The next day, after a warm shower and a luxurious breakfast, Melanie emerged from the bedroom to find Valeria waiting for her in the outer sitting room, dressed in what could best be described as business casual clothing, a chic pair of slacks and a blouse. Melanie had dressed the same, knowing today was the first official day of Gathering business. "Did you have a restful evening?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

Mel could feel her cheeks redden. "I guess you heard?"

Valeria laughed. "Melanie, he's a werewolf. The entire main house could hear. But don't be ashamed, I'm sure Keith and Kimberly both grew up listening to their Father and myself doing the same thing."

Mel shook her head, her cheeks still red. "That may be something I'm going to have to get used to. I don't know if anyone's ever told you, but normal human children don't normally grow up with the sounds of their parent's lovemaking interrupting their sleep."

"I suppose not. My apologies, since I've retired I've become much more a blabbermouth. Maybe I'm going a bit senile?"

Melanie laughed. "I doubt it. So, what's this morning's agenda?"

"Today is the first formal meeting of the Gathering. As you can probably guess, the incident last night is on everyone's lips, although thankfully Morrigan kept herself out of my listening range for the rest of the party. But from what I heard, her tongue kept wagging all night. Keith is going to have quite a headache dealing with all this."

"Valeria, if I may ask, what role did you have in this arrangement prior to Keith meeting me?"

Valeria's mouth quirked, and she shook her head in a bit of embarrassment. "I am ashamed to say I was a willing participant. I only saw the advantages for our Clan and forgot that love was what brought Bardulf and me together. I am happy to find that my plans were undermined and that Keith found love regardless. I'm prouder to have you as my daughter in blood than if Keith had married the noblest princess from the purest lycanthrope lines."

Melanie blinked away tears and hugged the surprised elder werewolf, who returned the hug after a few seconds. "You raised two wonderful children, Valeria," she whispered in the matron's ear, "and I am proud to have you as my mother in blood."

Stepping back, Melanie checked her cheeks carefully to make sure her light makeup wasn't running. While as a pregnant woman she may not have needed to dress with the formality of the other attendees of this meeting, that was no reason to show up looking like a streaky raccoon. "Now, shall we?"

Mel and Valeria quickly made their way to the main dining hall, which had been re-arranged into a large meeting room. The forty Alphas, representing the twenty Clans in attendance, were seated in a roughly decagonal shape, four at each of the ten tables. Keith and Kimberly sat at the head table, next to an older white haired Alpha and his wife, who as most senior would serve as moderator of the meeting. The white haired Alpha had just finished his opening remarks when Melanie and Valeria entered the hall, finding a seat along the wall. Keith saw her enter and gestured for her to join him at the head table, in an empty seat next to his. Mel stood up and made her way over, to the angry grumblings of a few of the seated Alphas.

"What is this outrage?" she heard one of them whisper, as she swallowed her nerves to sit next to her Mate.

"Members of the Council, before we begin, I have asked my First Mate to take her place next to me at my table," Keith said, interrupting the mutterings. "Yes, Melanie is human. Yes, Kimberly still serves as Clan Lockwood's Alpha Female. That isn't going to change. But last night, my Clan and I were gravely insulted by Morrigan Thornblood's treatment of my First Mate. I demand an apology from Clan Thornblood."

"You shall have none from me or my Clan," the Thornblood Alpha replied, his red hair unbound and flowing around his shoulders today. "You broke your word with my Clan, and as such, neither you nor your woman are worthy of our respect."

"Nioclas Thornblood, your words both sadden and anger me," Keith replied, his fingers tensely gripping the table. "For two generations, our Clans have gotten along if not as friends, then at least peacefully. I sent my apologies when our pact was broken and swore at that time that I would do everything within my power as Alpha of Clan Lockwood to maintain good relations between us. Yet your daughter's actions last night and your actions here now force my hand. If you will not recognize the status of Melanie Richter Lockwood as my First Mate, and First Mate of Clan Lockwood, then I must declare a Blood Insult, and demand you face me, or leave in dishonor."

The entire crowd grew quiet as all eyes swung to Nioclas, whose own face trembled in fury. Standing, he pushed back his heavy oaken chair to stare at Keith. "Trial by combat it is. Where?"

"Outside on the lawn," Keith said, pushing back his own chair. The entire room broke into what Melanie could only describe as quiet pandemonium, as all the assembled parties made their way towards the door. Melanie, desperately confused, tried to use her mental link to speak to Keith, but he wouldn't answer. Finally, she found she could get through to Kimberly, asking her what was going on.

"Keith has declared Blood Insult," Kim sent back, her words electric in her mind. "Nioclas has chosen to answer the Insult via trial by combat. Keith and Nioclas will fight outside on the lawn until there is a settling of the Insult."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Melanie thought back, fear tingeing her thoughts. Kimberly's grim face and link back made her even more worried.

"It is. There is an old saying amongst our kind. 'When two Alphas fight, one will be injured. The other will be dead.'"

"You cannot let this happen!" Melanie thought back, only to see Kimberly shake her head.

"I cannot interfere, as my place as Alpha Female does not permit it. But do not worry, the rules have changed from the old times. There is a chance that nobody will be killed today."

Kimberly shut off her mental link, and Melanie could only follow the crowd out to the back lawn, which servants had quickly cleared of all furniture and impediments. All but the two Alphas stayed at the top of the steps, watching as the two men walked towards the grass, the white-haired Alpha between them. Finding the middle of the area, the old Alpha turned. "We have a declared Blood Insult, and a demanded trial by combat. Keith Waldwyck, as the Insulted, you may at this time declare which rule set you will use for this trial."

"Modern rules. Bare hands, no wolf form," Keith replied, stripping off his shirt to reveal his muscular upper body. Nioclas Thornblood did the same, and the two stared at each other across the few meters separating them.

"As you wish. Nioclas Thornblood, as the challenged, you have the right to declare a champion to fight in your stead, as long as they are not a member of Clan Lockwood. Is there any you wish to stand in your place?"

"None."

The old Alpha nodded. "Then.... you may begin."

The fight was vicious, from Melanie's point of view. With almost blinding speed and breathtaking power, the two Alphas clashed in the middle of the lawn, punching and kicking. Niolcas was a powerful fighter, Melanie saw, with at least three inches and forty or fifty pounds on Keith, who was younger and more agile. Also, she could see Keith was more restrained, using skill and technique rather than raw power and rage on his opponent. Whereas Nioclas would swing in huge, sweeping punches and kicks, Keith kept to the teachings she had seen him practicing of martial arts, keeping his strokes short and compact, traveling in direct lines from his shoulders to his target and back, never giving Nioclas a large enough opening to take advantage of.

"Look at them go," one of the Alphas, a female that Melanie hadn't met the night before, remarked. She was speaking to her neighbor, another woman who Melanie didn't think was an Alpha, but was either the child or bodyguard of one of the minor Clans.

"So tell me Cassie, who do you think will win?"

"The Lockwood is faster, that is for sure," the younger woman replied, looking at Keith with enough hunger in her eyes Melanie could feel a surge of jealousy, "but Thornblood hasn't been defeated in a trial by combat in what is it, twenty, thirty years?"

"Yes, but the last one to do it was Lockwood's Father, the former Lockwood Alpha," the older woman remarked. "I was there for that conflict, just after I became Alpha of our Clan. It was a very vigorous fight, leaving both men battered. Although in my opinion, younger Lockwood here looks more than a match for the situation."

Melanie felt pride in the Alpha's words, who glanced over at her with a polite nod. Melanie nodded back in acknowledgment. "Your Mate will give a fine showing of himself, regardless. Rumor has it you were a police officer, is that correct?"

"Yes, it is. I apologize, Madam. I must have forgotten our introductions last night. It is a pleasure to become reacquainted."

"Thank you. I am Helen Greenstone, of the Greenstone Clan. This is my daughter, Cassie."

"I thank you for the kind words. If we may, though, I feel my attention diverted from the fight."

"Of course. Let's watch," Helen said, clearing a bit of space next to her for Melanie to step. She slid into the opening and found she had a much better view of the proceedings. Nioclas swung his right hand in a huge open-handed clawing slap, which Keith avoided by pulling his head back. At the same time, he kicked his left leg out, catching the other Alpha in the thigh, knocking him off balance. Keith took advantage of the stumble, gliding forward into a thunderous leg sweeping throw that took both men to the ground, Keith on top. Straddling Nioclas' torso, Keith landed thunderous elbows to the red-haired Alpha's head, bloodying him and sending an audible crack across the ground as his nose shattered. Nioclas's head rocked back, and Keith threw his arm over, sliding his body into a side chokehold that slowly squeezed the man's head until his face was bright purple.

Melanie was familiar with the choke, having used it herself on the streets. She knew that Nioclas had two options at this point. He could surrender, or be killed. The entire crowd watched as Nioclas struggled valiantly against the hold before finally slapping Keith's shoulder in surrender. Keith got up from the ground, his body trembling in adrenalin fueled anger and power, barely controlling himself. He stared down at the gasping body of Nioclas Thornblood, before turning and walking away without a word.

The white haired Alpha stepped onto the grounds again. "Keith Waldwyck of Clan Lockwood has emerged victorious from the trial of combat," he declared. "By Council law, his First Mate shall be seated amongst us, and the Insult is finished."

Melanie watched as Keith approached, a gentle smile on his face when he saw the worry written upon hers. Kissing her softly, he shrugged his shirt back on. "I was in no danger," he whispered, kissing her on the temple. "Nioclas was a fierce warrior in his day, but his day is past. You will be honored by all from now on."