South America. Europe is similarly divided, from Portugal to Russia, from Turkey to Scotland and everything in-between."

Hadrian nodded in agreement, adding: "Each council chooses an Avus Concilium who serves as leader either for life or until he decides to step down. At which time, a new one is chosen."

Billy and Jason looked at each other as if communicating silently, mind to mind, before turning their attention back to Hadrain and Danal: "I wanna have a chat with this Avus guy, I want him to let Gavin scan the Codex into his computer and hopefully write a program that will translate it into English without changing the meaning from the original Latin."

Hadrian's eyes went wide and Danal just shook his head several times before answering: "He'll never agree to that and even if he did..."

"Which he won't!" Hadrian interjected boisterously.

Danal shot him a stern look before concluding: "Even if he did, he would never let Gavin so much as touch any of the twelve copies because he is a human."

Billy again cocked his head, staring back at Danal dubiously: "Brock's human and he told me he was allowed to read it!"

Danal shrugged his shoulders dismissively: "Brock is joined to Atticus through the Coaptandas, a blood ritual, a lifelong bond more binding than marriage, where two become one. He is allowed because he is considered to be a part of Atticus, an extension if you will. Gavin is not."

Rolling his eyes thoughtfully a look of consternation crossing his face, Billy queried: "What if I scan it myself?"

Danal sighed heavily, he knew Billy was grasping at straws: "Even if I were to allow it, how could you possibly guarantee Gavin wouldn't read it?"

Crossing the distance between them, Danal placed his hands on either side of Billy's shoulders, meeting Billy's troubled expression with all the calm he could muster: "I'm sorry Billy, I wish I could honor your request, but Gavin isn't of the Heritage and unless you or another within the Heritage join with him, I can't see that happening."

Billy's mind raced for an answer, his head bowing in symbolic defeat as none came to him, at least not until Jason asked: "What if I just make him part of my pack..."

Danal cut him off before he could finish his line of thought: "It would change nothing since he still wouldn't be of the Heritage, the Council would only regard such a thing as a deference, an honorarium at best."

A realization struck Billy as Jason and Danal spoke to each other. Actually, it came in the form of a memory when he thought of Gavin and the first time he had noticed something different about him. Something that had haunted his senses in the early days of their burgeoning friendship, one that he had inexorably linked between him and another recent acquaintance.

Excitedly, Billy thumped Jason on the chest with the back of his hand: "Stop dude, Danal's right, your not the alpha we need..."

Jason stared at Billy quizzically. Fearing that maybe Billy had suddenly popped a gasket or something with the suddenness of his current mood shift.

Billy grabbed Jason by the front of his T-shirt, taking him in tow as he pulled him toward the exit of the Reliquary. Uncertain of Billy's motives, Jason grasped his wrist and pulled Billy to a stop right outside the door: "Mind tellin' me what this is all about?"

Bubbling with near giddy enthusiasm, Billy nearly shouted: "It's Gavin dude, his birthdays on Thursday, guess how old he'll be?"

Jason carded his fingers through his hair, before scratching the back of his head thoughtfully, feeling more confused than ever: "Well, he'll be a senior this year like us, so I'm guessing eighteen?"

"BINGO!" Billy beamed, his excitement nearly infectious, though Jason still didn't have a clue how that made any difference. Still staring at Billy like he had a screw loose or something, Jason wondered if he should just play along and humor him until he came down from whatever buzz he was on.

Billy could see the skepticism written on Jason's face, knowing that he hadn't yet put two and two together.

Billy connected the dots for him: "Gavin's gay!"

The questioning look in Jason's eyes said he still didn't get it, but Billy didn't let that daunt him: "He practically reeks of honey and freshly dug dirt. Sound like anyone else we know who is eighteen and was just recognized as an alpha by those in the Heritage and given a seat on the Quorum of Alphas?"

Like a light bulb going off over his head, Jason's eyes lit up just before he grabbed Billy's arm and tugged him into motion, heading off at a jot toward the campsite: "You're right dude, I'm not the Alpha we need!"

"Babe, could you please try to relax just a little bit?" Jake Bauers intoned, his hand gently but reassuringly caressing JD's back as he sat there in the hospital maternity ward waiting room, legs bouncing nervously up and down as he leaned forward, head resting in the palm of his hands, his elbows planted on his knees.

"It's either this or pacing again. Which do you prefer?" JD stated, turning to smile faintly at his new husband.

"Husband?" JD thought to himself, that was still something he was trying to wrap his head around.

Jake reached over and clasped JD's left hand in his and pulled him toward his right shoulder.

"Just lean on me for a few minutes, you have to be as exhausted as I am." He stroked the side of his partner's head as he practically cooed support in his ear: "You dad and Carl are meeting with Andrea's father to finalize the transfer of guardianship."

JD tried to listen to what Jake was saying, but couldn't help but worry that somehow this was all going to go akimbo somehow. Knowing chaos followed Andrea like thunder in a lightning storm, he wasn't going to believe this was all said and done until he actually held his newborn son in his hands. That is if Andrea actually ever has this baby!

Some part of him, still clung to the notion that this was some sort of elaborate ruse Andrea and her crew of harpies concocted to further torment him and anyone else they could draw into their malicious machination's.

Carl had done his best to assuage his fears as far as the legal mumbo jumbo went, to the point that JD was certain that both his dad and Carl had made sure that every legal "t" was crossed and every "i" was dotted. He had known Carl long enough to know that he seldom, if ever, left anything to chance when it came to the legal stuff and even more importantly, he had never known anyone that could pull a fast one over on his dad, not and get by with it. Case in point, his own current circumstances.

He was sixteen, almost seventeen in a little over a month, was about to become a father for the first time, and had just gotten married a few hours ago to his lifelong family and childhood friend. All things considered, things could be worse.

The truth was, none of that was bothering him as much as having a little human that would be so dependent on him to care for.

Carl had inundated him with a plethora of reading material about child care and he had diligently perused it all. But despite all of that, he still felt ill-equipped to the task of child-rearing, something that permeated his thoughts now with the realization, ready or not, this was happening and regardless of his emotional and mental state, his baby, his son needed him to get his act together.

One other thought now crossed his mind, as he rested his head on Jake's strong supportive shoulder, the warm heat from his body and the steady rhythmic rise and fall of chest as he breathed, he wasn't really facing this alone. Jake had willingly allied his fate to both him and his child and yet did so without ever asking for anything else in return, and despite the resoluteness of Jake's mere presence, JD couldn't help but wonder how he had earned such devotion.

Fate and circumstance had brought them together as boys and it was true he had grown to love Jake. But JD had always regarded that bond as more of a fraternal camaraderie than a romantic or physical attraction, like the one he had with Jason.

This was something different. Something evolving.

He had first truly noted it back in his bedroom, when he, Jason, and Jake had been alone together. At the time, Jason had confirmed he noticed it too and JD was now forced to realize, had they not been interrupted that afternoon, that more than a mere kiss would have transpired between the three of them.

Which brings him to a present where he was married to Jake, who had bonded with Jason, joining his pack by performing a physical and sexual act of submission.

JD couldn't help but conjecture, if Jake being a member of Jason's pack now meant that he too was now also part of Jason's pack and if so, would he also be expected to submit to Jason in the same manner? Even more troubling, why didn't he find that thought more disturbing instead of somewhat provocative and why was it suddenly getting so warm inside the maternity ward waiting room?

One glance up into Jake's mischievous eyes and another to the growing mound in the crotch of his trousers, was confirmation enough, that what he was now feeling was mutual, forcing him to conjecture whether he was now married to a mind reader.

Jake's silent but knowing tap to his nose and somewhat cocky half-grin was all the illumination JD required. This whole scent thing with those of the Heritage was going to make a shambles of plausible deniability, especially when it came to sexual attraction and arousal. Jake wasn't responding to what he was thinking, he was responding to his sexual arousal.

As luck would have it, JD didn't have to dwell on this knowledge for long as Carl suddenly appeared through the maternity ward doors, grinning ear to ear, beaming enthusiastically at both of them: "Congratulations you're now the proud father's to a healthy eight-pound six-ounce bouncing baby boy!"

JD just stood there, wide-eyed and frozen in place, when he suddenly felt Jake's strong arms encircle him, lifting him off the floor and began swinging him around the waiting room in a whirling dervish, whooping hoorah repeatedly as he did so.

A few moments later, after Carl insisted Jake set him down, he felt Carl's arm slip over his shoulder, pulling him in snugly asking if he would like to go meet his son.

JD sensed what he was saying more than what he was hearing. For the most part, JD had slipped into this fugue-like state, where everything was both blurred and motionless at the same time. Words that once held meaning seemed so esoteric and surreal, it was like his head was completely devoid of any other content than the words baby and son.

Allowing himself to be guided through the double doors and down the hall to the nurses station, with Jake's firm grip on their clasping hands, he was still barely aware of his surroundings until a familiar voice brought him back from his time altered reality: "How ya holdin' up Sport?" his dad boomed through the din of silence that had encompassed his consciousness, like a shell of protection masked as muddled confusion.

His knees nearly buckled as the clearing haze lifted and his eyes focused on his fathers voice. If it hadn't been for Jake's hand slipping from his own to encircle his waist in a gesture of support, he was fairly certain they would have had to pick him up off the floor as the weight of reality came crashing back on his shoulders... Baby, son.

The next few minutes were almost a blur as his dad thrust some papers over the nurse's station desk as the woman behind the desk indicated he needed to sign his name in various papers that seemed to flow haphazardly under his fingertips, signing as directed.

At one point Jake stepped up and signed right above his own, where the word mother had been scratched out and the words co-parent had been written in.

The final sheet of paper placed before him ground the universe to a halt. It was just two words and a long line that followed, it also had dates on it, that seemed current and freshly scribbled. Just two words.... child's name.

In all the things he had spent months pondering and reflecting upon, all the things that had worried and weighed him down, he had as of yet, decided on a name for his son.

His hesitancy obviously showing, his father leaned into his ear and softly whispered: "If it helps, perhaps something symbolic, highlighting the union between you and the one you love?"

JD heard his father's words, and in his mind's eye embraced them, though he was certain not in the way his father intended, because two faces merged as one in his consciousness. Jake and Jason.

As if of it's own accord he watched as his hand wrote within the blank spaces provided: Jakson Donnelly-Bauers.

The clap on his back and the hearty smile on his father's face assured him he had made a good choice. He barely had time to soak that in before Jake's arms encircled him hugging him tightly, his face planted in JD's neck as he kissed him lightly on the nape of his neck before whispering his sons name allowed for the first time, in his ear.

It was Carl who brought them out of the self-congratulatory celebrations: "I can't speak for everyone, but I for one can't wait for a second longer to meet the newest member of our brood!"

JD was certain his heart skipped a beat as his father's hand, on the small of his back, gently steered him down the hall toward the actual nursery.

With Jake directly behind him, hands resting on his shoulders and his father and Carl directly toward his left, JD stood there behind the observation window staring intently from one baby to the next, trying to determine which was his.

Beaming ear to ear, eyes fixed on his own, his dad's hand came up to tap the glass dividing them and pointed to the diminutive form of his newborn son.

The infant was instantly recognizable, the swathe of curly blond hair adorning its crown a testament to his paternity.

He watched hypnotically at the rise and fall of his little chest as he slept peacefully swaddled in a soft downy white blanket.

JD was barely aware of anything other than the visage of his offspring, he scarcely noted as Carl spoke to one of the nurses tending the nursery before finally breaking their hypnotic reverie.

Carl guided them to a small room directly adjoining the nursery that had several straight back chairs and a small table containing disposable masks, gowns, and gloves.

He indicated for JD and Jake to take a seat as he and Max remained standing and adorning themselves in the personal protective equipment provided.

A nurse, similarly adorned, entered the room to greet them and let them know about his sons vitals and stats. All healthy and well within acceptable ranges.

Noting his and Jake's nervousness, she first assured them that it was perfectly normal for new parents to be timidly cautious their first time holding their child and offered them advice on how best to cradle the child, with an emphasis of supporting it's head and neck.

It was then she suggested, that a lot of first-time parents often found the bonding experience between them and their child was best done shirtless, stating that the infants often felt more comfortable with the familiarity of bodily warmth and it also allowed for the child to grow familiar with their parent's scent, since it would take the child's eyesight longer to adjust to the change in environment.

The whole scenario still seemed more like an out-of-body experience until the very moment the same nurse returned with a small bundle cradled in her arm and leaned over to pass his infant son, for the first time into his nervous, shaking, expectant arms.

From the moment his son's skin touched his, he protectively huddled him safely against his bare chest, feeling the warmth of his tiny body against his own, JD was smitten.

All sense of time and space evaporated as he stared at his son's tiny face: "He's so little" JD cooed, unable to look away from his child for even the briefest of moments, found himself mesmerized by his tiny finger's and toes, counting each one in succession.

"Actually..." His dad stated, breaking the awed silence of the other occupants in the room: "He's a good pound over the normal size for a boy."

His dad said this as if it were culled from some source of great pride he felt at his grandson's physical accomplishment. The same kind of bravado his dad had offered the first time he struck a home run for his little league team.

That memory, conjoined with the overflow of emotion he already felt holding his son for the first time, finally took its toll as he felt his eyes well up and grow glassy with the held-back tears he now struggled to constrain.

Fearful of an emotional outburst, he turned to Jake and offered up his, no, their son, passing him gingerly into the muscular giant's powerful arms.

The wide-eyed look of near panic supplanting all other emotions on his face brought an even broader smile to JD's lips.

There was something inherently humorous about the dichotomy of such a small delicate infant cradled in the powerful arms of such a shirtless lumbering muscular giant, looking so terrified to make even the slightest movement that might harm the precious bundle entrusted to his care.

But that soon faded as the Jakson began to coo and nudge himself closer to Jake's chest.

"He can hear your heartbeat and it makes him feel safe" the nurse offered, smiling at them, before excusing herself, stating she would be back after they had a few minutes alone with the child.

She had no sooner left the room, than Max pivoted toward them chest swelling, arms folding across it before declaring: "I was sure when I saw him, but now that I've scented him..." his dad paused briefly, taking a deep breath as Carl looked at him expectantly: "Looks like you've got yourself another Donnelly alpha on your hand's son!"

JD knew that should mean something, but after the last few days and his own circumstances being what they were, he was just happy, that by all accounts, Jakson was strong and healthy, and that meant more to him right now than anything else. But still, he had to admit, there was still a part of him that swelled with pride at his father's apparent, preening approval.

Too soon the nurse reappeared and took the baby for a final check-up with the pediatrician and Carl whisked them all away for a quick bite to eat.

It was there he ran down the itinerary, stating he and Max were going to go stay at his old place and make sure everything was stocked and set up to receive them and his newborn the next day when he fully expected the doctor to release Jakson into their care.

Carl didn't even bother suggesting that one of them go rest while the other stayed near the baby, knowing full well neither would leave the other alone at this juncture. Instead, he made sure they had money for snacks and reminded them both of the importance of staying hydrated through all the excitement and that he and Max would return later that morning.

The baby had been born in the early morning hours, not long after midnight. Carl assured them, they'd be back before noon and hoped shortly thereafter they would get to bring the baby back to their new home.

It was after his dad and Carl had departed and Jakson lay there nearly asleep while nursing on his first bottle of formula, that JD finally thought to ask Jake how long they had before he had to return to base in North Carolina.

Jake pondered it for a moment, before assuring JD that he was certain he could probably stall until at least Thursday or Friday, but he would definitely have to leave the following weekend.

It was with that sobering thought in mind, JD responded: "I don't want to be left here alone with the baby without you."

The serious look that overtook Jake's face assured him that he felt the same way: "I told you, we can stay at my dad's place right off base and though I will still have to work, Baxter will be there with you and even my dad a lot of the time, as he packs up the stuff he's bringing for the move here after his retirement is processed."

JD bowed his head, looking from his son to Jake, asking: "You're still planning on transferring here aren't you?"

Jake assured him that was the case, that it really shouldn't take more than a month or two to process the paperwork, especially with Max pushing for it on this end.

Jakson gurgled slightly as he hungrily suckled the nipple of the bottle JD held, causing the both of them to giggle slightly at the uniqueness of the sound.

JD caught Jake's eyes, then leaned toward him until their lips met and tenderly kissed him: "We better get or laughs in now, 'cause I don't think either of us will be doing so when this starts coming out the other end."

Jake's face scrunched up at the thought, before rolling his eyes: "I guess that would qualify under the for better or for worse part huh?"

JD smiled mischievously back at him before goading him: "Actually, I was remembering the part about you promising to obey!"

Shaking his head, Jake frowned and sighed mockingly: "I knew I should have written my own vows."

"What an insane couple of weeks it's been," Princess thought out loud as he walked silently alone back to his tent from the Lodge, where he knew Dalton Becker would be waiting anxiously for his return.

It was going to be their last night together, the second of two before he had to depart back to Florida along with Paul Lakatos and his entourage.

Despite being his first pack member and his first Gamma/enforcer, Dalton was still a Marine and his duties necessitated his departure.

Earlier that day, when he first came to realize that Dalton would have to return to his post the next day, Princess had approached Max about Dalton transferring here and what all that might entail.

Max had assured him that Dalton was welcome to do so, that within the coming months, there were going to be a great many changes at the compound, and they could definitely do with the manpower such changes would foster.

Just out of courtesy and because he also wanted another excuse to spend time with the handsome and somewhat enigmatic Paul Lakatos, he had approached the Alpha about the idea since Dalton served under him back on the base they were stationed at in Florida.

To his delight, Paul had been completely receptive to his suggestion, even offering to facilitate the paperwork himself, noting, that he himself would be putting in for a transfer to Lejeune in North Carolina when he got back, since he would be assuming control as Alpha of that territory in the near future.

To his surprise and delight, Paul had asked if might stop in from time to time and visit when he had business to attend either at the compound or when he had official Marine Corp duties in the area.

Though his tone had visibly seemed officiant in nature, Princess's new heightened sense of smell detected the not-so-subtle scent of arousal emanating behind the thinly veiled mask of propriety Paul always seemed to wear.

In his discussions with others, he had garnered this particular nature to Paul's personality; the stoic stern persona he adorned like a mantle when dealing officially with those of his kind. Carl had even quickly added the words pompous and arrogant and Max, smiling demurely as he waved Carl off, noting that those qualities were common amongst alphas and for him to use his own judgment and to at least try to see beyond the veneer and see the substance of the man first, before forming any decisions.

The truth was, like he had with Max, he found Paul's self-confidence, no matter how inflated, to be more of a turn-on than a turn-off. Plus, since the challenge, Paul had been nothing but charming since even if it all seemed a bit like some stereotypical old school southern gentlemen demeanor he wore to impress him with. As far as Princess was concerned, it was working and he fully intended to encourage any reason for future encounters..

Princess's thoughts didn't linger there, as pleasant as they were, what occupied his thoughts at the moment was the discussion he had just had with Jason and Billy and their subsequent discussion with Gavin and Atticus.

They had painted quite the scenario and all things considered he found himself wondering if maybe they were playing things a bit fast and loosely, but then again, if anyone had told him a couple of weeks ago he would be where he was now, he'd have laughed in their face and fully expected the men in white coats to show up and haul the whole lot of them off to the loony bin.

There was also this sense of urgency that seemed to fill the air around them. It was becoming increasingly apparent that certain things had been set in motion and that they were now trying to play catch up and that maybe what was needed, was a little forward-thinking and action and less discussion and debate.

Gavin of course was now pivotal in this and after their discussion of Billy and Jason's plans seemed even keener than them to see it through, stating his intent was dual in motivation. First and foremost, he wanted any advantage that would help him secure the safety of his mother and he was all for anything that meant he could spend more time with Arlis, who he worried might not be ready for the changes coming his way the following evening when they fully intended to activate his Heritage.

And then there was Billy's idea about Gavin himself and why they had sought Princess out, even before discussing it with Gavin or Atticus.

Simply put, they wanted Princess to attempt guiding Gavin through the same thing he had undergone, to see, if like him, the silver medallion might affect him like it had Princess. Something, that quite frankly he had pondered himself.

As Billy had related his intentions, Princess had been taken back to the time that Max had discussed his kind with him, in which he had noted the long shared history his and people like Princess had shared throughout history.

He had gotten the distinct impression Max wasn't just referring to all gay people in general, but a specific kind of gay man, ones that smelled of Honey and freshly dug earth. Max had intimated that not all gay men smell that way, Princess noting other's within their training unit attesting to that same notion, usually by referring to their specific scent as being alluring to them.

He had thought little of their comments at the time, but as Billy laid out his desired plan, he found those memories resurfacing and by the time they had approached Gavin, he had begun to see the possibility that he might not be the lone human that the mysterious silver medallion might change.

It was during their discussion with Gavin that Princess had recalled the first time, after his change that he had noted the same scent of honey and dirt when he had had a brief discussion with Brock about securing a larger tent for himself and his Gamma. Brock had reeked of it.

That had spurred Billy and Jason to involve Atticus. They couldn't approach anything about the Heritage with Brock because of the constraining conditions of the Coaptandas.

Unfortunately, it was Atticus that had thrown the first damper on the plan, by stating Brock was way past the benchmark limit of eighteen. And though he didn't rule out them trying, he stated he actually proffered if they didn't get Brock's hopes up about it, adding, even if it were to happen, it wouldn't change anything about their current status and that the Coaptandas had already garnered Brock all the access he could ever hope for.

Still, Atticus did offer to assist them in their plan, that he and his men were duty-bound as the compounds protectors and via association to the alpha in charge of the compound, which was now Jason.

There had been something in the way that Atticus had stated it, that had caught Jason's and Billy's attention.

For Billy, in was in the inflection of his tone. A haunting forlornness he had observed in the voice of Arlis's dad just the previous morning, except with Atticus's there was still that touch of expectancy and hope long gone from Arlis's father.

It was then, that Princess got to see first hand, their plans expand, blossom, and unfurl as Billy pulled Jason away for a few minutes, inviting Princess along for their discussion, leaving Gavin and Atticus pondering their actions from a distance.

As they gathered by the shore of the compounds lake, Billy revealed the thoughts that had just occurred to him.

He first reviewed what he, Jason and Princess to some extent, had been told by Max and Danal about the current state of those within the Heritage and what he had personally encountered with Arlis's dad.

He drew the comparison's they had all become privy to about the alpha's limiting pack growth and development so as not to appear to be overly aggressive while simultaneously limiting their choices to only a handful of seasoned fighters. This left the rest to wander aimlessly in a state both his father and Danal had labeled as Dispersers. Those of the Heritage, either by accident of birth or by death or incapacity of their alpha's, roamed the world devoid of their true, natural calling and purpose, to be part of a pack.

His own father, while the leader of the Southern District and because of his roll in such a capacity, had forbidden him to take even one pack member. It was because this position required him oversight of all the other alpha's in his District, to appear less aggressive to the sovereignty of those alpha's territories, he had to deny himself the camaraderie and fulfillment of having his own pack.

More than once, they had relayed their hope that Billy's uniqueness, of which they were still certain was developing, would change all this. The hope was that he would be able to end the division within the Heritage, to unite all alpha's into a common cause and allow them once again to forge strong healthy packs united under one common leader.

It was daunting to Billy that they believed he was such a being, but recent events had forced him to consider the possibility.

His first clue had come from his father, Hank, and Danal as they reviewed the events right after his ceremony. Each, in their own way, professing they had not only never seen anything like it, but had never read within the Codex of anyone having such capabilities, other than the Progenitor.

The second had come during the Quorum when Princess had stated he had seen the image of a large white wolf superimposed like a ghostly shell around him.

The third had been just the morning before when he was at the Gundarson's farm confronting Arlis's parents.

It was then he truly felt the presence of the wolf beast within him, still distant, but growing in strength.

He had felt it clawing inside of him, trying to get out but at the same time, it seemed to bring an inner peace, strength, and confidence that he had been able to mentally project without even trying, forcing not only the complete submission of Arlis's parents but Barin Young as well, whose reaction more than any other person's, had made him realize, that at the very least, he was not just a run of the mill alpha.

Jason and Princess had patiently listened as he recounted his experiences, adding to it, without embellishment where they could. But it was Jason who cracked first, asking what all this had to do with Atticus, Brock, and Gavin?

It had been Billy's following words that had spurred their current trajectory.

For Gavin, his thoughts hadn't changed. He still wanted Princess to try and steer him through his own version of the Heritage ceremony, which had already been agreed upon.

For Brock, it was now known, that his fate was tied to Atticus, with Billy then making it clear, that though what he was now considering could potentially alter Atticus's fate, it was Jason he really wanted to address, with Princess as an alpha, a third voice and opinion in what he was now going to suggest.

Billy had turned to Jason, placed his hands on his shoulders and locked gazes with him before confidently stating: "Jason, with everything that's been going on, the attack on our District by outside forces, the attack on Gavin's mother, the mystery of what all my mother has done, you need to be able to respond in kind with a force of your own."

Jason didn't counter, he had just stared at Billy intently, taking in his words and mulling them over in his head.

Billy continued: "I don't care if other's think we're being overzealous, I don't care about breaking the rules of some stupid ancient book we can't even read. We're under attack now and we need to be able to respond in kind!"

Jason had turned away, shaking his head: "Your dad and Danal said we need to secure our position here, convince the other Districts and the Council of Greges to join with us and assess what kind of action we should take at this time, that we can't go off half cocked."

Billy had just folded his arms defiantly over his broad chest, confident resolution exuding from every pore: "And what if those who attacked us expect us to do exactly that? We'd be sitting ducks."

Princess had spoken up then, adding his voice to the discussion: "I agree with Billy...for the last couple of weeks I've been able to thwart and best almost every one of you Heritage guys, even before my transformation, do you know why I was able to do so?

That had caught Jason's attention and Billy's too.

"I was able to do so by being unpredictable. I didn't fight the way they all do, I didn't do what was expected in the way they were taught I would."

Princess had smiled demurely at them, cocking his head slightly and batting his bright blue eyes: "I didn't wait for them to attack, I brought the battle to their doorstep, up close and personal, throwing them completely off balance, making them vulnerable and open. But most of all, I allowed them to underestimate me and used that against them."

Princess concluded by stating boldly: "Billy's right Jason, be unpredictable, do what they least expect. And by they, I mean not only our enemy but those who call themselves allies."

Billy hammered it home then: "I love my dad and Carl and yes, even Danal, but they all still have both feet firmly planted in the ways of the Heritage, they still think the answers revolve around that Codex and I think it's time to think outside that book, be the change we need Jason... build your pack!"

Billy made it clear, he didn't mean just fighters, he meant a full pack. Send a message so loud it would be heard on the otherside of the world."

Jason had whirled around at that moment, his irises flashing brilliant blue: "You're both right, but with your help Billy, I'm gonna go one step bigger..."

Princess smiled to himself, remembering that moment as he approached his tent, noting the faint glow of the lantern burning within and knowing who and what awaited within.

Tonight had been momentous. Change charged the very air around them. He felt electrified and full of life and purpose and he had every intention of being a part of it.

"Out with the old, in with the new" Princess muttered to himself, grinning ear to ear as he parted the flap in his tent and taking in the resplendent beauty of his naked, hugely muscular Gamma waiting expectantly for his return. Sprawled sideways across their combined bedrolls, his massive thirteen-inch erection pointing right at him in greeting, ready for his pleasure.

'Whose been a good puppy?" Princess cooed, grinning lasciviously, as he closed the flap and zipped it up, shutting out all the concerns of the outside world... at least for a couple of hours anyway.

To all of those who have been faithfully following my stories, I thank you. It's been a huge learning experience for me and I've thoroughly enjoyed the various email correspodences I've received as a result and the online friends I've made along the way.

Your encouraging words and insightful observations have helped me immensely in crafting my stories and I welcome them and would likewise hope you continue to feel free to do so.

I enjoy posting here at Nifty and hope to continue to do so for a very long time. That said, I do have another side to me that crosses from writer to illustrator, and I have crafted a number of artworks to go with my stories, the problem is, displaying them in context.

With that in mind, I have created a blog where I can not only post my stories but the corresponding artwork as well, free to all and completely open to the public, with the ability to comment and follow if you like.

Let me be clear, I will continue posting my stories here, first, but I will also be adding them to my blog with the artwork as time permits.

I will also be posting other artworks that are none story related, that run the spectrum of fantasy to hard-core gay erotica.

Please accept this in the spirit that it is given and enjoy!

Ulf Raynor

https://devildawgdonnellys.blogspot.com/