Kevin Nash stood in the study of the man that raised him. "Vince, I don't need you to find me a mate. I have women falling at my feet... I have no problem finding my own." "You need to marry within your own species, for Christ's sake. The humans don't count." Trying to be funny, he asked, "does a human and a werewolf having sex count as beastiality?" Vince McMahon sighed with impatience. "I'm trying to be serious." Kevin looked down into his glass of brandy. "I know, but it makes you wonder."

"Damn it, Kevin. Can you take this seriously? You and the others are coming of age. You all need to be married by the end of the year." Kevin emptied the glass of it's contents before responding. "I know, Vince. I haven't found a bitch that pleases me." He murmured the latter. "Maybe if you thought of them less as bitches, and more as women..." "If they acted that way, I might." "All I want you to do is meet Linda's neices." "I remember them. A snot-nosed brat, and a girl that kept to herself." "It's been ten years, Kevin. They've changed." "Into a couple snobby rich debutantes, I'm sure," he said as he went to the bar to refill his glass. "Esther is very classy, and refined. She dresses elegantly, she's intelligent, and very strong." "And the other?" Vince sighed. "Jade is the exact opposite of Esther. She spends her nights in bars, the only thing she reads are those music magazines. She's reckless, stubborn, egotistical, and even her parents question her sanity." "Oh, great. Sounds like a couple of winners," he mumbled.

"Will you atleast meet with them?" Kevin leaned on the back of the chair, and stared at Vince. "You have both ends of the totem pole with these two. If you're not happy with either of them, then you're hopeless." Kevin sighed. "Yeah, yeah." He tipped his glass back, and gulped down the brandy. "Just remember, you are the oldest. You have to be married first. You are destined to lead this pack..." "I know. You've told me since I was fifteen. You can save the rest of the speech. I'll give them three days, before I make my decision." He smiled at Vince. "But I'm not promising anything."

**********************

"Aunt Linda sent an invitation for us to spend the weekend with her," Esther said as she walked into the bedroom she shared with Jade. "Yeah. So?" "So!? That beautiful house..." "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." "The fancy meals..." "As long as it isn't burnt, I don't care what I eat." "The parties..." "I can't dance." Esther sighed. "Jade, can't you just spend a little time enjoying our family?" "You mean 'our aunt's money'? You can go. I'm not stopping you. But I'm not going." "You can't turn down an invitation from Aunt Linda. It's rude." "Yeah, but Uncle Vince will thank you for leaving me here. Maybe he'll invite you to stay so I won't poison you with my bad manners and unlady-like actions."

Esther giggled. "I'm sure Uncle Vince has forgotten about the fight between you and Hunter." "If he wouldn't have taken my notebook away, I wouldn't have hit him." Esther sat next to Jade on her bed. "Come on. Come with me. Remember the gardens?" She paused for a moment. "You used to love the gardens." Jade sat up, and closed her composition book. "Yeah, I did. That was when I was eleven. A lot has changed in ten years."

"You're going, and that's final," came a raspy voice from the door. Both Esther and Jade looked up. "Dad, I don't want to go. I don't get along with Uncle Vince." "Jade Piper, as long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say. I don't get along with Vince either, but I visit him for your mother." "I don't fit in with their type of lifestyle." Roddy looked at Esther. "Can you give us a minute, hun?" "Sure, Dad." Once Esther left the room, Roddy sat next to Jade. He took her hand, and smiled at her. "You're too much like me, you know that?" "Yeah, I know." "And, in knowing that, you know that I know there's another reason why you don't want to go."

Jade sighed, then looked up at her father. "You're right. Kevin and Scott, Vince's adopted sons... They both turn twenty-eight this year. They have to mate by the time the year is out. I think this is a set-up." "And my girl isn't ready," Roddy stated more than asked. "It's not that, Dad. What if they find out our secret? Besides, it takes more than a few days to see if you want to mate with someone." "Hunny, not even your sister knows our secret. And, you have no choice on who you will mate with. You'll know from the first kiss if you were meant to be together forever." Roddy kissed Jade's forehead. "Just go out there, have fun, avoid Vince, and see what happens." "Alright, but don't get your hopes up. I don't want to be mated into a snobby family." Roddy laughed as he left the room.

chapter 2

"Keep your ears open, and your noses working, boys," Kevin said. "We have some girls visiting this weekend." "Do we know them?" Sean asked. "Linda's neices." The other four looked at each other questioningly. "It took me a few minutes to remember them, but you should remember Jade, Hunter," he said with a laugh. "Oh, hell," Hunter said. "She broke my nose ten years ago." "It's her and her sister, Esther." "I remember Esther," Scott said. "You would remember the snob," Michael said.

Kevin leaned his head back, and sniffed the air. "I smell perfume." "Linda's," Hunter asked. "No. This is sweeter. Kinda like the lillies." "I hear a car," Sean said. "They're here. I have to greet them. Vince requests it." "I see what's going on, now. It's the whole mating thing," Michael said. "Yeah. This sucks." "I'd wait until you see them before saying that," Scott said as he stared out the window at the tall blonde. "She's still beautiful." "Which one," Kevin asked. "Esther."

Kevin looked over Scott's shoulder, out the window. Just below them, Esther stood, stretching from the long ride. "If that's beautiful, I'd hate to see ugly," Kevin said. The pale, thin as a rail woman looked up at the window they looked out from. She smiled and waved at them. Scott waved back. Behind Esther, Jade was getting out of the car. "Hey, is that Jade," Kevin asked. "Yeah. Looks like it." Hunter walked over to the window, and looked out, then whistled. "She bloomed." Jade could hear what he said. She looked up at the window, and flipped them off. Scott laughed. "Looks like she only changed on the outside."

"Jade! Really..." Esther said. "You heard what they said." "Yeah, they like you." "I know. I'm making sure I'm not judged by my boobs alone."

The guys laughed as they overheard their conversation. Michael walked up behind Kevin. "Well? First impression?" Kevin looked down at the slightly shorter, strawberry-blonde. "I like a challenge." "Does that mean you're going for Jade," Scott asked. "That means I don't know which to turn down first." "Oh, come on, man. Are you really going to let Scott lead the pack just because you would rather be with a human," Michael asked. "What's wrong with me leading?" "You can't lead yourself to the bathroom most nights," Sean said."Look, don't jump to conclusions. I swore I'd give them a chance, and I will. I just have this feeling that this will be the longest three days of my life."

**************************

"How do I look," Esther asked Jade. "Like you're in heat. And you smell like a French whore." "Well, thank you for being honest," Esther said sarcastically. "You're welcome." Jade grabbed her duffel bag from the driver. "Jade, you're supposed to let him carry them in." "Why? My arms aren't broken. Even if they were, he'd have his hands full with your bags alone. We're only here for three days, and you packed enough for a month." "A girl should be prepared for any occassion that may arise." "Yeah, but you have too much. They're family. If they can't deal with us the way we are, then we don't need them."

They both turned to the front door when it opened. In the doorway stood a seven foot tall man with short blonde hair, huge muscles, and beautiful hazel eyes. Jade's jaw dropped to the ground. She recovered quickly with a mental shake. "Esther. Jade. Good to see you again. It's been years," Kevin said. Jade walked up the stairs to meet him. "Kevin? Is that you?" "In the flesh." "You've gotten so big. I don't think you were even six feet tall last time I saw you." "You haven't changed much. Here, let me take your bag." "That's ok. I've got it. It's so good to see you," she said as she gave him a hug.

"Where's my hug?" she heard from behind him. She looked behind Kevin, and saw Hunter. "Go to hell." He laughed. "Still a battle ax, I see." "Still need your throat ripped out, I see." Kevin stepped from between the two, just in case they wanted to fight again. Hunter stepped up in front of Jade. "How have you been, Hunter," she asked as she hugged him. "Fine. And you?" "Not bad." "You grew up nicely," he said as he looked her over. "Same to you. You must have , like, no body fat." "Vince wants us to stay in shape. Come in. The other guys are upstairs." Hunter looked over her shoulder to see Scott greeting Esther. "Well, Sean and Michael are upstairs." "I just want to drop my bag, and walk the grounds." "With your notebook, no doubt." "How did you know I still keep one?" "It's sticking out of your bag."

"You should speak to Kevin and Vince first. I beleive they have something planned." "Just as I thought. It's about him being mated." "You got it." "All the more reason to run." "You're set up for the guest room next to my room. Run fast, because I smell Vince drawing near." "Thanks, Hunter." She stood on her toes, and kissed his cheek. "You're a lot sweeter now." She ran up the stairs.

After greeting Esther, Kevin turned toward the door to see Hunter standing alone. He walked back up the steps, then asked, "where's Jade?" "She took her things upstairs." "Did she mention coming back down soon? I want to get this over with." "Any minute," Hunter said with a smile. "Why don't you start with Esther?" "Because Scott has stolen her for the day."

Jade heard them talking at the bottom of the stairs, and decided to take the back stairs out. With her notebook and c.d. walkman in hand, she ran out of the large house, to the gardens, where she could lay in the grass, and write in peace."

chapter 3

Half an hour later, Kevin finally asked Hunter, "where did Jade really go? She's not in her room, and she hasn't come down stairs." "Oh, she has. She wanted to avoid Vince, and walk the grounds." He sighed and took a step closer. "If she's anything like she used to be, you'll find her in the middle of the labrynth." "You know, I could..." "Yeah, but you won't. Go find her."

With a growl that reverberated through the house, Kevin changed into his wolf form. He trotted out of the house, down the front steps, then broke into a full run toward the labrynth made from bushes. As he reached the opening, he caught her scent. He followed it until he found her layng on her stomach in the very center, looking down at her book. "What do you want, Kevin?" She had caught his scent, or heard him. Or both.

He slowly, cautiously walked up to her, then sat on the other side of the notebook from her. She looked up at him. "If this is about why I'm here, I'm not ready to mate." Kevin cocked his head, as if confused. She put her pen down, and closed the notebook. "Can you atleast take the 'human' form, and talk to me? If not, leave me be."

'OK, she asked for it,' he thought to himself. He laid down, rolled onto his back, then looked at her. "I'm not scratching your stomach." With a wimper and groan, he slowly changed. "Oh, hell..." Jade said when he finished. She covered her eyes, and turned to the ground. "You wanted me to change back. You should know that the clothes don't go with the change." She looked up at him again. "You're right. I should have remembered." She looked him over--from head to waist to toe-- and she was impressed. But she wasn't about to let him know she was. "Is this what you do to impress prospective mates? Go naked in front of them?" "Actually, I'm not looking for one. Vince is looking for one for me." "Hunter already told me that's the reason why we're here."

Kevin put his hands behind his head. "Well, to make everyone happy, we can atleast give it a shot. What could it hurt?" He closed his eyes, and turned toward the sun. She couldn't help looking him over again. Not quite as tightly packed as Hunter, but still nicely built. His laughter interrupted her thoughts. "If your heart rate is any indication, I'd say I turn you on," he said. "Maybe," she whispered. "Alright, we can get this over with. I'll put my notebook up, and meet you back out here. Should I bring you some clothes, or make the change?" "The change, if you don't mind." "Not at all. I love to run around naked." "OK. I'll be waiting right here for you."

She got up, and went toward the house. She turned to look at him, before she rounded the first corner. He was laying in the same position as she had left him. She went up to her room, and put her book in her bag. Then, she walked into Hunter's room, where he was talking to Sean and Michael. "Guys! There's a human running around naked in the labrynth!" "Where's Kevin? He was supposed to be looking for you." "I don't know. He never found me. Please, go find this guy before Aunt Linda sees him."

The guys left the room. Before long, she saw them outside, running across the lawn toward the garden. They stopped running, and started laughing when they found Kevin lying naked in the grass. When he saw them, a growl tore through the late morning's beauty. "A little more modest now, aren't you, Kevin?" she said to herself. He growled again, this time louder and more ferocious than before. Then, she saw Kevin, in wolf form, running toward the house. "Oh, shit!" She left the room, and ran down the back stairs. She was stopped at the bottom when Kevin stopped in front of her. His beautiful golden fur was standing on end, and he snarled, baring his long fangs. He moved toward her, slowly, and she backed up the stairs. Once at the top, she ran for her room. Before she closed the door, Kevin snuck in behind her. He stalked her, until she sat on the bed.

When he knew he had her cornered, he changed back into his human form. "Why the hell did you tell them I was out there?" "Oh, come off it. Atleast it was your brothers, and not the gardener." "I don't care! I don't appreciate being set up by a bitch." She stood up. "A bitch, huh?" "Yeah, a bitch." She went to slap him, but he caught her wrist. She tried with the other hand, with the same result. He leaned down to kiss her, because he knew it would piss her off. Instead, she kicked him in the family jewels. He fell over on her bed.

"Now, you listen here, asshole. I don't give a damn what your status is in the pack. "You will treat me with respect, and wear clothes around me, unless you are in wolf form." He growled at her. "Do you realize how bad that hurts?!?" "Good. I hope I got my point across." There was a knock on the door. "What," she growled. "Are you OK, Jade," Hunter asked. "Fine!" "And Kevin?" "Go away," he moaned. "I doubt he'll have any pups. Now, go away!" "Yes, ma'am," he said sarcastically.

When Kevin heard Hunter walk off, he sat up, and covered his lap with the blanket. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. It was uncalled for," he said. Jade sighed, then sat beside him. "I'm sorry for kicking you in the nuts." She looked down at her hands in her lap. He tilted her face up with a finger under her chin. He smiled at her. "I've never ben turned on by another werewolf before you. I suppose it's because you are so different from the others I've met." She was caught off gaurd. She sat staring at him, wanting to say something, but too shocked to do so. He leaned over, and softly kissed her. Their entire being met in their lips, as electricity coursed through their veins. They ended the kiss, and stared at each other in shock.

chapter 4

"Did you just feel that," Jade asked him. "Yeah. Like throwing a toaster in the tub with you." "Yeah." After a moment, she said, "you don't think we're..." "Destined to be mated," he finished for her. "I think so. I've kissed several women, but none have been like that." "Same here. I mean with men." "Let's try that again, just to be sure." He kissed her again, this time probing deeper, exploring every dark crevice. Kevin felt the familiar tightening in his lower abdomen, as he slowly laid her back on the bed. His hands went under her shirt as he lowered his attention to her neck. Jade moaned as warmth took over her body. "And to think, we were trying to avoid this."

He got up on his elbows, and looked down at her. For a moment, she thought the spell that came over them was broken. Then he said, "never again will we try. Giving in is so much better." He pulled her shirt off, then continued his assault on her body. "Oh, Kevin..." "Yes, Jade?" "Make love to me." He turned his attention back to her lips, and poured his entire being into a kiss that made her toes curl in her boots. He got up on his knees, and undid her jeans. As he was about to pull them off, he heard two people come to the door, then the doorknob turning. "Shit!" He pulled the covers over them. Before the door was fully open, Jade yelled, "Jesus age Christ! Did you forget how to knock, Esther?!?"

Esther leaned against the door frame, and smiled at her sister. "Your presence is requested downstairs in the study." "By who?" "Vince," Scott answered. "Well, you can tell him I'm busy." "So I see," Esther said. All four of them jumped when they heard Vince say, "Jade, you and Kevin need to get out of bed, and get down here now." "Give us fifteen minutes. We're not exactly dressed for the occassion." "Ten. Hurry." Jade jumped out of bed, and grabbed her shirt from the floor. She looked up at Esther and Scott. "I didn't hear him say anything about you two watching us get dressed." Esther smiled at Jade. "I don't know what you did, but Vince is upset with you." "What else is new? He never has liked me." She pulled the shirt over her head. "Please leave. Kevin's not getting out of bed until you go." Scott laughed as he pulled Esther away. Kevin got out of bed, and wrapped the sheet around his waist. "I... Uh..." "Go get dressed. We can talk later." He leaned down, and kissed her.

As Kevin went to his room, Jade went down to the study. "You wanted to see me, Vince?" "And Kevin. Have a seat while we wait." She sat on the velvet couch, and watched as he filled three glasses with ice and brandy. "What is this about?" she asked him. They both looked at the stairs through the doorway as Kevin came out of his room, and came down them. Vince turned to her, and said, "you and Kevin, of course." Kevin entered the room, and took a seat beside her. He took her hand in his, and waited for Vince to continue.

Vince handed them their glasses of brandy, then took a seat in a high-backed arm chair. "Kevin, as I have told you several times, you must mate with a pure werewolf to become ruler of the pack." "Yes. I know. We both felt it. Jade is my mate." "Not if you want to lead the pack." "What are you talking about, Vince?" Jade tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. She took a sip of the brandy while she looked at Vince. "Evidently, Jade knows what I'm talking about. She's getting nervous." "Go to hell, Vince," she said. "Will someone tell me, then?" Kevin said. "Have you stopped to think how two women from the same parents could be so different?" "Get to the point. What is wrong with me being with her?" "She's not a pure werewolf. She is Roddy's illigitimate child, born to a human woman."

A sound rang out somwhere between a cry and a howl. Jade threw the glass at Vince, as she began the change. Once in her full wolf form, she looked at Kevin, then ran out of the room, and out of the house. Kevin turned to Vince. "You can take your 'leader of the pack' bullshit, and shove it up your ass." Kevinstood, and walked to the doorway. "Don't you go after her!" Kevin turned around, and flipped the older man off, before his hand shrunk, and became a paw.

chapter 5

Kevin caught her scent as he went out the door, and followed it. It lead him deep into the woods, and to the crag above a stream. There, he found her laying with her paws on the edge. He laid down beside her, and watched a tear slide from her eye. He nuzzled her neck with his snout, then licked her cheek, taking the tear away. She rolled onto her side, and laid against him until they were back in human form. "I should have told you," Jade said. "I'll understand if you want to find someone else." He ran his hand down her side, then back up. "Now, why would I want to do that?" "But... You're supposed to..." "Lead the pack," he finished. "I've had that shit crammed down my throat for thirteen years. I never asked for the job, and I have the right to refuse it." "Who will lead if you don't?" "Scott, or Michael, or Sean, or Hunter." She sighed "I can't ask you to give up your status." He smiled. "Too late. I told Vince to shove it up his ass."

Jade shifted onto her back, so she could look at him in the pale moon light. "You did?" "Yeah. For the first time in my life, I think I'm in love." He laughed. "It's the first time seeing each other in ten years, and I swear, I'm in love with you. Even though you pulled a dirty trick on me this afternoon." She looked him in the eyes. "I love you, too, Kevin." He leaned over her, and softly kissed her lips. "Now, about that request you made earlier..." "What?" He gave her his sexy grin. "Oh. That one," she giggled. He laid over her body, and made love to her beneath the stars.

In the morning, when Jade awoke, they were laying in Kevin's bed. She turned her head, and looked at him. He held his head up on his hand, and was watching her sleep. "Good morning," she said with a smile. "Waking up to you, it is." She gave a short laugh. "How did we get here?" "After you fell asleep, I carried you back." "I suppose I owe you a thank you." "Be mine forever, and we'll call it even." "Forever and a day, my love." He leaned over her, and softly kissed her. As he deepened the kiss, everything in the world, besides her, disappeared. All he could hear was her heart. All he could feel was her soft skin. All he could see were her blue eyes. So, when Jade pushed him away, he was taken by surprise. "What's wrong?" "Vince is in the hall."

Kevin let out a growl that scared Jade. He jumped out of bed, and went to the door. He swung the door open, and said, "what?" Before Kevin could stop him, Vince, in wolf form, ran into the room, and jumped on the bed. Kevin turned to go after him, but stopped when Vince's jaws closed around Jade's throat. "Alright. You have my attention, Vince," Kevin said. Vince closed his jaws a little more, and twisted his head enough to let Kevin know what he wanted him to do. Jade closed her eyes as Kevin began the Change. A tear slid from the corner of her eye as Vince jumped off the bed, so Kevin could take his place. As Kevin closed his mouth around her throat, she looked at him, and said, "I love you, Kevin." She closed her eyes again, and waited for him to rip her throat out.