Demigod Werewolves

I learn Some Stuff About Werewolf History and Etiquette

(Percy Pov)

It's been a couple of weeks since the pack arrived at camp and things have become slightly less tense than before. It's been mostly strategy meetings that only Alex and occasionally Kate and I have been invited to. Of which we then brief the rest of the pack on as well. It seems that the gods have found themselves in a battle with Lycaon and his pack. This news made Alex and Kate very nervous, and she explained to me why.

Lycaon is a very old werewolf of course, but that means he has a long time to build up a pack. Kate explained that not everyone in his pack wants to be there but they don't really have many options. There have been other packs but between fighting demigods, Lycaons pack, and other small packs many don't make it. Either the small packs are killed off or they have to join Lycaon. Kate said that a pack like ours is very rare, they know of only a handful in all of North America.

Now, laying in our bed, she's curled against me playing with our intertwined fingers. It's peaceful, I don't usually like sitting still and not doing anything but if I am with her I'd do it forever. I breathe in her scent and, using the hand that she's not holding hostage, run my fingers through her hair gently. These moments have been too rare lately for my taste. Kate has been really stressed since she heard it was Lycan that we had to go against.

"Baby", I whisper gently. She hums in response. "Why are you and Alex so afraid of Lycaon?" Her hand, the one that had been playing with my fingers, pauses.

"He's very powerful Percy. The gods are underestimating him" I say nothing, knowing that she's pondering what to say next. She sighs quietly. "Alex and I ran into him a long time ago. I was still just a pup. He wanted to kill us. He said that he could smell Lupa on us, that he knew we were her offspring. He laughed too, when he saw me behind Alex. Said I would turn into a pretty little thing. That it might be worthwhile keeping me around but the male had to go. Our first battle with him has already happened Percy."

"But you guys made it out," I say. I feel her nod since her head is on my chest.

"Yeah we did, but we barely did. It's a blur really, I don't remember everything. Just that Lycaon shifted and went at Alex. I remember that they were fighting" her hand tightens around mine, her voice sounds tight, higher-pitched now. "Lycaon was winning. The sounds of the fight were horrible. I don't remember how, I don't even remember thinking about it beforehand, but I shifted too and I went for Lycaon's throat. I got him. It surprised him I think. Which is fair, it surprised me too, it was the first time I had fought really. Before that it was just play fights with Alex. It was also the first time I shifted without putting effort or concentration into it. It was instinctual. I had grabbed his throat with my teeth and I just held on", she trails off, fingers stilling on my hand once again.

"You saved Alex," I tell her, rubbing my thumb across the back of her hand.

"I know," she sighs, "I don't really remember what happened after that. Just that both Alex and I were very hurt, him more so, but we had to run for days, Percy. We haven't seen him since, but he probably knows that we have a pack, that Alex is the alpha. He will want to kill Alex, Percy. Alex is a threat like no other alpha to Lycaon."

"Why," I question.

"Alex has Lupa's blood, she's the queen of wolves. Alex is an alpha, a true alpha, and a true-blooded werewolf. As such he has the right to challenge Lycaon to his pack", she tells me slowly.

"What does that mean. Alex can challenge him? Couldn't I?" She chuckles a little.

"No Percy, you couldn't challenge him, not properly anyway. Alex was born a werewolf and is an Alpha of a pack, because of both he can challenge Lycaon to a one on one fight for control of the packs." There's a pause, I can tell she's thinking about it. "If we were fully mated, like if we've gone through the whole proper ritual thing and Alex passed away, then technically either one of us could become the alpha of this pack. If you did, then technically you could challenge him because you would be an alpha. Even so, I could challenge him for the same reason as Alex. Our whole being the offspring of the Queen of Wolves puts us at a pretty high rank among werewolves. Wolves that are from other packs would still give Alex and I respect and go through the whole proper etiquette thing. Which thankfully Alex and I decided that our pack would do very much of 'proper werewolf etiquette anyways," she explains. I smile a little, not because of the explanation but because she started to ramble a little. She's also gotten a little off-topic and she's starting to mumble. All sure signs that she's getting sleepy.

"Wait," I say upon realizing something, " what do you mean 'if we were fully mated'? I definitely remember doing some activities that most would count as mating just last night." The giggle that comes out of her is one of the cutest things I've heard.

"There's like, this whole proper ritual we have to go through to be considered complete mates." I hum, threading my fingers through her hair and rubbing circles on her hand with my thumb.

"Can you tell me a little about it" I question, curious to know, and honestly already looking forward to it. I love Kate with all I've got and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be with her for the rest of my life.

"Well, um, I know that it has to be on the night of a full moon. It's supposed to start with this thing where we shift in front of the pack and do this scent accepting thing and we have to try and rub our scents off on each other. And then after all that we. . ." she trails off and I can feel her bury her face into my chest. I try hard not to let her hear my smirk but I love it when she gets blushy and embarrassed.

"We what," I prod. She mumbles into my chest in a way that even I can't understand everything, but I get the picture. However, while she usually acts confident I know that sometimes she gets really embarrassed when talking about mating. She's cuter when shes red though. I grab her chin gently and lead her face towards mine. "Wanna try that again baby," I ask grinning. I can see the color in her face already.

"We mate for awhile"

"How long is a while," I interrupt. Her face is bright now.

"Most of the night I think. It's been a while since someone has talked to me about this." Immediately some part of me is not ok with this statement.

"Who exactly talked about this with you," I ask slightly jealous. I can't help it really, I know she would never hurt me like that but werewolves are just a bit possessive. She kisses me gently.

"A she-wolf," she whispers. "She's in a pack we met a couple of years ago. She figured it was better she explain this sort of stuff to me rather than Alex," she explains. I hum.

"So is that all we have to do," I ask.

"No, before the end of the night we have to mark each other"

"What is that exactly?"

"We bite each other, right where the shoulder meets the neck. It like, makes it where others can smell your mate's scent. Lets them know that you're taken," she tells me.

"Right here," I ask, rubbing my thumb over the mentioned spot. She shivers and nods. "I can't wait," I tell her gently before giving her another kiss. I grin. "Shall we practice," I ask. She grins and rolls her eyes.

"Like we haven't already"