Devil Dawg Donnelly

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 obsevations are welcome if presented respectfully.

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When Opportunity Knocks

Chapter Sixteen:

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace."

George Washington, first Commanding General of the United States Marine Corps.

"Why do I keep doing this to myself?" Baxter Whitmore muttered under his breath as he peered around the corner of the main inter-sectional hallway of Daugherty high school, down the side corridor where his and Billy Donnelly's lockers were located.

They'd only been back to school for two weeks and already he was finding that the enhanced senses he acquired after his Heritage ceremony was yet again causing him to second guess the nature of his and Billy's "relationship."

Of course, the fact that Melissa Talbot had her back leaning against his locker while Billy stood leaning stiff-armed, with one hand placed mere inches from her left shoulder, with only a few inches separating the two of them, while she smiled demurely up at him as Billy regaled her with another one of his battle victories accrued during his summer training exercises at the Devil Dawg Compound while simultaneously alternating between maintaining eye contact and letting his vision drop sporadically to take in the heaving bounty of her breast, that could be leaving Baxter with the impression that Billy was being less than honest when he persistently asserted there was nothing between them, while simultaneously insisting that they were just friends.

Then again, as he ofttimes found himself doing recently, much of the slack in clearly defining the parameters of their relationship lay squarely on his own head.

It had been more than a month since his Heritage ceremony and that fateful night they spent in the woods together.

A fond memory, for the most part, that even now brought a smile to his face and blush to his cheeks.

But, that was then, this was now, and irrespective of Billy's insistence, the confluence of sexual hormones radiating off the both of them at the moment, was testimony enough to warrant Baxter's continued suspicions and doubts.

"Screw it" Baxter grunted to himself as he straightened his back and squared his shoulders, forcing himself to round the corner and make his way to the duo and his locker.

"Hey, there you are." Billy thrummed as he straightened up and took a step back from his previous position of leaning uncomfortably close to Melissa, just mere seconds ago.

"Where else would I be?" Baxter muttered woodenly, offering Billy a rather cold, icy side eye as he began fumbling with the lock on the door of his locker.

If Billy was aware of his less than warm reception, he didn't show it, his eyes still locked on Melissa as she moved away from the row of lockers and made as if to move down the hallway, looking over her shoulder, offering up another faint smile as she did so: "Catchya later big guy and thanks again."

From Baxter's perspective, the big beaming grin that suffused Billy's face as he watched after her only cemented his already declining mood, which of course Billy only added to when he turned back to him, and gave him a quick quizzical look, before veering off to jaunt down the hallway, shouting loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear: "Wait up Melissa, I'll walk you to class." leaving Baxter staring dumbfounded after them.

Baxter did his best to forget the encounter all during his fifth-period algebra class, and was for the most part successful, since today's lesson was more interactive than usual. But, unfortunately, his sixth-period literature class left his mind to wander, despite his best efforts, when the teacher assigned them to read a couple of chapters from some eighteenth-century Victorian writer that was boring under the best of circumstances.

He was barely a few paragraphs into the first chapter when his mind began to drift, as it often did these days, to the one topic that seemed to consistently preoccupy his thoughts of late. Billy Donnelly.

Once again, he found himself trying to reconcile his dark mood, by trying to lay the blame of some sort on Billy's normal, outgoing, jovial temperament, by ascribing ulterior motives to his actions. Billy had made himself quite clear, fairly early on, at the beginning of the school year, that he and Melissa were just friends.

He didn't try to deny that he found her sexually attractive, which would have been pointless considering who and what they were, but he had no intention of pursuing that interest until things were resolved between the two of them. Which to Baxter's perspective was him effectively saying, that if it wasn't for him he'd be all over her in a heartbeat.

This was what grated Baxter's somber mood the most since the fault for that could be laid squarely on his own shoulders. First, for thinking that, and secondly for allowing it to continue unabated or addressed.

He found himself drifting back to the night of his Heritage ceremony, right up to the point where Billy had left the cover of the woods at the Devil Dawg Compound and walked up to him, while Baxter was still in his bestial form, and spoke soothingly, in his Alpha voice, drawing him back to his human form.

Baxter remembered what he felt the most at the time, not just about him being physically exposed before his oldest and dearest friend, his brother and companion, but the kind of vulnerability that was now brought about by his newly expanded senses.

But that night, for the first time, there was a difference. His enhanced senses also afforded him a level of scrutiny he had never known before either. To the extent that he was exposed to Billy, Billy was in turn exposed to him.

It took him awhile to figure out and assimilate what it was he was perceiving. Some of what he was registering seemed conflicted and muddled. But, right from the start, overlapping every other emotion, every primal, hormonal discharge, was this all-pervading sense of genuine concern, protectiveness, but most of all... love.

Billy loved him.

There was a depth to that love, layers manifested in a myriad of ways, that would take time, perhaps years to figure and sort before he could hope to comprehend it all. But, the one thing that really caught his attention, was the level of Billy's physical attraction to him.

First and foremost, it differed from his own.

In the titular depths of his own psyche, were his more bestial desires lurked, uninhibited by societal convection and familial expectations, Baxter had always pictured or imagined a concoction of both lurid and romantic scenarios playing out, and in each of these, one theme prevailed.

Each involved Billy sweeping him off his feet and taking him, either romantically or rapaciously. Billy always took the lead while he, Baxter, always played the role of the supplicant, the object of his desires and affections.

But like all cheap, tawdry dime store romance novels, the reality was something less capricious.

There were subtleties and nuances to the complexities of Billy's emotions and desires.

Billy had grown up in a dichotomous reality where he could both love Baxter deeply, but do so without the expectation of physical intimacy.

That was the part Baxter struggled with, not just then, but every moment since.

While he was staying with them, the week before his ceremony, both Max and Carl had spoken to him on numerous occasions. In each of those conversions they had tried to allay any of his fears, but it was one conversation he had with Carl that helped shed light on the similarities between his and Max's relationship early on, compared to his with Billy.

The biggest difference of course is that neither he nor Billy had ever crossed the line that would have changed their relationship from a deep, fraternal friendship to a sexual one.

Carl had attributed that to the fact that Max's father Marcus had insisted on a more one on one educational approach, relying heavily on tutors and male centrist private academies.

Their natural libidos along with the relaxed, familiar comfort they felt for each other, assisted in crossing the narrow divide that separated the difference between curiosity and attraction, fairly early on.

Though Baxter and Billy held much the same feelings toward each other, their social structure and peer-induced expectations and pressures, had inherently placed biases toward openly expressing themselves the way Max and Carl had and it was that distinction that was now the crux of Baxter's hesitancy.

That night, naked and alone in the woods together, Billy had led them on their first run together, after successfully instructing Baxter through several shifts between his human form and his bestial one.

They ran for well over an hour, dodging and weaving through the rugged terrain, allowing their beast to revel in the natural order and flow of things. Where the sights, noise and smells of everything around them practically assaulted their senses until they were nearly intoxicated and overwhelmed by the raw, animalistic allure of it all, until Billy finally halted their run, ending it on the far side of the lake with the both them diving simultaneously off a large rock outcropping, right into the cool, refreshing waters of the lake.

It was at this point they shifted back, splashing and playing just as they had always done, ever since they were boys.

Shortly after, as they made their way to the shore and collapsed practically on top of each other, with Baxter's head resting on the side of Billy's chest as they stared up into the starry expanse, lit by the light of the waning moon with Billy almost absentmindedly stroking his hair, did the familial comforting gesture spur Billy to finally ask: "How long have you known?"

At first, Baxter thought to feign ignorance, but caught himself, realizing, that with their proximity there was no real point in trying to stave off this conversation any longer: "I think I've always known, but I wasn't really sure until we were about twelve..." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts from that time period before adding: "That was when I first started having certain kinds of dreams."

"About us?" Billy asked.

There was no judgment in Billy's voice. It was a simple enough question, one that Baxter had been asking himself over and over for years.

Perhaps it was the calmness of Billy's soothing voice or the gentleness of his touch, or perhaps a combination of many factors, those two included, but Baxter just lay there, basking in the warmth of Billy's body and the tranquilizing thrumming of his steady heartbeat, that Baxter couldn't find it within his own to deny Billy anything but the unvarnished truth: "It wasn't sexual at first..." he hesitated for a second, wanting to be clear about the distinction he was drawing: "Most of the time it was pretty much like this, except...sometimes..."

His words drifted as he pushed himself up into a seated position to turn and look his long time companion squarely in the eye, as if doing so would convey the words his heart wanted to speak but his lips now struggled to speak.

He felt Billy's hand clasp over his own as he pushed himself up on one elbow as he turned sideways to face him, his gentle gaze consuming his own as he finished his words for him, framed in the form of a question: "Did you ever imagine us kissing?"

Baxter didn't need to speak the words for Billy to know the answer, it was spoken with the tightening grip of his fingers interlocking with Billy's hand and the furtive glimmer of his unyielding gaze.

For the briefest of moments, Baxter felt the tension build slightly between them and when Billy finally moved, Baxter's heart nearly skipped a beat as his first thought was that Billy was moving in to do just that. Instead, Billy rose to his feet dragging Baxter by the hand with him: " I have something I need to show you."

Before Baxter even had the chance to consider his actions, Billy was tugging him toward the woods once again, leading him deeper into the cover of the dense surrounding foliage until they came to a small clearing.

Still holding hands, Billy guided him toward the center where a large flat slab of rock jutted from the ground, neatly encompassed and trimmed by much smaller stones. Instantly, Baxter recognized where they were.

He and Billy had found this spot together while hiking, not long after Baxter got the news his father had died and Max had brought them all here in the hopes to lift their spirits by allowing them to commune with nature.

When they found the big stone slab, deep in the woods, Billy suggested they build a monument in memory of Baxter's dad, an action and idea so thoughtful to a grieving Baxter, that it had solidified the growing bond between them into one, that for both of them, had taken them beyond the boundaries of mere friendship.

They had solemnized the occasion by carving his father's name at the top of the stone and adding their own at the bottom, forever linking and joining their presence together, in that moment, with his father's memory and his too short of time here on Earth.

They had sworn and forged a solemn vow here that day, one that promised they would always be there for each other, that they would always be more than friends, more than brothers and they had sealed it by cutting the palms of their right hands with a sharp hunting knife, clasping their palms together, gripping each other's hands tightly, allowing their blood to mix before they buried the knife together, at the base of the stone and covered it with rocks, swearing they would never allow anyone or anything to come between them.

They stood there now, the memory of that distant moment playing across Baxter's mind's eye and distilling a sense of calm serenity within him that continued unabated even as Billy slowly moved him backward at arm's length before he stepped atop the flat stone like they had done together so many times before in the past.

Baxter looked up at him questioningly, but holding back his unspoken queries, as Billy cautioned him playfully into silence by pressing his index finger to his own lips and lightly shaking his head from side to side, even as his gaze continued to lock with his own: "I need to show you something." Billy said softly even as the irises of his eyes shifted into a muted but steadily intensifying argent ring: "Don't freak out or nuthin'..." he cautioned even as the air around him seemed to begin to shimmer and thicken.

There was little that could have prepared Baxter for what he witnessed that night. From what he had garnered from his talks with both Max and Carl, what happened next should not have been possible, or at least not something that had occurred from one of their kind in over fifteen hundred years or more.

At first, he thought Billy just intended to shift into his bestial form, the same one, similar to what he had changed into when he pursued him after his own initial change earlier that night back at the ceremonial grounds, and indeed, by all appearances that was exactly what was happening, but it didn't stop there.

As the seconds ticked by and the intensity of the atmosphere around him coalesced into a silvery mist that seemed to cocoon Billy's growing, expanding mass, Baxter watched on in slack-jawed amazement as the massive shape of a large white wolf seemed to exude from Billy, radiating outward until it sat there in front of him, nearly eight feet tall, with two blazing white stars for eyes.

At first, Baxter doubted his own perceptions, mistrusted what his eyes showed him, what his nose could scent, doubting even what his ears could clearly hear as the large White Wolf inhaled and exhaled.

It all seemed so surreal, even other worldly, that is at least until Billy rose up on all four legs and took a single step toward him.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, perhaps as deep as natural instinct goes, he knew, in that moment, that what stood before him was not just Billy. It was even more than just the Alpha predator that had pursued him earlier. This was the apex of their kind, the penultimate incarnation made manifest and it exuded pure, raw, unadulterated strength and power, power that was just as real as the nearly iridescent shimmer of reflective moonlight glinting from the motion of his ever-shifting thick white fur.

At first, the large wolf just stared passively at him, as if allowing him time to take it all in. But soon the hulking beast made steps toward him until his large, pinkish brown snout butted almost playfully against Baxter's chest as it slowly began to sniff him before it started to rub its cheeks and jowls against the sides of his face and neck, its soft fur tickling him as he marked Baxter with his bestial scent.

Baxter recalled reading somewhere, that wolves did that with those they considered to be part of their pack and Baxter took the beast's willing proximity to run his hands through his thick soft fur while enjoying the sensation of the beast's snout almost caressing the exposed flesh of his neck and shoulders.

It was the snort, followed by the deep, low controlled growl that caused Baxter to stiffen and his fist to clutch against the persistent push of the White Wolf's muzzle into the nape of his neck that made him pull back.

Baxter knew what the wolf wanted. His own beast practically whimpered within him, urging him excitedly to bare his throat in a show of absolute submission.

But the voice of a memory, summoned unbidden, in recollection of a conversation he had had with Carl, came bubbling to the surface and haunted the moment with portents of the past.

Specifically, Carl's and Max's.

He recalled how Carl had told him of the deep abiding love they had for each other, which led to them expressing it physically when they were barely fifteen and well before they even knew of their fate and their Heritage.

But what Baxter remembered the most, was the years of pain that early expression of that love had caused them both, when Max's path had changed from the one they had imagined together.

Because of who Max was, and what would be expected of him, he had been forced to forsake the future they had planned to forge together and in the whirlwind of events that immediately followed the death of Bannor Griffen, their entire world had been turned upside down and both Carl and Max were compelled to forgo their own hearts desires and succumb to the duties thrust in their laps.

Max became destined to be a leader amongst Alpha's and with that role came great responsibilities and burdens, not least of which was the alteration of their previously planned future.

As the sole Alpha heir to the Southern District, Max penultimately had to surrender his own personal wants and desires and give into the needs of the many, which invariably led to his marriage to a woman to legitimately produce an heir of his own. But not just any heir. His father Marcus had increased the level of pressure by revealing that from Max's progeny, that potentially a great Alpha would be born. One destined to either change the Heritage for the better or bring about the end of them all.

The weight of that memory now hung heavily on Baxter's shoulders.

He loved Billy and the actions of the great White Wolf before him not only called to his own wolf, it tore at his heart and sought to not only claim him as his First Beta but to do so as his...mate!

The air around them reeked of the White Wolf's intentions, it merely waited calmly for his simple act of submission, signaling his desire to be bonded together forever.

Baxter's heart thumped with the exaltation, as he felt it beating within his chest, thrilled at the vision of a future life spent with the only person he had ever wanted to share his own with. This was the moment he had always hoped for, that filled his dreams and made his soul ache with the sheer want of it.

All he had to do, at that very moment, was embrace it, succumb and surrender like he'd done a thousand times before in his dreams...

Then why couldn't he move? What prevented him from baring his neck? What stopped him from throwing his arms around the White Wolf and drawing him close and committing himself to the only person he had ever wanted any kind of future with?

That question still haunted him, even now, as the bell sounded, signaling the end of his last class of the day and sending the room into a flurry of activity as everyone around him exploded into a cacophonous fury of action.

"You're a life saver Barin" JD enthused, truly thankful that the young handsome Texan had taken on the duties of babysitter while JD attended school.

'It's not like I'm hollerin' down a well or nuthin." Barin responded, with the usual, casual shrug of his shoulders: "Back at the compound, most of the time I feel like I couldn't hit the floor if I fell outta bed or knock a hole in the wind with a sack full of hammers with all the big brains plottin' and makin' changes."

JD could barely stifle the giggle he felt caught up in his chest. Something that happened frequently when he was around the young Marine; constantly amused by his Texan twang and colorful, regional metaphors.

"You and me both dude." JD concluded as he swept his son up in his arms from the blanket he had been laying on in the middle of the living room floor.

A quirky grin spread at the corners of Barin's mouth as he watched Jakson gurgle happily as JD blew loud flatulent kisses on his chubby little belly: "That'n there's gonna be a handful once he gets his leg's under him." Barin offered, adding by way of explanation: "He's as bright as a new penny and ya best keep on eye on 'em at all times cause he's faster than a prairie fire with a tail wind."

"I think those are more words than I've ever heard you string together in all the time I've known you Barin."

Both Barin and JD turned simultaneously with the sudden appearance of Princess/Timmy behind them, framed in the front doorway with his arms laden with shopping bags and a beaming mirthful smirk on his face as he eyed the duo preening over his favorite baby.

Almost instantly Jakson began to squirm in JD's hands as his small arms thrust outward toward Princess, his bright blue eyes lit up and his chubby cheeks spread gleefully, all the while cooing and making happy blubbering noises until Princess tossed his shopping bags on the coach and deftly snatched Jakson from JD's arms.

All JD could do was smile and shake his head, all the while silently thinking to himself "Yet another Donnelly man smitten by Princess/Timmy's charms," as Princes swung around the room, baby extended in the air, to the delight of a giggling Jakson.

This was becoming a daily occurrence, ever since he made it back a few weeks ago when he and Jake had decided, right after Princess's grandmother's funeral, that instead of hauling them both back to North Carolina, that JD and the baby should stay here, get the house as ready as possible before JD had to start back to school.

That had been a little over three weeks ago, and at the time JD hadn't really wanted to be parted from Jake, but in the end, it was Jake who had convinced him, with it ultimately coming down to Jake convincing him, that with all the things going down the way there were in Princess/Timmy's life, as his best friend, he needed to be here, where he could be in a better position to be available for him should he need him.

It had been hard to argue against that, and despite the brave face Princess/Timmy often wore on the surface, underneath it all, JD knew, from personal experience, the value of just having someone you know you can lean on in difficult times, there when you need them. Through the last months, Timmy had been that for him, and the affection he had always felt for him, was still there, regardless of how many changes they had both undergone from that time till now.

He didn't think he'd ever forget the look of surprise and delight on Princess/Timmy's face when they all showed up, the entire Donnelly clan, at the funeral home in Valdosta, the day of his grandmothers funeral, with Jason, Brock, and Gavin in tow.

It came as no surprise however that Princess was already accompanied by Dalton Becker.

What had astonished them, was that Paul Lakatos had stuck by his side since he got the news of his grandmother's death. That, in fact, he had been the one to escort Princess/Timmy home and had stuck by his side since which made for a few awkward moments between Dalton and his identical twin Alton. Thankfully, they both seemed reconciled enough to behave at least superficially cordial during the funeral processions.

Of course, there was also the added bonus of the social discord their entourages presence seemed to cause amongst Princess/Timmy's parents and extended family; something that didn't truly come to a head until a couple of days later, at the reading of his grandmother's last will and testament, when the first real shock since her sudden death over shadowed that seminal event.

It seemed, that granny Ericson wasn't that pleased with her three daughters constantly jockeying for her favor by tearing their siblings down behind each other's backs, in the hope of shutting each other out for a greater portion of potential inheritance; which, as it turned out, was even more sizable than even their greedy little minds could have considered.

JD hadn't been present for the will reading, but the absolute look of shock, mixed with anger on Timmy's parents' faces when they finally joined them back at the large, two-story plantation-style home his grandmother lived in, which subsequently then served as a gathering place after the family meeting with Granny Ericson's executor, that things hadn't gone exactly as they had hoped for. But, the beaming ear-to-ear grin on Princess/Timmy's face, told another story entirely.

Though Granny Ericson was survived by three daughters, she also had four grandchildren, Timmy being only one of them, as he explained later as they all huddled together in the dining room as the three daughters bickered loudly in the great room located toward the front of the manor.

JD couldn't recall Timmy ever expressing any particularly fond memory of his grandmother and in fact, no one was more surprised than Timmy and his other three cousins when she left the bulk of her financial wealth to the four of them, which her executor informed them worked out to be roughly four million apiece, after inheritance taxes of course.

As for the rest of her estate? It had been her expressed desire that the first amongst her grandchildren to produce a male heir would inherit all holdings and properties left, provided they chose to live in the traditional family home.

"Guess that leaves me out" Princess/Timmy had chuckled jovially nodding in the direction of his three female cousins, one of which was already married and in the early stages of her first pregnancy.

Jason, who had, for the most part, remained rather reserved and quiet throughout their entire visit, merely shrugged his shoulders after taking a sniff in the air before turning and winking mischievously at Princess: "It's a girl, so you've still got a chance there stud!"

There were several snickers before Princess silenced them all with a stern look and a stomp of his foot: "Shhh, you morons, don't be giving my parents any ideas."

The memory of that moment elicited a fond smile from JD as he continued to watch Princess/Timmy delight his son with his playful antics.

It wasn't long afterward, that he, Barin, and Princess sat at the adjoining dining room table, with Princess bottle feeding a contented Jakson while the three of them discussed more current events.

"So, on a scale of one, to down to your knees are you excited to see that hubba hubba hubby of yours this evening?" Princess taunted, causing JD's face to blush furiously as both he and Barin smirked back at him from across the table.

Boldly glowering back at the pair of them, JD straightened his back and folded his fingers on top of the table in front of him: "It's been almost a month since we've seen each other so I'll just leave the details of our reunion to both your degenerate imaginations."

Barin just shook his head, smiling as Princess giggled, before making note of the bags he brought with him, left sitting on the couch: "Don't get your panties inna bunch, that's why I'm here, I'm gonna fix you and Jakey a nice spaghetti and meatball dinner before Barin and I head out for the compound and that meeting your dad called for this evening."

"Please don't tell me Dad and Jason are going to expect Jake to be there?" JD practically bristled at the thought.

Barin shook his head from side to side: "Don't fret that none, Jason already put the kibosh on Jake reporting to the compound until this weekend."

JD relaxed a bit after hearing that news while also noting the playful wink the stolid Texan gave him.

In the short time that JD had gotten to know the young Marine, he couldn't get over how quickly and easily the unassuming man had just slid into their lives.

In truth, without him, JD didn't know how he could have ever managed juggling school, getting their home ready, while simultaneously caring for Jakson.

JD wasn't naive either, he knew Jason was primarily behind Barin's continued, persistent presence. A selfless action that he added to the growing list of things he could attribute to the Alpha.

No, JD thought to himself, this was more than Jason just trying to be a good, responsible Alpha. This went deeper than that, something else JD was becoming painfully less and less naive about, which only added to the growing sense of remorse and loss he felt when he was anywhere near him.

For some time now, ever since that fateful night Jason shifted for the first time and the precarious veiling web of secrets that singular action caused to unravel and expose surrounding the circumstances of his family and the Heritage; after all the dust had settled, his gut began to tug once again at his heartstrings.

There was no doubt in him at all that he loved Jake. The mounting anticipation and growing excitement at the mere thought of their reunion bore testimony to that, as well as the bloating lump barely constrained behind the fly of his jeans. But, he was also becoming keenly aware, that no matter how hard he tried to suppress it, he still felt a strong attraction, both physically and emotionally for Jason.

What further troubled JD, in the various times they were put in awkward situations that necessitated mutual proximity, he was acutely aware of the weighted social distress that burdened and seemed to forcibly limit Jason's interactions with him, something that further complicated Jason's relationship with his Gamma Enforcer, and JD's husband, Jake.

There were many reasons for JD to feel anxious about Jake's homecoming, but these kinds of thoughts and realizations only served to strengthen his resolve, and as troubling as it may be, he had already come to the conclusion that pretending there was no problem wasn't going to address or resolve it.

His father had forced him to face the difficulties impending fatherhood was going to bring and it wasn't until he embraced and faced it head on, was he able to start the first steps of the journey he was now on.

He couldn't imagine a life without his son and Jake in it now and Jason had played a large part in his acceptance of that fate by showing him nothing but support, even at the cost of his own happiness.

JD realized that now. It had come to him slowly, in bits and snippets, but there was no denying it.

A little over a week ago, right after settling Jakson in for the night, he found himself caught between dozing and daydreaming while relaxing on the couch trying to feign interest in some stupid show on Netflix when his thoughts had drifted back to the time, the day after Jake and he had reconciled at Carl's urging, that he, Jake and Jason lay on his bed back in his old room and the three of them seemed poised on the precipice of physically exploring an option none of them had previously considered.

It had jarred him out of his doziness as he pondered the significance of the memory's sudden resurgence and he couldn't help but wonder, if not for the untimely intervention and the cascade of events that had shattered that moment, where might it all have led them too?

Ever since that thought seemed stuck in his head, and he couldn't help but dwell on what his husband might think or how he might react to it.

On the one hand, he and Jake had sworn that night in the backyard, before the events with Jason and his mom, that going forward, there would be no more secrets between them.

On the other hand, Jake was Jason's Gamma Enforcer, and though he knew it wasn't quite the same, technically, he and Jason had already interacted physically. Of course, Jake and Jason both would argue that was more about an Alpha establishing his dominance and claiming a key member to his Pack, but it still didn't negate the physicality of the act in JD's mind.

JD felt the niggling of an idea forming in the back of his mind, one he fully intended to approach Jake with before considering it further, and as he put the matter aside and took Jakson from Princesses arms, to rub and pat his back, he watched bemusedly as Princess gathered his groceries and dragged Barin into the kitchen to begin preparing Jake's homecoming meal.

"Are you just gonna sit there and stew or do you wanna talk about what's troublin' you?" Gavin Hollis asked as they pulled out of the local Burger King drive-thru, before stuffing an onion ring in his mouth and chomping it down hungrily.

Baxter took a swig of his medium iced coffee, trying to clear his dry parched throat and to stall while he tried to clear his head and gather his thoughts.

Clearly, he wasn't okay. In fact, he was far from okay, he felt like an emotional, jealous mess. But the real stick in his craw, this particular mess was one of his own creation, and as much as he wanted to blame Billy in part for it, the real, unmitigated truth was, he couldn't. This was all on him.

Gavin was pretty certain he already knew what the problem was. He pretty much witnessed the whole thing and as he tried to coax Baxter into discussing it, he made a quick mental note to give Billy a swift kick in the ass later, if for no other reason than being as dense as a London fog.

Steeling himself, Gavin lamented his lack of experience in the affairs of the heart, especially since he was still dealing with his own, between him and Arliss. Inwardly, he bristled, that this was more along the lines of a Princess problem. Noting mentally, that Princess was far better than himself at all this romance stuff.

Science and technology were more Gavin's field of expertise and if that was all he had to draw upon, then he'd probably fair better if he approached this matter a little more methodologically, by reviewing what he knew already.

Just a few minutes ago, right after he had exited the school after the last class of the day via the side entrance where the student parking lot was located.

It was there that he saw Baxter standing, with a distressed look on his face as Billy drove off without him.

Gavin knew that this in and of itself was unusual since Billy and Baxter always rode together. Even before Billy had the truck his father had gifted him, they either doubled up on Billy's motorcycle or rode the bus together, which initially caused Gavin to think that they must have had some sort of falling out, which in turn caused him to approach Baxter to see if he was okay.

Even though Baxter seemed reluctant to discuss it, it would have been clear to anyone that he was upset, something that Gavin had trouble grasping, was that it could have been deliberate on Billy's part.

Billy was many things, and he had his good days and his bad ones, but one thing was always consistent, and that was his steadfast loyalty and camaraderie with Baxter. But, Gavin couldn't deny the fact that Billy had just driven off, leaving Baxter standing there like some forlorn, abandoned, sad-eyed puppy staring balefully at his retreating truck as it drove off without him.

Gavin didn't really know why he had stuck his nose into all this. Billy was more his friend than Baxter was. But he had gotten to know Baxter a little better since his induction into the Heritage and even sparred with him a few times during training sessions at the compound.

Gavin was even somewhat familiar, though just as perplexed as Billy by Baxter's odd refusal of becoming his first pack member. His first Beta to be precise, though Gavin suspect Billy had the ulterior motive of making that a stepping stone to claiming Baxter as his mate, something else almost everyone found confusing, since every enhanced sense they possessed revealed the burning desire, no matter how suppressed, they both held for each other.

Yet, Baxter remained unyielding, maybe even a little distant and shut off, even though they still hung out together, almost as much as they always had before and Baxter had remained amiable, no matter how forced it seemed upon occasion.

At one point, Carl had even tried to approach him, but Baxter had just insisted everything was fine and indicated that he just wished everyone would leave the matter and just let it drop.

Knowing all this by first and second-hand means, it had been Gavin's first instinct to do just that and just move along and get in his own car and make a beeline home. But, something inside his head nudged him toward Baxter and before he knew it, found himself asking: "Did Billy really just drive off and leave you standing here?"

Baxter didn't even look at him, still staring off into the distance in the general direction Billy had taken: "He's giving Melissa Talbot a ride home." was all he said, so softly it was almost imperceptible.

Bells and whistles didn't need to go off for Gavin to realize how profoundly that action was now affecting Baxter, which only confirmed what Gavin already knew and had known for weeks.

Baxter Whitmore was putting on an act. That in truth, he cared a lot more for Billy than he was letting on, and trying to quell those feelings was eating and eroding away at him from the inside out.

Gavin did the only thing he could think of, and had taken Baxter by the arm and guided him toward his parking spot: "Why don't you just catch a ride with me today?"

It was more of a statement than a question and Baxter offered little resistance, his thoughts and concerns clearly elsewhere.

Now, as they turned onto the main road and Baxter sipped absentmindedly at his ice coffee, Gavin decided to just rip the kid gloves off and go straight to the heart of the matter: "Why are you doing this to yourself dude?"

Baxter's eyes just dropped to the floorboards, pausing for what Gavin felt was an interminably long time before responding meekly: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Gavin thought about it for a second, nearly biting his tongue to stifle himself from giving a stern retort, when an idea struck him: "Ya know what, it's a hot miserable day and I could use a swim."

He didn't wait for Baxter to agree or not, he just made the turn off to the road that led down to the same special spot he had once taken Billy. The same place where he had finally found the courage to face his own internal problems and revealed them to a receptive and accepting Billy.

Gavin secretly hoped, if given half the chance, especially in his current state and mood, Baxter might find the same courage he had and finally open up.

Like himself, maybe what Baxter needed was someone a little more detached like Billy had been for him, thinking, that sometimes the simple sympathetic ear of a stranger or casual acquaintance was better than the potentially judgemental one of a close friend or family member.

Once they got there, Baxter was reticent at first to join in, but after about fifteen minutes of watching Gavin enjoying the cool refreshing waters of the Flint River as the heat of the afternoon sun beat down on him as he sat there watching, with only his feet dangling in the river, Baxter finally broke down and stripped down to his skivvies and jumped in.

At first, they just swam together, but inevitably it turned into a taunting, playful camaraderie, full of the usual juvenile jabs and boastful banter and the inevitable issuing of prideful challenges leading ultimately to an issued challenge, that culminated in a simple race toward the shore, where the only prize to be won was the bragging rights garnered by the victor.

Baxter won, of course, being the better athlete by far, but, as Gavin noted, it wasn't as embarrassing a loss as it might have been a couple of months ago. Gavin owed that fact to the six weeks plus training he had voluntarily undergone at the compound. That, and of course his own physical enhancement due largely in part to the same exposure to the silver medallion that brought out the bestial side of those of the Heritage.

Gavin had even taken up combat training with Princess, who had taken it upon himself to give special consideration to those not of the Heritage but were still part of the Aeneas/Remus bloodline, even including both Brock and Elizabeth Dunne. Though the medallion had no effect on either of them, even Gavin's burgeoning, but still stunted senses, could detect the same scented similarities they shared; what those of the Heritage called an alluring honey and freshly dug Earth odor, that was prevalent in all four of them.

The odd thing though, first pointed out by Princess/Timmy one quiet evening as he ran Gavin through a particular meditation exercise intended to help him focus and hone his newly acquired/enhanced senses, there were those among the Heritage that had the same, though muted, scent.

Baxter was one of them.

There were others too, Carl being one, as well as a couple of the Marines in Atticus's unit, but neither he or Princess knew if that held any particular significance, though Princess did speculate, that perhaps it just meant they leaned more toward the homosexual side than the others, most of whom didn't seem to actually have a preference when it came to sex. Billy, Jason, and even Gavin's love interest Arliss definitely seemed to fall into that category.

As they both hauled themselves out of the water and plopped down side by side together as they slowly caught their breath, Gavin plotted his course of action, deciding to be as bold and upfront as Billy had been that night with him, just a couple of months ago: "Why are you pushing Billy away when its so clear you love him?"

If his question surprised Baxter, he didn't show it. Gavin had expected some sort of denial or deflection but his response was actually quite illuminating: "Because I'm not strong enough to go through what Carl did with Max."

Gavin's retort wasn't well thought out, he reacted instead of considered: 'Billy's not like that, and Max is nothing like his father Marcus."

At first, Baxter just hung his head silently as Gavin stared at him, but with one deep exhale, Baxter's head turned to lock eyes with Gavin's: "If he's not like that, then why is he with Melissa Talbot right now instead of me?"

Gavin didn't let that bit of deflection dissuade him: "Seriously, you rejected him the night you claimed your Heritage because you thought he'd eventually dump you for some girl and after weeks of you pretending there's nothing other than friendship between you, you get jealous because he shows some minor interest in someone who has no problem letting him know they ARE interested in him?"

Shaking his head vigorously, Gavin glowered at Baxter: "That's not only sad, it's also pretty fucked up." he concluded.

Baxter didn't hesitate, presenting what he was certain would be proven true, evidenced by his actions: "You know who Billy is, you also know what he is, there's absolutely no way Billy isn't going to be expected to mate with a female and produce an heir..."

Baxter's voice trailed off, growing to a mere whisper and breaking eye contact with Gavin as he stared down into the shifting waters of the river: "The sheer thought of it is ripping my heart right out of my chest."

Now that, Gavin understood, as he instinctively brought his arm up and placed it around Baxter's shoulder in a show of sympathetic support: "That explains why you haven't been going to the compound as much, but why have you been hanging around with him at school?"

Baxter exhaled gruffly: "I haven't. It's Billy, he's just there all the time, acting like nothing happened, like we're somehow the same friends we were last year, expecting me to ride with him every day to and from school. And then, today happened ..."

Gavin didn't need to guess what happened, he had seen Melissa sitting in the passenger seat of Billy's truck as he drove off, leaving Baxter behind to stare after them, but he did want clarification on one point, however: "Did Billy just leave you or did you refuse to ride with them?"

Without even looking up, Baxter answered: "How could I sit in that back seat and watch how she looks at him?"

Up until then, Gavin had been approaching this the way Billy had approached him that night, but after hearing Baxter's admission of jealousy it was like the spirit of Princess/Timmy welded up within him and took control.

Gavin shoved Baxter into the river.

Caught unsuspecting, Baxter broke the water's surface spitting and sputtering: "What the fucks wrong with you?" he shouted balefully, glaring up at Gavin, who just stood there with his arms folded over his chest.

"Oh, boo fucking hoo!" Gavin snapped sardonically: "Ya wanna know what I think?"

Baxter drew himself up onto the surface of the dock, dripping water everywhere as he glowered back at Gavin, the irises of his eyes flashing green briefly: "Not particularly, no!" he retorted, with no small degree of anger in his voice.

Unperturbed, Gavin held his ground.

A month and a half ago, nerdy little Gavin would have been intimidated. Baxter was almost half again his size and most certainly physically stronger, but Gavin wasn't that guy anymore.

This Gavin had trained hard and learned a lot about self-defense. That, and knowing his own exposure to the same metal that had transformed Baxter had also altered him as well.

"Too fucking bad, I'm going to tell you anyway..." Gavin jeered: "You think I don't know who and what Billy is?" Gavin paused for a second closing the distance between him and poking Baxter in the chest: "Well dipshit, the medallion seems to have given both Princess and myself a special ability even you Heritage guys don't have. When Billy gets angry or is consumed by strong emotions, we catch glimpses of the White Wolf that others don't see, Princess and I both have learned not to let on when it happens."

Baxter's eyes narrowed as he stared back at Gavin: "If that's the case, then you would know what I'm saying is true."

Gavin gave him a confused look, not quite understanding what he meant by that, but Baxter soon connected the dots for him.

Baxter explained, that two days before his ceremony he had gone for a walk in the early evening to clear his head and as he made his way back he heard voices coming from the study that Max was using whenever he and Carl had guests.

On that night, he overheard Marshal and Merrick Griffen talking to Max and Danal. He didn't hear every word of what they were saying, but he heard enough to get the gist of it.

As Alpha of the southern district and the only other alpha other than Marshal, of their family line, they wanted Danal and Max's help in finding a suitable mate for Jason to produce an heir with, and suggesting that it might also be appropriate to begin the hunt for Billy as well, that finding a female decedent of Aeneas, that fit their age range, could prove to be difficult, with Marshal adding that at least things had worked out so his grandson was no longer pursuing a relationship with Max's youngest son JD since his duty to his family necessitated he sire an offspring that could potentially succeed him.

In his defense, Baxter did say that Max had stated that both Jason and Billy were old enough to make their own decisions but had reluctantly agreed that perhaps things did work out for the best for JD, stating that he couldn't ask for a better son-in-law than Jake Bauers.

To Baxter, the overall message was clear. Alphas were expected to sire heirs and that was the one thing he couldn't do for Billy, and reminding Gavin, that even Max, who had a relationship with Carl before he became an Alpha, let alone for the southern district, caved under the pressure and expectation to produce offspring and subsequently put his relationship with Carl on hold to do so.

Gavin considered his words thoughtfully, hearing the raw emotion in Baxter's voice as he related what he had overheard, but everything Gavin had ever experienced and learned through his own interactions with Billy, kept drawing him to the same conclusion, one he shared freely with Baxter.

"I can't really speak to what's happening with Jason, I do know how things ended with JD still haunts him, and maybe Billy will be pressured into mating with some girl, but there is one thing a do know for a certainty..." Gavin paused to gather his thoughts and to once again capture Baxter's eyes with his own: "I know that not a single day went by that he didn't talk about you, or bring your name up in conversation..."

Baxter tried to look away, but Gavin drew him back by grasping his hands in his own and squeezing them tightly: "Did you know he had nightmares about you while you were away, that in those dreams you were swept away beyond his reach and forever lost to him?"

Baxter's eyes widened hearing his words, giving Gavin the impression that Baxter must have also had similar nightmares.

Gavin steeled himself, honing right into what he felt was the crux of the problem and offering the only advice that merited consideration: "You're not foolin' anyone Whitmore, you love Billy Donnelly and you'd be the biggest idiot in the world if you didn't at least give him half the chance to have a say in the matter."

Baxter hung his head again, the weight of Gavin's words hanging heavily on his shoulders. He was right of course, but did that even matter anymore?

The fear of what he felt was inevitable had made him reject the White Wolf wishing to claim him that night in the woods, but it was Billy who had led him there, it was Billy and not his beast who welcomed him into his Heritage, and it was Billy who ran through the woods with him beneath the moonlight and made him feel freer than he ever had before in his life, and despite being an Alpha, he never once, not even in the weeks that followed, tried to pressure Baxter into anything more.

The truth was, Billy gave him the space to make his own choices and Baxter had chosen to protect his own heart at every turn, even today when he offered Baxter a ride home, which he rejected outright upon seeing Melissa there in his vehicle as he pulled up, even after she offered to take the back seat.

Gavin had pegged him correctly and he realized he was now at a crossroads.

One path lead in the direction he had been forging ever since the night of his Heritage ceremony. The one where any potential future with Billy inevitably shriveled up and could be forever lost to him.

The other, by and far the riskier path, the one where he would be expected to put himself out there, expose his feelings as well as his fears in the hope that somehow, against all odds, he and Billy might forge a future together, all while dodging the possible expectations of others who held sway in their lives.

In the end, it boiled down to a question of integral honesty, spurred on by the feisty, unconventional urging of Gavin Hollis, who had the foresight to see the growing chinks in his resolve: "Go for it dude, what do you really stand to lose that you won't lose anyway by not trying?"

Baxter forced a wane smile, giving him a peripheral glance and a shrug of his shoulders: "Oh, I don't know, my pride for one thing.." he offered halfheartedly.

"So nothing at all!" Gavin smirked jovially as he pushed Baxter playfully toward the shore and where their clothes were, as Baxter wondered silently to himself, how in the world was he ever going to find the courage to broach this topic with his lifelong best friend, after so recently shooting him down.

"So Barin, tell me what you really think about Paul Lakatos." Princess asked as he flashed his ID card at the handsome gate guard that now motioned them through, allowing them to continue their journey to the compound, down the newly paved main road that would lead them directly to their destination.

Both Barin and Princes had received Jason's group text announcing a mandatory meeting at seven PM in the main conference room of the administrative office that had formerly been known as the Lodge.

A lot of changes had happened in just a little over a month, the paved road and guard gate counting low on the list.

Barin eyed Princess dubiously before shrugging his shoulders noncommittally: "When I first met 'em, I thought he was more prickly than a barrel full of fish hooks.."

He paused as if to gauge Princesses reception to his analogy, before continuing: "But that night Billy went through his first change and we were attacked, he proved he wasn't just all hat and no cattle. I reckon like any alpha worth his salt, he'd charge hell with a bucket of ice water for one of his own."

Princess smiled, inwardly enjoying the colorful colloquialisms that garnished Barin's perspectives and observations. Often finding his Texan baritone diphthong rather soothing.

If there was one thing that could be said about Barin, among his many attributes, was his total lack of presumption. What you see is what you get. A quality that was rather scarce amongst his kind, at least on the level of the Heritage hierarchy most would place him at.

From what Princess could gather, it was rather rare for someone of Barin's somewhat diminutive size to attain the level of Gamma Enforcer in a pack. But Princess had trained and sparred with him himself on several occasions, and there was absolutely nothing diminutive about Barin's ferocity, speed, and level-headedness.

There was a depth to Barin most overlooked and from Princesses perspective, that almost always worked to ones advantage.

"Don't ever change Barin and thanks for your honest appraisal." Princess stated, adding: "You're right you know, Paul is a bit of a preening peacock of a man, but I think, beneath the mask, he shows everyone, there's a fiercely devoted and passionate man."

As Princess concluded and pulled into the parking lot of the Devil Dawg Compound and parked his Jeep, Barin turned to him, just as he opened the front passenger side door: "I'm sure the fact he's hung like a horse ain't whats really snapping your garters." Barin mused playfully.

Princess turned to bat his eyes and smile coyly back at him: "Why Mr. Young, I do declare, I've never heard tell of the like before."

Barin just snickered as they made their way toward the Lodge.

Princess hadn't been expecting a large gathering, but there were some notably absent faces considering the urgency of Jason's request.

He knew that Jake wouldn't be making it, since he had just arrived at his and JD's new accommodations and Jake hadn't even had time to unpack and settle in after being separated from JD and the baby for almost a month, while he awaited his transfer papers to go through back in North Carolina.

He himself knew how that was, as he still awaited Dalton's paperwork to process so that he to, like Jason, could be reunited with his own gamma enforcer.

Chief amongst the absent, were Max, Carl, and Hank. Three people he would have thought necessary considering Jason's summons.

There was one other key person in abstention. Billy.

His absence concerned Princess the most but decided to inquire about that later, after he got settled in around the conference table, to join the meeting that was already, by all indication, about to begin as Jason started by welcoming their arrival, before actually moving on to more pressing concerns. Which as it turned out, was addressing Billy's absence.

Jason cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him: "First off, I guess everyone's noticed that Billy is missing this evening, but I assure you, he's fully aware of what we're going to discuss but private, personal matters prevent him from being here right now."

Princess was about to say something, but Gavin, who was sitting next to him, elbowed him slightly as he leaned close and whispered into his ear: "He and Baxter took off into the woods for some alone time."

The wink Gavin gave him did almost as much as the alone had the moment it passed his lips.

His meaning of course was quite clear, and though it left little to the imagination, it was welcome news considering the alternative they had all been forced to endure for well over a month.

Watching the two of them pretend like everything was okay between them, was quite off-putting. Made especially true by their obvious sulking behavior ever since Baxter's Heritage ceremony.

It was as plain as the noses on their face, that something had transpired between them that night, something they were clearly trying to downplay as they unrelentingly persisted in presenting themselves as nothing more than just two good friends, when everyone else around them could easily pick up on the increased respiration and spiking hormonal discharges every-time they were in each others proximity, which to Princess, seemed about as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle, proving that denial wasn't just a river in Egypt.

It occurred to Princess, that perhaps Billy and Baxter weren't the only pair that seemed afflicted with that particular condition, noting the still restrained body language between Gavin and Arliss while also noting a similarity between Paul and himself, something he decided at that very moment to resolve sooner, rather than later, by perhaps enticing Paul with a weekend-long visit at his newly acquired apartment.

Jason once again captured his momentary, drifting attention by having Atticus and Brock summarize the plethora of activity and changes the compound was undergoing.

Other than the previously observed guard gate, electrified fence perimeter, and the singular entrance road now being fully paved, Atticus made note that, after the successful construction of the three foundations for the future two-story barracks being built atop the hillside to the right of the compound entrance and just juxtaposed to the Lodge; that they had actually started framing in the first barracks and were projecting completion by the first week of October.

Danal shook his head with approval, stating that with their growing numbers, being able to house those men needed to be a priority before the cold winter months set in.

Brock assured him that they were allocating manual resources from amongst their own to assist in the construction in addition to sending help to the Gundarson farm, which Douglas Gundarson had now pledged its resources fully to his Alpha. Even Arliss's mom had been so pleased with the turnaround and activity that she had taken it upon herself to spending her days making baked goods like breads and pies, which she sent back daily with one of the workers, much to the delight of the compounds growing inhabitants.

With a nod from Jason, Atticus proceeded to spread out a large map of the entirety of the compounds nearly seven hundred and fifty acres (not including the fifty Max had finagled for his own private use) on the large conference table for everyone to peruse as Atticus indicated various areas that were either currently being worked on or would be within the coming months.

Atticus indicated that in addition to the Lodge being updated with electricals and plumbing, so had been Jason's cabin while emphasizing that great care was taken in not compromising its timeless austerity even with the addition of necessary improvements to the exterior to build space for an interior bathroom, an updated kitchen as well as heating and cooling.

Princess was already aware of the road that had been carved out, that extended from the Lodge parking spaces, past the cabin, and out and around to the far left side of the lake, where a small airfield, big enough for a helicopter had been roughed in as well as the foundations laid for several large pole building constructions that would eventually house the various vehicles, armory and supply warehouses for the entire compound.

"What, no Walmart?" Gavin chided mockingly as Atticus concluded his update, eliciting a snort from Danal, followed quickly by a knowing, playful wink.

Princess continued to study the map with a small degree of fascination before pointing and asking about the red outlined area that seemed to completely encompass the opposite side of the lake: "Why is this entire area highlighted in red?" he inquired, directing his question to Jason, but it was Danal who answered: "I'm afraid you'll have to ask Max, since he has appropriated everything circled in the red margins."

Jason leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table as he did so: "Billy asked his dad and Carl why they specifically wanted all the lands comprising the opposite shore of the lake and all they did was smile and say, that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

"Those two definitely have something up their sleeve, but they are being completely mum about it," Danal noted, though managing to sound uncharacteristically optimistic about it. Leaving Princess to wonder if he knew more than he was letting on.

Having concluded his compound updates, Atticus nodded to Jason, who continued to sit silently for a moment as if in contemplation, a trait Princess had come to discern about the new Alpha whenever he was about to delve into something potentially troublesome. This time was no exception.

Jason began, by slowly standing and scanning each of them gathered around the large rectangular wooden conference table: "I began this evening's meeting by stating Max and Carl couldn't be here tonight..." His voice trailed off as he stepped behind his chair, turning and gripping the top firmly as he stared off into the distance for a moment, gathering his thoughts: "What I didn't state, was why..." He continued, adding, almost reservedly: "They are entertaining an important guest who didn't wish to be seen entering the compound and possibly compromising his mission here by unintentionally announcing any affiliation to the Devil Dawg's, should the compound be under scrutiny."

As if on cue, Danal explained further: "A couple of days ago, Brock received and relayed a message from Lt. General Bastian Hartford that he would be arriving and would meet up with Max at his family estate last night, and stating he had a few important things to discuss pertaining, but not limited to the events which culminated in the attack on the compound, as well as Monaca Donnelly's participation."

Brock smiled at Gavin, joining in the conversation: "Seems your discovery of Major Drummond's participation in selling out Michael and Kent to the Kampfhund was only the tip of the iceberg to his treachery."

Gavin just rolled his eyes, sighing: "I think that surprises no one."

Danal clarified what Brock had implied: "Under interrogation by the general's personal agents, who also happen to be part of the North Eastern Devil Dawg District and the general's first Beta and Gamma Enforcer, who were able to entice the major to reveal that his apparent co-operation with the Kampfund was merely a ruse, that he was in fact playing them against us in some sort of Machiavellian scheme to destabilize the central European and North American alliances."

Princess got a sudden twinge in the pit of his stomach: "Then the logical question is, who was really pulling the strings?"

Jason plopped back down in his chair, drawing everyone's attention back to him: "That's just it, he didn't know who the person he had as a contact represented, seems the only thing he actually cared about was the color of their money."

Without hesitation, Princess queried dubiously: "Why do I get the feeling that the general's presence here has to do with more than just this little revelation, he could have just emailed us this info. What's so important that he would take the time to make a personal journey here?"

"Look at you asking the big boy questions" Brock taunted, smirking playfully across the table at him.

Princess huffed then locked gazes with him: "Ya know Brock, you're the reason God created the middle finger." with Princess taking that opportune moment to demonstrate what he was saying, by gesticulating back at him.

Completely ignoring the sparring banter between Brock and Princess, Danal explained, that while the general's aides were doing a comprehensive and exhaustive search of Drummond's apartment, they came across a burner phone he often used to conduct personal transactions under an assumed identity and in one of the correspondences that he had tried to delete, there was an acknowledgment of receipt and subsequent payment for some information Monaca Donnelly had given him to transfer.

Drummond wasn't given a name to go by, just a postal number to a secure private account and when they traced that account, it had simply been assigned the label Quirinus.

Gavin looked up from his laptop to glower at Danal at the mention of that word: "I've come across that name before."

Danal frowned and nodded his head: "I bet you have. Quirinus was part of the holy trinity of the Roman Gods consisting of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus, who was also known as the God of the Roman legions."

"I admit, that sounds oddly coincidental, but I fail to see any connection between that and what we've encountered." Princess posited, while mentally sifting through everything Aphrodite had related to him.

Shrugging his shoulders Danal stated: "Maybe not for us, but it was a name that caught the general's attention."

Jason spoke up again, taking charge of the conversation: "According to Max, the General has been looking into a top-secret Pentagon project that he's caught whispers of here and there for the last couple of years, guess what the project is called?"

None of them had to imagine. It was written on all their faces.

"Now, that is more than a co-winky dink." Princess sighed heavily.

"Yes, it is..." Jason concurred, adding: "And the general has asked for our help in checking it out."

Princess considered it for a second before asking the obvious question: "Why would he request our help, surely he has more experienced people than us to handle that?"

"That's just it..."Jason said, matter of fact: "All his operatives are of the Heritage and most from his own pack."

Gavin looked at him, slightly confused by his response: "Why would that be a problem for him? I would think they, of all people, would be more familiar and adept at finding out if anything happened to not be on the up and up."

"I would have thought that obvious..." Danal interjected: "If the Pentagon has operatives in play, as he suspects, then the risk that they might recognize one of his people increases exponentially... that, and the fact that we have someone here, who is of the Heritage, who is familiar with the Alpha Regent of the district where the suspected location of this project happens to be available, while also being experienced enough to handle most situations."

Both Danal and Jason turned their gazes on Barin, who looked trepidatiously between the duo, before haltingly proclaiming: "Why do I suddenly feel like a long tail cat in a room full of rockin' chairs?"

Jason smiled disarmingly, for the first time that evening, slapping Barin on the back: "Pack up cowboy, looks like you're on the first plane out, and back home to Texas.