Up the grandiose staircase and down a wide corridor Anubis marched. Along the way, enormous guards were marked by their decorative throat plates and leather armor, and stood at attention as Anubis passed them, leering at her without shame. On their belts were whips, muzzles, cuffs, and plugs of various sizes.

Keeping her head down, Nova hurried after Anubis' long strides. At least the muzzle was loose enough so she could pant.

There was a faint rhythmic jingling that grew louder as they went. Rounding a corner, Nova saw its source. Though she looked down to block the sight, the scent of the subdued female's heat was heavy in her nose. The brute who fucked her was pressing her head against the table, holding her ankle up in the air to spread her wide for him.

Nova wished she could close her ears, the lewd squelching of his knot in that well used hole and those primal moans causing her to feel warm despite knowing no part of that woman was wanting it. The jingling came from a bell attached to her clitoral ring.

"Oh, hey, Anubis. Good to see ya home. Ya want some of this?"

Anubis did not even glance his way as he continued by. "I've been satisfied for the time being."

"Oh, then I'll just plug 'er when I'm done. See ya at dinner. Don't tell no good stories without me!"

They were already near the end of the hall and began to the descend stairs. A guard was marching past them, his ears perked and sniffing the air. He glanced at Nova but hurried by, grinning as he found the source of the sound. "Ah, I'll have 'er when yer done wit' 'er, sir."

Nova stayed as close to Anubis as she was able to when they entered a busier area of the estate. The slaves rushed about along the walls, eyes down, whispering briefly while the _Wogtal_ strolled about the halls, speaking and calling to one another freely. 

They came to a massive room with several bonfires in the middle, benches, beds and tables laden with food all about. The immense trunks of the ancient trees that grew here were expertly carved with all sorts of images of wild hunts and tales of _Wogtal_ history, done so that the trees did not suffer. Off to a side were musicians, banging on drums and hollow logs.

All over there were slaves in heat being raped as perhaps a hundred Dires feasted and chatted. The burly female Dires were just as nonchalant about seeing these women ravaged and were just as quick to dole out punishment.

Anubis was able to find a seat at a table. As she had been instructed, Nova slipped under the table between his feet facing him. Veka had told her that as his breeder, her only job was to pleasure him at the first signs of arousal, and with all the moaning and the heady musk of heat and sex, it was difficult not to be. The jingling of many bells was loud enough to be heard over the rest of the ambient noise.

Before Anubis was able to eat, he was surrounded. It seemed as though they had not expected to see him back so soon and encouraged him to share tales of his battles. He told a few short stories as though he had practiced them, answered questions about his encounters with her people with appropriate scorn, and was witty enough to have his audience in stitches. Even Nova smirked but she heeded Veka's words well; if she was caught laughing, Anubis would be required to discipline her before the others.

Squirming a little closer to him, she kept her tail tucked tightly to avoid the large paws that stepped around her. She had the feeling none of them even knew she was there. There were plenty of other smells to cover her presence in the same way the table did.

Eventually the crowd scattered so he could help himself to the great stacks of meat strewn across the table. Several Dire females came to sit around him, their intentions made apparent immediately. The scent of their heats burned in Nova's nostrils. How could Anubis be so restrained? He had perfectly willing bitches in heat practically begging for pups. Yet, with a silver tongue and well practiced ease, he denied them and promised another time. He did not wish to have to pick which of them he tied for he only had the energy for one tonight.

Rejected, the females walked away, snarling at another male dire who offered his own services. Growling in return, Nova watched his massive paws stomp away to snag a jingling slave who was trying to hurry along the wall. She whimpered in terror as he pressed her down on a bench, spread her legs wide, removed her plug and pounded her ruthlessly.

Anubis let out a deep breath through his nose. Nova could feel the tension in his whole body. Despite his composure, the sounds and smells were having an effect. The tip of his rod peeked from its sheath under the loincloth right before her face. His scent was strong for her, reminding her of every time he had taken her.

Though she didn't want his attentions anymore than any of these slaves wanted what they were getting, she couldn't ignore the fact that not once had he been as malicious as she was witnessing around her. The only reason the slaves were moaning was due to being in heat so even pain was bearable enough to bring them to orgasm. Each time with him had only gotten better as he learned what made her lose herself the most.

There was little else for her to look at but his genitals, and his furry sack hung right there before her nose. Thinking of how easily she could end up as one of these other slaves, she used a hand to support his glorious testicles, nuzzling the base of his sheath.

Startling, Anubis leaned back and looked down at her. One hand fondled him while the other vanished between her thighs. Slowly she dragged her hot tongue up from his balls over the edge of his furry sheath to the smooth, throbbing tip of him, her snout pushing the loincloth out of the way.

Daring to peek up at him under her lashes, for just a heart beat he seemed genuinely surprised. It did not last. His rod pulsed hotly, standing to full attention before her at the same moment his smug smirk made her wetter than she already was. With her fingers so slick, she had no trouble working her own button, breathing heavily through her nose so that she had to smell more of him.

Leaning back further, the tension in his body vanished. He smiled excitedly as he watched her work herself between his legs while she used her tongue and other hand to pleasure him. A shudder went through her entire body. Her hips were moving now, panting as her vision became hazy. Just as she felt release flood through her body, her master's heavy hand landed between her ears and drew her close so that he rubbed her snout against his marvelous meat, the drool of his arousal leaking down the side, leaving its alluring scent in her fur.

Quivering with the afterglow, she felt him tug her leash, drawing her up from where she knelt. Spinning her around, he pressed her over onto the table so that he could line himself up with her much too eager opening. With the tip in, he sat back so that her legs hung over his knees and pulling her close, he spread her wide and helpless for him.

Thankfully, of all the sounds she was not allowed to make, moaning was encouraged. Not that she could stop herself as she sank down his shaft to the hilt. His arms encircled her as he leaned back against the tree trunk behind him. He knew exactly how to touch her to elicit her most erotic sounds, toying with her clit, completely exposed to the hungry gazes that turned to her. She could feel so many eyes upon her, causing her ears to burn as hot as her loins.

Bouncing on his lap, it was not long for her nectar to be dripping down his sack. He was panting beside her ear, holding her tightly to his body. "My perfect pet," he growled loud enough only for her. "They're all looking at you, mutt. But you're _mine_!"

_Yes, Master_. Nova's body shivered with the thought. His thrusts into her were as rhythmic and hypnotic as the drum beats. Her eyes rolled back along with her head which she laid upon his shoulder. Her muffled ecstasy was all he could hear as she melted into him.

A small crowd began to form. Their leers made her feel nervous. She had been watched before but not with such rapacious intensity. She pressed against Anubis, glad that he held her so tightly.

"Where'd ya get this dirt licker from, Anubis?" one of the men asked, panting with his ears perked tall. "I might have to go get one for myself!" The others agreed eagerly.

"Can I use her mouth?" another chimed in, licking his jowls.

Without stopping his efforts to bring her to climax again, Anubis glared at them, baring his teeth. He did not need to growl.

His knot was already beginning to swell. He pushed her down hard, grinding against her opening. Squirming and bucking in return to get his knot into her, she moaned again as she was stretched, the warmth of him pulsing into her.

Nova was relieved that the others quickly scattered to snag slaves of their own to use. Staring up at the dense canopy with its dancing shadows, she didn't want to admit how wonderful she felt to be tied to him. In all the motion she had sank into his luscious fur, feeling it through her own.

Suddenly, a powerful voice rose over the din, a wild song that tickled the instinct of any wolf. The melody was infectious and spread like fire. Only the _Wogtal_ were allowed to raise their voices in howling. Anubis threw back his head and added his own deep howl.  

Nova knew the howl of every male within hearing range from each edge of her pack's farm; none of them had made her feel so primal. She squirmed and breathed heavily and whined, feeling the vibration through her whole body.

After the song had gone silent, Nova heard the familiar voice of Anubis' mother. Addressing the crowd with an assertive and collected tone, she introduced the guests, three ambassadors of the _Angar'rai_.

Curiosity seized her and she dared a discreet peek. Her breath caught. She had heard many stories of the wolves that lived in the Angactic Desert, a great region of sand on the other side of the mountain range. Sand lickers. Hellhounds. Red devils. Certainly the color was correct.

Taller than even Mustava who stood beside the ambassadors, they stood straight and noble, their colorful shawls draped elegantly over their shoulders. They were dressed in heavy furs, and their own thin fur was each a different shade of rusty red with a white underside, their eyes ringed with black that continued down their long and slender snouts. They glared about the scene before them as though they found it all disgusting.

The largest of them hardly glanced at Anubis' mother, speaking with a condescending tone. "I came a long way, Shiva. You know I don't care to come all this way for no good reason."

"Oh, but Ah'lu, you will be pleased. We will be sending you an even larger batch of slaves in this next shipment. The _Aroogar_ simply have no defense against your machines."

He gave her a sidelong glare. "Neither would you, _Alpha_." He spat the word with disdain. Glancing about, he sniffed the air. "Bring me a bitch."

Nova had to look back up at the ceiling, wishing she could be under the table again, unnoticed. Then she could have covered her ears. The sounds the woman they brought him made caused a collective shudder to run through most of the crowd. Anubis was not the only Dire unable to look. Those who struck the instruments beat a little harder as if they hoped to drown her out.

Then her sounds were over... and so was her life.

Nova flinched when she heard the crushing of bones and the tearing of flesh. The ambassador licked the blood that dripped from his muzzle as he ripped her headless body off the massive knot that had split her open and tossed it aside. "Now I have worked up an appetite! Let us eat and discuss business! I must leave at first light."

Anubis withdrew from Nova suddenly with a gush of hot fluid. In a subdued tone he told her to return to her place. He was not the only one to lose interest in what he was doing. She leaned against his leg, looking up at him as he straightened out the lay of his fur. Meeting his eyes, there was no mistaking his sadness.

Hearing his name called, Anubis looked up. An older Dire slipped next to him, just as dark as he was, his voice low and urgent. "I heard you were back. Has father sent you a message?"

"What? No. Why?"

The man glanced around, keeping his voice low. "I just received one a few minutes ago. We lost contact with the invasion force early this afternoon. Last heard, the _Aroogar_ came around the back and cut off our forces like they knew we were coming. They even got the _Fa'val_ on their side! That means they have our machines now, and no word on what happened to our people."

Anubis' eyes grew as wide as Nova's. His jaw dropped for a moment. "Terra," he whispered with concern and dread.

The other wolf shook his head. "I don't know, Anu. Last I heard she was being deployed with them. I hope she's alright. She's our last sister."

Suddenly, Anubis gasped. "Caesar, mother doesn't know, does she?"

He gave his brother an incredulous look. "Do you think she'd be here right now if she did? The note is sitting on her desk. If Ah'lu finds out, he'd have her head for  this."

"Who else knows?"

"Just me and Sampson. And now you. I can't even find Gray. Not that I would tell him anything, but mother wanted him here, that dumbass."

Anubis growled. "He's off in a corner somewhere nursing his cowardice. I don't want to be here anymore than he does."

"None of us do, but mother would end any of us."

A tickle in Nova's nose came upon her suddenly. She covered her nose as best she could but her sneeze was loud enough for the other Dire to notice her presence. He glared down at her. Flattening her ears, she kept her eyes on the ground, praying she would not be punished.

"_You_ came back here with a pet?" Caesar was genuinely surprised.

Anubis let out a breath, his eyes narrowing. "Yes. Training a slave my own way."

Caesar peered at his younger brother. "Does mother know?"

He let out a exasperated sigh. "Unfortunately. Gray must've seen the carriage, and he just couldn't keep his damn mouth shut. She even had Mustava come here early just to 'give me pointers.'"

"Oh, well it's good she'll be _really_ busy for a while once she hears of this. She'll have to smooth things over with Ah'lu." He glanced back down at her, then gave his brother a fond look. "You're weird, Anu. You must really enjoy it when mother gets on you for being soft."

A slave jingled by, her head as far down as she could get. Caesar looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Siren." The slave froze, but she didn't panic as the others did when a Dire had their attention on them. "Jacques is in a foul mood. Try to stay by the north wall." The slave nodded and turned, glancing gratefully at him.

"And you just called _me_ soft."

Caesar grinned. "I don't get caught."

Rolling his eyes, Anubis glanced back at his mother and uncle, chatting with those red devils. "Now might be a good time for me to slip away. If she wanted to come inspect my slave, she would have done so by now."

"Oh, she asked you to bring her?" He glanced their direction as well before standing and ruffling his brother's ears despite the snarl. "I'll cover for you. I'll tell her you're fucking Rasha."

Anubis glanced about. "Where is Rasha, anyways? I thought for sure she'd be on my dick soon as she saw me."

Caesar snickered as he started away. "Asleep in my bed. She couldn't wait for you." Pausing, he turned back, struck a playful pose and bared his pearly teeth. "Settled for the next best thing." Winking at his brother, he glanced again at Nova with a smirk and continued on his way.

Again rolling his eyes, Anubis stood. Nova followed him closely, just as eager to escape the feast as he was. Thankfully, the halls were mostly empty now. They passed only a few guards who seemed bored.

As they descended the great staircase, a familiar voice growled out from the shadow of the far doorway. "Oh, Nubbie. Sneakin' away to fuck yer grasser, are ya?"

Anubis froze and took a long, deep breath. "Gray, I will rip out your throat if you test me tonight."

Gray made a dismissive sound. His words were thick and slurred as he stalked toward them. "Yer too _nice_ for that. Walkin' 'round like yer a badass, but yer just a big _softie_, aren't ya? Even came back wit' a cute little dirt licker, like you thought that would fool anyone."

Turning slowly, Anubis stood tall, eyeing his litter mate up and down. Then he shook his head. "Of course you're drunk. Can't even look at Mustava, can you? Can't even stand your own cowardice."

Baring his teeth, Gray rushed the last few steps to his brother. "You shut yer fuckin' mouth! I'm straight sick of you. Always so damned smug, acting like you know somethin' the rest of us don't. You just don't want no one to think yer _weak_, just like the dirt lickers you love so much."

Staring at him for a second, Anubis shook his head again. "You know what? You're just so pathetic, Gray. I don't even want to kill you. Live with it. There's not enough alcohol in the world to drown what we saw."

Turning on his paw pad, he pulled Nova close to him as he started away. Gray snarled, taking a step to follow. In a fluid motion, Anubis pulled Nova around so that she was behind him as he turned, dropped her leash, and lunged at his brother.

Gray yelped when he was slammed up against the wall, Anubis' forearm pressing tightly against his neck while the other hand had him by the muzzle. Gray struggled, trying to claw at his brother's face. Anubis snapped at his flailing hands, snarling at him. "Go hide in your lair, Gray, and stay the fuck away from me because the next time this happens, I _will_ kill you, and I won't care what mother says about it. Right now, she's going to have far more important things to worry about, so I don't want to make it worse for her, but I have had _enough_ of _you_."

He allowed Gray to push him off, backing away a step. Trembling and snarling with his rage, Gray cursed his brother, insulting him further for his mercy as he walked back to Nova, took her leash and continued to the safety of his own miniature mansion.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Nova wanted to sink to the floor and just sleep right there. The muzzle muffled a yawn. Anubis seemed much the same, sluggish as he removed her muzzle and leash. "This whole day was exactly the reason I left home to begin with."

Nova didn't know what to say. All she could think was to relieve herself and get something to drink before flopping onto that wonderful bed.

An anguished cry echoed through the house. Both of them startled and peered at one another.

"Veka!" Anubis exclaimed, rushing to the room. Nova was right behind him, the flood of adrenaline melting away her weariness. She very nearly bumped into him when he stopped suddenly in the doorway. She heard him suck in his breath. "Nova, go fetch water, now."

Remembering that she had seen a bucket by the latrine, she did so, bringing water from the pool and rushing back to the gruesome scene. She had assisted with most of the births in her pack, but she had not seen so much blood before. The acrid scent was intense enough to make her gag.

Veka had told her that she would have been made to give birth alone and if she died, that was no concern of the Alphas. But Anubis comforted her as she sobbed and pleaded with the divine to spare her.

He instructed Nova where to find rags and she fetched them, returning as Veka cried out again. With a shudder, Nova knelt at the edge of the bed between her legs, preparing herself for what the rest of the night would bring.