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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Devil Dawg Donnelly's: Revelations

Chapter Seventeen:

"Geez... I can't believe how much junk I have." Baxter Whitmore said, chiding himself bemusedly out loud as he stuffed the last of his folded clothes from his dresser drawer into one of the cardboard boxes his mom had given him to help him pack his stuff with.

Even though he was in a good mood and had been for over a week now, he still felt a twinge of guilt and remorse over leaving his mom on her own.

Baxter knew she would be alright. Actually, he was pretty sure she was going to be better than alright now that it seemed she and Hank Bauers were becoming a thing. At least he hoped so. It had been so long since he'd seen her smile and laugh this much and Baxter knew that had more to do with Hank's frequent calls and visits than she was willing to admit to.

Being afraid his presence might cramp their budding romance had partially been one of the deciding factors in taking Billy up on his offer.

Baxter laughed to himself, a thin smile stretching across his face. "One of his offers" he nearly giggled, one of his many, persistent offers.

Not that Baxter required that much encouragement on that front, he wanted this probably just as much as Billy did; he'd only been holding back because he was afraid to leave his mom here, on her own. Especially so abruptly.

Baxter had imagined they still had at least another year together, in which he could help mentally prepare her and hopefully ease her into living on her own once he went away for college.

"I bet I know who put that big smile on your face!" Baxter heard his mom chuckle teasingly as she entered his room.

Baxter's eyes caught her own for a brief second before flitting away, his cheeks blushing profusely at the implications her words invoked.

"Uh-huh, I knew I was right" his mom taunted playfully as her hand reached up to stroke his left cheek affectionately, with the warm palm of her hand.

Baxter pulled her into a brief hug before quickly returning to the last of his packing.

He could have told her she was wrong and teased her back by letting her know what he had actually been thinking. But, while he didn't mind her teasing him, he didn't want to put her on the spot about her own burgeoning romance, not until he was certain of where it was heading.

"You do realize I'm just going to be down the road most of the time don'tchya'?" Baxter stated, adding: "You can stop by anytime you want to, I'm sure Billy won't mind."

"Like hell I will" his mom declared stolidly: "You two need some time alone together, at least until you get your bearings."

His mom stopped fussing with the box she had been organizing and sat on his bed looking intently up at him before reaching out and clasping his right hand between her own.

"Listen to me Baxter..." She began, her voice full of motherly concern: "Loving someone and living with them are two separate things..." Baxter felt her hand pull him toward her until he sat down next to her, knowing full well, this was her lecture voice and what was expected of him right now, was just to sit, listen and hear her out.

"The best advice I can offer you is actually harder than it sounds..." She began, squeezing his hand to emphasize the seriousness of what she was about to impart: "Above all the highs and lows that love may bring, always remember one thing matters more than any other..."

"It's a little late for a birds and bees talk mom, Max did that years ago." Baxter taunted, more out of nervousness than anything else. Knowing full well his mom knew snarky was his default defense mode, especially when a conversation was steering in a direction that made him uncomfortable.

"Don't be silly" she chided softly, letting go of his hand and smacking his thigh, before continuing, unperturbed by his attempt at deflection.

"Being lovers is incredible and wonderful, especially in the beginning..." She stopped for a moment, as her gaze glossed over for a second, staring off into space. Her face was a mirrored mask of some distant memory, reflecting something both sad and joyous and yet self-contained and known only to her.

Baxter surmised she was thinking of his father in that moment, and took her hand once again in his, jarring her back to the present with a smile and a nod before she continued: "I guess all I'm trying to tell you, son, while love and romance are important, there is one thing that will preserve that love throughout all your time together..." she smiled wistfully at him, her eyes twinkling as she concluded softly: "Be his friend Baxter and allow him to be yours. A lover can make you feel a great many things, both good and bad, but a friend, a true friend, will always sit and listen and do their best to understand."

Her words didn't fall on deaf ears. In fact, considering the events over the last few months leading up to this moment, he kind of wished she had told him this long ago because recently, love had been making his life and Billy's a roller coaster ride.

She was right about the friendship thing, it was a new friend, one he didn't even realize he had until recently, that had helped steer him in the right direction, by making him see how love and jealousy had been blinding him to the glaring truth that everyone else could see. Everyone but him; and if he could have had and heeded his mom's advice, perhaps he could have avoided all that pain and disappointment, by just being a friend, one who could just sit and listen.

Baxter hugged his mom again and thanked her, promising to do his best.

After giving him a light kiss on his cheek she turned and headed for his bedroom door: "Lunch will be ready soon, finish packing so you don't keep Billy waiting."

Baxter scratched his head and called after her: "He texted a couple of minutes ago and said he was getting ready to head over.

His mom didn't pause or miss a stride, but he could almost picture the smile on her face as she hollered over her shoulder: "Then I guess I was right to set the table for three then." before disappearing down the hall and leaving Baxter alone with his thoughts.

While closing the last of the boxes he had packed and was taking with him, he couldn't help but reflect on the events leading up to this moment, which truly began the previous Friday, just a few hours after his one-on-one conversation with Gavin Hollis, when they were down by the Flint river.

That afternoon had ended by him coming to the momentous decision, due to Gavin's timely intervention, that all his problems stemmed from him just trying to protect himself from potentially being rejected by Billy, without even discussing with Billy how he might feel. All based on one singular action Billy made, the night of his Heritage ceremony, that lead them both to their private spot.

That night he and Billy had discussed their feelings for one another, culminating in Billy asking him if he had ever imagined them kissing.

For Baxter, that had been a pivotal moment, one left hanging and full of expectation; left unanswered as Billy took his hand, rose and instead of kissing him, as he had hoped and expected, Billy used that moment to reveal his full bestial form as the White Wolf.

The realization that Gavin forced him to see, in that moment, Billy was opening himself up completely to Baxter.

In Billy's mind, that was the most intimate and trusting thing for him to do. It meant more than some mere kiss.

Gavin allowed him to see, in the moments leading up to Billy revealing the White Wolf, Baxter had just revealed his deepest secret by basically admitting he was gay and Billy had just responded in kind, by divulging his most intimate secret.

It wasn't Billy's fault Baxter had other expectations.

Worse yet, Baxter had then responded by basically sulking for the next two weeks, leaving Billy to grow more and more confused and concerned, while wondering if revealing the White Wolf was more than Baxter could handle.

Talk about crossed wires.

This wasn't Billy's fault, and it had only taken Gavin to practically club him over the head with it, to get him to see, and admit that.

Baxter knew he owed Gavin big time for that and even more so when he practically insisted Gavin drive him immediately to the compound that evening so he could try and fix what he had broken.

The drive there had been arduous, with each second seeming to pass by in slow motion until they finally found themselves in the main parking lot by the Lodge.

Gavin had barely brought the car to a stop when he leaped from the vehicle and began looking around expectantly, sniffing the air for Billy's unique scent.

As fate would have it, he didn't have to search at all. Brock stepped out of the Lodge, with the intent to greet them both, but before he got a single word out, Baxter interrupted him and practically bellowed: "Where's Billy?" at a now startled Brock, who in turn, just silently pointed in the direction of the cabin with a confused look on his face.

Thinking back, he knew how rude it must have appeared, but he was a man focused on his purpose and he wasn't about to let anything as trivial as good manners, or shut cabin doors for that matter, keep him from that purpose.

The look on Jason's, Atticus's, Danal's, and even Billy's faces were nothing short of surprised shock when Baxter suddenly burst into the cabin unexpectedly and unannounced.

Nor did they look less so, when he rapidly crossed the room and snatched Billy by the hand, and nearly dragged him from the cabin, shouting sternly over his shoulder as he did so: "He's busy tonight and NOT to be disturbed!"

"Mind tellin' me what this is all about?" Billy had queried as he tugged him toward the edge of the woods behind the cabin and began stripping off his clothes.

Baxter had only shot him a devious smile and growled as he started to shift into his bestial form: "Strip and follow me if you wanna find out Mr. Donnelly." then took off at a galloping lope into the woods.

The sun hung just below the ridge of the hill across the lake. It wasn't completely dark yet, but under the cover of the dense foliage of the woods, normal visibility was low in the deepening shadows of the twilight.

Baxter didn't need to see, to know that Billy was hot on his heels. He could feel and hear every footfall they made, every breath that they took, as he guided them knowingly toward their destination.

Again, as they had previously, upon arrival to their special spot, at the far end of the lake, first Baxter and then Billy dove into the cool autumn waters and began their usual game of pushing, splashing, and dunking, until they had enough and climbed out of the water to lay naked, side by side, on the cool grass to catch their breaths.

They lay there quietly for a while, listening to the crickets and bullfrogs as their melodic courtship songs gently proliferated all around them, almost in tune with the thrumming of their beating hearts.

Lost in the silence of their own thoughts, they each stared up into the darkening, evening sky until the first faint glowing stars began to twinkle back at them.

Baxter knew that Billy was waiting for him to speak; holding back patiently for him to break the long silence between them. Not just the silence they were experiencing in the moment but the one erected by Baxter since the last time they found themselves there.

The silence of unspoken feelings and emotions that had been held back and suppressed due to his fear of the irrepressible what if's that drummed ceaselessly within the darkest, doubting recesses of his consciousness.

Baxter was trying not to delude himself; to falsely believe that he had somehow mastered those doubts and fears. It hadn't escaped his notice, that he may always experience those things. But what had come to his current awareness, was that no one, neither himself or Billy could ever say they were free from those things... well, maybe everyone but Princess, Who, over the short time that he had gotten to know him, seemed particularly adept at adapting to each and every situation with ease.

Never had he ever known someone who had so completely changed in such a short amount of time.

Then again, Baxter surmised, maybe he was just better at dealing with it than most. Something Baxter had now fully intended to embrace, beginning with the singular most important decision that faced him in the here and now.

With that thought in mind, Baxter rolled over until he was facing Billy, who still lay there quietly staring up into the evening sky as Baxter laid his head on Billy's chest and draped his arm over his abdomen.

As opening gambits go, this one wouldn't go down in history as one of his best, but as Billy's left arm rose to encircle his back and his large callused hand came to rest upon his should and began softly massaging him, he wouldn't count it amongst his worse decisions either.

"Baby steps" he assured himself as he cautiously began running the tips of his fingers along the line of Billy's abs, stroking the soft tuft of wispy hair down to his navel, and back up toward his sternum repeatedly, each time dipping a little lower down Billy's treasure trail until he was nearly touching his pubic bush.

They had cuddled many times as boys over the years, usually after some roughhousing or sparing together to hone their wrestling skills. But this was an intimacy unfamiliar and foreign for both of them.

Baxter could tell by the increase in Billy's heart rate and the quickening of his respiration, both of which Baxter shared with him; that his touch was having as much of an effect on Billy as Billy's touch was having on him.

It had also occurred to Baxter, that though there were many occasions when the two of them had seen each other naked, he had never seen Billy aroused, and that too was changing right before his eyes, as his line of sight was consumed with the expansion of Billy's phallus.

Baxter watched in expectant wonder as it came to life, stretching out over his strong muscular thigh at first only to slowly engorge and bloat until it flopped over his solar plexus and began its inexorable expansion up his belly.

As riveting as the moment was and as much as he desired to reach down and clasp Billy's engorging cock in his hand and heft the meaty weight and heat of it, Baxter instead sat up and turned his head to lock eyes, timidly at first, with Billy's.

Baxter swallowed deeply, as Billy's hand slid down his side until it reached the protruding mound of his right buttock and caressed it firmly between his long, strong fingers.

He nearly lost himself in the intimacy of that touch. It sent shivers of pleasure radiating from where ever their skin made contact and spread like ripples across his excited flesh.

He had longed for just such a moment to transpire between them; for so long it seemed like an eternity of waiting had passed, but he didn't come here to lose himself in carnal pleasure, there would be time for that afterward.

Baxter mustered the last of his will, drawing deep from the well of his resolve, to push the words that would inform his intent, build a bridge between the divide that he had forged between them, and hopefully mend what he had broken.

"Billy?..."He spoke softly, his name almost faltering on his lips, even as he forced himself to maintain eye contact: "Will you show me your wolf again?"

He didn't know if Billy would or could understand what it was he was asking of him. The last time, Billy's intentions and motives were clear. It radiated from the crystal clarity of the light that shone from Billy's eyes.

That light had reached deep down into the core of his being and touched the most primal part of him and his beast. It had been as clear as the clarion peel of a church bell on a Sunday morning and he, in an act of cowardice and self-preservation, had turned and run from it.

What Billy was offering him, at that moment, had left him incredulous and awestruck by its magnitude, and like a frightened child, he chose to hide from it instead of accepting the challenge such a thing would exact from him.

The truth was, he wasn't ready then. He first had to taste what it would be like without him, or worse yet, see him in another's arms.

Even then, he had waffled and it wasn't until Gavin practically smacked him across the head with it, that it had finally sunk in.

For Baxter, there was no life worth living that didn't have Billy in it.

He didn't ask to be the White Wolf of legend, he didn't choose the harsh path that lay before him, especially one with all that title entailed.

All Billy had done, was turn to the one person he had always envisioned there by his side, the companion that would stick with him through thick and thin. The only one he had ever entrusted to have his back.

Billy had offered him his place by his side that first night he came into his Heritage and Baxter had walked away.

This time, however, it was Baxter asking, and he could only hope that Billy wouldn't do what he had done.

Baxter continued to stare hopefully into Billy's eyes as a faint smile began to spread across his face.

As the first hint of a silver glow flickered around the ring of Billy's irises, he watched in expectant trepidation as Billy slowly rose to his feet and began to back away from him.

His gaze never left Baxter's as he mounted the large rock they had once carved his father's name into and stood proudly erect as the light behind his eyes flared into brilliance and his body began to shift into something, somewhere between man and beast.

It wasn't until he reached the pinnacle in that form, looming nearly seven feet tall, that Baxter began to feel the pull of Billy's Alpha pheromones at his senses.

It was like that of a large powerful magnet pulling at a light piece of metal and it took every ounce of Baxter's strength to resist the urge to cross the short distance between them. If it had been his will alone, he would have completely surrendered to it. But he wasn't alone in that instant, his own beast held him back, practically snarling at him to wait for the right moment, and as that war within raged to its apex, Billy once again was surrounded by a billowing mist of shimmering argent.

The intensity of will pummeling his senses from the glaring glow of Billy's eyes nearly made his legs buckle, but he held his gaze and allowed Billy's essence to infuse every pore of his being. And as the mist coalesced into the purist of white, shimmering fur covering the biggest wolf he was sure the world had ever seen, Baxter finally yielded his will and sank to one knee and bowed his head in deference as he waited anxiously for the one word that every fiber of his being hoped the White Wolf would speak to him.

The passage of time had become insubstantial and indeed it was further marked by the deafening silence that befell the terrain around them.

The bullfrogs had quit croaking, the crickets stopped chirping. Even the rustle of leaves grew silent as if everything around them now bore silent witness as the White Wolf moved soundlessly toward him until it stood, towering over him, less than a foot away.

Baxter stayed frozen, even holding his breath until his lungs ached for oxygen and the sound of his own heartbeat became a cacophonous thumping in his ears, and when he was certain that he would pass out at any second, he felt the faintest whisper of breath brush against his right cheek as a large cold snout nudged against his ear, followed by the gentlest of prompts, spoken mind to mind: "Submit."

Baxter's heart felt like it was going to leap from his chest as his arms flung sideways, baring his naked chest, and with the greatest sense of pride and joy, Baxter turned his head sideways and offered the Alpha, his Alpha, the tenderness of his throat.

It was in those almost eerie few seconds, whose passage seemed interminable to Baxter, that he half expected the sharp pangs of razor-sharp fangs sinking into the soft flesh of his neck, somewhere between his earlobe and his thorax. But, instead, he felt the gentle touch of Billy's fingers softly trace that space between, before cupping Baxter's face between his hands and turning it up, chin high, to once again lock gazes.

Baxter caught the last embers of silver glow fade from Billy's irises, replaced by the warmest smile and the twinkling reflection of his own face in his now bright blue eyes.

For the first time that evening, Baxter felt lost there, not knowing what to do next, that is until he bowed his head slightly, as Billy caressed his cheek and brushed his fingers through his hair, that he then caught sight of Billy's now tumescent cock hanging down over his plump egg-sized balls. It was then that his beast urged him to show their Alpha proper respect, by kissing his manhood.

Baxter didn't know as much as he should about the Heritage, but he was well aware of this custom, and seeing as he was still kneeling there in front of Billy, he craned his neck to put him in a better position to do just that.

But, before his lips could touch Billy's dick, he felt Billy's large hands grip his face between them and pull him away.

The disappointment on Baxter's face must have registered to Billy and Baxter interpreted the growing smile on Billy's face, at first as mocking, causing Baxter to turn his head away in blushing embarrassment, only to find himself hauled to his feet by Billy crooking his hands under Baxter's armpits and practically hoisting him effortlessly into a standing position.

Baxter's first instinct was to squirm away, but Billy held him fast by gripping the back of his neck with one hand while the other swooped around his waist and pressed against the small of his back.

"Stop..." Billy chided, pulling Baxter in tightly against him: "I'm not saying I don't appreciate what you were about to do" he continued, his face drawing nearer Baxter's own: "I just didn't want that to be the first thing we do together."

Hearing his words and feeling the warmth of his naked body pressed tightly against his own, had the desired effect, as Baxter turned his face upward toward Billy's, just as he smoothly inched closer until their foreheads touched and the tips of their noses rubbed together.

Baxter hadn't allowed himself to think that what happened next, could or would ever transpire between them, as Billy slowly brought their lips together and delicately kissed him.

As kisses go, Baxter had no real basis for comparison and couldn't help but wonder if he was meeting Billy's expectations, when it suddenly dawned on him. Billy had told him everything about what had transpired between him and Timmy. He had even disclosed what he had done for Gavin one afternoon, but in everything that he had acknowledged from his encounters, none of it included kissing either of them.

It suddenly dawned on him, not only was this Baxter's first kiss, but it was Billy's as well. That sobering thought melted the last of Baxter's resistance and he melted into Billy's arms and parted his lips to allow his probing tongue to enter.

The world could have blinked out of existence as far as Baxter was concerned that night, as Billy lowered them to the mossy-covered ground as his lips and tongue continued to unabashedly explore the furthest depths of Baxter's mouth. Their dueling tongues entangled in a duet of passion, hunger, and need, while their hands explored each other's bodies in a way they had never allowed themselves to do before that moment.

There had been many times in their young lives they had appreciated each other's bodies, but it was always done under the thinly veiled guise of mutual admiration for the hard work they had done to achieve those ends.

Baxter's mind practically swam with the remembrance of all the times Billy had complimented his big bubble butt and had jokingly cautioned him not to bend over in the showers. This moment now altered all those times he had recalled it as just simple jock banter, and now he realized it for what it really was, a socially awkward attempt at complimenting him without drawing too much attention to himself or his motives for making such an observation.

Those that didn't know Billy the way he did now, might judge him to harshly, but Baxter now saw it for what it was. It was a confirmation that Billy found him just as attractive and desirable as Baxter found him; it was just their situation and the environment they grew up in, that kept them from acting or acknowledging their mutual attraction for each other.

That was the biggest void that was separating them and as all those old walls melted away into obscurity, so did it now give rise to the heat of their passion for one another.

Baxter could only best describe it as a dam bursting, as Billy's lips and tongue explored the nape of his neck, culminating in his hot, fluttering breath pressed snugly against his ear: "I want you, Baxter, I want you to be mine, not just now..."

Billy's words faltered as Baxter pushed him away slightly. Not out of arms reach, but so he could look Billy in the eyes when he said: "Stop talking and take me, I ain't goin' nowhere!"

The grin that had spread across Billy's face, was one that would forever be etched in Baxter's mind, as indelible as the sun in the sky during high noon.

It was a perfect blend between love and lust, with just a hint of "be careful what you wish for."

It was a look Baxter was certain he would see many times over and over again and he couldn't wait to count them all amongst his fondest memories.

Billy wasted little time after that, utilizing what little experience he had garnered, to thrust himself between Baxter's powerful thighs, even as Baxter's ankles sought to lock around Billy's waist.

Positioning himself between Baxter's spread eagle butt-cheeks, Billy rubbed the pulsating head of his prick against the velveteen ring of Baxter's virginal anus, smearing the copious amounts of pre-cum already drooling from his piss-slit, until it was slickly moistened.

Just for good measure, Billy spat into his open palm and reached down between them to smear the gob all around the glistening glans of his prick before repositioning it at Baxter's rectum.

"Do it!" Baxter had groaned while doing his best to will his hole to open and receive his Alpha's rock-hard member into his now quivering chasm.

Baxter had read many times, in various erotic stories, about how painful that first penetration could be. He had even taken to fingering his own hole during some of his more intense jack-off sessions and while Billy's cock was considerably larger than any of his fingers, Baxter's limited foray's into self-pleasuring his hole and massaging his own prostate, he knew exactly how pleasurable penetration could be.

When Billy thrust into him that first time and his hole spread open to accommodate his thick girth, instead of the pain he had read might happen, Baxter felt nothing but pure ecstatic pleasure as Billy's phallus filed him, like a tight glove over a hand.

He felt the intense heat and the pulse of Billy's heartbeat through his throbbing manhood, as inch by inch it spread his hole further open. It was only after Billy reached the three-quarter mark that Baxter felt the blunt end of his invading member hit against the tender membranes that comprised his inner sphincter, nor did he allow it to hinder Billy's progression.

In almost perfect synchronicity, Baxter thrust his hips upward just as Billy nudged forward. Together they breached the last barrier of Baxter's rectal defenses, culminating in Billy's schlong fully embedding itself deep within him.

So intense was the moment, they both paused there to catch their breath.

"Goddam, your hole is so tight!" Billy moaned into his ear, his breath coming in ragged, throaty huffs.

For Baxter, it was the sensation of fullness, the feeling of completeness he had barely noticed was missing until having experienced it.

Having Billy sheaved within him, to be so completely connected to one another, defied description, and Baxter never wanted it to end.

At that moment, at that time and place, he felt like they had become one. Two halves of a whole, inexorably linked and joined together in an amalgamation of flesh and intermingled limbs working in unison toward a rapturous and glorious goal.

As Billy began to move within him, aligning his thrust to near perfection with Baxter's clutching hands against the taunt flesh of his pumping ass, they both soon lost themselves in a cavalcade of heightened fervor.

Billy rose up until he could stare into Baxter's eyes as his pummeling hips pounded relentlessly into Baxter's nearly convulsing hole.

For Baxter, it felt like a thousand tendrils of coruscating electricity, from one central point, radiating throughout his entire body and making its way up his spine until it reach the base of his reptilian stem where it finally exploded into a raging inferno of argent light that subsumed him so completely, he couldn't tell where he ended and Billy began.

Baxter soon learned, he wasn't alone in this vast ocean of ceaselessly expanding light. It started faintly, as if coming from a great distance, and it not only touched his mind but that of his beast as well, pulling them together until both sides of his nature melded and fused. It was then he found his own voice and projected out the one word that unified them: "Alpha!"

Instantly, Baxter's consciousness erupted with a sharp, penetrating presence, and for the briefest of moments, he was seeing himself lying on the soft mossy ground back at the compound, while a cock, not his own, released a tsunami of hot jism into him.

The bizarre sensation abruptly ended when the presence in his mind triumphantly declared: "Mine!"

Reacting solely on instinct, Baxter and his beast, acting as one, turning their head and baring their throat and only managing one deep breath before he felt Billy's fangs gouge into the soft tissue where his neck joined his trapezius.

In that singular instant, Baxter's world came into complete focus as the strands that would form the unbreakable bond between an Alpha and his mate were forged.

He felt a serene sense of peace wash over him that simultaneously soothed the savage beast within him; who merely sighed contentedly and welcomed it as willingly as he did.

It wasn't as simple as him being Billy's and Billy being his. It was more than just a mating bond that conjoined them together. Down to his core, he knew that Billy was his Alpha and he was Billy's Beta, but not just any Beta.

Just as Billy was more than just another Alpha, the link between their consciousness still thrummed and pulsated between them and revealed a truth of sorts, that as Billy was THE Alpha, he now, by blood and a shared mating bond, was now THE Beta.

He still didn't quite grasp the full extent of what that all might yet entail, it was a confusion he now got and shared with Billy. One thing he did know, was that together, they would figure it out.

He had been lost in those thoughts and basking in the afterglow of the shared link he now had with Billy when he felt the palm of Billy's hand cup the side of his face: "Baxter, your eyes..."

There was no alarm in his voice, but the query begged the question: "What about my eyes?"

"Your irises now have a silver band around them."

Baxter stared into his bedroom dresser mirror, still debating whether he liked the new silver ring around his irises or not.

"It brings out the green in your eyes." his lover Billy mused, leaning against his bedroom door frame, with his arms folded over his chest, as he ogled him suggestively, before crossing the room and kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Did ya miss me?" he mused, as he wrapped his arms around Baxter's waist, pulling him closer as he began gently nuzzling the healed bite mark on his neck.

Baxter pushed him away playfully: "It's only been a couple of hours." he taunted, rolling his eyes in mock consternation, as he pivoted and snatched up one of the boxes he had packed and shoved it into Billy's hands.

"Yeah?..." Billy groaned: "But it seemed a lot longer than that." The look on is face was becoming an all to familiar refrain, Baxter thought to himself. It was the look of a predator targeting his favorite prey.

"Fun time later, move boxes now!" Baxter insisted though it was just as hard for him to keep his hands off Billy as it was for Billy for him. The only thing stopping him from indulging that particular delight was the thought of his mother walking in on them, making Baxter shudder as he too grabbed a box and ushered Billy toward the door, adding, as an afterthought: "Maybe we can play later after we get my stuff moved into your place."

Billy shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head in response, looking disappointed: "No can do Bubby, got a call from Jason, we gotta get this shit secured at OUR PLACE and beeline it to the compound PDQ, companies comin'"

Baxter's first response was to smile at the our place reminder, but quickly shifted to a minor annoyance and reproach: "Don't call me Bubby."

Ever since that first night together, the previous Friday, it was like Billy was on this fishing expedition for a pet name for him and of all the ones he'd been trying on for size, this one seemed to be the favored contender, especially after he realized that it annoyed Baxter. Then again, he thought to himself, it was a whole lot better than Bubbles, which of course was his way of drawing attention to his favorite body feature, Baxter's bubble butt.

Bubby, of course, was Billy's amalgam for Buddy and Baby, slightly less offensive than most of the others, and apparently the one he was just going to have to learn to live with.

"Do I dare ask who?" Baxter queried stoically, sighing slightly as his plan for a quiet evening of unpacking, pizza, and hot torrid sex evaporated.

Billy lowered the tailgate to his truck and helped Baxter load the boxes they had just brought out.

"Why, our favorite Texan and a few interesting new friends he's made..." Billy paused for a second as if considering something important that had slipped his mind, before suddenly smacking Baxter's ass jovially and winking at him: "Jason said he told him he's fairly certain he's found Princess a likely candidate for the Misterhood."

Baxter chuckled slightly at the inference, wondering who the hell had come up with that handle and concluding it was probably Princess/Timmy himself. Say what you will, Baxter mused silently, shaking his head, he sure had a flair for the dramatic. * * * * *

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore" Matt McCormick mused as he hung close to his boyfriend Blake Wiley, while taking in the pristine crystal clear waters of the lake located in the shallow valley of the Devil Dawg Compound, or the DDC as the locals generally referred to it.

Matt was still feeling a bit discombobulated after their long flight from Lubbock Texas, where it had been decided by Blake and his father's District Alpha, Maynard Sinclair, that he, Blake, Dr. Ventrov as well as Coach Myers, should accompany Barin Young back to Georgia.

Alpha Sinclair, an imposing man in his own right, had spent considerable time talking to Barin as well as someone by the name of Max Donnelly, where it was concluded that they were better equipped at figuring out what had been done to Matt and the others. The Alpha had even gone as far, at first, to insist that Hatch and the others be taken as well, but it was after Blake's father assured the Alpha, after Coach Myers testified, that as far as he knew, the effects on the others would be temporary and that Blake's father would stay behind and keep a close eye on them, that the Alpha had finally relented, dubbing it a huge cluster fuck.

Matt was pretty sure it had more to do with how they would explain to the other boy's families why and where they were being detained and then sent away, that really changed his mind.

The one good thing that had come from it all, at least as far as Blake was concerned, was that Alpha Sinclair had declared their area a new territory and had appointed Blake's dad as the new Alpha in charge of it.

He had even offered several of his newest inductees into the Heritage, for Blake's dad to choose from to add to his newly formed pack.

At the time, though Blake seemed really happy for his dad, he also seemed surprised and a little confused by the action, explaining later to Matt, that it was traditional for Alphas to only select a handful of the best of the best, so as not to appear as overly aggressive to other alphas and their territories.

The way Blake had explained it, made it sound as if something recently had happened, that had changed all that, or at least had loosened the previous restrictions.

It was later when they had settled for a quick meal, while they waited for transport, that Rob Wiley had told them, in hushed tones, that where they were going was a very special place and for Blake to stay on his toes once they got there.

Blake's dad had drawn them in close, telling them that just the month prior, Alpha Sinclair and his beta had attended a meeting at the southern district compound where the new young alpha there had shocked them all by fully shifting into a wolf, something they all thought their kind had long lost the capacity to do.

The excitement in Rob Wiley's eyes as well as the amazement written on Blake's face, bore testament to Matt, that this was something that wasn't only rare, but virtually unheard of, with Blake expounding later, that something like that hadn't happened for well over a thousand years.

There wasn't much else Blake's dad had time to discuss with them, mostly just cautioning them to stay close and as alert as possible. He didn't think they were in any danger and that the young Marine accompanying them had in fact had his Heritage ceremony at the compound in Lubbock just a few years ago before he joined the Marines and that he was now a Gamma defender to the same alpha who could fully shift.

"You can take a man outta' Texas..." Rob Wiley had boasted bemusedly: "But you can't take Texas outta' the man. He's a good egg, so stick close."

Blake's dad had little more to offer before they were all herded into various vehicles and shuffled off to a military airport not far away.

Goodbyes had been sparse and quick and in just a few hours later, they were now standing in a newly paved parking lot, by a beautiful lake, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, wondering what the hell they had gotten themselves into.

As if, by way of the universe answering, two men, followed by another pair, exited the long, oblong-shaped, log cabin-style building just to their far left and made their way toward their group.

Soon, hands were being shaken and names exchanged as Matt learned that the first pair's name was Brock and Atticus, the first being human if Blake's nose served him correctly, and Matt was finding out it almost always did, and the much larger one, who Matt didn't need anyone to tell him, was of the Heritage.

Matt had always thought that Coach Myers was the pinnacle in size and musculature, but the one called Atticus sure could have given him a run for his money on both accounts.

The other pair, following slightly behind them, were obviously older, roughly about Blake's dad's age.

Matt didn't need Blake to tell him the large, darker-haired one was an alpha, the man practically reeked of authority, which was affirmed when the one called Atticus introduced them.

"This is Alpha Regent Max Donnelly and his beta Carl McGregor."

The words had no sooner passed Atticus's lips when the Alpha veered off and made his way to the rear door of the vehicle still holding Dr. Ventrov, which he opened, only to glower down at its sole, sulking occupant.

"Get out!" He commanded, in a voice Matt couldn't help but notice raised goosebumps all over his skin.

"Yup, definitely an alpha." Matt silently observed to himself as he watched Dr. Ventrov slowly pivot in his seat and raise himself, hands still bound in front of him, until he was facing a much larger, very intense, and intimidating Max Donnelly.

What truly surprised Matt was the arrogant, smug look on Dr. Ventov's face as he stared defiantly up at Max: "I know who you are Max Donnelly and you should know, I'm not some small child that frightens easily."

The words had barely left his lips when the iris's of Max's eyes flashed a brilliant blue and his powerful arm shot out so fast, Matt's eyes could barely track the motion, and backhanded Dr. Ventrov so hard across the face, it sent him crashing to the ground sideways, leaving only the concussive sound of the smack reverberating in its wake.

'I don't recall giving you permission to speak omega, or do they not observe proper protocol in Ukraine?" Max stated, his demeanor and voice striking a perfect balance between measured self-control and total discipline.

Two things happened next, that Matt did not expect. Dr.Ventrov rose up on his knees and began laughing. Actually, it sounded more like a somewhat demented cackle, but the real surprise was when Matt made out the same type of ripples in the air he had only noted once before and that was back at Coach Myers's house when he had used his special ability to try and control the Coach.

Matt subconsciously found himself taking a step forward and was just about to shout out a warning to anyone who would listen, when Max Donnelly reached down and snatched a very surprised Dr. Ventrov by the scruff of his neck and began dragging him down toward the lake.

No one, including Matt, made a single move to stop what was happening, only watching intently as Max reached the water's edge and shoved Dr. Ventrov head first into the still waters, yanking him up only long enough to growl in his ear: "If that's the best you've got, color me not impressed!" before slamming his head back underwater.

Matt found himself sniffing the air, trying to catch any remnants of the pheromones Dr. Ventrov was trying to project, and finding they lacked the intensity and the more complex, though subtle differences between his own capabilities and what Dr. Ventrov had attempted to do, leaving Matt to wonder if that was why Dr. Ventrov had recruited him instead of someone of the Heritage and who might be more sympathetically aligned with whatever he hoped to achieve.

Blake, after telling him about himself and those of the Heritage, that night they spent together before being sent here, had said that Matt was special in his own right, that he wasn't like other humans. He didn't seem to know exactly how and why, but said it had more to do with the way Matt smelled; like honey and freshly dug earth. Which now made Matt wonder if this was why Dr. Ventrov had recruited him specifically.

Those thoughts and what Max was now doing to Dr. Ventrov, had so distracted Matt, that it had barely registered that others had joined their little gathering.

"I'd prefer you didn't drown our guest before we even get the chance to interrogate him Max." came the deep bass, even-toned voice directly behind them.

Matt turned and regarded the three individuals, who slowly made their way from a small path beside the Lodge, that Matt could see trailed back into the woods to a small log cabin in the distance.

The voice belonged to an extremely handsome young man, that couldn't be any older than himself, but had a look behind his deep blue eyes that belied his age. His gaze was sharp and focused and he spoke with an air of authority that was simultaneously foreboding and somehow reassuring in its undertones.

The fact that he was so disarmingly handsome to boot didn't hurt either.

Beside him walked an older woman, whose hair was pulled back into a bun. She was dressed in black dress slacks, a white button-up shirt, and a white linen lab jacket.

She was a rather plain but handsome woman, whose large glasses seemed permanently affixed to the tip of her nose as she glanced studiously over them at the scene playing out down by the lake.

To her right was this stunning, boyishly golden-haired Adonis, adorned in loose-fitting white active wear.

The thing Matt noticed the most about him, was the way he moved, relaxed, yet poised with what seemed a perpetual mischievous grin on his face. In more ways than one, his movements seemed almost catlike to Matt; both fluid and graceful.

It was the latter whose face exploded in a mirth-some toothy grin when his gaze fell on Matt and caught him staring back: "Ooo..." Matt heard him enthuse, glancing over at Barin: "You found another one of us!"

Matt watched as the golden-haired one unzipped the fanny pack he had attached to his hip and pulled out, what Matt was sure was a cookie, and handed it to a grinning Barin: "Congratulations, you've earned a treat."

Barin took the offered morsel and stuffed it into his mouth, grinning profusely as he did so, which was followed by a pat on his head and a "Good puppy!" before the golden-haired one flounced away from him and practically skipped his way over to Matt and stuffed his arm through his and pulled him away from Blake.

"Is that one yours or are you just trying him on for size?" He asked, causing Matt to blush furiously before stammering while darting a quick glance back at Blake, who just beamed an amused smile back at him.

"He's my boyfriend" Matt finally uttered defensively.

"My names Princess, what's yours...and puhleez tell me it's Angel because you so look like you just dropped right out of heaven?" Princes bristled jovially, as they came to a stop a few feet away from the group and Princess started looking him up and down like he was appraising him.

'There's something different about you..." He began, while he tapped his index finger against his chin before continuing: "I can't quite put my finger on it, but that's okay, I'm sure once you go meet mama she'll soon sort it out."

Matt didn't have a clue what Princess was talking about and was about to inquire who mama was when their attention was abruptly drawn back to the lake.

Max had stopped dunking Dr. Ventrov in the lake's waters and roughly hauled him unceremoniously by the collar over to their group and dumped him at the handsome new arrival's feet.

"Just making sure our guest has properly greeted Jason, he's all yours... for now." Max declared, as he folded his arms over his chest and continued to glower down at Dr. Ventrov menacingly.

Jason squatted down and eyed Dr. Ventrov dubiously as Dr. Ventrov pushed himself up on is knees, still coughing and hacking up lake water with a bit of defiance still lingering in his eyes, his focus still on Max.

"You'll learn nothing from me and when the one I serve finds out where I am, you'll all rue the day you were born!"

Princess giggled, drawing Venrtrov's attention on him: "Who talks like that?.. Rue the Day? sounds like something a comic book villain might say."

"I am not the one you need to fear imbecile, but I am certainly going to enjoy watching my benefactors humble all of you!"

"Actually..." Elizabeth Dunne chimed in, pushing the rim of her glasses up to sit on the bridge of her nose: "I think we have more than enough information to figure out the scope and nature of your experiments."

Dr. Ventrov's eyes narrowed as his face twisted into an angry grimace as he noticed for the first time, that she had one of his tablets tucked between her arms.

"Those files are encrypted and only I know the password!" He spat bitterly.

Unperturbed, Elizabeth noted dismissively: "We happen to have two rather ingenious young men here that I think more than capable of breaking whatever encryption you might have used...." Elizabeth paused for a second, purposely reaching down into the satchel she had tucked to her side and produced several pill cards she regarded for a second before peering over the rim of her glasses at the now surprised look on Dr. Ventrov's face: "Besides, if all else fails, we always have these" She said, waving the cards at him, before concluding: "I'm willing to bet my expertise in genetics as well as my state of the art labs back at the University, that we'll unravel whatever mysteries that lay dormant within these pills."

The fury that was building up within Dr. Ventrov suddenly erupted into action as he launched himself at Elizabeth.

Unfortunately for him, her son Jason was considerably faster and already two steps ahead of him, blocking him from getting anywhere near his mother. Within seconds, he was being securely held between Atticus and Barin, each restraining one of his arms as they bent him forcibly back down on his knees before their Alpha Jason.

For the first time, Ventrov turned the full force of his ire toward Jason, his face a twisted mask of fury...that was until his eyes made contact with the young Alpha.

The difference was like night and day, as all the defiance and rage melted away, leaving only wide-eyed astonishment.

To Matt, it almost looked like Dr. Ventrov had just seen a ghost, or at least the equivalent.

'What black gypsy magic is this?" He finally managed to blubber, still pulling to free his arms from Atticus and Barin, but noticeably now trying to back away, something that didn't escape Jason's notice either as he ventured another step forward, more out of curiosity than to further intimidate.

The confused horror in Ventrov's eyes was as palpable as his racing heartbeat, even to Matt, as he continued to try and squirm his way out of Barin and Atticus's tight grip.

Almost gibbering, a mad look subsuming his eyes, Dr. Ventrov mumbled repeatedly: "This...this isn't p...posible, I watched you d..die, I saw it for myself." Ventrov kept sniffing the air as if trying to prove there was some sort of deception or illusion behind what his eyes were telling him.

Playing a hunch, Jason stepped forward, closing the distance between him and the frightened doctor until he was practically squaring up to him, bringing his face within inches from his own.

"I came back to exact vengeance on those who dared raise a hand against me!" Jason growled, his eyes turning a baleful black that bore right into the doctor's own.

To everyone's surprise, Dr. Ventrov fainted, followed by the sour smell of urine, leaving no doubt the good doctor had also just pissed himself.

Atticus and Barin dropped him to the ground, with Barin giving his limp body a couple of prodding kicks to confirm his current condition.

As they all stared on, wondering what had just happened, Princess finally broke the uneasy silence: "Well, he was no fun, he fell right over."

Max chuckled and reached over to ruffle Princess's hair as Carl just rolled his eyes before barking orders, telling Barin and Atticus to lock the doctor up in their makeshift jail down by the lake.

Atticus sheepishly looked between Max and Carl, before inquiring: "What about our other two prisoners, do you think that won't be just a little cramped, there's barely room for the two of them?"

Carl didn't respond right away, obviously hoping to differ that to Max and looking at him expectantly.

Fortunately, Jason took the lead and the matter out of their hands.

"My mom was just updating me on their status before our guest arrived.." He began, side-eying Max and affording him the opportunity to interject, but Max remained stoically silent, though all eyes were still on him.

Finally, Max huffed: "They are of no concern of mine anymore, I've washed my hands of the pair of them." With that said, Max turned and walked away, followed quickly by Carl, who just shrugged his shoulders before veering off to follow after him, leaving Jason in the awkward position to make the decision instead.

"I took the liberty of having Brock purchase two locking neck collars, each capable of delivering a strong enough electrical jolt to fell a horse." He said, adding by way of explanation: "My mom assures me, her treatments have rendered them incapable of shifting at this time, as she continues to try and undo what was done to them by Max's ex.

Having heard her voice mentioned, Elizabeth interjected: "They are about 80% back to normal and we have every hope of undoing most of the damage done to them."

Jason nodded to his mother, thanking her for her help before concluding: "My mom has concluded that much of their previous behavior had a lot to do with what was done to them and that both have shown strong signs that they're repentant for the way they were compelled to behave."

It was Princess who asked the one question they were all thinking to themselves: "You're not suggesting that we just let them go are you, not after what they did, that just seems a wee bit reckless if you ask me?"

Jason offered him a weak smile, stating: "It's my call Princess and no, we're not exactly letting them go."

Princess's eyebrow raised quizzically, asking: "Then exactly what are WE doing precisely?"

There was a bit of defiance in Princess's voice and there was no small degree of snark behind that WE, but none of that seemed to deter or phase Jason.

"After they are collared, they will be free to roam anywhere within a miles radius, if they stray beyond that, the collars will activate and shock them unconscious. Both collars also have a tracking device that can monitor their whereabouts at all times, from here at the Lodge, and if the collars discharge it will send out an alarm alerting us to it."

Princess just shook his head for a moment, before smiling impishly back at Jason: "Do what ya want Jason, but I'm tellin' ya now, I want front-row seats and a bag of popcorn when Billy and JD find Mike and Kent are meandering about the place freely and on their own."

Matt didn't really know what or who they were going on about, but he was sure it sounded a lot like trouble, but before he could give it much further thought, he felt Princess slide in beside him again, hooking their arms together once more as he steered him and Blake toward what looked like a camp sight, located not far from the Lodge.

"Lets see about getting you two fed and settled in before I take you on a tour of the compound."

Princess's mood seemed to shift as quickly as the direction of the wind as he was now practically bristling with enthusiasm. All smiles and southern charm. Quite the juxtaposition considering all that had just occurred just a few moments ago.

"Is it always like this?" He heard Blake ask, with Matt thinking pretty much the same.

Princess's smile broadened dramatically as he practically beamed: "Why no, it's usually a lot more exciting!"