Claws and code

Human and linked

'CLOE!' I snapped out of my head and back into my body to see Daniel staring at me with his hands holding my face.

'Yes Sir, Alpha?'

'What happened to you, Cloe?'

'I, euh, I'm not sure. It was like I was in a room full of people and some of them didn't like me there because they were worried that I would hurt the pack but then some of them thought it was cool and then it became like, I dunno, all confused. Like my confusion spread through the room. I was actually just trying to find one voice so that it wouldn't be so loud but then you called me out... it's still nice and warm though.'

'What's warm, Cloe?' He asked slowly.

I grinned. 'Me. When you let go, my hand got all warm and then fixed itself back up, see good as new.' I held out my hand to show him. The skin was bloody but fully healed. 'Anyway, the warm then went into my arm and the rest of me and then I was just in between all those voices. I feel nice though, not alone... warm.'

He turned me to see the stunned, silent pack and spoke over my head.

'The Goddess has approved of our newest member and blessed our Pack. It appears our first human pack member can feel the pack bond and is capable of joining the link.'

An insanely loud sound burst into the clearing as everyone started to clap and cheer. I turned my head to look at the Alpha behind me and he grinned. 'Normally a human doesn't join the pack unless they have a mate. They are turned. They get the link when they become like us. Humans are normally not taken into a pack, so nobody thought you'd get the link.'

'So why does that make everyone so happy?'

The Alpha's grin had a feral edge to it when he answered. 'The link makes the pack. The hierarchy of the pack runs in the link. You are part of the pack.'

'Wasn't that the whole idea in the first place?'

'Yes, but if someone in the pack hurts, the link hurts. If you are in the link, you physically can't hurt the pack without hurting yourself.'

Yeah. I could see how that made them happy. The moment I concentrated on that thought it was like my brain directed me away from my body and I could once again feel all the voices in my head. It was too much and I was thankful for darkness creeping into me.

I woke up on a bed with David beside the bed, typing away on his laptop. I watched him for a while when he suddenly shut the lid and looked at me. He knew I was awake even though I'd given no indication, I had barely moved my head to see him.

He smiled gently at my confusion. 'Your breathing changed when you woke up. I just wanted to finish my work before we talk.'

'What happened?'

'Your brain happened.' He smirked.

'Funny. Care to explain?'

'Okay. So... As wolves we feel the pack link from the moment we are born. As kids we feel the link, our immediate family and the Alpha can talk to us but we can't use it like grown wolves. When you turn for the first time you finally connect completely and it's natural to have these bonds that allow us to finally talk to others in the link. As human you don't have that, though humans can have family bonds that are tight enough to mimic a link. As an orphan you don't even have family bonds that could compare.'

'Gee, thanks, way to sugar-coat my inabilities...'

David looked pained. 'I'm trying here, Cloe. It's not like this happens a lot. You are the first human we have ever accepted into our pack and dad asked me to talk to you because I know you and he wants you to be comfortable... And as future Alpha it's also a bit of on the job training.' He added the last bit with a sheepish smile.

'Why can't I hear or feel them now?'

'Dad blocked the link from you. He'll let it go once I've taught you how to deal with it.'

'And how long will that take?'

'It shouldn't actually take that long, I know you well enough to be able to describe what needs to happen and you are smart enough to do it.'

He proceeded to explain the link in terms of computers and that I had to build a firewall in my head to keep the chatter out. Then he told me how to create a pathway to other people and how to block them if they did it to me. He also explained that anyone higher ranked than me could force a link and I wouldn't be able to block them. Nobody knew where I stood in the hierarchy but they would try that later by forcing links from higher and higher members of the pack until we found which level I couldn't block. I sarcastically told him that sounded like loads of fun. He just smirked and told me that it did indeed.

After a bit more information on the pack we went downstairs. It was morning, I'd passed out early evening and slept for ten hours straight. The house was packed with people and I could see some insanely large wolves playing outside. David didn't give me a chance to stare, he just pulled me along and told me I could look at the pack later.

He brought me to the living room, already filled with people, shoved me in a chair beside his dad and then walked out to get me food. The room had fallen silent when we walked in and I looked around suspiciously when it dawned on me. I turned to Mark, the only other familiar face there. 'That gym! It's a wolfy gym isn't it?!'

He smirked. 'Yep.. and each and every one of them has heard you complain about steroid use!'

I blushed and frowned. 'Well! It's not like anyone would immediately think.. Oh dear, these people are ripped, they must be werewolves.'

There was a scattering of laughter but Mark spoke up again and they went silent. 'It's a common gym for all wolves from every pack. The city is neutral but our kind needs a place to let of steam without humans thinking they are drug users. Seriously though, everyone that has seen you there has contacted us afterwards to ask what you were. Nobody thought you were human, even though you smelled like one.'

'That's just mean.' I pouted.

'Actually, you should take it as a compliment. You fight very well, better than anyone would expect from such a tiny, female human.'

I thought about it but my mind caught on to something else he had said. 'Wait! You just said I smelled human like it was a thing of the past.'

'It is. You now smell like a member of our pack. I must be honest and say it's a relief. Sasha's dorm won't feel like it's been invaded now that you are pack.'

'Invaded?'

'Always. The continuous smell of someone non pack in one of our homes is disconcerting at best. It's hard enough to be amongst human every damned day.'

David returned with two plated, loaded with bacon and eggs, sausages and toast. He handed me a slightly less loaded one and winked. 'I use you to keep those women away because I'm used to your smell but he's right, there's a difference between familiar smells and pack. You are pack now and that is so much nicer.'

'So, I smell... like what?'

Daniel took pity on me. 'Everyone has an individual scent but people of the same pack smell similar. That is how we recognise other pack wolves. Each pack has an individual scent, based on their Alpha. Rogues simply smell bad because they are corrupted and without pack.'

'So... I smell like you now?' I asked somewhat confused.

Everyone laughed. 'You smell like Cloe Smith but there is now a trace of our pack scent running through it. Like it should be.'
'If it was so bad, why let me stay with Sasha in the beginning?'
'She studies medicine. She needs to be able to deal with the smell of strangers, non pack members, around her without responding to it as our nature demands. It was good training for her. Human trained doctors are necessary for packs but it takes a very placid wolf to be able to study medicine amongst humans. She already had the right temperament. You, living with her, has made her more resilient.'

David and I ate while everyone seemed comfortable waiting for us to finish. The moment he took my plate and put it aside David gestured around the room. 'Maybe we should start with the main event.'