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6.

The ride home was nothing special. Eric had Chris, Nick, and Keith stay to help clean up the living room and do repairs as much as could be done at least. I imagined the next few days would be labor intensive for everyone and Keith would learn how to be a proper werewolf. I just hoped Claude hadn't done anything irreversible to him. Surviving the wreckage was only Eric's chair and the large wolf dream catcher that hung behind it much to Eric and Kevin's relief, probably because it was one of a kind. The rest of the room's contents were pretty much gone.

Kevin...through out the day he had made passes to me as we helped sort through the living room and pack up his things. He didn't have much mostly clothing, some nick knacks, and a weight set. Most of it fitted easily into the back of my bright blue Yaris with room to spare, which spoke more of Kevin's lack of property than of the car's storage space.

He was still very canine in nature though. At the moment he was fretting nervously. I guess growing up as a wolf you'd never get use to riding in a car. I was amazed at how little I knew of Kevin and in fact the rest of the pack. It was entirely possibly that I knew more about the Beast or the New York packs than I did of my own. The growing uncertainty seem to be building up until I pulled into my drive way. There was something else waiting for us that cleared my mind.

Leaning up against a black Harley-Davidson was none other than the Beast himself. I almost tore the steering wheel off the car and broke the shifter to pull it into reverse. Kevin's large hand moved over my clenched, white knuckled fist. Without realizing it my vision had gone feral and I was panting.

"Calm down Sean. He's not going to harm us, not unless he wants Eric to gut him," he soothed. "Do you want me to handle this pup?"

I hated that term ever since Kevin called me it when we first met. I wondered if it was common for most werewolves to call those under them pups. If that were the case I had just been insulted. Claude had used the term to describe Keith so I had to wonder if it werewolves in fact used it as a slang word.

"No I am still beta of the pack and I am sure Claude knows that much, if you go out there he'll think it a sign of weakness I am sure. Who knows how he would take that," I sighed parking the car and turning off the engine.

"I am surprised he's even going to talk to us lowly wolves," muttered Kevin.

I got out of the car, trying not to look or act nervous, but that was always easier said than done around the Beast. I did my best to keep calm but the idea of him being at my house both angered and scared me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked not wanting to waste time or effort on niceties.

Claude remained silent crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at me, the black leather jacket crinkled in the cool night air. He was expecting me to say it, but this was my house, not a place he could freely come and expect such a title. After a few minutes passed though I could tell I wasn't going to get an answer without compromising on the issue.

"Sir," I blurted out.

"Better," grinned Claude unfolding his arms. "I came because I wanted to first of all. Second I wanted to talk." "Talk?" I inquired, curious as to what he was getting at.

"Eric does let you talk doesn't he?" he mocked.

"Yes he does. So what do you want to talk about and why not to Eric?" I queried the larger Alpha.

"Hmmm, so they were right, you aren't dumb. I don't wish to talk out here where anyone else could hear us," replied Claude.

"They? Who are they?" I demanded wanting to know more before letting the Beast into my house.

Claude moved forward, coming within inches of where I stood. I could feel his presence of total command and leadership. Unconsciously I looked down, lowering my head as I heard Kevin try to move forward perhaps to protect me, but stopped short. Kevin might be a big wolf but up against a werewolf like the Beast, he was far out of his league. The edge offered by sheer size simply did not matter when you faced an Alpha as old and as experienced as Claude was. I could feel that strength standing before him and I visibly shivered because of it.

"You need to learn just who is in control. I've heard a lot about you Sean Nichols and I know more about you than you know of me, so watch it or I'll make sure your warring sides are the least of your problems," growled Claude.

The growl was low and bestial something I knew would come from someone like him. Still what my rational mind told me was at odds with my instincts and...Time seemed to stop for a moment as the realization grew. In that fleeting moment the wolf and the human sides merged, instinct and reason melted into one thought. Before I even realized what had happened, I found myself kneeling before Claude staring at a pair of blue jeans and black leather biker boots. A large hand moved under my bare chin and grabbed it, forcing me to look up. His eyes were a fire of yellow and red that pierced right through me. All I could do was let out a weak feeble sounding whine.

"That is better no?" He grinned revealing a bit of his foreign heritage. "Now stand up and let's talk inside." My mind reeled for a few minutes as it tried to comprehend what had just happened. Frantically my human side tried to find out how it had happened. On the other hand the wolf was far too observant of the Alpha to give any answers. What ever happened to meld both sides had passed as quickly as it had came.

It was not the entrance to my house I had expected that evening. I had expected to have Kevin and myself alone, a quiet dinner, movie, talk, and well...more of what happened earlier that morning. The silence was still there as I walked into the kitchen and turned on the lights, but it was an oppressive void, not the cheerful one I had hoped for. Kevin carefully walked around Claude, keeping his distance and sat at the opposite end of the table from the other werewolf. Claude leaned back in the chair at the end as if he owned the place as I sat down between them.

"So what have you come to tell us?" I asked breaking the awkward elephant in the room.

He tapped his fingers on the table, drumming them expectantly. I really was beginning to hate his insistence on titles. I finally muttered the word "sir" making a mental note not to drag this out longer than necessary. He gave me a satisfied nod of approval.

"Don't believe everything you are told beta. What you have heard about me is most likely mired in biased opinion or a wild outright lies."

"Tell that to the people of Geraudan," muttered Kevin still keeping his gaze downward to the table.

Claude's fist suddenly banged violently on the table as he growled at Kevin. Thank goodness nothing breakable was on it otherwise I would had to say good bye to it.

"Watch your mouth pup! Just because you managed to sleep your way into just about every werewolf's bed on this continent, doesn't mean shit to me!"

"What?" I interjected, looking between both of them.

Kevin lowered his head more and remained silent.

"Heh," smirked Claude. "You mean he never told you? So Kevin, when were you going to tell your replacement that the reason he got the job was because Eric had to deal with the mess of more than just a few of your late night trysts."

There was a flash of movement, which I barely noticed being far too rattled by the sudden revelation. By the time I registered what had happened Claude was holding Kevin by the throat. He struggled in vain to get the large hand off his neck. I rose to help him but the Beast had other plans.

"Sit down!" he growled loudly, waiting for me to do so before continuing. "No one lays their hands on me pup! Least of all some slut who is unworthy of their rank! If it were up to me I'd snap this neck like a twig just for a few of the things you've done!"

He tossed the limp body of Kevin to the side. I stopped the wolf from scurrying to aid him. Something was building up in me and it was not good. If what Claude had said was true then everything Kevin had said earlier, even before this day, had become meaningless. I stood up, folding my arms over my chest as I glared down at him.

"Is what Claude said true?" I demanded.

Kevin looked away instantly and that was enough to let me know that I was at least dominate over him. That was something but the human side of my mind read it as hiding, shame, and unable to face the truth. Cowardice snarled the wolf already committed to the fact the delta was no longer a candidate for being a mate. Trust was key not just for humans but for wolves too. If you couldn't trust your pack mates to defend the pack, get food, play, then there was little more to do then force them out or make them the omega. Right now he was in every way an omega. Maybe he was more human than anyone and given him credit for, or perhaps I was too trusting of the pack. The question of how much did I really know of the pack came back into focus.

"Kevin go into the living room downstairs. I'll talk to Claude alone," I managed to get out before I lost control of my emotions.

He ran and if he had been in wolf form his tail would have been between his legs. I was glad Kevin was removed from this discussion. His crude remarks had from the start set a rather aggressive tone and although Claude had a reputation, he had done nothing so far to deserve that treatment. He had sat down since I stood up and I did the same not bothering to change to the other end of the table. I figured that would mean I was his equal which clearly was not the case.

"I apologize for Kevin's aggressive nature. It's one of the reasons he lost his position," I acknowledged. "Sir."

"There is no need to apologize for him. His reputation has pretty much been known to me for a while now. I expected no better from him."

"So why have you come here? Other than intimidate me through your dominance?" I asked once again.

Claude let out a bellowing laughter. "I don't need to intimidate to get people to submit to me. I make people submit to me."

That was a true statement even if you washed away Claude's past, he had an air about him. It was a feeling of authority and control that oozed from him. While Eric's status as an Alpha was more regal in nature, Claude simply dominated physically. I wondered if anyone had ever stood up to him or if he actually meant what he as saying. Perhaps it was that belief in him self that was enough to give him the strength of will he needed to command others. Of course it could also be no one had enough of a spine to stand up to him; that I felt was more likely. I looked up and noticed Claude studying my face, looking for something.

"Come here Sean," he commanded sternly as he pointed to the floor next to him.

Before I could even protest the command, I found myself kneeling before the Beast. It was like before; both the wolf and human sides were one and the same. The wolf contently submitted to the Alpha wolf and the human just fell into line. He reached out with a hand and in a very canine fashion I found myself nuzzling into it. The very touch of his skin was warm, comforting, and even a bit sensual. Something primal stirred in me that seemed only to come out when I was hunting as a wolf. I let out a moaning whimper as he withdrew the hand.

"Hmmm." Claude stared down at me, locking me in his gaze. "You are an interesting one, brother wolf. I am surprised...hmmm...I wonder."

He held me there in his sight for what seemed to be an eternity. I sat there attentive as a wolf. It was as if I was fixated by a prey or by the shimmering moonlight as I looked at him, yet Claude was neither. No he was...Alpha said the wolf, more Alpha than the once called Eric. The sync up of wolf and human left me as Claude reached into a breast pocket.

"After you sort out the problems with Kevin," he mentioned, handing a business card to me."I would like to see you and only you there. I imagine Eric knows already about my...pet project. It doesn't matter. I think it would be good to show his beta what it is I am doing and perhaps work out this tension between our packs."

I looked at the card he handed me. It had a black full moon with a howling wolf's head silhouetted on the front. The bold black logo above the image read Café de la Garou. Smaller print on the bottom gave a phone number and address in North Conway, New Hampshire. My French was a bit rusty but loosely translated the name mean Wolf Café. Claude was smiling when I looked back at him as if he had just baited a trap. I recalled Eric's instructions earlier in the day and wondered who was hunting who.

"What guarantee do I have that you won't harm me while I am there if I am alone?" I inquired, after all I was a werewolf trespassing on another's territory.

"You have none, but it would hardly benefit me or anyone if I harmed you. If I did want to you'd already be so," gloated Claude, who sounded more annoyed at the accusation. I had never heard of his victims being werewolves so it was unlikely he was going to kill me. Not that murder was his only option.

"No I doubt it would. When would you like to me visit, sir?"

He leaned forward, his face dangerously close to mine. "I would hope soon yes?" He grinned as he stroked my cheek. I found myself painfully wanting more of his touch. Just what the heck was going on here? Damn whatever it was I did crave more of it but Kevin...Thoughts of him snapped me back to reality.

"Yes sir. I'll be there when I can."

"Good," he smiled contently, standing up. "When you do come just tell Sam I invited you and he'll let you in without issue."

He stood up and made his way to the door, part of me wanted to go with him. Both the wolf and the human had reservations about that course of action. The wolf didn't feel quite right at the sudden attraction to the other Alpha. My loyalty was still to Eric but he was not the one who merged both sides of my natures. There was also a physical attraction. Claude pushed the right buttons in that regard but I didn't want that to override common sense.

"I shall see you soon Sean, till next we meet my brother loup-garou," he grinned exiting the house.

There was an awkward silence in the house until the sound of the Harley's engine started up and slowly faded into the distance. The house was once again filled with that oppressive silence, only this time it was one of loneliness and tension. I sat back down in the chair tired from a long day of sudden changes and revelations. I felt Kevin come up slowly behind me. The sudden feel of his hands upon my shoulders caused me to tense up and I quickly shrugged him off.

"So when were you going to tell me about your past...encounters before or after we slept together?" I all but snarled at him.

I could feel him step back a bit. His silence did nothing but frustrate me further and made me suspicious of just who I had let into my life.

"I did what I did to help the pack, not for mate ship. It was to get information and make connections," sighed Kevin.

"From what Claude said it seemed that was not always successful," I stated coldly. "Your performance with Claude wasn't the best example of a beta who gets information."

"At least I am not lying on my back with a monster."

In a flash I lashed out at the delta. My hand had become a series of talons that racked across his face. The rage was unexpected, perhaps because it did have a ring of truth to it, but the other reason was he had over stepped his rank. To question my actions as a delta was totally uncalled for and it was something that he would never have allowed. I stood there panting in rage as Kevin's face dripped with blood. The wounds were slowly healing up, another good thing about being a werewolf.

"Don't ever presume to tell me what to do! What goes on between Claude and me is for me and Eric to know!" I snarled at him more furious over the fact he dared to talk back at me. "Besides me sleeping with Claude would be no different than what my predecessor seems to have done."

I let that last sentence hang in the air and with some satisfaction relished in Kevin's look of shame. I didn't want to think how far his trysts that Claude had mention had gone. From his silence though I could assume it was more than just one time. As far as with whom or where I did not care at the moment. I was keeping myself distant from him until I did find out, even if I had to go to Eric to get the information. I wondered how many other secrets the pack had. After all being the beta I was too busy covering up our activities, making sure the other packs stayed out of our territory, and over all acting as Eric's spokesmen when called upon. It would not be hard for things to be hidden from me. I would have to talk to Eric once I found out more about what Claude was up to.

I left the kitchen and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Looking in the mirror I saw I already had five o'clock shadow. Another minus to being a werewolf was you had to shave just about every other day. My long brown hair was a mess and my eyes had a weariness to them. The warm water felt good on my lean body as I soaked under the shower head, trying to relax my mind and body a bit.

I was a bit worried about Claude's interest in me. There was also that moment when my two sides came together not just once but twice. Even the wolf was puzzled over what had happened. Perhaps it was an Alpha ability that Eric did not know or did not wish to use so that I could figure it out on my own. It was yet another unanswered concern. I tried to bring back the feeling of submissiveness that Claude seemed to bring out. It didn't do anything except make me want to see him more. That worried me too because I knew him almost as much as I did Kevin. The only difference was I had known Kevin for six years. The wolf whine in agreement with the idea Claude should not be allowed to take control too soon, not without knowing more.

"So when are you going to Claude's club?"

The sudden sound of Kevin's voice in the bathroom almost caused me to rip the shower curtain off the tub. I lifted it back about to unleash another scolding at him. I saw him there shirtless with an expression on his face of a puppy scolded. I had been harsh on him without knowing exactly why he had done what he had in the past. He was after all a creature born of a wilder, passionate, and instinctual set of norms than me or most other werewolves. I also had never thought to ask if there had been others. I grabbed a towel realizing that thoughts of Claude and seeing Kevin shirtless had produced a stimulated part of my anatomy. That was not something I wanted him to see.

"Why do you care?" I asked trying to avoid physical contact in the tight space.

"I don't want you going there alone. Claude could have you eating out of his hand, or worse if you do."

"He really didn't leave the option of an additional guest open Kevin," I answered. "I don't think Claude would do anything to upset Eric further...then again...who knows."

"Do you really believe that?"

I looked down into the sink, putting my hands on either side of it. "I really don't know what to think after today."

"Sean...I want you..."admitted Kevin.

I turned around expecting to see the older man standing there, instead a giant black man beast filled the doorway. I might have panicked years ago as a member of the pack but not now. There was no hiding Kevin's intentions as they were quite obvious. The wolf made his intentions equally known, no not the wolf, the beast, my beast. The dreaded hybrid form of both human and wolf fueled by primal urges and rage. Even in such a form I was smaller but Kevin hardly expected me to charge him. Before I could even register what had happened I was standing up over the remains of a broken bed with him whimpering in submission on torn blankets and sheets.

"Get out!" was all I managed to roar out at him.

Much like earlier in the evening, Kevin fled from the room before I unleashed more of my pent up rage at him. The whole revelation of how he had slept with others was feeding the anger of the beast. I was letting it get to me simply because I had thought something might have come of us, but not now, not after learning and seeing exactly the kind of animal Kevin was. I did not want to know what made him think coming on to me so strongly would have done to win me over but it had failed. As I looked at the damage bed I got even more pissed.

I laid down on the remains of wood and torn up bedding. I was too tired to bother fixing anything at the moment, even if that meant worrying about what neighbors might think. One thing I did do before laying down was to lock the bedroom door so he wouldn't come back in later on and do whatever he wanted to do to me while I was asleep. I sighed laying down and wondered if Claude would do something similar when I did go to his club. Would I be able to fend him off as easily? Maybe Kevin was right on that account but just from how he acted this evening, he did not seem to be the type to take advantage of someone. He simply took whatever he wanted. A few images of Claude flashed through the growing haze in my tired mind and not all of them were bad. The more I thought about him the more curious I got and the more I wanted to see him. The last thoughts before I feel asleep were quite arousing.