Loki walked over to the security panel again and punched in a number that only a few people knew.  He had not wanted to use it unless this went well, and obviously, it had.  Somewhere in the security office, a rarely used signal was flashing, and Loki knew that in time, someone with a high enough clearance would take his call.

 

Ishak sat at a table near the railing on the second floor across the dance floor from where Iskender had stationed his small army of men and waited.  He had counted the number going in and the number coming out, and noted that Iskender had kept a sacrifice.  Ishak hoped it would not be needed, but blood was blood, and he would prefer if it were not Iskender’s that was spilled. So far, plans had gone well, but Iskender was young yet.  He felt the explosion of Jolen’s power soon after the door had closed and he cringed.  It was too soon, too fast.  What had Iskender done to take him that high that fast? 

He looked out over the dance floor and saw them feeding off the rawness of the power.  It was rather early in the evening for most people, but this was when the younger kids came in, the ones who came from old families who knew what they were to become and embraced it.   It was also when those who were on the verge of awakening came in and tried to bring out the wolf within. 

Power called to power and Ishak wondered at Iskender’s choice of location as those on the verge of awakening felt their skin itch and tingle for the first time as they became aware.  A second burst of power flooded through the club.  Ishak watched the men guarding the door where Iskender hid his charge, none changed although several looked surprised.  One laid his hand on the door only to be rebuked by another.  Then the power receded.  At no time was it out of control, Ishak smiled and wondered if the sacrifice still lived.

The dance floor however was complete chaos.  Just changed wolves were being corralled by security and anyone who could help.  Ishak laughed and now he understood why Iskender chose this place.  Jolen would be one of many waking later.  Only a few would know he was the first, and the catalyst to this mayhem.  Once again, he had underestimated his lambkin.

 

George sat at his desk reading the daily dispatches.  The primary entrance was locked against Nona entering, however the secondary entrance was unlocked, as he was expecting visitors.  There was an envelope marked the same as the other had been, only this time, someone had taken the effort to save the traces by sealing it in a baggie.  He smiled.  Depending on how many hands had touched it before it got to his man, he might have a clue.  He opened the baggie, took a deep whiff, and began coughing immediately.  His eyes watered to the point he could barely see. The letter had been doused in some kind of irritant.  He threw the dispatches in his top drawer and closed it, then exited his office pulling the door shut behind him to head for the kitchen and a glass of water.

Nona was cooking when he entered. “What happened to you?”

“Dust,” he choked out while filling a glass.  While he tried to drink the water, he dampened a hand towel to wipe his eyes.

“Looks more like an allergic reaction.  I wasn’t aware you were allergic to anything.”

“I’m not.  It was a book on the top, they are not dusted very often, and this one less often than the rest I am guessing.  I got a face full.”

She cocked her head to one side, “Then why isn’t there any on your shirt?”

He looked at her sharply, “Face full, not shirt full, Nona, do you have cotton in your ears?” he practically yelled at her as he stomped out of the kitchen and back to his office.

 

Nona watched George retreat.  It was all starting to make sense now.  Especially with that last little trick the group had pulled.  George knew who the Ulfric was, and she was betting on she knew who his son was.    Once she was certain that George had retreated completely, she picked up the phone and passed on what she thought she knew.  The party on the other end promised the young man would be under their control soon, and if he were the one, then the Ulfric would surely buckle to their latest demand.

 

A messenger stood in his office when George entered. “What is it now?” he snapped at the youngster as he secured the door. “A message from Iskender, Sir.”

“Well out with it.” George flopped in his chair, still annoyed with Nona.

“It’s done, and he’s beautiful.”

George looked at him, “Say it again.”

The messenger looked at him oddly, “It’s done, and he’s beautiful.”

George laughed.  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

“Is there a return message sir?”

George stared off thoughtfully for a few moments, what to tell his son on the most important day of his life that would not get lost in translation?  “Inform Iskender the hunt is still on.  Accompany the beauty with their lover. And… Tell him I’m proud of him.”

“Yes Sir,” the messenger bobbed his head and exited the office the way he came. 

It did not take long before the tears came.  George was not sure if they were happy tears or sad ones.  He had always hoped to be there with Jolen when he went through this most important phase of his growing up, as most new wolfkin needed someone very dominant to them to keep them in line.  His son must be very submissive for Iskender to have subdued him so easily, even with all his shows of bravado of late.  He sat with his face in his hands, sobbing. George had such high hopes for the boy, such high hopes.  

 

Ishak waited.  The club had settled down hours ago and business was now popping with more than a dozen watchers waiting for their charges to waken from their first slumbers.  Most had the cameras on so they did not have to physically be in the room, however Ishak noticed one room was dark.  The others had noticed it too, and the man sitting nearby the door looking anxiously at it every so often.  Several men had approached him and his answer had been the same, ‘my nephew, wife’s side, did not know he was wolfkin, somewhat surprised him is all, us too, in fact,’ and he would laugh.  He claimed his ‘boys’ were in there with him and he really did not want to know what they were doing to him.  Some people laughed, some looked worriedly at the door.  A few offered him a drink, which he declined. 

Ishak knew the man would not leave his post; Iskender put him there, although he did not know why, except to maybe do what he is doing.  One by one, the doors began to open and young men and women straggled out with their relatives and friends.  Some would go immediately home for private celebrations, others would stay around a awhile for more a more public one before heading home.  He wondered what Iskender had in mind for Jolen; he knew the boy could not go home, not until he learned complete control.

The door to Jolen’s room opened and Iskender stepped out, behind him followed a very shy appearing Jolen, then the sacrifice, who appeared unharmed.  Jolen walked up to the man who had been waiting outside his door and thanked him, hugging him close.  The man hugged him back and kissed Jolen.  Ishak might have missed it if he had not been watching, but Jolen just passed his first test of dominance with out so much as a scratch, growl, or commotion.  The other men who had been on his watch duty all came forward then, one at a time to be greeted by Jolen, who blushed and spoke with each of them individually it appeared before offering them a hug, which each accepted without question.  Then when his duties were over he turned to the young man who had been chosen to die if blood were needed, and together they headed for the first floor.  It was then that Ishak headed over to Iskender.

“You are just going to let him go?” he asked when he was close enough to be heard.

“They will not let any harm come to him this night.”

“How can you be sure?”

“They love him.” Iskender turned to Ishak, “for some of those wolfkin, it was no accident they were here today, for others…” he shrugged.

“You planned this?”

“It was a possibility that had been discussed.  I hadn’t expected it so soon, but things have a way of working out.”

“Do they now?”

Iskender grinned.

“Where will he sleep tonight? Have you thought of that?”

“He begins his quest tonight.  You are to tell both he and Lorna together later exactly what their quest is, then I am to continue doing what I am doing.”

Ishak looked at Iskender, “and me?”

“There were no orders for you past delivering the quest, and those weren’t direct orders.  I just assumed you would be the one do to it as you were the one to always do it.  He knows you, I really think it would be better if it were someone he didn’t know.”

“He knows most of us at least casually.”

“Yes, but you’ve stayed in his house.”

“As your body guard, not his.  I can tell him the threat is over to you and send you on the quest with him, that would solve all the problems at once.”

“Except the threat isn’t over.”

“Which is why you are going with him, and take the sacrifice.”

“The sacrifice?”

“The young man you had in the room…”

“Kryn.”

“Yes, him, take him. He seems to be good muscle, and you may need it.”

“I can do that.” Iskender leaned over the railing to watch them dance. “So when do you want to tell them?”

“Before dawn.”

Iskender laughed, “I think I can manage that curfew.”

 

After a good couple hours of dancing with anyone and everyone Jolen found himself on the dance floor stripped of his shirt, with his pants half undone pressed up against a female he didn’t know with another female pressing up against him from behind.  He felt his other self stir inside, but now that it knew it would be allowed out, it went back easily and Jolen did not succumb to the temptations of young sweet flesh.  He would not eat people.