Lupi 08 - Death Magic

what he smells like, but it’s Ruben, only he’s a new wolf.”
    The fight was brief. Ruben couldn’t use the mantle on Rule, couldn’t intimidate or slow him, and Rule knew this form. In moments, Rule had the black wolf by the neck. The other wolf sank to the floor. Rule released him and the wolf rolled onto his back, belly up. Rule moved to stand over him, opened his jaws, and seized Ruben by the muzzle.
    “Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God,” Deborah whispered.
    “It’s okay. He’s just saying it like he means it. Ruben has to mean it, too.”
    For several heartbeats the two wolves didn’t move. Finally Ruben whined faintly.
    Rule lifted his head and looked at Lily. As clearly as if he’d said it, she read the “What the hell?” in his eyes.
    “I don’t know. I don’t know, but he’s the one the Lady picked.” She gestured at the black wolf, still lying submissively quiet. “When I got here . . . I’ll tell you later, but he’s got the mantle now.”
    Rule’s gaze went to Deborah, who’d gripped Lily’s arm again and held on tight. Back to Lily. He growled once.
    “Tough. If the Lady didn’t want Deborah to know about mantles, she shouldn’t have stuck one in her husband. Are you okay?”
    He nodded once, looking at her intently. After a second she guessed what his question must be. “I’m fine. Actually . . .” She paused, lifted both arms. Flexed her biceps. “I’m all the way fine.” No pain. No weakness in her right arm. None. She twisted that arm to look. There was a scar still, but no dent. The muscle had grown back. “Jesus, that’s weird. Scott? You okay?”
    The gray wolf nodded slowly. Not fine, maybe, but as okay as he could be with a broken leg.
    Rule moved off the black wolf, who rolled so his belly wasn’t exposed but stayed down, watching Rule intently. Tentatively he stretched up his head so he could lick Rule’s muzzle : wolf-speak for You’re in charge . Let’s be friends. Rule allowed that for a moment, then licked him back once. The black wolf wriggled like a puppy.
    Deborah was still breathing too fast. Still on the edge of panic. “I don’t know what’s going on. What happened to Ruben? What did you do? He’ll be himself again, won’t he?”
    “Eventually. I think. I, ah . . .” Lily struggled for words to explain the inexplicable. “The CliffsNotes version is that I’ve been babysitting a mantle—that’s a magical construct that Rhos use to unite their clans, and you need to not tell anyone, anyone at all, about mantles, okay?”
    “That will be easy. I don’t know anything to tell.”
    “Details later. I had to babysit this mantle for a while because the Rho of that clan died without an heir. For some God-only-knows-what reason, today the Lady decided to put the mantle into Ruben. Somehow that triggered him into going into First Change. I don’t know how. It sure didn’t do that to me, and he’s not lupus either, so—”
    Rule yipped.
    “You mean he is? He smells lupus?”
    He nodded.
    Deborah looked more baffled than ever. “Is he—is Ruben okay now?”
    Lily looked at Rule. “Is Ruben going to obey you? Because you need to clear out. I need to clear out. I came here because they’re going to arrest him. Did you get my message?”
    Rule yipped again, glanced at Scott, and made a little circle in the air with his muzzle.
    Lily frowned. “Why do you want Scott to Change instead of you doing it?”
    Scott wasn’t as blindingly quick as Rule, but fast enough. In a few seconds he stood there, entirely naked, cradling his broken arm. “Where’s the chicken?”
    “What?”
    “The chicken. Rule needs to feed him.”
    “The refrigerator,” Deborah said quickly and hurried to it. The black wolf shivered as if her movement excited or frightened him, but a glance from Rule kept him still. Deborah took out a package of chicken breasts. “Do I—”
    “No, I do.” Scott snatched the package, ripped off the plastic, and advanced a couple steps before going to his knees and scrunching down, his head bent low, to set the foam tray on the floor. He shoved it toward the wolves.
    He was underscoring Rule’s dominance, Lily realized. Baring his nape, submitting to Rule, showing the black wolf that all the other wolves in the room let Rule boss them around, too.
    Rule stepped away from the black wolf, who started to rise—until Rule’s head swung around, teeth bared. He went flat again. Rule then inspected the offering in a leisurely way,