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Old Friend	By : Prosperosdaughter Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3803 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: JK Rowling and her associates own Harry Potter. I make no money from my stories.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Disclaimer: The Potterverse is owned by JKR.

Wandsong, Idris Lydiard and his pack (and the Whitby Werewolves) are all mine.

Chapter 5: Challenges

As Alphard worked in his tent with Angharad, both labelling some linaments they'd brewed, the letter had arrived from Dumbledore with the magical Phoenix feather, just like that one a month ago that had brought him the good news of his nephew's innocence. Now it brought the news of his nephew's death.

Alphard's hands shook as he read the letter. He dropped it on his writing table and covered his face with his hands as terrible guilt and grief broke over him.

"What? What is it?" Angharad asked. Alphard gave her the letter and turned away from her, feeling pain welling inside him.

"Oh, Alf," she said quietly, and went to put her hand on his arm, but he reflexively moved away, his hand raised as if to fend her off as he tried to bend his mind around what he had just read. He couldn't. How could it all have changed again so quickly? A huge pulse of sadness pushed out his chest. It hurt. If he embraced Angharad, the hurt would possess him.

He needed to escape. Escape from the pain. He transformed into the dog and bounded from his tent. He heard Angharad call after him, and then Idris's call, the tone of their voices alarmed to see him run so fast.

He had to run as he threaded his way through the many tents, knocking people over, turning over small cauldrons on small fires as people shouted and raised their fists after him. He had to run or he would explode with hurt; with this pain that had swollen in his heart so suddenly. When he was the dog, he didn't feel pain so keenly. He had learnt this throughout his life.

He ran through the protective enchantments, his legs pumping along the soft ground, pushing his canine body as hard as it would go, the adrenaline washing over the grief, flooding his system anew with hormones designed for performance rather than emotion. The legs flexed and contracted, carrying him, his paws hitting the ground with a sureness his human feet could never manage as the smell of the air guided his direction, running to find where the air became cold, like crystal shards in his nose, down his throat and into his lungs, as he felt the shale under his paws as he pumped his way up steep slopes, running on and on.

He had gained the summit of a mountain. He didn't know the name of it, but he could feel its magic and, panting and whimpering, he sniffed around the mountain top stone, padded around it in a circle. He recalled chasing the black dog up the stairs at Grimmauld Place – his own pup. His boy, Sirius. Then the black dog chasing him down. He whimpered pitifully at the memory.

Cut down by his own cousin; by Alphard's own niece! Oh, his evil, foul family still serving Riddle! Ripping everything he loved from him! Dumbledore said Sirius died bravely in battle. Alphard would have craved a coward for a nephew but for Dumbledore said he had saved the life of his godson. How could Alphard howl at the gods for that? But he felt he could!

He stood on the stone, and howled and howled, almost the bay of the wolf, but deeper and more resonant as he felt his grief rip from his belly, through his chest and out into the hollow and lonely note of his animalistic howl.

He sat on the stone, his eyes darting to and fro and then curled up on it, with his muzzle on his paws, letting himself steep in the magic of the stone and felt himself fall away into an exhausted, fitful sleep after his long run.

The next he knew, he heard the crack of Apparition. The giant white dog looked up to see Idris who stood over him with the sun high behind him. Idris crouched on his haunches next to him.

"Will ye change back, Alf, and talk to me?" he said kindly.

The dog whimpered and replaced his snout on his forepaws. He couldn't. He just couldn't. Not yet.

"No?" Idris sat down, and straightened his legs out and leant against part of the stone, patting his lap. The dog placed his fore paws and head on Idris's lap and Idris scratched the dog's scruff and then stroked him. "I know." He stroked the thick white coat for a while as occasionally the dog whimpered.

"Down there," Idris indicated with his head, "is a farmhouse. You went there looking for me once." The dog lifted his head and looked down the mountainside. "That's right. My father's house. This is Cadr Idris. I was named for this mountain. Oh, the house's naught but a ruin now ... well, I think it is. After my father died, the house was bought by a wizard. It didn't pass to me. I was denounced and my father filed my death with the Ministry."

The dog whined loudly. "Yes, he did. My Da did that," Idris nodded, and then collected himself and stroked the giant dog again. "The outbuildings disappeared over the years – people stole the stone and slate for themselves. I think ... I think there's an enchantment on the farmhouse though. I feel it, but I don't know who lives there." He fell silent for a while, scratching the dog and looking fondly at it.

"My mam died in childbirth with me. I told you that?" A small whimper of acknowledgement. Idris smiled at the sadness in the dog's eyes. "My father was my family and I was all my father had. No brothers or sisters." A muscle in Idris's jaw twitched and his voice was sour. "He still put me out though and then drowned himself in drink. It still hurts. To this day." He looked down at the dog who looked up at him adoringly from his lap.

"I don't have the words, Alf, to tell you how scared I was. One day, I'll try to tell you what happened. But I will tell you that the Snowdon pack took me in. Eventually, I realised I had a new family. For a long time, I just felt bitterness and deep terror. I knew sorrow, aye. Then I had the pack. People to care for me. Then a mate. Then cubs. With family, came such joy, and," Idris sighed, "more sorrow as well. But then I had family to help me bear it." He took the giant dog's head between his two hands gently. "Will you let us help you bear your sorrow?"

The dog transformed into the man, and moved his head to lie on Idris's chest and wrapped his arms around his waist, afraid to let go. Idris stroked his long hair and Alphard listened to Idris's heartbeat.

They stayed in this embrace for a long time, Idris remembering his time of terror and the inconsolable loss of his father's violent rejection of him. Alphard was in the now: he held on to Idris in a way he had not clung to another human being since ... since that Christmas in Idris's lodgings on Fye Foot Lane, all those years ago. He would never let him go again. Never.

Alphard sat up and gently stroked Idris's face with his thumbs.

"Come," Idris said gruffly, and stood. "Let's walk down. It's worth the walk."

Alphard nodded, and walked alongside Idris as he confidently strode down the precarious path, pointing out landmarks to Alphard, seemingly understanding Alphard's reluctance to speak in case his voice betrayed his emotions. Alphard knew Idris understood. The occasional looks told Alphard so, as those dark eyes looked comfortingly at him. They reached the foot of the mountain and the lake stretched out before them and Idris stopped and took in the calm and beauty of the lake.

"Will ye swim with me, Alf? D'ye remember swimming in the Black Lake with me, teasing the Squid?" Idris said, his face breaking into an enormous grin.

Alphard laughed softly. Of course, he remembered. It was one of the maddest things Idris had ever done. Alphard had been terrified and called out to Idris to get back in from the lake over and over. He thought the Squid would kill him. But no! The Squid thought the youth was funny and played tag with him.

"Get in, and stop being such a pair of girl's bloomers!" Idris had shouted. That was a challenge, that was! Alphard had immediately stripped to his long johns and jumped in after him. Let's see how he liked two playing tag with him!

"I'll swim with you, girl's bloomers," Alphard said, his voice still hoarse, but his small smile genuine as he disrobed completely and waded out into the lake and began to swim.

"Ha!" Idris barked, the recollection sudden, and he stripped too and followed.

They swam out the long distance into the middle of the lake and around it, the water seeming to soothe Alf the longer he swam. He was a good swimmer, but he forgot that Idris swam like a fish. He floated on his back as he looked at the cerulean sky and the magnificent scenery around him of greys and purples of the moutain, and the greens of the forest. This was where his Idris would've swum as a child; where he learnt to swim like a fish. It warmed him to think of it as he lazily back-stroked, taking it all in. Idris swum up to him and took him into his arms and kissed him. Lightly at first, then deeply when Alphard responded, deeply and lovingly to the spontaneous gesture. They broke apart, gazing at each other and Idris began to swim a lazy front crawl to shore. Alphard followed in his wake.

Idris was first to the shore and laid himself out in the sun, careless of his nudity. Alphard followed and fell onto his knees next to him smoothing his long wet hair back from his face and he looked at Idris fully for only the second time in their lives. His was a different body now. Like his own, no longer young, and criss-crossed with white scars of breaks and tears. His chest was hairy. Alphard liked it. Then he saw the bite on Idris's shoulder. It made him whimper – still puckered and purple - cursed. He stretched out his hand to it, but then pulled back and looked at Idris for permission.

"Go on," Idris murmured deeply, he himself taking in Alphard's older form and skin, still as slim as he had always been, but his shoulders broad now. He reached for Alphard's waist as Alphard's soft fingers ghosted across the Turning bite. Idris shut his eyes.

"It doesn't hurt still, does it?" Alphard said, his eyes worried.

"Not a bit of it," Idris said softly, opening his eyes to look upon Alphard, feeling so much emotion rising to the surface from somewhere he had interred it decades ago. He pulled Alphard to him and kissed him once more, his strong arms wrapping around him.

"Will you lie with me, Alf? Here and now?"

"Angharad ...?" Alphard whispered.

"She knows my intention. Lie with me." Idris said, his voice becoming deeper and rougher, his hand pressing to Alphard's flesh, then moving to hold the back of Alphard's head.

Alphard straddled Idris's hips, bending his head in, kissing Idris greedily in assent, no heed to be given now to anyone other than themselves. Alphard abandoned his reserve and kissed Idris hard and they fell about each other's necks and shoulders, kissing and biting.

Alphard's body was innervated, every nerve ending now alight. He didn't know his body was still capable of such invigoration at his age. A low groan escaped from him as Idris tightened his arms around him and turned them both over so Alphard was now on his back underneath him. He gasped, and took in the lust in Idris's face, how his dark eyes were now black and his desire was writ deeply in his expression. Of course, it would be like this. Idris was a werewolf; how else would it be? Alphard himself had never been taken, he had only taken men before, but he realised now – this was right. This was exactly how it would have been even if Idris hadn't been taken away from him. He had always let Idris have control of him. Desired it to be that way. The realisation took his breath away.

"My love," Alphard said softly, as Idris stroked his hands across Alphard's body and pressed his hips into him.

It was then that Alphard felt Idris smooth one of his hands around Alphard's hip and under his cock, finding his opening and entering with his fingers first.

Alphard had been sure it would hurt, but after all these years, his body and mind were aflame with desire. He needed very little to prepare him and as soon as he felt Idris exploring him, he groaned deeply and his head stretched back as he groaned louder still.

Idris. It was Idris. The wonder of it intensified every feeling, and when the fingers found that bundle of nerves, he cried out, and then mouthed silent pleas for Idris to fulfil their Pledge.

He felt the tip of Idris's erection replace the fingers, and wanted to beg, but his voice was gone, his throat too obstructed. Idris pushed in, and as he did so, Alphard growled with a deep satisfaction as he was filled up and he arched to the feel of it and more – to the feel of his magic flaring brightly in a surge such as he hadn't felt since his wand had chosen him in Ollivander's all those years ago, but now greater and more brilliant.

Idris enveloped his mouth hungrily as he rolled into Alphard, his eyes almost watering with the tight, hot, rough sensation, so different from a woman. Alphard was almost too tight, but it was Alphard; his eyes watered for another reason than sheer physical bliss. He felt the Pledge shine in his magic intensifying the feeling, immersing his body in this thickest most undeniable desire that he had never expected to feel ever again. But here he was, with his own Alphard, and he thought his body might fracture his joy was so intense as he gasped, "Oh Alf, my Alf," over and over with each thrust, his hand wrapping around Alphard's own erection to stroke him in time. He called Alphard's name deeper and louder as he felt his own orgasm build.

No, he wanted to stop, to savour this moment that once he had dreamed of and then had thought would never happen. He slowed as he gazed at the face he loved below him, at first confused and then seeming to understand as they gently moved against each other, kissing, to try to prolong this first time between them.

They were no longer young men, fit to have robust sex from dawn to dusk. What they had, they wanted to keep and savour. Their breathing had calmed as they kissed and moved gently as Alphard held Idris's backside in his hands, kneading it as he said his name like a prayer. They kept their passion at bay as long as they could until Alphard could bear the pulsing heat in his groin no more.

"Please, Idris," he murmured, as he moved against him more powerfully, making Idris growl. "Please, I need you!" Alphard kissed him. "I have always needed you. Don't deny me any longer!"

Idris felt as if he was losing his mind to hear those words and feel the tightness engulfing him. He felt his resolve melt, and he let his body take the man under him in matching hard thrusts as Alphard cried out, grasping him and bucking against him.

Idris wanted to bite him, mark him, Claim him as his very own. Only his, from this day on. But it was his duty to wait. His hips snapped as his hand tightened as his own orgasm tore from him with a deep growl as he felt and heard Alphard come hard beneath him, watching his neck stretch out as his back arched once more, Idris's name still on his lips.

Idris gathered Alphard to him as he pulled them both onto their sides facing each other. Alphard buried his head into the crook of Idris's shoulder – just as he always had done.

Idris's heart fluttered as he held Alphard in his arms – his to protect and keep once more.

IL~AB~IL~AB~IL~AB

Idris Apparated them back to the encampment, then led Alphard back to his tent. Idris left to find Alphard some food. He hadn't realised just how long he had been away before Idris had come to find him. Alphard saw that Angharad had finished the labelling. Alphard went to sit to read Dumbledore's letter again, but found he was too sore, so he got up again. He heard soft laughter and turned to find Angharad standing at the tent opening with a bowl, smiling at him. He flushed quite deeply.

"Here's some stew, Alf," she said brightly and placed the bowl and a spoon on the writing desk. Then she placed her hands on his shoulders and reached up on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

"A little about face, before the ritual, but ... I think you need to know how you are loved," she said.

"Are you ... I hope you're not cross with me ... with us," Alphard said, although he could see no trace of it.

"No, not at all. And perhaps your first time with him was better away from the pack, yes?"

Alphard smiled sheepishly and then forced himself to sit to eat his food as Angharad brought him a beaker of mead and pulled up a chair and sat with him, talking about the linaments as if the letter had not come and he had not run off to the mountain at all.

IL~AB~IL~AB~IL~AB

It was a beautiful summer's night. The packs had all gathered around their own bluebell lights out in the warm air. Somewhere, Alphard heard the Whitby Werewolves strumming the one acoustic guitar they had, as they sang Lycan You Love Me? to their confused audience.

Idris snorted with laughter as he heard some of the lyrics drifting on the warm air towards them as the pack began to pack away for the night.

Lycan you love me?

Lycan we share

The greatest loving,

Knowing I am a were?

"It's not Donne or Keats, is it?" Alphard chuckled. "Although perhaps it does, albeit clumsily, try to convey a truth." He glanced at Idris, whose dark eyes seemed to bore into him, heating his insides beautifully, as Angharad laughed as she went over to him, placing a gentle hand on his forearm.

"I know you have doubts about sleeping with us in the roundhouse, but ... well, it isn't right for you to be alone tonight, Alf," Angharad said softly. "Come sleep with us. Think about it."

"Will I be marked?" Alphard asked her, feeling the stirrings of trepidation to be so marked in front of the pack.

"Aye, just marked," she reassured him quietly. "Before the pack. But the next time you lie with Idris, his Claim will be completed."

Alphard searched her soft brown eyes. He still felt raw inside from the news about Sirius, but he also felt stronger since he had lain with Idris. He wanted this family.

"I will come."

IL~AB~IL~AB~IL~AB

He followed Idris and Angharad into the roundhouse. It needed no announcement. His presence in the roundhouse at night alone was something that hadn't been seen before and within a couple of minutes the pack knew what was to happen and he heard whisperings and mutterings all around as Idris gave the order to douse the lights.

Idris and Angharad knelt on the bedding and Alphard laid down his own next to theirs and removed his shirt, as they had told him. He knelt in between Idris and Angharad, facing her, so she would accept him to their bed.

Angharad held his hands in hers, and he looked into her kind brown eyes, as Idris smoothed Alphard's hair away from his shoulders and neck as he pulled Alphard close to his body. Alphard could feel Idris's chest and stomach pressing against his back. It ignited him, and yet he held the hands of this woman. His mind began to reel with it, until he heard a deep, deep rumble; a hum in the back of Idris's throat that seems to resonate through his body, thrilling him, but calming his mind. He felt Idris's hot breath on his neck and then his nose ghosting along this neck and shoulder. He gasped at the feel, and yet could not take his eyes from the woman who held his hands. She was smiling at him. A small, encouraging smile. Lips on his neck now. Teeth.

They only nipped him, but his body was innervated once more and the memory of their first coupling that afternoon replayed in every detail in his mind as he felt himself unfocus. Idris tightened his arms around him, splaying his fingers wide to press Alphard's skin on his chest and stomach as Idris found the trapezius muscle between Alphard's neck and shoulder, and then drew it in between his teeth and bit down slowly. The pain stung, then sharpened and Alphard gargled a noise of pain, yet Angharad stroked his hands with her thumbs. Idris bit more deeply still and pain started to spread out in tendrils through Alphard's body, as it started to tremble between pain and pleasure. Idris nearly bit through the muscle, and Alphard's eyes had started to well with tears, then he felt Idris draw blood into his mouth and probe the wound deeply with his tongue.

Alphard remembered reading of this. Idris was delivering his own magical saliva into the wound: healing it and suffusing it with his lupine Claim. The tendrils of pain dissipated and were replaced by tendrils of pleasure that brightened as Alphard's head lolled to the side and Idris nursed the bite in a way that reassured him and calmed him. Alphard's head rolled forward, his body now at peace within Idris's arms.

Angharad leant forward, clutching his hands to her chest and then stroked his hair away from his face.

"My brother," she said and kissed each cheek and he kissed her forehead, as Idris slowly released him from his arms and Angharad helped him to lie down. Unaware of how the pack may have reacted to his marking, he felt himself drift into a placid stupor, undoubtedly induced by the bite as potent as any narcotic, his mind wandered, hardly focusing on the noises around him although aware of the sexually charged atmosphere around him and that even next to him, Idris was in the midst of taking Angharad. He was aware, but only peripherally.

Suddenly, unbidden, he thought of his two small boys with the toy broomsticks that he had brought them for Christmas. His heart clenched. He recalled his foul sister shrieking at him from the drawing room, and his ignoring her as he encouraged the boys to race their little brooms up the stairs as he walked protectively behind their little brooms just a foot off the stair treads, his wand at the ready for the scrapes and bumps that would surely follow.

He recalled being summoned from Spain for a family conference when Sirius had been Sorted into Gryffindor, as if the assembled Blacks could somehow force a supernatural change on the school's Sorting procedures. Clearly, the nine Howlers Walburga had sent to Dumbledore had not done the trick.

He remembered teaching Sirius the Animagus incantations in the library and how he worked so hard to try to master them. He was only 12 when he first asked Alphard to teach him, professing a great and glorious Gryffindor cause and demanded he learn. It was far too young, but he worked so hard at all the different stages. He remembered Sirius's first partial transformation when he was 14 and his feet had changed to paws, and he scrambled around on them as if on ice skates for the first time.

Then his first full transformation into the huge black hound, and how he was so shocked he transformed back again in fright at the feel of four legs and a tail. "A tail! I forgot I'd have a tail!" Sirius had squawked in amalgam of humour and horror at feeling a whole new appendage. Alphard had laughed so hard at Sirius's face.

Then, such a precious memory, Sirius telling Alphard that Regulus had turned away from Riddle. He didn't know all the details, but he told him what he knew from a spy for the Order. Ah, so bittersweet. Little Reg finally had learnt the error of Walburga's ways, but paid the dearest of prices. Not only was his own heart lifted, but he saw Sirius's was too.

As he lay, staring at the ceiling of the roundhouse, a few silent tears seeping down the sides of his face into his hair, he noticed very little until a soft, rounded arm slid under his shoulders and gave a gentle tug so he turned and curled completely into the warmth of Angharad's soft, warm body as Angharad's other arm completed the embrace. As she soothed him, he felt Idris's hand stroke his hair from around her shoulder.

"Dear Alf," Idris whispered in his subterranean rumble. "We are your family now. You are pack."

Alphard nodded, enveloped in warmth, and fell asleep in Idris and Angharad's loving embrace.

IL~AB~IL~AB~IL~AB

The new day dawned brightly for Alphard. He awoke refreshed with his mates either side of him, their arms protectively across him. He thought it would be awkward, but he felt cherished in a way he didn't think he had before. He tidied his bedding, but didn't remove it. Idris smiled broadly at him.

His heart still hurt for Sirius, but he felt fortified to deal with it now.

After they had breakfasted, Alphard slung his Healer's bag over his should and set out to see one of the visiting werewolves who had had a Blister Hex cast on him during the night. As he approached the perimeter to enter the tented area of the visiting werewolves, he felt a sharp object strike him across the face as somebody called out:

"Fuck off, you nancy boy. We don't want your type here! You're no type of man!" followed by assorted growls of agreement and jeers.

He turned speedily, with his wand at the ready, to find three werewolves leering at him.

"Accio stone." The stone flew to Alphard's other hand. He slowly scanned the werewolves in front of him, knowing in his heart his marking had caused this small demonstration. He recognised the werewolves. Jake. Uriah. Jude. He had treated each of their small post-transformation injuries not three days ago. Well, well, he thought with disgust, feeling his anger rising. He was going to put paid to this right now.

He held out the stone and silently cast a revealing charm on it and pointed it at each of the men in front of him. The sharpened flint glowed brightly when it faced Jake.

"Yes, Jake, I am a man. Do not forget also that I am a wizard!" he hissed through gritted teeth at the werewolf, whose leer slid from his face.

Alphard stood back and slashed his wand. The sound of a whip cracked the air and dirt flew up at Jake's feet. He stumbled back, his face comical in shock. Alphard took one step further forward and cracked his wand again and again. As the werewolf stumbled back further, he fell down, his arm held crooked defensively in front of him. His friends moved back with him, suddenly unsure of themselves with this confident wizard.

"You can call me names, if it makes you feel like better men. It will not make you better men, but you can kid yourselves if you like." Alphard said, his voice deadly. He slashed his wand, and the whip cracked at the Uriah and Jude too, who backed further away quickly.

"You! You, big man on your arse! Duel me. If you are such a man, and I am not, let's see in the proper way of men! Duel me now!" Alphard said, his grey eyes like a storm, his temper provoked. The temper he shared with all members of the family of Black.

The man on the ground stuttered. "You are our leader's mate. He will kill us."

"Me first, I think," Alphard hissed.

"But you don't understand …" the man gibbered.

"No, I understand well enough. You thought you could throw stones at me and because you think I'm – what was it? – a nancy boy, you think I won't defend myself? What kind of man does that make you? Would you throw stones at Angharad? At a child?"

"No!" the downed man shouted, looking horrified. "But it's not right. What you do with him. He was fine before you came. He was a proper man until you came. A proper leader."

This time, Alphard snarled as the Whipping Hex connected with Jake's hand, and his aggressor whimpered as he held his lacerated hand, oblivious to the growing crowd amassing around them.

"Come on, if you are such a proper man! I have not hurt your wand hand. I demand you duel me!"

The man stood and held out his wand shakily. "No werewolf duels an Alpha's mate," he cried, almost pleading. "And no mate duels! It's not how we do things. Idris will kill me."

"I don't intend to leave anything for Idris to kill. You forget, I am a wizard. I will not be told I may not duel when you strike at me, when you strike at my mate! Whether you like it or not, boy, I am a man!" His wand snapped into a twist, and Disarmed the man on the instant, so his wand flew to Alphard's hand as a second flick cut Jake's face to the exact dimensions of Alphard's injury from the flint.

Jake stood whimpering as Alphard glared at him, but aware of his cronies, in case they tried to jump him. Yes, he had the temper of the Blacks, but he'd learnt to control it tightly.

"Bested by a nancy boy?" Alphard asked softly as he became aware of the werewolves that had gathered now and stood down from his stance. The crowd began to murmur until he heard them suddenly silence and he saw them part for Idris.

Idris stood between the two, looking from one to the other, looking at their identical injuries, and the wands in Alphard's hands. Alphard threw Jake's wand back to him, and looked at the sharpened flint. Idris held out his hand for it and Alphard passed it over. Idris turned it over in his hand and spied the blood on it.

"Explain."

Alphard looked at Jake who said nothing, but looked at his feet, as his face became an ugly shade of puce.

Alphard turned to Idris. "There is nothing to explain. I serve you, and love you, and there are those who hate this. You are my liege lord, life and limb, but I am not a woman, and I am not less than a woman. I am a man and will duel any who say otherwise."

The crowd murmured in shock. The words were sedition. An Alpha duelled for his mate; that was lore.

Alphard saw Idris's dark eyes glitter and the quirk of the mouth. But then he saw the mouth set as he turned to Jake.

"You know this wizard is my mate, Jake. Why have you done this?"

"It is not right," Jake whispered nastily. "A man should not serve another man, like a wench. You should not allow it, let alone … fuck it yourself."

Audible gasps went up and a murmur spread like a wave that rushed around the assembled werewolves.

Idris's eyes deadened and became as black as coal.

"STAND UP!" he bellowed.

The challenge was issued. Jake must fight for the dishonour caused or leave the pack.

"And anyone else who thinks it … stand up and get in line! We finish this now - one way or another!" Idris declared. He took off his shabby robe and handed his wand to Alphard, who was going to remonstrate but saw the interdiction in his mate's eyes. This was werewolf lore – it was a challenge to the Alpha - and he must not interfere.

Idris rolled up his sleeves, baring his muscular forearms, ready to fight – all comers. He rolled his neck, rolled his large shoulders, stretched out his arms, flexing his muscles, spreading out his fingers then clenching into fists. If his warm up was intended to scare Jake, who was as unimposing as Idris was clearly Alpha, it worked and he yelped and ran, his friends close behind him.

"Anyone else?" Idris growled. No-one answered, no-one even muttered. "Get along then!" Idris dismissed them, and the crowd dispersed.

"Come," he said softly to Alphard and led him through the tents, back to his own.

Once inside, he took his robe and wand from Alphard's grasp and then took Alphard in his arms roughly, and kissed him.

"It is my place to protect you. It is what the Alpha does," Idris said. "Will you not allow me to, stubborn wizard?"

"All my life I have protected myself. Finally, I am your mate, and I am more happy than I can ever say. But even though you take me, I am still a man. I can defend myself. Don't unman me, Idris."

"You are a man to me, Alf. But my instincts to keep you safe speak to the creature in me. I can't control it," Idris said, roughly.

"I understand," Alphard said quietly, as Idris brought Alphard closer to him, pressing him close, holding him there, possessively. His very own after all these years.

They would have many such challenges to come to in the coming months. Alphard understood. He was prepared to accept it all – for this.

Next chapter: The first full moon with the pack.
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