Weres

The Weres were created by an Ancient Adept to be warrior bodyguards. Once they swear an oath of fealty, they cannot be foresworn. The Weres live in a keep on a small island just off the southwestern coast of Ankarra. The young often set off to seek adventure and a mate (they're cross fertile with humans) before returning home to the pack.

Because of their fierce fighting skills, Weres are very much in demand as personal guards. They don't often swear an oath of loyalty since it means their death if they break it. But once sworn they will give their life to defend their liege.

Weres can shift form any time. Although repeated shifts create immense strain on the body. In animal form, they heal faster; although if severely wounded, it will harm them more to shift than to wait to heal.  They also have an affinity with the moon and are strongest at the full moon. 'though even at moondark, Weres are stronger than most humans are. In animal form, they heal twice as quickly as normal human rate.

Silver and werebane can wound and even kill them.

Weres worship Phoebe a trinity aspect moon goddess. She is Arhiana, the goddess of the hunted and newborn creatures, Selene, the huntress and Hekade the dark lady of mysteries.  Isabeau, a were-swan, is the current High Priestess of  Phoebe. Weres also take their animal form as a totem, a sort of guardian spirit.

Lucan, a werewolf, is the current pack leader. Alenna is his human wife. Their son Fenrys is currently the bodyguard to  the crown prince of Mykonos. Were children are few and are therefore cherished. Human/Were matings don't always produce full fledged Weres. Some are human appearing; although these offspring do have the ability to pass along the Were gene.

Children are born appearing human. It's not until puberty that they gain the ability to change. Changing requires intense concentration so that youngsters are taught meditation exercise from an early age. Sadly, some children shift to animal form and can never shift back. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence.

Weres mate for life. This means that the young tend to be quite eager to sow as many wild oats as possible although no offspring occur from their adventures.

Weres have quicker reflexes and depending on the animal form have heightened senses. There is a bit of rivalry between the Weres who shift to fierce animals like wolves and bears and those who shift to forms like horses and swans although the pack is truly a cohesive group.