Tanner was nearly bouncing with excitement as he followed Robbie down the path towards the parking area. He shouldn't bounce. Robbie had found him an old pair of leather chaps and a leather vest to go over his jeans and T-shirt. He had a do rag. He looked the part of the biker, and bikers didn't bounce. He had to play it cool.

He wasn't sure why he was a better fit than the others, but he was glad to get a cool assignment, going into the neutral lands to make contact with another tribe. He was also glad to go with Robbie. He knew he should still be mad, but he couldn't help it, Robbie was cool. And Jonathan obviously forgave him.

He'd worried, very briefly, that Robbie wanted him because he planned some double cross and didn't want to get Jonathan hurt. But then Erica or Brianna would have worked as well.

Then he saw the motorcycles and forgot everything. Nothing fancy, not Harley's or nothing, Robbie had warned. But still they were some serious cruisers. "Cool bikes," Tanner gushed.

"Thanks. They're my babies. One nice thing I got in life." Robbie threw him a helmet. "Vince taught you to ride?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I trust him."

They both straddled their bikes. "So where exactly are we going?"

"A biker bar. North side of Chicago. About three hours one way. We'll drive down today, make contact tonight and come back tomorrow."

"Bar? I don't got a fake or nothing," Tanner said.

"They'll let you in."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Just don't drink. And if you're offered drugs, don't."

"Take all the wildness out of the trip," Tanner muttered.

Robbie laughed. "Not even close." He pulled the bike close. "Look, there's things. Not dangerous things. But things even Arthur don't know. And Johnnie boy, I don't know what he'd think, either. You'll see soon enough. When we get back, you want to tell Connor. That's your choice. But not Arthur, or Johnnie boy, deal?"

"Deal," Tanner said.

Robbie pulled his helmet down and kicked the bike to life. Tanner followed after.

Three hours of roaring down the highway left Tanner saddlesore and his arms numb from the constant vibration. But his excitement came back in a rush as Tanner pulled in front of a dingy bar front with parking lot filled with bikes of all sizes and description.

A man in a long black duster looked them over as they dismounted. Robbie gave the man a small nod and he nodded back. Robbie then gave Tanner an almost sheepish look. "Well, this is The Saddle."

A group of men in black leather were heading into the bar in front of them. A couple men sat outside and smoked, leaning back on their bikes and watching the crowd.

It looked exactly like what Tanner had expected from a biker bar, except for the neon rainbow sign over the bar and the complete lack of women in the crowd. "Umm, Robbie?"

As Robbie predicted, the bouncer didn't even ask Tanner for an ID. Just inside Robbie turned. "Remember, no drinks, boy." He snapped the boy out. "Not even soda unless you see the bartender pour it in a clean glass. Boy?"

"Yes, sir," Tanner said. As they passed within the bar he repeated. "Umm, Robbie?"

"Okay, it's leather," Robbie said. "As long as they think you're my boy, they won't hit on you. Be okay."

"Am I your boy?" Tanner asked.

Robbie stopped and gave him a quizzical look.

"Just askin'."

Robbie shook his head and went on, towards the back of the bar. He stopped and sniffed.

Tanner did too. He got a nose full of odours for his trouble, sweat, leather, testosterone and excitement mostly. It was...interesting. Underneath it was something else, something familiar.

Robbie had already spied him. The Ritter was dark haired, a bit taller than Robbie but shorter than Tanner. He was dressed in a leather bomber jacket with no shirt underneath. "Robbie!" he called as Robbie came over.

"Greg!" Robbie replied as the two hugged.

"Who's the cub?" Greg asked.

"Tanner," Robbie said. He leaned in from the crowd. "Pack."

Greg nodded. "How old are you Tanner, twelve?"

"Am not."

Robbie laughed at Tanner's replied.

"His first time. Be gentle. And he's my cub tonight," Robbie said. To Tanner he added, "don't mean anything. Just means you're under my protection. In case any doms want to play, you know."

Tanner looked around. There were several men checking him out. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to feel about that. "What if I'm the dom?" he challenged.

Both Greg and Robbie laughed. "Every submissive says that the first time," Greg said. "Come, let's get drinks. Bartender, two beers and?"

"A soda," Robbie said before Tanner could reply.

Tanner shot him a look but accepted the soda. They pushed through the crush of people towards an open table. Twenty year old metal hits played on the loudspeaker and a few men danced in the center, but mostly the men congregated along the sides, talked and checked each other out.

"Not here to play," Robbie said to Greg as they found a seat. "My alpha wants a meeting between tribes. Asked me to arrange it."

Greg nodded. "We'll talk. Let's drink awhile first. Just got here. If I'm not going to play, I'd at least like to check out the scene."

"Sure enough," Robbie said. "How you holding up?" he asked Tanner.

"I got to go to a leather bar," Tanner said, awe in his voice. "A leather bar. Wait until I tell Erica. She ain't even got to a regular gay bar yet."

"Kids today," Greg muttered. "I'd been freaking at that age. What'd you bring him for anyway?"

"Our packs are cooperating on this," Robbie said. "Figured he'd handle it better than the others. Speaking of which." He pulled out his phone and showed Greg pictures of Jonathan, "Johnnie Boy," and Tricia.

"Man they're getting big, Robbie," Greg said and for a moment they were two old friends catching up, not werwolves, not leathermen.

Greg leaned over while they drank and explained some of what was going on to Tanner, what the collars meant, who were dominants and who were submissives.

"Are you always one or the other?" Tanner asked.

"Heck no," Greg said. "A lot of guys are switches. They'll play dom one night and sub the next. Some have permanent relationships, some only when they feel like."

"You guys?"

"Switch," Greg says.

"Switch," Robbie said. "Fuck, I don't need a permanent dom. Got one at home already." He drained his beer. Tanner giggled at the joke.

"Said a mouthful," Greg said. "But that one ever play?"

"No," Robbie growled. "He ain't the 'fun and games' sort of dom."

As soon as they finished their beers they went out into the parking lot.

"Any chance we're being watched?" Robbie asked as they headed for their bikes.

"Always a chance," Greg replied. "But I doubt it. There's a hotel just down the road. Be nice and quiet. And if we are being watched, they'll just think we're taking your cub here for a test ride, you know."

Tanner startled at the thought.

"So now you know," Robbie said as he settled on his bike. He gave Tanner a measured look.

"That you're gay," Tanner finished. Robbie nodded. "And you have a leather fetish." Robbie nodded. "Cool!" Tanner hooted. Robbie blushed crimson. "No serious, that makes you like the coolest person I've ever met. I barely know any gays, I mean Erica's a lesbian but gays? And leather dudes?" he paused and looked back towards the bar. "Do you have to be gay to be... I mean I like girls, but there's something about..." he trailed off, his face burning suddenly.

Greg started laughing so hard he nearly fell into Tanner's bike. "You know why that is? Cause you're a wolf. Dominance, submission, it's in our blood."

Tanner felt Robbie's hand on his arm. Robbie gave him an earnest look. "A lot of wolves like to play with this shit, behind closed doors. They don't talk about it much, but they do it. You want me to set you up with someone who can show you; man, woman, top or bottom, I can do that. But the Fleischers, they do this, too. Only..."

"Only they don't follow the rules," Greg said, "if you catch our drift."

"Safe, sane and consensual," Tanner guessed.

"Kids today," Greg snorted. "Internet and all."

"Yeah, they don't do it that way. You have curiosity, that's okay. But that council meeting is no place to experiment. Okay?"

Tanner nodded. The two men fired up their bikes. Tanner jumped on his and followed them down the street towards a flea bit motel.