"Alice?"<br/><br/>Rich turned his head so fast that it popped.  He saw her standing just outside the door, one hand clenched over the roughly sewn together tear down her dress' side.  His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in frustration.  While Talton continued his inane and immature needling, Rich waved one hand at the female.  "What the hell?  Get back inside, Alice!"<br/><br/>That momentary distraction left him open to attack.  The Alpha turned his head back to face Talton only to see that he had been flanked.  Rich turned to face his Beta's new position, but his opponent was too fast.  A flurry of blows landed on his exposed left side, bruising, scraping, and tearing the skin.  As blood soaked through his shirt - a black stain on black fabric - Rich reflexively curled his arms around his chest.  That quick movement brought a sharp, severe pain slashing through his ribs.  The injured lycan hitched in a short breath at the abrupt, stabbing agony, his eyes growing wide and his skin breaking out in sweat.  The popular culture depicted werewolves as invulnerable killing machines, as impervious to pain and damage as a robot.  Although they were<em>very</em>good killing machines, lycans could feel pain just as well as any human.<br/><br/>And boy did it hurt.<br/><br/>His first thought was that he needed to buy some time for his natural painkillers to kick in.  Gritting his teeth, Rich let his arms fall by his side, doing his best to look like he didn't have three broken ribs.  When he spoke, his voice sounded strained, but level.  "You know, Talton," he began, sounding almost casual.  "You're<em>really</em>starting to sound like the humans you fetishize.<em>Alpha</em>comes<em>first</em>, Beta second, and so on.  In packs, there is a hierarchy built on<em>respect</em>and<em>strength</em>, not fairness."<br/><br/>Rich straightened, facing Talton, his face no longer flushed, but steady and focused.  He leaned forward, holding his hands out.  "We really should stop talking so much.  Let's get this over with so I can choose a new Beta."