A Hole in the Pack

The pack gathered together at the end of a successful hunt. Flopping down to rest in a clearing, their bellies matched the curve of the full moon overhead.

It had been a good hunt, a good night, a good month. They should have been relaxed and playful until the sun sent them on their way. But they weren't.

One of their number was missing. The hole in the pack was an ache that pulled at them. Instinctively a space had been left where he should be. At the kill, those below him in rank milled about uncertainly when it should have been his turn to eat. Those near him in rank snarled and snapped, seeking to establish precedence around the hole his absence left. He was one of them, but not one of them and the pack was broken.

Sitting apart from the others, the pack leaders surveyed the world, ever alert for possible threat. But the greatest threat came from within. A quick glance, a flick of an ear, and a decision was made. It was time.

David breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled his old Jetta in between an equally battered pickup truck and an immaculate Miata. Two weeks away from his adopted not-quite family was too damn long. But the full moon was for family only, and when it fell over a weekend... well, that's the way it went.

Depending on who carpooled, there'd be a half dozen or more cars parked on the flat spot in front of the old hunting lodge before the night was over. Stepping out of his car, David stretched out fully, allowing the silence of the Appalachian forest to sooth city-tight nerves.

"David!" Raul called from the door, "Got your skinny white ass in here, chico. We've missed you."

Later that evening, David was relaxing in a corner of the couch and staring into the fire, trying to ignore the tension in the family around him. His friend John sat on an ottoman next to him and Melissa sprawled on the floor between them, trying not to draw attention to herself. The rest of the family had spread across the room, however they were comfortable. Dinner had been a tense affair, and only the respect everyone had for Raul and Olivia kept it from spilling into open fighting. In the two years since John had introduced him to the family, David had never seen anything like it.

Just as the charged undercurrent was beginning to get to him, an arm wound itself around his neck. Jules whispered in his ear, "Would you be willing to share my bed, David?"

Butterflies began twining in his stomach. If he went with her, he was putting himself fully in her hands. Somehow over the past year the family had determined where he fitted within their hierarchy - and Jules outranked him. She would have full control from the moment he agreed until the moment she was done with him.

Nervous as he was, he didn't need to think about it. He stood. "As the lady wishes."

"Don't be long, Jules," Raul said, "Olivia and I still have a few announcements to make this evening."

"Yes, sir." Jules winked and led David from the room.

"Undress me." Jules closed to door to one of the many bedrooms in the lodge and turned to face David.

He carefully unbuttoned her shirt, sliding it over her shoulders and off her arms. The light camisole she wore in place of a bra went next. She hummed every time his hands brushed her skin, making him flush like a school boy.

Away from the rest of the family, the tension wasn't as obvious, but it remained. A shivery feeling that added to his growing arousal.

Jules pants had no fly and slipped easily over her hips and down to the floor, as did her white cotton underwear. Like the rest of the family, she wore no shoes or socks indoors - or any other time she could do without them.

"Now yourself."

David felt her eyes on him as he pulled off his shirt and scrambled out of his jeans. Freed of the tough fabric, his erection became instantly noticeable, and Jules' grin just made him blush more.

"Yum."

In spite of his embarrassment - or rather, because of it - he managed a flourishing bow saying, "What you see is yours, ma'am."

She laughed. "Is it now?" She walked over to the bed and yanked the cover off, revealing leather cuffs attached to each bedpost.

He nearly swallowed his tongue, but had to admit a part of him found the idea exciting. He started to lie down on the bed, but she stopped him.

Lying down herself, she said, "Strap me in."

He was so surprised it took him a few moments to understand what she wanted. Feeling a bit as if he was in a dream, he buckled the cuffs around her wrists and ankles. When he was finished, she stretched and writhed, pulled against the restraints, but they held fast.

"There's a blindfold by the bed." Her voice, low and velvety, caused desire to knot inside of him. "Put it on me."

Hands trembling, he obeyed. Then stepped back from the bed and stared fixedly at the wall. He had never wanted anything so much as he wanted to jump on top of her and take from the temptation she deliberately spread before him.

"Now, David, what are you going to do?"

"Wh-whatever you want me to."

She laughed. "Oh, you truly are one of us, aren't you?" She rattled the chains attaching the cuffs to the bed. "Consider this an order then: do what you want."

He was on her almost before she finished speaking.

Weeks ago, when Raul and Olivia had made it clear they approved, he had asked Melissa to share his bed. Knowing he could do whatever he wished with her, he had still taken his time, made sure that she had her pleasure before he took his. Now he wasted no time on restraint. He straddled Jules and thrust himself within her, gasping as her warmth enveloped him. She cried out, writhing under him, her hips thrusting in time with his.

He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her throat. Without fully understanding why, he thrust himself deep into her, then bent forward and took her throat between his teeth. She froze, panting and whining faintly.

After a long moment, he released her. Then he began thrusting again, hard and fast. He didn't try to hold back, didn't try to restrain his pleasure. He came, exploding into her, emptying himself, then collapsed on top of her, spent.

She lay under him, quivering. He forced himself to sit up, knowing if he didn't move quickly she would say something, and he wasn't done yet. He slid down between her legs, and parted her delightfully furry lips with his hands. "David..." Whatever she had been about to say trailed off in a moan as he began licking. It was harder than he expected it to be - the taste gave him a new appreciation for why women didn't like to give blow jobs. But he ignored it as best he could and focused on the feel of her under his mouth, the sound of her pleasure. He found her pearl easily and gave it special attention, licking and sucking until his tongue was going numb.

In spite of the taste, and the occasional hair in his mouth, he was rather enjoying himself. He found if he paced himself properly he could bring her right to the edge of cumming over and over again, without ever taking her over. Her moans alternated with curses and pleading.

A knock at the door finally interrupted him. "Jules, I can tell you're putting the boy to good use in there, but Raul says you've had long enough."

David cursed under his breath and sat up. Jules was not nearly so restrained. "God damn you Ben, next time I get my hands on you I will chew your tail off and use it for a belt! You go tell Raul he's a selfish, sadistic, ornery, coyote-spawned sack of shit and I will be out when I am damned good and ready!"

"Uh huh, it's your skin honey."

He said nothing further and after a moment Jules turned towards David and hissed, "We have 30 seconds before Raul breaks down that door and if you do not finish what you started I will make sure I have your mangy hide for a rug if it's the last thing I do!"

David didn't wait for her to finish her threat. He dove back between her legs, and quickly brought her to the edge. Her moans grew in intensity and she exploded under him just as someone began hammering on the door.

David scrambled off the bed and began unbuckling the restraints. Jules was struggling to catch her breath but finally choked out, "We're coming." Then, as the second wrist cuff fell away, she hissed at David, "Open the door."

He jumped off the bed and grabbed up his clothes on the way. He knew better than to take the time to get dressed, but damned if he wasn't going to have something to cover himself with!

Raul stood in the doorway, glowering like a pissed off demigod. He didn't even need to say anything. Jules whipped off the blindfold and hopped off the bed to kneel in front of him.

He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. "I know Ben must have misunderstood you, Julie. Surely you did not ignore an order and refer to my sainted mother as a damned coyote."

"No sir," Jules chirped, "I was referring to your father."

David managed, barely, to turn laughter into a sudden burst of coughing.

"I see," Raul crooned, "that does make a difference. Get out to the main room and don't bother with your clothes. I'll come up with a proper punishment later."

He released her hair and she scooted out of the room - but David saw her turn and stick her tongue out at Raul's back before heading down the hallway.

David now bore the full brunt of Raul's glare. He was a still guest, not yet a full member of the family, but keeping his feet was one of the harder things he'd ever done. After a moment, though, he detected a faint twinkle in the leader's eyes. "You can get your clothes on first. Don't be slow about it." He turned to leave the room, but looked back over his shoulder, "I would advise you to be careful what reputation you create. The ladies, they can be demanding."

And then he was gone.

David couldn't remember ever dressing faster in his life.

When he got back to the main room, Jules was sprawled out across the couch (and several laps). Wolf whistles greeted his return. He felt himself flush, and wanted to disappear, but he'd never let embarrassment stop him yet, so he dropped into the bobbing bow of a stand up comedian, "Thank you, thank you ladies and gentlemen, I'll be here the rest of tonight, and tomorrow night as well."

He kicked his heels together as the room burst into laughter and Olivia gave him a very pointed look. "Be careful what you promise, David. I have... uses for an energetic young man."

"At your convenience, ma'am." He dropped onto the ottoman next to John and breathed a quiet prayer that something else would catch everyone's attention. Soon.

He half got his wish.

After the laughter died down, Raul and Olivia both got up and stood in front of the fire. No one moved. It was suddenly quiet enough David could hear himself breathing. "Now that the night's entertainment is over," Olivia said, "we have a few serious matters to discuss. In particular, a few months ago we received a petition from someone wishing to join our family." David swallowed. Every eye in the room was on him. Somehow, he was reminded of a deer surrounded by hungry wolves.

Raul scanned the room and took over from his partner, "On the last full moon, we found our answer. Does anyone wish to dispute it?"

The room was silent. David fought to keep from hyperventilating.

"Very well then. David, come here." David got to his feet and joined the two before the fire. "This is your last chance to back out, my friend. You know there are things we keep secret even from you. If you truly wish this, you may find yourself in over your head and eaten alive."

"Or eating us alive!" Jules called out, to general laughter.

"Ben," Olivia sighed, "Please find something to gag her with until we are done here."

David did his best to ignore the byplay, and the way the tips of his ear burned. "I understand, sir." He took a deep breath, "and I'm not backing out."

Olivia nodded, "Alright then, we'll... Ben, that is not what I had in mind!"

David glanced over his shoulder, and saw that Ben had 'gagged' Jules but unzipping his pants and stuffing his cock in her mouth.

"You just said 'something'! And it was convenient!"

Olivia muttered under her breath, "Are we sure we want a third brat?"

"No," Raul replied, "but think of the entertainment on the winter nights." Slightly louder he asked David, "We can do this formally, or we can make it official tonight."

Pulling his eyes away from Ben and Jules, David shrugged, "Tonight is fine. And... are we really capable of 'formal'?"

Raul chuckled, "One day you will see. But not, I think, tonight." He looked over the room. "John, you stood as sponsor, would you allow Jules to do the honors? Seeing how she is dressed for it."

David tried to hide his surprise while John nodded his agreement. David knew there was some initiation into the family, but had no idea what to expect.

Olivia whispered into his ear, "You may keep your clothes on if you want, but it's better to take them off. Less mess."

He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Raul silenced him. "No questions. You will know soon enough."

David swallowed, and after a moment of thought began undressing. He could afford embarrassment more than new clothes. He was grateful when no one made any comments, and a few people even seemed to be deliberately looking away.

When he was done, John came up and took the clothes; giving him an encouraging pat on the back at the same time.

Raul took his arm and turned him to face the room squarely. Olivia took his other arm. For some reason they were holding so tight he was sure he would have bruises. Then he saw Jules.

She was advancing towards him on all fours. But it wasn't her anymore. She was changing, her hair sweeping out to spread over her body in a tawny pelt. Her bones shifting, muscles twisting... When she finally stood before him, she was a wolf.

Before he could wrap his mind around it, before he could think to scream or do anything rational, she leaped at him. Olivia and Raul held him fast, he couldn't get away. Her teeth latched onto his shoulder and ripped downward. He screamed. His chest muscles peeled away, revealing white bone. His legs went out from under him, and Raul and Olivia lowered him to the floor.

Olivia sat down with him and got his head settled in her lap just a moment before he went into convulsions. And then the world went black.

David woke to music. Song invaded his dreams, danced with him and drew him back to the real world. When he opened his eyes, he was in bed. Raul sat in a chair next to him, picking a simple melody out on an old guitar.

"Good. You are back with us."

David shook his head, trying to sort out dream from memory and not having much luck. Before he could find words, a tawny wolf crept up besides Raul and laid her head by his thigh.

He bolted upright - or tried to. Under the blanket he was tied spread eagle to the bed.

Raul chuckled, "Do not worry. Those kept you safe during the change, nothing more. Normally we would have removed them before you woke up."

David's mind latched onto that as something relatively sane to worry about. "Normally?"

Jules-the-wolf dropped her jaw to grin at him. "I am afraid," Raul said, "that you made a foolish promise last night. You told Olivia you would be available to her 'at her convenience.' She has decided it would be 'convenient' when you awoke."

David gaped at him, his brain trying to come up with some coherent memory that would make sense of Raul's words. "Oh my god."

Raul chuckled again, "I believe her thought is in part that a... distraction is often good when a new cub awakes. She will be here soon."

David tried to swallow with a throat gone dry. "Tell me this is a dream?"

"That I cannot." Raul pressed a cup to his mouth and David drank, grateful for the cool water. "This is reality, and we are not just leather, but wolf pack. A pack you are now part of."

David tried to muster up some humor, some smart comment to gloss over his shock and fear, but found nothing.

"Later, when you've had a chance to calm down - and when Olivia is done with you - we will explain everything and answer your questions. Until then, try to relax and enjoy yourself."

The door opened. Olivia entered and shooed Raul and Jules out.

David never did managed to relax, but he did enjoy himself.

The next full moon, the pack's song rang with a new voice. Whole and sound once more, they ran the mountains. And if their newest brother stumbled from time to time, there was always a shoulder to help him gain his feet.