Of Doms & Subs

Furries Anonymous

I stood lost in thought in my office for some time after she left, bathed in the complex layers of smells that confirmed her story. Mountain air, evergreens, sweat both old and nervous, gasoline, fast food, and no small amount of stress. Amidst the melange was a thread of fear. If it was any stronger, I would have called Alan, the pack's only submissive, to come and help calm her before everyone got riled up trying to fix whatever upset her. But under the circumstances, her fear was to be expected. And besides, he was working tonight.

Tension had been running high in the pack ever since we went public. Another submissive to ease the strain would be a boon, and a second medic would not go amiss. Her presence would stir up a rash of dominance fights among the unmated males until she starting seeing someone. That is, if she could be housebroken. Time would show whether her defiance was born of ignorance or emotional pressure. Her knowledge of our primary laws would suggest the latter, though I preferred to avoid premature conclusions.

A younger wolf, or one who wasn't as high in the hierarchy, might find such calculations cold, especially in regards to a submissive female whose Change had been particularly traumatic. But you don't get to be an old Alpha without assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your pack members and determining how they can best be used for the betterment of the whole.

As much as I was loath to let her leave, even if the Marrock hadn't mandated, protocol and courtesy demanded that the Eugene pack have right of first refusal. Appropriate that Eugene was also referred to as the Emerald City, but we had claimed the name before the Portland pack had relocated there. Ordinarily I would have my second, Tom, call to arrange things with the other pack, but the unique situation and the fact that he was still on duty called for a personal touch, even if my third, Shane, wasn't preparing for the trip. Besides, their Alpha, Colin, would be pissed if I dropped this grenade, no matter how attractive or useful she was, in his lap without warning. No, not a bomb. Panicked ferret, maybe. Still not pleasant, but not as disastrous. And they could be cute, when they weren't baring their teeth.

Stifling a sigh, I found Colin's cell number in my phone and called him up. Hopefully he wasn't still bitter about the Yakima War.

Holy crap, that's a lot of wolves, I thought as I entered what could only be described as an entertainment room. I'd followed my ears and nose to the basement, which wasn't really a basement, per se. Only the half of the lowermost floor was built into the hill upon which the house sat. The far wall was mostly a huge flat screen TV. Underneath the screen was a media center full of movies and video games and their consoles. The thickly carpeted floor was terraced to allow for more seating than would normally be feasible, and most of those seats were occupied.

Somewhere underneath a mound of pizza boxes I assumed there was a large, low table. The only problem was that the food was up front and center, which was worse than sitting in the back of class and then having to get up to give a report. Someone paused the football game when I walked in, even though the door was at the back of the room, and everyone turned to look at me. I suddenly empathized with the rabbit I'd hunted the only time I'd run on four legs, which only reinforced the junior high flashbacks.

"Hi, my name's Ellie and I'm a werewolf. I've been fur-free for a week now," I said solemnly with a little wave. Chuckles cut through the expectant tension, a few droned out in unison the requisite, "Hi, Ellie."

Mickayla waved me over to where she and Matt were sitting near the rear. I took the armchair next to their loveseat and someone started the game up again. She handed me a plate piled high with pizza. "I grabbed you one of everything so you could avoid the walk of the shame." She cocked her head to indicate the pathway to the front before pointing out the several cans of soda on an end table between our seats.

"Thanks," I said with genuine gratitude as I shifted the piece of Hawaiian to the bottom of the stack before it could contaminate anything else. Fruit, other than tomatoes, does not belong on pizza.

"Welcome to a bi-weekly ritual that lasts from September to January," she said dryly. "That's twice a week, not once every two weeks. Normally I'd leave them to it, but I couldn't just throw you to the wolves." I snorted at the pun.

"My family worships at the altar of the pigskin," I shrugged and slid a Coke closer to me. "Heck, I was even a cheerleader in high school."

"Still got the outfit?" asked a guy in front of us. In unison, Mickayla, Matt, and his neighbours on either side hit him with some pretty good whacks upside the head and elbows in the ribs before I could even arch an eyebrow.

"I think so, but I'm afraid it won't fit you. You're a little too big in the hips," I said sweetly before sinking my teeth into a slice piled high with pepperoni and other meats.

Damn, I'd forgotten the pull of an unmated female. When Jim made his crack, I wanted to teach him some manners in front of everyone. It would have been overkill after the others, and Ellie's barb, but the urge was still there. Few of them had any experience with a submissive female, so it was best to set behavioural expectations early.

Privately, I agreed with the females, if it wasn't such a strong bonding activity for the pack, as well as a safe pressure valve for some of their aggression, I'd rather be doing nearly anything else. But either Tom, Alan and Matt, or I had to be there in case the things escalated beyond trash talk.

Now that she had washed away the residue of her trip, her signature scent stood out amidst the pizza and pack members. If anything, it was more noticeable because she didn't smell like pack. Yet. The hints of sunshine and cedar seemed to be a part of her instead of remnants of her time in the mountains. There was no sign of the fear that had filled her so recently, despite the occasional lewd comments, which she deflected or ignored with aplomb. I was pleased to note that when one of them tried to cross her lines, she turned her sharp tongue on the offender.

I was disappointed when she retired early for the night, even though she had deep circles under her eyes. Watching her verbally hold her own against the men was more entertaining than the game itself.