Chapter 9: Chapter Nine
He got up and walked back to Charlie and Billy, while the pack started whispering almost at the same time. "Slippery fingers." Harry apologised for Kate's slip.
"Looks like you made a new friend." Charlie said. He was no fool. "You're not thinking of having three girls fighting over you are you?"
"Tanya and Kate have actually come to an understanding." Harry said. "They're sharing."
"Not again, Harry?" Charlie complained.
"Hey! That's my private business." Harry reprimanded, trying not to look angry, while looking stern at the same time. "What the girls and I do, is none of your concern. You won't be receiving calls from the locals about my dating two of theirs, at least."
"I suppose you're right about that." Charlie admitted, allowing the reprimand to stand. It really wasn't any of his business and he wouldn't be getting any more complaints, except maybe from the single men in town who'd like a chance at one, or both, of the gorgeous blonds. "Just, don't blame me when this blows up in your face, and don't pull anyone else into your games." he said sternly, looking toward the staring girl, not caring that she was looking right back. "Especially the locals."
"Harry wouldn't really mind if his daughter stopped pining after her ex, Sam." Billy said.
"Harry?" Harry asked. So there was a thing with Sam and Leah. Or was. That explained some of it, likely. Harry looked over and saw Sam sitting with the other girl. He noticed, for the first time, that the girl had scars over her face, like claw marks. How'd he missed that?
"Harry Clearwater, Seth and Leah's father." Billy said.
Harry wasn't listening, though. He'd stood up and walked right to the couple. Sam tensed, but did nothing, as Harry sat down by their table, even as his ladies brought the next dish out.
"So your anger problems goes further than just being the leader of the pack?" Harry asked, his usual good humour suspended for the moment.
"It was an accident." the girl said, indicating her face. "He was angry and I got too close."
"So if I was angry and hit a baby, would that excuse me?" Harry asked. "You're not his equal. He's stronger than you, supernaturally so. He should have controlled his anger." He turned to the man and saw real regret on his face. Regret and self-loathing. No wonder he was so driven to protect them. Why he was so strict. He was trying to make up for the past. "I don't care how much you hate yourself. Anger, even directed at yourself, will only cost you lives. You should lead by example, for fuck's sakes."
Sam was trying hard to control his current anger. This man had no right! Harry noticed and flicked a finger at him. Suddenly he felt a calm he hadn't expected and he sighed in relief. "I know." he admitted after a few seconds, nodding in thanks. "I'm working on it." He'd normally not admit this, but the calm he was experiencing was helping. "Emily found it in her heart to forgive me, but I'm still working on that."
Harry shook his head, before he too, sighed. "I can at least understand that." he admitted. "I've done things in the past as well, which I struggle till today to forgive myself for. The only advice I can give, is don't swim in it. If everything you do is drenched in your anger or hatred, for yourself or anyone, you will drown in it, and it will swallow not only you, but everyone that cares for you as well."
Harry got up to sit with some of the other boys. He'd not met them all yet, after all. He started chatting to distract himself from the thoughts that had been going through his head. If you lived a long life of intrigue, you had a long list of regrets.
These were some of Jacob's childhood friends apparently. They chatted for a while, mentioning that Jacob's always had a thing for Bella. Oh, well. Too bad she was head-over-heals for Edward. He felt sorry for the boy, but he knew that that ship had sailed.
The next few plates went by quickly and Harry was starting to see a pattern. Running a quick diagnostic, he discovered a problem. These wolves were burning through the energy as quickly as they ate. The food was not going to be enough. He smirked at that idea. Challenge accepted.
He quickly excused himself and went to the kitchen, where he started working on a quick addition to the meal.
While all the food was appreciated, and probably some of the better food the pack had ever eaten, they were starting to feel like they'd never be finished, so that they could fill themselves up at home. These portions were meant for normal humans.
It was finally time for dessert. Harry asked the guests not to dig in until everyone had their share and helped bring it out, ensuring to deliver Charlie and Billy's plates personally.
"This dessert is one of my own making. It's quite special to me." Harry said. "I hope you all enjoy."
That said, he sat back and watched as they were finally able to dig in. Charlie and Billy had much the same reaction as Renée had had. Their eyes shot open and they just stared at the dessert, while tasting their first bites.
The pack, on the other hand, actually slowed down, as every bite, while more delicious than anything they'd ever tasted, seemed to hit their stomachs like they'd just eaten an entire plate of food.
By the time they were all done, Harry was smiling victoriously. "Told you you'd like it." he smirked.
Tanya, having heard Harry as he asked about their enhanced sense of hearing, whispered, "He made the dessert extra filling when he realised you needed more."
"It was mostly cured meat he had, so it will help you muscle-heads build strength." Kate added softly.
"Protein is good for muscle." Jacob mentioned just loudly enough for Harry to hear.
"A good cook serves the needs of his customers." Harry said.
"Harry, are you sure-" Charlie started.
"I'm not becoming a professional chef." Harry said quickly. "Jeez, you sound just like Renée."
"You met her?" Charlie asked.
"Sure, while I was in Florida." Harry said. "Made a similar meal then."
"Well, I hate to agree with her." Charlie said, but didn't continue. Harry brought him and Billy a new beer. "Don't you need to take it easy?" Charlie asked Billy.
"I'm on new medication." Billy said, glancing at Harry. "Works like magic. I can basically eat what I want now."
"That's great news!" Charlie said, incredulously. "Why am I the last one to find out?"
"Just happened recently." Billy said, with a smile. "Jacob's the only one that knows about it, even."
Harry nodded in thanks. Billy had kept his word. Unfortunately, with what they'd discovered about the wolves, chances were they either already knew, or would soon.
"Charlie, I was just checking and saw a rebroadcast of a game from earlier this year." Kate said. "Do you want to go see what it looks like?"
Charlie was instantly up and following her, as she laughed at his enthusiasm. "Thanks Kate." Harry said, softly. She sent him a smile, before she disappeared into the house.
"Your wives are quite proficient at distracting Charlie." Billy said.
"The big-screen does most of the heavy lifting." Tanya said, as she sat on Harry's lap and kissed him for a moment. Leah had not stopped following Harry with her eyes and Tanya was not above this sort of thing. Harry was hers and Kate's. The rest of the pack were having a party in the pool now. The extra energy would likely be burned off by the time they left.
"Did you want to discuss anything specific?" Billy asked.
"Not really." Harry said. "I'm trying to show that I am not just here to take. I can be very giving."
"He doesn't like one-sided relationships." Tanya added, likely throwing that in there for Leah's 'benefit'.
"The elders have discussed things." Billy said. "I can inform you of some things, but they will never trust the cold ones. I know you trust them and I know you're helping them, but not giving them our tribal secrets is written into our laws. It's nothing personal."
"I get that." Harry nodded. "It's pretty on-par with what I remember from another life I once lived. You do realise, however, that since I was one of their people, and you are not, I'm then bound by the same laws? I can bend some rules, but not all, not if I'm following your lead, in respecting the laws."
"That will have to be how it is then." Billy sighed. He got a calculating look then. "Am I correct in assuming Leah has not stopped looking at you for a… specific reason?"
"I think we're on the same wavelength." Harry said. "But, no, my wives are quite possessive. I'm not joining your tribe as well."
"If the spirits decided it, you would already be considered one of us for that reason." Billy said.
"Really?" Harry asked. "Forced marital status?"
"Not really." Billy said. "More like, she'll not be able to deny you anything you ask of her."
"Billy!" Sam exclaimed. "He doesn't need to know that. He could take advantage!"
"Now you care?!" Leah asked, hotly. "I just got away from you and now you're trying to control me?"
"Leah, I'm just trying to make sure he doesn't." Sam said reasonably.
"Harry doesn't take advantage of people." Tanya said, quietly. "He could. Easily. He doesn't because it's not his mission. He'd consider that evil. He isn't evil. His mission is to stop evil."
"I believe that, as well." Billy said. "Harry, I can't give you everything. But because she can, you are basically one of us. With this, the laws can be bent more, without being broken. I'm going to ask, as a personal favour, that you just don't tell your friends everything you learn. There are reasons for those laws."
"I'll think about it." Harry conceded. "And just for the record; Leah, if I ever ask you to give me anything that you're not comfortable with giving, or feel conflicted about, you have all the right to deny me and I will not hold it against you in the slightest, no matter what relationship we end up having. Even if we're only friends. I'd prefer that you don't have to be at odds with your people, or for them to wonder where your loyalties lay."
"Thank you, Harry." Leah said, even as she looked sad at the mention of friendship. She'd accept it, though. It's part of how it worked. She'd be for him, whatever he needed from her.
"Oh, and Emily, come see me tomorrow." Harry said. "I have an ointment that will reduce those scars to something that's barely visible. If you're lucky, it may even remove the damage done to the hair-follicles."
"Really?" Emily asked, her smile blossoming.
"I don't like seeing pretty girls with ugly scars." Harry nodded. "So let's fix it."
"I'm hardly a girl, Harry." Emily chided, mildly, a bit of a smile on her face. If he could help remove the scars, maybe Sam would stop looking at her with a hint of permanent sadness in his eyes.
"To him, you're all toddlers." Tanya scoffed. "Hell, so am I, and I'm almost a thousand years old."
"You really shouldn't have said that, luv." Harry said. "Next thing you'll tell them I've spoken to many of the great spirits in person." Before any of them could react, Harry said, "Kidding people. Seriously, you'll believe anything at this stage, won't you?"
"You can hardly blame us." Billy said. His own eyes had grown wide at the last statement.
"Yeah, we're definitely watching the games here." Charlie was saying as he walked into the pool house. He stopped as he saw all the people standing quietly, where they were, watching Harry, as he made out with Tanya. "How long has this been going on?" he asked.
Kate ran up to them and pulled Harry's head away to get in on the action. "Not as long as you think." Jacob chuckled. It was a good way to explain the staring. They worked quickly to keep Charlie in the dark.
"Long enough to get all of your attention." Charlie pointed out. "Hey, quit that! There's teens here."
"Are you forgetting we're teens as well?" Harry asked, as he broke the lock Kate had on him.
"I've known you're eccentric, since I met you." Charlie said. "No need to corrupt the next group."
"I think it's time we went home anyway." Billy said, as the pack started roughhousing again.
"Can we stay just a little longer?" Seth begged.
"It is school holiday and I can bring them all back in the van." Emily shrugged.
"Harry probably has stuff he wants to do." Billy pointed out.
"Hey, if they want to play in the pool room, I don't mind, as long as someone is here to make sure they don't get my pool dirty or hurt themselves." Harry said. "They can just take the path out back, if I'm not around when they want to leave."
Billy contemplated it. It would help if the pack decided that Harry was a decent enough guy. He knew, though, that Sam likely had other plans. "Emily, make sure they're back at a decent hour, please?" he decided.
"I will, Billy." Emily said.
Harry and his ladies escorted Billy and Charlie out the back way again.
"You really don't mind?" Billy asked as they went, when Charlie was chatting with Kate again.
"If they start bothering me, they'll start feeling uncomfortable again." Harry said, cryptically. Now that he knew they could hear him, he'd not be openly discussing anything.
"Just, don't let one of them ruin the progress we've made." Billy asked nicely.
"If they start trouble again, there won't be another chance given, Billy." Harry said. "But I don't honestly think that will happen. There's some good kids up there, your own included."
"Thanks." Billy smiled. "He's got his share of problems, but he's doing the best he can, given the circumstances." He thought for a moment. "If you could give them some hint of what you were talking about before, the danger you suspected, that would be much appreciated. We need to know why there's a steady increase in numbers."
"I'll see what I can do." Harry said, not making any promises.
Billy and Charlie soon drove off and Harry turned to go back to the house, only to find Leah standing there.
"Can we talk? Away from the pack, I mean." Leah asked. Tanya and Kate growled. "They can be there." she added quickly. "I may culturally despise them, hate their scent in general, and all over you, and dislike the way they keep on looking at me when they kiss you, but I can't hate them for being protective over you."
Kate and Tanya actually calmed down at that. "Well, my bedroom may give the wrong impression, but it's secure and soundproof."
"Take us there directly." Tanya suggested. "They don't need to know where we went."
"Good point." Harry said, nodding. He held out a hand to Leah. "Take my hand." Leah didn't hesitate to do that, even as the ladies held on to him more intimately. Harry transported them directly into his room.
Leah stumbled for a moment, but got directly up again. "Useful trick." she said. "How far can it go?"
"Anywhere I know well enough." Harry said. "We won't be giving you too many secrets while you've got that mind-link thing going on. No offense."
"No, I understand." Leah said instantly, as she looked around. She sniffed once or twice. "It smells like sex in here. And chocolate?"
"You smell chocolate?" Harry asked, worriedly. "Where?" if the chocolate was still there, it could be problematic later.
Leah walked around for a bit before she opened up one of the lady's bedside drawers, where a whole lot of chocolate body paint was.
Tanya smirked. "That's for Harry to use on us later." They could shop too, after all. They wanted Harry to have some fun later.
Harry, in the meanwhile sighed in relief. "Sorry, the ladies will likely be bragging about sex stuff in here all the time. It's not something I can help."
Kate indicated something large with her hands, and then patted Harry between the legs.
"Really?" Harry asked her.
"She's not lying." Tanya said.
"Anyway." Harry said. "You wanted to talk?"
"Um, yes." Leah admitted. "Listen, I don't mind them doing stuff all the time, even if I don't like thinking about it, but, could I ask that you don't leave me out of the house? I'll want to be able to join you. It's a wolf thing. I'll be thinking about you a lot and it's probably best if I don't see anything, but also, I'd like to be nearby… To protect you."
"What do you mean, join?" Kate asked.
"Not that!" Leah said. "Well, I mean, I wouldn't mind that, too, but I… I need to spend time with Harry. I want to get to know him. I know I can't protect my mind from the pack, but I still want to know. It's instinctive."
"We can always change that?" Harry offered.
"Change what?" Leah asked.
"Join my pack." Harry shrugged. "I'm an alpha. Always have been."
"I can change my pack?" Leah asked, in wonder.
"You'll need to make the choice, while you're in wolf form, but yeah, it's simple." Harry said.
Instantly, Leah was replaced by a large wolf, her clothing shredding from her body and flying all over the room.
"Hope she doesn't shed." Kate mumbled.
"Oh, there she is." Harry said. 'Hi Leah.' he said in his mind.
'You're my alpha.' Leah's reply came. She barked in pleasure, before she turned back. Unfortunately she was now stark naked. She didn't seem to mind showing herself off, though, and Harry didn't mind looking.
"You'll need to wax, or at least, shave all that off, if you want him to look at you the way he looks at us." Kate pointed out.
Leah blushed and covered herself then. Harry took pity on her and repaired her clothing and looked away as she got dressed. "Why are you suddenly so accepting?" she asked, as she turned around.
"We don't like your smell either." Tanya said. "But we love Harry. If you want to love and protect him, we'd be fools to point you away."
"I'm still not happy about this." Kate admitted. "You're not his wife, and you haven't known him for a day, but I could smell your desire when you showed up."
"It's not something I can help." Leah said. "He's handsome and powerful and Sam is afraid of him and that…"
"Turns you on." Kate finished.
"Well, yeah!" Leah said. "Doesn't that turn you on?"
"He turns us on, no matter what he does to your ex." Tanya said. "But I suppose that would mean something to you."
"Welcome to the pack." Harry said, deciding to get the 'business' out of the way quickly. "Your duties are to liaison with your former pack and maintain friendly communication with them. Should anyone else wish to join the pack, they are to speak to me first and gain permission from the people in charge of them. I suspect they won't mind you joining me, because you can now lie to them and say it happened immediately after you transformed. They didn't know I was an alpha, so they'll believe you if you say you didn't know either. I won't force you to lie-"
"But I want to!" Leah said instantly. "I've not been able to tell a lie since this happened! They knew my most intimate thoughts and desires. It was unbearable!" She looked up suddenly. "Don't read my intimate thoughts, please?"
"I have control of that part of my mind." Harry said. "I won't read you at all, if you don't want me to."
"But don't lie to us." Kate said sternly.
"I couldn't lie to Harry if I wanted to." Leah said. "Not unless he wants me to."
"What intimate thoughts?" Tanya asked anyway.
"You just indicated… and I've imagined…" Leah blushed. "I don't want him to see that, okay? I'm probably exaggerating things."
"You're not." Kate said, smugly.
"Enough." Harry said. This was spiralling. He focussed on Leah and she calmed down. Then he made it so that her built up sex-hormones weren't obvious to the wolves, who he could detect were still in the pool room. "Let's get back there. A lot of things will likely be said once Leah's new situation comes to light."
They went back out and the pack looked at Harry, as he entered, then at Leah, who followed him directly before the other two.
"We needed to talk about her situation." Harry said.
"You didn't tell them anything they shouldn't know?" Sam asked, from next to Emily.
Harry walked to the bar as that conversation happened and poured Emily a glass of wine and pulled a beer out for himself.
"Hey!" one of the older pack members called. "Why do you get a beer?"
"I bought it?" Harry said/asked. "Also, I've got magical powers. I can drink and choose not to get drunk."
"Is that true?" Jacob asked, interestedly.
"I don't know." Harry said. "Is it?"
"I wouldn't put it past him." Kate said, shrugging.
"He could likely counteract the effect, just by thinking about it." Tanya agreed.
"But that all doesn't matter, because I'm only drinking one beer, not downing a keg, or a bottle of whiskey." Harry said.
"Also, he's old enough." Kate said. "When you reach a couple hundred years, you know your limits, I suspect."
"Couple of hundred?" Emily asked.
"Older, but that's when he probably already knew his limits." Kate confirmed.
"Why are we giving my secrets away again?" Harry asked.
"Because they don't know when I'm lying, unless you ask questions like that." Kate said, smirking. She knew she'd be punished for that later, and she knew he wouldn't really mind that bit getting out, considering Tanya's statement from earlier.
"How long did it take you?" Emily asked Kate.
"They drink only blood." Sam said.
"Not anymore." Tanya said, as she poured herself a soda from the immortal-friendly fridge. "Harry is helping us fit in, so we can do all sorts of human things now."
"He can even let us experience getting drunk." Kate said. "It's so much fun."
"They've not learned their limits yet." Harry said. "They only just rediscovered the fun of inebriation."
"Harry never lets us drink as much as we want to." Kate said.
"That's because things start breaking when you drink." Harry said. "Also, you only sleep when I allow you to, so you'd otherwise never be able to sleep a hangover off."
"They don't sleep?" Emily asked. She didn't know everything, but as their designated driver and the responsible adult, apparently, she was asking.
"We don't need to." Tanya said. "It's a perk only Harry can offer, but we like sleeping with our mate."
"How does that work?" Jacob asked. "He's not a blood-"
"We prefer immortal, or vampire, in this house." Harry interjected.
"Fine." Jacob said. "He's not a vampire, so how are you his mates?"
"Jacob, did your dad never tell you about where babies come from?" Harry asked. "The act of mating-"
"I know about sex." Jacob said. "I thought vampire mating was a permanent thing. Two monste… vampires, who spend the rest of their 'lives' together."
"You do know the story about undead and corpses, is just a myth, right?" Harry asked. "They are alive and have human souls and everything."
"They don't have souls." Jacob denied. "They couldn't."
"It's time for a lesson in spirituality." Harry said, as he stepped forward. He cracked his neck, closed his eyes and concentrated. As he stood there, an intricate pattern of lines appeared by his feet, in a circle around him. Tiny script appeared in the lines, all glowing and pulsing in tune with his heart.
When Harry was done, he stepped out of the circle, knelt and touched the design. The light flared and then stabilized, leaving lines of light in the air, like a spotlight pointing straight up.
"Step into the circle, Jacob." Harry instructed.
Jacob hesitated. "Coward." Leah said, as she approached the circle. She looked at Harry, who nodded, and she stepped into the light without fear.
As she did, her image distorted for a moment and a wolf, about the size of a normal wolf, appeared next to her physical body. On the other side of her, there was an image of herself, naked, but without her parts or hair. A soul didn't need nipples, after all. It's not like it could breast-feed.
"All living things have a physical body and a spirit, soul, or energy, depending on your belief system. Some even have all of those and describe them as separate things." Harry said. "Leah's wolf is a representation of the wolf spirit that is the reason for her form. I suspect all of you would see the exact same wolf. On her other side, you can see her soul. It is where emotions come from. Without a soul, there cannot be love. There cannot be empathy. Creatures without souls have no trouble killing and usually function on an instinctive level only. Insects and lesser life-forms for example."
Harry beckoned for Leah to exit the circle. She'd been looking at her soul with tears running down her cheeks. "It's alright." Harry soothed. "I know. It's beautiful, right?"
"It's so pure." Leah said. "I thought my soul would be dark, after everything I've been through."
"Well, you can relax now." Harry said as she stepped to her and gave her a one-armed hug. "Jacob?" Harry offered.
Jacob did not hesitate again. He stepped in and they saw that he, in-fact, did have the same wolf. His soul looked just like him, except, once again, without the clothes, bits or hair.
When he stepped out, Harry said, "Tanya, would you please step into the circle?"
"Are you sure?" Tanya asked.
"I can see souls, Tanya." Harry said. "Yours is fine, don't worry."
Tanya nodded and walked into the circle. She didn't have a second spirit, but her soul looked completely human and just as pure as Jacob's or Leah's had been. Her face was pulled in emotion and Harry cast his magic. She was soon weeping, as Leah had been. She'd never believed she had a soul, let alone one as pure as this. Harry pulled her out and hugged her.
"See?" Harry asked. "Not one mark. Perfectly preserved and beautiful, just like you."
Kate wasn't asked, but she stepped in next, with much the same results.
"So you see-" Harry said, as he bent down to deactivate and remove the circle.
"What about you?" Sam asked, interrupting him.
Harry sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
Harry stepped into the light, and just as had happened with the others, he had a soul, but he also had another one, which looked like him, including his clothes and hair.
"What's with the second soul?" Sam asked.
"It's my spirit form." Harry said. "Until I have an animal choose me, or am gifted one, I can take only this form in the spiritual world."
"Your spirit? So you have a soul and a human spirit-form?" Jacob asked confused. There was something there, Harry realised. This likely had something to do with their tribe's history.
"It's part of how my magic works." Harry said. "My power is in my spirit. If I receive an animal spirit form, I'd have three representations here. I was even once a wolf. I prefer something with wings, though. I've been a condor and a hawk. The hawk was my favourite."
Suddenly, there was the sound of a bird of prey and a hawk joined the other forms.
Harry sighed, looked up and mumbled, "Thanks a lot." It was sarcastic, of course. He didn't want to encourage the spirits to give the tribe more reason to feel like they needed him in their lives.
"What just happened?" Jacob asked.
"Harry was gifted an animal form." Leah said, smirking.
"By whom?" Emily asked.
"Whoever looks after your tribe, I suspect." Harry said, shaking his head and stepping out of the circle.
"Does that mean you can turn into a giant hawk?" Kate asked excitedly.
"I don't know." Harry said, bending down and erasing the circle. "I was usually normal sized, but here it may be different. I'll need to change to find out, and that will take practice."
"You can't just change?" Sam asked, confused.
"No." Harry said. "You idiots do it with anger and emotion. I do it with control and precision. I'll not subject myself to relying on something as unreliable as emotion."
"You were pretty easy to stop, simply by calming you down." Tanya agreed.
"If I can stay calm and do it, I don't have that weakness." Harry said. "If it is a giant form, I'll not be doing that anyway. I'll be way too noticeable, up in the sky, as a giant hawk."
"But, you could fly then." Seth said, like he should be doing it just for that.
"Already can." Harry said, lifting up for a moment and then dropping again. That seemed to have shut them all up. "Okay, that's enough of my secrets. At least you can go home and report that vampires are not soulless living-dead monsters."
"They are not human." Sam stated.
"It doesn't matter if you're physically a wolf, or a human. If you have a soul, and it's human, then you are a person. The same with them. People are people. If you've got a soul and are capable of rational thought, you're human enough for me." Harry said. "Seriously, I'd think Native Americans would be more sensitive to matters of racism."
"This isn't racism." Sam persisted. "They are a different species. They drink blood. They could kill people with very little effort."
"So, you're not human?" Harry asked. "Should I decide that you're a monster, just because you've got a different diet and could kill people with 'very little effort'?"
"It's not just different. It's blood." Sam stated.
"Ever eat a steak, Sam?" Harry asked. "Ever eat anything that once had a heart-beat? We all eat things that used to be alive. We end their lives and we eat their flesh."
"Technically, we don't even kill anymore." Kate said.
"Harry gets the blood from donor animals." Tanya agreed. "Technically, by your own definition, you're a bigger monster than I am."
That time, Sam actually stayed quiet. It was all a valid point.
"They didn't start off eating only animals." Jacob said.
"You're right." Harry said. "And those vampires that refuse to stop killing people will soon find out what happened to the ones who killed Waylon Forge."
"You know who killed him?" Sam asked.
"They're dead." Kate said. "Harry told them never to attack a human again and they didn't listen, so now they're dead."
"What about all the past victims?" Sam asked.
"What about them?" Harry asked. "Tanya, can you ask for forgiveness nicely, and bring them back?"
"Wish I could, Harry." Tanya said, sombrely.
"We can't change our pasts, from before we knew better." Harry said, pointing at Emily's face. "We can only change our future. Look at Tanya's and Kate's eyes. They're proof that they have changed their ways." Harry lifted a hand and produced an image. "This is what James's soul looked like." The image was dark and hunched, with sinister glowing eyes and scars all over the body. He was exaggerating it a bit to make a point. "This is what evil looks like. This is my enemy. The enemy of humanity. James had a choice. He could have fixed his soul, but he didn't want to change, so he died a monster.
"Normal human souls can be twisted, like this, or pure, just like what you saw today. They don't need to be vampires or shape-shifters." Harry finished. "Do you get it, yet?"
"That's enough Harry." Tanya said. "He gets it."
"I…" Sam said. "I can understand what you're saying. I just didn't know all this. I'll need time to process it."
"I understand." Harry said. "If I was raised to believe monsters all fell into an easily-definable mould, I may have struggled to adapt to new information as well."
"It did make things simpler." one of the other pack-members said.
"Fortunately, you can be certain that these eyes mean that they are usually at least decent people, or trying to be." Harry said, indicating his ladies. "Look at my soul. I've killed before. I defend people and in doing so people die. I'm not a monster, but I've killed more people than you can imagine. Still, your great spirits thought I deserved a form. Do you think they don't know who and what I am?
"What you look like doesn't make you good or evil. It's what you do that defines you." Harry finished.
"And with that, we've all got more than enough to think about." Emily said. "We're going home, before any new foundation-shaking information comes out of this conversation."
"One more thing." Harry said. "I'm planning on changing this world. Because of that there's likely going to be some form of resistance. The reason so many of you are becoming wolves, is likely to defend your people when those forces come for me."
"So, you're bringing enemies down on top of us." Sam said.
"I don't know." Harry admitted. "I might end up going to them and the spirits decided I need help. More likely, though, they want you to be ready, just in-case. I don't like sending children into a fight."
"We're not children." Seth argued. He was the youngest, so it didn't really give his argument much of a foundation.
"Yes, you are." Harry said. "And as an elder, even if I'm not yours, it's my responsibility to protect you."
"Train us, then." Jacob said. "You know about us. You know things we don't know. You could make us better fighters."
"It's not your strength that's the problem." Harry said.
"It's the fact that this isn't your fight." Tanya agreed. "We'll be trying for a peaceful solution first, giving people the option to change. If that fails…"
"Then Harry starts killing them and replaces the ones in charge with people who make new rules and enforce them." Kate finished.
"I've done it before." Harry agreed. "But that's an option I'm hoping I don't need to rely on."
The pack soon started making ready to leave. When Leah stood by Harry, Sam asked. "Aren't you coming? I understand your situation, but you need to go home, too."
"Go." Harry suggested. "Your dad will likely get worried otherwise."
"Fine." Leah said. "But I'll be seeing you tomorrow."
"If we're not here, look for a staircase in the living room." Kate suggested. "It'll bring you to us."
"Leah has a responsibility to the pack too." Sam pointed out.
"Harry's pack." Leah said, irrevocably.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Harry's my alpha now." Leah said.
"Wait, but he's not a wolf." Sam said. "I am your-"
"I am her alpha." Harry said sternly, and it echoed in Sam's mind. "She will go with you, but her mind is no longer yours to view as you please. Her body is no longer there for you to look on after she changes. Her choices no longer rely on your whim."
"When did you-" Sam started. He'd heard the alpha speak in his mind. He could tell it was more than just a simple statement.
"Harry's always been an Alpha." Tanya said. "Didn't you wonder why he has so many mates? A true Alpha gets his pick of one or many. We don't necessarily like it, but we can understand why it happens."
"In nature, it is so that the stronger genes win out." Harry said. "That's not how humans normally work. My situation is usually not normal, though."
"In Harry's house, it's because he tires even immortals out." Kate said, smirking impishly again. "We'll likely need Leah at some point, if he becomes any more prolific." She was bragging again and Harry just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Internally he was quite pleased, though. What man doesn't like being praised for his ability to render his girl into a puddle of satisfied bliss?
"You won't be sleeping with Leah." Sam insisted.
"That would be her choice." Tanya said sternly. "We're not inviting her or forcing her, but if our mate wants his second to join us, and she wants to, it will be her choice, when the offer becomes available."
"But-"
"Sam, I'll ask nicely, one time, that you don't push this." Harry said. "The only people who can tell Leah what she may or may not do, are her parents. Okay?"
"Not you?" Sam asked.
"He's her alpha, not her boss, or owner." Kate said. "She's got her own mind and she can make her own choices."
"The fact that you're pushing this makes me wonder how you treat your pack." Harry said. "You're not making them do things against their will, are you? You know that slavery is wrong, right?"
"The alpha makes the rules." Sam said. "I obey them too."
Harry just looked at him. "You really need to learn more about leadership. It's a responsibility, not a crown." He shrugged then, "But I suppose this is your tribe." he sighed. "I'm the outsider, so I'll not dictate how you run your pack. If you screw up, though, don't tell me I didn't warn you, when people leave you."
"We can do that?" Jacob asked.
"He'll just make a rule forbidding it from now on." Leah predicted. She had no doubt he would have already, if he'd known what Harry did.
Harry said nothing, but shook his head as he turned around and walked into the house.
"Harry doesn't like hearing about how you're doing things." Tanya said. "I think he knows that you are just adjusting to the situation, with nothing to fall back on, or people to speak to, but he tends to think of the welfare of all, so your policies are likely reminding him of things he's needed to stop in the past."
Sam said nothing, as the ladies showed him and his pack, and his girl… and Leah, to their vehicle. Emily was gracious enough to thank the Ladies and to pass her gratitude along for the amazing meal. The pack soon added their thanks for that as well. Even Sam left his internal debate to add his thanks for that. The food was amazing, but the conversation left him less than satisfied.
When the ladies returned to the house, Harry was just lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling.
"What's wrong, love?" Tanya asked, as she crawled in next to him, with Kate following suit on his other side.
"No, it's nothing." Harry said, hugging them to him.
"Is it the pack, Sam specifically, or Leah?" Kate asked.
Harry didn't reply for a moment. "The pack and Sam will learn." he finally said. "Leah, on the other hand… I don't know how to handle that. She's not my wife and the spirits basically did to her what I did to Laurent. She has no choice in the matter. It's unfair to her and now you'll need to be around her to accommodate her needs. It's not fair to any of us."
"When you became her alpha, I felt something change." Tanya said. "Suddenly she wasn't an interloper, but an ally. A friend, even."
"She became family." Kate agreed. She'd felt it, too. She'd thought Harry had done something, but now she was thinking differently. "If the spirits did that, they did it to us too."
"That's my point." Harry said. "They had no right. My life is not theirs to mess with. Then they went and gave me a bloody animal too. Now our neighbours will only be more insistent that I do something like marry Leah, to combine our 'tribes'."
"Would you really mind?" Tanya asked. "She's a good looking girl. A bit tall maybe, but physically, she's fit and she has nice proportions."
"Why are you pointing that out?" Harry asked, looking at her.
"We smell arousal." Tanya pointed out.
"It's faint, when it comes from you, but it's there." Kate agreed.
"You girls were tempting me on more than one occasion." Harry pointed out.
"It started when you found out that she'd connected to you." Tanya said. "Something about the idea appeals to you."
Harry looked back at the ceiling. He'd had such relationships before. They always felt natural. Strong. There was never any doubt in those situations. There were also no limits to what you could achieve with such a relationship. Knowing you're doing something for someone, or that they're doing it for you, and that they could be relied on for anything, just made things more enjoyable. You also couldn't trust someone more, than in those situations.
"I've had something like that before." Harry finally admitted. "It was the last family I ever had. I'd just turned great-grandfather when I was forced on."
"You're worried that you'll start loving her and leave a family behind again." Tanya said in realisation. She could appreciate that. "You'll just have to ensure she doesn't have kids until you've figured out how to not lose them again."
Kate, in the meanwhile was tapping away on her phone. She was letting the Cullens know that Harry would be staying in Forks for the night.
Pretty soon, the ladies stripped down and lay back with Harry.
"We've got the house to ourselves." Kate said. "Do you want to go have sex in Rosalie and Emmett's room again?" she asked playfully. She loved tempting Harry and he drew himself from his thoughts, with a calculating look in his eyes.
"The living room." he decided. "We get the chance so seldom these days."
"You can shackle Kate up over the table and have dessert from her, while I play with you." Tanya agreed, getting up and taking a bottle of chocolate body paint from the drawer.
WNWN
Leah had made it home, greeted her father and went to her room. It was not ten minutes later, that she couldn't stop herself. She jumped out a window and transformed, running full tilt through the forest, enjoying the silence in her head, until she saw Harry's house. What she saw through one of the windows, as she crested a hill, stopped her dead in her tracks. Harry and his ladies were intimately entwined on the dining room table. She stood there for a while, before transforming back.
She was standing there naked, not having brought any clothing in her haste to be close to Harry again. She watched them, even as something in her dared her to go join them. She controlled her emotions, though, and just watched, as Harry finished first one and then the other of his ladies.
When they were done, they just lay there for a few minutes, the ladies shaking for a while, before they got up, and the ladies stumbled on unsteady legs to the main bedroom. Harry was standing there, looking after them for a bit, before he looked out the window and directly at her.
Then he disappeared and reappeared next to her. "Hi." he said.
The look in his eye, as he ran his eyes over her body made her shiver, and she turned to him fully, proud of her body. "Like what you see?" she asked.
Harry didn't answer. He just gave in to the temptation, and stepped in close to her and kissed her. 'Why not?' he thought.
WNWN
"That was fantastic." Harry complimented from next to her.
"You're not bad, yourself." Leah said, breathing hard herself, ignoring the fact that she didn't have anything to compare him to. They lay there for a few minutes, appreciating the afterglow. "I wasn't expecting you to finish inside me." Leah finally admitted.
"It won't get you pregnant." Harry said. "I can choose when that happens."
"Really?" Leah asked. "Any particular reason you didn't tell me?"
"I've found that if a girl accepts it, not knowing that they won't get pregnant, that it allows for more trust." Harry said. "Also, it allows me to use a bit of succubus magic, to let me pleasure you whenever I want."
"Don't you mean incubus?" Leah asked, the idea exciting her.
"It was a half-succubus that taught me this particular magic." Harry said.
"Care to explain that?" Leah asked.
"I was in a different world then." Harry said. "I stay in any world for about half a century to a century, then destiny, or the spirits, or magic, or something sends me on to the next world, where I help whatever situation I find, to save more lives."
"Different world?" Leah asked. She didn't doubt him, couldn't in fact, but still it sounded like some sort of fantasy.
Harry nodded. "Where do you think I learned the spirit magic?" he asked.
"So you've met our kind in a different world." Leah said. "What did you help them with?"
"Mostly fighting between the local tribes." Harry said. "They needed someone to hear both sides and play mediator. I ended up marrying a daughter from all the warring tribes because they all wanted me in theirs, for my abilities."
"Strengthening the tribe." Leah said, in understanding. It was an old tradition, but it was still something they did, on occasion. No doubt the elders would press for her to do the same. "What do your wives think about this?" she asked, indicating her naked body and his.
"I think the spirits stepped in, when I decided to play alpha again." Harry said. "Once you joined my pack, my ladies stopped hating the fact that you lusted after me. At this point it will simply be another game for them, I think. They already like to make each-other jealous. Now they're just going to include you. Don't expect to be the first in line for a bit, but don't be afraid to play back."
"You like it, don't you?" Leah asked, seeing a spark of amusement on his face.
"I'm only a man." Harry defended. "Having beautiful women vying for my attention is never going to get old."
"It's not like you struggle to keep up with demand." Leah agreed. She'd seen the ladies stumbling away, barely able to walk. Having that thought, she stood up, and found her own legs were shaking. "I'm just as bad as they were!" she exclaimed. "I was hoping I'd be stronger."
"And they weaken themselves to be with me." Harry said. "I suspect, though, that you'd be more stable on four legs. No pun intended."
"I'm still stronger in human form than normal humans." Leah said.
"And they are stronger than humans in their weakened state." Harry said.
"How did those school girls survive you?" Leah asked. At Harry's look she said, "Legend of your exploits have reached even the res."
"Oh." Harry said. "Well, I was out of practice, so they were a nice warm-up."
"We weren't joking when we called his skills prolific." Tanya said as she stepped out from behind a tree, down-wind from them. "He's still getting better."
"He was only able to make our legs shake at first." Kate said, coming out from behind the same tree. "Now he can make us not capable of moving for minutes. If we were human, we may have actually lost consciousness."
"How are you here?" Leah asked. "I saw you. You weren't able to move right."
"We can switch our weakened states off." Kate said, smugly.
"But you can't have sex that way." Leah said in realization. "You'd kill him, otherwise."
"Well, if Harry wanted to, he could make himself capable, but it's draining." Tanya said. "We like him going for hours."
"The real problem with them switching it off, is that they will be all hot and heavy again, when we get home." Harry pointed out.
"No, we'll be fine." Tanya denied.
"But you're expecting Emily tomorrow, so you need your rest, because you didn't set a time with her." Kate said.
"I can always give you her number." Leah offered. She looked down and realised she was still standing there naked. She turned slightly, so that the ladies wouldn't need to see her nudity, but basically turning so Harry could enjoy the view. "If I had my phone on me." she admitted.
"Billy's got my number." Harry said. "No doubt he will want to come talk to me tomorrow too. I'm assuming Sam will be giving a report on what was learned."
"Jacob would have told Billy everything anyway, but I'm sure they are already meeting." Leah agreed. "My leaving the pack will likely also be discussed."
"If you want, we can try and set you up as a lone wolf." Harry said. "Taking you on as part of the pack means I needed to open a part of my mind that's been unoccupied for quite a while, to allow you access."
"Lone wolf?" Kate asked, even as Leah looked upset by the idea.
"Wolves sometimes go out on their own, cutting ties with their own pack, for various reasons." Harry said.
"So you don't want me?" Leah asked.
"That's not what I said." Harry said. "I said, we can do it if you want. Not that that's what I wanted. If you feel your life will be easier as part of a pack, with you as the only wolf, then it's fine by me if you stay."
"You have parts of your mind that's not active?" Tanya asked.
"For different reasons, yes." Harry said. "I have some senses, to detect demonic or mutated presences, to defend myself. I also have a part that's dedicated to accessing thought controlled technology, but this world doesn't have that. There's usually a need for one of those, or an item or two, so I keep them active when I end up going to those kinds of worlds."
"You've seen mutated things?" Tanya asked.
"That world was infected by some sort of chemical and everything non-human turned into monstrous beasts, who hunted humans to near-extinction." Harry said. "That was actually a pretty fun world. Dangerous, but fun. I could do whatever I wanted away from humans, so I could take full advantage of my abilities to set up a city that was free from monsters. Then I brought the humans I could find there and they started over."
"You've got so many stories." Kate said. "I'll never run out of questions."
"And when Harry figures it out, we'll be going with him to the next world, so that we can start seeing these things for ourselves." Tanya insisted.
"If I figure it out, sure." Harry said, sternly. He didn't want them to get their hopes up.
"What's this?" Leah asked. She'd heard him before, but it sounded like something more was going on.
"Harry can take his house, but not living creatures, when he goes." Tanya said. "We're hoping that since our hearts don't beat, we count as non-living, or something close to that. We do intend to spend more time on research once his current plans work out."
"These other Vampires?" Leah asked.
"Harry can handle them." Kate said confidently. "He wants to do things the long way. I say he should kill the ones that don't follow the rules and put someone strong in charge. Then he can stop worrying about it."
"Sorry to burst your bubble ladies." Harry said. "I tend to do more than just put a plaster on the situation. When I leave, the new way should be the preferred way. My power can't enforce that, when I'm not here. The world also has other issues. Wars and famine. Slavery. Dictatorships."
"But you'll never be done!" Kate objected.
"Hopefully." Harry nodded.
"This is really the whole point of your existence?" Tanya asked. "You help ungrateful people until you move on?"
"Well, if I do it right, by the time I leave, they are grateful." Harry said. Tanya sighed. She was afraid of that. "On the bright side, I never sit around stewing in my own sorrow. My first five hundred years, I did a lot of that. I found it was completely pointless and started on my mission properly after that."
"While taking time to have fun and getting a reputation as a sex-god." Kate said, in realization. "That makes so much sense. If you do something for fun, for a few thousand years, you should get really good at it."
"Still not as good as that succubus girl was." Harry confessed. "But then, half her existence was literally designed for sex, so it should be no surprise."
"Do we even-" Kate started.
"No." Tanya interrupted. "I don't want him answering that. If he says no… Just, don't ask."
"Right." Kate said, catching on. She'd be devastated to hear that she was not even comparable to someone else in bed. Especially with how much Harry enjoyed sex.
"So, I'll just be going to take a bath." Leah said. "If the wolves find out about this, Sam will get all kinds of ideas, and I suspect I smell a lot like sex just now." She smiled at that. The idea actually wasn't an unpleasant one.
Harry walked up to Leah and hugged her, their naked bodies coming together as he pressed into her. She felt a tingle that had nothing to do with frustration and suddenly realised she was dry. The remnants of their passion was completely gone. She couldn't even smell sweat on her own skin.
"Useful, isn't he?" Kate asked. "Just imagine what he could do to you, if he wasn't trying to keep your secret."
"Have you seen his Chevy?" Tanya asked.
"Don't spoil the surprise, ladies." Harry chided. "We'll take her for a drive some other time."
"Of course, dear." Kate said, as she hugged Harry from the side.
"I'm going to bed." Harry said then. He pulled Tanya to him. "Bye Leah, see you soon." Then they were gone.
"Not soon enough." Leah said to herself, wishing he'd heard it and kissed her goodnight.
'Probably in a few hours.' Harry said in her head. 'Forgot to mention, if you think about speaking to me, I'll be able to hear it, so please try and keep the fantasizing to a minimum while I'm with people or sleeping.'
"Thanks for telling me." Leah said, as she transformed. 'I think I'll be doing that tonight then.' she finished in her head.
'I'm not getting any sleep tonight, am I?' Harry's voice asked. 'Good night, Leah. Try not to keep me awake all night, please?' Harry knew he couldn't keep her from thinking about her experience tonight, but hopefully she could respect that he needed to sleep, still.
'If that's what you wish, my Alpha.' Leah's voice said back as she ran through the woods.
Harry did not respond. Hopefully that kept her from talking to him at all times. Suddenly the idea of having some more people in the pack, wasn't such a bad one. At least it would keep Leah from going overboard. Hopefully she didn't figure out, too soon, that she could keep things private between the two of them if she thought to keep it private. At least, that's how his form worked, after many years of practice.
WNWN
The next day arrived and with it, Leah. She had not bothered Harry as he slept, but had lied to her people and said that Harry had requested of her to look after his land, when she was able. She did say he didn't order it, making the point clear that Harry was a different kind of Alpha, to the local one. Harry Clearwater, her father, wasn't too pleased with the development, even if he was happy to see his daughter smile for once, and decided to stick with Billy, for when he went to Harry's house with Jacob, Sam and Emily.
Breakfast was an awkward affair, since the ladies did so in the nude, insisting that Harry do the same. They were supposed to have the house to themselves after all. At least, until the guests came.
Leah, not to be outdone, stripped down after they explained the situation, stating that it would save her from having to get undressed if she wanted to change in a hurry. She stood a good head taller than Kate, who was taller than Tanya. She'd loved showing off her long athletic legs, as well, having noticed Harry's attention to them. Harry even served her breakfast.
Then the games were on, as Kate and Tanya did their best to be all over Harry, leaving no room for Leah. Leah, on the other hand, took full advantage of her knowledge of Harry, and the immortals, by asking if he could help her with a sore muscle on her inner-thigh. Vampires didn't get sore muscles, and Leah had pulled on all her knowledge of their kind, so that she could play to her advantages.
She didn't win that contest, as when Harry's libido kicked in as she'd hoped, Kate took advantage of the opportunity, while Harry massaged her legs. Knowing this was a game to the girls, Harry enjoyed their attempts to outmanoeuvre each-other. They pranced around, bending over to pick up dropped objects or stretched out, for no reason whatsoever. Still the show was very enjoyable, even though Harry refused to mount any of them until the guests had come and gone. With his luck, they'd show up to find the girls all unable to move, lying naked on the floor, with Harry being left to explain.
When the car drove up the driveway, Harry calmed them all down with his magic, aired out the place and cleaned Leah, in case Jacob and Sam could smell her arousal. They were all dressed pretty quickly and Harry was already standing by the door, when Sam led the group to the door. He was not surprised to see Leah behind Harry.
"I thought you were patrolling his land?" Sam asked.
"I did, and then I came here for lunch." Leah lied. "I couldn't refuse Harry's cooking."
"Harry made lunch?" Jacob asked. "We missed out. I told you we should come early."
"I'll fix you a sandwich later." Harry promised. "Let's sort out Emily first." He led them in and asked the others to wait, while he led Emily up the stairs, with Sam following closely behind.
"I didn't see these stairs before." Sam noted.
"They come and go as needed." Harry said, as he led them into what looked like a doctor's consulting room. He donned a white coat and asked Leah to take a seat. He asked a few standard questions, asked for information about previous injuries and then he had her lay down on the examination bed.
He waved a hand over her body and an x-ray of her full body appeared on the screen above her bed. "Everything seems in order here." he said.
"Why the full examination?" Emily asked.
"As you're a new patient, I needed the information for my records." Harry said. "Now, let's get on with the surgery."
"Surgery?!" Sam exclaimed.
"It's just the term used." Harry said. "I need to cut, to re-align the skin and then remove the scar-tissue, before I can reduce the visual side-effects."
"You said you had an ointment." Sam objected.
"Sam, her skin is healthy. It's healthy scar-tissue, though. I said that so that you'd bring her." Harry said. "I've realised that you are a bit of a control-freak, so I said it that way for the sake of Emily here, but you also don't have to worry. The procedure is painless and uses magic to heal. It will be over in minutes and Emily will only thank you."
"You lied to us." Sam said, angrily.
"And you'll lie to the Elders." Harry said. "This is private. Just like I'm bound by oath to do what is best for my patients and to keep their secrets, you are bound by the fact that you don't want to betray your bonded. Emily here, is the only one that can object to this. You are not her keeper and she is an adult."
Emily did not want to reject the offer, but knew Sam's worries. "Could you show us?" Emily asked. "On another scar?" she asked, rolling up her sleeve, to show another scar on her shoulder. It wasn't big, but it was likely from the same event that had Sam scratch her face in the first place, if the direction of the mark was anything to go by.
"Of course." Harry said, as he looked at the scar. He numbed the skin and ran his finger along the scar. As he did, the scar disappeared and left a wound. Harry ran his finger across the wound and it closed again, this time with a nearly invisible line, where the scar had been and no indication that she'd been hurt. "How was that?" he asked.
"I didn't feel a thing." Emily said, as she ran a hand over the skin. "It doesn't hurt! It just feels like normal skin, though it does tingle slightly."
"Part of the procedure cuts through nerve-endings." Harry said. "Those are reconnected in the second step." He looked at her face then. "Would you like me to proceed, knowing you can't tell anyone of how I did this. It is magic, so you'll have to lie and say it was an experimental procedure or a plastic surgeon, or something."
"Please." Emily said. Sam, wisely, shut his mouth. Harry seemed professional enough.
Harry proceeded to repair the scars on Emily's face. He took it slowly, while Sam had turned his back to them, since he didn't like seeing her hurt. He knew intelligently that she wasn't in pain, but seeing the scars disappear, leaving only exposed flesh underneath, reminded him of the day he'd hurt her.
Harry needed to work slowly, healing things in a very specific way, to ensure as little as possible of the marks remained. When he was done, he pronounced it, and Sam spun around to look at the near-perfectly restored face of his love. He couldn't even see where the scars had run through her eyebrows, since they were fully reformed with no empty spaces.
"She's perfect." Sam said, as he bent down to kiss his girl's face where the scars had been.
"Well, there's no such thing as perfect, since beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Harry said. "But your girl is quite pretty, yes."
Sam turned around and held a hand out to Harry. "Your other choices aside, I see that I've underestimated you. Thank you for doing this."
"You're welcome, Sam." Harry said. He turned to Emily and saw her looking around for a reflective surface. "Oh, sorry." Harry said, making a mirror appear in his hand and giving it to her.
Emily saw her face, and her eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you." she sobbed, before she broke down in happy tears.
"I'll be right outside." Harry said, exiting the room and waiting outside. It took them a few minutes, but Emily had finally pulled herself back together and she walked out with Sam smiling like Harry had never seen before. Harry led them back downstairs and when the guests saw Emily, they were shocked at the difference.
"You look like you were never hurt!" Leah said, shocked.
"Harry does good work." Sam said. "I would tell you how, but that's apparently a secret."
"The pack will find out." Leah said.
"They will, but they'll keep it secret, too." Sam said.
"So, Doctor Potter?" Billy said, looking at Harry, who had forgotten his lab-coat on.
"Oh, right." Harry said, slipping it off, only for Kate to be there instantly, to take it from him.
"I'll take it to your office, Doctor." Kate said, with a smirk that meant she'd had an idea. No doubt she'd want to play doctor later.
"Thanks." he said, as Kate turned around and, instead of going up the stairs headed straight for the bedroom. He shook his head and smiled.
'She'll want to play doctor, later.' Leah's voice said in his head.
'I had a similar thought.' Harry replied. Out loud, he said, "Yeah, I may have been a doctor once or twice in my life."
"You have a doctorate?" Billy asked.
"A few, but it doesn't really matter." Harry waved it off. "Now, about this gathering?" he asked indicating all of them. "I'm assuming you're not all here just to support Emily."
"We wanted to talk about this threat." Billy said.
"And my daughter." Harry Clearwater said. He suddenly had less of an objection to the young man, but he still needed to know what was planned. He knew that his daughter could be badly exploited by him.
"I'm not at liberty to mention specifics of the immortal world." Harry said. "Much like your own laws prevent you from giving me specifics of yours."
"Give us the highlights then." Billy asked.
Harry then went about explaining his plan, and the likely reason why the pack was growing. He expressed to them that he didn't plan on using the pack, but it wasn't a bad idea to have them trained for defensive purposes, in-case someone decided to try and come after Harry when he was indisposed or unprepared.
Billy thanked him for the information and decided not to comment, seeing as how Harry already had plans to rectify the situation.
"About my daughter?" Harry Clearwater asked. "I hear she's imprinted on you and left the pack for yours?"
"I am an Alpha and could choose to start a pack." Harry said. "When I heard about her and Sam's past and her desire to have all those boys out of her head, I reactivated my pack for her, so that she could join."
"Harry's Alpha is much more developed than Sam's." Leah decided to share.
"Really?" Sam asked.
"He can talk to me, without transforming." Leah said, pointing in her head.
"That's something more specifically geared to myself." Harry said. "I have certain mental capabilities and am able to use the link of the pack to send her a message and allowed her to have access to similar, since I won't be transforming anytime soon. Otherwise it would be something she'd miss out on, for joining the new pack."
"We were told you received a form." Billy said, nodding.
"Then you were told that I do things differently and may not end up using that form." Harry said.
"Still, it's a useful thing." Billy said. "I wish I was still young enough."
"You're not too old." Harry said. "There is a ritual that would help you activate your dormant transformation. It's not pleasant, though."
"What do you mean, it's not pleasant?" Billy asked, a large part of him screaming that it would be worth it, especially for the mobility that something like that might offer him.
"I can't tell you that." Harry said. "It only works if you don't know how."
"Could you do that for any of us?" Harry Clearwater asked, putting aside the subject of his daughter for the moment.
"I could." Harry said. "The question is not if I can, but if you can. The ritual… Like I said, it's not pleasant." Forcing a person to experience a lot of loss and forcing the change to activate it, was by no means pleasant.
"Very well." Billy said. He'd have to think about it. If Harry looked dubious about it, perhaps it would be a good idea to rather think about it. It would be useful to him though. He'd be able to take the spot of Alpha, as Jacob should have. Then he'd be able to set all of that right.
"About Leah," Harry Clearwater said, "I don't like hearing that she's both imprinted on you and under you in your pack. How do I know you're not taking advantage?"
"Dad!" Leah exclaimed. "Harry isn't like that. He's only given me one order and that was that I can make my own decisions and can ignore an order if I don't want to follow it."
"He did that last night." Sam agreed. "I don't know if he did it as her Alpha, but he told her, in front of all of us, that she could do what she wants."
Harry Clearwater still didn't like it. There was still a chance he'd abuse it, in a moment of sexual desire. He knew his daughter was not a bad-looking girl and he'd heard the same rumours as everyone else, about Harry. "Could Seth join your pack?" he asked.
"If Seth wants to join, his alpha will allow it, and his sister accepts him." Harry said instantly. "Leah has the choice, because she'd have to share her thoughts with her brother again and I know that that isn't something she liked."
Sam actually nodded at Harry in thanks for including his decision. Honestly, if Harry had accepted it instantly, he'd likely have objected, but the fact that he had real requirements was definitely welcome news. "I'll consider it, if Seth asks me to leave." he said.
"That's, if he wants to join you." Jacob said. He was tempted to ask himself, honestly. Sam grated on his nerves and he kept on feeling like he'd made a mistake choosing to follow him, rather than lead. In Harry's pack, he'd still be a follower, but it seemed like it would be less restrictive. He already had orders not to tell Bella anything, which he hated.
"What are your requirements for any other transfers?" Billy asked. He'd ask, just on the off chance that anyone else decides to follow Leah's footsteps.
"They need to speak to me, or Leah, as the Alpha's Second." Harry said. "Her orders will be considered mine, so they need to know that. They will also need permission from their parents, the Elders, or the current Alpha."
"Or?" Sam asked.
"You aren't their ultimate authority, Sam." Harry said. "All of you report to the Elders. All of you are under the protection of your parents, until you reach adulthood. If there are conflicts between the three parties, you can decide, between the lot of you, if the applicant should be denied. I will not take anyone without the express permission of someone in charge and Leah will have to speak to all three to confirm what was decided and to confirm that everyone is aware.
"Anyone that makes the decision to join my pack and gets transferred without permission will be ordered to return, as well." Harry finished.
"Gets transferred?" Jacob asked. "Someone can just decide and suddenly you are their Alpha, without any discussions?"
"That's how it's worked in the past." Harry said. "There are always people who'd like one kind of leader over another and an order they don't all agree with, could sway their loyalties. Hell, you could likely break away from the pack and start your own. You're a born Alpha. I can feel it."
"You don't feel it from me?" Sam asked, a frown on his face.
"No, you are an Alpha." Harry said. "I'm saying he's one too. There's also a difference between leadership and Alpha. Some people are born to lead. Others become leaders out of necessity. It doesn't mean one is a better leader than another, or even a good one. I wasn't a born leader. I had to become one. I've always been an Alpha, though. I didn't know that until later, but it likely explains why I picked it up so easily, when the time came. You can be born an Alpha, or become one. Neither means you'll necessarily be the perfect leader, though."
"I can start my own?" Jacob asked.
"Be careful about that." Harry warned, even as a few upset looks started popping up. "You leave and you'll break friendships and divide loyalties. People will feel conflicted and the rest of the pack will feel that. It's not something you should consider lightly."
Jacob shut his mouth and stared at the floor, deep in thought. He wouldn't want to break the unity of the pack. It would only cause more problems. At least with Leah out of the pack, things had quieted down. There were less thoughts that they, as males, didn't want in their heads all the time. Leah's longing for Sam had been grating on all their nerves.
Harry Clearwater could agree with that. Harry wasn't a bad sort, as far as he could tell. Perhaps not the best at keeping his tool in his pants, but then he was a man. Women have always been men's weak spot. It was this point that had him considering to join the pack, if he could, just so he could stick around. Unfortunately, as an Elder, he'd be expected to stay with the pack that protected their land, if he was able to do it.
He could also see his girl marrying this man. It wasn't unheard of in their culture for a man to have more than one wife. The revelations of the previous night had opened their eyes to these peaceful vampires, and he was considering letting that happened. It could only be good for the tribe, to gain such a man, and his offspring, for the tribe. Not to even mention his own family, or the fact that Harry was apparently a doctor.
That being said, she was still his baby girl. He'd not allow him to use his girl like he'd done with the little tarts from their school.
"Anything else?" Harry asked.
"Can I see your hawk?" Billy asked. He'd never heard of such a thing, but their tribe had a singular animal spirit for all of them. It was even explained in their legends as something that happened out of necessity. An actual wolf had given a spirit warrior the right to use his body, to protect his people and the spirit of that same wolf dwelt in them ever since. Before that, they'd been able to leave their bodies in spirit form, which to him sounded like what Harry's own spirit form was.
"I can't transform, yet." Harry said.
"But you can show images?" Billy asked. They'd been told of the circle, but also of him holding up his hand and producing an image of an evil soul.
Harry sighed. "I'll only do this because you asked, Billy." he said as he got up and led them to the pool room, where he produced the circle again. He activated the circle and stepped into it. His soul, his spirit and the animal spirit appeared.
"It's true. He has the spirit of the Hawk and a spirit for his magic. It's like he's half spirit himself." Harry Clearwater said, in their native tongue.
"He's not just a spirit. With everything we've heard, he was a guide to the spirits. A voice for them among their chosen people. That human spirit of his is probably like what our people used to be able to do." Billy said.
"He also speaks hundreds of tongues." Harry said, with a smirk. He'd not known their language, but he knew an ancient form of what they spoke and could make it out.
"You truly were one of the people." Billy said, somehow showing shock and respect at the same time.
"He called himself a spirit shaman." Sam said, confirming that they'd all heard his and Kate's whispered conversation, before he even knew they had enhanced senses.
"Cheaters." Harry mumbled as he walked out of the circle. Before cancelling it, he indicated towards Billy and his wheelchair lifted up and floated into the circle. Next to his soul, which stood above Billy, as it was perfect and unbroken, stood the wolf. "As you can see, the wolf dwells within you as well. You may not have been chosen, to protect the tribe, but you are as one with the wolf, through the blood of the tribe."
Harry let the man have a moment to inspect both his own soul and the spirit, and then he wheeled himself out of the circle. Before Harry could cancel the circle, Sam walked into it.
He inspected the soul, ignoring the wolf, and smiled. He was not as dark as he had begun to fear. He was being made aware of his shortcomings, but he was not evil.
"Confirmed it enough?" Harry asked, having noticed what he was looking at and intuiting what he was looking for.
"I have." Sam said. "Thank you, Alpha, Shaman, Elder, for allowing me to confirm this."
"It is no burden." Harry said. "Proceed as you have, young Alpha. You will learn in time, as I have, that no one man is perfect."
Sam nodded and stepped out of the circle and Harry cancelled it.
"Elder?" Emily asked.
"He's very old." Sam said. "I doubted it before, but the language he spoke was an ancient one. I only barely understood. I felt like I was listening to my great-grandfather speak."
"I am a little rusty." Harry admitted.
"How long has it been?" Billy asked, innocently.
"Nice try, Billy Black, but I've played this game longer than you." Harry smirked. He'd not be tricked into revealing his age.
"It was worth a try." Billy allowed, some humour showing on his face. They'd already heard that he was older than a thousand, and the way his ladies talked about him made him think that that was just scratching the surface.
"So, can we agree that I'm not evil for associating with 'monsters'?" Harry asked, miming inverted commas.
"They are not monsters." Leah said. "They are just people."
"Very well said, Leah, my Second." Harry said, sending her a smile.
"I am second for a reason." Leah said, proudly.
"Yeah, because he doesn't have someone better." Jacob joked. He was suddenly off his feet, his shoes having ripped from his feet as he was shot into the pool, with a huge splash.
When he came up, Harry said, "She is of the Potter Pack. Make derogatory statements without my express permission and I will defend her honour, as is my right, and duty." He said it calmly, but there was steel in his voice and power radiating from his very being.
"He was only joking." Billy said, trying to calm Harry down.
"He was joking that my judgement was lacking, or that I don't know when not to choose a second, for lack of a better option." Harry said. "I have every confidence in her decision to both join and protect the pack. That is all that is needed. That she is untested is unfortunate, but not the primary concern."
"Jacob, apologise to Leah." Sam said angrily. "She's never been anything but exemplary at her duties, while under me. You actually did insult both her and Harry, for his choice."
Jacob got out of the pool. He was just joking, but he realised that joking about someone like that was the same as mockery. He'd not meant that, of course, but for the chance of making a joke, he'd declared that she was a bad choice, insulting her and Harry, even inadvertently. "I'm sorry, Leah. I was just trying to lighten a serious moment. I didn't think that I was insulting both you and your Alpha. I won't do it again." He turned to Harry then. "I'm sorry Harry."
Harry instantly calmed down and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was smiling again. "Wow, I'm not used to pack instincts. Sorry Jacob. I should have taken it more lightly. I know you weren't trying to mean offense. I accept your apology, with no negative feelings and forgive the offense."
Jacob sighed. Something in how Harry forgave him, made a big difference to him, and he smiled ruefully. "Thanks, Harry." he said.
"Not a problem." Harry said. "You're friends with Bella. I'd be judging her poorly if I thought you were a bad person."
Jacob's eyes widened as the point came through. He really had done the same thing, hadn't he?
"You are definitely wise enough to be an Elder." Billy mused. He was glad the situation had resolved itself properly, but the interaction and the underlying motivations and experience showed Billy that this man was no fool. "I'll inform the other Elders that you will be able to join us for the next meeting, so that you can be introduced."
Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Are you trying to get me to join you in a meeting where you know my wives cannot join?" he asked. "Because I'll have you know that they are old enough to call you all infants by comparison, even though they don't look it."
"They are not of the people, or of the pack." Billy said.
"It's fine Harry." Tanya said. "Just go to the meeting so that the kiddies can tell you their stories and get it over with already."
"He'll just keep on trying to get you alone, so that you can be informed of their history in the hopes that you will share your own." Kate agreed. "We can trust Leah to protect you for a night."
"Thank you, my ladies." Harry said. "Okay, Billy. You've got my overprotective wives convinced. Since you know I don't share secrets I'm not allowed, I'll show you exactly the trust I have been shown."
"Thank you." Billy said, smiling at Harry and then his wives. "And thank you, as well. I don't judge you on what you are. It's just the laws of our tribe are not something I can easily bypass."
"There are bad vampires in the world, just like there are bad White Men, and you don't trust either easily." Tanya said, with a roll of her eyes.
"It's not untrue." Billy said, giving her a smirk.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
burnable
burnable There have been many people asking, so I'm taking a moment to say that I was away for Easter, visiting my mother. Then when I returned, my PC had decided to stop working. I had intended to post more chapters during that time, but it seems that I hadn't applied some of my changes to the last chapter, so I didn't want to post with more unchecked chapters, until I was able to check them again.
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