Chapter 1

Flipping the page of his book, Seba knew that he hadn’t really been reading for the last two chapters. His mind was far too stressed. The trip itself was quiet and, with all of the new advancements in travel over the many years he’d walked the Earth, comfortable, but no matter how much things changed, there was one thing that never did… his master’s wish to see him wed.

Seba snapped his book shut and leaned back with an audible sigh, closing his aching eyes.

Hungry…

He had eaten before they’d left his home, but that had been at least two days ago. They had stopped at a small town along the way, but he’d refused to feed on the humans there, and he had not been comfortable feeding from his pup again.

Still too soon.

Even as he thought that, he felt a warm, damp tongue hesitantly brush against the edges of his fingers. The gesture had his eyes opening as he straightened in his seat and sent a warning glare down at his wolf. It was technically a werewolf, but he’d never allowed it to shift. Werewolves were extremely vicious in the countryside, and often clashed with vampires and humans. Granted, vampires were definitely not the most friendly, but they were definitely a lot more socially acceptable, and manageable, than werewolves.

His pup, Ruoka, was gifted to him after a local group of vampires had raided a particularly vicious pack of wolves. They’d killed a few of the adults, but most had escaped and made territories farther back in the woods.

On their way back to town, the vampires had come across a den with a single scrawny pup inside. They’d intended to kill it then and there, but one of the vampires had been his good friend, and knew of his slight impairment.

He had to feed more often than most vampires… and werewolves healed much quicker than humans did. His body didn’t maintain blood well. That led to him accepting the gift and collaring the pup with a special silver band embedded within it. Since the pup already had a thick coat, it didn’t burn it, but it did prevent it from ever being able to shift. He’d had to replace it a few times as the wolf grew, but it was finally at its full size.

Staring down at the wolf sitting silently at his feet, Seba began to reach forward to stroke its head, but stopped abruptly when he noticed that his claws had extended.

I really do need to eat soon.

He withdrew his hand, but not before Ruoka nudged it with his wet nose.

Seba returned the gesture with a warning hiss before moving aside one of the curtains covering the open window and looking outside. The crisp, night air briskly sifted through the inside of the carriage.

His pup slowly lied down, knowing its place after it was warned. He was food, that was all. Granted, he had become a very useful tool in keeping his health issue out of gossiping mouths, even though they were much fewer in the countryside as opposed to the city of London. People, and vampires, always did love to talk about others’ problems.

The faint torchlights of the city were slowly becoming visible far up ahead, but Seba figured that they had at least another two hours before they got to his master’s home. He would rest more, then feed on one of his master’s servants once he got there.

With that thought, he closed his eyes and forced his mind to relax as much as he could.

Unfortunately, it felt as if only minutes had gone by when he felt a familiar, yet distant pressure in the back of his mind. He quickly shook the sleep from his mind and allowed his master entrance to his mind.

Good evening, Sebastian.

Seba bristled at hearing his original name. He’d thrown it away after he’d been changed, preferring the shortened version, but his master had quite liked it and refused to stop using it.

It is a beautiful name and suits you very well.

Seba scowled as he yanked the window’s curtain across the opening. When he refocused his attention, Ruoka was sitting at his feet once again, staring with his soft, curious brown eyes. He wanted to tell the stubborn thing to just stay lying down until they were there, but he couldn’t help reaching out to rest his hand atop its fuzzy head.

“You have never met my master, have you?” he asked, though he knew the answer already.

The pup was only eighteen, quite young, even for a werewolf. They generally lived upwards of two hundred years, with alphas easily pushing three hundred. Of course, vampire lifespans were easily double those, if not more.

“Just behave. No one will hurt you if you stay by my side,” he said, reassuring the now nervous-looking wolf.

Honestly, even he was worried for Ruoka. It was his lifeline to keep others from bothering over him, but he knew that werewolves were not a welcome sight around civilization. Before he could think further on the situation, and whether he should have just left the pup at home, the carriage stopped and he heard his driver climb down from his seat.

Seba felt his heart beat hard against his ribs. Unlike most human fairytales, vampires did, in fact, need their heart to pump their blood. If it didn’t work, there would be no more vampire. Their body was just cold because most of their other organs had long since shut down and withered away within them.

“Such a stubborn lad to keep his master waiting,” came a deep voice from beyond the closed door to his right.

A wave of warm comfort settled over his cold body as Seba carefully stepped around Ruoka and ducked out the small door. A hand was extended up to him as soon as he appeared. He accepted the aid in descending the thin steps, then gave his master a quick hug.

The man was just an inch or so taller than him, but where Seba’s hair was a dirty, wavy blond, his master’s was as black as the night sky around them.

“You brought another?” his master asked as they separated, his attention turning toward the carriage.

Ruoka had stayed inside, behaving, like he had been instructed. Seba watched as his master took a curious step closer, then sniffed the air.

“My word… a werewolf, Sebastian? I did not think you would ever consider allowing one within your presence,” his master said, making Seba shift his weight awkwardly upon his feet.

“I know that they are not looked upon favorably, but he is quite under control,” Seba said as he stepped forward and straightened his shoulders.

“Ruoka, come down.”

The pup hurried from the carriage but missed its second step on the extremely thin staircase and tumbled to the dusty ground with a startled yip.

Seba tensed, ready to block his master from automatically attacking the pup, but when the man slowly knelt before his recovering wolf and simply smiled, he became quite confused.

“What a cute little one,” he said as he reached forward.

Ruoka immediately let his ears droop and dropped back down to the ground, averting his gaze and tucking his tail. He knew how to act around vampires.

The expression on his master’s face, however, threw him, again. Why did he look as if he was now upset? He was just about to ask when the man redirected where he intended to reach and picked up the silver-embedded leash.

“What is this, Sebastian?” he asked, looking up at him with an unfamiliar frown.

Seba hesitated, unsure what he was supposed to even say. It was clearly a tether to keep the wolf with him.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” he eventually said as he watched his master stand, holding the leash lightly within his hand.

He always kept the leash taut to make sure that Ruoka stayed right where he should…

“Come inside,” his master said, turning and heading up the stairs leading to the heavy wooden doors of his home before he could even respond.

To his surprise, Ruoka followed the man, but tripped several times going up the steps because he was continuously looking back at him worriedly.

Dammit.

The moment they were inside and the butler had closed the door, Seba reached for Ruoka’s leash.

“I can explain why I brought him, master. He is not a threat.”

His master did not respond as he easily brushed away his hand and lead them to the back study, then took a seat in his favorite black wingchair. Seba nervously took one adjacent to it, then waited.

He watched Ruoka’s nervous gaze jerk between the two of them so often that his own faint headache began to throb just watching.

“Come up here, little one?” his master asked, patting his lap gently with a smile that Seba really didn’t understand.

His wolf began to shake as it turned again to look at him in confusion. Seba nodded his approval, even though he was just as confused as his pup was.

Ruoka turned and immediately, but carefully, hopped up onto the other vampire’s lap. He settled immediately, but tucked his head into the back crook of the chair, trying to hide his face for fear of a possible attack.

“Sebastian, it has been quite some time since you have visited. Twenty years or so, if I remember correctly,” he said as he began to gently stroke his fingers through Ruoka’s soft fur.

Seba nodded, licking his lips once to try and calm his nerves.

“Yes, it has been quite a while.”

His master smiled down at Ruoka, even though the pup couldn’t see him, before returning his attention to Seba.

“Where did you get this pup?” he asked, the question already expected.

He felt no reason to bend the truth, so he replied honestly.

“Quarry gave it to me. Him and some other local vampires raided a werewolf pack that had been attacking people for quite some time. On their way back, they found him abandoned in a den.”

His master nodded as he began to scratch behind Ruoka’s left ear, making it twitch a little.

“How are wolves treated where you live?” he asked, not lifting his eyes from the pup this time.

Seba raised a brow at that question.

“They are extremely dangerous and aggressive. They’re killed if they come near towns. I keep Ruoka strictly for feeding when I can’t find suitable donors.”

His master remained silent for a long while before he sighed and let the wolf’s chain leash drop to the floor.

“Things have changed here. Yes, there are still some dangerous werewolves who are not allowed to enter the city, but there are also three packs that have been allowed to establish themselves. They act as peacekeepers towards each other, and there have actually been very few issues so far,” he said as he switched to scratching at Ruoka’s other ear. “They have also slowly been allowed to propose monetary trades for the few vampires who had taken young wolves as glorified pets, or in your case, extra food supplies.”

That was a lot of information to put on his tired mind after such a trip.

“What are the pack names?” Seba asked numbly, trying to give his mind time to process the previous information.

His master gave a quiet chuckle of understanding as he replied, “Moon, Rain, and Ghost.”

Seba nodded, then continued, “and the alphas?”

“Marquise and Silas, respectfully,” his master replied, making Seba tilt his head.

“The third alpha?”

His master shrugged one shoulder.

“I do not know. The only information I have on him, since his pack is the newest, is that his wolf is quite large, and as black as midnight.”

Wonderful.

“It seems like this information is quite new to you and much different from where you’ve been living, so I won’t push anything right now. Besides, Ruoka is not mine. He is yours. There are no laws against having him, but just mind yourself if you take him outside. Some people, even humans, are already getting used to seeing wolves freely walking about.”

Seba gave a tired nod, feeling sleep begin to fight with his need to feed. The sound of something solid hitting the floor drew his attention back to his master.

He’d taken off the chain leash completely.

“I hope you don’t mind me removing that simple thing. I’m sure he’s trained quite well already… or I can put it back on?”

He was trained, very well, and he always let him off the leash once they were home, anyways.

Seba made a dismissive gesture, making his master chuckle as he stood, easily lifting his light, forty-something pound pup in his arms. Ruoka shook for a few moments, but settled quickly, seemingly getting used to the new vampire. It helped that his master was being extremely gentle and even took off his heavy leash.

“Would you like me to tend to him while you go feed? You look exhausted,” his master said, making Seba hesitate for only a moment before finally breathing a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, that would be great. I’m sure he’s hungry, too.”

His master patted Ruoka’s back softly and nodded toward the hallway.

“The servants quarters are right down the hall. I have not needed to feed for quite some time, so I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding a volunteer if you promise to numb the area first,” he said, making Seba nod. He always used his saliva to numb when he fed.

He gave his thanks one more time before turning, but stopped abruptly when his master called him again, making him look back over toward the man.

“He looks very healthy. I’m glad you took care of him well.”

The praise was awkward considering how everyone else he knew back home would laugh at him behind his back for taking such good care of a dangerous wolf, but he accepted it none-the-less.

“He’s important.”

He needed to make sure that the pup was in good health or he wouldn’t be able to feed from it as often as he did. It had always been a bit scrawny, but he honestly kept it well fed.

His master gave him a smile that seemed to be hiding something he couldn’t decipher, but Seba simply shrugged it off and turned away again. After he wasn’t called for a second time, he disappeared down the hall, leaving his pup in his master’s care.

(Edited)

Chapter 2

He wasn’t sure what to do. Not once in his life had he ever been entrusted to another person, even for a minute. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how he should react, so he decided against doing anything as he was carried from the room. When they didn’t turn toward the hall his master had gone down, he felt his heartbeat, which was already uncomfortably-fast, kick up another notch. 

“I’m sorry, Ruoka. This has to be quite stressful on a pup who isn’t used to being in a strange place,” the vampire carrying him said as he leaned down after a moment and gently set him on the floor. 

While his paws wanted to dart from the room and find his master, Ruoka forced himself to sit down next to a lower cabinet and wait, keeping his attention on the man’s legs. He didn’t dare look higher. He knew his place. 

“You will see that things are quite different here, little one,” the man said as he walked about the small kitchen area they had stopped inside of for a few moments, then returned to kneel down in front of him, startling Ruoka enough to make him lift his gaze. 

The man smiled the moment their eyes met, but Ruoka quickly looked down again, only for his nostrils to flare slightly as they picked up a delicious scent. A moment later a hand came into view, holding a piece of dried beef jerky. He began to salivate immediately, surprised by the appearance of one of his favorite treats. Unfortunately, he had to avert his eyes and clamp his mouth shut. He was not allowed to take food from anyone besides his master. 

Hearing a sigh from the man before him, Ruoka slowly lied down, silently trying to apologize for not accepting what he was being offered. It wasn’t that he didn’t want it, he definitely did, and he knew that his master had said that this man could feed him… but his training was very well ingrained. He’d also been offered treats a few times by people back in the town he lived in with his master, and while he’d thought that they were rare olive branches of peace from normally hostile people, at first, his master had refused to allow him a single one… and for good reason. All of those delicious treats had been laced with poisons strong enough to kill a werewolf, or ten. 

“Do not fret, I will make you up a plate, and when your master has finished his meal, he will come feed you,” the man said with so much warmth to his words that Ruoka couldn’t help but lift his eyes back to his. 

“My name is Pretennon, but please just call me Preto. I’ve been around for quite a while, so the name needed a little change,” he said, making Ruoka tilt his head one way, then the other. 

He was about to get back up, feeling a little more comfortable, when he heard familiar footsteps behind him. His tail immediately started fidgeting against the floor as he eagerly watched the entryway. 

“Are you already trying to spoil him?” came his master’s voice right before he walked into view. He was licking the last tiny bit of blood from the tip of his thumb as he looked down at his wolf.

Preto’s chuckle drew Ruoka’s attention back to him for a split second before he returned it to his master. He noticed Seba tap the side of his leg the slightest bit at that moment. Understanding the signal, Ruoka immediately ran forward and circled the man once, then settled right at his side. 

He watched silently as Preto slowly stood from his crouch afterward, his smile, while slightly less bright, was still in place on his lips. 

“You have him very well trained. He wouldn’t even take food from me, even though you allowed me to feed him,” he said, drawing a slight grin from Seba as he walked farther into the room and began looking about at what was stored there. Ruoka stayed where he was, knowing not to get beneath his master’s feet while he was in such a space. 

It clearly wasn’t the full kitchen, because there was no way such a small area could feed the amount of people it would take to run such a large home, but it definitely seemed to have plenty of snacking items about. Ruoka didn’t bother deciphering what his master and Preto, who had walked over to join him in his endeavor, were putting together, though. He would eat anything his master offered without complaint. Food was food, flavor was secondary… though he definitely wouldn’t mind being allowed to nibble on that previously-offered piece of jerky. 

When his master finally turned and walked over to him with a plate, he stood, swishing his tail slightly as his tongue swiped at his lips in anticipation of a meal. When it was set down at his paws he forced himself not to launch himself at it. Instead, he waited for his master to stand back up before he slowly leaned forward and grabbed the previously-offered strip of jerky that had been settled right on top of the pile of food. 

“Of course you’d go for that first,” Seba said, humor to his words as he leaned against the counter and began conversing with Preto. 

Ruoka flicked an ear at his words and took his time savoring the strip of meat, then eventually lied down to begin his work on the rest of the plate once he’d finished it. It was odd that the fruit, apples and pears, were actually cut up with the stems and cores removed, but he didn’t mind. Preto had done it, from what he’d seen. It made him put in a little more effort to eat them because of their smaller size, but they were still delicious and appreciated. 

Once those were gone, he moved on to the other items; Carrots and kale. All of which were eaten without hesitation. 

“Here, little one. I know you don’t just want those veggies,” Preto said, drawing Ruoka’s attention upward slightly to see what the man had retrieved while he’d been distracted. He was squatting down about two feet away, a nice distance for him to not feel nervous, and holding something out to him. 

Ruoka accidentally let a line of drool slip from his jowls as he slowly reached forward, taking the slab of salted pork from the man’s hand as gently as possible. As soon as Preto released the food Ruoka settled back down and began chewing on the large chunk of meat happily. 

“Forget spoiling, you’re going to make him fat,” Seba said, making Ruoka hesitate in the middle of his current bit of chewing to look up at his master, needing reassurance that he was, in fact, allowed to eat it. 

To his surprise, Seba was grinning down at him, his right fang just-barely visible below his upper lip. It sometimes did that when he fed, refusing to retract for a bit. When he nodded, then started walking out of the room with Preto, Ruoka continued to chew, but much slower this time. He was torn between following and remaining at the plate so that he didn’t get juice from the meat all over the floor. 

“Stay there and eat. You can come find me once you’re done,” Seba called back to him from the hall.

He decided to take his time then, since he didn’t want to make a mess… and honestly, he absolutely loved the flavor of pork. The piece Preto had given him was also quite fatty and delicious. Using his paws to hold it down on the plate, he tore off piece after piece until it was small enough to simply chomp on, then swallow. 

That had been one of the best meals he’d ever had. Sated, and quite happily-so, he finally rose back to his feet. Feeling a need for a good stretch, he quickly licked off his paws, then pressed them forward against the floor as he tilted his head back slightly and lifted his tail. A yawn slipped in as he extended to his full length, then straightened back up and shook out his coat. 

A pup? 

Tilting his head at the abrupt sound, Ruoka looked to his left, then right. He had definitely heard someone say something, but there was no one else in the room besides himself. Twitching his nose slightly, he lifted it to the air and sniffed for a few moments, confused. There was no new scent, either. 

Can you tell me your name? 

Hackles rising, he slowly turned in a circle, baring his teeth the slightest amount as he looked for the invisible intruder. He would have gotten his master at that point, but for some reason, he didn’t sense that he was in any kind of danger, and his instincts were very well tuned to detect troublesome situations. 

I promise you, I am no threat. Just a friend who noticed you while passing by. 

Passing by? 

Roaka slowly turned toward the window, allowing his hackles to drift downward. He thought he’d seen something there for a brief moment, but the blur of black had vanished as soon as he’d tried to focus on it. Curious but cautious, he inched his way closer, tilting his ears this way and that to try and pick up any kind of sound that might help him react if the situation changed abruptly. 

There was nothing but the faint whispers from his master and Preto talking in the other room for some time, but then he heard it . His attention refocused on the window as he finally saw something move beyond it. 

One medium, black paw settled upon the windowsill after needing a moment to find a decent grip with its claws. Another soon joined it, but to Ruoka’s surprise, he still didn’t feel threatened. If he were still back in his master’s home town, then he would have immediately been at Seba’s side, warning him of the danger… and yet, not only did he not warn his master, but he also didn’t hesitate to inch closer and closer, until he saw a soft black nose appear from between the two paws, sniffing at the air eagerly. 

I am glad that you are being fed well. 

Tilting his head for a moment, Ruoka took a step away in response, but then moved forward again, unable to fight his curiosity. He carefully lifted his own paws up onto the windowsill, then cautiously raised his body until his own nose accidentally tapped against the clear pane of glass. 

The chill from it startled him, since he was already on edge, making him lean back, but not before he heard a faint chuckle in the back of his mind. 

Do you think your master would be willing to have a chat with me? 

Just the thought of Seba being around a wolf besides himself made Ruoka’s heart fill with dread. His master would definitely not be willing to speak to a werewolf. 

I see, that is a shame. Prettenon and I are quite well acquainted, so I was surprised to sense a wolf pup in his home… let alone find that it is a captive one. 

Ruoka pinned his ears back and lowered himself away from the window. He might be owned by his master, but he was very well taken care of and if Seba hadn’t wanted him, he would have surely been killed after being taken from his den as a pup. He owed his master everything, yet all he asked for was to drink from him from time to time. 

The wolf beyond the window had also lowered himself out of view, but Ruoka could still sense him there. 

I do apologize for confusing you, little one. I—

Ruoka lifted his ears after a moment of silence, unsure as to why the other had stopped speaking at that point. He waited for several moments for some sort of response, but lost his focus when he heard the front door open. 

When he noticed his master’s footsteps moving closer to the door, too, he hurried to join him. He would have run right up to sit at his spot by his side, but when he noticed the large wolf standing just beyond the open door, he slid to a halt a few yards back and tucked his tail. 

His master took notice, of course, and gave him a silent gesture to remain where he was. 

“Good evening, Kandza. I would ask what has brought the beta of the Rain pack here, but I’m quite certain I already know,” Preto said as he looked back at Ruoka, making him retreat a couple more steps, then hunch to the floor. 

He was never one for attention. Attention normally meant aggression. Humans and vampires were barely decent to him most times, and only because his master was so strong, but the wild werewolves that often tried to raid their city? He’d encountered them only twice face to face, and both times they’d tried to maul him without hesitation. 

“It seems like you were on patrol and found my heir’s young wolf, Ruoka.” 

The large wolf sat down on the stoop and lifted its eyes to Preto. It seemed like they were somehow conversing without actual words, because Preto’s lips turned upward into a slight smile as the silence stretched on. 

Eventually, the wolf turned its attention to Seba, making Ruoka’s muscles tense. He wouldn’t stand much of a chance against the bigger wolf, and he honestly still didn’t feel threatened by it, but he didn’t like it looking at his master. 

I will not harm him. 

The reassurance made him calm slightly, but he couldn’t shake the instincts that had been ingrained in him. Wolves had never been kind creatures. 

“You are correct. It is getting to be quite late and I’m sure we could all use some rest. Sebastian will be staying with me for some time as I get him ready to find his own heir to change and continue our line, so I’m sure you will have many chances to speak with him,” Preto said before reaching down as the wolf leaned up a little. 

Ruoka watched, suddenly transfixed, as Preto not only pet the large wolf, but scratched behind its ears and knelt down to wrap his arms around its fluffy neck. The wolf responded in kind, nuzzling its muzzle against the vampire’s face before settling its head upon his shoulder. It even went so far as to close its eyes as Preto sifted his fingers upward through its fur until he could muss up the area atop its head playfully. 

The wolf allowed him to mess with his fur for a few moments before it snorted and nudged the man’s hand with his nose. 

“Sorry, can’t help it. You’re always so soft and you actually let me pet you,” Preto said with a hint of honest joy to his words. 

It was very odd. Sure, he liked it when his master pat his head, but he had never been shown such physical attention like what the two before him were doing… nor did he think that he would enjoy it. 

You might be surprised, Ruoka. 

His ears flicked at hearing his name, but he refused to move closer. 

Everything in time. Enjoy your rest, little one. We will meet again another day. 

The wolf seemed to bid farewell to his master, too, because after he finished speaking into Ruoka’s mind, he turned and left. 

Releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding for a few moments, Ruoka slowly got to his feet, then hurried to his master’s side as the door was shut. He knew that he shouldn’t have moved yet without a command to do so, but he needed to be next to Seba. 

Thankfully, the man didn’t seem to mind his mistake at all, his attention now focused on his own master. 

“I do not believe I’ll be able to get used to this place. To have a wolf simply walk up to your doorstep…” he said, shaking his head slightly as he gave a tired sigh. 

Preto leaned back against the door and tucked a long strand of dark hair behind his ear before crossing his arms as his smile grew wider. 

“Oh, I believe that you will fit in quite well once you give it a chance, Sebastian.”

Seba didn’t look impressed with his master’s reassurances, at all. 

“What were you two talking about for so long, anyways?” he eventually asked as he crossed his own arms over his chest, a sign that Ruoka had learned meant that he was stressing about something. 

Preto seemed to understand the gesture, too, but paid it no mind as he responded with a half shrug and tilt of his head. 

“Not too much. He was just curious about you two, and before he left he mentioned something that I find quite interesting,” he said, drawing his master’s attention a little more. 

“What was that?” he asked. 

Preto stepped forward and lifted one hand to settle atop Seba’s head as he replied, “he said that your little fang that gets stuck extended just beyond your upper lip after you feed is quite cute.” 

Sebastian immediately ducked away from his master’s hand and turned toward the large stairway leading up to the second floor. Ruoka hesitated for only a moment before joining him. He master’s attitude always soured after anything about his illness was mentioned. His body just didn’t function the way it should, but he didn’t know all of the details about it. His fang not retracting correctly was only a small outward sign that he was struggling with an ailment. 

All Ruoka focused on, however, was that he was needed to stay by his side and help keep his master healthy in between his normal feedings on humans, and that was all that he needed to know. 

(Edited)

Chapter 3

Seba sat back against the pile of silken pillows, his eyes watching as the sun began to rise. He had been awake all night, which would normally be no cause for concern as far as vampires went, but for him…

A faint whine drew his attention to the space just beyond the left side of the bed. He’d had Ruoka curl up there to sleep for the evening, just as he did back at their home. The pup’s furry ears and bright, worried eyes were an unwelcome, but unsurprising, sight. 

“I will be fine, Ruoka.”

Even as he said those words, he could feel fatigue in his muscles as he slowly made his way to the edge of the bed. His pup sat at his feet as he stood, whining one more time in the hopes that he would reconsider getting up until he rested more. 

“Hush, I am perfectly capable of functioning with little sleep. I am not who I once was,” he said, a bit of bite to his words because, honestly, he was still exactly who he once was. 

Being changed into a vampire was a well known cure-all for most human illnesses. Even the worst ailments, and yet… not his. It had stopped his immanent death, but for what? He could barely handle the sun, unlike most older vampires. He needed to sleep at least eight hours a night or risk having extreme fatigue, among other issues. And the worst of it… his cancer had not even been healed with the change. His body couldn’t process the blood he so desperately needed to function as a vampire, which forced him to feed three to four times more often than even a newborn would. 

Looking down at the wolf by his side, Seba closed his eyes for a brief moment and settled a hand on Ruoka’s head. 

“I apologize,” he said quietly before forcing himself to stand. 

His body ached terribly, but he could not simply sit around all day. When he opened his eyes again, intent on getting dressed for whatever his master surely had in store for him, he noticed Ruoka sitting right in front of him, his ears slightly back and his eyes wide with worry. 

He needed to feed again, and he knew that the pup could sense it. It knew him far too well, however…

“It’s too early for you to feed me again. I will borrow another one of my master’s servants,” he said before walking around the werewolf and getting dressed. He decided to go with something simple, as he did not wish for assistance while dressing, and if he needed to rest during the day. A simple white silk shirt and black trousers would be easy enough to sleep in without being too uncomfortable. 

“Ready to see what torture my master has in store for us?” he asked as he finished fastening the belt at his waist, then lead his pup from the room. 

It followed him eagerly, of course, though perhaps it followed without much of a care because it knew that whatever Pretennon had planned, it was directed toward Seba, and not his wolf. 

Or, that was what he had thought until he stepped into the drawing room downstairs and noticed a familiar medium black wolf sitting at his master’s side, partaking in quite an impeccable ear scratch, if its lolling tongue and closed eyes were any indication. 

“Good morning, Sebastian,” his master said, then hesitated when he looked him up and down. 

He knew that he looked well enough as far as dress, but there was no way he could hide his exhaustion from the man, so he didn’t bother trying. Before Preto could speak again, however, the wolf at his side opened its eyes and gave its head a quick shake, then looked up at Seba, then down to Ruoka. 

His pup shied away, settling slightly behind him instead of at his side, but that was understandable, so he didn’t bother him about it. 

Instead, Seba found himself a seat a short distance away, making sure to keep an eye on the wolf at all times. Ruoka settled on the floor beside him, resting his head on his paws. It was clear he was trying to keep himself calm, but his hackles were raised partway and he was extremely tense. 

“Kandza came by to show you two around, since you haven’t been back here in so long,” Preto said, making Seba turn his attention back to the wolf who was now looking at them with a slight head tilt. 

He didn’t want to walk around outside as it were, but to do so with a werewolf for a guide? 

Seba wanted to refuse, but the look on his master’s face made him bite his tongue. They were in a new place. One that allowed werewolves to be part of society. He needed to try and get used to it. 

“Alright, please take care of us today, then,” he said, trying to keep his voice from cracking with exhaustion. 

Ruoka looked up as he finished speaking, making him nervous as to whether his effort had been in vein. 

“I suppose we can head out now, if you’d like?” he said, addressing the wolf still sitting at his master’s side. 

It stood, looking as if it were ready to go, but then hesitated and turned back to press its nose into Preto’s hand. 

“I swear I already pet you quite a bit today,” Pretennon said, even as he reached forward to run his fingers through the wolf’s thick fur. 

He might have taken a few extra minutes to dote on the doe-eyed creature, but neither of them seemed to mind… in the least. 

So odd. 

He heard a chuckle in the back of his mind, but thankfully his master didn’t respond in any other way through his thoughts. Instead, he finally leaned away after one more little ear scratch, then stood up and walked them to the door. 

As he held it open, he grabbed Seba’s hand and tugged him closer so that he could lean toward his right ear 

“Do not fret about needing time to rest. Kandza won’t hurt you, and he won’t let anyone else try to, either.” 

The reassurance had him glancing toward the wolf, who had already made his way down the front steps. It looked back up at them at that moment, making him realize that it had likely heard his master’s words without issue. 

Suddenly frustrated that a possible enemy knew part of his weakness, Seba removed his master’s hand from his own and stepped out the door into the uncomfortable morning sun. He’d thankfully thought ahead and worn clothing that covered most of his skin, but his face and neck were sure to get burned if they spent a whole lot of time outdoors. 

An excited yip drew his attention toward the street, where Kandza’s wolf stood tall, waiting for him and Ruoka to begin following him. 

“It’s just a simple walk. Surely we can manage,” he said to himself, but also as reassurance to his pup as they started forward. 

Each step took effort, but soon he was able to push his exhaustion aside as Kandza took them across the street and began heading north under a scattered group of overhangs. They didn’t block the sun out like an umbrella would, but they were definitely appreciated and allowed Seba to actually look around some as they began their little journey. 

He noticed, however, that as they moved from one street to the next, more and more eyes seemed to fall upon them. Of course, he knew that the beta from the Rain pack was guiding them, but the attention seemed to be split almost evenly between all three of them, from what he could tell. 

They were just turning into a beautiful park beside a large lake when he realized something as Ruoka, having gotten distracted by a small flock of geese frolicking about in the water nearby, stepped slightly ahead of him. 

“I forgot his leash.” 

The realization made his heart falter for a moment, drawing a weak cough from his mouth before he managed to stifle the sounds with his sleeve. He shook his head the slightest amount, trying to push away the pathetic coughing fit, but he was unable to regain control until he settled against a tree a little ways off the path and forced himself to focus on his breathing. 

Thankfully, Ruoka settled in his lap as he calmed down, allowing his mind to ease its worry about him possibly trying to run off. Granted, he’d let the wolf free of its leash whenever they were home or working around the house outside, but he had never taken him out into town without it. 

Just the thought of losing his lifeline made him reach forward and wrap the pup in a tight hug, then burry his face in his fur as he slowly began to regain his breath. 

I should have remained in bed today instead of trying to pretend I’m as strong as all the other vampires. I had even gotten distracted and forgot to feed again before we left. 

He was just about to let Kandza know that they needed to head back, because he truly could not function for much longer without another meal, when he heard a familiar sound. Looking up, Seba’s eyes widened as they watched Kandza’s wolf carefully inch its way closer until it was about a foot away, then lie down. 

For once, the wolf didn’t bother him, because it had brought his lifeline. 

“You ran back to the house… to get that for me?” 

He didn’t know what else to say, so he slowly reached forward until he was able to grasp the cold metal chain between his fingers. Thankfully, the wolf relinquished it without hesitation, allowing him to withdraw it and quickly clasp one end to Ruoka’s collar. 

As soon as that was done Seba gave a tired sigh of relief and looked back toward the wolf still lying nearby. 

“Thank you.” 

He never thought he’d say such words to a werewolf besides Ruoka, and yet he found that they rolled off his tongue quite easily. 

The animal flicked an ear and nodded, then settled its head on its paws, clearly intent on waiting until he was ready to continue their little trip. 

At first, Seba intended to get up right away, but when Ruoka looked to the side abruptly, toward the water, Seba let his eyes drift that way. 

“Ah, the ducks? You like them?” he asked, tilting his head the slightest bit so that he could see his pup’s response. 

When Ruoka glanced back at him for a brief moment and licked his muzzle, Seba couldn’t help but smile. 

“Of course you would think about eating them. I swear you got fed quite a bit last night, and yet here you are staring down those poor ducks,” he chastised half-heartedly. 

If him and Ruoka had anything in common, it was their appetite. He couldn’t blame the pup, though, since he fed off of him quite often. It was only appropriate that he kept him well fed in return. 

“I’ll get you something when we get home if you’re hungry,” he said as he finally felt well enough to try standing up again. 

He struggled at the beginning with his balance after his pup moved off his legs, but Ruoka was very helpful and allowed him to rest some of his weight on his back as he finished straightening to his full height. The wolf received a pat on its head as thanks before Seba wrapped a small amount of his leash around his hand, then nodded to their host. 

Kandza rose at that moment, stretching a bit before walking back over to the path they had begun to follow. Seba took his time getting there in case he got short of breath again, but the moment seemed to have passed. 

I just need to feed as soon as we get back. 

“Let us be off, then,” he said with a small smile toward their guide. 

The wolf set out again, but this time his pace was much slower and he often checked to be sure that they were keeping up well enough. To his surprise, the stroll was actually quite nice, and while there were plenty of humans, vampires, and werewolves around, everyone was getting along well. 

“I never thought that such a thing could happen,” he mused out loud as they exited the park and took a turn toward a large market. 

Oh no, I see that meat stand up ahead. 

He didn’t need to look down at Ruoka to know that the pup would be eyeing up the food stall. A few wolf pups ran across their path as they tackled each other into the dirt, stopping them for a moment, but nothing seemed to distract his own furry companion from the thick slices of pork hanging just beyond his nose. 

Kandza guided them forward, clearly taking note of Ruoka’s interest. 

I feel like my coin purse is about to get quite a bit lighter. 

“Oh?” the person behind the stand said as he saw their odd group walk up. 

He was a portly fellow, with a smile that, while missing a few teeth with the remaining ones quite yellow, beamed at them with an honest love for life. 

“Good evening, sirs, might I interest you in any of our fine meats today? We offer free samples if something strikes your fancy,” he said, the last bit directed toward the two wolves who were practically drooling over the thick slabs of meat. 

When Ruoka looked back at him, silently asking if he could have something, Seba noticed Kandza sneak him a sheepish glance, too. Shaking his head, he blew out a quiet breath and stepped between the two. 

“I’d like to have them try a piece of your finest pork, please, and also whatever fish you might recommend.”

He knew that Ruoka wasn’t a huge fan of any kind of seafood, but the pup did eat whatever he was given… and he could use a bit more of a varied meat diet than just chunks of pork. 

The vendor quickly cut up two cubes of pork, as well as two small pieces of fresh salmon. Seba offered the salmon first, wanting to gauge Ruoka’s reaction to it. His pup hesitated taking it right off the bat, and instead watched as Kandza gently took his own, then devoured it in less than a second. 

“See, that’s how you should be, but you’re too addicted to pork and beef jerky,” he said, chastising his pup with a bit too much humor in his words to really mean it.

Rouka pinned his ears and sniffed the fish a little more, but when he continued to hesitate, Kandza leaned forward slowly, clearly intent on stealing the treat. That’s when Ruoka quickly leaned closer and snapped up the tiny morsel. 

Seba could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t pleased with the flavor, but he did eventually swallow it and lick his lips a few times. Once that traumatic experience was over he gave the two their rewards, the pieces of pork. 

Kandza took his time savoring the meat, but Ruoka had it chewed up and swallowed immediately. 

I guess that settles that. 

Looking back up at the vendor, Seba pointed to the slab of pork the slices had come from, then to the fish. 

“I’ll take five pounds of the pork and two pounds of the fish, please.” 

The man behind the counter lit up with excitement as he hurried to get their order ready. While he was busy, Ruoka and Kandza both settled on the ground, and to his surprise, Ruoka actually let the other wolf steal a careful lick to his nose. 

Of course, Ruoka told him a thing or two about personal space afterward, but he didn’t seem to really mind the little interaction. 

Maybe this place might not be so bad after all. 

He could handle himself against werewolves, but he’d been worried that Ruoka wouldn’t have been able to adjust since he’d always been the target of any species he’d come across. It was a relief to see that he was actually quite relaxed. 

“Oh?” 

Hearing the vendor’s mumble, Seba looked up, but was surprised to see that the man’s attention wasn’t on him, or even the wolves at his feet. He quickly followed his gaze, but his nose found what he was looking for, first. 

I smell fresh blood. 

It wasn’t from the meat stall, though. A massive black wolf was quietly walking down the other side of the road, its size easily double that of even Kandza’s. There was no doubt in his mind that the creature was likely an alpha from one of the three packs. 

The Ghost alpha? Pretennon had mentioned that it was a massive black wolf. 

He paused in his thoughts as the scent of blood hit him again, making his body ache with need for it. Thankfully, Ruoka noticed his unease and helped him settle on the ground. Trying to push away the thoughts of feeding, Seba focused on calming his mind and blocking out the scent that the giant wolf carried. 

His mind was just on the edge of his control when he noticed Ruoka quickly move in front of him and give off a terrified, but impressive, warning growl. 

That broke his concentration and drew his eyes upward until they came across the massive beast that had stopped just beyond his own shaking wolf pup. Poor Ruoka was dwarfed by its size, and even Kandza, who had gotten up to stand in front of him, but was not showing any kind of aggression, would not be a match should the creature decide that it wanted to harm them. 

Seba was just about to bare his own fangs in warning when he sensed his master nearby. 

“Alpha Rain, I do apologize if my heir has done anything to upset you,” Pretennon said as he stepped up to their little group and reached down, offering him a hand. 

Oh? He’s the Rain alpha, not the Ghost one? 

Seba took the proffered hand, grateful to have the man there. Once he was back on his feet, they returned their attention to the giant wolf. It didn’t seem very interested in them, however, as it leaned forward and down, sniffing at a cowering, but still growling, Ruoka. Seba was just about to reach down and retrieve his poor pup when his master stepped in and knelt calmly in front of the large wolf. 

“It seems like you don’t like his situation, but I can assure you that he is treated very well. Him and my heir just recently arrived in this city and neither of them are used to seeing friendly werewolves,” he explained, finally drawing the creature’s attention off of Ruoka. 

It stared at his master with dark brown eyes for quite some time before Pretennon finally stood up and smiled sideways at him. 

“I believe we will be having a guest this evening. Kandza, would you mind finishing your tour at another time?” he asked, making the other wolf flick an ear, then glance backwards at the meat  vendor. 

“O-oh, right. Seba quickly withdrew the coins he needed to pay for the meat, then took the two wrapped bundles he was offered. 

He was just turning back to his master when the bundle of salmon was abruptly taken.

“There’s a slight fee to reschedule, it seems,” Pretennon said, making Seba raise an eyebrow in question until he saw his master tear off a nice piece of fish and hold it out to Kandza. 

The wolf wiggled in excitement as it accepted the chunk of fish happily, then, to Seba’s surprise, looped around him and settled by Pretennon’s side, its chunk of fish proudly visible as it hung out the slightest amount from the left side of his mouth. 

(EditeD)

Chapter 4

Preto carefully tucked his heir into bed before slipping out of the room. As soon as they had returned, he’d made sure to have Sebastian feed. He’d been so hungry that he’d needed two humans to sate his thirst. It was unusual, even for him, but it wasn’t too surprising. His situation had changed quite abruptly, and dramatically. He would get used to it, though. It would just take some time. 

I’m glad no one has tried to take Ruoka from him yet. 

He had said that no one would try, besides by civil means, but some wolves, as well as people, didn’t always play by the rules. That had his mind turning to their next issue… the alpha that was set to visit them later. 

They had communicated during the few moments that he’d stepped in to shield his heir, but very little had actually been said between them. The beast wanted the wolf pup free, and Pretennon had requested that they discuss it this evening instead of causing a scene in public. Thankfully, the wolf had easily agreed, which gave him hope that a middle ground could be reached without needing to involve any authorities.  

All in good time, he thought to himself as he stopped at the top of stairs, surprised to see Kandza sitting on one of the steps halfway up the flight. 

“You, my friend, are quite an odd one, too,” he noted as he descended, meeting the wolf partway and settling a hand on its fuzzy head. It gave a few excited pants before circling him once, then running down the remaining stairs. 

Pretennon shook his head but followed. He had honestly never seen Kandza in his human form, nor did they speak all that often telepathically, but the wolf continued to grace him with its presence, and he did not mind one bit. 

He followed it into his back study, then watched as it settled beside the large desk near the far wall. 

“You think you own the place now, hmm?” he said teasingly as he sat himself down behind his desk and began sorting out paperwork he had to look over. 

Most of it dealt with the estate and a few other small bits of land he owned; One being the home where Sebastian currently lived. He’d intended to sell it long ago, but when his heir had begun hiding from society and refused to go anywhere for fear of falling ill, he allowed him the freedom to leave… so long as he returned when called for. 

Sighing, Preto leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his long black hair. 

“I really must find that boy a human heir. All he seems to see when he looks at himself in a sick lad, but he has so much to give that he doesn’t realize,” he said as he stared at one of the large bookshelves across the room. It was full all the way to the top, with books stacked even on the floor beside it. The same was true for all of the other furniture in the room. 

Kandza sat up and stretched, then walked over to put his head on the armrest with a quiet grunt. 

Preto settled a hand atop his head without even thinking about it, petting the soft fur there as he allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts. He had already signed the invitation for several coming events so that Sebastian could begin to learn to integrate with society, but he did not want to overwhelm him… and yet, he knew that if he did not push him, he would surely hull himself up in his room with his pup and refuse to go outside but once a week, if that. 

“I do not know how to get through to him,” he whispered as he leaned back and closed his eyes, feeling a faint headache threaten to start behind them. 

He expected some sort of response from Kandza, but when the wolf simply withdrew its head from beneath his hand, he realized that he might not have an answer. Not that he had expected one, but he had hoped, just a little bit, that someone else might be able to figure out his situation better than himself. 

Despite knowing that he needed to relax for at least a short while before their guest arrived later, Pretennon couldn’t keep his mind silent. He went over and over different ways to make Sebastian feel more comfortable, and safer, amongst others, but there was no quick fix to the situation. No matter how many times he thought through it. 

He wasn’t sure when, but at some point his mind had drifted off to sleep. What awoke him, however, was the faint sound of something moving nearby. When he didn’t sense any danger, he allowed his eyes to remain closed and simply listened. 

It was surprising to hear a clearly-human figure moving about near him, yet the only scent he could discern in the area was still just his own and Kandza’s. No servant was nearby, nor was Sebastian or his pup. 

He considered reaching out to the wolf’s thoughts, but he felt like that wasn’t appropriate quite yet. There was no shuffling of documents, nor did he hear the man remove anything from any of his bookshelves. 

What could he possibly be looking for, anyways?

His answer came not two seconds later when he felt a warm hand gently settle against the side of his face. The touch quickly heated his cold skin, drawing a near-silent sigh from his lips before another hand settled on the opposite side of his face, its thumb softly drifting along his skin until it stopped at the very edge of his mouth. 

When he still didn’t open his eyes, Preto felt weight settle on the seat cushion between his legs, the new addition making the large chair creak the slightest bit. He could feel the man leaning closer, inching his way forward as if worried that he would wake him. 

Warm breath soon ghosted across his right cheek, the sound of quiet sniffing following soon afterward. He didn’t mind the attention, as odd it seemed, but it began to settle a little uncomfortably in his chest as time went on. 

Kandza was being much more polite than most likely would, and was simply nuzzling against his face and hair as his hands wandered to only appropriate areas, but it irked him slightly that the werewolf had not even shown him his human form before doing such a thing. That was what eventually spurred him to open his eyes and put an end to the man’s unwarranted attentions. 

Except, when he did finally open his eyes, the weight in his chair shifted considerably, and instead of finding a man leaning over him, he saw a wiggling, yet-nervous looking wolf sitting by his feet. 

“Kandza…” 

He knew that his expression was quite cold, as well as his tone, but the wolf wasn’t going to get out of what it had done with some puppy eyes. It seemed to understand that, too, because it quickly lifted its lowered ears and and looked down. 

Pretennon leaned back in his chair once as he settled one arm on its armrest and leaned his head against it. 

“I am not opposed to having a love interest, but you have shown no intention of revealing yourself to me, nor have you given me any kind of official statement or even spoken one word about your intentions. For those reasons, unless you wish to rectify them immediately, I must ask you to leave.”

He normally wouldn’t just kick someone out if they upset him, but he was not going to allow himself to stress any further when he already had a situation he had to deal with that evening. His heir’s health and safety was much more important. He could settle whatever had just happened at a later date. 

When Kandza backed away, whining only the slightest amount, Pretennon nodded and stood from his seat. 

“I will see you out, then.” 

He was honestly grateful that the wolf didn’t want to discuss what it had done yet. 

When they stopped at the front door, Preto calmly unlocked it, then reached for the handle. He would have pulled it open, but at that exact moment he felt a warm, firm hand tightly grasp his left wrist. Another moment later and Kandza’s right arm wrapped around his midsection and tugged him back against his own firm body. Lastly, he felt the man’s forehead settle atop his left shoulder, allowing him just enough room to turn his head and see a mop of shaggy black hair. 

He considered hissing a warning at that point, but when Kandza didn’t move again, he forced back his frustration and instead leaned his head down and to the side, allowing him to nuzzle his nose into the man’s soft hair. 

It smelled just like his wolf… a mixture of pine trees and honeysuckle flowers. 

They remained that way until another scent caught his attention abruptly. His fangs nearly stabbed his upper lip in their haste to descend, but Preto caught himself, lifting it right before they could pierce his skin. 

“You are so quick to tempt me, yet you still refuse to look me in the eye,” he said in response to the man having scratched himself with a claw. He wasn’t sure where he’d done it, but the affect was the same. His blood smelled delicious.  

His words were rewarded with a quiet grumble before Kandza released him and leaned away. Pretennon slowly turned to face him, but there was no surprise when his eyes settled upon a wolf, instead of a person. 

Deciding that enough was enough, he turned back around and pulled the door open, then nodded to the wolf who was already padding past him. It stopped once it was completely outside, then looked back at him with a slight bow of its head. 

“Manners will get you nowhere right now… and the next time we meet, I expect to see you on two legs.” 

With that, Preto closed the door, then turned to lean against it with a shaky sigh. Considering the size of Kandza’s wolf, he’d expected the man beneath it to be of normal height and stature… a an inch or two shorter than himself. To his surprise, however, that had not been the case, at all. The man easily stood as tall as himself, and possibly even taller once he straightened to his full height. He also wasn’t afraid to tempt an elder vampire. 

Shaking his head, Pretennon straightened and began walking toward his servant’s rooms. He clearly needed to feed… even though he knew that he wasn’t hungry. At least, not for human blood.  

(Edited)

Chapter 5

He… was not a fan. 

Ruoka swiped at the awkward red bow tied around his neck for the tenth time, earning a light swat to his ear for his efforts. He quickly set his paw back down on the floor, but was already lifting it again the moment Seba turned away to look in the mirror in order to tie his own neckerchief. He’d opted out of a bow, deciding instead to bestow the frustrating garment to Ruoka, instead. 

“It’s not so bad. Besides, at least you don’t have to put on all of this,” Seba said as he turned back around to face him, making Ruoka quickly drop his paw back to the floor and look up with innocent eyes. 

He couldn’t argue that he was getting the better end of the deal, but his master did look quite dashing in the dark blue and gold coat. He had buttoned it up completely, hiding most of the dark red silk shirt beneath, but it still meshed well with the black pants he wore that had a length of gold buttons going all the way down the right side. 

“Stop looking so happy at my dismay,” Seba grumbled, earning a head tilt from Ruoka before they heard a quiet knock at their door. 

Pretennon entered a moment later, his eyes immediately falling to his heir. The smile on his face was one that Ruoka knew as that of a doting loved one. 

“I am so glad that I took the time to find you some things to wear before your arrival. That outfit suits you perfectly,” he said as he walked forward and gently brushed a few strands of Seba’s curly, dark sandy hair away from his face… only for it to defiantly return to its exact spot a second later. His hair had been tamed, partially, but no amount of attention could keep it from acting out in certain areas. 

“Our guest is waiting downstairs,” Preto said after a few more moments of adjusting this or that on Seba’s body. 

Ruoka’s ears perked up at the announcement as he looked toward the open door, almost expecting to see the massive wolf from earlier standing there watching them with cold eyes. Of course, it wasn’t there, but that didn’t make it any easier to relax. There was a massive wolf in his master’s new, temporary territory. He didn’t like it. 

“It will be okay, Ruoka,” Preto said before settling a hand on his fuzzy head for a moment, then walking to the door and nodding toward the hallway. 

Ruoka looked back at his master, who was tugging at his neckerchief one final time, before finally relenting and stepping out the door right behind his master. Ruoka hurried to fall into step with him, not wanting to be left behind. He knew that Seba could handle himself well, especially since he’d fed twice earlier and his master was with him, but he could help protect him if things got out of hand, too. 

“Behave, you,” Seba said as they began descending the stairs. 

Ruoka paused at the remark, looking up at his master. 

“Don’t give me that look. I know he makes you nervous but Pretennon wouldn’t have invited him here if he was worried he might do something inappropriate,” Seba said, making Ruoka’s hackles, which he hadn’t realized he’d raised, lower slowly. 

“Good boy. We will be fine.” 

They finished descending the stairs at the same moment the alpha’s scent found his nose. He didn’t smell like blood today. Instead, the scent was like fresh rain. It was an odd contrast that Ruoka wasn’t sure about. 

“Good evening, alpha Rain,” Pretennon said as he walked into the drawing room. 

Seba followed his master and found himself a seat as far away from their guest as possible. Ruoka had intended to follow him and take a seat at his feet, but he felt as if his body was paralyzed as the alpha’s eyes locked onto him. 

He felt an odd presence in the back of his mind as the time ticked by in uncomfortable silence. He realized what was going on after a few minutes of consideration, though. The alpha was trying to speak into his thoughts like Kandza had done. 

“I believe introductions are in order,” Pretennon eventually said from his seat beside the alpha. 

The dark-haired man looked at him with equally-dark eyes, finally breaking the spell he’d seemed to have cast on Ruoka. Taking his chance, he quickly hurried to his master’s side and settled against his leg. 

His movement caught the alpha’s attention, but thankfully he didn’t try to get into his mind again. Instead, the man finally lifted his eyes to his master. 

“My name is alpha Rain, and I would like to discuss that werewolf’s release from captivity,” the man said, his deep voice making Rouka inch a little closer to his master. It sounded almost as if he were having trouble containing his anger and could lose control of it at any moment, even though his expression looked quite relaxed. 

Pretennon thankfully took the man’s attention as he crossed one leg over the other and began speaking calmly but carefully. 

“Let me formally introduce you three. This young man is my heir, Sebastian. He has just recently returned to the city after twenty years. Where he lives, werewolves are quite aggressive and dangerous. The pup at his feet is called Ruoka.” 

The alpha let out a growl at his name, making Ruoka tilt his head in confusion. 

Pretennon allowed himself to give the slightest chuckle before continuing. 

“I understand that naming him food was poor judgement, but please consider that if he had not taken the pup, it would have been killed. It was discovered after a local pack of werewolves were raided by the human and vampire populace. They drove them all out of the area, but the pup was left alone in its den.”

The alpha crossed his own leg over the other and relaxed his clawed-grip on the armrests, seemingly calming his inner beast so that he could at least get all of the details of the situation. 

Preto noticed and offered a warm smile before continuing once more. 

“The pup was found by one of Sebastian’s acquaintances who knew of his illness and necessity to feed more often than other vampires,” he said, making the man’s eyes turn to them for a brief moment before he returned his attention to Pretennon. 

Preto was about to continue speaking when a servant entered the room with a tray of tea and biscuits. She quickly set it down as Preto offered his thanks, then hurried from the room. 

The food was, no doubt, for the alpha, but after glancing over it, he turned his attention back to Ruoka. 

“Ruoka.” 

The man’s distaste for the name was clear in the way he said it, though it was obvious he tried to hold himself back some. Whether he liked the name or not, it was his. 

Ruoka’s ears stood at attention the second his name left the man’s mouth, his heart pounding in nervous confusion. He had never had an alpha’s attention directed towards him, and wasn’t sure how to act. Eventually, he lowered his eyes. 

He thought that the action was what the man expected of a lesser wolf, but when he heard a faint sound, as if someone were carefully calling a scared stray cat to come closer, he hesitantly lifted his gaze again. The alpha had retrieved one of the delicious-smelling biscuits and broken off a small piece. That piece was now being held out toward him. Ruoka flicked an ear and glanced up at his master. 

Seba didn’t seem happy about the situation, but he nodded toward the alpha as he spoke. 

“You may go.” 

He wasn’t exactly excited about the given permission. The biscuits did smell good, but he was still getting used to being around Pretennon… now he was being asked to take food from an alpha werewolf? 

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to,” Seba corrected, clearly sensing his unease. 

Ruoka immediately scooted closer against his master and nuzzled his muzzle against the man’s pants. The action was rewarded with a reassuring pat to his head as the alpha across the room sighed and set the biscuit down, then leaned back in his chair. His attention lifted from Ruoka to his master before he spoke again. 

“You have ample servants at this location, and if I am to assume correctly, Pretennon would allow you to take some, or help you finance several, if needed, for your own estate back where you live…” the alpha said, making his master tense. 

“Pretennon has told me that you haven’t fed from him once since your arrival here, either.” 

Seba spoke up at that, though his voice cracked a little at the beginning from stress. 

“I fed from him before our trip out here. It is too early to do so again.”

The alpha nodded, his mind clearly working behind his dark eyes. 

“From my understanding, werewolf blood sates a vampire far greater than any human’s,” he said, earning a hesitant nod from Seba as he allowed one of his hands to drift down and settle into Ruoka’s thick coat near his neck. 

The alpha licked his lower lip, seemingly thinking through an idea that had come to mind. 

“And your reasons for needing to feed so often… I can smell your disease from here.” 

Ruoka immediately jumped up into Seba’s lap and settled against his chest as his master’s arms quickly wrapped him in a tight hug. His ears pinned back and his upper lip lifted, baring his teeth nervously but angrily at the alpha. 

The man didn’t seem to mind the outward threat and, instead, tilted his head slightly and sniffed the air again. 

“Ah, stress makes it worse. I can smell the blood in your body breaking down as we speak…” 

Pretennon stepped in at that point, drawing the alpha’s attention so that Ruoka could turn and gently nuzzle against his master’s neck. He wasn’t normally allowed to sit in his lap, but on rare occasions when Seba got extremely stressed, he gratefully accepted the distraction. 

“My heir has a very rare form of cancer, and while changing him has done away with most of the issues caused by it, his body never managed to heal the excessive hemolysis that occurred from other complications,” Preto said, a hint of warning in the tone of his voice. 

The alpha seemed to acknowledge it, because he returned his attention to the two of them with a calmer look in his eyes. Seba seemed to have calmed down, as well, because he relaxed his hold on Ruoka some. 

“I provide Ruoka with everything he needs to be happy, and he provides me with blood when I can’t get to an appropriate human in time,” Seba said, his voice only slightly nervous when he spoke this time. 

Ruoka repositioned himself in his master’s arms just enough to be able to look over at the alpha with his ears tall and straight, his eyes proud. 

The edge of the man’s lips tilted up the slightest amount before he nodded, but then responded. 

“I am relieved to say that I see no issue with the way you provide for your pup. He looks well fed and groomed, and does not seem to be suffering from any sort abuse… but if you only keep him for such situations, perhaps we can strike a deal that would allow him some small freedoms… at least while you are visiting your master?” 

Seba tensed up again, but was able to control himself a bit better this time and after taking a few careful breaths, managed a normal-sounding reply. 

“What do you suggest?” 

Ruoka felt Seba’s fingers tighten against the skin beneath his fur, a sure sign that he wasn’t interested in changing anything about their situation, but he couldn’t just ignore the man, either. 

The alpha offered a slightly larger smile, seeming to relax the most since he had gotten there. 

“Release him from your servitude for the duration of your trip here, and in return, I will provide everything you have been keeping him for.” 

(Edited)

Chapter 6

What was he supposed to say to such a thing? Ruoka was much more to him than just food. Just having the pup at his side calmed his terrible disease and made his life manageable. Just the thought of losing him made Seba’s heart race painfully in his chest. 

“I will take my leave for the time being. Consider my words, and come find me at the Rain pack house north of here when you are ready to answer my proposal,” the alpha said as he stood from his seat. 

Clearly sensing his movement, Ruoka hurried to hop down from Seba’s lap, then step aside so that he could rise from his own seat. 

“I will consider your words carefully,” he said as he stood tall, though he knew his face had likely gotten quite pale.

He also knew that he would need to feed again after such a stressful situation, and might just finally relent and take from Ruoka. The pup needed fed again before he considered such a thing, though. 

I will get you whatever you need for him, his master’s voice said quietly into his mind, drawing a small smile to Seba’s face as he followed the two toward the door. He stopped a few steps back as the alpha walked outside, then turned to look at them. When he produced a small vial of something from his coat pocket and handed it to Pretennon, Seba tilted his head, curious but suspicious. 

It didn’t take but a few seconds for the scent of strong, sweet-smelling blood to drift into his nose once Pretennon handed it to him. 

“Please consider that as a parting gift, and if you accept, an idea of what you could have at your disposal in the near future.”

With that, the alpha gave a slight nod and turned, disappearing into the night. 

Seba released a small breath of air that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as his master closed and locked the door. When the man turned to him, his eyes were curious, yet also the slightest-bit suspicious. 

“That is quite a parting gift,” he said as he reached forward, silently requesting the vial of dark blood back. 

Seba gave it up immediately, even though his fangs were already aching for it. 

“It smells delicious, but you must always be careful when consuming an alpha’s blood,” Pretennon said as he made his way toward the kitchen, his words drawing Seba to follow right behind him. 

He was curious as to why, but he knew that his master would clarify his words in time. When they got to the smaller room he watched as Pretennon set the vial on the counter, then went about building a large plate of food. The pup at his side began to lick its lips, realizing that it would be meal time soon… and there would be quite a bit on his plate. 

“Alpha blood can invigorate even the sickest human,” Pretennon began, making Seba immediately glance back at the small glass tube on the counter. “But, it is a kind of contract, of sorts, too.” 

Contract? 

“I’m not sure why he isn’t simply offering money like he had with other wolves, though,” Pretennon said as he set a rather impressive slice of steak on Ruoka’s plate, even though it was already loaded up with several yellow squash, cut apples, and a few slices of bread. He was seemingly more than complacent with spoiling the pup as much as he wished.

Seba caught on after the plate got higher than Ruoka’s last massive meal, making him finally, hesitantly, speak up. 

“That’s more than enough for him…” he said nervously. 

Pretennon added two pieces of dried jerky and another slice of the pork Seba had bought previously before turning to face him with a smile that looked much more like a warning than anything else. 

“I will spoil my grandpup as much as I wish… unless you plan on creating an heir anytime soon?” 

  Err…

“I-I’m glad that you like Ruoka as much as he loves food,” Seba said as he watched his master put the heaping plate on the floor. 

To his surprise, Ruoka spared him only a brief glance before pouncing on the  meal with fervor. 

Pretennon stepped closer and retrieved the vile after that, leaning against the counter as he held it up. 

“If you drink this, then alpha Rain will have partial control over your actions whenever you decide to feed from him.” 

What the…?

“It would never be full control, but he’d be able to get you to submit to some things that you might normally be hesitant on… like signing something to officially release Ruoka from his servitude,” Preto said, making Seba quickly look away from the enticing blood. 

“There are many, many vampires and humans who would willingly give themselves to an alpha in order to be allowed even a drop of their blood, though,” he added. 

Seba bared his teeth and turned his attention out the window. 

“I have no such interest. Blood is blood to me, and I have Ruoka. I do not need an alpha trying to control me… no matter how good their blood is.” 

Pretennon grinned and uncapped the vial, making the sweet scent that much stronger. Seba quickly swallowed the saliva that pooled in his mouth due to it. 

“Then, If you don’t mind?” Preto asked, raising the vial a little higher. 

You… are going to drink it? 

“Of course. I would not waste such a valuable treat. I’m an elder vampire. There is little he can do to me, even if I fed from him regularly,” Preto said as he promptly tossed back the blood. 

Seba considered requesting to taste what little remained at the bottom of the vial, but he held himself back. If the blood was  that powerful, he would get addicted for sure. 

“I will go speak with him now and decline his request,” Seba said as he abruptly turned and headed for the door. 

He felt his master’s eyes on his back as he moved, but the man said nothing. Right as he was stepping outside Ruoka caught up to him, a large chunk of the steak from his plate hanging from his jaws. 

“You’re a bit special, huh?” Seba said with a chuckle as he closed the door and began heading north. 

It was already dark out, but his eyes were decent enough, and there were plenty of torches hanging about. In fact, it was so well lit that even quite a lot of humans were milling about. He wasn’t exactly sure where the alpha estates were located, but he figured that if he simply continued north, that his nose would eventually pick up the correct scent. 

They were just walking past a long alleyway some ten minutes or so after having started out when something black and fuzzy suddenly appeared from the mouth of it and barreled into Ruoka, sending the two creatures flying head over tail into the path of an oncoming carriage! Before Seba could think, he was darting out in front of it and scooping up the two small wolves.

Thankfully, he managed to slide far enough across the road that he just got grazed by one of the carriage’s wheels. It tore the back of his new coat and, from what he could tell, added a bit of a burn to his skin. 

Sighing, he looked down at the two pups in his arms, then frowned as one of his eyebrows went up. 

The new wolf, a small black one with bright caramel eyes, was almost as tiny as his own pup. It had its jaws locked onto the edge of the big piece of meat that Ruoka hadn’t somehow lost in their tumble. Of course, his own pup wasn’t too keen on letting it go, at all. 

“Um… we can work this out,” he said awkwardly as he carefully set the two back on the ground before getting himself up and dusting off his pants. By the time he was done Ruoka was becoming quite vocal about his disapproval over sharing his meal. 

Seba was going to intervene, but it honestly didn’t seem like the other wolf was really trying to take the food, so much as it was just enjoying teasing his pup. It even sat down as Ruoka put more effort into pulling his food free, but made little headway. 

Since there didn’t seem to be an all-out fight starting anytime soon, he took a few moments to look over their new guest. As far as wolves went, he was small, probably somewhere around sixty pounds. He had a normal shaggy black coat, but at the very tip of his tail was a small tuft of white fur mixed into the darker color. 

He was just thinking that it looked kind of cute when he heard Ruoka whine, drawing his attention immediately back to their little situation. 

Alright, time to play peacekeeper. 

“Ruoka, we’re going to let him have a little piece,” Seba said as he knelt down in front of them and reached for the meat. 

His pup looked absolutely forlorn at the thought of sharing even a tiny morsel, but he couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t like Ruoka ever interacted with others. The pup always got his own food and never had to share anything he was given. 

“You did bring that out of the house when you know that there are a lot of wolves in this town. Let this be a new lesson for you. We will leave our dinner at home from now on,” Seba said as he carefully used one claw to cut off the small portion that the other wolf had managed to grab. 

As soon as the food was freed the new wolf quickly gobbled it up, swallowing before either of them could even blink. 

“You don’t look malnourished…” Seba said as he eyed the wolf again, drawing its attention to him for a surprisingly-adorable head-tilt. 

“And your ears seem a bit too big for that head of yours,” he added, not liking that he was thinking such things about such a dangerous creature. 

An angry grumble drew his attention back to his own pup, who had quickly finished his much-bigger portion of meat before inching closer to the newcomer while baring his teeth. The black wolf, though, didn’t seem to mind. In fact, it licked its lips, then jumped back a foot or so, only to bow with the front half of its body and swish its tail with curious excitement. 

Ruoka, unfamiliar with the gesture, pinned his ears and growled again, but when the other wolf just began bouncing around him, staying just out of reach of Ruoka’s now-swiping paws, Seba couldn’t help but grin. 

“He’s trying to play with you, Ruoka.” 

The look he got in return for such information nearly had him bursting out laughing. Playing had never been something he’d bothered to teach his pup. There had never been a need, since he couldn’t exactly play with the local wolves, and the humans and vampires in town would have thrown a fit if he’d even sniffed their dog’s butts. 

“He doesn’t know how to play,” he eventually told the other wolf, making it finally stop its hyperactive behavior and plop back down to sit on the ground. 

Ruoka took that opportunity to get in a good swat with his paw, landing the hit right on the poor pup’s nose. It grunted from the assault, but then caught the next paw right between its teeth before it could land a second hit. 

This is so strange.

His own pup was clearly taken by surprise and, finally, had his instincts kick in as it whimpered up at him, its eyes widening with confusion and terror. 

“Alright, alright,” how about this?“ Seba said as he reached forward again, easily removing Ruoka’s paw from the other wolf’s mouth. 

“How would you like to come back with us and have a bit more food? You don’t look starved, but you do seem like you could use a few extra pounds.” 

The look of betrayal he saw on his pup’s face was priceless, and partially the reason why he was making the offer in the first place. If they had to live in such a city for who-knew-how-long, then they had better start getting used to some of its occupants. 

Looking back at their new friend as he danced around in a circle, clearly excited about the offer, he knew that the little guy would probably be their best bet at getting Ruoka a little more used to other wolves. Of course, he didn’t plan on staying forever, and they would eventually go back to their own home, but trying a little couldn’t hurt… could it? 

So, they turned around, his previous goal set aside for another day as they headed back toward the house. It didn’t take long before they were walking back inside, drawing Preto’s attention as the man stopped ascending the stairs to look down at them. 

“Ah?” 

His master hurried to descend once he saw their new guest, curiosity burning in his eyes as he looked over the small creature. 

“Another one already?” he asked, making Seba quickly shake his head. 

“We were on our way to alpha Rain’s home when he suddenly came running out of an alleyway nearby. He sort of crashed into Ruoka, then took a bit of his steak before trying to play with him.” 

Preto stared at the new wolf with a quizzical expression that Seba couldn’t quite read, but when nothing seemed to come of it, he offered his master a smile. 

“I figured that we should at least get used to being around wolves, so I asked if he’d like to come back for a snack.” 

Those words got his master chuckling as he knelt down and reached forward. The new pup quickly took the offer of a pet and nudged its muzzle right up against the man’s hand. 

“Nice to meet you, too. You are the first Ghost wolf I have seen so far.” 

Ghost wolf? 

“He’s from the Ghost pack. The only way to really tell, so far, is by the faint white color they mark their tails with,” Preto said, gesturing to the pup’s swishing tail. 

“Oh, I thought it was just a natural color mixed in,” Seba said, drawing a smile from his master as he gently scratched the wolf behind its left ear. 

“For their alpha, it is natural, but all the others add the color as a way to show respect.” 

That was actually pretty cool. It was subtle, but also a clear way to distinguish pack members from other’s in the area. 

Seba was just about to ask another question when their new friend’s ears perked up and he tilted his head back, sniffing the air for a few moments. When it began following its nose toward the small kitchen, Seba looked up at Preto. His master grinned back and hurried after the wolf not a second later, clearly excited to spoil yet another pup. 

“I guess Preto is claiming him for a while,” he said with a hint of humor to his words as he looked sideways at Ruoka. Except, his pup wasn’t at his side where it should have been. Instead, he noticed the last bit of fur from the tip of Ruoka’s tail as he hurried to follow Preto and their new acquaintance into the kitchen. 

I feel like we’re going to have two very plump wolves by the end of the night. 

The enthusiastic sensation he felt in the back of his mind from his master was more than enough confirmation for him. 

(Edited)

Chapter 7

Standing at the top of the red carpeted steps in a black tailored suit and slacks, Pretennon eyed the growing crowd below. Everyone’s eyes were on him, but that was no surprise. He wasn’t one for socializing all too often, but tonight was special. 

Turning, he extended a hand to his heir with a warm smile. Sebastian looked as if he were about to faint, but they had made sure to have him feed right before they attended their first event. He had accepted the invitation for them both from the Rain alpha the previous evening once their smaller guest had hobbled his way out the door. 

They had never gotten his name, and he hadn’t been interested in speaking to him telepathically, but he wasn’t bothered by it. The pup’s manners were nice enough, and Ruoka actually calmed down a little bit towards the end of the night, once all the food had disappeared. 

 Sebastian tugged at the peach neckerchief that was tucked snuggly around his neck and down into his dark blue and white coat. His hair had been tended to, but again, no amount of primping managed to tame his sandy curls. 

“I will be here if you need any assistance, and Ruoka, I have no doubt, will remain by your side for the entirety of our stay,” Pretennon said as he curled one finger in a come-here gesture. 

His heir swallowed down a lump in his throat and stepped forward, finally taking his proffered hand. Pretennon turned at that moment, then began to slowly descend the stairs, leading Sebastian carefully forward. 

All eyes were on them as the whispers began. They stopped on a small landing about halfway down before Preto gave a respectful nod to the gathering crowd. 

“I would like to introduce my handsome young heir to our society. This is Sebastian, of the Bloodfell line, please treat him kindly,” he said as he continued forward.

He could already hear the excited whispers about who Sebastian would choose for his own heir, but there were also a few people speaking about the clearly-captive werewolf at his side. They had thankfully decided to leave the pup’s chain leash at home, but the thick silver color was no less obvious. 

It wasn’t going to be perfect right away, but as they greeted the Rain alpha and thanked him for his invitation, Pretennon knew that things would calm down quickly enough. It was a strike against Sebastian to have a captive wolf, but many people were perfectly fine with the idea. 

Besides, Preto knew that Sebastian was already considering giving his pup a bit more freedom. He truly felt that it would only be a matter of time before he removed Ruoka’s collar. 

He calmly followed his heir as Sebastian quietly but respectfully greeted many of the guests that came up to him. His nerves were hard to hide, but as the band in the far corner of the dance floor began to start playing, he saw his him finally calm down a bit. That’s when a young human woman in a strikingly-beautiful blue ballgown stepped up to him and bowed, then requested the young vampire’s first dance. 

Try to enjoy yourself. I will be nearby if you need anything, he thought to him, drawing Sebastian’s attention over his shoulder for the briefest moment before he allowed himself to be pulled onto the filling dance floor. 

Preto found himself a glass flute of blood and sipped at it for a long while, talking briefly with the few people who were brave enough to approach him. There weren’t too many elders in the city in general, and to actually see one at such an event was an oddity that he thought humorous. 

The faint pressure of eyes on him came and went quickly as he found himself another drink, but when one gaze in particular remained for quite some time, he began looking around. He was taller than many of the humans present, but considering there were plenty of werewolves, too, he struggled to pinpoint whoever was looking at him. 

Let’s play, then. 

Turning, he calmly walked across the room, his long black hair flowing on an invisible breeze as he made his way to the balcony doors. There were two werewolf guards stationed at either side of the open double doors, silver-colored masks covering their faces from their nose, upward. 

They simply bowed as he moved past them and out into the crisp, cool evening air. 

I didn’t realize how much cigar smoke was in there. I will have to make sure that Sebastian comes outside several times to clear his lungs. 

Normal vampires and werewolves scoffed at the negative affects of smoking, but Sebastian didn’t handle it very well. 

Pretennon licked the last remaining taste of blood from his lips as he lifted a hand to sift through his long fingers through his hair. 

I truly do hope that he finds someone to his liking soon. I know these events will take a toll on him, but he will be so much happier with another in his life. 

Heirs were normally humans, since they were the only beings that could be changed into a vampire, but Pretennon honestly wouldn’t mind if Sebastian picked a werewolf, either. It would actually be quite beneficial to him, since he could feed from them from time to time and keep himself healthy easier. That choice would also likely release Ruoka from his captivity. 

Leaning against the tall marble railing in front of him, Preto nonchalantly skimmed his eyes over the visitors below him as they came and went. Most of the older humans and wolves had come as couples, while almost every younger person was dolled up and dressed to the T, hoping to impress someone worth their time. 

He’d been the target of them long, long ago. The memories were older than most of the werewolves, and even vampires present at the current gathering, and Preto had no interest in digging them up, so he redirected his thoughts to the eyes he’d felt on him previously. 

They had gotten closer… bolder. 

Brushing a length of hair behind his pierced ear, he straightened, then turned. 

A wolf guard? 

The man stood near the open double doors, a silver mask on the upper half of his face. His size was formidable, and his height… Feeling a smile slide onto his lips, Pretennon took a step forward. He was just about to address Kandza when he noticed something off. 

His heartbeat is terribly fast. 

Even for a werewolf. 

As much as he wanted to confront the man face to face, he knew when to back down from a situation. Or, at least, make it less stressful. Forcing himself to turn, Pretennon returned to leaning forward against the marble railing, his eyes focused forward, but not really seeing anything. 

 All of his attention was on the only other person still present on the large balcony. The man stood still for quite some time, but after what felt like several minutes, he finally heard footsteps begin to slowly approach. 

Normally, he would never turn his back on another person intentionally, but even after what Kandza had done in his study, he still trusted him not to hurt him. 

Preto jumped slightly, having gotten distracted by his thoughts, when he felt a warm hand brush aside his suit jacket and settle against the thin silk shirt beneath it. The man’s claws were out, too, but that was no surprise since he was a pack guard. Preto was just thankful that he seemed to have enough control over them to not cut his clothing. 

“Good evening, Kandza,” he finally said quietly as he felt the man’s other hand move around his front to allow his arm to fully wrap around his middle. 

Another moment later and Preto was being guided backwards until he was settled against a warm, firm chest. He honestly wasn’t expecting an answer, but when the man did respond, he felt a little bit of weight lift from his own chest. If Kandza would have remained silent like he had when he’d hugged him previously at his home, he would have had to be more aggressive with his current approach to… whatever their situation was. 

“Good evening, elder Pretennon.” 

It was funny hearing the added honorific, but he didn’t mind. Kandza did always talk to him that way through their thoughts, so it made sense that he’d speak in such a way, too. 

Preto smiled as he slowly straightened. Kandza adjusted his hold accordingly, but refused to release him at all, making his shirt bunch in the man’s hands. 

“You are going to pull my tucked shirt from my slacks if you don’t loosen your grip some,” Preto said, only partially joking. 

Kandza didn’t hesitate to react to his words, but it definitely wasn’t what Pretennon had thought he’d do. The werewolf didn’t hesitate to finish tugging up the remainder of Pretennon’s shirt, then slip his warm hands beneath it to settle against his cold skin. Claws soon began tracing little circles just above his abdomen, distracting Preto just enough for him to not get mad at his roaming hands. 

He expected the man to lean forward and nuzzle against his neck, but when he didn’t, he took the initiative and leaned his head back until it settled against Kandza’s right shoulder. The gesture was submissive for a vampire, but he didn’t mind giving a little to make the man more comfortable interacting with him. 

He could feel Kandza’s heart speed up quite strongly at the gesture, but to his surprise, he still did not lean forward. 

Such an odd fellow. 

He was just about to straighten back up when he felt one of Kandza’s hands leave his skin and rise until it was settled over his eyes. Then, not a moment later, the man’s warm lips began to press against his bared throat. 

It was an odd sensation to allow himself to be blinded by another, but he found that he didn’t mind… as long as it was Kandza. 

“Elder Pretennon…”

“Rain beta Kandza,” he responded in a quiet whisper as he felt teeth skim along his throat. 

When Kandza finally began to nip at the spot he desired to leave a mark, Preto lifted his left hand upward. He wanted to feel that soft, shaggy hair that he’d been allowed to touch for the briefest moment back when the werewolf had transformed at his home. 

Except, right as his fingers began slipping through the man’s silky hair, Kandza gasped and withdrew, staggering back several feet before turning and darting back inside the bustling building. 

Preto didn’t bother watching him go. There was no need. Instead, he had opened his eyes and lifted his left hand in front of him. He understood now. It had been impossible to tell by just looking at him from a distance, but there was no mistaking what he’d felt tucked tightly, and probably painfully, within that thick, soft mess of hair. 

“You can’t retract your wolf’s ears while in your human form…” 

(Edited)

Chapter 8

(The dogs were tired of being the main photo, so may I introduce you to Bo and George, my koi.)

Seba finally managed to free himself from the countless people trying to keep him on the dance floor and stagger out onto the balcony for some much-needed fresh air. His hand gripped the tip of Ruoka’s tail as they moved, needing that lifeline for a few moments since there was no leash to reassure him that his pup was beside him. 

He released him the moment they got outside, then walked toward the railing to rest against it. Eventually, as he began catching his breath, he turned and slid to sit down against the pillared barrier. 

“I am not cut out for this kind of thing,” he whispered as he finally leaned his head back and sighed out a long breath of air as a cool wind rustled his curls. 

Ruoka settled right up against him, allowing Seba to sift one hand through his thick fur. Just the simple touch was like a salve to his stress, allowing his fluttering heartbeat to calm as he continued to breathe slower and slower, the crisp, clean air finishing its job of flushing the remaining cigar smoke from his lungs. 

“Nasty stuff,” he said before glancing up slightly at the sound of nails clicking against the concrete balcony. 

Ah, our friend from the other day. 

The little black wolf bounded forward with excitement, but when Ruoka let out a warning growl, it slowed and hunched itself as its tail swished rapidly behind it, brushing dirt from the floor of the balcony like a thick broom. 

Shaking his head, Seba settled his hand atop Rouka’s head and mussed up his fur a bit as he looked over at him. 

“Don’t worry, he seems like a good pup,” he said with a tired smile before looking back up at the black wolf and extending his free hand. 

“Come, join us.” 

It inched closer and closer, eventually getting within reach for a good ear scratch. 

“There we go. I promise he’s all bark,” he said, earning a grumble from his own pup as it dropped its head to its paws. 

The black wolf lifted its ears and leaned closer to Ruoka a moment later. It got another warning growl for its effort, but Seba couldn’t help the grin that formed on his face as their new friend lifted one paw, which also had a tiny patch of white on the left side, and promptly bopped Ruoka on the snout. 

His wolf immediately shot up with a snarl, making the black wolf yip and hurriedly back off a few feet. It hunched again, but there was no hiding the excited swish of its tail as it cautiously began inching forward again once Ruoka had sat back down. 

“Ruoka, be good. He’s not going to hurt you,” Seba chastised, slightly worried that his pup might actually try and bite. 

If the other wolf was actually being aggressive then he would have let his pup do as it wished, but the other wolf just seemed to want to play. When Ruoka growled again as it tried to get closer, Seba straightened up a bit against the railing he was leaning against and patted the empty spot on his other side. 

To his surprise, right as the black wolf began bounding toward him Ruoka leaped over his lap and sat down on his other side, his hackles rising. 

The poor black pup skidded to a holt, whining when it realized that its spot had been revoked. 

Sighing, Seba reached up and grabbed the back of Ruoka’s scruff, startling his pup into hunching down to the floor. 

“Com here, little one,” he called toward the black wolf. 

It looked between the two of them for a few moments before slowly making its way to Seba’s other side. There, it sat, then lied down as Seba released Ruoka’s scruff. His pup immediately jerked its head to the side and settled its chin on his right leg as it growled over at the other wolf. 

“You can’t really blame him for not wanting to share, can you?” came his master’s voice from the open doors. 

He walked out of the smoky room with his head held high and his hair flawlessly flowing behind him. Seba just didn’t understand how the man who had created him could hold himself so differently than he, himself, could. 

“You will get there, sweetheart,” he said as he moved to sit down next to the black wolf. 

It watched him cautiously, inching against Seba the slightest amount when Pretennon finally sat beside it. 

“I see that our friend from the other evening has found you again,” he said, then added, “I saw a few others with different white streaks in their hair, but our friend here is the only ghost pup that I’ve seen in wolf form.” 

Seba was about to comment when he noticed a familiar scent. He didn’t need to look around to know that the wolf wasn’t there, though. 

“Were you with Kandza?” he asked curiously. 

Pretennon smirked as he leaned his head back against the railing pillar. 

“Oh, yes. We were together for a short time,” his master replied with a tone of voice that made Seba confused. 

He sounds like he’s talking about a delicious meal and not a person…

Pretennon tilted his head toward him and grinned. 

“You need to find yourself a delicious meal  soon, my heir.”

Seba fidgeted as he looked down at Ruoka, who had grumbled at Pretennon’s last sentence. He honestly wouldn’t mind just living with Ruoka for the remainder of his days, but his master seemed determined to match him with someone else. 

“What about this fellow? He seems nice, and quite handsome,” Preto said as he reached over, allowing the pup at his side to take in his scent. 

To Seba’s surprise, the pup pinned its ears and twitched its whiskers. The gestures made his master give a quiet laugh. 

“I do believe his isn’t a fan of Kandza’s scent,” Preto said with a half shrug as he gestured to him calmly. 

“How about my heir? He is handsome, and besides the little temperamental fuzzball at his side, he’s quite a fantastic catch.” 

Said temperamental fuzzball lifted its upper lip, baring its teeth at the other two. 

I feel like I’m being sold to the highest bidder, and there is a price war going on. 

Settling a hand on top of Ruoka’s head, Seba looked toward his master and the black pup, which had sat up in order to look at him a little closer. 

“I’m sorry about all of this, but I don’t plan on simply taking any heir who presents themselves to me, if that was even your intention, anyways. You seem like you’re more interested in befriending Ruoka, anyways,” he said, making the wolf tilt its head one way, then the other. 

Seba looked slightly to the left of the wolf and eyed his master. 

“Also, I can find my own heir, or choose not to make one,” he said as he tugged Ruoka farther into his lap, hugging him against his chest. 

“Besides, what’s wrong with me just staying as I am? I can claim Ruoka, and he has me to take care of him,” Seba said, honestly not wanting to change. He had enough to worry about with his own medical issues. There was no need to add someone else’s input. 

Pretennon reached forward and gave Ruoka a gentle ear scratch as he spoke. 

“I have no issue with you taking Ruoka as your heir, but it must be his choice, and as he is now, he cannot make that choice.” 

He can’t? 

Seba looked at the pup in his arms as it stared at him, its big black nose only an inch or so from his own. 

“I don’t understand,” he eventually said as he returned his attention to his master. 

“Take this pup for example,” Preto said as he turned himself so that he was leaning against the railing with his side, then gestured to the black wolf between them. 

“Pup, do you understand what I am saying?” 

The black wolf turned to him and gave a firm nod. 

“Do you like the scent on me? Do you like these kinds of gatherings? Do you like my heir?” 

The wolf shook his head abruptly with the first question, then again for the second. On the last one, it straightened its ears and nodded. 

I still don’t understand. 

Preto smiled as he looked back toward him. 

“Ruoka?” 

His pup took a moment before it glanced at Pretennon. 

“Do you like food? Was this gathering fun? Would you like to play with this wolf?” 

Ruoka tilted his head at the questions, licking his lips when he heard the word food mentioned. Except, he didn’t nod. For the second question, not only did he not shake his head no , but he didn’t even seem to understand that he should be considering the questions, and answering them. By the time the third question was asked his head was snuggled  beneath Seba’s chin. 

“He isn’t able to process thoughts like we would. Like werewolves should be able to,” Pretennon said. 

Seba felt a knot form in the bottom of his stomach as he hugged Ruoka tighter to him. 

“Sebastian, if you would like to claim Ruoka as an heir, then you need to release him from your servitude.” 

Release him? 

“Yes,” Preto said, responding to his thought. 

“Werewolves don’t begin to become self-aware until they shift for the first time. Before that, they act just like regular wolves. Because Ruoka has never been allowed to shift, he is not only unable to respond to basic questions, but he also cannot understand most situations and simply reacts based on what you have already taught him, on top of his base instincts.” 

He knew that it was selfish of him, but he didn’t want to let Ruoka shift. If he really would change mentally afterward, he might choose to leave him.

“There are risks associated with everything we do in life, my Sebastian,” Pretennon said as he reached over and gently settled a hand on top of his curly hair. 

“But the rewards are often worth the risks.”

 Seba dug his fingers deeper into Ruoka’s thick coat and sighed out a stressed breath. 

“What happens if I take it off and he shifts, but decides not to stay?” he asked meekly, already knowing the answer to his words. 

He wouldn’t be able to put the collar back on once he’d taken it off… even if Ruoka chose to leave him. 

“I will never let you go hungry, sweetheart, and Ruoka has stayed by your side for so many years. If you truly feel like he would be your best suitor, allow him to have the freedom to make that decision himself.” 

Dammit. 

Seba buried his face in Ruoka’s neck as he hugged him tighter. He remained that way for some time, only lifting his face from his pup’s soft fur when he heard nails tap against the floor. 

Their wolf friend had stood up and taken a few steps away, but as he looked up, it turned and gave a deep bow toward him. 

“If things do not work out with Ruoka, it seems like you will have many other suitors interested in walking this world with you,” Pretennon said, drawing Seba’s attention for a brief moment before he looked back to the black wolf. 

“And it seems like this contender is now putting his name into the pool… Verander.” 

(Edited)

Chapter 9

All was pleasantly silent. The clock struck midnight moments ago, but Preto didn’t bother looking up from his book to acknowledge it. His heir had long-since gone to bed, worn out from their evening’s event. His pup hadn’t even had the energy to keep its eyes open until they’d gotten home, making Sebastian carry him upstairs in his arms. 

That young black wolf had taken quite a bit of his energy. 

Once their friend, Verander, had retreated back into the mansion, their group had decided to rejoin the festivities for one more set of dances. Well, it had mainly been his decision, but Sebastian did not argue. 

Stretching out his long legs, Pretennon gave a quiet hum of approval before settling back into his large wingchair and flipping the page to his book. It was a murder mystery, his favorite genre, but of course, there was quite a bit of romance mixed in. 

Elder Pretennon…

Pulling his mind from his book, Preto tilted his head. 

Rain beta Kandza, is it not quite late for an unannounced visit this evening? 

His words were met by silence before he heard the faint sound of claws gently scratching at the spot beneath his second story window. They had had quite an interesting meeting during the night’s festivities, but it had ended nearly as quickly as it had begun. 

I am no courtesan, Kandza. 

There was another bout of silence before he finally got the wolf to respond. 

Absolutely not, Elder Pretennon. I… 

Preto waited a few moments before replying. 

You? 

He could tell that the werewolf was struggling to find words, and while he was normally quite patient, even for a vampire, for some reason, Kandza made him lose most of his situational control. He wanted the man in front of him, standing tall but ready to bend to his will at a moment’s notice, too. And those ears…

Baring his teeth at the crackling fire in the hearth before him, Preto let out a stern warning hiss as he closed the book he’d been intent on enjoying. 

I apologize for upsetting my lord, Kandza thought to him… and yet, he didn’t leave. 

Pretennon could easily tell that he was also in his wolf form, too. He did not even bother to come calling for him as a human.

Why have you come here at this hour, Kandza? I will not entertain you. 

He knew that he was being harsh, but he wasn’t sure if he really liked the way their situation was unfolding. The man, though he’d never even seen his full face yet, drove him to submissive behaviors he’d never even considered displaying. Not even way back when he had been a poor dirty human boy on the streets of old London. 

His scent is on you…

Clenching his jaw, Pretennon stood from his chair and promptly strode toward the large double doors of his balcony. He shoved them open with minimal effort, ignoring the sound of them hitting either side of their supporting walls. 

Kandza’s wolf appeared on the decorative railing before him not a second later, his paws easily balancing on the carved surface. The midnight color of his coat easily allowed him to blend into the darkness around him, but Preto’s eyes could easily pull his form from its camouflage.

Without warning he blurred forward, his dark, long hair whipping behind him as he allowed his claws to extend. Kandza easily dodged the slashing attack, but that was no surprise. He wasn’t honestly trying to injure the wolf, so much as he was needing to release some pent up frustration. 

I do not mind sparring, but there are other ways to relieve stress… 

Preto hissed again as he sped up, nearly catching the wolf’s left flank with a claw before it could dodge. They danced around his large balcony for several minutes before he slid to a stop, his eyes wide as he watched Kandza’s wolf dart into his bedroom. 

“Kandza!” 

The wolf stopped abruptly and turned, its tail tucked the slightest bit between its legs. It had found itself in front of the hearth, panting quietly as the fire behind it outlined its form in dancing oranges and yellows. 

The light turned his dark coat into obsidian and highlighted his bright caramel eyes as they calmly watched him. 

A low growl hummed to life in Preto’s chest as he stepped back inside his bedroom, his hair blowing gently in the breeze coming in from behind him. 

“Why are you here , Kandza? It is of no concern to you  whose scent is on me, but if you must know, nothing came of our interaction,” Preto said, trying to hold back his growing frustration. “His interest was strictly towards my heir.”

Kandza’s wolf twitched an ear and licked its nose before looking away and downward. 

“You think you’ll be forgiven for this little outburst now that you have the answer you came for?” Preto said as he strode up to the hunching wolf. 

I meant no disrespect, my lord. 

Preto knelt in front of Kandza and grabbed his bottom jaw tightly, lifting it so that he was forced to look at him. 

“Whether you meant it or not, you do not simply come to a vampire’s home at such an hour, let alone an elder’s, without a very  good reason,” he growled out. 

The silence that stretched out between them once he’d finished speaking had Preto slowly calming his anger. He didn’t expect Kandza to speak anymore, since he’d been so harshly reprimanded for his childish reason for disturbing him, but when his wolf opened its mouth just enough to allow its tongue to slip free and press against Pretennon’s wrist, he bristled. 

Shoving the wolf’s jaw away, Preto stood from the floor and turned to walk back to his comfortable chair. He had a book to finish, and a stubborn wolf to be rid of. Once he settled back down, he retrieved his novel and opened it back to the page he’d been reading before he’d been so rudely interrupted. 

“See yourself out,” he stated simply as he crossed one leg over the other and relaxed into his seat, already allowing himself to return to his favorite place… being lost in a book. 

He barely heard the wolf as it quietly padded its way toward the open double doors. It stopped right at the threshold, but Preto paid him no more mind as he delved deeper into his story. It was heating up quite quickly, and since he’d been waiting for the climax of the story for so long, his attention completely focused on the words he was reading faster than most humans could ever dream of doing. 

The author had been quite descriptive with their romances, but of course, good taste was still used. It almost felt like he was the one who had strong, firm hands slipping beneath his long-sleeved shirt after the laces across his chest were undone one tie at a time. 

The sensation of being touched moved just like it did in the book, yet he had no bosom to fondle. That did not seem to stop the sensation of being touched around his nipples, specifically on his right side as the story guided the other hand away from his upper body to a much lower location. 

Pretennon felt his breathing pick up as that warm hand hungrily slid beneath the shirt he had never bothered to tuck back in after his meeting with K— his eyes jerked open at the same time his fangs descended on a snarl. In the next moment his form blurred. 

Kandza had tried to retreat, but he was the slightest fraction too slow to avoid the harsh bite Pretennon aimed for the right side of his jaw. He hadn’t meant for it to be sensual, in any way, and the startled, pained yelp he heard in response made him smirk as he bit down harder. 

He waited for nearly a minute before Kandza’s human form slowly lowered himself to his knees, whimpering every few moments from the pain that was, no doubt, radiating through his jaw. Normally, a vampire would numb the area that it bit before actually penetrating the skin with their fangs, but if they didn’t? The bite could easily be as painful as breaking a bone, if they chose it to be. 

I-I submit to Elder Pretennon. 

Preto gave one final warning growl before retracting his fangs and releasing Kandza. The man quickly reached up to lick at his fingers, then press them against the two small bleeding wounds on the side of his jaw. He did that several times as Pretennon shut his book and stood up to douse the fire in the hearth. 

He expected the werewolf to retreat after such an aggressive reprimand, and yet, when he turned back around in the darkness, Kandza was still kneeling beside his chair with his head bowed and his messy hair covering most of his downcast face from view. 

Everything in him wanted to chase the man out of his room, but the scent of his drying blood… It was very tempting. There was also something else he wanted to do, too. He would control his anger for the few moments it would take. 

That reassurance had his bare feet moving forward until they stopped in front of Kandza. The man, wisely, did not raise his head or even move a muscle. 

It was hard to see his targets pressed tightly beneath the man’s hair, but that didn’t stop him from leaning forward and reaching down. The moment his fingers grasped either ear, Kandza flinched. He tried to tuck them tighter against his head, but Pretennon refused to allow it as he knelt down on one knee and gently but firmly began to massage the soft, furry wolf ears. 

He felt the man try to fight him again, but after a few moments he relented and allowed Preto to tend to his ears until they were finally free of his dark hair. 

I knew they would be adorable. 

They weren’t just adorable, though, they were possibly the cutest thing he’d ever seen. Add that to the fact that Kandza’s heart was beating in overdrive again and Preto was slowly forgetting his previous upset. 

He’d wanted to touch the man’s ears again the moment he’d accidentally brushed against them hours earlier, but Kandza had run off on him. Now that he had them in his grasp, he allowed himself the enjoyable distraction of paying them quite a bit of attention. 

He probably should have paid closer attention to the horrific embarrassment he was sensing from Kandza, but he couldn’t help himself. It wasn’t until twenty or so minutes later that he finally released the poor guy. 

Of course, his ears were immediately tucked back into his hair, much to Preto’s upset, but he wouldn’t torture him any further that evening. In fact… Leaning over, he gently grasped Kandza’s jaw and tilted it up and to the side. Carefully, he then began licking at the two puncture wounds he’d made that hadn’t quite healed yet. 

They sealed up in just a few moments, leaving only the slightest scar from the lower of the two wounds. He was just about to say that he had finished healing the injuries when Kandza scrambled backwards, shifting back to his wolf form in a blur. Soon, there was a black wolf standing just outside his double doors, its tail tucked tightly between its legs and its ears pinned nervously to the side of its head. 

Shaking his own head, Preto leaned back against his large reading chair and blew out a tired breath. 

“I feel as if we are dancing together, but not understanding what steps the other is taking,” he said with a half shrug. 

I apologize, Elder Pretennon. I… do not know what I am doing. I have been very rude. 

He could not argue that. Not only had he come calling at such a late hour, he’d also touched him without verbal permission, twice. 

Sighing, Preto gestured toward the wolf. It lifted its ears for a second before pinning them again and tilting its head nervously. 

“Come here, Kandza.” 

The wolf did as told, but kept its tail tucked tightly as it approached. As soon as it was close enough Preto reached forward with his right hand and immediately began scratching behind Kandza’s left ear. 

“I do not know what you are doing, either. Have you not courted someone before, Kandza?” he asked, truly curious. The wolf was aggressive with his attention and after showing up at such a late hour, he was beginning to understand his situation a little better. 

Instead of responding verbally, the wolf laid down next to him and, after resting its head on its paws, turned to face away. 

“Such a stubborn pup,” Preto teased before giving an exhausted yawn. 

He normally read for at least a few hours each night, but the events of the evening… especially the most recent one, had really worn him out. 

“I believe it is time to sleep, my friend,” he said as he calmly got to his feet. 

When Kandza stood, but didn’t head for the balcony, Pretennon smirked and reached down to press a finger to the wolf’s wet nose. 

“I will be sleeping alone this evening,” he said, making the wolf look off to the side, clearly the slightest bit disappointed. 

“We have some things to discuss before I consider inviting you to court me seriously, let alone share my bed,” he added, making the wolf return its attention to him with a pout. 

Turning, Preto held back a smile as he guided the wolf back out onto the balcony. He was about to turn again to bid his final farewell for the evening when he felt warm arms wrap around his middle. 

What a stubborn pup you are. 

He couldn’t help his reaction, though. His temper had cooled, and since Kandza was just resting his forehead against his shoulder, like he had done earlier that night, Pretennon decided to humor him and lean back into the hug. 

“I will learn how to court my lord properly,” Kandza eventually rasped out, drawing Preto’s lips up into a slight curve before he slowly turned in the man’s arms. 

Kandza, seemingly finally reading a bit of his body language, released him and took a half step backwards. 

“Have a good rest of your night, beta Kandza,” Preto said as he looked into the soft caramel eyes he knew he would see in his dreams later. 

Kandza hesitated to leave, but after a few moments he bowed his head, then shifted back to his wolf form. After one more quick ear scratch, he hopped over the railing and disappeared into the darkness around them. 

Preto stood there for several long minutes as the cool wind rustled his hair, wondering if his friend had really gone, before relenting and turning. He walked back into his room, then turned and shut the double doors. 

“Such an odd pup… yet here I am almost wishing that I’d let him stay.” 

Those hands he’d felt on his body while reading that passage from his book, and the scent of his blood… he had really had to fight himself to attack the man instead of yank his own clothing off and prostrate himself before him. 

Go to sleep, you perverted vampire. 

And so, very reluctantly, he did. 

(Edited)

Chapter 10

(Whale sharks from the aquarium.)

Ruoka flicked an ear as Seba reached for him, then retracted his hand for the tenth time. He wasn’t quite sure what he was doing, but it was becoming entertaining. They didn’t normally play with each other, but he felt like that might be what his master was intending? 

“I feel like I’m just making you severely confused,” Seba said as he pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed. 

Sensing his distress, Ruoka nudged his damp nose beneath the man’s hand, drawing a smile to his face immediately. 

“You know me so well for a pup who hasn’t shifted yet,” he said, making Ruoka point his ears forward. 

His master had been reaching for his silver collar for the better half of the past hour, yet he’d never even come close to touching it. It wasn’t exactly an odd thing, considering that he’d often check it to make sure that it was tight, but still comfortable. Yet now, he continued to reach for it, but refused to actually touch the cold metal. 

“Ruoka, if I take your collar off, will you promise to stay with me?” he asked. 

Not understanding, but wanting to reassure his master, Ruoka settled on the floor next to where Seba was already sitting against the wall beside his bed. The man’s hand immediately went to pat his fuzzy head. He had done a good job. Since his attention had been accepted, Ruoka settled his head atop his master’s leg and relaxed. 

Seba was silent for a long while, allowing the crickets outside to take over his one-sided discussion as both simply enjoyed each others’ company. 

Quite some time later Ruoka’s ears perked up and he opened eyes he hadn’t realized he’d let drift closed. He must have fallen asleep for a little bit. 

“I think it’s bed time. I’m sure master has something else planned to torture us tomorrow,” Seba said as he slowly stood up once Ruoka moved his head. 

As Seba began removing the remainder of his clothing, Ruoka stared at the spot where the man had been sitting. He felt odd. Lifting a paw, he eyed it curiously. When he set it back down a few moments later, he turned his head, feeling the lack of familiar weight from the collar he’d worn for all of his years. 

It was actually sitting on the floor to his left, drawing his attention down to it as he sniffed the metal a few times. He nudged it with his nose a couple times before looking up at his master. 

Master. 

The word in his mind was loud. Very, very loud. The sound startled a quiet growl from him, but he quickly silenced it when he realized that his master had already gotten into bed. Nervous about the voice, Ruoka quickly checked the room for strange scents, but when he came up empty, he grew confused. 

Who is talking to me? 

He bared his teeth immediately at the new words, but then realized something. 

Me… 

His head tilted slowly as the wheels in his mind began to turn, connecting things he’d never considered as shaggy, unfamiliar hair fell against his forehead to brush over his eyes. Looking back down, he lifted his paw again, but it wasn’t a paw.  

This is mine?

Licking toward his nose, Ruoka looked around the room, feeling as if he was seeing so many things for the first time. Sure, the names of the objects that had previously pertained to him like bed , door, and other basic things were still exactly what they were, but he was seeing them now, and understanding what each was necessary for besides just the most basic meanings associated with them.  

Good evening, Ruoka. 

Surprised by the new voice in his mind, Ruoka hissed in a breath before hurrying to get up. His furless paw was gone as he stood as a wolf once more. 

I’m glad that Sebastian decided to remove your collar. 

Ruoka tried to pick up who was speaking with his ears, but he quickly realized that it was all within his mind, again. 

But it’s not me. 

There was a quiet chuckle in the back of his thoughts before he heard a response. 

No, love. It’s a pleasure to finally speak with you. I am Pretennon. 

Ah, it was his master’s master, then. 

If you would like, I am downstairs in the kitchen…

He needed no more words to convince him. Sure, he was still a bit tired, but he’d rested off and on already, so instead of lying down, Ruoka walked over to the door and, after nudging the handle with his nose a few times, managed to open it enough to slip out. The house was quiet, but that was no surprise since it was quite late. Thankfully, they had simply rested the previous day, allowing his master time to recover from the stressful event the night before. 

Stepping into the kitchen, he immediately went to sit at Pretennon’s feet as he cut up something that smelled like pork. 

Smells good. 

Preto looked down at him at the same time he held out a long bit of fat he’d cut from the meat. Ruoka took it gently but excitedly, making short work of the trimming before returning his attention back up to what the man was doing… hoping for more. 

“Is Sebastian doing well?” Preto asked as he slipped Ruoka another piece of pork before turning and going to where he stored some of the cuts of meat. He then removed a couple beef ribs from the large container. 

He just went to sleep.

“Good, I’m glad he’s getting some rest. He will need it for our next event,” Preto said as he began removing the meat from the ribs and mixing it with different spices in a large bowl. 

Pretennon actually looked a bit tired, himself, but Ruoka didn’t dare comment on such a thing. 

What event is it going to be? he asked instead, wanting to know so that he could prepare himself to be as useful to his master as possible. 

Pretennon picked up the bowl and gestured for Ruoka to follow him. He did without hesitation, settling beside the man’s chair once they’d entered his study. He thought that he’d get the food, since he knew that vampires couldn’t eat much without throwing up, since their bodies couldn’t process it anymore, but when Preto, instead, offered him a large spoon, Ruoka stared at it, confused. 

“Let’s practice a few things, hmm?” he said. 

I don’t understand. 

“Can you shift for me?” Preto asked, earning a shake of Ruoka’s head immediately in response. 

“No? You must have shifted upstairs, or I wouldn’t be able to talk to you in such a way,” he said, making Ruoka tilt his head. 

I had a human paw for a very short time, but then I changed back. 

Preto leaned back in his chair as he seemed to think through those words. 

“So we need to figure out why you shifted, and why you changed back so suddenly,” he said as he turned his chair to face Ruoka, a grin on his face. 

“When, exactly, did you notice that you had a human hand?” 

When? 

Ruoka thought back to that moment, but couldn’t really pick out anything specific. 

I woke up hearing words in my head. I thought it was that odd black wolf that favors you, trying to mess with me again. 

Preto’s eyebrow rose at those words, but when he didn’t get upset, Ruoka continued. 

When I realized that it was actually me talking inside my mind, I lifted a paw, but it wasn’t a paw. 

The man’s face lit up with a smile as he reached forward and offered him the spoon again. 

“Ruoka, in order to eat this meal I prepared for you, I need you to use your hands.” 

Hands…

Looking down at his paws, Ruoka lifted one, then the other as he balanced on his haunches. 

“Those are your paws, and they have served you well for many years, but now, I need you to think of them as your hands,” Preto said, guiding him with gentle, encouraging words as he reached forward and took one of his paws between his own hands. 

My hands…

Ruoka tried to focus on changing his paws into hands, but no matter what he did, they remained as his same old wolf paws. 

“Hmm,” Preto mused as he sat back again. 

While he thought, he offered Ruoka a spoonful of the spiced beef and pork mixture. He gladly accepted the treat, licking the spoon clean as his tail thumped against the ground a few times to show his excitement. 

“I’ve never really helped a wolf shift before. I’ve heard that an alpha is usually needed to maintain the ability until it’s completely learned, but I don’t feel comfortable giving you to alpha Rain. I doubt Sebastian would be happy with that decision, either,” he said as he continued to think, feeding Ruoka the majority of the bowl of food without seemingly realizing it. 

Do I need to change so soon? 

Yes. 

The new voice in his mind drew Ruoka’s ears upward immediately as he turned his head until he was staring out the darkened window. 

“I believe we have a welcome intruder this evening,” Preto said with a quiet hint of laughter as he got up and opened the window. 

Verander leaped through not a moment later, his thin, small form allowing him to easily fit through the little opening with ease. The moment his paws touched the soft carpet he was wiggling on his belly in front of Ruoka, far, far too excited for the hour of night it was. 

When the wolf tried to inch closer, Ruoka didn’t hesitate to lift a paw and swat at its nose. That seemed to calm it down a little, because it finally sat up normally and bowed its head in respect toward Pretennon, who had been watching their antics from his chair. 

“Welcome, my friend. Perhaps you could be of some assistance to us this evening?” he said, a grin on his face that told Ruoka that he’d somehow figured that the wolf would be in the area.

Verander nodded definitively, then turned his attention to Ruoka. For some reason, when the wolf’s eyes stared at him with such focus, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. 

There is nothing to fear from your human form. It will set you free from your master’s hold over you, Verander thought to him, making Ruoka raise his hackles slightly. 

Master has no hold over me. I am happy to help him whenever he needs me! 

He watched as the wolf began panting quietly, but didn’t respond. 

“I believe this little task requires an alpha, or at least another high-ranking wolf. Verander, are you able to teach him?” Preto asked, drawing the wolf’s attention briefly before it refocused on Ruoka, who was now hunching back against Pretennon’s chair, very uneasy. 

I am capable… but after so many years, the easier methods will not work. 

Preto’s brow furrowed at that bit of information as Ruoka tried to scoot himself beneath the desk nearby. Something did not seem right about the current situation. He didn’t like it. 

You do not have to like the means, as long as they lead to the end you need. 

There was a tense silence for a moment before Pretennon cleared his throat, breaking the tension between the two wolves and drawing their attention back to the vampire.

“I apologize, Verander, but it would appear that this situation has come upon him a bit too quickly,” he said.

They seemed to share a short conversation through their thoughts that Ruoka couldn’t hear before Pretennon responded.

“I understand how you feel, and I do agree that he should learn to shift sooner rather than later, but I do not believe that my heir would go back on his actions. He removed the collar, and that, alone, freed Ruoka’s mind to begin healing. Please consider giving them some time to figure these things out on their own. You are welcome to join us on our little trip tomorrow, if you’d like. I’m sure your presence would be helpful should he shift without warning.” 

There was another stretch of tense silence before Ruoka blinked, then jerked his head back in surprise, bumping the back of it against part of the desk. The small pup before him was no longer a pup, and definitely no longer small. His body was solid, but not overly-muscled. He was built like a human who enjoyed running, but also dabbled in heavy labor on occasion, too. 

When the man’s dark purple eyes turned to him, Ruoka thought that another shiver of nerves would slip down his spine, but when he simply felt a warmth settle within his tight chest, relieving some of the pressure that had built up from stress, he allowed his body to finally relax a little. 

Hmm, his human eyes are a different color than his wolf’s… 

“I apologize for my rash actions. I lack patience when dealing with situations I do not agree with,” he said, his voice a deep timbre that Ruoka believed he’d be able to hear easily, even if he were in any other room in the house. 

When the man reached forward with a hand that hadn’t quite retracted its claws, Ruoka tilted his head, but then slowly, hesitantly, crawled forward until it could settle on top of his fuzzy head. 

“My pack is still learning how to manage our baser instincts around others. It’s hard to not just force something upon someone when you know it will benefit them in the long run,” Verander said as he moved his hand to scratch behind Ruoka’s left ear, making his right leg kick against the carpet. 

“I understand, but while the collar has been removed, Ruoka still legally belongs to Sebastian. If any action were to be forced upon him, it would only be at his, or Ruoka’s, request,” Pretennon said. 

His words made Verander grumble quietly, but he eventually sighed out his frustration. 

“I will join you on your outings when I am available to do so,” he said after a few moments of calm silence. 

Preto leaned his head on one of his hands that was propped up by a bent arms as a smirk tilted the left side of his lips. 

“Was your interest in my heir strictly in order to get close enough to free his wolf?” he asked, a threat to his words that he didn’t bother trying to hide. 

Ruoka lifted his head just out of the other man’s reach, curious about his answer. He did not like the idea of someone showing interest in his master for negative reasons. 

The man gave out a deep, controlled laugh before returning Preto’s smirk with one of his own. 

“Absolutely, but now that he’s already removed the collar… maybe I am considering a change of heart.” 

Ruoka twitched an ear and licked his nose, not understanding why the man’s words had changed their tone so drastically. 

“I see. Then, I look forward to seeing you when you are next available… Ghost alpha, Verander.” 

The man gave a dramatically-slow nod of his head, his dark eyes remaining locked on Pretennon’s, then his form vanished, replaced by his small black and white wolf. 

Ruoka waited until it had leaped back outside, vanishing into the night, before he slowly rose to his feet. 

Pretennon got himself up, too, in order to close and lock the window. Ruoka figured that that would be the end of that odd situation, and that it was now time for bed, but when the man turned and leaned against the window pane, Ruoka glanced up at him. 

His fangs are extended.

“And here I thought alpha Rain was the one to be wary of…” 

(Edited)

Chapter 11

(Big octopus from the Atlanta Aquarium.) 

“Ruoka!” 

Jolting upright in bed, Seba looked around the room in a panic. His vision was blurry, refusing to clear as the disease in his body reared its head. Before he could try to get up and look for his pup, he felt weight settle in his lap as a cold, soft nose nuzzled into his hand. 

Seba immediately gathered Ruoka into his arms, squeezing him a little too-tightly as he buried his face in his thick fur. 

I thought you’d left. 

He took in several deep breaths, the scent of his pup relaxing his nerves and allowing him to calm down as the illness’s effects passed. When he finally leaned back and opened his eyes again, Ruoka was staring up at him, panting quietly with his big tongue lolling out the left side of his mouth. 

The image immediately made him give a quiet laugh before Seba reached up and gave Ruoka a gentle pat on the head, then wiped the tears from his own eyes. 

“Thank you for staying with me,” he said before gesturing for Ruoka to hop off the bed. The pup did as told right away, allowing Seba to scoot to the edge. 

He took his time getting ready, making sure that he was presentable before tugging on his boots and looking down at Ruoka. His pup gave him his normal curious head-tilt, the action drawing a grin to his face right away. 

“Let’s go pay a visit to alpha Rain. He wanted me to free you, and while I can’t quite make myself do that yet, I’m sure he’ll be quite happy with your collar having been removed… and I do owe him an answer from his previous offer,” Seba said, trying to keep the nervousness he felt from his words. 

He still wasn’t very comfortable around werewolves, but he was doing his best to take things one step at a time. It definitely helped that Ruoka hadn’t left him after he’d removed his collar. He’d been right there for him the moment he’d woken up. 

Heading downstairs, he noticed that he didn’t hear his master in the sitting room, nor his study or the little kitchen. Curious, he followed the sounds of humans bustling about and found his master standing in a huge entertaining room in the back portion of the house. It wasn’t exactly large enough to be considered a ballroom, but it was definitely big enough to hold slightly smaller events. 

“Good morning, Sebastian,” Preto said as he walked over with a grin on his face. 

Seba knew that look. 

“Judging me so early in the morning isn’t good for your health,” Preto said with a quiet hint of laughter as he tugged Seba into a quick hug, then reached down to pat Ruoka’s soft head. 

Seba looked around the room as people rushed about setting up this and that. 

“You received quite a few calling cards yesterday, and again early this morning, so I decided to have a little get-together here, instead of trying to send you off to all of those places all week.” 

He… couldn’t argue that his master’s plan was the better idea, but still. 

“We’re going to go out for a little bit,” he said abruptly as he began to turn. 

Pretennon grabbed his hand before he could sneak away, making him slowly turn back to face him. He was pulled into another hug before his master leaned down and pressed a kiss to his curly hair. 

“I will not let anyone harm you, ever. You know that you can call on me at any time, day or night, and I will come to you without fail,” he said, making Sebastian tuck his head against his master’s chest and nod. 

“I know… I’m just overwhelmed here,” Seba whispered quietly against his master’s beautifully-adorned black and blue coat. 

Preto gave him an extra gentle squeeze before releasing him so that he could settle his hands on his shoulders. 

“I know it’s a huge change, and you are doing phenomenally well. Go enjoy your day with your pup,” he said as he reached up and rustled his hair, then nudged him back toward the front of the house. 

Seba gladly dismissed himself, even running toward the front door when he was just-barely out of his master’s sight. The man knew, of course, because he heard his faint laughter in the back of his mind, but he knew that he didn’t mind. Of all of the vampires that had offered to change him, Pretennon had been the most honest. 

As he walked out the door and began heading north with Ruoka at his side, Seba smiled as he remembered how he’d chosen Pretennon as his master. Normally, humans vied for a vampire’s attention in order to be the lucky one who got to be changed and have their life drastically extended. 

Except, he’d had no interest in extending his suffering. It was his parents that had sent out invitations for an extremely lavish ball to every single vampire in the city. Everyone had come, but he knew that every single one of them had had ulterior motives. Heck, most of them had already had their heir, too, and it was illegal to take more than one. 

He’d watched the events from where his parents had made him sit at a beautifully decorated table next to the intricately designed banister railing overlooking the festivities. As the evening dragged on more vampires than he could remember had come up to speak with him, but after the tenth or so, he’d just begun to give boring answers on purpose. None of them cared, and neither had he. 

Ruoka nudged his hand, clearly sensing his growing upset. The simple tap drew a smile to his face as he patted his pup’s head and turned, noticing a food stall nearby. He knew that Pretennon was sneaking his pup more than double what he’d normally feed him, but he couldn’t help stopping at the stall and pointing to a thick piece of fatty pork. 

Ruoka was immediately wiggling with excitement at his side, his front paws dancing eagerly. 

“Allow me,” came a deep voice to his right as Seba was about to pull out a few coins from his leather purse. 

The deep sound sent a nervous shiver down his spine as Seba took the proffered package of meat once the Rain alpha had paid for it. He turned to face the larger man with a forced, but appreciative smile before bowing his head the slightest bit in respect. 

“Thank you, alpha Rain,” he said as Ruoka inched himself closer against his leg. 

The man before them was impeccably dressed in a tailored dark blue and white outfit that looked like it had cost quite a pretty penny. 

“I’m glad that I found you two again,” the man said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

Seba swallowed down his nerves and nodded. 

“I was actually just on my way to your estate,” he said, only partially lying. 

He’d intended to go there today, but at the same time, that was before his master had told him about the gathering later, and he also had completely and totally intended on stopping at as many places as he could along the way so that he eventually ran out of time to actually seek out the werewolf’s attention before evening came. 

Ruoka might have gained quite a few more pounds that day if the Rain alpha hadn’t found him so early on. 

“Would you care to take a ride with me?” the man asked, making Seba tilt his head just like Ruoka normally did. “And please, call me Silas.” 

Silas…

Seba watched as the man turned toward a carriage and walked over to it, then looked over his shoulder. He knew that he should have gone with him out of courtesy alone, but nerves kept his boots firmly where they were. 

His hesitance had the calm expression on the man’s face darkening slightly, but the displeased look disappeared as fast as it had appeared as he walked back over, waving a hand at his driver. The gesture, evidently, dismissed the man, sending him off and leaving the alpha… with him. 

“Let’s take a walk then, shall we?” Silas said as he nonchalantly moved past Seba, clearly expecting him to follow. 

I suppose this situation could work. It is much less stressful to walk in public than to go to the alpha’s home.

With that thought settling his worries, Seba fell into step beside the man. Ruoka took his normal spot at his side, lifting his head a little higher so that his fur would brush against Seba’s fingers as he walked. 

“I had wanted to ask what you thought of my previous offer,” Silas said as they turned down a cobblestone street that was shaded with quite a few lopsided trees. 

He looked down at Ruoka as he spoke, an honest smile finding its way onto his lips as he nodded toward the pup. 

“I see that you have removed his silver collar. I thank you for that.” 

Seba hesitantly glanced up at the taller man, but couldn’t find any words to say, so he simply nodded. 

They walked in silence for a few moments as they made their way down to one of the large lakes in the area. This one was more shaded than the one he’d previously been to, which Seba greatly appreciated since he’d forgotten to put on a hat… or feed before he left, again. 

“This location looks quite nice to sit and chat,” Silas said as he walked off the path and settled himself right at the water’s edge. 

Seba hesitated, still on the path, but when Silas looked over at him briefly, then fell back into the soft, thick grass, Seba forced himself to walk over. He took a seat two feet away, needing a little bit of distance to feel secure enough that he could respond if the man tried to harm him, or his pup. 

To his surprise, Ruoka didn’t settle where he usually would next to his leg. Instead, he walked right between them both and lied down before settling his head on his paws in the grass. Seba didn’t doubt that Silas noticed the slight rise in his pup’s hackles, too. 

Are you okay, Ruoka? 

It was such an odd move for his normally-scared wolf. 

“I see that he’s already shifted, as well,” Silas said with curious interest to his words. 

Seba’s eyes widened as he stared down at Ruoka, then looked up at the alpha. 

“He has?” 

A quiet growl emanated from Ruoka’s mouth, drawing Seba’s brows together in confusion. 

“You’ve already shifted? You understand him?” he asked, honestly a little upset… though he knew he had no right to be. He’d taken the collar off so that Ruoka could shift whenever he wished. 

When Ruoka glanced at him, hiding his nose in between his paws, Seba’s mouth opened slightly, but no more words came out. 

He really has shifted already. 

“It’s quite interesting that he has, though, since it normally requires the presence of an alpha to do so,” Silas said, drawing Seba’s attention back up to him. 

The werewolf’s eyes darkened as a cloud passed overhead, casting a shadow over their already-shaded area. 

“I know that Marquise wouldn’t force a wolf to shift in such a situation…” he said, clearly thinking through possible ways Ruoka had somehow shifted before ever meeting an alpha for the transformation. 

Seba licked his lips and turned a little so that he could face the lying down man a bit better. 

“I haven’t met the Moon alpha yet.” 

Silas gave a quiet grunt in response as he returned his attention to Ruoka, who had repositioned himself better between the two to act as a barrier. 

“Marquise is not one to randomly wander about, or deal with situations personally. He’ll usually send out his beta or another high ranking pack member to take care of things,” he said, earning a silent nod from Seba before Silas sat up, his hair falling into his eyes a little with the movement. 

“Ah, I forgot that my beta had mentioned a little black wolf from the Ghost pack sniffing around you. I dismissed him at first, because his wolf was a tiny little thing that just seemed to want easy meals…”

The alpha’s attention now focused solely on Seba, making him fidget with some of the grass near his left hand. 

“I should have figured it out sooner. The ghost pack isn’t very large, and their alpha is known to be able to change his form…” Silas said as his expression turned to a scowl. 

Something’s off here. He wants me to free Ruoka, yet he’s getting angry about another alpha possibly making him shift. Wouldn’t that help eventually release him from me? 

“You seem quite confused, my sick little  friend ,” Silas said, his tone of voice making Seba want to scoot back a few more feet… even if it would seem rude. 

The werewolf leaned forward as his eyes flashed with some sort light, making Seba question just how far his wolf really was beneath his human skin. 

“You have very few options, should you stay in this town. I am not one whom makes blood deals lightly. I have never offered a blood contract, either, so you best consider it very carefully before you decline it. I am sure that your sire has informed you what happens when a vampire drinks an alpha’s blood. I am not going to pretend that I won’t be able to control, to a point.”

You just decided to leave out that little part when making the original offer. 

“Choose wisely, and quickly, Sebastian. While my offer will remain open for the time being, just be warned,” Silas said as he slowly stood, making Seba hurry to his feet in response. 

“The Ghost alpha is extremely new to living amongst humans. The two times I’ve met him face to face, he wasn’t easy to deal with. That day that I first met you, when my wolf was covered in blood, was one of those times.”

He definitely remembered that day. He’d needed to feed, so the alpha’s blood had been extremely tempting. 

That reminds me, though. 

“Did you send Kandza to watch us?” Seba asked, putting some of the pieces together as the alpha’s lips tilted up into a smirk. 

“Yes, but it seems like he already had some ulterior motives of his own.”

Ulterior motives?

Seba unintentionally let himself get lost in his thoughts as he considered the amount of times he’d seen the wolf around his master. He’d never heard Pretennon ever mention a significant other, or any interest in pursuing one. For as long as he’d known the man, he’d preferred to live without someone on his arm. 

A warning growl from Ruoka snapped him out of his daze as a very warm hand settled against the side of his face. 

He did lean away this time as the alpha leaned forward, but was forced to stop when he felt sharp claws threaten to pierce the skin around his left ear. 

“I have an engagement to attend to shortly, so I will take my leave now. Please, do consider my words carefully. I will hope to hear a favorable answer from you come this evening’s gathering,” Silas said as his serious expression suddenly changed into a calm, relaxed one with a beautiful smile and soft, lying eyes. 

Seba made himself take a deep, steadying breath through his nose before opening his mouth to respond, except, he didn’t get the chance to say anything before Silas slipped the tip of his thumb between his lips and nicked it on an anticipating fang. 

The strong, shockingly-sweet scent of blood immediately flooded his senses as Seba tried, but pathetically failed, to not lick the tiny droplet Silas’s cut thumb had left on his fang.  

His head immediately began pounding as he dropped to his knees in the soft grass. Everything in him started burning as his body yearned for more of the alpha’s blood. He would have lunged for the man without a second thought if he hadn’t felt familiar, soft fur press up against his face. 

Unable to help himself, Seba snarled as he wrapped his arms tightly around Ruoka and nuzzled his face deeper into the thick fur. A moment later and he was biting down, hard. He felt Ruoka tense in response, but couldn’t make his jaws relax at all as he began to drink hungrily. 

I’m so sorry, Ruoka. 

He knew that it was too early to feed from him again, but he couldn’t make himself pull away until he’d managed to sate his hunger. When he finally lifted his head, panting hard and still a little dazed from bloodlust, he realized that the Rain alpha was nowhere to be seen. 

Quite a few people had also been staring at him, but they quickly hurried on their way when he noticed them looking. 

Dammit. 

Shakily getting to his feet with an exhausted Ruoka in his arms, Seba slowly began his walk back toward his master’s home. It was rare that he got angry at someone, but the Rain alpha hadn’t needed to trigger his bloodlust for him to take his words seriously. And honestly, it made him hesitate to consider them as anything more than just an open threat, veiled in fake kindness. 

He also hadn’t mentioned why he was still willing to offer the blood contract when it was clear that Ruoka was likely to gain his freedom at some point during their stay in London. 

Why are you trying to tie me to you so badly?

(Edited)

Chapter 12

(When your dog snores so loud she wakes you up. So you poke her to wake her up, and she gives you the

how dare you

look.)

His heir was angry. It was definitely not a feeling he expected to sense from his quiet, calm, level-headed Sebastian. Just the emotion alone was enough for Preto to set down what he was doing and meet him as he stepped through the front door.

Ah.

While the man now standing before him was easily older than forty human years, since his body had stopped growing abruptly at a much younger age upon being changed into a vampire, he couldn’t help but consider him absolutely adorable… even when he was about to cry.

The most important issue was evident right away as he leaned over a little and lifted Sebastian’s exhausted pup from his arms. After yelling for his medical staff, he carried the light wolf up to his heir’s room, knowing that it would be the most comfortable there.

Sebastian ran ahead, blurring around the room until there were three extra blankets on the bed, as well as a few more pillows. He finished setting things up right as Preto walked up to the bed and settled Ruoka into the soft nest his master had built.

“It will be alright, Sebastian. Calm yourself and remain where you are for a few moments,” Preto said as he sat beside the panting little wolf and gently pet its head as his two human medical staff checked his vital signs.

When his female nurse mentioned that they should get Ruoka as much water as he was comfortable drinking, Sebastian vanished from the room, only to return a minute later carrying a large basin of cool water.

As soon as he sat it down on the bed Ruoka inched his way closer until he could start taking big, biting gulps.

“Gentle there. No one will take it from you,” Preto said as he gave the pup a firm little tug to its ear.

Ruoka grumbled into the water, but did slow himself down quite a bit.

Are you going to be alright? I will make you something to eat shortly, but do you feel like you need any other assistance? he asked, wanting to make sure that his heir’s pup would be fine.

Just very tired. I should be fine.

Preto nodded, then turned his attention to his still-upset heir.

“Sebastian.”

Hearing his name, the young man quickly lifted his head and stepped forward, clearly wanting to be of some use.

“What caused you to lose control? I could sense that you were becoming stressed, but you never called for me,” Preto said, sounding a little disappointed.

He would have come immediately if he’d been asked to, but since Sebastian hadn’t seemed like he was in trouble, and hadn’t called for him, he’d hesitated to go to him.

Perhaps I need to be more protective.

“The Rain alpha, Silas. He cut the tip of his finger on one of my fangs,” Sebastian said, earning an understanding nod.

When he patted the bed beside himself, Sebastian hesitantly sat down. He leaned forward immediately, clearly keen on keeping an eye on his pup around his master.

He is quite worried about you.

Ruoka finished his basin of water before lifting his head and looking past him to Sebastian. His heir, showing his rare shy side, quickly tucked himself against Preto’s side, clearly still feeling horrible for what he’d done.

It’s not his fault. Alpha Silas tried to get him to drink from him by forcing him to taste his blood. I stepped in front of him before he could try to bite him.

Reaching over, Preto gave Ruoka a good ear scratch.

You are a blessing, little one.

Ruoka pinned his ears and snorted slightly, making Preto chuckle and remove his hand.

“My mistake.”

Sebastian looked up at him as he gently grasped his arm.

“What was your mistake?”

Preto’s brow furrowed as he looked down at his heir, then to his other side, at Ruoka.

You are not allowing him to hear you? For what reason?

Ruoka licked his nose nervously before tucking his face between his paws and looking away from them both.

You two are so stubborn.

Shaking his head, Preto turned back to his heir and lifted his hand to settle atop his curly hair.

“He didn’t seem impressed that I called him little.”

Sebastian looked past him to his pup again, but Ruoka refused to look at them anymore. He was sulking.

“I mean… as far as wolves go, he is pretty small,” he said, surprising Preto and, it would seem, Ruoka, since he quickly lifted his head and gave them a look over his shoulder.

I… feel as if I am about to become a step parent. I’m all for whatever is going on.

His heir’s expression changed to one of utter embarrassment as he quickly spun around, then flopped over onto his belly on the bed.

He… hadn’t meant for him to hear that little thought.

Ruoka grumbled at his master’s attempted escape from the situation, and much to Preto’s surprise, got up on his shaky, tired legs and meandered his way over to Sebastian before sitting down right at his side.

When Sebastian didn’t stir at all, nor turn his head so that they could face each other, Ruoka lifted a paw and actually gave his master’s shoulder a pretty good shove.

Can I just go sign the papers that they’re an heir match, or do I have to wait for verbal confirmation?

He really wasn’t sure how that law worked, since it had been many, many years since he’d changed Sebastian. He really ought to check it again…

Facing forward and crossing one leg over the other, Pretennon thought back, trying to remember if there was a clause about how to bind an heir to their vampire. As he pondered, he heard a light tap from behind himself, but wasn’t too worried.

After a quiet growl from Sebastian, another tap was heard, but this one, actually, could have been considered a bit of a smack.

Hmm.

Lifting his head from his thinking position, Preto signaled for his male nurse, who had been waiting with the female one by the door, in case he needed them for anything else.

“Johnson, please go retrieve my copy of Meaningful Bindings from downstairs for me.”

The man quickly bowed, then disappeared as Preto heard another, quite louder, thump behind himself. The sound, finally, drew his full attention again, making him turn so that he could see what was going on.

I…

Ruoka was sitting… actually sitting , on Sebastian’s back. His head was tilted with his ears up, allowing him to all-but look down on his own master as his tail flicked back and forth in clear frustration right above Sebastian’s clothed backside.

“I do believe he wants an apology for you calling him small ,” Preto said, drawing another quiet grumble from his heir, who still refused to move or acknowledge his frustrated pup.

He had no doubt that Sebastian had spoken of his pup in such a way many, many times before, but now that it finally understood him…

Seemingly not one for patience, Ruoka reached up with a paw and tapped Sebastian’s curly hair once… then twice.

“You really might want to just apologize. You did take off his collar so that he could understand you,” Preto said, his voice the slightest bit reprimanding.

He understood that the two would take a while to get used to all of the changes that were going to happen, but they weren’t exactly getting started on the best foot.

Err, well, paw.

Still annoyed that he wasn’t even getting a simple apology, Ruoka shifted his weight this way and that, allowing him to literally lie down on Sebastian’s back and plop his head down onto the back of his master’s.

He could sense his heir’s frustration grow as Ruoka began to, ever so gently, lick his curly hair.

Sebastian…

In a blur of movement that was impressive to even his eyes, Sebastian whirled around, flipping Ruoka like a pancake until their positions were practically switched. His heir was baring his teeth down at the pup, who was now being held on his back by a clawed hand gripping his furry chest.

Of course, Preto wasn’t honestly concerned, since Sebastian rarely got angry about anything, and staying angry? Not possible. As if to prove his point, his cute heir slowly retracted his fangs after only a few seconds.

Preto turned his attention toward the doorway as things seemed to calm down. His servant arrived not a moment later, handing him the book he had asked for. It was quite old, but it would at least refresh his memory on the general idea of the ceremony. He could browse an updated copy from the library later.

Just as he was flipping open the cover, intent on searching the table of contents, he heard the sound of Sebastian tossing his pup again.

Are they not done? Perhaps I should let them have their privacy.

Looking back over his shoulder, he was finally ready to chastise his heir for not giving his pup a simple apology…

Oh?

Pretennon tilted his head slowly as a smirk slipped onto his lips. Sebastian had, evidently, not flipped his pup at all. His adorable heir was the one who had been pushed onto his back, by a…

Well-muscled. Slightly long, dark hair.

His perusing thoughts were interrupted by a deep, yet somehow gentle, voice.

“I am not small.”

Tilting his head the other direction, Preto continued his appraisal, feeling no shame, whatsoever, as he took in the body of the man pinning his heir to the bed.

I must agree. There is nothing small about him.

“Well then, I shall see myself out,” he said, closing his book as he stood.

His two servants hurried from the room ahead of him, leaving him to lean back in and grab the door handle. Sebastian looked as if he knew he was about to be eaten alive.

One can hope.

Seemingly having caught that thought, his heir looked over at him with sheer terror in his wide eyes. Preto offered him a congratulatory smile, then tugged the door closed and headed downstairs to finish getting ready for the festivities… even if their guest of honor might not be able to make it.

(Edited)

Chapter 13

(Flamingos at the zoo. The white one is Seba, who wants to shove his head underwater/in the sand right now lol.) 

He is breathing too fast. 

Ruoka could smell his master’s disease within his body, destroying the blood he’d just recently consumed. While he’d wanted an apology, now his attention was shifting toward calming the man beneath him. 

His body moved automatically, since he’d comforted his master many, many times before. Except, when he nudged his nose gently against his cheek, then settled his face against the crook of his neck, he noticed that he was getting the opposite effect of what he normally would. 

Master’s heartbeat is speeding up…

Confused, and honestly getting more nervous, Ruoka began leaning away again. Except, when he tried to push himself up, his arms began to shake from fatigue. They held him for only two seconds more before his body dropped, shifting back to his wolf form before he landed on his master’s chest with a surprised grunt. 

Seba had lifted himself abruptly as he’d fallen, catching his wolf in a hesitant hug. 

“Ruoka?” 

Feeling the man pet his head several times reassured him that he, at least, hadn’t done anything too terrible. 

“Ruoka, are you okay?” Seba asked, his voice pleading now. 

He was okay, just exhausted. Of course, for some reason he felt like he couldn’t simply say that to the man holding him tightly in his arms, so he forced himself to lift his head and nudge his nose against his jaw, then lick at that spot a tiny bit. 

It was a similar set of actions to the ones he’d done moments ago. Instead of stressing him out, however, the gestures now had Seba’s heart calming steadily as he pressed his face into Ruoka’s soft fur. 

I suppose I must act like a human when I am one. 

He’d observed them long enough to understand the basics of what to do, and what not to do. Except, he found that he was slightly upset at the idea of not being able to show his master physical affection whenever he needed it. 

“Are you hungry, Ruoka? I can go get you something to eat,” Seba said as he got him comfortable in the…  bed ? 

He was never allowed to sleep on the bed alone, and he was only ever asked to come up when his master felt particularly unwell. Just the thought of being reprimanded once Seba had finished calming down and realized what he was doing made Ruoka try to inch his way off and onto the floor.

“Hey now, it’s fine. There’s more than enough room for you to sleep up here, too,” he said with a nervous smile. 

I don’t feel like you are sure of your words. 

He didn’t doubt the size of the bed. It could easily hold three people comfortably, but his master seemed unsure of his offer. Since he still didn’t feel comfortable speaking to him through his thoughts yet, though, Ruoka settled his head down against one of the pillows and allowed his eyes to close. 

He was quite hungry after shifting, and had intended to agree to his master’s idea of food, but before he knew it, he was out cold. 

Sebastian pulled up the blankets over his pup, tucking him in as he saw Ruoka’s body relax as he sank into a deep sleep. 

It seems that you have calmed down some. The festivities will begin shortly… Pretennon said through his thoughts, making Seba inwardly groan. 

Looking down at his wrinkled outfit, Sebastian sighed and walked over to the closet. He wasn’t interested in dressing up to please a bunch of people who were just sniffing around him because they wanted to be his heir…

Not everyone wants to. Some have entertaining ulterior motives, his  master replied humorously. 

He didn’t find those words to be funny, but he knew better than to argue. Thus, Seba searched through the closet until he found something simple but elegant enough that his master wouldn’t tell him to turn right back around and go upstairs to change. 

He ended up in a dark red, silk, long-sleeved shirt with a pair of black breeches. There had been other, more dressy pants available, but all of them looked like they’d be a slight bit too small. 

Looking in the mirror, Seba’s face reddened when he noticed how unruly his curls had gotten. He tried to tame them with a brush, then a bit of product, but it wasn’t much use. Deciding not to waste anymore time on the issue, he checked on Ruoka one more time, then headed downstairs after quietly shutting the door. 

His master was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, but the person standing beside him made Seba pause a few steps up. 

I understand what has happened between the two of you, and I have told him that any further negative actions will not be tolerated, Preto thought to him, making Seba take a calming breath as he forced himself to finish descending. 

“Alpha Rain,” he greeted after a tense moment of silence. He bowed his head out of necessity, but there was no respect there anymore. 

He could tell that refusing to use the man’s name had struck a chord with him, but there was little he could do in front of his master. Alphas were strong… incredibly strong, but elder vampires were nothing to scoff at. Preto kept his claws retracted in most situations, but he would not hesitate to use them if he felt they were necessary. 

“Please, follow me,” Pretennon said with a smile that bordered on an even mixture of  welcoming  and warning . 

Seba straightened his shoulders and steeled himself as he followed his master. He could sense the Rain alpha directly behind him, matching him step for step. The man’s eyes didn’t bother with modesty, but at least he kept his hands to himself. 

Stepping through the propped-open doors at the end of the hall, Seba couldn’t help but stop and stare. The small ballroom had been transformed. Candles hung high on the walls, as well as sat on every table in intricately-designed holders. 

There were places set around each table for guests and a large buffet set up across the room for those who could eat. 

Waiters meandered about offering their few vampiric guests flutes of blood. People were entering the room from the side double doors, and as more and more stepped through the opening, Seba felt his nerves begin to warn him to retreat. 

He hadn’t realized he’d even taken a step backwards until strong, firm hands grasped his shoulders, stopping his escape. 

“I can make sure that no more hungry eyes find you. Simply agree to my deal and these stressful events will be ended permanently,” Silas said against his left ear, making Seba hiss a quiet warning. 

He would not be swayed by the man’s words. Especially not after he’d forced him to taste his blood earlier. 

“I decline your offer. I can handle my own situations,” Seba said as he shrugged off the man’s hands and briskly paced into the room. 

He could hear the Rain alpha’s deep, calm laughter behind him, but shrugged off the sound as he took a flute of blood from a passing waiter. He could tell that it was laced with strong alcohol just from the smell alone, but his master was present, so there was no harm in drinking a little bit. 

The blood settled his nerves, while the alcohol gave him the slightest bit of courage when his master began to bring people over to introduce to him. 

He’d expected the man to strictly remain set on his mission to find him an heir, but when he began introducing older married couples and some state officials, he realized that he was simply just trying to acclimate him to society. 

Of course, there were also plenty of young ladies and gentleman that had no issue finding the courage to demand his attention for a lavish introduction. 

He wasn’t exactly sure why, but as the time ticked by, he began to interact more than he normally would. For once, he didn’t mind talking to others. He eventually found himself a seat with several of the wolves from the Rain pack after the majority of the introductions had passed, enjoying some poker games as the candle in the middle of the table flickered excitedly. 

The wolves were quite funny with their antics, too. They would howl when excited, and growl at each other whenever someone got the upper hand on them. 

He was the target of a few of those growls as time went on, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he was about to set down a hand that would likely earn him quite a few more when he felt a cold nose poke his elbow, drawing his attention down to a familiar, small, black and white wolf. 

“Hey, Veraner,” he slurred slightly, missing the d  in the guy’s name by accident. 

The small wolf tilted its head this way, then that, clearly analyzing the fact that he was quite drunk. Grinning, Seba leaned over and whispered in the wolf’s ear, as if his words were some sort of secret. 

“Don’ worry. I’m drunk, but my masser will protec’ me,” he said before leaning back up and throwing his cards down on the table with a wide grin. 

The expected grumbles from the wolves made him giggle immaturely, but he just couldn’t find it in himself to care. In fact, he couldn’t manage to stop himself as he found the game of cards suddenly far too funny. 

Strong, familiar arms picked him up a moment later, drawing his attention up to the sweetest person in his life. 

“I am glad to see that you are finally allowing yourself to relax some,” Pretennon said with a warm smile as he began carrying Seba away from the table. 

I still have a game to finish . 

“I’m afraid that you need to rest a bit before you catch anyone else’s attention,” his master said, making Seba finally calm his giggles. 

He honestly hadn’t noticed anymore eyes on him then usual. In fact, the more drunk he’d gotten, the less he’d noticed anything but the cards in his hands. 

“I just checked on Ruoka before coming over to you. He’s awake, but still extremely tired. I brought him a plate of food and he’s nibbling at it,” Pretennon said as he headed down a small hallway, then took a left. 

They entered a small resting room with several wing chairs situated around an unlit fireplace with a twin sized bed against the far wall. 

As soon as he was set down on the bed Seba fell over with a groan, suddenly feeling slightly unwell. He felt his master’s cold hand press against his unusually warm forehead, drawing a sigh from between his lips. It felt good. 

“I think you might need to retire for the evening,” Pretennon said as Seba rolled onto his side and cracked one eye open. 

He’d intended to look up at his master, but his attention was caught by the wolf in the doorway. Preto seemed to notice that he was looking past him and glanced over his shoulder at their uninvited guest. 

To Seba’s surprise, Preto didn’t hesitate to let out a warning growl, making some of the fog clear from his mind. 

Why are you growling at Verander? 

The wolf was a bit odd, but he’d never seen it act in an unfriendly manner. 

Instead of replying to him, Pretennon stood up and turned, facing the wolf who, for some reason, refused to retreat. 

“Speak if you followed us to speak,” Preto said sternly. 

The wolf tilted its head and licked its lips before its form suddenly wavered, then changed. When a tall, slim but-muscled man straightened and locked eyes with him, Seba felt his body warm uncomfortably. 

Silence hung in the air for several moments before the man took a step forward, his dark purple eyes refusing to leave his own. 

“Your wolf has shifted again, yet, to my knowledge, no alpha has been around him…?” 

Damn, his voice makes me want to do what he says, even though he hasn’t even told me to do anything yet. 

If that was the affect simple words from the man had, he didn’t want to know how he might be able to control him if he managed to get him to drink his blood. 

Wait a second…

“Verander is an…”

“Alpha,” his master replied as his body tensed further. “The Rain alpha was around him earlier today, but, to my knowledge, they had no physical interaction and he was also not present when Ruoka shifted again,” Preto said as he turned a little more, matching Verander’s movements as the man took a step forward and to the left, clearly judging the situation while trying to test how close he would be allowed to come. 

Seba shook his head hard, trying to dispel the alcohol from his system. Unfortunately, the action only made him dizzy, nearly forcing him to fall back down to the blankets before he managed to catch himself. He knew that the alpha was testing his master. Considering his limit before he became aggressive. 

It was one thing to threaten an elder vampire, but it was something else entirely to show hostility toward their heir while right in front of them. That’s why it was no surprise when Pretennon’s claws finally extended as he blurred forward, his movements completely silent in the dark room. 

Verander easily dodged the first attack, but judging from his master’s demeanor as he came to a stop near the door and turned back around, he hadn’t meant for the hit to land in the first place. It was another warning. 

Seba scooted himself farther away from the window where Verander now stood, much too close for his comfort. When the alpha took a calm step closer to him, Pretennon blurred forward again, a snarl accompanying his strike this time. Verander got clipped by the attack, but as his form rushed closer, Seba had a feeling that it had been intentional. 

As the man dropped down right beside him, his back against the wall and dark purple eyes reflecting a nearly full moon just beyond the closed window, Seba bit his tongue and held his breath. 

His blood…

Just the faint scent of it had his heart racing and his already-spinning mind teetering. 

Just a little bit shouldn’t hurt. 

Saliva pooled in his mouth as Verander turned his attention back to Pretennon after getting a bit more comfortable. For some reason, his  master wasn’t trying to intervene anymore. 

“I am not interested in your games, Verander,” Preto growled out, but still refused to move closer. 

Swallowing, Seba tried to give his head another shake, but just the thought of completing the gesture made him tilt, making him lean right up against Verander’s warm, uninjured shoulder. 

“Good, because I am not playing with you ,” the werewolf said as he reached up with one clawed hand toward Seba’s neck. 

His master immediately took a step forward and bared his fangs, but Verander simply chuckled as he turned his head and watched his claws brush against Seba’s throat, tickling the skin there. He didn’t bother sparing Pretennon another glance. 

For some reason, Seba didn’t fear for his life. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps the alpha just wasn’t emanating a killing aura, but he simply allowed his heavy eyelids to close and dropped his head to the man’s shoulder. 

He could sense his master’s anger slowly recede as Verander’s claws simply played along his skin. 

“…if you are interested in my heir, you should court him fairly like everyone else,” Pretennon said after finally calming himself down. 

His words seemed humorous to Verander, because the man gave a deep chuckle in response that reverberated throughout his body and into Seba’s as he rested against him. 

“I am not interested in your sickly heir. What I want, is the wolf.” 

His master hissed as a fresh wave of anger drifted through Seba’s mind from him. 

“The wolf belongs to Sebastian. It is not up for discussion!” 

So tired…

“I understand that,” Verander said simply as he withdrew his claws, only to tilt his head just enough to settle it against Seba’s soft, curly hair. “That is why I will take his owner, too.” 

Bite him!

Sebastian’s eyes jerked open as his blood suddenly began to boil in his veins. His heart started racing and his claws extended of their own accord. Everything in him felt too alive, as if there were little jolts of electricity dancing along every single string of nerves in his system. His entire being reacted to the command from the unknown voice, and with a blur of motion, he had Verander pinned to the bed beneath him with one clawed hand holding his right wrist slightly above his head and the other hand grasping the left side of the man’s face, its claws dangerously close to removing his left eye should he so much as even flinch. Not a moment later, his sharp fangs buried themselves painfully into the man’s throat. 

He could tell that he was causing an immense amount of pain, and possibly even scraping the man’s windpipe with the tips of his teeth, but Seba couldn’t stop himself. It was as if he had to obey what was thought to him, no matter the consequences. 

Twenty seconds passed before he heard Verander give out a stifled whine of submission. 

Release him. 

He did so without hesitation, and was immediately scooped up into his master’s arms. 

“Sebastian?” Preto said as he blurred over to one of the large chairs and sat down with him in his lap. 

Licking the remaining blood from his lips, Seba slowly blinked open his eyes to meet his master’s. He wasn’t sure what to say, but their attention was drawn back over to the bed a moment later as Verander hastily shifted back to his confused-looking wolf form, tucked his tail, and hurried from the room. 

“What happened?” Preto asked, bringing Seba’s attention back to him. 

Instead of responding right away, he leaned into his master’s chest, sighing as the man wrapped his arms around him gently. Once he was comfortable, or well, as comfortable as he could be with his body humming with power from the alpha’s blood, Seba looked up at his master and spoke quietly. 

“Someone told me to attack him.” 

Preto’s eyes widened as he hugged him closer. 

“I thought that you had barely gotten any of alpha Rain’s blood?” 

He really hadn’t gotten much at all. Just a drop. 

“I really only got the slightest taste. Not even a teaspoon,” he said, feeling his nervousness grow. He wished that he would have been able to tell whose voice it was, but thoughts often sounded very different from verbal words. The same person could sound completely differently when speaking telepathically. 

If it really had been alpha Rain who had given him that order to attack, though… he didn’t want to think about the other things he could now command him to do. 

(Edited)

Chapter 14

He… doesn’t look the same. 

Of course, being naked and being clothed were  two very different things. Staring openly at the man roughly half a block away, Seba couldn’t help but smile. 

He wasn’t happy about randomly seeing Verander out and about, let alone while in his human form, but what pulled a hesitant grin out of him wasn’t technically the man, himself, but the little ball of black fluff that was tugging at Verander’s wolf tail. 

Evidently, he had the ability to leave some of his wolf features, because he definitely would have remembered seeing a tail when the man had shifted in front of him two days ago. 

“I definitely don’t have a tail, but that looks like it might actually hurt,” he mumbled as he inched a little closer, wanting to get a better view of what was latched onto the end of it. 

Definitely a little wolf pup… but is it his? 

There was no white on the tiny thing from what he could see, but that didn’t exactly mean that it wasn’t his. Color could vary pretty widely amongst wolves. 

He watched the pup silently as he felt Ruoka nudge at his left leg a few times, clearly wanting to move on before they were noticed. Instead of heeding his pup’s likely-good advice, Seba remained where he was beneath a small tree leaning over part of the cobblestone walkway. 

The pup was honestly going to town trying to pull Verander’s long black tail clean off as the man spoke calmly with a person in the doorway of a little shop. They chatted for quite some time as the pup continued its work, sinking its razor sharp daggers into Verander’s fur and tugging with all its might in different directions. 

When the two men finally finished their conversation and Verander turned abruptly, Seba felt his heart skip in his chest. He’d been caught staring. The werewolf seemed to hesitate as he considered the situation, but after a few moments he began heading their way. 

Seeing him coming straight for them should have been intimidating, and it kind of was, but at the same time, Seba couldn’t help but take note of the guy’s outfit. He was dressed incredibly sharp, with a diagonally split black and dark blue shirt. Overtop it was a long, knee-length black leather coat with a few buckles situated here and there. His boots rose to midcalf, and Seba even noticed a little black and white rabbit’s foot fastened to the top of the left one. 

As he was finishing his internal appraisal, those perfectly-shined boots stopped right in front of his own, drawing a blush to his face as he slowly looked up until his eyes met bright purple ones. 

They stared at each other in silence until Seba finally lowered his eyes. He knew that the man had been testing him, and that he’d probably just failed and submitted, but he really wasn’t the most secure vampire. Sure, back home he could easily handle himself as long as he kept himself well fed, but being in such a big city had knocked his stubbornness down a few pegs. 

His attention diverted away from Verander as he noticed a little fuzzy head poking out from behind the man’s right leg. The pup still had the tip of Verander’s tail between its tiny jaws as it wrapped its front paws around his leg and stared nervously up at Seba. 

He was about to kneel down and greet the little guy when Ruoka stalked forward, his hackles lifted slightly. A few sniffs were exchanged as the pup ducked behind Verander’s leg a few times before gathering its courage and leaning forward to sniff at Ruoka’s much bigger nose. 

“What is its name?” Sebastian asked as he finally lifted his eyes back to Verander’s. 

The man seemed to consider not answering, but after a few moments he tilted his head slightly, then replied. 

“Sitkea.” 

What a cute name. 

“Is he yours?” he asked, honestly curious. 

Verander licked his lips as he looked away for a moment, then back to him with a serious expression. 

“No, but I am his caretaker now.” 

Huh? 

“His parents were killed by werewolf hunters two days before we were invited to move here,” Verander said, making Sebastian’s next question die on his tongue as he looked back down at the little pup. 

It was now reaching toward Ruoka’s muzzle with teeny tiny claws. 

His parents were killed? 

He wasn’t sure how to feel about that bit of information. He’d participated in several werewolf hunts back in his hometown. He’d killed them, and had celebrated each time with the townsfolk, and yet…

Looking at Sitkea pawing at Ruoka’s whiskers as his own wolf laid down to get closer, while appearing less threatening, he just didn’t know how to feel. 

A month ago, I would have gladly helped kill Sitkea’s parents. I might have even killed him, too. 

His heart constricted in his chest as he carefully lowered himself to sit on the ground. Ruoka looked up at him for a brief moment to check that he wasn’t being reprimanded, then returned to nudge at the pup. He watched as the little thing slowly grew more comfortable and finally completely stepped out from behind Verander’s leg in order to give an awkward leap toward Ruoka’s nose. 

Its little claws managed to snag Ruoka’s muzzle on either side of his face, but thankfully his pup knew not to react negatively. Seba was so distracted by the two beginning to play with each other that he didn’t notice Verander sitting down in front of him, nor did he realize that the man was reaching toward him until his finger poked his cheek, startling him into a quiet gasp as he jerked his head up. 

Oh…

“Your fang?” Verander said, making Seba open and close his mouth a few times before he realized what he’d meant and felt his face redden. 

“It sometimes gets stuck down after I feed,” he said, answering the man’s curiosity. 

When Verander simply watched him calmly instead of responding right away, Seba awkwardly lowered his gaze back to the two wolves. Sitkea was now trying to nibble at Ruoka’s nose, but there was no way he could hope to fit it into his mouth with the tip of Verander’s tail still between his little jaws. 

“It’s cute.” 

Blinking, Seba took a moment to process the words that he hadn’t heard all that well, then looked back up at Verander. 

“What?” 

Surely he’d been talking about the adorable pup he was looking after. When the man didn’t respond again, Seba huffed and looked back down at the pup.

Oh? 

Ruoka glanced up at him several times as he tried to figure out what he should do with the tiny thing now latched onto his left ear. 

“He… can move quite quickly, it seems,” Seba said as he heard Verander chuckle, then saw him reach forward into his line of sight. He automatically withdrew this time, leaning back just enough so that he wasn’t touched. Except, the man didn’t seem to even make note of his behavior as he redirected his hand immediately down toward Ruoka. 

Is he teasing me on purpose? 

He saw his own wolf pin its right ear down in warning, but Ruoka actually relaxed when Verander gently removed Sitkea from his poor left ear. 

 “You get used to it,” he said as he settled the squirming pup against his chest. 

He tried to keep it there, but the thing was just too stubborn and refused to settle down. 

“Can I…?” Seba asked nervously as he reached forward a little. 

Verander eyed him for a few moments, suspicion clear in his bright eyes, but then he seemed to calm down and offered the wiggling pup to him. 

“Just a warning… he bites,” he said sarcastically as Seba carefully took the little guy. 

It squirmed like crazy until he managed to settle it against his own chest. Then, somehow, it stopped abruptly and stared up at him with wide, soft brown eyes as its tiny pink tongue slipped in and out of its little panting mouth. 

How is a werewolf so cute? 

He felt a set of eyes on him, while he saw Ruoka stare determinedly at the pup. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wolf that Ruoka actually wants to be around,” he said as he gently began to pet Sitkea’s fuzzy head. 

Ruoka pinned his ears at his words, but then got over them just as quickly as he leaned closer and tilted his head. When he tried to nibble the little pup’s right ear, clearly thinking that it was okay since the pup had nipped his own, Seba gave a warning nudge with his elbow. Sitkea ducked his head at the same time Ruoka did, mimicking the bigger wolf, even though he likely didn’t understand what the gesture was for. 

“He’s letting you hold him without trying to bite.” 

Glancing back up at Verander, Seba frowned slightly. 

“Is it so strange?” he asked as he looked back down at the pup now resting in his arms. 

Verander slowly tilted his head as he contemplated the situation further, then replied. 

“He only allows me to hold him, and still he’ll try to bite most of that time if he can,” he said, making Seba hug the pup a little tighter. 

“How old is he?” 

Verander reached over and settled his hand atop Sitkea’s head, immediately drawing the pup’s attention. The man soon had little dagger-like teeth nibbling at his fingers. 

“Eight weeks or so,” he said, making Seba’s eyes widen. 

He didn’t know much about wolves, but that seemed awfully young to be away from its parents. Not that there had been much of a choice, but should it not be with a woman? Perhaps one who had recently had a child of her own?

Verander seemed to realize what he was thinking because he carefully but quickly took the pup back. 

“There is no one within my pack that is currently nursing, and I refuse to let him be raised by any other,” he said, his tone bringing an end to the discussion that had barely begun. 

“We have plenty of milk from both goats and cows. He drinks well and has started nibbling at meat,” he added, making Seba relax a tiny bit. 

He settled his hand atop Ruoka’s head as he replied. 

“That’s good. I hope he grows up well with you,” Seba said as he got to his feet. 

Verander and Ruoka followed suit, but before Seba could dismiss himself, Ruoka stepped forward and lifted his head as high as it would go so that he could nudge Sitkea’s back left foot. 

He got a tiny kick for his efforts, as well as a light chuckle from Verander before the man returned his attention to Seba. 

“I still want your wolf, but I will leave our interaction as it is for today. I have things to see to,” he said as his long tail blew to the side along with his dark hair. 

Seba felt his mouth go dry as he openly stared at the man, forgetting his manners until Ruoka nipped the fingers of his left hand, making him jump… much to Verander’s evident amusement. 

“See you next—” 

“Wait!” Seba said, cutting off Verander’s farewell. 

Swallowing down his sudden bout of nerves, Seba straightened his shoulders and looked Verander in the eyes. 

“Why did you not try to control me at all today? Could you not have made me relinquish my ownership of Ruoka?” 

He might have attacked Verander two days ago, but he’d also drank quite a bit from the alpha, too. 

Verander took a step closer, putting them nearly toe to toe as he leaned the slightest bit forward. He was a tad too close for Seba’s comfort but he refused to step back. 

“While I am not the nicest werewolf you will meet in this city, by far, I do not stoop to such tactics. Besides, even if I forced you to relinquish ownership of him, it would do me no good. In fact, it would likely cause more harm to my plan than anything,” Verander said as he straightened back up and bowed his head, but refused to break eye contact. 

“Now then, if you’ll please excuse me,  Pieni Hammas.” 

Seba blinked at the Finnish words. Many people tended to pass through the town back where he lived on their way to bigger and, to them, better places. Quite a few of them tended to be Finnish, so he’d easily picked up the basics of the language.. which made him scowl when he realized what he’d been called. 

Small tooth…

Shaking off the childish jab about his stuck fang, Seba stepped forward, but the man was already walking away, his hair and tail rustling in the breeze as Sitkea peeked the slightest bit over his shoulder at them. 

“I’m not exactly sure what just happened, but it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting.”

Ruoka nudged his fingers until he gave his head a pat, then looked down at him with an entertained grin. 

“I guess it could have gone much worse?” he said as he turned and began walking back toward his master’s home. 

He also couldn’t help but think that the guy acted quite a bit differently when he was with Sitkea. The long tail also, for some reason, made him seem a lot less threatening than he had before…

(Edited)

Chapter 15

(Pyre and I went to the pride event downtown this weekend. It was too hot to bring Pepperjack, didn’t want to melt the Cheese lol) 

Pretennon leaned back in the large desk chair he was situated in as he turned another page from the document he’d been looking over for the past hour. It was a request for the removal of the Ghost pack from city lands. The document was the third such one he’d read in the past month and a half, and all three had come directly from the Rain alpha. 

“Your friend isn’t exactly the easiest to get along with, you know?” he said as he glanced to the side for a brief moment before returning his attention to the document. 

Kandza perked his ears up immediately at the attention, even if it wasn’t exactly positive. He had followed Pretennon all the way from his doorstep, where he’d met him earlier that morning. The wolf had wanted to come inside, but unfortunately for both of them, Preto had quite a bit to get done and couldn’t entertain today. 

Of course, that only deterred Kandza for one whole minute as he quickly decided to simply follow him wherever he decided to go. He wasn’t sure what the werewolf had expected from their little journey, but the disappointment on its face was hard to hide when Pretennon finally stopped before the massive city library and moved to ascend the stairs. 

He’d actually made it to the top of them before realizing that Kandza was still sitting at the bottom, his ears tilted to the side as he reconsidered his options for the day. Preto had given him only the slightest eyebrow raise to silently ask if he was still interested in following, and that was all the pup seemed to have needed to regain his determination and climb the steps. 

He’d been rewarded with a quick ear scratch, but the moment Preto turned and stepped into the large building afterward, he became all business. He retrieved the key to his private meeting room and made his way up the winding staircase to the second floor without a word. A large envelope of paperwork lay sitting on the desk at the far side of the room, taking the man’s full attention once they entered. 

Kandza gave him plenty of time to read over the documents before nudging at his knee for attention, but he’d simply received a head pat for his efforts before Pretennon had gone back to his work. 

So, Kandza had waited another bout of time, then tried again, but the result was a quiet warning hiss. The message was finally received loud and clear. He didn’t want to be bothered. Forlorn and likely regretting his decision, Kandza had found a little circular carpet off to the side and managed to curl up on most of it, leaving just a bit of his backside and tail hanging over the edge. 

There he waited until, finally, Pretennon looked over at him and spoke. Except, judging from the expression on his wolf’s face, the words definitely hadn’t been what he’d wanted to hear. The look was entertaining enough to make Preto grin slightly, though. 

“Your alpha wants the Ghost pack gone before their grace period is even over,” he said, noting the stipulation he had to removal requests that was attached to each contract signed by their leading alpha. He hadn’t been at the Ghost pack’s signing due to another important situation taking his time, but Marquise had made sure that the paperwork had been taken care of correctly. 

Silas knew that unless something very serious occurred, he had no power to call the other pack’s actions to his attention until the three month trial period was over. 

And yet, this is the third written request for removal that I have received so far. 

He did have to agree that the Ghost pack was more troublesome than the Rain or Moon packs, but Marquise had selected them for a reason. Their alpha, while still quite wild, had also been quite promising. Of course, he hadn’t been very surprised by his most recent behaviors, but he knew that such big changes took time. It also helped that his heir had pinned the man a few days ago, taking a literal bite out of his overly-dominant personality. 

I still need to question Ruoka about that. 

Of course, he had no doubt that it had been his heir’s wolf now. Each time he’d tried to get its attention through its thoughts, the creature completely refused to acknowledge him. He’d even turned down two thick pieces of bacon in order to remain distant. 

Whether he confesses to what he has done or not, it throws quite a bit of a thorn into my plans. 

He definitely liked the little wolf, but he wasn’t sure that he appreciated the pup’s current attitude towards him, or the fact that he’d ordered his own master to attack someone else. If there had been a serious threat to Sebastian, he would have taken care of it immediately, but Verander was not someone who would risk the situation he’d begged to have for his pack just to harm his heir. The man was extremely compulsive, but he wasn’t outright aggressive. At least, not yet. 

“What do you think of it?” 

The familiar voice was accompanied by the sound of the door closing at the other end of the room, drawing Pretennon’s attention up above the paperwork he was now rereading. 

“Marquise,” Preto greeted with a slight nod of his head. 

The man had requested that they meet, and after looking over the paperwork that had been left for him, he was glad that he had. Marquise was the alpha of the first pack he’d offered residence to. They had created a sort of committee between themselves after his pack had settled well, and thus, began inviting others. Thankfully, the werewolf was the easiest of the three leaders to work with, too, and was very calm and collected in any matter he tended to. 

Taking a seat across from him, Marquise offered Preto a relaxed smile.

“Elder Pretennon, I thank you for meeting with me today,” he said, his voice calm and controlled. 

Preto noticed the man spare Kandza a glance as the wolf slowly sat up, its interest clearly piqued by their guest. It was no surprise, either, since Marquise rarely made public appearances. He was an older wolf, considering how young Silas and Verander were, but at a young sixty years old, he still wasn’t even middle-aged as far as werewolves went. 

He looked to be about thirty in human years, but the wisdom in his eyes showed his true age well. His hair was cropped somewhat short and kept quite neat around his ears and neck. His clothing was a little more old fashion, with the soft light colors of a full body robe settled comfortably on his shoulders. Beneath the slightly open garment was a light gray shirt and black pants. 

Noticing the man’s dark green eyes return to him, Pretennon offered him a warm smile and straightened a bit in his seat. 

“It is always a pleasure, alpha Marquise. I have reviewed the documents you left me, but I’d like your opinion on them first, if you wouldn’t mind?” 

The alpha nodded and relaxed in his chair, sending the signal that the meeting would not be taken too seriously. Pretennon mirrored his actions, glad that they wouldn’t have to go too in depth. He didn’t doubt that part of that reason was because of Kandza’s presence, but that was fine with him. If it truly was an issue, Marquise would order the wolf to leave. 

“I’m not exactly sure what is going on beyond what we are seeing, and since my pack is quite large, I’m often indisposed with internal affairs and unable to observe much more than what is reported to me. Have you seen any direct conflicts between Silas and Verander that should cause us to worry that there is something more than just territorial grievances causing these requests?” he asked, cutting straight to the point. 

Preto had previously thought back on each situation he’d heard or seen concerning the two alpha’s interactions, but honestly, none of them seemed to be too bad except for the time when alpha Silas had first appeared in front of his heir covered in blood. 

He hadn’t gotten the information about that situation until the next day, and it hadn’t been more than bits and pieces of what had taken place. It had been a territorial dispute, that was for certain, but any issues with such things were supposed to be brought up to the heads of the Relocation Council, which would be himself and Marquise. They handled the issue internally, if able, then reported to the human side of the council afterward, which would be the local governor and his associates. If the situation needed more input or directly affected any humans, then it was to be immediately brought up to the full council during a special session. 

“To my knowledge, Silas was strictly defending his portion of territory that was gifted to his pack when they signed the agreement to relocate here. Considering his two other previous requests for removal, the situation has not improved,” Preto said, earning a nod from Marquise and a flick of Kandza’s left ear. 

“I agree, Verander is likely to blame for the root cause of these issues but I have my doubts that they aren’t somewhat provoked, either,” Preto added as he looked over to Kandza. 

The wolf looked down at its paws nervously before glancing back up, giving Pretennon all the information he needed to confirm that there was, indeed, more to the story. 

“Kandza, as beta of the Rain pack, do you have something to share with us?” Marquise asked, his voice suddenly holding the weight and authority of his title. 

Kanza fidgeted and lied back down, but when Preto figured that he would get no answers from the wolf, he heard his familiar voice in the back of his mind. 

There was provocation from both sides, but Verander was extremely worked up before he even appeared at our territorial line. 

He could believe that. 

“Thank you for your honestly. I will have my beta look into this situation further…” Marquise said as he stood from his seat, having clearly heard the same thing that Preto had. 

Pretennon got up, too, bowing at the waist out of respect before replying. 

“I will also look further into this matter, and if need be, confront alpha Rain about the situation?”

Marquise nodded. 

“I will speak with Verander in the coming days. Are there any other issues you might wish to report before we conclude this meeting?” Marquise asked as he first looked at Pretennon, then allowed his gaze to shift to the wolf nearby. 

Preto felt the slightest hint of nerves as the man silently considered his clear connection, of some sort, to the Rain beta, but he knew that he should not be nervous. What he did with his personal time was completely unrelated to important business matters. 

“I can assure you that, should there be any issues at all, with anyone  at all, and I require assistance, I will not hesitate to request your presence,” Preto said, holding his head high. 

He might allow Kandza more freedoms around him than he would most others, but that would never sway his decisions regarding the wolf’s pack. His work was important to him, and he was known to take it very  seriously. There would be absolutely no favoritism. 

“I am glad to hear it. Then, please enjoy the remainder of your day. I will see myself out,” Marquise said with a warm smile before turning and exiting the room. 

Pretennon waited a few moments before giving a quiet sigh of relief and walking toward the door, too, the folder of information tucked beneath his left arm. He truly did like Marquise, but the man held such a strong aura of authority that it became exhausting to be in his presence for too long a time. The funny part about that, though, was that he doubted the man even knew he had such an effect on those who weren’t even in his pack. 

Preto settled his hand on the doorknob, intent on heading out, but right when he was about to turn it he was suddenly shoved up against the door by a warm, muscled body. Before he could decide on a reaction Kandza had his clawed hand tightly gripping his own, clutching it almost painfully around the doorknob. His left one was already wrapped tightly around his middle, but surprisingly not beneath his shirt. 

He is learning… a little bit. 

“Where did this come from, Kandza?” Preto asked as he allowed himself to relax against the man the slightest bit. 

“He was staring at you too much,” Kandza growled out, his warm breath brushing against the cold skin at the nape of Preto’s neck. 

He was looking at you, too. 

And he would never admit it out loud, but each time Marquise turned his attention to Kandza, he’d wanted to growl at him. It was an absolutely absurd thought to consider in the first place, let alone allow to come into existence as a legitimate thought, but… 

Perhaps I let my displeased expression slip the slightest amount. 

No wonder Marquise had questioned him at the end of their meeting. 

A quiet whining grumble pulled him back out of his thoughts and made him roll his eyes a little before looking to his left. A mop of pitch black hair greeted him and brushed against his cheek as Kandza began to slowly lick at his neck. 

“You are such a stubborn one,” he chastised even as he reached up with his left hand and began gently tugging on the man’s wolf’s ears that were tucked within his soft, messy hair. 

Of course, as he leaned his head back, giving Kandza plenty of access to do as he wished with his neck, Preto knew that he, too, was an extremely stubborn person. He should be reprimanding the man for what he was doing inside of a public space, let alone the city’s library, and yet he said not a single word as he allowed the werewolf to do as he wished with his mouth, and eventually, with his hands… within reason, of course. 

(Edited)

Chapter 16

(Ruoka’s having a bad hair day lol I think Racket licked him when I wasn’t looking.)

He… had not expected to see such things in alpha Rain’s bedroom. Preto had decided to just go over to the man’s pack house after spending a bit too much time with his beta in the library. Of course, Kandza had followed him, but that was no surprise. 

What was  however, was how easily he’d been allowed up to the second floor. Not a single guard had dared stop him, and most even bowed as he walked right through the front double doors.

Now that he stood at the entrance to Silas’s room, he couldn’t quite wrap his mind around what he was seeing. Sure, there was the giant king sized bed he’d expected pushed back against the far wall. Its pitch black covers were tucked in perfectly, but the four pillows at the head were scattered around a bit, as if they’d just been tossed back onto it after having fallen off. 

Looking to his right, Preto noted the large wooden desk and deep red wing chair tucked into the corner with just a brief glance, then turned his attention to the large windowed doors and balcony just beyond them. The warm glow of twilight dusted everything in a soft gold, beckoning him forward, though he managed to resist. He was not there enjoy the view. Refocusing, Preto glanced to left, then paused with a raised eyebrow.  

As far as he knew, Silas didn’t have any children, so seeing little toys, blankets, and chew bones scattered about was more than a bit surprising. 

Walking closer, he looked over each item more carefully while Kandza waited by the door. He knew that he should have stayed where his friend had, but his curiosity was a close second only to his stubbornness.

Kneeling down, he picked up one of the bones, eyeing the large amount of tiny teeth marks that marred its surface. He could also smell quite a few different wolf’s scents coming from the items, but none of them were enough like the alpha’s to be considered offspring. 

“Kandza, does Silas actually take care of the pack’s pups?” he asked as he stood up and wandered over to a large dresser a little farther into the room. 

Yes, he watches them on occasion… but elder Pretennon, we should not be intruding here. 

Preto looked back over his shoulder at Kandza, clearly noting the wolf’s nervousness in his thought and posture. Of course, he knew that he shouldn’t be snooping about, but he just couldn’t help himself as he reached up onto the dresser and picked up a large silver prong collar. 

This is big enough to only really fit an alpha wolf of his own size…

Furrowing his brow, Preto turned and held the item up so that Kandza could see it. The other wolf quickly glanced away and pinned his ears to the side of his head. Of course, that just made him even more curious. 

“Your alpha continuously submits requests for us to remove Verander’s Ghost pack from the city, and yet here I am finding a collar that could only fit a select few… mainly himself, which is humorous to think of, because no werewolf, let alone an alpha, would intentionally lock away their other half… or Marquise.”

You are not wrong, but things are not how they appear, either. My alpha would never dream of collaring the Moon alpha. 

Pretennon sighed as he turned back to the dresser and replaced the collar in its original spot. 

“Then for whom is it intended, Kandza?” 

Instead of hearing the wolf’s response, a much deeper, audible voice met his ears, making Preto calmly turn around.

“It is for that infuriatingly-aggressive mutt.” 

Silas stood in the doorway, his form taking up nearly the entire opening. Kandza had retreated back a few steps, tucking his tail tightly between his legs, and while Preto acknowledged the wolf’s submissive gesture towards its alpha, he didn’t quite like it. Kandza hadn’t gone into the man’s room, nor had he caused any problems. 

However, the Rain pack was not his, and thus, it was not his place to speak on such matters… even if he disagreed with them. So, instead of dwelling on such things, Preto returned his attention to the man now walking toward him. 

“I do believe that you’ve had it made a bit too big,” he said calmly, unintimidated by the larger man closing in on him. 

He knew that Silas wouldn’t risk hurting him and wasting all the effort he’d put into getting his pack a place in the city. So, it was no surprise when the man stopped a few feet away and looked over at the collar Preto had returned to its place on the dresser. 

“That man is a vile trickster. The small wolf you have seen is a joke. His beast is even larger than mine in size, and it is much more vicious,” Silas said, making Pretennon pause in his thoughts. 

“His wolf can change so dramatically?” 

He’d never heard of a werewolf being able to do such a thing. They had their wolf half, and they had their human half. There was never an in-between. 

“I don’t know much Dutch, but he was named quite well. Verandering  means changing,” Silas said as he took another step closer. 

When the man’s grin widened slightly, Preto realized that the subject of their discussion was about to change. 

“So then, Elder Pretennon, to what do I owe the pleasure of this rather… intimate, visit?” Silas questioned as the tips of his claws began to inch their way out. 

He honestly couldn’t blame the man for getting upset with him, though part of the problem was definitely his lax pack guards. He had no doubt that they would be dealt with once he left, though. 

“I don’t mind you being allowed inside of my home without restrictions. You are  the elder vampire in charge of the entire werewolf resettlement project,” Silas said, making Preto a little confused. 

When the man walked past him and picked up the collar, Preto slowly turned to face him. He stopped moving just in time for the heavy silver item to slip past his eyes as it settled around his own neck. 

The action immediately put him on high alert, making his senses flare and his pupils dilate. Even his fangs were beginning to descend, though he truly did not wish to need to use them. 

“You are right. It is a bit too big,” Silas said, humor clear in his words as he nonchalantly tugged the collar back up and over his head. 

Wait a moment…

“How can you touch that without it burning you?” 

He could understand how Ruoka wasn’t hurt by his, since his fur was extremely thick and it wasn’t pronged, but Silas had just grabbed the item with his bare hands. 

The man smirked as he held the collar up, his hand clearly unaffected by the heavy silver metal. 

“Resistance can be built up over time.” 

Preto’s eyes widened as he reached forward without thinking, taking the man’s palm in his hands and turning it slightly so that the remaining light from outside could illuminate it better. 

There are a lot of faint scars, but they’re very old…

He narrowed his eyes on the faded damage, unsure of how to react to it. Pure silver was not something a werewolf would interact with intentionally… and yet Silas had done just that. Many times, from what he could see. 

“It was only a matter of time before I’d have to face a hunter. There are many, many people in this world who would rather kill a werewolf than talk to one. So, I made sure that when that time came, I wouldn’t be the one that died.” 

Preto couldn’t fathom being in such a situation that he’d feel the need to hurt himself over and over again just to be able to have a sense of security. He’d never had that issue, for as long as he’d lived. Humans had gotten quite used to vampires, and the two have coexisted well over the past century. Werewolves, however, were not only still feared, but many packs were also outright hostile to approach. 

“You seem concerned,” Silas said, his words holding more humor that made Preto calm himself as he watched the other man withdraw his hand from his own, then return the collar to the dresser before leaning back against it.  

When Silas crossed his arms over his chest and looked over toward the door, Preto hesitantly stepped to the side, then turned. Kandza had moved back to the entryway, but the moment both sets of eyes fell upon him, he hunched and tucked his tail again, partially scooting behind the doorjamb to his right. 

“Now what do we have here?” Silas asked, his voice changing surprisingly to sound as if he were talking to a little pup instead of his second in command. 

“Why so shy all of a sudden? I can smell the blood on him from the claw marks you’ve recently etched onto his abdomen…” Silas cooed as his lips turned upward into a fanged grin. 

It didn’t appear hostile just yet, but Preto didn’t want it to get to that point, either. 

“Is there an issue with his interest in me?” he questioned, wanting to know what was actually going on. 

Silas pursed his lips, seemingly trying to bite back a scowl before walking past him. The man wandered over to his massive bed and, after tugging off his black and dark blue coat and undershirt, tossed them aside, then fell back onto the blankets with a quiet grunt. 

Furrowing his brow, Preto looked back over at Kandza. The wolf refused to meet his eyes, but it also  wasn’t speaking to his thoughts at all, either. 

Wait a minute…

Looking between the two werewolves several times, Preto slowly lifted his left hand to press against his newly-aching forehead. 

I do not know how I did not see it before. 

Shaking his head, Preto walked over to Kandza and sat down right in front of him. The wolf spared him a quick glance, but then continued to look elsewhere. 

“Kandza…”

He waited for a full minute, but when the pup refused to acknowledge him, Preto sighed and got back up. Instead of seeing himself out, which was what he should have done immediately, he turned and walked over to where Silas lay on his bed, his legs hanging over the side in a pair of black leather trousers. 

“Rain alpha Silas?” 

The man slowly blinked open his left eye, but refused to speak. 

If my guess is not correct, then I have no idea what is going on. 

He was pretty sure that his guess was going to be spot on, though. So, after offering the man staring up at him a small smile, Preto clasped his hands behind his back, rocked backward onto his heels for just a moment, then glanced between the two one final time. 

“So then, what kind of relationship do you two have with each other?” 

(Edited)

Chapter 17

The weather had gotten a little more nippy as the day went on, but that didn’t deter his master from taking a walk in the large garden behind the house. He’d been glancing at it from his balcony off and on since they’d arrived at their temporary home, so it was no surprise when he finally decided to go ahead and take a closer look. Of course, Ruoka followed closely at his heels, not trusting anyone else to look after his master but himself.

He wasn’t normally one for enjoying nature, since there wasn’t much of it back where they lived that wasn’t infested with bloodthirsty werewolves, but as they began their quiet stroll through Pretennon’s garden, he was a bit surprised by how much he was enjoying stopping every couple of feet or so to sniff at a new flower or nibble at some delicious-looking grass. The frequent places he could lift his leg to mark were also quite lovely.

Birds began to start their evening rounds, their territorial songs reaching his ears as they ventured farther into the little maze.

“I’m surprised by how much space is back here, as well as the amount of different plants and shade trees. His gardeners are truly gifted,” Seba said as he reached up to gently touch a blossoming pink flower a little ways above his head.

Ruoka tilted his head and watched as his master tried to lean closer to smell it, but couldn’t quite manage to close the distance without risking snapping the fragile stem. Eventually, he relented and moved on, leaving Ruoka behind as he slowly circled the overhanging branch, flicking the tip of his tail from side to side in concentration.

Glancing ahead for a brief moment, he noticed that his master was about to walk out of view and quickly returned his attention back to the flower above his head.

Need to get it quickly.

Without anymore hesitation, Ruoka hunched down, then leaped as high as he could manage. Thankfully, it was plenty high enough. Actually, it was a tad too high, but he adjusted well and after smacking his fuzzy head on a higher branch, then falling a foot or so, he managed to snap his jaws around the stem of the flower before descending back down to the ground. The plant made a satisfying snapping sound as the stem was abruptly severed from its host.

I got it!

The second his paws hit the ground he was running off to find his master, his prize between his teeth. Seba was easy to locate after turning two corners and darting down a short row of bushes.

“There you are, Ruoka,” Seba said as he leaned over from where he’d sat down on the edge of a large hammock.

With an extra burst of excitement from the attention, Ruoka darted forward and gladly accepted the ear scratches and pets that were waiting for him, then took a step away so that he could turn and nudge the flower against his master’s knee.

I got you the flower you wanted.

Sebastian took the offered item with a wide smile, shaking his head as he lifted the slightly smooshed plant by its drooled-on stem. Lifting it to his nose, he took in a calm breath before gently setting the flower aside and giving Ruoka some more appreciative pats.

“Thank you for the flower. It’s beautiful and smells great,” he said, making Ruoka wiggle a little more in excitement before something caught his eye, immediately stealing his attention toward the trunk of one of the large trees holding up the hammock.

“Uh oh… you really don’t have—”

Squirrel!

Ruoka was at the bottom of the tree in an instant, his tail swinging back and forth as he growled in anticipation. Circling its base several times, he pinpointed the tiny terrified mammal on a branch about fifteen feet above his head.

He tried to jump a few times, but of course, he couldn’t quite reach it since this tree was quite a bit bigger than the one he’d gotten the flower from. His next thought was to try and climb the tree, but that, too, failed miserably when his claws continued to cut through the old bark instead of allowing him to ascend it.

I want the squirrel…

Looking back at his master, Ruoka was about to run over and nudge him with his cold nose so that he could possibly help him, but he hesitated when he noticed that Sebastian had drifted off to sleep beneath the mottled shade of the two large trees.

You shouldn’t sleep out here. It’s getting cold.

He was about to go wake his master, but then he heard it again. Glaring up at the fluffy gray squirrel directly above his head, Ruoka forgot his previous worry and circled the tree again.

I want it.

Licking his jowls, Ruoka focused on his thrumming heartbeat as he closed his eyes. They opened again after exactly one minute, leaving him kneeling on one knee in the soft grass as the chilly wind quickly began cooling his warm human skin.

Looking up at the severely confused squirrel, Ruoka let a confident smirk slip onto his lips as he stood up, then reached forward to touch the rough bark with his human hand.

I can climb now…

Licking his lips, Ruoka lifted his other hand to press against a higher spot on the tree, then carefully gripped it with his fingers and thumb. After feeling satisfied with his grip, he moved his right hand a little higher, too.

“Okay, climb and get the squirrel for master,” he told himself reassuringly, honestly a little bit nervous.

He shook the nerves from his system quickly, though, and focused on his task. Gripping the bark tightly with his dirty fingernails, Ruoka tensed his muscles and hoisted himself upward! And then his fingers slipped, his nails chipping the bark just enough to stick a nasty splinter into his left pointer finger. He gave a startled yelp from the pain as he tried to land on his feet, but lost his balance immediately and fumbled backwards onto his backside.

“Hurts,” he whined as he bit at his finger, trying to remove the painful splinter as tears began to run down his cheeks. Unfortunately, he was having zero luck.

He was actually beginning to do some real damage when gentle hands suddenly appeared and carefully grasped his injured one, drawing his attention upward and to the side. His eyes immediately widened and he hunched slightly, embarrassed, though he wasn’t sure what for.

“It’s okay, let me see?” Seba asked as he gently tugged his hand closer so that he could get a better look at it.

He expected his master to chastise him for his poor habit of chasing squirrels, especially since his current failure ended in quite a painful injury, but Sebastian simply remained silent as he turned his hand this way and that.

When he finally reached toward the injury with his right hand, Ruoka gave out another whine, making his master pause and look back up at him with a warm smile.

“It’ll be okay. Just close you eyes for three seconds and I’ll have it out, alright?”

Ruoka blinked away a few more tears, sniffled, then nodded and squeezed his eyes closed. Sebastian acted swiftly, but the abrupt pain as he pulled out the large splinter made Ruoka yelp and yank his hand away as his eyes jerked back open.

His master had clearly been taken by surprise, because he hadn’t released his hand until he was already being pulled right across Ruoka’s lap with a startled gasp of his own.

Ruoka quickly caught him before he could slide into the grass, but was surprised by his human self’s own strength, because the momentum even pulled him forward a bit, eventually, unfortunately, making Sebastian land in the grass anyways. Except, Ruoka had been forced to join him and was now settled rather awkwardly overtop of his master.

He could hear Seba’s breathing gradually pick up, making him quickly push himself up onto his elbows so that he could look down at his master.

Hmm?

Ruoka leaned a little closer and to the side, but Seba wouldn’t look at him…

“Master?” he questioned, worried about the man’s health as he began to smell the blood in his system breaking down. He was very stressed.

“I do believe that you should give him some space, pup,” came Pretennon’s voice, drawing Ruoka to sit up on Seba’s waist as he looked up toward the roof of the house.

The man was sitting quite nonchalantly at the very top, his legs hanging over the edge as the large moon backlit his outline.

Space?

Looking back down at his master, Ruoka frowned and hesitantly removed himself. He backed up a few feet, too, before sitting in the grass, hoping that he was far enough away now. He did feel rather awkward about it, though. He was always near his master.

“I think, perhaps, that you two should head to the local clothing shops tomorrow and find your pup some articles that fit him?” Preto suggested as he carefully stood, then jumped from the edge of the roof, easily landing in the grass nearby.

…and I can’t even climb a tree without injuring myself.

Ruoka thought that the man would immediately go to his heir, who was slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position, but instead, he turned toward him, making him quickly lower his head and avert his eyes.

Sure, he had been a bit rude to the man recently by ignoring his requests to discuss how he’d accidentally used some sort of mind control ability to regrettably force his master to attack Verander, but he did know his place.

So, when Pretennon knelt in front of him and settled one hand gently atop his mess of dark hair, Ruoka blinked in surprise, but didn’t dare lift his gaze yet.

“I’m not mad at you, young one. I know that you didn’t do it on purpose, but we will still need to talk about it later,” Preto said, earning a nervous nod from Ruoka as he hunched a little more.

A few moments passed in tense silence before he felt Preto settle a finger beneath his jaw and guide it upward until their eyes could meet.

“It will take some time to get used to having a human form…” Preto said as he glanced toward his heir, then back to Ruoka. “For both of you. Take it one step at a time, and please remember to be mindful of your master’s illness.”

Ruoka quickly nodded his agreement, earning a couple pats before Preto stood back up and walked over to Sebastian, who was now back on his feet.

“You take care of yourself, too. I know that you removed his collar, but don’t freeze up whenever something uncomfortable happens. He is still your werewolf. I need you to start taking control of the situations with him that make you uneasy. He will listen to you, right, Ruoka?” Preto asked as he turned and looked at him.

Ruoka quickly nodded again, but remained where he was in the grass. He felt like he should stay lower than his master at the moment, and his

master. Honestly, he understood where Preto was coming from, too. Ever since his collar had been removed he’d caused his master more and more stress.

Maybe he should have never taken it off. I don’t want master to feel unwell because of me.

Once he was sure Sebastian was fine on his feet, Preto dismissed him to head back to the house, then returned to sit in the grass in front of him.

“Ruoka, you deserve to have your own mind. You also deserve your freedom, though that is not something that I can give you,” he said, making Ruoka hesitantly look up at him.

He had no words to respond with, but Preto didn’t seem to expect any as he reached over and gently pet his soft hair a few times.

“You are going to become a wonderful person, but everything takes time. Go ahead back inside and get ready for bed. I know that Sebastian will be sending me thoughts asking about you if I hold you out for any decent length of time,” Preto said as he offered him a hand up.

Ruoka hesitantly took it, then rose to his feet. The odd yet familiar sensation that he sometimes got while growing up nudged at the back of his mind as he straightened. It felt like he was missing something important, but could never quite figure out what to do about whatever it was.

A faint chuckle from Preto drew his eyes up to meet the man’s, right before he was tugged forward into his arms for a gentle hug.

“It will all work out in the end. Don’t fret about tomorrow, or the day after. Live for right now, and enjoy every minute that you can,” he said as he held him a bit closer, then released him with one final pat to his head.

Within reason, of course. Now then, off you go, young one. Your master is waiting for you.“

Confused, but somehow relieved, Ruoka gave the man an awkward partial bow, then hurried toward the house.

(Edited)

Chapter 18

Silas stalked through the edge of the forest at the border of his territory as a light drizzle dampened his coat. His massive paws made easy work of the distance as he began his third lap of his patrol. Of course, he had plenty of other wolves whose job it was to do exactly what he was doing right then, but it was the only thing that calmed his mind after stressful situations… besides fighting. 

Kandza doesn’t like it when I fight without good reason, though, so walking it is.

The man truly frustrated him to no end. Werewolves were made to fight. They had fangs and claws, speed and intelligence. They were made to hunt and kill… and fight. 

Grunting out a sigh, Silas continued on his way, taking in the relaxing scents and sounds of the forest right before a heavy rain. Birds chirped calmly but loudly from the bits of shelter they found beneath the different trees’ canopies. A few still dared to zip from branch to branch, but as the light mist of water began to grow into a comfortable shower, they settled down. 

Shaking the tiny droplets from his outer coat, Silas began remarking some of the trees that they used as border indicators. Of course, they never seemed to stop a certain wolf from crossing, and honestly, he had a feeling that refreshing the scent or scratch marks along the edge of their territory only enticed the insane wolf to harass them further. 

Once done remarking a decent length of forest, Silas easily hopped up onto a stretch of large boulders as thunder began to roar in the distance. Instead of finding better shelter for himself, his wolf gave out a content sigh and settled down at the top of the highest rock. The rain was on the warmer side, though he knew that he’d need to dry off later or still risk feeling unwell for a time. 

Now that he was finally calming down a little, his mind wandered back to what had happened earlier. His heart began to pound the moment the images returned to his thoughts, though. He did still have the utmost respect for the vampire who had created the werewolf resettlement program with alpha Marquise and allowed his pack to come to London safely, but… he’d been trying to win Kandza’s favor for nearly a year. 

He’d loved him for far longer, but pack matters had always gotten in their way. Lifting his head, Silas began licking at his large left paw to try and ease some of the stress the memories were bringing him. 

Ever since that odd smaller wolf had joined his pack five years ago, he’d had trouble keeping his eyes from straying to him. After nearly a year of trying to ignore him, he’d given up. Besides, what harm could come from simply observing another wolf? A wolf that wouldn’t even shift to its human form very often, for that matter. There should have been no harm at all… 

Silas bit down on his paw a little too hard, but he ignored the pain and growing metallic taste as he continued to lick at it. He would likely lick it raw, but since he was a werewolf, it would heal again. If he’d actually been completely honest with Pretennon earlier, part of the damage to his hand had really just been his wolf’s habit of dealing with stress. It chewed at its paws until they were bleeding, then waited for them to heal before going at it again. 

It had always been a bad habit of his ever since he were young, but after Kandza had found his way into his life, it had gotten so much worse. Especially since they hadn’t quite found their footing as far as their relationship went. They had gotten closer after he’d promoted Kandza to pack beta, but that had been completely dependent on the werewolf’s ability to handle pack matters and troublesome situations. He’d earned his position. 

Even without shifting to a human form much, Kandza had earned respect throughout the pack over the years, eventually becoming almost as respected as himself. Some alphas might have taken such reverence for a lower pack member as a challenge, but Silas only ever thought of it as an honor. Kandza was an incredible wolf.

His own wolf whined as it bit its paw again, not appreciating the resurfaced memories. Unfortunately, the worst were yet to come. 

He’d slowly but surely gotten closer to Kandza over the years that he’d acted as his beta, but the night that he’d accidentally wandered upon him bathing in a cool, crystal clear pond in the middle of summer? 

His human form was absolutely alluring. He was well-built, but lean. Tall, but not more-so than himself. His hair was shaggy and unkempt, but worked perfectly with his image as a whole. 

And those ears…

It had taken him quite a few moments to wrap his mind around what he had seen that day. A young human male… with beautiful black wolf ears. Ears he had kept hidden during the few brief times he’d shown his human side previously. Of course, he soon reasoned with himself that it was likely a genetic flaw, but within only moments, his mind turned away from his previous conclusion. There was not a single flaw on the man. His eyes, ears, nose… hands, feet, face. Every single part of him was exactly as it should be. Silas would never see any part of Kandza as imperfect. 

His wolf abruptly snapped him out of his thoughts with a painful bite to his foot, actually making him wince as he forced his poor paw from between its jaws. 

I should head back before I bite my whole foot off. 

Forcing himself up, Silas was about to shake his coat out to rid it of the excess water that had soaked into it, but something stole his attention right before he could. Swinging his head around, his eyes narrowed as he noticed something tugging at the tip of his tail. 

It didn’t take him long to realize exactly what it was… 

Why is there a tiny Ghost pup out here in the middle of a storm? 

Silas looked past the little pup gnawing at his tail, trying to figure out what was going on. When nothing else seemed out of the ordinary, he glanced back down at the little wolf. 

Enough of that, little one. 

He carefully maneuvered until he could reach the pup’s scruff, but right before he could bite down and remove it from his tail, the little wolf swung his tail around to the other side of his body with a determined growl. 

What? 

Feeling the slightest bit annoyed, Silas slowly turned in the other direction… only to feel the pup counter his movement with another opposite one of its own. 

This is not funny.

He knew that he could easily swing around and catch the frustrating pup in his mouth if he wanted to, but that would definitely cause some damage. Forcing himself to calm down again, he slowly began to dismount the rock formation, honestly surprised that the little nippy creature had managed to climb it in the first place… and in the pouring rain. 

Let’s get you out of this rain, little one. 

The pup seemed to hear his words, since alphas could easily communicate into other lower wolves’ minds. It tilted its head as they finished descending one of the larger boulders, sending a jumble of curious signals back into Silas’s mind. 

You’ll figure it out as you get older, he replied with a hint of laughter to his thought as he carefully descended another large boulder. 

He would normally just hop down the steeper ones, but he knew that doing such a thing would likely hurt the pup, so he took the longer way down. It took them about fifteen minutes to finally get back to the ground.

Looking back at the pup still nibbling at his tail, Silas licked his lips and grunted, but didn’t move one way or the other. It was obvious that the pup was from the Ghost pack, since he could faintly smell Verander’s scent on it, even in the pouring rain. 

He must be around it often… but I know that he’s not mated. No one would have him, honestly. 

However, the pup was not his to take, even if it meant returning it to the one person he never wished to deal with again. Tamping down his wolf’s frustration at their situation, Silas slowly tilted his head back and gave out a cautious, haunting howl. Unfortunately, the sound was immediately swallowed by a roar of thunder, its vibration shaking the ground beneath his paws as lightning struck a tree some twenty yards away, its top disintegrating into charred, splintered wood. 

Perhaps I should just bring him back… waiting out here might be more dangerous. 

He knew exactly how Verander would react if he set paw on the wolf’s territory, but perhaps he would be more lenient since he would be returning one of his pack’s pups…

After a second, closer lightning strike, Silas made his decision and turned to try and pick up the little wolf again. 

Shit. 

A tiny, sniffling human baby sat with his tail between the stubby fingers of its tiny right hand. It’s wide, soft brown eyes watched him intently, refusing to look away even as another bolt of lightning took out another tree nearby. 

To hell and back with my blasted luck. 

Silas slowly began allowing his own body to retake the form of a human. He knew that he shouldn’t have, and that he should have immediately began howling as loudly as he could so that he could somehow be heard over the roaring storm, but he knew that it would be useless. 

Lifting his head from where he had shifted into a kneeling position, Silas met the little boy’s eyes. He could feel the imprint settle within his bones as he stared at the child in the pouring rain, his heart pumping hard against his chest as his beast accepted the baby as its own. 

A fourth zap of lightning hitting a closer tree abruptly broke the trance he’d been under, snapping him back to reality as the little boy began to wail. Silas immediately scooped the child up into his arms and hurried into the Ghost pack’s territory. He had no idea how he was going to explain to Verander that his pack’s pup had suddenly shifted for the first time and imprinted onto him by mistake. His body already began to ache at the idea of being attacked again as he did his best to navigate the thick forest as a naked human. 

Thankfully, the boy wasn’t trying to move around too much, and as they got farther and farther into Ghost territory, he actually began to quiet and look around. When they paused beneath a low, wide-branched tree, Silas actually noticed that the boy was looking off to the right of the trail they’d been following. He just kept staring that way and glancing up at him every so often, almost as if he was asking him why they weren’t going that way. 

“That’s not the right way to the pack house, little one. We can’t afford to stay out here much longer or we’ll get sick,” he said, drawing the boy’s attention up to him again before it immediately returned to the forest to their right. 

What is there that has your attention so strongly? 

He really didn’t want to risk staying out in the rain much longer, but at the same time, the bond he now had with the child was telling him to do whatever it wanted… even if it made no sense. 

Grumbling beneath his breath, Silas sighed and headed in the direction the boy was staring. He began running not long after diverting away from their original path, feeling something in his chest spurring him on to move faster. 

He was so distracted by the instincts flooding his system that when they suddenly vanished, he nearly slid into a tree trying to stop himself. When he straightened again and looked around, Silas’s brow furrowed. 

“Why did you want me to come here?” he asked as he looked out at a raging river that was beginning to breech its banks. It was common for the area during large storms… and it was definitely not somewhere he wanted to be right then. Even where they were currently standing could see a foot or two of water if the storm continued to rage into the night. 

He was just about to head back toward the original path and get themselves to the Ghost pack house and out of the cooling rain when he noticed something near a large bush next to the rising water. It was partially hidden beneath it, but…

Gently setting the little baby in his arms against a curve in the tree roots next to them, Silas knelt down in front of it and met its eyes. 

“You need to stay here so that I can go help him. Behave, little one.” 

Of course, he knew that babies so young couldn’t do much by themselves, but werewolves could sometimes be surprising. They learned much faster than humans. 

Straightening back up, Silas carefully made his way through the tall grass and thickening mud until he was close to the lone bush by the water’s edge. The water was already past his ankles and rising steadily as rain battered his bare skin, taking advantage of the lack of branches above their heads. 

“Verander!” he yelled, needing to know how conscious the wolf trapped beneath the bush was. 

When he got a tiny, quiet whine in response, but no movement whatsoever, he carefully inched closer, eventually kneeling down in the thick mud. He tried the easiest course of action first, which was to simply lift Verander’s body up into his arms. He managed to lift most of the exhausted wolf before he noticed something stopping him from finishing his task. 

Even in the darkness surrounding them, he could see, and now smell, the dark lines of blood running from the metal bear trap around his back foot. Just seeing the hunting device brought back terrible memories of when he’d lost his own packmates to humans using such devices… he would only ever find empty traps covered in their blood. 

Snarling, Silas carefully settled Verander’s limp form over his shoulder so that he could access his leg without having to work with it in the water. It took quite a bit of effort, especially as his own limbs began to shake from the growing cold of the pouring rain and rising water. 

It took a few tries, and he cut himself up on the sharp teeth of the metal trap quite a bit, but after about five minutes, he managed to free Verander’s damaged leg. He carefully tangled the trap within the upper portion of the bush so that they could retrieve it another time as evidence, then hurried out of the rising water. 

Thankfully, the little boy he’d left within the tree roots had remained there, and when he saw who he was carrying back towards him, he squealed with delight. Without risking kneeling down again, because he honestly wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get back up if he did, Silas carefully leaned over and picked up the boy, then adjusted Verander’s wolf a little more on his opposite shoulder before setting back off toward the pack house. 

He could tell that the man was still conscious, to a point, but he was completely out of energy and wouldn’t be any kind of threat for a good while. Judging from how badly his own injuries were burning on his hands, he knew that the teeth of the trap had been made with silver, too. It had been intentionally set to catch a werewolf. 

“Looks like I’m not the only one who wants you gone… I’m just the nicest with my methods,” he said as he forced his body to continue walking. 

It took nearly thirty minutes before the pack house came into view, and thankfully, there were a few guards on the large, wrap-around porch that noticed them right away. Silas tried to shift back to his own wolf form in order to at least appear like he wasn’t about to pass out, but his exhausted body refused to even try. 

Instead, he fell into the arms of the first werewolf that got close enough to catch him. It was a female of moderate height, but as for the rest of her description, it was lost on him. He did  growl when someone took the little baby he’d had tucked in his left arm, but there was nothing he could physically do about it. 

Another moment later and the weight of Verander’s small wolf was removed from his other side, finally allowing him to fully drop his own weight. The female wolf held him up easily, then, after moving him around a bit, managed to carry him inside. He wasn’t sure what they intended to do with him, considering how poorly he got along with their alpha, but his mind didn’t let him worry about such things right then. Before they even got him to wherever they were taking him, he was out cold. 

(Edited)

Chapter 19

(My boi Pyre, from my other story, Snake, was my editor today.) 

Tilting his ears up, Kandza looked down at his sleeping alpha. The moment Silas had lost consciousness, he’d felt it. They had a bond, of sorts, since they were both leaders of their pack. Whenever one wasn’t doing well, the other could easily tell. So, when he’d felt Silas beginning to get tired, it caught Kandza’s attention, but he couldn’t quite figure out where he was until he really started struggling. That’s when he stopped what he was doing, which had been staring into Pretennon’s empty, darkened bedroom, and hopped off the balcony to rush to his alpha’s aid. 

The storm had hindered him quite a bit, but he’d refused to slow down, even when he’d crossed into the Ghost pack’s territory. By the time he’d gotten to the pack house he had been completely soaked through and shivering, but thankfully, the two females that were stationed as guards outside hadn’t shown any kind of aggression towards him. In fact, after a brief discussion amongst themselves, then a pause in which he’d figured they’d been speaking with their alpha, the one with darker hair had gestured him closer. 

He hadn’t hesitated to hurry up onto the porch, shaking out his soaked coat once the two women had stepped inside and partially closed the door to block the spray of water. 

As soon as he was able to remove most of the water he’d been allowed inside and lead down a long hallway, then up a winding staircase near the back of the home until they’d stepped off onto the second floor. 

The soft dark green and black carpet had matched the droves of potted plants lining the hall perfectly. He would have honestly felt like he’d been walking back through the jungle again if it hadn’t been for the flickering candlelight set on the walls every so often. The lack of rain had also been a pretty decent sign, too. 

 When he’d finally been guided to the room at the very end of the hall, he’d swallowed his nerves and calmly nudged open the right door with his nose. Neither of his two escorts had stepped inside with him, so he turned and bowed his fuzzy head, silently thanking them for their hospitality, then quietly pushed the door closed before turning his attention toward the bed. 

He’d considered jumping up there right away and checking on his alpha, but he’d been able to tell that the man was recovering just fine from where he stood. So, he’d quickly shifted back to his human form and found himself a towel to dry off with, then did a quick check around the room for anything out of the ordinary. When he’d found nothing, he’d set the towel on the back of the reading chair pushed back into the far corner, then returned to his wolf form and hopped up onto the bed to guard his alpha until he awoke. 

Unfortunately for his poor attention span, that meant sitting, then lying down, then cleaning his paws, then doing another check around the room. He truly wasn’t made to sit and wait. 

Returning to his spot on the bed, he forced himself to lie down even as his tail hung over the edge, swishing back and forth with illogical anticipation. 

When he finally huffed and settled his head down to rest, a warm, gentle palm settled between his ears. His eyes jerked open immediately at the unexpected attention, but he reigned himself in, just barely, when he saw how exhausted his alpha looked. 

Thank you for coming here, Kandza. 

Kandza wiggled his way closer, wishing to share his body heat even though he was still a bit damp and Silas was under several layers of thick blankets. 

I will always come to your aid, alpha. 

His words seemed to be funny, because Silas gave a quiet, tired chuckle as he began to gently scratch at Kandza’s left ear. 

I want to hold your human form.

The request caught him a little off guard, making Kandza pin his ears abruptly and glance away. If Silas had ordered him to shift so that he could do as he wished, then he would not have hesitated, but the man had never given him such an order… and he’d promised him, the day that he’d started honestly pursuing him as a love interest, that he never would. 

Unfortunately for Silas, Kandza had never seen him in such a light, but not because he wasn’t a reasonable partner. While his alpha tended to be aggressive and sometimes downright rude with his tactics, he was the absolute opposite with him. 

Silas was caring and sweet, and had always made time for him whenever he’d requested his attention. He’d been denied nothing, though he’d rarely asked for anything, either. 

Kandza nudged his nose into the thick blankets, knowing that he’d let his alpha down again with his reaction to his request. 

He really and truly loved the man, and owed him so much more than he could ever give, but every time he thought about what it would mean to be Silas’s lover, he got extremely nervous and found himself doing anything he could to escape the situation. 

Do not worry, my Kandza. I know it has taken me quite some time, and I am still a bit stubborn, but I do understand that your heart does not wish for mine. 

Kandza twitched an ear and lifted his head the slightest amount before tilting it curiously. 

Stop it now, you are far too cute for your own good. 

Kandza opened his mouth to argue, but he was a wolf. Closing it, he pawed at his muzzle worriedly before scooting a little closer and whining. 

Such a stubborn pup… I wonder where you got it from, Silas chastised, though the smile on his tired face was all that Kandza needed to see to know that he wasn’t truly upset. 

Alpha Silas, what happened? 

The man’s expression changed abruptly as he thought back to what had happened. 

I’m honestly not completely sure. I went for a walk on the border of our territory and after lying down to rest for a short time, I found a little wolf pup latched onto the tip of my tail. 

Kandza tilted his head the opposite way, surprised. 

I know, I wasn’t expecting to see one out there, either. And definitely not as a storm was kicking up. I helped it get down from the boulders it had somehow climbed to bite at me, but after we got back to the ground it suddenly shifted. 

Flicking an ear, Kandza narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly thinking about what that could have meant. 

You’re hunch is correct. It imprinted on me. 

Dear gods… a mistake has been made that couldn’t be undone. 

Don’t give me that look. It’s not like I did it on purpose. 

Kandza gave out a quiet whine and dropped his head back down to the blankets for another head pat. 

I don’t think Verander will allow you to remain anywhere near here once you are well. 

Of course, his alpha knew that. The two did not get along, even though Verander was usually the unprovoked aggressor. 

He would probably be attacking me for it right now if he could. He was in far worse condition, though, Silas replied. 

Worse? It was rare to see an alpha as exhausted as his, and yet Verander was worse for wear? 

I found him nearly drowned beside the rising Black river. His back leg was caught in a silver bear trap. 

Just the thought of having his paw stuck in one of those things again made Kandza flinch and whine again. That’s actually how he’d ended up in Silas’s pack. One of his sentries had been on patrol and found him a little ways from the edge of their territory, thrashing about in a silver leg trap. 

His leg still gave him trouble sometimes, but it was easily manageable. 

We might be able to leave before he even awakens, then? he questioned, not wanting to risk another possible bloody fight between the two alphas. 

I can get up, but…

Kadnza sighed and his ears fell to either side of his head. That pup was now a huge issue. Imprinting was something incredibly special to werewolves, and pups never  shifted in front of anyone besides their parents for their first change. 

But wait, if that pup wasn’t Verander’s, whose was it? 

Granted, Silas hadn’t said that it wasn’t the other werewolf’s, but he didn’t think that Verander was mated… and if he was, he would feel terrible for his partner. 

It was not his, but I’m not sure if it was anyone else’s, either. It had his scent on it, but it shifted in front of me. That’s not supposed to happen if—

Kandza flicked his ears up, curious. 

If? 

Silas closed his eyes and slowly lifted a hand to press his hand to his forehead. 

If the pup’s parents are still alive. 

Kandza felt his heart sink in his chest. The pup was an orphan. 

“Let’s not worry about it right now. It’s being well taken care of and is quite feisty,” Silas said as he slowly sat up. 

Kandza helped him with a few nudges of his muzzle, earning a quiet chuckle from his alpha as he finished sitting up. As soon as Silas was comfortable he reached over and tugged him into a tight hug. 

“Thank you for coming here to help me,” he said as he pressed a kiss to Kandza’s fuzzy forehead, then released him. 

“Let’s get out of here before our host recovers enough to try and bite my tail, too, hmm?” he said with a partial grin as he got out of bed. 

Kandza hurried to hop down, eager to follow the man wherever he wished to go. He stayed right at Silas’s side as he slowly made his way to the doors and cautiously pulled one open. 

It was no surprise when they saw a guard across from their room, his back pressed against the wall. 

“Good morning, alpha Silas of the Rain pack,” the man greeted cordially, earning a respectful nod from Kandza as his alpha replied. 

“Thank you for looking after me. How is Verander doing?” 

The man straightened up and gestured for them to follow him as he began walking. 

“I thank you for assisting our alpha,” the man said with the utmost respect in his words as they began descending the staircase he’d been guided up previously. 

Silas was silent until they were back on the first floor, thinking about what he wanted to say since it was clear that the other wolf would not be giving them any information about the others’ condition.  

“I appreciate your hospitality, and I do hope that Ghost alpha Verander will consider my good will in saving him when we next meet again,” he said as they were guided toward the front entrance. 

Once at the double doors, Silas paused as they were pulled open by a guard from outside. 

“That small child that I brought with me when I came here last night… what was his name?” 

Kandza could tell that he hadn’t meant to ask, but imprinting worked both ways, unfortunately. He could fight it decently well being an alpha, he didn’t doubt, but the fact was that it had happened and the bond was there. Thankfully, he said that the boy was clearly well taken care of, so his wolf likely wasn’t fighting with him to be around it. His beast was probably decently manageable… for now. 

The man looked a little hesitant to answer, but then seemed to shrug off his nervousness. It was only a name… to him. 

“That boy is Sitkea, an orphan pup from two pack members that had been killed before we moved here. Alpha Verander has been looking after him.” 

So it was an orphan. Then the random imprinting makes sense. 

Silas gave a formal bow and stepped out onto the porch and into the dim light of the coming sunrise. 

“Thank you for answering. Please let Verander know that I would like to speak to him about that boy when he has recovered. Until then, please excuse us,” Silas said as he turned and headed down the steps. 

Kandza hesitated for a brief moment as he felt a few extra eyes on him than just those who were present, but since his instincts were still pretty relaxed, he didn’t bother making a fuss over it and quickly hurried to fall into step beside his alpha. 

They walked in silence until they were finally back on their own territory, but before Kandza could begin speaking, Silas stepped in front of him and knelt down, making Kandza stop in his tracks. 

Alpha Silas? 

The man before him reached up and settled his hand against the side of Kandza’s face, his thumb rubbing gently at the fur right beneath his left eye. 

“Give me a bit more time to get over you, please. I won’t ever tell you what you can and cannot do with your love interest, as long as he respects you absolutely. Pretennon seems like a very reasonable, kind man, but if there is ever an issue, I do want you to come to me if you need anything that he cannot provide.” 

Of course, my alpha. We are not far into our relationship, and I am still learning how to show affection correctly…

That last bit was a little embarrassing to admit, but he never hid anything from Silas. 

“You’ll get there, my beautiful wolf. Everything takes time, and some of us need more of it than others,” Silas said, sounding as if he were talking about himself, as well as offering advice. 

“I will not try to interrupt your courting of the elder vampire, but please do not forget the reason why I gave you the task of getting to know him better recently. I need him to favor us, and in turn, his heir will likely prefer our pack to the others. I’m sure his wolf will simply follow, but there’s something strange about it now that I can’t quite put my finger on.” 

Kandza glanced away momentarily, unintentionally signaling his unease with the situation. They were not much better than Verander, as far as their tactics of recruitment were concerned. Both packs wanted the male wolf, badly. It was far more noticeable when they were at the Ghost pack house, but even at their own, most of the wolves who had chosen to take refuge in the city when they moved had been females. Most of the males had declined to leave the wilds, even though they were constantly being hunted and murdered, and the few others that had considered it hadn’t passed the temperament tests that Pretennon and Marquise had created to judge whether a wolf could acclimate safely to life around humans and vampires. 

They had likely messed up that exam with Verander, but that was a discussion for another day. 

I will not forget… and there is definitely something odd about that wolf, though I haven’t been able to figure out exactly what it is yet. 

Silas tugged on his left ear for a moment before retracting his hand and giving him a playful smile. 

“We shall simply have to wait and see. Do take care around him until we know what is going on, though. You are my treasured beta, and my good friend,” he said as he stood up and nodded his head to the side. In the direction leading back to town. 

He didn’t need to be given any other dismissive signals. With a small yip of excitement, Kandza bolted down the slightly cleared corridor between the two forests that separated their territory from Verander’s. 

It took him little time to make his way back to Pretennon’s home, and while the sun hadn’t been up for very long, evidently, the vampire had. He was sitting on the edge of his balcony’s railing, staring down at him with a slightly intrigued, yet unimpressed, expression on his face. 

Kandza stopped right beneath him, unable to contain his excitement as he danced about on his paws, turning in circles a few times with enthusiasm. 

“You are so happy to see me, yet here I am still wondering about the question I posed to you yesterday evening…” Preto said, making Kandza immediately tuck his tail and shrink to the ground. 

He knew that he should have replied to the man’s question about his and Silas’s relationship right away, but when his alpha had said nothing, he had struggled to find his own words. 

Before he could figure out how to begin apologizing, bare feet suddenly landed right in front of the tip of his nose, startling him enough to make his back end jump up, but then immediately drop back down to the ground since he knew there was no threat. 

Embarrassing…

Pretennon squatted down in front him before reaching forward and grabbing his wolf’s jaw with a little too much strength. 

“You know what is embarrassing, my fluffy friend?” Preto said as he raised Kandza’s jaw until he was forced to look at him. “It is embarrassing to be standing in another person’s room when they tell you that they have some sort of personal relationship with the wolf who has been sniffing up your leg for weeks.” 

He paused for a moment before continuing with a fake smile. 

“That was enough of a surprise, but you know what? I consider myself a reasonable person. Surely there was a logical explanation to what was going on, because surely the werewolf who has all but bent me over the damned desk in my study wasn’t already with someone else?” 

Kandza felt like he was about to pee a little in fear. His nose twitched and his whole body shook as the man’s words sank into his bones. 

I-I apologize for my poor handling of that situation, elder Pretennon. I am not in a physical relationship with my alpha. Please let me explain, like I should have earlier. 

Preto growled out a frustrated huff before retracting the fangs he had let descend at some point during his admonishing speech. 

People began to appear from their homes around them as Pretennon straightened and turned around. Kandza watched him move, taking in his form-fitting black silk pajama pants and matching top. He noted that the left side of the long-sleeved shirt was quite a bit longer than the other side, but in all honesty, it looked quite cute. 

“Move, or be gone,” Preto said in warning as he disappeared inside. 

Kandza blinked and flicked an ear, surprised that the man had moved so quickly. He’d only glanced at his appearance for a moment, and yet Preto had easily jumped back up onto his second story balcony and walked inside in the amount of time it took him to turn his brain back on from his hungry perusal. 

Paying attention surely was not his strong point, but he swore to himself right then and there that he would focus during their conversation. He needed to make sure that he was not misunderstood. 

After reassuring himself that things would somehow work out, he licked his nose and nervously hopped up onto the balcony, then slowly walked inside elder Pretennon’s large bedroom. 

(Edited)

Chapter 20

(One of my mom’s sports dogs, Jewel running Fast CAT.)

Pretennon could feel Kandza’s nervousness growing before the wolf even stepped foot inside his room. He knew that the guy tended to be more anxious than others just by the way he’d acted around him since they’d met, but he needed to get answers before he risked becoming overly-stressed, himself. 

So, he settled himself into his favorite armchair and looked up to watch Kandza slowly step inside. As soon as he was clear of the doors Preto tilted his head and narrowed his eyes the slightest amount, making them slowly swing closed. The click of them latching shut made Kandza jump slightly and glance over his shoulder, but he kept his hackles down and didn’t growl. 

“Come here,” he called quietly, knowing the reaction he would get. 

No matter how stressed his wolf was, Kandza would never pass up a chance to touch him. And just like that, the pup was at his feet, rubbing the side of its face against Preto’s leg. Instead of scratching his ears like he wanted to, Preto forced himself to take a deep breath and focus. 

“Human form, please,” he said, doing his best to keep the frustration he was feeling from overtaking his tone of voice. 

He wasn’t exactly sure why Kandza reacted differently than most, but he honestly didn’t mind it. What he did mind, was the situation he’d had to walk out of the previous day because neither him, nor his alpha, had been willing to speak up. 

Kandza nervously licked his pant leg a few times before his form wavered, then shifted, leaving him completely naked as he hugged Preto’s leg tightly. He liked the view. He really, really did, but he couldn’t allow himself to get distracted. 

“Now then, you have something you need to tell me about the other day, do you not?” 

He waited, impatiently, for Kandza to become comfortable enough to speak… but that time never seemed to come. The man’s heartbeat was still struggling to calm itself even after twenty minutes had passed. He could just imagine it flickering and fluttering in Kandza’s chest at the same tempo as the fire currently dancing beneath the mantle several feet away. 

Perhaps he should have just allowed him to speak to his thoughts as a wolf… but at the same time, whenever he took a situation seriously, he wanted to hear words in response, not thoughts.

Deciding to give him a while longer, Preto reached over to the little side table next to his chair and picked up the book he had yet to finish. He knew that it was rude to read while others were trying to have a conversation, but it was clear that Kandza wasn’t even close to being able to speak with him yet, so he would busy himself for the time being until he was ready. 

He finished a chapter within eight minutes, then tilted his book toward his chest the slightest bit to look down at Kandza again. The man still had his arms tightly wrapped around his leg and his heart was still struggling. 

Let him have the time he needs…

Returning his attention to his book, Preto went through two more chapters before he couldn’t focus on the words any longer. He calmly set the book aside after marking his page, then, very quietly, patted his thigh twice. 

The other man’s response was immediate and abrupt. Before he could blink Kandza had scrambled up into his lap. Preto bit back a growl that wanted to slip out due to the werewolf’s overexcitement and made himself remain calm. Kandza took no time at all to settle in his lap with his arms snug around his neck and his nose nuzzling and sniffing feverishly against his skin. 

Stubborn pup…

Even while thinking that thought, Preto couldn’t help the slight grin that tilted the left side of his lips upward. 

He waited again, until finally, Kandza began to relax against him. The nuzzling slowed, then stopped. His hands, which had been scratching and grabbing at his shirt and hair settled with fistfuls of fabric tightly within their grasp. Once he had stopped fidgeting completely Preto lifted his own arms and wrapped them gently around the naked man in his lap. 

He’s so warm…

He had to fight himself not to begin caressing Kandza’s backside as he settled his hands the slightest bit above it. 

“I apologize, elder Pretennon,” Kandza whispered after a few more moments passed in silence. 

There you are, sweet one. 

“I can handle matters so well as a wolf, but when I shift, it becomes so much more scary,” he said as his breath warmed Preto’s neck, sending a shiver down his spine. 

Everything in him wanted to tighten his hold on the man in his lap so that he could do absolutely nothing while he sank his fangs into his throat, but he knew that he couldn’t do that… yet. He’d taken too much blood from him recently, and they were in the middle of an important conversation, too. 

“There is no physical relationship between myself and my alpha,” Kandza said, his words quick and clipped, but they were there. 

Preto felt his own nervous heart calm as the words soothed its worry. 

“Alpha Silas has wanted to start a relationship with me for nearly a year, but… I don’t,” he said as his fingers moed to grip and twist within Preto’s hair, his pup’s heartbeat picking up as it thumped quickly in Preto’s ears. 

“Being with Silas in such a way makes you uneasy… but what about being with me? What if I tried to pin you down on the carpet beneath my feet? What if I wanted to bite you repeatedly while claiming your body?”

If Kandza’s heartbeat had been erratic before, it was flat-out blitzing about his chest now. 

I best learn to bite my tongue a little…

“I-I think I would be okay with that,” Kandza said, his voice so quiet that even Preto had to focus in order to hear what he had said. 

The man’s cautious whisper actually made him chuckle a little, drawing Kandza’s soft caramel eyes finally up to his own. Preto didn’t realize that he was even leaning closer until he felt Kandza’s breath against his lips, snapping him out of his daze just in time to make himself lean away again. 

Regaining his composure with a few quick breaths, Preto licked his lips and returned his attention to Kandza. Err…  The man’s eyes were practically glowing with a lust that he hadn’t seen in them before. He watched in nervous awe as Kandza slowly moved in his lap until he was straddling it, then carefully rose up onto his knees, easily putting him a few inches higher than himself. 

“Elder Pretennon, I do not understand how to court others properly, nor do I handle stressful situations well while in my human form…” he said as his wolf’s ears hesitantly lifted from within his messy black hair, their sudden appearance quite distracting. 

“But I would like to earn my lord’s affections.” 

Blinking out of his daze, again , Preto couldn’t help but smile as he reached up with both hands and took those two adorable wolf ears between his fingers. Kandza immediately hunched back down into his lap in response, clearly not used to the attention to his odd ears, but Preto wasn’t going to just release them. 

“Does elder Pretennon really enjoy my ears so much?” Kandza asked, his voice nearly a whine as he pressed his forehead against Preto’s chest. 

He could feel the man twitching and flicking his ears as he gently began rubbing them, but even though it made Kandza a little uncomfortable, he couldn’t help it. 

“They are absolutely magnificent,” he said honestly, his words making Kandza hesitate moving them again as he looked up nervously. 

He watched as the man opened and closed his mouth the slightest bit a few times, but when he finally spoke, Preto felt his heart flutter a little in his chest. 

“I-I like elder Pretennon’s long hair.” 

He wouldn’t have thought that, at all . The guy’s hands were completely intertwined within his long locks, gripping them tightly and pulling every few moments. 

Such an aggressive way to show affection, and yet so timid with your words. 

Kandza really was so interesting. He couldn’t sit still very well unless he had something to grab or someone touching him in some way, but if something had his attention? 

“So cute.” 

A quiet grumble of a growl was Kandza’s response at his accidental slip of the tongue. It was no surprise that he wouldn’t like being called cute, but there was no other word that perfectly described the werewolf in his lap. Of course, he was also handsome, beautiful, sweet, and a plethora of other adjectives, but he kind of liked the idea of leaving it at the one simple word. He had never seen Kandza irked at him until now. 

So cute.

“—’te.”

Huh?

Releasing Kandza’s ears, Preto tilted his head as his hands moved downward until they settled upon his lower back. 

“What did you say?” he asked, having honestly missed the man’s mumbled words. 

He thought that Kandza would simply repeat what he’d said, but to his surprise, the guy shifted abruptly, returning to his wolf form in an instant. Before Preto could figure out what he was doing Kandza hopped off his lap and hurried over to the closed double doors leading out to his balcony. 

Preto would have jumped up to let him out, but at the same time, he didn’t really feel a sense of urgency from the guy. And besides, Kandza could simply shift back to his human form if he wanted to open the doors so badly…

So then, what are you up to now? 

It was clear that he wasn’t asking to leave, even though he wouldn’t even look back at him and was just staring out at the early morning sun. Curiously, Preto slowly stood from his seat, but instead of going over to the double doors, he walked up to the fire and doused it before turning and heading toward his bed. 

He hadn’t intended to sleep yet, but after having stayed up all night being stressed about the situation between himself, alpha Silas, and Kandza, he could definitely use a bit of rest. 

The moment he began tugging off his pajama top he could feel eyes turn to him. Once he let it slip from his fingers and drop to the floor, the sound of panting began to echo around the room. 

Deciding to leave his pajama pants on, he sat down on the edge of his bed after moving the covers aside. He could feel Kandza pacing at the edge of his mind, clearly wanting to speak, but he honestly didn’t want to hear him in his mind again. He wanted actual spoken words. 

After giving a big yawn in which his fangs extended, then receded, Preto slipped beneath his blankets and got himself comfortable in the middle of his large bed. He considered telling Kandza that he could see himself out, but for some reason, he knew that the man still didn’t want to leave. He wasn’t positive, but it seemed like he was simply back to being too nervous to respond properly again. 

So, he closed his eyes and waited. It didn’t take long for the sound of pacing paws to meet his ears. He expected the sound to continue so long that it lulled him to sleep, but to his surprise, the paws ended up only doing a few stressed circles before they brought their owner over to the edge of the bed closest to the balcony doors. 

He kept his eyes closed as his ears picked up the faint sound of something brushing against his blankets. 

“Elder Pretennon, I am sorry. I did not want you to be upset with me, but I had called you cute, too…” Kandza finally said, making Preto turn his head slowly upon his pillow, then open his tired eyes. 

Such a little thing to stress so much about. 

Preto took a few moments to enjoy the view of the man staring at him from a kneeling position just beyond the edge of his bed. The moment his eyes had landed on him Kandza had lifted his fuzzy wolf ears, seemingly trying to distract him from being upset at his words? 

There really is no need to do such a thing… but I will never say no to seeing those adorable ears on your beautiful head. 

“You think I am cute, Kandza?” he questioned honestly, his words calm. 

He immediately noticed the man’s wolf flash in his eyes… he was about to shift again. 

“I am  not upset with your description. In fact, what else do you think of me?” he asked with a curious, yet-sleepy, smile. 

Kandza seemed taken aback with his nonchalance at such a girlish description. He tucked his wolf ears and looked down. Preto couldn’t help but think that he wanted to stare at Kandza’s naked lower half, too. Unfortunately, it wasn’t within his line of sight and they were having a discussion that really didn’t need a distraction.

He waited calmly until Kandza looked back up at him, his dark hair now haloed by the sun directly behind him. 

“I-I think elder Pretennon is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. He is tall and smart, and his hair is soft and beautiful,” Kandza said, his nervous, near-silent voice growing stronger and rising in volume as he spoke. 

So adorable… 

“Y-you’re also very fair, but can be quite stubborn, too.” 

Unable to help himself, Preto let a quiet chuckle slip from his grinning lips. It also took him a few moments to calm himself enough to wipe away the tears that had somehow snuck from his eyes. He then looked over at a blushing Kandza and nuzzled the side of his face into his silk pillow a little more. 

“Rain beta, Kandza… where is it that you would like to be right at this moment?” 

Kandza’s ears flicked up in surprise at the question before the left one tilted slightly to the side. He took only a moment to consider his words before replying. 

“I want to be wherever elder Pretennon will have me.” 

He wasn’t sure how he’d found such a sweet pup, but since he was now sure that he was not involved with anyone else, he knew that he wanted Kandza to be  involved with him. 

“I’m quite tired right now, but if you wouldn’t mind, pull the curtains over the doors and joining me for a rest…?” he asked, wondering if the guy could honestly simply sleep next to him. 

He knew that Kandza struggled to keep his hands to himself, so he was curious to see if he could. 

The man considered his words, then stood and carefully but quickly tugged the dark red curtains across the two balcony doors. Preto watched him intently, not bothering to even pretend that he wasn’t. The man was quite a beautiful sight. 

When Kandza turned back around to face him in the darkness, Preto licked his lips and lifted the blankets in front of himself. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for his werewolf to settle right up against him, not bothering with any kind of propriety as he practically glued his body to his every single place they could comfortably touch. 

Guess he really can’t keep his hands to himself. 

He wasn’t going to bother correcting him, though. After fixing the blanket snuggly over them both, Preto settled in with a content sigh. Kandza had nuzzled his head right beneath his chin with one arm tucked between them while the other wrapped beneath Preto’s arm and around to his back so that the fingers of his right hand could tangle within his long hair. 

He was going to try to talk to him a little before they fell asleep, but before Preto could even decide on what he wanted to say, he felt Kandza’s body begin to relax against his own. 

He… fell asleep so quickly? 

Preto lifted his left hand from where it had settled against Kandza’s back and settled it in the man’s thick mess of hair. There was absolutely no response. 

And here I had been worried that I would have to fend off a veracious werewolf… shame. 

Smirking to himself, Preto settled in with one final content sigh. It had been years since anyone warm had been invited to share his bed, and Kandza was definitely the hottest of them by far. His permanently-cold body gladly accepted his extra heat as it began to relax, too. 

He had no idea where their new relationship was going to go, but he was definitely interested in finding out… especially if it involved Kandza’s claws, his own fangs, and much, much more of those adorable, fuzzy ears. 

(Edited)

Chapter 21

To say that he hadn’t slept well would have been a massive understatement. Seba bit back a groan as he rolled over for the hundredth time, trying to get comfortable though he knew that it was useless. If he hadn’t ordered Ruoka to stay in his human form, he would have called him right up onto the bed without a second thought. He was stressed and hungry, and his pup always easily remedied both of those situations. 

He’s not a pup anymore. You need to get used to his human form. 

Seba cracked open one tired eye, then blinked twice as he noticed a certain young werewolf staring at him from the edge of his bed, leaning on it with his arms. 

Ruoka lifted his chin from the blankets as soon as he noticed he had his master’s attention. His stoic expression immediately changed to one of stifled excitement. 

I feel like you would be wiggling right now if you were in your wolf form. 

“Master, may I come up on the bed now?” Ruoka asked with a hint of nervousness to his words. 

Seba nuzzled a little deeper into his pillow and pulled his blankets up to his shoulders before making an affirmative mumble. He honestly had no idea how Ruoka would react to being allowed up onto the bed in human form, but he had to get used to him. 

The second Ruoka hopped up, Seba raised an eyebrow. 

He’s wearing a pair of my long undergarments…

He also didn’t just crawl right up to him and nudge himself into his arms like his wolf would have. Instead, he settled about a foot away and looked down at him with a cautious grin on his face. 

He’s acting differently than before. 

“Ruoka, what are you doing?” Seba eventually asked when the guy didn’t move or say anything else. 

The werewolf tilted his head and frowned. 

“Master doesn’t like it when I get too close as a human, and you told me last night that I need to stay in my human form until you allow me to return to my wolf one.” 

He… wasn’t wrong, but it still seemed like he was holding back a lot. Although, it did make him a little less nervous. 

His mind flashed back to the time he’d been arguing with Ruoka through his master’s ability to speak with his wolf side. 

He’d pinned you down so quickly…

Glancing up into Ruoka’s calm dark eyes, Seba struggled to make the connection between who was in front of him now, and the man that had pinned him down in his own bed… in front of his master, no less. 

An approving master, hmph. 

Sure, he’d talked about simply taking Ruoka as his heir so that he didn’t have to deal with the frustrating societal norms of being chased around by every power hungry human, but still… Just remembering that situation made a shiver run down his spine. 

Hell, even werewolves want me for some reason. 

Sighing, he slowly pushed himself up and, after covering a yawn, looked out his windowed balcony doors. 

It’s going to be morning soon… might as well just get up now. 

He was just about to get out of bed when he noticed Ruoka, and more importantly, his appearance. 

Master would have a fit if I was seen walking around town with such an unkempt man at my side.

He didn’t want to do it, and he knew that Ruoka would fight him on it tooth and nail, but…

“It’s time for a bath, Ruoka.” 

The man’s expression immediately changed to one of abysmal terror as he hurried to scramble beneath the thick layer of blankets on the bed. 

Of course.

Shaking his head, Seba got up and pulled the call bell three times, signaling to a servant downstairs that he requested bathwater to be brought up. He spent the next few minutes deciding what Ruoka’s human form would decently fit into that he already had. The man was thankfully close to his own height, but had a bit more muscle where he was just lanky and thin. 

He eventually settled on a pair of loose trousers and a simple white, long-sleeved shirt. By the time he’d gone through his clothing and made his selection, the servants had filled the tub with warm bathwater. 

Now for the hard part.

Tugging his nightshirt over his head, Seba tossed it to the floor and walked over to the side of the bed. 

“Ruoka, get out of the bed,” he said with as much authority as he could muster… which really wasn’t a lot. 

When the man just ignored him, he took a deep breath and licked his lips. 

You’re still his master. You took off the collar, but he still belongs to you right now. 

Standing a little straighter, Seba narrowed his eyes on the lumps beneath his blankets. 

“I wasn’t asking, Ruoka. Get out of my bed, right now,” he said, his tone brooking no argument this time.  

He wasn’t sure if it would work, but when Ruoka hesitantly poked his head out of the top of the blankets and looked at him with pleading eyes, Seba gave an inner sigh of relief. 

You can do this. He’s Ruoka… your Ruoka. He belongs to you. 

“Get out of my bed, now ,” he said, adding emphasis to the last word to get his point across. 

Thankfully, being more stern seemed to be working, because Ruoka was soon sitting on the edge of the bed in front of him. He was shaking a little, but that was how he always reacted to baths. He wasn’t sure why the pup had always been terrified of them when he would gladly jump into a nasty pond or lake to chase ducks, but it was what it was. 

“Remove my undergarments and come get in the bath. We have to go out and get you fitted for clothing, but I will not have us embarrassing my master by bringing a dirty, unkempt man to the clothing shop,” he said as he turned toward the bathroom, only to stop abruptly when he felt warm fingers slip into the waistband of his own undergarments. 

“Master said to remove his undergarments,” Ruoka said, his voice suddenly much different, and much  deeper than it had been a few minutes ago.

Seba quickly turned to face the werewolf, but before he could fully complete the action, he felt the man’s fingers slip away from his clothing. When Ruoka came back into view, he was sitting like a pup on the edge of the bed, his hands innocently settled between his bent legs to hold his weight. 

Don’t react to it. He’s messing with you.

Ruoka tilted his head and smiled slightly. Biting back a scowl, Seba pointed right at his nose, then to the bathroom with his other hand. 

“You, in there, now .” 

Ruoka seemed to know that he was stretching his patience as far as he was willing to let him because he finally hopped up and walked into the bathroom without another word. 

Seba hurried to follow and make sure that Ruoka was actually getting into the tub instead of finding some way to procrastinate further. To his surprise, Ruoka had removed the undergarments he’d borrowed, but he was definitely not in the tub. 

Averting his eyes, Seba busied himself with getting out some soap from the cupboard in the room. 

“In the water, Ruoka.” 

He saw the man move a bit from the corner of his eye, and when he finally heard him get into the bath, he stood up and turned with the soap in his hand. 

I… can’t believe that I raised him to be like this. Surely I didn’t.

Ruoka was leaning over the edge of the tub slightly, resting his head on his bent left arm as he stared up at him with a lazy smirk. 

“Water is not so bad in my human form,” he eventually said when Seba just stood there staring for too long. 

After all of the years of whining and making me drag your wolf to the bathtub when you got covered in mud chasing squirrels… 

Pushing aside his frustrations over the past, Seba walked over and knelt next to the tub. 

“Good, then you will be bathing much more frequently from now on,” he said as he held the soap up for Ruoka to take. Except, the man simply glanced at it for the briefest moment before looking back up at him with raised eyebrows. 

What now? 

“Master always gets in the bath with me,” Ruoka said after a few moments of silence. 

Seba felt cold blood rush to his face as he looked away briefly, then back at Ruoka. 

“That was the only way I could get you clean. You have two hands now, you can do it yourself,” he said as he reached over and grabbed Ruoka’s hand, then set the bar of soap in his palm. 

He was just letting go of it to retract his hand and leave the man to his task, but when Ruoka’s fingers suddenly closed around not only the bar of soap, but also his own hand, he swallowed. 

He was about to tell him to let go when he realized that the man’s eyes had changed. In fact, his entire demeanor had become more anxious.

He never has done well in baths…

Letting out a relenting sigh, Seba shook off Ruoka’s hand and carefully climbed over the edge of the tub and into the warm water. Ruoka was quick to make room for him, but there really wasn’t enough room. Seba ended up kneeling between the man’s legs as he grabbed the bar of soap and quickly wet it, then reached over the edge of the tub for the empty water basin he’d left there previously. 

He hurried to wet Ruoka’s hair and upper body, then get his hair scrubbed into a lather, making sure that there was so much soap that it ran down his face and he had to close his staring eyes. He left him that way as he quickly scrubbed the bar of soap beneath the surface of the water to cloud it, then set it aside to fill the water basin and begin rinsing him off. 

Halfway through his work Ruoka grumbled and abruptly shook his head, sending water droplets everywhere. Seba sat back as the man opened his eyes. His dark, dripping bangs pressed softly against the damp skin along its brow haphazardly, framing his soft brown eyes as they immediately focused on him. 

Seba blinked a couple times as he averted his eyes and held out the bar of soap. 

When the item was taken from him, he began climbing out of the tub, eager to escape the awkward situation. He was just about to lift a leg over the edge when he felt nervous fingers grasp the hem of his soaked undergarment.  

He hesitantly looked back at Ruoka, but was surprised to see that the guy seemed close to tearing up. Seba slowly sank back into the water, worried and confused. 

“Master can stay until I’m done?” Ruoka asked in a quiet, scared voice. 

Seba wanted to tell him that he was a human now and could handle a little bath by himself, but at the same time, he couldn’t look away from Ruoka’s worried face. Where had that look gone so quickly? 

He’s still your wolf… even if he has gotten a little more stubborn and lost his fur coat. 

“I’ll stay, but you need to wash up quickly, we have an appointment,” he said as he carefully turned himself around in the little space he had, then sat back down. 

He was relieved when he heard Ruoka do as told and hurry to finish his bath. He was done in three minutes flat, and didn’t hesitate to climb out the moment he’d finished his task. 

“Dry yourself off with a towel, then put on the clothing I left sitting at the foot o—” His words were cut off abruptly when he felt the wet bar of soap press against the back of his head. 

Looking over his shoulder, Seba was going to scowl at the man for getting his hair soapy, but his frown disappeared when he saw the hopeful smile on his pup’s face. 

“I got you wet earlier when I shook my head… and you’ve been sitting in my bathwater,” he said, clearly hoping to be allowed to continue helping wash his hair. 

I guess it can’t hurt. I already have soap in it anyways, so I might as well just wash it. 

So, even though he’d already bathed a day ago, Seba bowed his head and closed his eyes. He expected to feel the hands that soon sifted soap through his dampening hair, but when they slowed to a stop and he heard a familiar warning growl from Ruoka, Seba lifted his head and blinked open his eyes. 

  Ah, master. 

Pretennon was standing in the open doorway dressed in a pair of tight black trousers secured by a thick belt low on his hips. A light gray long-sleeved shirt covered his chest and a dark red leather long-coat finished off the look perfectly. His hair was also pulled back into a tight ponytail with only a few lengths of black hair settled about the left side of his face. 

He looks like he is in quite a good mood…

“I just wanted to check on you two before heading out for the day,” he said as he pointedly looked between him and Ruoka a few times, seemingly pleased with his observation. 

“Please be sure to feed before you go to your appointment,” he added, making Seba quickly nod. 

“I plan to go down to the servant’s quarters right after I rinse my hair,” he said, earning an agreeing nod from his master before Preto’s gaze focused on Ruoka. 

 “That would be for the best. In fact, I’d like for you to no longer feed from your werewolf. I have more than enough servants who are willing to offer blood,” Preto said, making Seba tilt his head slightly, curious about the restriction… though not enough to argue it. 

“I can do that. I’ve fed from him more than enough. I will not do it again,” he said calmly, even though his heart was beating a little too fast for his liking. He had no doubt that his master could hear it, too. 

It wasn’t that he would intentionally disobey the request, but human blood really did not hold him over like a werewolf’s. It also didn’t taste nearly as good. Either way, he would just have to get used to feeding more often, and only consider Ruoka if he truly were in dire need of blood, which shouldn’t happen. 

“Good, enjoy your trip to the tailors. I look forward to seeing your purchases when I return this evening,” Preto said as he offered them a slightly-fanged smile that really made Seba confused, then left. 

Who was he warning with that fang? 

His thoughts were quickly derailed when he had a bucket of cool water poured over his head. He sputtered and wiped at his face until he could see again, then got ready to reprimand Ruoka, except, the guy was nowhere in sight…

What was that about?

(Edited)

Chapter 22

(My friend has a pretty kitty)

His hands were a mess. Silas winced as he pulled a leather glove over his injuries, hiding them from view before doing the same for his other hand. He really didn’t want to do what he was about to, but he knew that he couldn’t fight it any longer. It had only been a day since he’d imprinted on the little wolf pup named Sitkea, but his inner wolf was already restless. He’d told it time and again that the pup was clearly well taken care of, but after the first few reassurances, it began to disregard his words. It wanted to check on the pup… needed to check on it. 

Once he’d finished tugging his boots on and added a knife to his waist for some extra protection, he stepped out of his room and headed down the large, winding staircase. Surprisingly, Kandza’s wolf greeted him at the bottom, its tail swishing back and forth with interest. 

As much as he wanted to still be upset with his beta’s choice of love interests, he knew that he couldn’t force Kandza to change his mind. However, he also didn’t want him to come with him right at that moment, either. He did want some space to himself. 

“Just going for a walk. I’ll be back before this evening.” 

Kandza whined a little and tried to follow him for a few steps, but Silas wasn’t interested in messing around today. He had something to do that was already stressing him out enough, he didn’t need to bring the beta he loved, but couldn’t have, along for the likely humiliation.  

Alpha, it is my job to make sure that you are safe,  Kandza said to his thoughts, making Silas turn around. 

Golden caramel eyes stared back at him with hesitant hope that he’d change his mind. 

“You may not follow me this time, Kandza. There are plenty of other things that you can do today as pack beta, but I do not need assistance on this matter,” Silas said, making sure that his words held enough authority to get the point across, even if it secretly hurt him to be stern with him. 

Kandza, thankfully, took a step back and bowed his head, acknowledging that his assistance was not needed for the time being. He hesitated for only one more moment before turning and heading across the large mansion toward the nursery area. 

Relieved, Silas turned back around and stepped out into the beautiful, bright morning. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as he made his way east, stopping at a pastry vender to pick up some breakfast along the way. He got himself two spiced sausages dipped in honey and rolled up in a thin layer of egg bread. It definitely wasn’t something he’d ever eaten before coming to London, but it was absolutely delicious and took care of his sweet tooth a little too well. 

He happily munched on his meal as he walked, nodding to pack members as he passed them. Everyone was in such a great mood, and even the few wolves he noticed from the Ghost pack as he neared their territory were surprisingly playful and running about. 

Maybe he won’t try to attack me today… 

It was unlikely, considering how many scars he already had from the overly-aggressive man, but he wanted to at least try and be optimistic. He was just about to turn onto the smoothed dirt road that lead deep into the forest that surrounded the Ghost pack house when his instincts told him to turn around. 

Oh. 

Silas immediately knelt down to scoop up Sitkea as he ran right into his arms. 

“You knew I was coming to see you, didn’t you little guy?” he said as he slowly stood, then hugged the little pup that was already trying to gnaw a hole through his nice white shirt.

Wait a second. If you’re here, then…

It didn’t take him long to realize that there were hostile eyes narrowed on him. He easily found their owner leaning against the corner of a brick hat shop only fifteen or so feet away. He was dressed in a pair of worn black pants and a form-fitting shirt with a black leather jacket over it. It was odd seeing him out and about in public, and as a human, at that, but at the same time, he was very  close to the forest, and they were also technically in his awarded portion of the city as far as territory went. 

Okay, just stay calm and maybe he will, too. 

Swallowing down his worry, Silas slowly walked across the dusty street, stopping about a yard away from the man. Verander seemed to think his caution was humorous because his lips, which had previously been tilted downward, rose at the edges as he bared a single fang. 

Forcing himself to stay calm, Silas bowed his head slightly in greeting. He knew that he should have set Sitkea down, or handed the pup over in general, but his hands didn’t want to obey his mind. 

Verander uncrossed his arms from his chest and pushed himself off the wall, straightening to his full height without looking away from him for a single second. 

I feel like he’s about to go crazy, but I really hope he can keep his wolf in. 

They were in public and there were quite a lot of humans around, too. A ferocious werewolf fight was not something that needed to happen right then. He was just about to apologize and force himself to hand Sitkea back to the man when something caught his attention, making his gaze lower from Verander’s. 

A… tail? 

Just as he was about to look back up, having gotten dangerously distracted, he felt Sitkea squirm in his arms to the point that he had to set him down or risk dropping him altogether. The second the pup’s paws were back on the ground it bounded over to Verander and latched its tiny little razor-like teeth onto his thick, fluffy tail. 

Silas held back a wince as he watched, glad that he couldn’t simply manifest a tail to be chewed on. 

But wait a minute… he definitely didn’t have a tail a minute ago. 

Lifting his eyes back up to the man’s, he noticed the hint of humor flashing amongst the aggression and… something else. He wanted to question him about it, but at the same time, he’d never managed to get through a full conversation with the man before he got attacked. 

Sitkea is doing well. Let’s not chance it and just be glad that you got to see him without any bloodshed. 

“Thank you for taking good care of him, and I’m sorry that the imprinting happened. It wasn’t intentional,” he said before forcing himself to turn and start walking down the shaded street. 

He needed to remove himself from the situation before it became dangerous, but he also knew that turning his back on an aggressive werewolf wasn’t the best idea. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place and decided to try and take the least provocative way out. 

Unfortunately, his tactics didn’t seem to be working. The sound of footsteps following him soon met his sensitive ears as he continued on his way. Little kids ran about everywhere as the eastern market began to become boisterous with energetic attendees. He got shoved more than a few times as he tried to weave his way through the bustling crowd. 

The werewolves amongst the crowd knew not to get too close, but the humans were more careless. Besides, while they all knew of his existence, most had not been directly introduced to him, so of course they wouldn’t know who they were running into. He honestly didn’t mind it, though. It was nice to not be seen for once. Well, he was definitely being seen  by some of the young ladies flitting about the busy streets, but it wasn’t as an alpha werewolf. It was simply as a well-dressed, handsome young man. 

He ducked his head as someone carried a massive platter of bread and meats above everyone’s head. His mouth began to salivate as he smelled the fresh warm bread, salami, and other sliced meats it had on it. 

I should have bought four honey sausages…

It took a lot to feed a werewolf in general, but considering his wolf was larger than every other one in his pack by a good amount? He definitely should have eaten more. 

I’ll eat again once I get back to my own territory. 

He could still sense Verander nearby, but the man had fallen back a bit for some reason. Either way, it gave him a chance to breathe and slow his own pace a bit so that he didn’t continue getting shoved about. 

I hope Sitkea isn’t still attached to his tail. He could easily get stepped on…

That thought immediately had him stopping and spinning around within the bustling crowd, his heart suddenly thrumming with fear. When he couldn’t immediately pinpoint Verander’s form amongst the massive crowd his wolf whimpered from his human mouth. 

He knew better than to retrace his steps in order to try and find the insane werewolf that had been following him, but would his own wolf listen to reason? Of course not. 

You are a damned masochist , he told it as he began to weave back through the crowd. 

He got about halfway back to where he’d first met Verander by the hat shop when the man’s presence simply vanished. His brow furrowed as he tried to focus, but his concentration was constantly broken by people bumping into him or yelling to each other near his ears. 

Overwhelmed and frustrated, Silas pushed his way out of the throng of people to eventually stumble into a quiet alleyway. He gave his head a good shake as he took in a deep, clean breath of air. To be perfectly honest, he expected Verander to suddenly appear right in front of him and attack, but when he simply stared at the empty alleyway, he wasn’t sure what to do. 

“He’s really not here?” he asked himself as he looked around the surprisingly-clean passageway. 

Silas turned in a circle several times as he tried to quell his paranoia. On the fourth, and likely final turn before he headed down the ally to finally return to his territory, he noticed a strong, deliciously-sweet smell. He immediately spun back around to face the entrance of the alleyway. 

Uh oh.

Verander stood in the opening, his thinner form not taking up much space, but the self-confidence he exuded easily made up the rest of the empty area. Silas tried to keep his focus where it needed to be, but the guy had something in his hand that even had Sitkea pawing at his leg instead of nibbling on his tail. 

When the guy didn’t even take a single step forward, even though he could clearly see the wolf raging behind his eyes, Silas swallowed his nerves and let his weakness for food do the talking. 

“What is that?” 

Verander slowly looked down as he raised the item in his hand. Silas noticed that the man’s claws were out and digging into the fresh bread, but that didn’t make it look, or smell, any less appetizing. 

“I don’t like human food,” Verander replied, making Silas frown. 

Then why did you get it? 

Biting his tongue on that comment, Silas replied, “it looks like smoked pork with cinnamon and honey wrapped in bread.” 

God damn that sounded and smelled so good. He could hear his stomach growling as he announced every ingredient, too. 

He watched in silence as Verander considered his words before slowly getting down on one knee. It appeared like he was trying to set the large amount of food on the ground, but each time he tried Sitkea was there to snatch anything his little teeth could sink into. 

When he finally released a deep, threatening warning growl, the pup stopped for exactly two seconds to look up at him, then blinked twice and tilted its head before immediately going back to attacking the mouth-watering treat. 

He managed to do some pretty good damage to it before Verander heaved a frustrated sigh and lifted it above the pup’s head. 

“This is not for you!” 

Silas rubbed at the back of his neck, utterly confused by the man’s antics. 

If you don’t like human food, and you didn’t buy it for him, then what are you doing? 

He got his answer when Verander finally picked up Sitkea by his scruff and set the food down against one of the brick buildings. The little pup struggled with all its might and squeaked and squirmed to try and get back to its tasty target, but Verander was having none of it. 

 When the man straightened back up and looked at him, Silas raised a curious eyebrow. They stared at each other for a few more moments before Silas lowered his gaze the slightest amount, not wanting to start a fight over something so simple. 

“Eat it,” Verander finally said, making Silas blink in surprise, then look back up just in time to see the other alpha’s back disappear around the corner with Sitkea. 

What… just happened? 

Silas waited a few minutes until he was sure that Verander wasn’t coming back before walking forward and picking up the torn-apart food. Most humans probably would have just left it for lost considering all of the bite marks on it, and the fact that it was sitting on the ground, but he was a wolf, first and foremost. 

Standing back up, he licked his lips and spared one final glance back toward the empty entrance of the alleyway. 

Thanks for the food, I guess…

Turning, Silas began his walk back to his own territory, snacking on the delicious meal as he strolled. He had gone to check on Sitkea and actually gotten to do it without earning more scars. In fact, he somehow earned a delicious second breakfast.

Definitely a better day than I had thought it’d be. 

(Edited)

Chapter 23

(Racket got to go on a car ride today. She’s too aggressive to go many places, but she loves glaring at people walking around outside the car as we wait to pick up my roommate from work.) 

The store was a bit of a walk, but it was a gorgeous day. Lots of people were out and about enjoying the weather and as they strode along, Seba couldn’t help but feel their excitement. He’d fed well before they’d left and Ruoka hadn’t fought him on anything else, so he was dressed well-enough in borrowed clothing. 

“Master,” came Ruoka’s chastising tone as he noticed something suddenly shade where he was walking. 

Seba paused and looked up at the black umbrella being held above his head. He immediately began hearing the humans around them whispering about why he might have need for such a thing when it wasn’t even raining or hot out, drawing a blush to his cheeks as he looked to the side at the culprit.

“I really don’t need that, Ruoka,” he said as he tried to step out from beneath it, but his werewolf refused to let the device move from above his head. 

“Master needs to take care of himself,” he said, earning a scowl from Seba, but no other rebuttal. He knew that Preto wouldn’t be too happy if he didn’t have an umbrella on such a sunny day. 

So, he did his best to ignore the growing whispers amongst the people around them and tried to enjoy the day. They walked east for quite some time before stopping at a food stand that smelled quite delicious, even to him. 

Ruoka was all-but drooling as his nose flared and he stared at all the options with wide, hungry eyes. 

“Get what you want,” Seba eventually said, feeling as if it would be considered abuse to force his pup to walk by the stall without buying him any of the delicious-smelling food offered there. 

He realized his mistake when Ruoka didn’t pick out just one single meal, but three! The vender didn’t hesitate to shove the pork, beef, and custard items into Ruoka’s eager arms, then turn to him with a greedy smirk. 

I need to be more careful with my words. 

Either way, Seba took out his coin purse and paid, then took two of the food items so that Ruoka wouldn’t drop them. 

“You better eat all of this before we get to the shop. They don’t allow food inside,” he said, making Ruoka grin widely before he went to town on his first meal. 

He was honestly surprised that all of the food was actually gone when they finally stopped outside of their destination. Reaching up, Seba settled his hands on Ruoka’s shoulders and turned him to face him with a confused frown. 

Where in the world did all of that food go? 

“Is everything okay? We are going to be late,” Ruoka said, snapping Seba out of his stupor. 

“Ah, right. Let’s get inside,” he said as he took one of Ruoka’s hands and tugged him into the large shop. 

Clothing was settled on just about every surface inside. Colors ranging from warm pinks to pitch blacks cluttered the area as they walked up to the little counter in the back of the building. 

“There you two are, and right on time,” an older woman said as she walked out from behind the counter with several lengths of measuring tape. 

She gave Seba a respectable bow, then turned her attention to Ruoka. 

“Oh my, look at you,” she cooed as she took his shoulders in order to guide him this way and that, then turn him around once before moving her hands to grip each other against her bosom. 

“lord Sebastian, you have quite a beautiful young man here. Do you have any specific requests for colors? Is he aligned with either of the three wolf packs yet?” 

Seba frowned and shook his head. 

“No, he’s not part of any of them. I think he’d look good in darker colors, but I’d also like a few white shirts for formal occasions.” 

The woman nodded her head enthusiastically before tugging Ruoka toward an area sectioned off by several hanging curtains. 

“Alright then, lad. Off with your things. Let me get your measurements so we can begin,” she said as Seba stepped behind the curtains with them. 

He watched as Ruoka began nonchalantly removing his borrowed clothing, feeling his heart fidget in his chest with each layer that was removed. By the time his werewolf was standing in just a pair of loose undergarments he realized something. 

I must not have fed enough. I don’t feel well. 

“He can be measured with the undergarments on,” he said as Ruoka reached down to remove them. 

His werewolf paused mid-action and glanced over at him, then to the seamstress. 

“I-I suppose he could, but it generally helps to know all of his sizes, especially when considering formal pants and such…” the woman said, her face turning the slightest bit pink as she spoke. 

Seba felt his own face heat with his newly-acquired blood before he shook his head. 

“N-no need. He’s uh… not small,” he stuttered out, somehow embarrassed but managing to get a hold of the wayward emotion quickly. 

The woman nodded and got busy measuring Ruoka as Seba turned and began browsing the different fabric selections. There were quite a few premade garments already available, and he definitely intended to buy several of them, but most of Ruoka’s clothing was going to have to be specifically tailored to him. 

Master would have nothing less. 

Heck, he was surprised that Pretennon had not decided to join them, but he’d said that he had somewhere to be.

I wonder why he sent Ruoka that warning look earlier, too. 

Seba wandered around the shop taking in all of the different kinds of fabrics and designs as he mulled over different thoughts. He could tell that Ruoka wasn’t having the most fun being forced to stand still for so long, but he managed well enough without him right at his side. 

It took nearly twenty minutes before he was called back while looking over a long black coat that would nearly touch the ground if he wore it… but his mind kept telling him that he wasn’t looking at it for himself, anyway. 

“Coming,” he said as he wove his way back through the displays of clothing and accessories. 

He was just about to the set of curtains when he noticed a black top hat sitting atop a mannequin a few steps away. Figuring that it couldn’t hurt, he grabbed the hat, then hurried behind the curtains. 

Oh… is that really my pup? 

Ruoka stood tall with a dark red button up silk shirt hugging his chest perfectly. A pair of black breeches sat on his hips, pinned in a few places to hold them correctly for the time being. On his shoulders sat a long coat similar to what he’d been looking at while walking around, but this one was a mixture of different darker shades of brown that matched his hair perfectly. 

Allowing his eyes to roam over the man before him, Seba honestly appreciated the woman’s work. 

Oh. 

“What do you think as far as shoes go? He’s not used to wearing them…”

The woman pursed her lips and turned around, her eyes moving over a large rack of different men’s shoes. 

“I would say that thigh-high black buckle boots would look fantastic on him, but if he’s not used to wearing shoes at all, then perhaps he isn’t all that used to wearing clothing, either?” she asked as she turned to direct the question at him.    

She’s not wrong, but he needs to dress somewhat normally if I am to bring him with me to engagements and such…

“How about we leave the decision of shoes for another time? Let him get used to clothing for now?” she said, making Seba hesitate long enough that Ruoka walked forward and reached toward him, making him freeze, his eyes widening in confusion. 

He was just about to take a step back when Ruoka gently took the large top hat from between his fingers and lifted it to settle upon his dark brown hair at the perfect angle. 

“Oh, that looks absolutely perfect on you,” the woman said as she quickly circled Ruoka appraisingly. “This outfit looks impeccable on him. The adjustments can be finished within a day or so, if you’d like it?”

Seba only heard the last bit of what the woman had said since his mind had wandered a bit as he stared, but he quickly nodded his agreement to the outfit. It would definitely do. 

“Yes, we’ll take the whole thing,” he said before walking past Ruoka and reaching up to take down a dark red neckerchief.

He wanted to try it on Ruoka, but he knew that it would be a little much at that moment. So instead, he simply hung it over his arm as the woman helped Ruoka undress, then redress in another outfit. This time it was something lighter that one might use while taking a leisurely stroll through the park. 

A soft green shirt emphasized his firm chest as a darker tan colored the pants that stopped around the middle of his calves. 

“I like it,” he noted before pausing for a moment and reaching up to remove the top hat from Ruoka’s head that he’d put back on after changing. 

Instead of letting him have the hat, Ruoka took a step back and pouted as he held the item on his head. 

“Ruoka, that hat doesn’t go with that outfit at all,” he chastised lightly, honestly finding the look quite humorous. 

“We should get master something, too,” Ruoka said, intentionally ignoring his comment about the hat. 

Seba let it slide, but chuckled a little at his werewolf’s words. 

“My master doesn’t need anymore clothing, believe me.”

Seba turned to go continue browsing while the woman helped Ruoka change again, but before he could get out from behind the curtains he felt hands grab the hem of his shirt and promptly yank it backwards and up. Stumbling back and out of his shirt, Seba braced himself to fall, but when he was suddenly caught by warm, strong arms, he blinked open his eyes and looked over his shoulder. 

“Sorry master, I didn’t mean to pull you off-balance,” Ruoka said right next to his ear with a smile that made it hard to believe the honesty of his words. 

Nudging the guy away, Seba took a step forward, then turned and held up his hand. 

“Give me back my shirt, Ruoka.” 

When his pup just pouted again and took a step backwards, hugging his shirt to his chest, Seba pursed his lips. 

“I want to see master change,” Ruoka said, making the old woman who had quietly been observing their odd interaction quickly chirp in. 

“Well, I do already have lord Sebastian’s measurements from many years ago, so if you’d like…?” 

He really wouldn’t like, but seeing the hopeful look in Ruoka’s eyes made him cave a lot faster than he thought he would. 

“I suppose I could get something. Master always likes it when I actually pay attention to my outfits,” he said with a shrug. 

The old lady took that as her chance and hurried out from behind the curtain yelling back to him, “get undressed quickly, lad. I have just the thing for you!” 

 Seba watched her until she disappeared from sight, then turned back toward Ruoka. 

Um…

When he stood there and simply stared, Ruoka stepped forward and settled his warm hands on either side of his bare waist, then leaned in just close enough so that there was no way his whispered words would be overheard. 

“I can help you if you’re nervous, master…” 

  Nervous? 

What reason did he have to be nervous? He was used to undressing in front of tailors. He had done so for many, many years. Except, he was  nervous. 

Shaking the emotion from his mind, Seba quickly fumbled with the buttons on his trousers until he was able to tug them loose from his hips, then let them drop to the floor. He slowly stepped out of them, keeping his eyes downcast and on what he was doing so that he didn’t trip on the fabric… and because he could feel Ruoka’s eyes scanning his body as if it were one of the three meals he’d devoured while walking to the shop. 

  Why is he looking at me in such a way? He’s seen me naked thousands of times… 

He couldn’t bring himself to lift his gaze further until he heard the seamstress return. Turning to face her, he looked up and actually raised a brow at what she had brought. It looked like very nice material, but… it was definitely more his master’s style then his own. 

“I think it will look exceptional on my master,” Ruoka said as he walked up to the woman and took the clothing with an excited grin. 

I… really don’t think that’s my thing. 

He should have said those words out loud, but of course, his tongue was somehow tied, again. So, he bit back a sigh and reached out to take the items. Except, Ruoka quickly stepped forward and to the side, dodging his hand as he set the items on the long counter, then picked up the pants and turned. 

“I-I can do it,” Seba finally managed to squeak out, making Ruoka give him another pout. This time, however, he wasn’t going to fall for it. 

He quickly took the pants and stepped into them, but as he began pulling them up, he realized something awkward.

These are going to be so tight…

 He wanted to take them off the moment he began having trouble pulling them the rest of the way up, but Ruoka seemed to have other ideas. His fingers appeared on the waistband of the pants and gently began helping him tug them upward. Seba wanted to swat at his hands since he’d said that he could do it himself, but clearly, he couldn’t. 

I don’t think I’d have the will power to wear something like this out in public. 

Of course, his master made such clothing look incredible, but he really didn’t have the body for it, himself.

“Master looks very sexy,” Ruoka whispered as he finished forcing the last button through its opposing hole. Once done, he took a step back and licked his lips as his eyes scanned him several times from head to toe. 

Sexy?… and I swear I am not a plate of smoked pork, so why does he keep looking at me like that? 

Because I am curious…

Seba frowned as he allowed the old lady to tug a black silk shirt over his head, then begin tying up the dark red lace beneath his left arm, then right. He hadn’t expected Ruoka to ever talk to him through his thoughts since he’d declined to do so several times… but that had to have definitely been his voice. 

Curious about what? he ended up asking, honestly wanting to know why the man kept ogling him. 

Whether you would taste as delicious as smoked pork. Or perhaps, even better? 

 Seba made a rather ungentlemanly sound that could only be compared to that of a startled rabbit suddenly set upon by hunting hounds before he quickly turned toward the counter as the woman finished tying up his shirt and grabbed his coin purse.

“Th-this is enough, right?” he said as he held out quite a bit of money. 

The woman’s eyes went wide as she began saying that it was quite a bit too much, but Seba just pressed the money into her palm and thanked her for her services before darting past her, out from behind the curtains, then out of the shop entirely. 

He knew that he was being childish with his reaction, and had just left his werewolf behind to finish his fittings and carry his outfits back, but he just couldn’t turn around. Not while Ruoka’s words were still fresh in his panicking mind.

(Edited)

Chapter 24

Preto calmly looked out the window as he tilted his wine glass in a slow circle, swishing the blood around within it. 

Hmm? 

He leaned against the sill as he watched a quite peculiar scene take place. 

“Is that truly my heir?” he asked out loud as he watched Sebastian dart down the street in an outfit that, if it were honestly the slightest bit bigger, he would have been sure had come from his own closet. 

Not that he would have complained about his heir wishing to borrow some of his clothing, but to see that he had intentionally gone out to purchase a similar set for himself? 

I feel as if I am missing a very good story behind that outfit. 

“My lord…” 

Ah, yes. 

Returning his attention to the person sitting opposite him at the small wooden dining table, Preto took a sip from his glass of spiked blood, then set it down with a relaxed smile. He’d been a little stressed about this meeting earlier, but having seen that little show from his heir had definitely lifted his mood quite a bit. 

“Now then, you were going to tell me the reason why you’re not taking the pact you signed with Marquise seriously…” he told Verander. 

The man sitting across from him looked much more stressed than Pretennon had been, which made him think that he had quite a fun story to delve into, as well. He waited as the man chewed on his words, clearly still trying to figure out the best way to speak them out loud. 

While he waited, Preto lowered his left hand down near his side, but when it contacted nothing but air… no ears, no cold nose, no nothing, he bit back a scowl and settled it in his lap. After another moment, he lifted it back up to his glass of blood and brought it to his lips. It was already his second one, and their meeting had only been going on for twenty minutes or so. 

“My patience wears thin, Verander. You have attacked the Rain alpha on multiple occasions with minimal provocation. You’ve drawn blood and come close to breaking bones over disputes that you won’t even speak into existence.”

The man’s wolf flashed in his right eye, making Preto tilt his head and lean on his arm that had its elbow bent on the windowsill. His long hair draped behind him like a curtain as he watched the man fight to control his inner beast. 

“Your wolf doesn’t like being kept inside?” 

Of course, he already knew that the man wasn’t the best at controlling his beast, but Marquise had tested him rigorously. Thus, there shouldn’t be such issues that the other alpha had to continuously bring it to his and Marquise’s attention. 

“Perhaps we should have this discussion at a safer location?” he added when Verander continued to struggle and was unable to answer his previous question. 

Tilting his glass back against his lips, Preto finished the remaining small amount of blood, then set it down, tapped his lips with a napkin, and signaled the wait staff over. He quickly paid for his two glasses of blood, as well as for Verander’s venison meal, then stood. 

His guest was thankfully able to control himself enough to stand, too, so Preto turned and calmly guided him from the second floor of the little tavern restaurant. As soon as they got outside, Preto wrinkled his nose. The sun was still horrifically bright. Of course, he was practically impervious to it due to his age and strength, but his heir had been running around earlier without even an umbrella above his head, and in such an outfit… 

I will have to have a talk with him later. 

Returning his attention to his current issue, Preto immediately headed west. He knew that he was crossing into Silas’s territory, but while sneaky and sometimes underhanded, he knew that the man wouldn’t dare go against his decisions. He also couldn’t handle Verander’s wolf by himself, so trying anything against him would require quite a large number of wolves from his pack to attack in broad daylight. He wouldn’t risk it. 

That didn’t stop the man’s guards from quickly picking up on their little outing, though. He heard the whispering reports start immediately, and he had no doubt that Silas was already heading their way… but he wouldn’t overreact. The section of the city they were traveling through might have been awarded to Silas’s pack, but being one of the two supernatural heads for the relocation project, Preto overruled him and could bring whoever he wished into the area as long as he didn’t intentionally cause a dangerous situation to occur. 

Besides, he had no intention of remaining in the territory, and after a brusque bit of walking along the Thames river, they entered Marquise’s territory. He could feel Verander’s unease as his own given territory got farther and farther behind him, but that was the point. Several of his guard wolves had followed them up to the boundary they shared with Silas’s pack, but since the other alpha’s wolves greatly outnumbered his own, they didn’t dare cross the border. 

Now that he was not-only an entire territory away from his own, but stepping into a third, the man’s anxiousness rolled off of him in waves. Preto glanced back at him curiously, but Verander was able to keep a pretty decent poker face… besides the flashing of his wolf through his right eye. It was clearly very unhappy about their current situation.  

He’s walking with a slight limp to his left side, too… he noted, a bit surprised that someone had managed to injure him in such a way. 

Preto settled that information in the back of his mind for the time being and continued to lead Verander into a thicker forested area, walking for another five or so minutes before finally slowing to a stop, then turning around. Verander halted immediately in response, leaving them standing about five feet apart in the dense leaf litter. Preto could still hear the running water from the river nearby, but he’d made sure to move a little farther north to avoid it. If things went wrong, he didn’t want to get his nice outfit wet. 

“Now then, if you need to let your wolf out to blow off some steam, now would be a good time to do so,” Preto said as he calmly gestured at the quiet forest around them. 

Verander glanced to either side with narrowed eyes as claws began to prick free from his fingernails. 

Perhaps I made a mistake accepting the Ghost pack’s application without personally meeting the alpha first, but Marquise seemed sure that Verander was manageable…

He rarely ever  made mistakes, but as he watched Verander quickly tear off his clothing as fur sprouted along his back and chest, he realized that he just might have miscalculated the man’s ability to control his animal half. 

The little black wolf he had become familiar with when dealing with Verander’s shift was nowhere in sight once the transformation completed. Instead, a massive black beast stood where it should have been, panting heavily from stress and frustration. 

“So this is your true form,” Preto said as he calmly observed the giant animal before him. 

It was quite an impressive wolf, to say the least, and definitely one befitting an alpha. It didn’t seem all that interested in him quite yet, either, because it’s nose began flaring as it hurried to scout the current area, needing to know what had been there recently and who was likely watching as their scents drifted to him on the wind. 

When he finally finished two laps of the wooded area, he began returning back toward Preto, but his new way of approaching him was not appropriate. 

Stalking an elder vampire? 

The thought brought a smirk to his lips as he heard the creature’s massive paws crush dead leaves and twigs beneath them. 

You know that you are sneaking up on no one, yet your wolf still moves as if hunting. 

He could finally sense Verander trying to give him some sort of response as a chaotic static nudged at the back of his mind. Instead of letting himself get distracted by trying to decipher it, however, Preto licked his lips as a gentle breath of wind lifted his long hair and brought with it the scent of Marquise’s guards. 

Good. They’re going to get him so now I can do what I’d intended to. 

Rolling his shoulders a few times to loosen the tension in them, Preto glanced over his shoulder at the hunching wolf and winked. 

“Someone clearly needs some exercise… and perhaps a bit of training. So let’s play, shall we?”  he taunted. 

The wolf clearly didn’t seem to realize that it was being goaded. Well, that, or it just didn’t give a damn. It snapped its jaws together, then roared loud enough to cause the ground to tremble beneath their feet. 

Preto quickly decided not to stick around to wait for Verander’s beast to make the first move. He darted forward toward a thick grouping of trees nearby. Vampires were generally slightly faster than werewolves, but speed only helped so much when you had to continuously dodge trees and shrubs. It also didn’t help that spring was just starting and there was quite a bit of detritus layered upon the ground to slip on if he wasn’t careful. 

The forest also hadn’t been the smartest place to take him for a fight, but it had been the safest for everyone else. Preto dashed through the first opening between trunks that were only about four inches thick. Of course, he knew that it wasn’t much of a barrier to such a large wolf, and Verander’s proved that to be true frighteningly fast. 

Not two seconds after he’d passed through Verander’s beast slammed into the copse of trees hard enough to snap one clear in half! He made short work of two more with his massive teeth, then, instead of actually darting through the larger opening he’d made, he lunged at a slightly thicker trunk and sank his teeth into it with a snarl. 

Preto watched from where he squatted nonchalantly on a low-hanging branch in a larger pine tree as Verander’s wolf quickly tore the smaller tree apart, felling it after only about twenty seconds.

He had plenty of room to continue chasing me, yet he stopped to destroy an extra tree. 

Preto hopped down from his little vantage point, intentionally hitting the ground louder than he had to. The abrupt sound of crunching leaves made the beast’s head snap around, its teeth bared as splinters of wood dropped from his jowls like bits of flesh. 

“I thought you came out to play with me. Am I of no interest to you already?” Preto asked, honestly trying to figure out what was going on inside the creature’s head. It was clear that Verander was having trouble controlling the beast, if he was even able to at all once it was let out… 

But why?

Darting to the right as the wolf finally began to give chase again, Preto focused on keeping himself at a reasonably-safe distance.

Elder Pretennon, what is going on with the Ghost alpha? 

Marquise had arrived. Well, he wasn’t within their actual vicinity, but he was close enough for them to be able to communicate without issue. 

I am not sure. He was able to keep his wolf contained well enough while in the city while I was questioning him about Silas after you sent me a report that you were busy and couldn’t make the meeting time, though he wasn’t able to respond very well. I brought him out here to try and let him run off some energy and wear out his beast so that we can finally discuss his assaults on alpha Rain, but it seems like there is more to the situation than I had previously thought. 

He ducked abruptly as Verander’s massive wolf lunged for his left shoulder, its jaws snapping down upon air with an unnervingly loud sound. Preto distanced himself quickly and was just getting situated on another low-hanging branch when he notice Marquise calmly land below in the leaf litter a few yards away. 

His appearance immediately drew Verander’s wolf’s attention, but while it didn’t look happy to see him, it also didn’t dare try to attack him, either. 

“So you know who you can risk attacking, and who you cannot,” Marquise said in a firm tone as he walked straight up to the massive wolf with his hands nonchalantly clasped behind his back and his long dark purple robe rustling gently on the soft breeze that constantly wove its way between the trees within the forest.  

The beast bared its fangs and snarled in response, but the second Marquise mirrored its gesture, his face distorting as his own dangerous beast pressed close to the surface, Verander’s wolf quickly closed its mouth and began pacing circles around the man.

A faint, unsettling scent met Preto’s nose for a split second during the man’s slight shift, but before he could put his finger on what it could be, the scent vanished.  

It was clear that Verander’s wolf was looking for an opportunity, but it was also obvious that it would be very hesitant to take one if it even arose. Not only was Marquise the strongest werewolf Preto had ever met, but he also was the smartest, fastest, and quite frankly, the deadliest. He rarely resorted to violence, but that did not mean that he never used it to get his way. His control over his beast was impeccable, though, which was also one of the reasons he’d brought Verander into his territory. He’d never seen it, himself, but he’d seen enough glimpses and the strength that it lent its human form was no joke. 

“I’m not interested in playing games, Ghost wolf. Return to your human form,” Marquise stated calmly as the wolf stalked around behind him for a fourth circle. 

As it came around toward his front, it lifted its head the slightest bit higher so that when it began to bare its teeth again, they were mere inches away from Marquise’s face.

Cocky wolf…

It was obviously the wrong move to give such an obvious, taunting threat. Especially to a werewolf such as Marquise. Before Verander’s beast could even close its mouth Marquise had reached over its head with his left arm and grabbed the top left side of its muzzle, completely ignoring the extremely sharp teeth that cut into his skin. His right hand clamped down on Verander’s bottom jaw at the same time, then together, he snarled and jerked his left hand toward himself and down as his other hand pushed the wolf’s bottom jaw in the opposite directions. 

The actual force of the action wouldn’t have flipped the beast on their own, but if Verander’s wolf hadn’t at least partially moved with the actions, resulting in his beast being flipped onto its back into the dead leaves at Marquise’s feet, then it would have ended up having a broken jaw, or even neck. 

Preto hopped down from his vantage point as Marquise calmly held the giant wolf where it was. The man’s blood smelled intoxicating, though a bit odd, but he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind as he approached. 

“You are going to submit to me, or you are going to fight against me, and lose . Which choice would you prefer?” Marquise said as he held the wolf’s jaws open at an uncomfortable angle, refusing to be lenient. 

Preto was about to comment on the situation, but his attention was caught by a familiar scent in the air. 

Silas is here? 

Marquise slowly stood from where he’d been crouching as he watched Verander’s wolf go limp on the ground, unwilling to fight a battle it knew it would lose.

“I called him here. This situation, while a concern for everyone overall, seems particularly focused on him,” he said as he looked over at Preto. 

Preto nodded before looking across the area to see Silas walk out from behind a large tree. He wore a loose long-sleeved black shirt and similar pants that were held onto his waist by a simple brown leather belt. 

He’s ready to shift and defend himself if needed. 

“Alpha Rain, thank you for coming,” Marquise said as he walked toward the man, completely ignoring Verander now that his wolf had submitted to him. 

Silas nodded his greetings to Marquise, then to Preto before looking toward Verander. Of course, the wolf had caught his scent already, and was looking straight at him with barely-contained rage. 

“Did you bring what I had requested?” Marquise asked right before Silas reached into a little satchel that had been resting over his shoulder. 

When he pulled out the familiar silver prong collar he’d jokingly put on him a few days ago, Preto narrowed his eyes. He understood what Marquise was considering, but he wasn’t sure if he liked the idea. 

Marquise took the item, showing no discomfort as he touched the pure silver and turned to walk back toward Verander. The other werewolf immediately jumped to its feet, but then quickly hunched back down to the ground when Marquise let out a deep warning growl. 

When he stopped with his dark boots inches from the large wolf’s nose, Marquise knelt. 

“We have tried to be lenient with your aggression, but unwarranted and unexplained attacks are not going to be tolerated any longer. Since you cannot manage to hold back your hostility, you will be given a choice. Your first option is simple. Take your pack and leave. Your given territory will be forfeit and you, and any wolf associated with the Ghost pack, will no longer be welcome in London,” Marquise said, his words completely matter of fact and straight forward. 

Verander’s wolf gave out a quiet whimper as it tucked its tail and let its ears droop to the sides of its head. 

“Or, you will accept being collared and cede your territory and pack to me, for the duration of a week, while we get to the root cause of this issue and decide how to proceed.” 

Preto felt his own nerves surface. Marquise was not playing. He’d never heard of an alpha willingly removing themselves from their position… but he’d only just recently gotten closely involved with the species when he’d come together with Marquise to form the program they now worked on together. 

He knew that the collar would greatly decrease Verander’s power, but unlike what had happened to Ruoka, it wouldn’t keep his human mind from existing, because he’d already shifted before the collar was put on, though it wouldn’t be able to shift as long as the collar was on. If anything, though, it would actually allow his human half to possibly gain more footing against its wolf side.

Wait a minute…

“Marquise, is it normal for wolves to be so dissociated from their human forms?” he asked, beginning to realize what the man might be getting at with the collar. 

He watched as Marquise shook his head, but refused to look away from Verander’s panting wolf. 

“No, it is not common to see a wolf so easily able to influence its human half. Of course, most wild werewolves have no issue letting their wolves control their actions, but that’s not the same. I think Verander’s wolf is a different story. It passed our tests because any alpha who values its pack over itself, would. It did what it had to in order to insure that the Ghost pack would be accepted into the program… however, once the contract had been signed and land given, it began showing its true self.”

Preto tilted his head as he walked closer, no longer worried that the wolf might try for him. 

“Then its true self…?” 

Marquise reached forward slightly with the collar, making Verander’s wolf pin its ears back and twitch its upper lip, but not dare to bare its teeth. 

“Have you ever heard of dissociative identity disorder?”  

Pretennon nodded slowly, quickly putting the pieces together. 

“His wolf is a completely separate entity?” he asked, knowing that the answer had been right in front of him the entire time. 

That’s why it looked like it was trying to escape instead of just come out. And also why it seemed to try and take over one of Verander’s eyes instead of simply look through them both like most werewolves would when their inner beast became curious of a situation. 

“Correct. It’s usually a result of severe past trauma, but there is still a lot of research that needs to be done with it. I’ve never seen a wolf with it, but I’ve come across a few humans,” Marquise said as he reached forward with his free hand and, after hesitating for a moment when Verander’s wolf hunched a little closer to the ground, settled his hand atop its head. 

“It’s not something that can be cured easily, if ever, and I have a feeling that a large portion of his wolf’s reactions recently have been because of the new situation and, more importantly, the new alpha constantly at the edge of his new territory. Silas is an extreme threat, but not only to just himself, but to his much smaller, vulnerable pack.”

Marquise began gently sifting his fingers through the wolf’s fur as its right ear flicked a few times. 

“The human half understands that the chances of Silas being allowed to even consider harming his pack or trying to take his given land as being pretty low, but his wolf doesn’t. It’s so out of touch with what its human is thinking that its own emotions, mainly aggression and agitation, spill over. It’s a dangerous combination for a werewolf living amongst people…” 

Preto nodded as he walked over and knelt down next to Marquise, but noted that Silas didn’t dare move closer and stayed roughly twenty feet away. The man might not be the most honest or friendly, but he knew not to push a situation that he definitely wouldn’t be able to handle. 

“We can speak more on this subject later, but for the moment, make your choice, wolf. Give up everything and go back to the forest, or relinquish your control for a short time and, if you learn to control your aggressions, your wolves and land will be returned to you. If you do not, your pack will be exiled.” 

All of the normal sounds of the forest quieted as Marquise finished speaking, almost as if it were waiting to hear the wolf’s choice as well. 

Preto watched as Verander’s beast slowly turned its nose toward the collar Marquise still held up. He could see the wheels turning in its head and did not envy the choices it was being forced to consider. It seemed like it might actually decline to allow the collar to be put on, but right when Preto thought that it might just stand up and walk away, the wolf leaned forward and slipped its head through the opening. 

The moment it settled against its thick black fur Preto saw something akin to relief flicker in its eyes. Marquise reached forward right as the giant wolf began to fall over, catching it with ease before lifting its hefty mass up into his arms as if it were simply a stray puppy he’d found walking about the forest instead of a three-hundred pound alpha werewolf that had just passed out. 

When he started heading back toward town, Preto hurried to fall into step beside him. Silas followed them, too, but still kept a reasonable distance until they reached the edge of the forest and Marquise turned toward him. 

“Rain alpha, Silas?” he said, drawing the man’s attention immediately as Silas gave a nod of acknowledgement and respect. 

To his surprise, Marquise walked up to him and handed over Verander’s now-unconscious form. The werewolf struggled with the weight for a moment before he managed to rearrange Verander’s wolf so that its head was settled on his shoulder and he was able to hold its back end with both hands. It looked quite funny, but Preto didn’t dare joke about something so serious. Handing another alpha to its neighbor after forcing a handicap upon it? 

Marquise… this might be too much, he thought to the man. 

Instead of replying to him directly, Marquise kept his attention focused on Silas. 

“You are responsible for him for the next week. I will come check on him several times, as will elder Pretennon. If there are any injuries inflicted upon him, or you, during the week, I want all of the information about the incident submitted to me immediately, understood?” 

Silas still seemed a bit dumbfounded, but he quickly nodded as he shifted Verander’s weight a little more in his arms. 

“Good. I will take my leave now so that I can inform his pack of the current situation and place some of my guards on the outskirts of the territory to be sure no wild packs dare to try and cause problems while he is unavailable to defend his land before I have to go to my meeting,” Marquise said as he began to turn away. 

“Moon alpha,” Silas called out quickly, his voice seeming a little stressed from the weight he carried. 

Marquise looked over his shoulder at him and raised a brow, clearly wanting to finish his task and get back to his own pack’s issues. 

“Verander was injured by a silver bear trap down by the river in his territory. Please look into it when you have a chance.” 

Ah, so that was why he was limping a little. 

It was clear that Marquise wanted to question him further, but the man truly was extremely busy and had taken time out of his own matters to tend to this situation, so it was no surprise when he simply nodded before turning and walking away. 

Preto considered helping Silas carry his new quarry back to his pack house, but something far more entertaining came to his mind before he could offer. 

“Where would beta Kandza be today?” he asked instead. 

Silas seemed to scowl in response, but he used Verander’s thick fur against his face to hide the majority of the expression. 

“He’s at the pack house,” he replied with a grumble. 

Preto immediately walked forward and took Verander’s wolf with ease. After nonchalantly tossing it over his shoulder, he turned north-east and started heading toward the Rain pack house. He could sense that Silas was wanting to say more about what he’d asked, but the man bit his tongue and simply followed him. Likely because he didn’t want to have to carry the massive wolf all the way back to his home by himself. Either way, Preto was more than happy to help… then find his way to Kandza’s room.  

(Edited)

Chapter 25

He might have been a little impatient to get back to the Rain pack house. Even carrying Verander’s heavy wolf, he was easily outpacing Silas, forcing the alpha to speed up or be left behind. 

By the time they were walking up the steps to the front door, Silas was panting heavily, clearly worn out. Preto stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down at him, unable to hide his disapproving look as the man slowly ascended the stairs. 

“Why are you so tired, alpha Silas?” 

Silas fidgeted and cleared his throat as he, unwisely, ignored his question and pushed open the front double doors to the large mansion. 

Preto stared at his back for a long moment before following him inside, then up the stairs and to the left toward his room. It looked the same as it had the previous time he’d been there, but as he watched Silas hurry about, he realized that there was quite a bit more to the room than he’d originally thought. 

I like the chains… might need to add some to mine. 

Silas had removed a few small panels from his wall near his bed and pulled out lengths of chain. They weren’t super thick, but that just meant that they were likely coated in silver, instead. 

Preto tilted his head as he considered Kandza chained up, but immediately bared his fangs at the idea because his brain, for some reason, displayed him being restrained in Silas’s room instead of his own. 

With his mood spoiled, Preto walked forward and dropped Verander’s unconscious form onto Silas’s bed, then promptly turned to face the other tired-looking werewolf. 

“You are in charge of him for the time being. We will be checking on him regularly, though, so please do not try to take advantage of this situation. We gave him to you because of the way your pack respects you. I disagree with some of your methods when handling external affairs, but I’m sure that you can handle yourself well enough to teach his wolf how to manage itself better around you so that, hopefully, future issues won’t arise so often?” 

Silas quickly nodded, then replied. 

“I understand, elder Pretennon. I will work with him in an appropriate manner.” 

Preto spared the unconscious Ghost alpha one final glance before turning and heading for the door, intent on finding a very different room…

“Lord Pretennon?” 

Biting back a scowl, Preto turned and raised an eyebrow at Silas. 

“Right now might not be the best time to visit my beta. I could send him over later this evening if that would be alright?” 

Preto tilted his head slightly as he extended his senses the slightest amount. 

“He is here,” he stated simply, then added. “Has he requested to be left alone?”

Silas fidgeted but shook his head. 

“Is he unwell?” he tried again, wanting to know what was going on that he couldn’t go to his wolf. 

Another shake of the alpha’s head made Preto cross his arms over his chest. 

Kandza? he called out telepathically, figuring that he could just ask the wolf himself if he wanted him there or not. 

Lord Pretennon? Why have you come to the pack house? 

He wasn’t quite sure, but Kandza seemed a little startled. 

I brought the Ghost alpha over and wanted to come see you while I was here. 

The sudden nervousness that flared through his mind in response to his words had his brow furrowing in confusion. Silas looked like he was about to say something in response to that, but his attention was quickly diverted when Verander’s wolf began to wake up. 

Is something the matter? 

He waited a long while before receiving a response, and said response was actually audible, instead of telepathic. It came in the form of a nervous yip from downstairs, drawing him over to the long banister railing in order to look over it. 

Kandza stood in the large entry room, dancing on his paws with excitement. Preto was just looking back over his shoulder to tell Silas that there was clearly no problem with Kandza, but bit his tongue when he noticed the man struggling to fix the chains on a groggy, growling Verander. 

I’ll leave them to their bonding.

Besides, he had an adorable pup waiting for him right downstairs. He needed no more motivation to leave the two alpha’s and hurry to the steps. Kandza met him right at the bottom, spinning in circles every few seconds until Preto was close enough to pick him up. 

“Hello there, my beautiful wolf,” Preto said as he nonchalantly began carrying Kandza past several stunned pack members. 

Perhaps it was a bit odd for an elder vampire to be walking around a pack house carrying its beta in his arms, but he honestly didn’t care, and Kandza seemed perfectly fine with it as he nuzzled his fuzzy face just about everywhere he could. 

Preto scented the air a few times as they moved, eventually picking up on his target and turning to head down a back hallway towards it. When Kandza realized where they were going, he jerked his head up and pinned his ears. 

Elder Pretennon, perhaps we should go outside instead? Or to your home? 

Halting his steps immediately, Preto looked at the wolf who now refused to meet his gaze. 

“Kandza, is there something wrong with me wanting to see your room? If you don’t want me to, all you have to do is tell me,” he told him, not liking that he wasn’t willing to be completely honest with him. 

“Silas didn’t seem to want me to see you today, either. Is something wrong?” 

No sir! Nothing is wrong, it’s just… It’s just that my room does not look anything like yours. 

“You… are embarrassed because of how your room looks?” he asked, surprised that such a simple thing would make his pup so nervous. 

The wolf in his arms tucked its head against his chest and pinned its ears to the side of its head. It was such an odd thing to be embarrassed about, but if it was something that Kandza took seriously, then he would take it just as seriously. 

“May I see your room, Kandza? If you don’t want me to right now, I absolutely won’t mind, but I would like to see it sometime,” he said honestly. 

He stopped walking as he finished speaking and leaned calmly against the wall in the darker hallway. While Kandza thought about how he wanted to respond, Preto shifted his weight in his arms a bit, then began running his fingers through his thick, soft fur. 

They stayed there for several minutes before Kandza finally lifted his head and tilted his ears back up. 

Elder Pretennon may come to my room. 

Preto leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Kandza’s forehead before he began walking again. He followed his nose down the hall, then turned and began down a second, darker hallway. He wasn’t very happy about the lighting in the area, and the fact that the beta’s room was so far away from the alpha’s, but at the same time, he was a little bit relieved by that fact, but only because Silas had a romantic interest in Kandza. 

They finally stopped at the farthest end of the farthest hall, then turned to face a bland, unimpressive wooden door. He had half a mind to walk in and pack up his pup’s things right at that moment, but forced himself to calm down as he gently sat Kandza down, then straightened before reaching over and grabbing the doorknob. 

He wasn’t exactly sure what he’d been expecting to see in his wolf’s room, but he definitely hadn’t expected to see what he did. Blankets in shades of dark greens, browns, and blacks hung from the ceiling at all angles, draping over piles and piles of similarly-colored blankets on the floor. The wooden flooring had clearly been dug up in the far left corner near a small window where a dark green plant grew happily toward the ceiling, It’s long leaves nudging aside the blankets invading its extending territory. 

Stepping inside slowly, Preto took his time to look around the space. He had to move aside a few hanging blankets with his hand to be able to find Kandza’s small, wooden dresser, but as he ventured farther into the room, after slipping off his shoes, he realized something as he turned back to stare at the panting wolf still standing near the doorway. 

“You have no bed, love?” 

Kandza pinned his ears for a moment in embarrassment, but then tilted them upward again and hurried forward. He easily wove his way between the hanging curtains and masses of blankets, then gave a little bark when he noticed that Preto hadn’t immediately followed him. 

“I’m coming,” he said with a quiet chuckle as he hurried to duck through the maze of hanging blankets. 

They honestly made the room feel like a forest, especially with the added scent of fresh soil from the dug up area in the back left corner. It took him a surprising amount of time to maneuver his way through the large area, but when he finally managed to get past the majority of the hanging blankets and emerged out of the fabric forest and into a slightly more open area, he noticed that the blankets had been exchanged with sheets that were tucked much closer against the ceiling and out of the way. 

What he saw waiting for him made his intrigued smile widen and his eyes crinkle at the edges. Kandza sat atop a large pile of clean gray and dark green blankets, wiggling with nervous excitement as his tail whipped this way and that without any sort of actual rhythm. 

Is my room alright, master? I can change it if there is anything not to your liking…

It had honestly been a pretty big shock to walk into a literal fabric forest, but just looking at how proud his pup was to have been able to show him… and how much courage he’d likely had to muster to actually do so? 

Preto hopped up onto the surprisingly-soft bed of blankets and sat down right in front of Kandza. 

“I don’t think there’s a single thing that I dislike about your room. It’s very cute,” he said, making Kandza tilt his head and flick an ear. 

He knew that calling it cute probably hadn’t exactly been what his wolf had been looking for as far as compliments, if he’d expected any at all, but he wasn’t one to bend the truth. 

He was about to say something else when he was suddenly shoved backwards onto the plush blankets and held there by two firm, clawed hands on either one of his shoulders. 

  “Hello there, my Kandza,” 

The beautiful caramel eyes that stared down at him through a mop of messy, soft black hair made him want to reach up and sink his own claws into the mess, but he didn’t want to fight against Kandza… yet. If he wanted to pin him, then he’d allow it. 

“Elder Pretennon.” 

Preto could sense the man’s slight annoyance at his room being called cute, but it quickly disappeared when he slowly ran his tongue along his lower lip, immediately stealing Kandza’s full attention. 

He watched him swallow nervously before he began to lean down. Preto returned his gaze with calm, focused eyes. When Kandza hesitated an inch or so away from his target, allowing his warm breath to ghost over Preto’s lips, he leaned up the slightest amount and let his tongue slip from his mouth and swipe across Kandza’s parted lips.   

The sound of the man’s heartbeat speeding up in his chest made Preto smirk as he lowered his head back down to the blankets and tilted it slightly, curious to see what his wolf was willing to do with the submissive gesture. 

It didn’t take long for Kandza to finish leaning down and burry his face in the crook of his neck, then begin to growl as he started licking, then biting hard enough to actually make Preto wince a few times. 

You are being quite aggressive today, my wolf. 

Kandza immediately switched from biting back to licking with a nervous whine, clearly having taken his thoughts negatively. 

Such a worrying pup , he thought to him as he reached up and wrapped his arms around Kandza’s firm back, then gently guided him downward until his upper half was resting comfortably against his chest. He would have honestly preferred to have the man’s full body overtop him, but if Kandza didn’t want to make that adjustment, he wouldn’t push him. It was enough to have most of his heat on him. 

As it were, he moved his left hand slowly up along his back, loving that Kandza’s muscles fidgeted with every inch his clawed fingers gained until they delved into his mop of soft black hair. He grabbed handful after handful of it until his fingers finally captured one of the man’s adorable wolfish ears. It tried to flick itself out of his grasp several times, but when Kandza didn’t stop his licking at his neck or request that he leave his ear alone, Preto figured that it was simply a sensitivity he hadn’t discovered previously. 

He pressed at the spot that was triggering the cute reaction a few more times before beginning to massage the whole area. 

“Elder Pretennon…?” 

Preto slid his hand from Kandza’s ear and entwined his fingers back into his hair before lifting his head up using those deliciously-soft strands until the man’s face was high enough so that they could lock eyes. Kandza was panting quietly, his caramel eyes darkened with hunger. 

“Will you not call me simply by my name, Kandza?” he asked, wishing for their relationship to finally move to such a basis. He wasn’t really one for long term things, but he did have a name and did  prefer that his current lover use it. 

Kandza’s face quickly warmed to a soft pink color as he glanced away. 

“I-I could never do such a—” Preto silenced him abruptly as his temper flared, making him lean up and seal his lips over Kandza’s slightly-parted ones. 

When his werewolf pulled away, now moving to sit beside him, Preto propped himself up on an arm as several long lochs of his hair fell before his narrowed eyes. Kandza was panting as he watched him, licking his lips repeatedly as if he were looking at a delicious meal instead of an elder vampire… and yet he still couldn’t get the man to relax more. 

Leaning forward, Preto firmly grabbed Kandza’s jaw and brought his face closer, stopping only when their noses were about to brush. 

“Kandza, I want to hear my name on your lips. Only,  my name. Not my title. Nothing else. I want this mouth to say Pretennon in that gruff tone you have when you want to touch me.” 

He could tell that Kandza was struggling with his request, but he refused to back down. In fact, he leaned forward slowly, closing the distance between their mouths for the briefest of moments before leaning away and focusing his eyes back on his werewolf’s. 

After the few moments he’d needed to recover from the abrupt kiss, Kandza swallowed and leaned forward, himself. Preto had half a mind to lean away and not allow him to do what he was intending, but he forced himself to calm his inner frustrations enough to allow Kandza to press his lips to his own. 

The kiss was short, broken by Kandza, but it didn’t take long for the man to press their mouths together again. When he broke the kiss a second time, a faint whisper let his mouth. 

“E-elder Pretennon…” 

Preto bristled at the title still firmly placed in front of his name, but he bit back his words and allowed Kandza to lean forward again and seal his mouth more firmly over his own right before he felt one of the man’s hands press against his chest gently. 

He hesitated, but then forced himself to calm down, again, and allowed Kandza to press him back down into the blankets. He knew that not everyone was alike, but he wasn’t used to dealing with someone so nervous when it came to a relationship. 

The man’s tongue began exploring his mouth as soon as they were both comfortable in their new positions, but soon enough, Kandza broke the kiss again. 

“P-Prey…” he mumbled, his lower lip shaking a little against Pretenon’s before he quickly sealed them together again. 

Prey, hmm? 

He waited patiently as they kissed for a while longer. Kandza was beginning to get a little more comfortable with such attention, so Preto didn’t hesitate to allow his hands to wander as far south on the man’s body as he could reach… and he could definitely reach plenty with his long arms and greedy hands. 

Of course, he would behave, to a point, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t squeezing the left side of Kandza’s backside so tightly that it might bruise if he continued for more than a few moments. 

“…Pretennon.” 

Huh?

He’d been distracted. Completely and utterly distracted with the deep kiss and the handful of flesh his hand was greedily working. He was about to ask Kandza to repeat himself but when the man’s right hand tangled its clawed fingers tightly within his long hair as his left hand gripped his jaw to the point of nearly bruising the skin there so that he could deepen their kiss, his mind was finally forced away from his previous request… and redirected to other, far more interesting activities. 

(Edited)

Chapter 26

He decided against following his master home. Even thought he felt empty without the man at his side, he knew that he had said something wrong, again. Sighing for the third time, he finished changing back into his darker outfit, then tugged on the final piece; the long-coat, before signing a little form to send the other outfits back to Pretennon’s home when they were ready. 

His handwriting was quite terrible, but he was at least proud that it could be read, since he’d never officially learned how to write. He was just glad that his hand moved the feathered-pen well enough to make something legible. 

Once that was finished, he stepped out into the afternoon sun and slipped his new top hat onto his head. He immediately felt several sets of eyes fall upon him, and wasted no time picking out each of the werewolves and glaring at them until they diverted their gaze to the ground. He understood that the packs wanted him for some reason, but he wasn’t interested in joining any of them. He had what he wanted… he just wasn’t sure how to make the man want  him as more than just a comforting pet.

Starting his walk westward, Ruoka focused most of his attention on his shaky stride as he worked on balancing in the boots he’d decided to try wearing before leaving the shop. His master could walk well in any kind of footwear he chose to wear, but he couldn’t walk in any yet. 

Perhaps he will become more comfortable around me if I can use shoes, too. 

He’d honestly thought that he’d be more stressed about wearing clothing, but even though his new outfit was a bit tight against his skin and the larger coat sat heavily on his shoulders, he found that he quite liked the way it had made him look. 

He was just turning past a large building that smelled of old books when he felt something tug at the bend of his arm, drawing his attention to his side. 

“Excuse me, sweetheart.” 

Ah, the old woman from the shop. 

“I noticed that you were having some trouble writing your name back in my shop,” the woman said a little nervously. 

Ruoka pursed his lips, the slightest bit embarrassed that he didn’t have many useful human skills yet. 

“Oh, don’t you fret. I wanted to ask if you’d like some lessons to learn how to write better? I used to be a school teacher, and I just can’t help but offer assistance when I feel I can help someone,” she said, making him tilt his head slightly. 

“I do not have money right now,” he replied matter-of-factly. He honestly had not a single coin to his name. 

The woman made a dismissive gesture and then turned to point at the large building to his right. 

“Do not worry about that. Your master gave me more than enough for the outfits he requested be made, and then some. Let me help you for a short while, and if you are pleased with my work, I will tutor you for a week or so. Free of charge. How does that sound?”

He would have said that it sounded suspicious, but it was clear by her scent that she was just a simple human. She also hadn’t mentioned having ties to any of the three werewolf packs… 

Ruoka looked up at the intimidating building before returning his attention back to the woman. He was nervous about learning something new, but his master could write very well, and he wanted to impress him. 

“Okay, I accept your offer,” he said right before the woman grabbed his arm with an excited grin and began tugging him up the ridiculous amount of stairs. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve had a student. This is going to be so much fun!” she said with enthusiasm as she easily scaled the steps that were beginning to wind Ruoka as he tried to balance in his shoes and billowing coat. 

By the time they were finally walking into the tall building Ruoka was panting quietly and feeling quite hot without his insulating fur. It kept him warm in the cold months, but also helped regulate his temperature when it was hot out. He’d already shed his winter undercoat, too, so being a wolf right now would have definitely been more comfortable than a human in clothing. 

“This is so exciting,” the woman said as she tugged him through the main entrance, then back to a secluded section of tables surrounded by bookshelves so high that his hat nearly fell from his head as he tried to look up at the top shelves. 

“Over here, lad,” she called as she sat down at a small worn table in a corner by a shelf that held little children’s toys and gadgets. 

When she set three small books on the table and opened them to reveal words, Ruoka couldn’t help but feel like he might prefer to play with the toys on the shelf instead of try to mess with human books. 

“Alright, your name is Ruoka, right?” the lady asked, wanting confirmation that she was saying it right. 

He nodded, then frowned as the woman turned the book she’d opened toward him. 

“You understand words well enough, so I think you could just use some handwriting practice and perhaps some spelling?” she said, making him nod again as he reluctantly moved the book closer to himself.

He understood most of what was written, but…

Why is there so much blank space? 

“It’s a writing book, lad. You read the sentence, then write it out several times for practice,” the woman said as she tapped the empty lines beneath the first sentence. 

Oh, that seems simple enough… and horrifically boring. 

Either way, he wouldn’t back down from a challenge. Especially not one that would help him become more useful to his master. So, he took the quill the woman handed him, then dipped it in the ink after reading the first sentence, then began writing. 

When he finally finished his first set of sentences, he felt the determination for his quest slipping. They looked terrible.  While he’d been scratching at the paper the woman had pulled up a seat beside him. She now reached up and pointed at a few specific places in his sentences.

“These are actually quite well done. I would focus on smoothing out your lines and not worry about the specific shapes so much. Everyone writes differently. Don’t feel restricted to make your words look exactly like what is already written.”

Ruoka stared at his sentences, then at what he had been told to copy. 

“I can make them look differently?” 

He was getting confused. 

The woman gestured for him to hand her the quill, so he did, then watched as she began to write in a little space beneath his last sentence. She was copying what he’d already written, but her handwriting was much smoother and some of the sharper points from the original sentence were nowhere to be seen. 

“See here,” she said as she pointed at her little sentence. 

“You can make changes to certain letters as long as you can still tell what they are meant to be. If you are more comfortable making your n’s and m’s, for example, more curved than pointed like the capital versions, then you may do so.”

Taking back the quill pen, Ruoka looked over his three sentences, then the woman’s, before he dipped the pen back in the ink receptacle and then tried again with the next trial sentence on the page.     

By the time he’d finished six copies of that one he actually felt like he was getting the hang of it. He really did dislike the sharper parts of letters and opted to change most of them to more curved versions, and when his teacher didn’t reprimand him for it, he continued practicing his modified letters. 

“My name is Lily, by the way. You can call me Mrs. Lily or ma’am. Whichever you like is fine with me,” she said, making Ruoka smile up at her before quickly returning to his work. 

He wasn’t sure how long he actually worked on his writing, but by the time he had gone through half the book and finally looked up to take a break, it was dark outside the library windows. 

“I haven’t seen someone so focused on learning in so long. What a joy you are, sweetheart,” Mrs. Lily said as she pushed her chair back and stood up, making Ruoka hurry to his feet, too. 

“You best be headed home now. I’m sure your master is probably waiting for your return?” she said with a shine to her eyes that made Ruoka blush faintly. 

“I probably should have informed him that I was not returning home right away,” he said, realizing that Seba might actually be confused as to where he was. 

Picking up the book, Ruoka looked around as to where to put it, but the woman patted his shoulder and simply smiled again. 

“You bring that home and keep working on it. Come find me at my shop tomorrow and we will go over what you did today and anything you might have time to add since this lesson, hmm?” 

He quickly nodded as she packed her ink and quill into a little fabric bag, then handed it to him, too. 

“Now then, back home with you.” 

Ruoka gave the woman a respectful nod, then hurried for the door with a little more enthusiasm in his steps than he’d had in quite a while. He knew that he’d overstepped his master’s boundaries earlier, but he’d let him relax alone for most of the day and also took it upon himself to learn a new skill. Hopefully things would be okay if he returned now. 

He was in quite a good mood as he walked the mile or so back to his master’s home, but as he headed up the front steps, something felt… off. Opening the door, he looked around and sniffed the air. 

Huh? Master is not home? 

Stepping inside, he gave a slight nod to a few of Pretennon’s workers milling about cleaning here and there, but wasn’t really sure what to do with himself. 

I guess I’ll wait for him upstairs. 

He was just turning to head for the stairs when movement off to the left caught his attention, drawing his eyes over to a very displeased-looking vampire who had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorjamb to one of the many sitting rooms in the house. 

Master Pretennon.

He’d been avoiding the man for quite some time, but now that his master wasn’t even home… he was stuck. 

“We will be having a little chat momentarily, but you must first deal with my distraught heir,” Pretennon said, making Ruoka frown as he looked around himself, then back to the vampire. 

When Pretennon said nothing and simply kept his narrowed eyes on him, Ruoka felt his upper lip begin to twitch, wanting to lift and bare his teeth, but he knew better than to let his instincts rule his actions with the man. He might be confident in his ability to fight, but the vampire had many, many years on him, and he would not dare to fight his master’s master, anyways. Even if his wolf didn’t like the idea of having a more dominant figure around.

He was about to question why he was being kept waiting there when the front doors suddenly slammed open and he was tackled by his master. Ruoka grunted as he hit the floor, but made sure to secure his master in his arms before they landed to prevent injury. When Seba didn’t immediately release him from the hug he’d wrapped him in when he’d run inside, Ruoka slowly let his hat-less head settle on the marble floor.   

 “I-I’m mad at you,” his master finally said, his words muffled against Ruoka’s shirt. 

I thought he would have calmed down from my earlier mistake by now…

“I apologize for what I said to you earlier, master,” he said, honestly embarrassed that he hadn’t simply gone back home immediately after he’d made the mistake to amend it.  

When his master shook his head against his chest, Ruoka frowned and turned his head to look over at Pretennon. That had been a mistake. The vampire looked even angrier than he had before Sebastian had returned. 

I apologized, lord Pretennon. What other mistakes have I made? 

He didn’t think that the vampire would actually respond to him after a few moments of silence, but then he heard the man’s voice in his mind. 

Why did you not return home immediately after going to the tailors? 

Ruoka quickly replied. 

I decided to give master some space so I took a walk, but the tailor from the shop noticed that my writing when I signed for our items was very messy, and offered to help teach me. We went to the library for the day. 

He saw the man’s expression slowly relax as he digested those words, then watched as he nodded toward Sebastian, who still refused to release him. 

He’d thought that something bad had happened to you when you hadn’t followed him back home. He has been looking for you for several hours. 

Ruoke felt his face heat with embarrassment as he slowly sat up, adjusting his master in his arms so that he would end up sitting in his lap. 

“I apologize for not returning home first and getting your permission to go out alone. I was at the library with the woman from the shop, learning how to write better,” he said honestly, hoping to calm his master down and stop the tears he could smell.

When his master finally leaned away enough to look up at him, Ruoka felt his heart twist in his chest. Seba still refused to release him, but he’d at least retracted his hug and switched to holding onto pieces of the fabric from his shirt, instead. 

“I thought that something had happened to you. Y-you always follow me home,” he said, twisting the knot in his chest tighter as Ruoka hugged his master close. 

“I misspoke and wanted to give you time to yourself. I apologize for making you worry.” 

He felt his master reach one hand up to sift his fingers through his hair while the other arm wrapped back around him securely. It seemed like he was about to bury his face in the crook of his neck, too, but that’s when Pretennon cleared his throat and took a step forward, drawing both their attention toward him.

“Now that that misunderstanding has been rectified, I need to speak with Ruoka… alone.” 

 Ruoka felt his master’s arm tighten around him for a moment, but then he relented and released him so that he could climb out of his lap and stand. When he offered him a hand up, Ruoka gladly accepted it and stood, too. 

“We will talk more upstairs,” Seba said with a relieved smile before he walked past him and headed up the steps. 

Ruoka watched him until he was out of sight, then walked over to his hat and picked it up before replacing it atop his head and turning to Pretennon. When the man simply nodded and turned to head down the hall toward his office, Ruoka silently followed. He entered the room right as Pretennon was taking a seat behind his large oak desk. When he gestured for him to take the seat opposite him, Ruoka hesitated, but eventually walked forward and did as directed. 

“Alpha Ruoka, what is it that you want from my heir?” 

Ruoka slowly leaned back in the plush velvet armchair as his hat tilted the slightest bit to the side, mirroring his slight grin. 

“You are within reach of your freedom, and it would likely be awarded to you with just a simple request to your master… yet you have no interest in asking him for your release, do you?” Pretennon said calmly, even though his eyes burned with a protectiveness for his sick heir. 

“No, I do not plan to ask for my freedom.”  

The man across from him didn’t seem surprised by his answer in the least. Instead, he leaned forward and rested one arm on his desk as he met his eyes with his own calculating ones. 

“So then, I will ask you again. Alpha Ruoka, what is that you want from my heir?” 

Unable to control himself, Ruoka slowly swiped his tongue across his bottom lip as he narrowed his eyes on Pretennon’s. 

“I want him to be mine, and mine alone.” 

The man across from him didn’t seem happy with his response, because his hands resting upon his desk were beginning to grow claws. 

“He is not some trinket that is to be worn on one’s arm and shown off at parties, boy.” 

Ruoka felt his wolf claw at his human skin, wanting to get out, but he managed to hold it back and lean forward.

“I have been with him my entire life. He relies on me for food and comfort,” he stated truthfully. 

Pretennon scoffed and made a dismissive gesture as he leaned back in his chair and settled his chin in his left hand as his elbow rested propped up atop the armrest. 

“And that automatically gives you the right to determine whom he takes as his heir?” 

Ruoka recoiled slightly, unintentionally letting a growl slip from his clenched jaw. 

“You can comfort him, but you have severed the trust that you have earned through feeding him. You controlled him and forced him to attack someone,” Pretennon said, making Ruoka finally growl intentionally as he reached forward and gripped the edge of the vampire’s old wooden desk. 

“Someone was threatening him!” 

“And that simply gives you the right, without truly knowing the situation, to force  him to attack?” Pretennon retorted immediately, lowering his arm as his muscles began to tense, too. 

Ruoka wanted to snarl at the man that if his master was ever in any kind of trouble, that he would do whatever  necessary to keep him safe, but he bit his tongue at the last second. 

You… 

Standing up, Ruoka forced himself to walk over to the window, using the distraction of the random people coming and going outside to calm himself. After several tense minutes, he managed to steady his breathing and slowly turn back around. 

Pretennon had turned to watch him, but that was no surprise. He’d felt the man’s eyes on him the entire time. 

“Your answer, wolf?” the vampire asked with a knowing look in his eyes. 

Ruoka gave a determined grumble as he took a confident step forward. 

“It was a mistake that I will never repeat. I should not have used my master’s trust in me to make him do something against his will.” 

Pretennon actually smirked after he’d finished speaking, making Ruoka slightly confused. He felt as if he’d said the right thing, but why was the vampire staring at him in such a way now? 

“Alpha Ruoka, I will consider you as a formal candidate for my heir’s ceremony… but you must agree to two rules, first.” 

He was actually going to consider him? Even after what he’d done and his attitude towards him? Snapping himself out of his surprised daze, Ruoka quickly straightened the hat on his head and stood tall. 

“What rules do you require I follow… elder Pretennon?” 

The vampire before him could clearly tell that it irked him to show such respect, but he also seemed to brush off his hesitance as he stood and stepped forward, nearly putting them toe to toe. 

“You still may not have him feed upon you unless it is an absolute emergency.” 

That rule was no surprise, since it was already technically in play, so Ruoka nodded immediately in agreement. 

“The second rule is that you will now have your own room. I have my servants working on getting it ready for you right now. You are not to enter Sebastian’s personal quarters again without an invitation, and you may not enter at all after eleven o’clock in the evening, until dawn the next day.” 

What…

“I do not want you having an unfair advantage, even though I feel as if you already do, since Sebastian has raised you from a pup, but I believe that these two simple rules will make things fair enough. Do you not agree?” Pretennon asked with the slightest raise of an eyebrow. 

He was daring him to argue… and he would. 

“I agree to your rules, but I would like to add one stipulation,” he said as the man before him took a few steps backward so that he could settle on the edge of his desk and cross one leg over the other, leaning back on his hands with a curious grin. 

“Speak.” 

“If master would like me in his room after your eleven o’clock curfew, and specifically requests that I enter, I intend to…” Ruoka said, not exactly forming his words into a request, so much as agreeing to disagree to that part of the rule. 

He wasn’t sure what to expect as a response from the vampire before him, but when Prettenon simply nodded toward the door for him to leave, Ruoka fidgeted, but headed for the exit. He was just stepping out of it when he heard Prettenon respond to his words. 

“Your exception is granted.” 

Before Ruoka could even turn around, the door swung shut and the click of the lock echoed throughout the long hallway. The conversation was evidently over. 

Even though it hadn’t turned out exactly how he’d wanted, it had definitely been better than what he’d thought it would be… or could have been. So, reasonably pleased, Ruoka headed upstairs to… go to his own room. 

This is going to take some time to get used to, he thought as he headed toward the stairs.

He already didn’t like the idea of not seeing his master first thing in the morning and right before they went to sleep at night, but he just kept reminding himself that they could return to how things were quite easily as long as he won his favor. Perhaps Sebastian could even learn to relax around his human form enough to allow him to touch him more… or maybe, even, to request he join him in his bed instead of sleep on the floor. 

I feel strange thinking such things… but I can’t say that I dislike it. 

(Edited)

Chapter 27

He had no idea what he was supposed to do with the giant werewolf in his bed. There was no way it would be able to get to him, at least, unless he moved closer. 

But those eyes…

It wasn’t very plausible to feed the wolf in his bed, either. And relieving itself…

I need to get him trained as fast as possible. 

“Alright, so I guess we should start with the basics,” Silas said as he hesitantly took a small step forward. 

The wolf immediately lifted its upper lip and gave out a warning growl. Silas quickly stepped back in response and frowned, already feeling terribly stressed with his new situation. 

Why on Earth did Marquise and Elder Pretennon decide to give him to me? 

Sure, he was great with teaching younger wolves the ins and outs of pack life, and he was highly respected for it, but now they expected him to simply be able to tame an extremely aggressive monster with two different personalities? 

Giving a distressed sigh, he turned in a circle as he tugged at his hair, then looked back at the wolf. It flicked an ear, but made no other movement. 

“Do you even understand me? Or are you that savage?” 

The wolf bared its teeth again, but then seemed to almost scoff as it finally settled its huge head down upon its massive crossed paws. 

“Okay, so you can understand me. That’s good at least,” he said as he took a few more steps away, then settled into a small chair he had situated on the other side of his dresser. 

“I know that you don’t like me, and it’s probably because we’re both alphas and our territory is so close together, but there’s nothing I can do about that. I won’t give up the safety this space has provided for myself and my pack. Is that not your main goal, too? To keep your pack safe from being hunted down like animals?” 

The wolf gave a quiet grumble, but this time, it didn’t show its teeth. 

Progress, I guess. 

“We have two weeks to calm you down enough to coexist with me. I’m open to ideas, because I’d rather not fight with you,” he said as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. 

He wasn’t sure what kind of response he’d been hoping for, but when the wolf simply snorted and gave him a side-eye, Silas leaned back in his chair and sighed.

“I guess I should just get used to my room smelling like wolf scat,” he said as he stood up and headed for the door. 

He was just about to leave, not willing to stress himself out any further with the situation just yet, when he heard the wolf behind him give a growling-bark. 

Silas forced himself to stop in the entryway and glare over his shoulder. 

“What? I can’t unchain you if you’re going to try and kill me. So you’re just going to have to urinate and defecate in there,” he said with a half-shrug. 

When the wolf stood up, its hackles rose with it, but Silas disregarded the warning. It couldn’t do anything to him while it was restrained. He was just about to turn to leave again, since the wolf wasn’t doing anything besides staring, but then he felt a faint nudge in the back of his mind. 

Is he actually trying to communicate? 

Turning back to face the wolf, Silas crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorjamb, waiting. It took the other werewolf quite a while to secure a bond between them, but after about ten minutes of feeling little flickers in the back of his thoughts, he heard him. 

I can’t… control it. 

He already knew that part, but it was bittersweet to hear the man confess to him. 

“You need to learn how. At least enough to keep it from taking over and attacking me whenever it wants to,” Silas said as he took a step forward. 

The beast looked like it was about to lift its lip again, but surprisingly, it managed to keep it down… but just barely. 

Maybe this might not be as terrible as I’d thought.

“I want you to get your pack back as soon as possible. I know you don’t want to be around me, either. So as soon as we get used to each other enough to calm your wolf side, you can go back to your life and we can simply be unpleasant acquaintances.”

Silas…

“Yes?” he asked, then waited silently for Verander to respond. 

Alpha Silas… I apologize for my wolf’s behavior. 

Silas blinked at the apology, having not expected it at all. He waited a few moments before replying, himself. 

“By the way, what happened to that little wolf you used to try and trick everyone?”

It was a valid question. Because there was nothing little about the giant wolf taking up the majority of his king-sized bed. He would much rather deal with the smaller version of the alpha, but he had a feeling that his wish wasn’t plausible to grant. 

He is here, but he cannot fight against the alpha wolf. 

Silas felt a headache coming on at that one simple sentence. Because there was absolutely nothing simple about what Verander had just thought to him. 

“Your alpha wolf, can’t handle your other alpha wolf?” 

He felt Verander struggle a bit to respond, hearing static in the back of his mind for a minute before finally being able to understand what he was trying to say. 

My smaller wolf is… He’s not…

Silas felt his brow furrow. 

“He’s not what?” he asked, his curiosity peaking through his stress. 

He’s not an alpha wolf. He’s an omega. 

He was a… what? 

“Wait a minute. How is he an omega when you’re an alpha? You have your own damn pack, and,” he gestured toward the massive wolf in his bed. “This big guy would probably tear me to teeny tiny pieces if I even dared call him… that,” Silas said, dumbfounded. 

I’m not sure how it happened, because as far back as I can remember, I’ve always had two wolves. I just know that the only one I feel is an actual part of me, and not constantly fighting against me, is the submissive one. 

Blowing out a stressed breath, Silas put his hands on his hips and licked his lips as his mind tried to figure out what to do next. 

I know that it’s not just going to let me attach a leash to that collar and walk it outside to relieve itself…

He stood there for a long moment before sensing Verander try to respond again.

I wish I could be of more help, but the collar weakens my minimal strength over him, so I cannot make any decisions in his stead. I will tell you one thing, though. If you can get him to agree to something, he will not go back on his word. 

That was good to know… if it were actually true. It seemed pretty unlikely, but as he paced in another small circle, he did remember one small detail that gave him a miniscule ray of hope. 

Even with his wolf shining through his eyes, Verander had bought him that wrapped pork meal in return from when he’d helped him escape from the leg trap by the river recently. 

Speaking of that time…

“Is Sitkea doing alright? I mean, before this whole situation happened. He’s okay, right?” 

Hearing the little pup’s name actually seemed to garner the biggest response he’d seen from the large wolf so far. It lifted both its ears to full height and snorted. It almost seemed like it was telling him to mind his own business. 

“Sorry to be that werewolf, but unfortunately for you, we imprinted on each other the day I helped you.” 

Verander’s wolf did bare its teeth then, and pin its ears back as it let out a low warning growl. Suddenly feeling stubborn, and annoyed, Silas took a few steps forward, making sure that he was still just-barely out of reach of the wolf that was now rising to its feet. 

“Listen, you! I asked a simple question, and as another alpha werewolf, and one who is evidently being held in higher regard than yourself right now, I want my answer. It costs you absolutely nothing to simply nod your head. And, if for some reason the pup isn’t doing well, now would be your chance to bring it to my attention. I know your pack doesn’t have a doctor in it, so it would be foolish and selfish of you to hide his condition from me if he were unwell.” 

By the time he’d finished his rant Silas was panting with his fists balled at his sides and a deep scowl on his face. The wolf in front of him was also panting, but as Silas began to calm down, so did it. Eventually, it even sat back on its haunches and gave its head a good shake before yawning. 

“Now answer me. How is Sitkea doing?” he said, making sure to keep his tone of voice firm and his posture determined. 

He wasn’t really sure what to expect from the giant wolf, but when it met his eyes and licked its muzzle a few times, then sneezed and, finally, nodded its head, all of the energy he’d worked up for that big display of dominance deflated from his system. 

The pup was alright. 

“Th-thank you for responding. Sorry to have yelled like that…” Silas said as he reached up to rub at the back of his neck, feeling a knot beginning to form there from stress. 

When he heard another grumbling scoff from his unwanted prisoner, he was about to frown, but when he actually looked at the wolf, it didn’t seem like it was intent on being aggressive, for once.  

Alright, so why are you being calm right now. 

They’d only really talked about Sitkea, and he’d kind of yelled for the majority of it. 

He did end up answering, though. And come to think of it, he wasn’t too aggressive that time he followed me and gave me that food, either… and Sitkea was with him that day. 

“Would you feel better if I requested for Sitkea to come stay here with you during your time with my pack?” he asked. 

He definitely wouldn’t mind spending more time with the little pup, and if it would calm Verander’s larger wolf down a bit, then he’d gladly look after both of them. 

The wolf actually seemed to consider his words, but before it could give him a response, he felt his beta nudge at the back of his mind. 

Alpha Silas, all of my tasks have been completed for the day. May I leave for the evening?

He felt a brief ache in his chest at Kandza’s request, because he knew exactly where he wished to go, but he was beginning to get used to not looking at him in a romantic way. 

Yes, you may. Have a good night, Kandza. 

Silas hadn’t realized that he’d begun pacing again as he responded to his beta, and unfortunately, his stressed walking took him closer to the bed, instead of farther. 

The beast silently waiting for him didn’t hesitate to take its given chance, either. Before he could even shift into his own wolf form, his left arm was between Verander’s wolf’s jaws and he was yanked down onto his back. Not a moment later a heavy paw pressed him down into the blankets, its sharp claws easily poking holes in his dark gray shirt as if it were just a thin sheet of paper. 

 He honestly expected the wolf to immediately go for his throat, since it currently had a chance he doubted it would want to pass up. One to finally kill the neighboring alpha… but when it lunged forward and Silas brought his arm up to try and intercept the blow and prevent it from being fatal, he was surprised by what actually happened. 

The wolf did grab hold of his arm, and if it squeezed any tighter than it already was, it definitely would have punctured his skin, but the actual damage never came. 

Sure, it was growling quietly and its hacklers were standing at pinpoints, but the viscous beast pinning him down was doing… nothing. 

Silas swallowed down his nerves as his heart hammered in his chest. He wanted to get up and get the hell away from the giant wolf, but he doubted that it wanted him to even try, considering that it hadn’t moved its massive paw off of his chest yet. So, he tried his best to calm himself down as tiny droplets of drool began to slowly drip down from his arm and dot his shirt. 

Don’t move. 

Silas blinked at the sudden warning from Verander, but decided to heed it. He couldn’t exactly free himself, anyways, so staying still until the wolf lost interest was his best bet. 

Except, when the huge wolf suddenly released his arm and lifted its paw, then lunged for one of his many pillows, Silas hurried to fumble off the side of the bed and scramble away. The wolf quickly began thrashing the pillow about like it was trying to kill the poor thing,

 By the time it finally released the pillow’s corpse, there were feathers everywhere . 

“Th-thanks for that warning, Verander,” he said as he stared, wide-eyed, at his poor bed and its unfriendly occupant.

  May I make a suggestion, alpha Silas? 

“By all means,” he rasped out. 

He tends to be the most placable after having eaten his fill. Would you be open to feeding him? 

“Oh… yeah, of course I can feed him. You mentioned before that you prefer eating a wild diet instead of partaking in human foods, if I remember correctly?”

But my bed will get so disgusting.

Thinking for a moment as he felt Verander agree to his words in the back of his mind, Silas quickly stood up, drawing the large wolf’s attention. 

“If I bring you food, will you eat it on a mat so that my bed doesn’t get bloody?” he asked, making the wolf slowly tilt its head one way, then the other. 

Right before he considered giving up on communication for the day and going downstairs to drink away his new mental trauma, the wolf grunted and gave a sharp nod. 

Oh. 

“Okay then, I’ll go get you some food. While I have your attention, though, did you want me to have someone bring Sitkea over?” 

He could see the wolf considering his words, and thankfully, it only took it a few more moments before it lied back down, crossed its paws over one another, then nodded again. 

(Edited)

Chapter 28

He could already hear Ruoka speaking outside of Sebastian’s room. The pup hadn’t hesitated for a second to update his master on the new rules of the house. It was obvious that his heir wasn’t happy about the new situation, but before he could even take a step towards the stairs Ruoka stopped him, somehow. A few quiet whispers were exchanged, but he couldn’t quite make out what was being said as Sebastian began pacing. 

Ruoka wasn’t hiding his alpha presence anymore, either. Well, he might not have intentionally hidden it to begin with, but he had no doubt that after his collar was removed, his understanding of his abilities and power over others became more and more clear. Thankfully, he’d only used his ability toward Sebastian once, and it had been a spur of the moment decision. That was the only reason he was giving the man a second chance. 

  I will not waste it, came Ruoka’s response to a thought he hadn’t voiced. 

“Cocky little pup thinks he’s suddenly in control,” Pretennon grumbled as he leaned back in his large chair and rested his head against one hand. His hair draped across his face as he closed his eyes, not bothering to fix what was unnecessary. He was done for the day. There would be no more meetings, outings, or anything else of such sorts. He knew that he would be busy enough tomorrow, so he’d made sure to clear his schedule for the remainder of the night. 

Perhaps I should just turn in early. 

He was just about to consider actually doing that when he felt a faint brush of warm skin against his face as gentle fingers slowly gathered his unruly bangs and tucked them behind his left ear. When that hand was hesitant to leave afterward, Preto turned his head and nuzzled into its palm. The scent of fresh, hot blood pumping just beneath the thin layer of flesh had his fangs quickly extending. Their sharp tips pressed eagerly against his lower lip, but he wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to bite just yet. 

Kandza…

He hadn’t invited the wolf over that evening, nor had he received any kind of announcement that he was on the property. 

But of course  you didn’t, he thought sourly as he felt the man’s other hand settle its fingers beneath his chin, silently requesting that he tilt it upward. 

You spent quite some time scolding your heir’s alpha wolf, yet here your beta is sneaking through the window of your study with not but a care in the world for the consequences of such a rude entry. 

Even as he considered what punishment he should give his wolf, he allowed his head to be tilted backward against the fabric of his backrest, then obediently held it there as Kandza settled his knee between his legs and leveled some of his weight on his chair. When the man’s lips finally pressed against his throat, Pretennon allowed his eyes to crack open the slightest amount. 

He stared silently up at the ceiling for several moments before Kandza’s hand, that had been settled against the side of his face for some time, slid across to cover his eyes. 

Someone has a little kink going on, Pretennon thought to himself as he let his body relax a tiny bit.  

“Kandza, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he said after allowing himself a few moments to enjoy the attention he was being given. 

He really did feel like turning in early, but even as he thought that, his hands were wandering towards his werewolf’s backside. 

Hmm? He’s actually wearing clothing? 

Nudging the man’s hand from his eyes with a curt nod to the side, Preto looked down at the werewolf still nipping and licking at his neck. 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dressed so nicely. 

“Why are you not naked?” he asked eventually, not interested in beating around the bush. 

Even though the man was fully clothed, Preto’s hands were hard to deter. They easily tugged Kandza’s crisp white dress shirt from his trousers, then slid comfortably inside the fabric to grab what was his. He felt the man fidget immediately at his cold touch, but it took him no time at all to accept it and settle into his lap. His nipping turned mainly to slower, gentler licks as Preto felt his wolf nudge at his thoughts. 

I wanted to see you, but I also wanted to report that I found a silver leg trap at the southern part of my pack’s territory while on patrol earlier. It thankfully reeked of humans, though I’m not sure if some of the others in my pack would have noticed the scent. I tend to have a much stronger sense of smell since I stay in my wolf form the majority of my time. 

A quiet whimper from Kandza snapped Pretennon out of his growing anger, allowing him to realize that he was squeezing the man’s backside far too hard… and with very sharp claws. 

“I apologize,” he sighed out as he gently guided the man to straddle him, then lean up on his knees so that he could work his pants down a bit. “Hold onto me, please.” 

He could already smell and feel the blood warming his fingers as he leaned forward and Kandza wrapped his arms around his shoulders nervously. Preto removed one of his hands from his werewolf’s backside and retrieved a folded handkerchief from his desk. It was beautifully embroidered and had cost a pretty penny, but he cared far less for it than he for did the man he’d unintentionally hurt with his poor temper. 

Even though he wanted to question Kandza quite a bit more about the trap he’d found, and possibly get him to promise to never go on patrol again without another wolf, he bit back his words and focused on cleaning the marks he’d made. Of course, they would heal very quickly on their own and probably be almost gone within a day or two, but he was still mad at himself for causing them in the first place. 

“I don’t blame you for them. If you had almost gotten injured in such a way patrolling without help, I would have been equally as mad,” Kandza said as he reached up with one hand and dug his clawed-fingers into Pretennon’s long hair. When he gripped it tightly after a moment, Preto nudged his head into Kandza’s side gently. 

He got a growl in return for his efforts, but the grip in his hair loosened immediately, too. 

“I will go with you on your next few patrols,” he said abruptly, making the man leaning against him stiffen immediately. 

“Th-there is no need for Elder Pretennon to belittle himself with such things,” Kandza stuttered out. 

Preto would have reprimanded him for the added title in front of his name, but he chose to disregard it. There were more important things to deal with at that moment. 

“It is not up for discussion. Besides, I am the one who set those boundaries, and I was the one patrolling them before they were given to the Rain pack,” Preto said, making Kandza completely release his hair and lean down just enough to wrap his arms around Pretennon’s head, then press a kiss to the top of it. 

“I will forever be grateful to you and Lord Marquise for what you two have done for my pack. I love this city, our new territory, and you.” 

Me? 

Preto felt his heart shiver in his chest as he hesitated pressing the cloth back against Kandza’s backside.  

  Love…

He was not someone who loved. Living things tended to die, no matter how hard one tried to keep them alive. He’d tried love   a few times in the past, but illness, accidents, and otherwise unfortunate events would always remove his partner from his life far too quickly. Of course, he could simply decide to take a vampire to his bed, and had honestly done so a few times. Unfortunately, if one considered a werewolf to be aggressive over territory, than he, himself, was a beast that no one wished to cross when dealing with other vampires. 

His home was his territory, and while he was tolerant of those that slipped in from time to time without invitation, his bedroom was another story altogether. 

You have allowed him to walk into it without so much as a warning growl, though. 

He had bitten him during that interaction, though… but it had taken some extra nudges for him to finally push the warning to becoming physical. Just the memory of how good Kandza’s blood had tasted that night made his jaw ache as he gently guided the man from his lap and helped him fix his trousers. 

“I will accompany you on your next three patrols. You go out early in the morning and return around noon most days, correct?” he said, his voice taking on a straight-forward, business-like tone.

Kandza seemed confused by the sudden turn of events, but still gave a slow nod in response. 

“Yes sir,” he added quietly. 

Pretennon nodded in return as he tossed the dirty handkerchief onto his desk, then looked back up at Kandza. 

“That will be all for tonight, then. I had already planned to rest early, so I will see you tomorrow morning,” he said, effectively dismissing his confused pup. 

He’s not yours if he wants more than what you are willing to give. 

Preto had to clench his teeth together tightly just to keep himself from leaning forward and pulling the man back into his lap when he turned toward the open window to leave. Right before he hopped out of it, Kandza turned with a small, nervous smile. 

“Rest well, Eld—P-Pretennon,” he stuttered, catching himself before he used his title again. 

By that time Preto had stood up from his chair and made his way over toward the door after blowing out the two candles he’d used for lighting. When he turned back to look at the werewolf, he could tell that Kandza knew he’d messed up with something… but he probably wasn’t exactly sure what. 

“You as well,” he said with a forced, pleasant smile before opening the door and stepping into the hallway. 

As he felt the wolf slowly leave his property, Preto lifted his hands up to delve his fingers into his hair, pressing his sharp nails against his scalp as he sighed. 

My hands should be massaging those adorable black wolf ears right now, not my own aching head. 

“Lord Pretennon, would you like to feed before I retire the servants for the evening?” 

Blinking sleepily up at one of his head housekeepers, Preto yawned behind one hand, then shook his head. He was hungry, but his fangs only ached for one person’s blood, and he would definitely not be having that tonight. If he ever did again.  

“I am fine. Have a good evening,” he said with another fake smile before heading up to his room. 

He just needed some decent rest, then he’d explain to Kandza how things would be. There would be no love , even though he sometimes used it as a pet name. He wanted everything else the man had to offer, though. In return, he’d give him what he wished of the relationship, too, but not love. He’d been down that stressful road too many times.

There will be none of that from me. 

Even as he thought those words and changed into his nightwear, his eyes refused to stray from the closed balcony doors for more than a few seconds at a time. Of course, Kandza wasn’t standing there beyond the glass squares because he’d sent him home, but his mind kept telling him that the wolf could still appear. 

It was, after all, not the best at listening. 

Resigned that he truly was not returning that evening, Preto finished changing his clothes, then fell into his giant bed with a tired sigh. Vampires didn’t usually need to sleep each night, but having to deal with his heir’s pup, then having that scare downstairs with Kandza? He was exhausted. That being said, it took him no time at all to drift off to sleep, and while he didn’t really dream about much, he could somehow feel the sensation of being watched nudge at his mind throughout the long, cold night. 

(Edited)

Chapter 29

Rolling over in bed for the tenth time, Seba glared at the other three pillows he’d tossed about while trying to get comfortable. He could tell by the light coming in through his balcony windows that it wasn’t even midnight yet. Wonderful.  Moving onto his back, he sighed up at the ceiling as he heard his pup panting quietly in the other room. 

He’s not asleep…

The thought to call him over immediately made itself known in his mind, but he quickly tamped it down with a shake of his head against his pillow. He couldn’t just call him over. They’d talked earlier about the new restrictions that his master had placed on them. He’d been mad about the new situation at first, but now he wasn’t sure what to think. He’d thought that not having Ruoka in his personal space, watching him, waiting on him, would allow him to relax a bit more, but it seemed like it was somehow having the opposite affect. 

Turning onto his side, Seba looked out the window. The moon stared back at him, silently judging his unease. It somehow felt as if it were intentionally shining its light specifically on him to point out his own recent mistakes.

With a quiet grumble, he rolled onto his other side, giving the moon his back as he snuggled further beneath the covers. 

Go to sleep.   

He forced his eyes to close and relaxed his body… only to blink them open again a short time later as a scowl covered his face. 

Master, is everything alright? 

Seba immediately sat up at hearing Ruoka’s voice, but after a quick scan of his room with his tired, slightly blurry eyes, he realized that the man’s voice had been in his head. He was about to respond with nonchalance, but stopped himself before he could. 

I can’t sleep. 

He could sense Ruoka’s unease from his response, but when the werewolf didn’t end up responding, he sent him another thought. 

Why are you still awake? 

Ruoka only took a moment to answer that question. 

I was waiting for you to fall asleep, but I kept hearing you tossing and turning in bed. 

Seba felt a blush try to color his cheeks, but he hadn’t fed recently so they would likely remain pale, hiding his embarrassment as he fell back down to the blankets with a quiet grumble. 

Go to sleep. I’ll be fine. 

Is that an order? Ruoka asked calmly. 

Seba felt his brow furrow as he sat up again and stared at his closed door. 

“An order?” he whispered to himself, surprised at the man’s question. 

No, of course not. I just don’t want you to stay up for me. You should rest. 

He heard Ruoka move around a bit in his own bed before he replied calmly. 

I understand, but I am not tired yet. 

“Oh,” Seba whispered, a little more embarrassed that he was taking things so seriously. 

It made sense that Ruoka wouldn’t be tired. Werewolves didn’t need to sleep as often as normal humans. 

I have to sleep as often as normal humans… and sometimes, more often, he thought to himself.   

Feeling his stomach twist with both frustration and hunger, Seba settled back down and pulled the blankets up over his head. He stayed like that for quite some time, glaring at the underside of his blanket, until he heard Ruoka begin to scratch at an itch in the other room. 

You’re in your wolf form? he asked abruptly as his chest tightened the slightest bit. It wasn’t stressful when Ruoka was on the bed with him in his wolf form…

Yes, I am more comfortable with it, Ruoka replied calmly. 

Nudging his blanket away again, Seba curled up and looked toward his door. 

Will you come here? 

He quickly turned and buried his face in his pillow the moment he’d thought the words to Ruoka, but he couldn’t take them back. It had to have been his exhausted mind thinking for him. When Ruoka didn’t respond right away, Seba turned his head and looked over toward the wall that their rooms shared. When he did finally get a response, it wasn’t what he’d expected, at all. 

Not as a wolf. 

“But you just said that you’re more comfortable as a wolf,” he mumbled as he tugged his blankets back up to tuck against his chin. 

I am, but if I am to come to master’s room and share his bed for the evening, I will do it only as my human self. 

Seba pursed his lips as he quickly rolled over to face away from the wall they shared. 

“Stubborn, illogical wolf,” he grumbled as he made himself close his eyes again. 

He actually did manage to sleep for a little while, but the next time he opened his eyes it was clear that only an hour or so had passed. Tears began to pool in his now-aching eyes as his lower lip began to quiver. Trying not to make enough sound to alert Ruoka, if he was still awake, Seba reached forward and tugged an extra pillow against his chest to burry his face in. 

I’m so tired. 

A headache began to throb behind his eyes as he hugged the pillow tighter. Several different thoughts ran about in his exhausted mind. One wanted him to go downstairs and feed, while another wanted him to beg Ruoka to come to his room, human or not. 

He heard his wolf move a little bit in the other room, then begin panting again. 

I’m sorry if I woke you, Seba thought to him immediately without thinking his words through. He was just too tired for that. 

It is alright , was Ruoka’s only response, making him realize that he had, in fact, disturbed his sleep. 

 Rolling slowly onto his back, Seba tried to blink away the blurriness from his vision as he began to feel some of the muscles in his body start to ache. 

I need to go feed.

Turning his head on the pillow, he eyed the pull-bell for the servant’s quarters. It wouldn’t wake anyone up, but it would get the attention of the one or two people responsible for the overnight shift. 

He was just considering reaching for it when he heard the sound of nails on the hardwood floor right outside his room. Seba quickly pushed himself up, but nearly fell right back down as his head spun for a few seconds. As soon as it settled he looked over toward his door. He could see a shadow from something pacing beyond it, but everything was still too blurry to make out specifics. The familiar scent that came to him a few moments later, however, confirmed his suspicion about who it would be. 

“Ruoka? What are you doing up?” he asked before lifting his arm to cover a string of coughs. 

Master needs to feed, Ruoka replied as he continued to pace in small circles outside his door. 

“You know that I can’t feed off of you.”

The paws outside his door stopped abruptly right before a nose lowered to the tiny opening beneath it and huffed out a breath.  

I will get you something to drink, Ruoka eventually said before Seba heard the sound of his paws disappearing down the stairs. He carefully got himself out of bed, but the walk to the door was a bit harder since he wasn’t feeling well. Thus, by the time he actually got there and managed to grab the door handle with a shaky hand, he could hear Ruoka returning up the main staircase. 

Wait, he’d shifted? 

There was no way paws sounded that loud on the stairs. Just the thought of opening the door up to see a naked Ruoka made him hesitate just long enough so that when he did finally open the door, what he saw standing on the other side was a quietly panting wolf sitting behind a goblet of blood. 

“You’re the best,” Seba said with a slightly scratchy voice as he knelt down and picked up the cup of blood. 

He downed it in just a few moments as he leaned against the doorjamb. When it was completely empty his eyes closed as he let the blood begin to settle throughout his system. When he finally forced them to open again, now fighting with just his normal exhaustion, he was surprised to see Ruoka beginning to walk back to his own room. 

“W-wait!” he whispered abruptly as he took a step out of his room. 

Ruoka stopped immediately and turned around, then tilted his head curiously. 

Is there anything else I can help master with? 

Seba looked down at the floor for a moment before hunching his shoulders a little. He was so tired, and while he probably would be able to finally fall asleep now that he wasn’t extremely hungry, he doubted that he’d be able to rest for long without…

“Are you sure that you don’t want to rest in my room as just your wolf?” Seba asked, then hurried to add, “I wouldn’t bother you. You can have as much of the bed as you’d like, too.” 

Ruoka calmed his quiet panting as he looked up at Seba, meeting his eyes with his beautiful soft brown ones. 

Master…

Seba fidgeted with the hem of his nightshirt as he waited for Ruoka to finish deciding what he wished to say. 

Master, if you wish for me to rest with you as a wolf, I will. 

He couldn’t hold back his overjoyed smile, but it died on his lips as his pup continued speaking. 

Once you are asleep, however, I will return to my human form for the remainder of the night. 

Licking his lips nervously, Seba lifted a hand and rubbed at the back of his neck. He could feel the blood try to color his cheeks now that he was fed, but thankfully he managed to calm himself fast enough to keep a blush from appearing. 

“U-um, I guess that’s okay… but you’ll put on a pair of undergarments after you shift back, right?” he asked quietly. 

Ruoka sat down a few feet away as he considered his request. It didn’t take him long, however, to decide on a response. 

No. I will not. 

Okay, he was absolutely blushing now, but thankfully Ruoka didn’t seem interested in pointing it out as he watched him silently. 

Master would surely wake up if I got out of bed to get dressed. You like to hug my wolf, too.

He… actually wasn’t wrong. Just the thought of having Ruoka’s wolf in bed with him had his arms itching to hug his soft pup to his chest and nuzzle his face into his warm fur. 

“You’ll wait till I’m completely asleep before you shift, though?” Seba asked, needing to at least double check what was going to happen. 

He was honestly past the point of being able to tell him to go back to his own room, anyways. There was no way he was going to be able to rest well unless he had Ruoka’s wolf beside him. It would be a shock waking up next to Ruoka’s naked human form, but the sleep would hopefully be worth that little startled start to his day. 

Yes. I will not shift until you are comfortably asleep. 

With that much-needed reassurance, Seba gave an understanding nod and walked back into his room. He quickly set the empty glass he’d been holding on top of his dresser, then hurried into bed. He was just settling beneath the covers when Ruoka’s wolf slowly stepped into the room. It calmly nudged the door closed with its nose, then turned and stalked toward him. 

Why does he suddenly look hungry? 

Before Seba could question his sudden change in demeanor, the wolf was hopping up onto his bed. Its large paws easily traversed the slightly uneven terrain of the layered blankets, then turned as it got to the top of the bed before abruptly leaning down to shove its muzzle beneath the mound of blankets. He then flipped them up just high enough to give himself enough room to dart beneath them. 

Seba couldn’t help but chuckle quietly as he reached forward and tugged his wolf firmly up against himself, then nuzzled contently into his soft fur. He knew that he would wake up to a human man in his arms, and not a wolf, but he would just accept that situation. Maybe he could even learn to get used to it… 

Are you asleep yet, master? 

Seba felt his face immediately warm as he snuggled further into Ruoka’s fur, shaking his head at the same time. He heard a faint chuckle in the back of his mind at his response, then realized that Ruoka had been teasing him. 

There’s no way I’m going to get used to this. 

(Edited)

Chapter 30

Feeding the giant wolf had thankfully gone fine, but there was now no way that the beast didn’t need to relieve itself soon. He’d even lugged a huge pot of water up from the kitchen for it. 

Just need to figure out how to get it downstairs and outside without losing an arm… or my face. 

He could sense Verander considering his words in the back of his mind, so it was no surprise when the man spoke up a few minutes later. 

Perhaps give him something to hold in his mouth? That way he at least wouldn’t be able to bite you right away. He’d have to drop the item first, which should give you enough time to realize that you need to move away? 

That was actually a good idea, but as he looked around his room, he couldn’t really find anything that he’d want to put between the beast’s massive jaws. He had some books here and there, but those definitely weren’t an option. Clothing also wouldn’t work, and he doubted that the guy would ever  just carry around a boot between his teeth. 

What do you suggest? I could just give him more meat, but he’d probably eat it faster than it can be replaced. 

He wouldn’t even doubt the guy’s ability to crush bone. Silas was just about to start digging through his dresser in the hopes of finding something he knew wouldn’t be helpful when he felt his beta’s presence in his mind. 

Alpha Silas, the ghost pup has arrived, Kandza said a moment later through their bond, making Silas immediately spin around to face the other wolf sitting in his doorway. 

The look of his second in command gave him pause as he watched the tiny pup run out from behind Kandza to hop straight up onto the bed with its alpha. Silas watched them for only a moment, to be sure that Sitkea would be fine, then returned his attention back to his beta. 

What happened last night? You look unwell. 

The wolf before him stood up slowly, making it even more obvious that he was struggling. 

I am not sure, but I would like to request to be excused from my duties today. 

Silas frowned but nodded. He would have told him to go straight to his room to rest anyways, so it was a relief that Kandza wasn’t interested in trying to stay on duty. 

Thank you, alpha. I will take my leave now. 

He watched as the wolf bowed its head slowly, then turned and walked away. A few moments later he heard a loud sneeze come from down the hall, making his frustration grow a bit more. 

I will be having a talk with the elder vampire later. My Kandza has never been sick, and now here he is ready to pass out at my door because he went to visit his love interest the previous evening? 

Something wasn’t adding up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get away from his current task, but he did send an order out to one of his other wolves to request a meeting with Pretennon later that evening. He knew that the man had been planning another evening out with his heir, but he didn’t mind what time the vampire returned his request so long as he did so soon. He would stay up as late as he could and allow himself to be woken up if the man arrived even later. 

Alpha Silas, I think having Sitkea here will make things easier. He is rarely violent around the pup.

That was a relief, and also part of the reason why he’d requested the pup to be brought over. 

“Good, then let’s go stretch our legs a bit,” he said as he calmly walked toward the bed. 

He could tell that the wolf didn’t want him near the little pup, but it also kept its mouth closed and ears pointed upward. It wouldn’t attack him, at least, not yet. 

Slow and steady. 

Silas carefully reached for its neck to unclasp the lengths of chain holding the wolf in place. It gave off a low growl as he worked, but thankfully didn’t try to bite. The moment the chains dropped to the bed Verander’s wolf jumped down and after a quick shake of its coat, stretched out each leg, then leaned down for one more good, full-body stretch. 

That would actually be kind of cute if his claws weren’t digging into my floorboards. 

He waited until the wolf was completely ready, then carefully walked toward the door at a slow, measured pace. Silas figured that Verander would be glaring at him the entire walk out of the house, but to his surprise, he felt the wolf’s attention break away from him quite often as little paws danced about behind him. 

They were just getting to the steps when he heard Sitkea give out a quiet whine, drawing his attention over his shoulder immediately. 

Oh. 

He had a split moment of worry thinking that Verander had gotten annoyed by the hyperactive pup and disciplined it, but he had actually just picked Sitkea up by his scruff before he could try to bolt down the stairs. 

I hadn’t even thought about that. 

A little embarrassed about his lack of foresight, Silas moved a little quicker as they headed downstairs, then walked up to the door and held it open for Verander’s wolf. He watched it take a few steps out into the cloudy morning light before it set the pup down, then started running full-tilt toward the forest behind the house!

“W-wait!” 

Shit!

Silas quickly yanked his sweater and shirt off in one go before undoing his pants mid-run. The second he managed to kick them mostly off he shifted into his own wolf form and hurried toward the back of the house. He was just about to call for several of his wolves to help him catch Verander’s, but he stopped himself right before he sent out the order as he skidded to a halt in a patch of damp grass. 

He’s… pooping. 

It took him a full minute of standing and staring, like an idiot, to realize that Verander had run ahead so quickly because Sitkea would try to pull on his tail… while he needed to do his business. 

As it were, the pup was just about to him, and clearly aiming to bite its target, but thankfully Verander was also just finishing up. Right before Sitkea could get close enough to accidentally walk into something they’d have to clean off of him later, Verander bolted forward, leaping over the pup’s head with ease. 

Sitkea huffed out a little squeak that sounded more adorable than it should have before he turned and began running after the giant fleeing wolf. It would have been a pretty cute scene if he hadn’t realized, albeit a bit too late, that Verander’s wolf wasn’t playing with the pup. It was attacking him! 

The hit he took from the simple collision sent him rolling into the grass over and over until he caught sight of huge teeth about to go in for his throat. He managed to flip himself and hunch with his head down right before Verander’s jaws closed over his scruff. 

He expected to be shaken, or at least bitten badly at that point, but when all he heard was a frustrated growl from the giant wolf, he blinked open eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed. The quiet sound of Sitkea grumbling as he tugged ferociously at Verander’s huge tail had Silas breathing an immeasurable sigh of relief. 

It was clear that the wolf still holding his neck wanted to do more than just stand there, but its attention was clearly wanted elsewhere. He wasn’t sure if Sitkea would really be able to make him let go, but to his surprise, Verander spat out his scruff after one more angry grumble. He then spun around on the pup, but of course, Sitkea was used to his reactions and easily bounded the other direction with an excited wag of his own little tail. 

Silas wanted to get up and immediately move away, but at the same time, he wanted, or really, needed , to make sure that Sitkea would be okay. The playing was kind of cute, but at the same time, he was messing with a wolf that was easily ten times his own weight, plus some. 

He would never harm the pup. It might not be his genetically, but he loves Sitkea. 

That was a relief. He was just about to ask something else when the giant wolf actually settled down in the grass in front of him. He’d intended to get up, but with those huge teeth so close to his face…

You can get up. He’s not going to attack you right now. 

The right now  was a bit humorous, but he’d take it. Standing slowly, Silas let his wolf shake out its coat, then glance back toward Sitkea. He wanted to play with the pup…

He was just about to take a step closer when he noticed the giant wolf’s form waver. 

What’s going on? 

Before Verander could respond the huge wolf vanished before his eyes, leaving the little omega that Verander had mentioned in its place. The large silver prong collar hung from its smaller neck as it pinned its ears and lowered its head, confused. 

That… was unexpected. 

The wolf lifted its head and twitched an ear, then leaned forward and upward so that their noses nearly brushed. 

He suddenly wanted to rest… and Sitkea wears him out quickly when he’s already stressed. 

Well, that made sense, and was honestly a huge relief. Feeling a bit safer, Silas let himself relax back into the grass as Sitkea finally bounded over to try and nip at his left ear. He rolled over a few times to dodge the pup’s razor-like teeth, but eventually just let him have a few nibbles at his target as his own attention turned to Verander. 

Is that your actual wolf? The one you can control? 

The little wolf nodded, then leaned up to give a submissive lick to his wolf’s chin. 

We’re not used to not having the larger wolf trying to push us to act a certain way. It’s a huge relief. 

As if to emphasize his words, Verander’s small wolf gave a huge yawn and stretched out in the grass, rubbing its face into the cool green blades like a relaxing kitten. Silas almost expected him to begin purring. but when he let out a content little sneeze, he decided that that sound was even better. 

You normally try to keep him inside, don’t you? he asked, suddenly realizing that their situation might not be as hopeless as he’d once thought. 

Of course. He’s extremely dangerous and doesn’t consider repercussions. I can’t control him well, either, so if he gets out, he usually goes straight after you. 

Silas settled down in the grass as Sitkea hopped up onto his back and began licking and tugging at his scruff. 

I think we can handle him. He just let you have control voluntarily, right? 

The little wolf tilted its head in the grass, staring at him curiously as it nibbled at a random weed. 

Yes, he was tired after being out for so long. 

Silas twitched his nose as he reconsidered his previous plan. He’d been so upset with Verander always attacking him that he’d wanted to shackle him and force the silver collar on him so that he could teach him a lesson… but there wasn’t really a lesson to be taught. Verander’s wolf hadn’t simply given him control back so that it could rest… it had given him control back during a time where it could have easily overpowered him and probably done some serious damage. Yet it had decided to simply retreat, instead. 

I think we need to let your larger wolf out more, he eventually replied, making Verander lift his head in surprise. 

Have you gone mad? 

Silas licked at his left paw as the possible repercussions of his words swam through his mind. He knew that it was risky, but it just didn’t seem like simply chaining up the giant beast was going to help anyone. He was just beginning to chew on his foot when Verander nudged at his muzzle with his own, making him stop his habit even though he grumbled out a warning for interfering. 

You were making yourself bleed. 

Raising his hackles, Silas automatically wanted to snap back that he’d  made him bleed plenty of times, but he bit back his words and sighed out his nose as he let his wolf’s head flop down into the grass. 

I’m not against letting him out more often, but I’m worried that something might happen, Verander said.   

It was highly likely that something would happen, but he’d agreed to help train Verander’s more aggressive wolf, and he would. In fact…

Looking over at the smaller wolf beside him, and more specifically, at the huge chain hanging around its neck, Silas internally sighed. He wanted to tell the wolf to shake off the collar, because honestly, it felt like he was just using it to demean the bigger wolf, which likely wasn’t helping their situation, but he couldn’t make himself tell Verander to do it… at least, not yet. That would give him back access to his human form, as well as quite a bit more strength, and he wasn’t quite ready to deal with those things yet. The wolf needed to calm down a bit more before he would be comfortable giving that much freedom back.  

I’ll take full responsibility for what he does when he’s out. Just keep updating me about his temperament as much as you can as we go, he said, earning an immediate nod of agreement from the smaller wolf. 

Deciding to end the stressful conversation there, Silas gently tilted his upper body so that Sitkea would slip down into the grass, then stood. The pup immediately squeaked his displeasure, then ran toward Silas’s tail. Instead of letting him have it, Silas darted forward, then turned when the pup followed. He’d never really gotten a chance to bond with the little wolf he’d imprinted on, so he decided to take advantage of their current, rare opportunity and have some fun. 

He thought that Verander’s little wolf might want to join them, too, but when it simply flopped over in the cool grass and closed its eyes to enjoy the calm morning, he knew that he was giving him his chance to interact with Sitkea one on one. 

Thank you , he thought to the wolf as he began running around with the pup hot on his heels. He heard a quiet, content grumble in the back of his mind in response, making it quite clear that Verander was enjoying a bit of his own freedom. His more aggressive beast was peacefully asleep, finally allowing him to truly relax without worry. 

(Edited)

Chapter 31

(Omg did I really make Ruoka this way XD Seba, what did you do when raising this poor pup? Also, another of my friend’s cats :3 )

They were going to be in so much trouble. Ruoka had explained the rules to him last night, yet even though he’d said that there were some stipulations to the one about him being in his room, they had disregarded both of them so completely that he knew his master would definitely have something to say about it. When he actually began to wake up, though, he realized something rather odd.

Well, besides the fact that he was snuggled up nice and comfortably against a very warm, naked body.

Master isn’t home.

The man didn’t sleep nearly as much as humans, but he was always usually home in the early hours of the morning. At least, that’s how he was ever since Seba had returned.

I wonder where he went so early?

He had the sudden urge to quickly send Ruoka back to his room, before his master could return and find them, but that idea died as quickly as it had spawned.

You need to wake him up in order to do that.

He couldn’t do it. A plethora of reasons why he needed to just stay as still as possible, all day long until Ruoka awoke and exited his room on his own, swam through his mind. It took him nearly half an hour before he managed to calm his racing heart and sneak open one eye the tiniest fraction.

Oh…

He was resting his head against Ruoka’s right shoulder, and quite snuggly being held there by the man’s arm. Now that he was beginning to process his exact situation, he realized something that brought a little more heat to his cheeks.

His hand is on my waist…

Ruoka wasn’t holding him tightly by any means, at least, so if he wanted to move away, it would be extremely easy to do so. With that bit of extra comfort, he took a quiet, deep breath and slowly tilted his head up just enough to see the man’s face.

He’s getting a little scruffy.

Facial hair was definitely not something that he thought he’d ever see on Ruoka’s human form. But now that he really thought about it, it did make perfect sense that the man was beginning to grow a beard. It was still barely there, but he had no doubt that it would fill in over time if not kept under control.

You really will look like an alpha soon.

Tucking his head back against Ruoka’s shoulder, Seba looked over what he could see of the man. When he noticed exactly how he was lying, he nearly burst out laughing.

Once a pup, always a pup.

The guy might have looked like a young alpha werewolf, resting in bed during the early hours of the morning, but even though his upper body was lying somewhat normally, his lower half, which was thankfully covered by a blanket still, was not. Both of his knees were bent and while his left leg lay on its side, his right one was pushed up, tilting slightly in the opposite direction, but held mostly up by the blanket wrapped around it.

Thank you blanket. I really did not need to see that again right now.

It was already a wonder that he wasn’t still panicking about waking up next to a naked man. He didn’t need another close up view of his private bits. Turning his attention away from Ruoka’s lower half, Seba carefully lifted himself up on his elbow so that he could get a better look at his former pup.

I haven’t released you from my service yet, so I guess you’re technically still mine… just, not quite a pup anymore.

His chest tightened at the idea. Even though Ruoka’s new human form stressed him out to no end, he still didn’t feel ready to let him go yet.

“Please forgive this master for being selfish,” he whispered on a sigh.

He wasn’t expecting a response, since Ruoka’s breathing was still rather even and he hadn’t moved at all yet, but when he felt a soft, warm tongue steal a quick lick from his forehead, Seba felt his face begin to burn.

“Master may be as selfish as he wishes with this pup,” Ruoka said, his deep voice clear and calm.

Wait a second… he doesn’t sound like he’s just woken up.

Scowling, Seba glared down at the man now grinning up at him from where his head comfortably rested nestled within a plump pillow. He wanted to ask how long he had been playing him, but at the same time, he knew that asking wouldn’t change the answer he already knew.

Which was, the entire time.

His pup was not a deep sleeper. If someone so much as sneezed within one hundred yards of him, he’d be awake in an instant.

Seemingly sensing his growing stress, Ruoka gently tugged him down into his arms as he, himself, scooted higher against the pillows. Of course, he did so extremely slowly, giving Seba plenty of time to move away if he so chose. He decided to stay. Ruoka had totally just played him. There was payback to be had.

“Master is upset with me?” Ruoka asked after they were both settled again.

His hands were now resting gently atop the small of Seba’s back, making him want to fidget but holding back his nerves.

“Yes, I am,” he grumbled as he pushed himself up on his elbows to be able to stare down at his werewolf.

“Why did you pretend to be asleep for so long?”

Ruoka tilted his head on the pillow, making his already-mussed up hair look like it had just gone through a mini tornado.

That won’t do.

Without waiting for a response, he leaned up and reached forward to try and sort out Ruoka’s unruly locks. He quickly realized, however, that they were just as stubborn as their owner.

“I give up, your hair is impossible,” he grumbled right before he felt something soft, warm, and moist press against the underside of his jaw for the briefest moment.

The lick immediately froze him in place, making his eyes widen to saucers. Thankfully, he snapped himself out of his shock after only a few moments, then narrowed his eyes down at a slightly bashful-looking Ruoka.

“You can’t just lick me while in your human form,” he reprimanded, making Ruoka frown and turn his head away on the pillow.

What is this expression even for?

As if hearing his thoughts, Ruoka abruptly turned his head back to face him, then sat up so quickly that Seba had to scramble and wrap his arms around the man’s neck or risk fumbling backwards! Of course, that landed him right in Ruoka’s lap, but thankfully there were enough blankets there to keep his mind from short circuiting.

“Master Seba, what must I do to be allowed to lick you while in my human form?” Ruoka asked as his arms settled around Seba’s waist, hugging him against him like a child that was afraid their favorite teddy bear might be taken away at any moment as punishment for some misdeed they didn’t understand.

Seba lowered his gaze for a few moments as he thought about his words in earnest, but his response was still the same.

“It’s just not something that should be done. It is not proper.”

Ruoka seemed to mull his words around in his head for a bit before responding with a curious frown.

“Must I always be proper? We are in your bedchambers. Is this not where propriety wavers?”

Wavers is definitely not the right word for this situation!

Pushing aside his frustration, Seba lifted a hand to poke Ruoka’s bare chest.

“We are not together. So propriety means that licking, as well as other things , are not appropriate between us.”

Seeing a bright light flicker in Ruoka’s caramel eyes gave Seba just enough warning to know that the guy was about to be a brat, again.

“Master, we are together right now.”

Biting his tongue, Seba rolled his eyes and looked away, then returned his narrowed stare to Ruoka’s curious, impish one. He was just going to have to be as forward as possible from here on out.

“Since when have I enjoyed the pleasures of you licking my face?” he said, unable to help but throw in that pleasures word just for a bit of added sarcasm.

Of course, again, he should have known not to beat around the bush with Ruoka even the slightest bit… at all. Before he could even consider all of the ways his words might be turned around on him, his werewolf was already speaking.

“You have not, but I have seen some instances where one’s tongue has shown to be quite a useful tool for pleasure,” Ruoka said, making Seba’s face turn uncomfortably pale.

What!

Rouka whispered something else as he leaned closer and gently grasped his jaw, but Seba was completely lost in thought, trying to figure out how on earth his pup had gotten to his previous conclusion. He’d taken him to the red light district a few times, but he couldn’t remember having ever brought him into a room while he was being tended to. So, he simply gave a quiet mumble of agreement to whatever his pup was saying so that he could get back to sifting through his own paranoid thoughts.

Instead of being left to think of all the ways he might have failed in raising his werewolf, his attention was again tugged away from his thoughts as a warm finger settled beneath his chin and lifted it until their eyes met.

“Master, I know that you just agreed, but I don’t feel comfortable with how distracted you sounded when you said it. Is master Seba really okay with me trying to use my tongue to pleasure him between his legs… instead of his face?”

He had no words. Absolutely none. He also didn’t want to hear any for at least the next sixty seconds, so Seba quickly pressed both of his hands over Ruoka’s mouth, then leaned down to rest his forehead against the man’s too-warm chest.

Silence, please. Just for one minute. I can’t.

Thankfully, Ruoka complied, allowing Seba some much needed time to pull himself back together. When he finally lowered his hands from his werewolf’s mouth, he expected him to say something. Anything, really… but when the silence stretched on, he furrowed his brow in confusion.

No more propositions?

“Are you okay?” he asked after a few more minutes of silence.

Ruoka gave a little shrug of his shoulders as he looked down and to the side, making Seba realize that he might be struggling to understand the situation. He was just about to try and comfort him, and play off the little stressful interaction as nothing important, but when Ruoka looked back up to meet his eyes with his own confused, caramel ones, Seba’s words died on his tongue.

“Master, I think I should return to my room before Elder Pretennon comes back,” he said solemnly as he began to gently move Seba out of his lap.

Instead of letting him, Seba quickly leaned forward and wrapped his arms back around his neck.

“You don’t have to go. Even if you do, he’ll be able to tell that you were here all night. He probably already knows…” Seba mumbled against Ruoka’s warm neck.

Ruoka stilled for several moments before lifting one hand to press against Seba’s back. When he carefully leaned back down to settle against the sheets, Seba felt his own body relax a little. They remained that way for about ten minutes before he felt Ruoka’s fingers begin to hesitantly inch a bit lower than what was proper.

“Is master sure that I cannot help him with his pleasures?”

This again…

“I’m quite fine, thank you,” Seba replied with an internal roll of his eyes.

He felt Ruoka’s fingers hesitate to move farther, then retreat back to their original resting place against the small of his back.

“Is it not uncomfortable to be hard down there?”

Oh hell.

Burying his face in Ruoka’s shoulder, Seba felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. He’d been so distracted that he hadn’t even realized that his body was reacting to Ruoka’s. He hadn’t fed recently so it had definitely not been expected. He needed a fresh source of warm blood to get things working down there , and even if he did feed, he didn’t always feel much pleasure from sexual situations. It all depended on how well his body was functioning that day.

Considering I didn’t even notice I was getting stiff while sitting in his lap, I don’t think a tongue, and especially not Ruoka’s, is going to help.

“No more words from you. That just happened because your body heat is ridiculously high and I’m already wearing clothing as it is,” Seba grumbled as he reached down and yanked the blankets up over them.

There was another stretch of silence for about thirty minutes before Ruoka nudged at Seba’s hair and whispered, “may I lick master’s face, just one more time?”

Seba considered pretending to be asleep again, since he’d been pretty close to drifting off by then, but the gentle tone and smidgen of hope he heard from his werewolf’s question made him feel bad for even considering ignoring him. It was true that he didn’t like his face being licked, or really, any part of himself, but he also knew that licking was a big part of communicating for wolves, so it was pretty natural for werewolves to sometimes show affection in similar ways.

He’d also reprimanded Ruoka every time he’d tried to do such a thing in the past in his wolf form… but now he was human and honestly asking for permission.

I guess once can’t hurt.

Tilting his head up, Seba gave a quiet yawn, then mumbled, “okay, but just once.”

He was just letting his eyes slip closed again, since he figured that Ruoka didn’t need to be monitored while just giving his cheek or forehead a simple lick, but when he felt something warm, soft, and moist press against his bottom lip the slightest amount before pulling away, he realized that every, single, thing, the guy did from there on out would need to be supervised with the utmost of attention!

(Edited)

Chapter 32

Something was off. 

Preto calmly walked toward the Rain pack house, but each couple of steps he took made him feel more and more uneasy. Kandza was supposed to have met him earlier in the morning so that they could patrol together and check for any other traps, but when he hadn’t showed up, even after Preto waited nearly an hour by the edge of the forest, he’d realized that something was wrong. 

Using his inhuman speed, he quickly did a lap around the Rain pack’s forested territory, but couldn’t sense the werewolf within its boundaries. Since that search had been fruitless, he immediately headed toward the pack house. He knew that Kandza wasn’t one to shirk his responsibilities, but that was the only other place he wanted to find him. A wolf that slept in was much better than a wolf that had gotten caught and killed by hunters.

He was just about to head up the front steps, his previous growing stress finally decreasing a little as he sensed that Kandza was, in fact, inside… except, before one of his black boots could even set foot on the first step, a very angry Silas came blurring around the corner of the massive house. 

Considering his outright aggression, Preto immediately retreated a few feet, not wanting to provoke the beast any further than he already seemed to have done. He let the alpha take its position upon the stairs, then watched from the corner of his right eye as Verander’s smaller wolf calmly walked closer with a… pup chewing on his tail?

The sight of them brought new questions to his mind, but it clearly wasn’t the right time to ask them. 

“Alpha Silas, I came here to check on Kandza. We were supposed to patrol this morning, but he did not show up,” he stated calmly even as the wolf continued to bear its teeth and growl at him. 

Surely the man did not think that he was responsible for whatever had happened? He just wanted to know what was going on. 

Leave. You are no longer welcome here unless on official business, Silas snarled into his mind, making Preto’s brows furrow in further confusion. 

“What is going on?” he asked, doing his best to hold back the frustration in his own voice. 

Silas did have the right to bar him from the property unless he was on official business, but what had caused the man to change his opinion of him so swiftly? Surely what he’d said to Kandza last night hadn’t been taken so negatively that Silas had been brought into the situation? 

Pressing his fingers to his forehead, Preto looked down at the grass he stood upon and took in a few slow breaths to try and calm himself down, then returned his gaze to Silas’s as he lowered his hand. 

“I don’t understand what happened, but I’d like to check on Kandza, please,” he requested, doing his best to keep his normally-dominant tone in check.

His change in attitude seemed to placate the wolf a little, but it also seemed like he was distracted by something, too. Preto waited as patiently as he could until Silas finally returned his attention to him. 

He will see you.

Even though Silas moved aside as he thought those words, there was still a steady growl coming from his wolf. He still wasn’t welcome, but he’d put up with him being there, for a certain amount of time, because Kandza had requested to see him. 

Not wanting to make the situation worse, Preto gave a respectful bow, then calmly walked up the steps. He could hear the other wolf following him, but it stopped once he ducked into the dimly lit hallway leading back to Kandza’s room. It did, however, leave him with one final warning growl, making Preto straighten his posture the slightest bit more as he turned a corner and went out of Silas’s sight. 

As he got closer and closer to Kandza’s room, the faint scent of sweat began to grow uncomfortably strong. Wolves only sweat periodically through their paws, but this scent was definitely much stronger than that would be. So, the man must be in his human form. Knowing that such a thing was already odd, Preto sped up his pace, arriving at Kandza’s door within a few moments. He knocked twice, then waited, but after a minute he decided to just let himself in since Kandza already knew that he was coming. As soon as he stepped inside the room he knew that something was wrong. He could hear Kandza panting from deep within his forest of blankets, but again, he wasn’t in his wolf form. 

Humans shouldn’t be panting like that when not overstimulated. 

He quickly blurred through the hanging blankets, accidentally pulling a few down as he moved. He’d fix them later. As he stepped out of the miniature forest a few moments later, he was finally able to see what was going on. Kandza was spread out atop his messy blankets, completely naked from head to toe and panting as if he were still in his wolf form. His eyes were closed and sweat was clearly visible along most of his body, and especially his face. 

Walking forward, Preto dropped to his knees beside him. He wasted no time in carefully checking the man over for any possible signs of injury. It didn’t take him long to realize that there was nothing physically wrong with his body. 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sick werewolf before. 

He honestly wasn’t sure how to even take care of one, if he was being honest. He did, however, understand the basics of how to care for a sick human. Surely the two were close enough in relation that he could use the knowledge interchangeably. 

So, with his mind settled, Preto calmly began removing his long overcoat from his shoulders. Next, he undid the few buckles holding together his expensive, fashionable teal shirt. With his upper body now bare, he carefully settled himself next to Kandza, then gently pulled the man against his chest. 

He could sense the guy’s mind trying to nudge its way into his own, likely wishing to speak, but it was clear that he wasn’t able to focus well enough to form words yet. 

“It will be alright,” Preto said as he allowed his naturally-cold body to take away some of the excessive heat Kandza’s was generating. 

He was honestly glad that he’d skipped feeding earlier, because his body heat would have gone up for a while if he’d consumed warm blood. Without it, though? He was the perfect temperature to help the man cool off a bit. 

Thankfully, Kandza’s panting slowed quite a bit over the next half hour and his temperature decreased as time stretched on. At some point, Preto had even unintentionally fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, a warm, hot tongue was slowly lapping at his bare chest. 

Someone’s feeling a little better, it seems. 

Except, when he tried to get Kandza’s attention with his right hand as he lifted it to muss up his hair a bit, instead of acting nervous or curious about what he’d been caught doing to him while he was asleep, like he expected, he instead growled abruptly and bit his damn nipple! 

Fumbling backwards a little bit, Preto watched with wide eyes as Kandza slowly lifted his head. He was clearly still exhausted and struggling with the action, but that didn’t stop him from leveling his narrowed eyes on him. 

When a faint warning growl began to rise from the man’s chest, Preto scooted back a little more, putting himself right at the edge of the blanket bed. 

I feel like I should ask him what’s wrong, but at the same time, the answer seems quite obvious. 

“I apologize if what I said last night had upset you. I just wanted to be hon—” his words were cut off abruptly when Kandza blurred forward. 

He hadn’t expected the man to be able to move so quickly while so sick! 

“Kandza,” Preto said sternly as he looked up at the man glaring down at him after having been pushed down.

He could have easily moved the werewolf, but just the look in his eyes alone had him hesitating. Besides, it wasn’t like he disliked being pinned down by him, but there was definitely a line between them that he needed to not cross again. Kandza clearly wanted more than what he could give him.

“Get off,” he said as calmly as possible. 

The hands gripping his shoulders tightened their hold as Kandza slowly let his head fall forward slightly, clearly running low on energy to maintain his aggressive demeanor. He wasn’t too surprised when the man refused to move, and normally he would have forced him away at that point, but it was obvious that he was already struggling to not fall over. 

“Elder… Pretennon,” he finally whispered as his arms began to shake from exhaustion. 

Preto bit back his usual correction. There would be no close relationship between the two of them, so adding elder  to the front of his name was the respectful thing to do. 

Tilting his head slightly against the blankets, Preto replied. 

“Yes, Kandza?” 

Before the man could say anything else, his arms gave out, making Preto lean up abruptly to catch him. As soon as Kandza settled in his lap he began to shiver harshly, his wolf whining quietly from his human mouth. 

This stubborn pup. 

Wrapping his arms around Kandza, Preto settled his chin on the man’s tucked head and sighed. He could hear him give out a quiet growl again, but decided to nudge it to the side for the moment. 

“Kandza, how did you get so sick all of a sudden?” he asked as he tugged the man closer. He should have gone home directly after their discussion, so how had he become so sick between the moment he’d left and now? 

It took the guy quite some time to respond… mainly because he was trying to weakly push himself out of Preto’s arms, but lacked the strength to do much more than nudge him a few times. If his fever wasn’t fluctuating so much, he would have let him go, but since his temperature was becoming unstable again, Preto decided to keep trying to cool him off with bodily contact. 

“Elder Pretennon…” 

Hmm? 

 “… is very mean.” 

Preto furrowed his brows and glanced down at the messy head of dark hair nestled against his right shoulder. He wanted to question the guy, but bit his tongue on a response. He already knew why he was upset. There was no need to press the subject. Besides, it was logical that he’d be mad over the misunderstanding. It wasn’t very common to see someone act as possessively as he did when not meaning to start a serious relationship. 

I should have been much more straightforward from the beginning. 

He was just about to lie back down with Kandza in his arms so that the guy could at least try and rest more when his body jerked abruptly and he hissed in a breath of air. 

Why did you bite me again?!

Not only had Kandza suddenly bitten down on his collar bone area rather forcefully, but the guy didn’t seem interested in letting go anytime soon, either. 

Preto ground his teeth together for a few moments before forcing his claws, which had abruptly extended, to retract again. He fully intended to reprimand the man for what he was doing this time, but when he heard a few extra sniffles, then another stressed whine from Kandza’s wolf, he forced his frustration back and leaned down slightly to try and get a glimpse of his face. 

Of course, that just made the guy tilt his head away, but at least he was forced to let him go in order to complete the action. 

Elder Pretennon, have you finished your business with my beta yet? I believe it is time to leave, came Silas’s unwanted voice within his mind. 

Scowling at the wall, Preto held Kandza’s shivering body a little tighter, eliciting an exhausted warning growl from the man. 

He is very sick. I’m helping him cool down, he said in response. 

Of course, he knew that Silas wouldn’t be very happy with his answer, and as if to prove him right, he heard a feral snarl shake the inside of his skull from the alpha’s fury. 

Leave our home now! I will tend to my beta. He does not need you. 

He wanted to yell back that he clearly  did, but if there was one thing that the man in his arms was making upsettingly clear, was the that he did not want him there. He expected Silas to shout at him again, or even slam open the door to Kandza’s room and drag him out himself, but when neither of those things happened, he looked back down at the man in his arms… only to realize that he was now glaring up at him with angry, red-tinged eyes. 

They stared at each other for exactly one minute before Kandza licked his lips and spoke, a growl clear in his tired words. 

“Let me go.” 

It felt like he was saying so much more than just simply requesting that Preto remove his arms from around him, but he didn’t dare delve into what his words could honestly mean. Instead, he slowly allowed his arms to fall away from the man’s damp back until his hands settled slightly behind himself to assist in holding his weight, even though his posture would have been perfect either way. They needed something to do. 

 His attention was soon taken by the feeling or three very  sharp claws cutting into his skin as two slowly sliced his pants as if they were butter, while the third, Kandza’s thumb, grabbed his waist more than tightly enough to puncture the skin there, too.

He didn’t dare try to look down at what he was doing, though, because the man didn’t give him the chance. Kandza leaned forward as he bared his teeth and wrinkled his nose, allowing his animalistic side to shine through. His right hand lifted to Preto’s shoulder, then began to press against it. 

Not wanting to cause him more stress, Preto let himself be pushed down again. 

“Kandza, I’m just trying to help you,” he said as his back hit the blankets. 

He winced as the man’s hold on his waist tightened further, drawing lines of blood from where each claw slid further into his flesh. 

“I do not need your help,” Kandza eventually ground out. 

He was still breathing hard, but it was clear that his anger was more than enough to push his current fever from his mind. 

Preto bit back his initial response, because he doubted that the man wanted to hear that he clearly did need his help, since he was practically a living oven at the moment. Instead, he forced his own mind to calm down and replied with a gentle, but stern, voice. 

“You are overheating uncontrollably. Just let me help you bring your body temperature back down, then I’ll go.” 

He expected Kandza to at least consider his words for a moment, but when the man immediately gave out a dismissive grunt and shoved Preto with one hand before rolling off of him and onto his side, giving Preto his back, he realized that he was effectively being dismissed without so much as a single rebuttal. 

Pursing his lips, Pretennon slowly stood and stepped off of the bed of blankets. His eyes never left Kandza’s back, watching as the man’s breathing began to hasten again. 

You’ve… been dismissed. 

He knew that, but it was still incredibly hard to turn away. 

He’s a very strong werewolf. Such a sickness will not harm him in the long run, he told himself. Which was true, but as he began to walk back through Kandza’s forest of blankets, he found that each step forward took more and more effort to complete. 

By the time he was finally at the door, his hand refused to be lifted to the knob. It didn’t seem like he was needed for that particular task, though, because before he could manage it, the door swung open. 

Silas stood before him with a dark glower on his face, towels over his shoulder, and a heavy bucket of water in his left hand. The man met his gaze, but offered him absolutely no form of greeting as he promptly walked past him. 

Preto didn’t dare look over his shoulder as his blood began to freeze in his veins and his clawed hands clenched painfully at his sides, easily drawing blood as they scraped the skin from his palms. He knew that he couldn’t go back, but he also struggled to leave, too. It felt like it took him nearly fifteen minutes just to make it to the end of the hallway, and before he could force himself to continue forward, he realized something that made him hesitate. 

I left my shirt and coat. 

Of course, he doubted that he was welcome to go retrieve them at that moment, but considering how upset both the werewolves currently were… his clothing was likely to be torn to shreds instead of returned at a later date. He had to go back and get the items or he’d likely never get the chance again. 

Pursing his lips, he quickly made his way back to Kandza’s room, then silently wove through the hanging forest before coming to an abrupt stop at the far edge of it. His chest immediately tightened and an unfamiliar wave of nausea made him take a silent step backward. He could only manage to stay another five seconds before his body turned of its on volition, then fled. 

It wasn’t that Silas was doing anything untoward with Kandza. The man had simply been wiping at the others’ face with a damp cloth. Kandza, too, had been doing little more than resting. His eyes had been closed, though he doubted that he’d fallen asleep quite yet. 

What had made Preto flee after only a few seconds was the fact that he most definitely could not retrieve his clothing. Or really, that he wouldn’t. Kandza must have immediately rolled back over once he’d initially left, because that was the only logical way he’d have managed to wrap himself so completely within the large coat Preto had accidentally left on his bed of blankets. His shirt, too, had been grabbed, and was now being used as a pillow that the man had clearly nuzzled eagerly into, considering all the wrinkles upon it. 

Fighting back another wave of nausea, Preto slowed to a stop as he stepped out of the suddenly-stifling room. Then, without looking back or even allowing a single thought to form in his chaotic mind, he left. 

(Edited)

Chapter 33

The music from far below easily reached up to the second floor walkway overlooking the chaotic dance floor. Sebastian leaned on the railing as he looked down at the bustling people below. His master hadn’t come to the gathering like they’d thought he would, so he’d been able to skirt his grand introduction and quickly ascended to the second floor without so much as a few nods of greeting and a small smile to the few guests that managed to notice him. 

It wasn’t so much that he didn’t stand out, because he’d definitely been sure to dress himself well, since his master took great pride in appearances, but it was just that… Looking to his side as his werewolf settled against the railing beside him, Seba bit back a grin. 

Ruoka was the one that truly stood out. The seamstress had given him another set of clothing when they’d met for lessons at the library earlier in the day. She had a very  good eye as to what worked well with people, and Ruoka was no exemption. He stood hunched against the railing, grinning at him with a midnight blue waistcoat adorned with gold buttons and black lapels. He’d allowed Seba to comb his hair back a bit and pin it perfectly so that it worked with the top hat he’d insisted on wearing with the outfit. A pair of dark gray pants hugged his waist, and everywhere else, like a glove. Thankfully, they left just enough  to the imagination that they were appropriate enough for the gathering. Finishing off the outfit with a pair of pitch black boots was the icing on the proverbial cake. 

“Master Seba.” 

Hearing his name had Sebastian blinking out of his thoughts. 

Oh, I was openly staring at him. 

Of course, half of the people milling about on the floor they were on were staring at him, too, but he should have had better self control. 

Clearing his throat, Seba turned his attention back to the party in full swing down below. 

“Yes, Ruoka?” 

Being the stubborn, cocky, and cute person he was growing accustomed to, Ruoka nudged him with his hip as he moved closer, then leaned his head down so that he could meet his eyes. 

“Master may stare at me as much as he wishes. I am yours, after all,” he said, his voice just barely loud enough for him to catch his words. 

Seba shrugged off his blush and straightened, but couldn’t meet his werewolf’s eyes. Instead, he quickly reached up and fixed the slight tilt to Ruoka’s top hat, then lowered his arms with a nervous nod. 

“I’m going to go downstairs. I’m not sure why master hasn’t come, but I think I should at least put forth a bit of effort,” he said as he offered a small smile and stepped around Ruoka. 

He wasn’t surprised in the least when he felt the man close behind. In all honesty, he had struggled to just make himself get out of bed earlier. Even when his master had returned home, he hadn’t even bothered to move from where he’d been settled against Ruoka. The man’s body heat was like a drug, and since he’d practically raised him, even in his human form, he was, surprisingly, still a comfort. 

I am surprised that master hadn’t even sent a thought to me admonishing my behavior, though. 

He’d been able to sense his frustration, though he wasn’t really sure if it had been directed at them or not. Heck, it would have been no surprise to him if Pretennon had been well and truly angry before he’d returned home. The man was a master at hiding his emotions, so when they could be sensed from across the house with minimal effort? 

He was just about to begin descending the large set of stairs down to the main ballroom when he noticed long raven hair out of the corner of his eye. 

Wait a minute…

His foot misstepped as he looked to his right, but a strong arm easily slid around his waist to catch him. The gesture was honestly expected, so Seba just reached down and grasped that firm arm as he watched his master disappear down a darkened hallway. 

I didn’t think that he was coming…

“Master?” came Ruoka voice from his side as the man finished helping him straighten back up, then took his hand to guide him the remainder of the way down the stairs. 

Seba allowed himself to be tugged along as he finally returned his attention to where he was going. 

Oh.

The music had come to an end between songs and the awkward silence only hung in the air for a few tense seconds before whispers began to grow from within the crowd. Almost everyone’s eyes were on them, and more specifically, Ruoka. 

He honestly thought that the man might become at least a little bit nervous with all of the attention on him, but he stood tall at his side with a handsome smile on his beautiful face. When that face turned toward him and the edges of Ruoka’s eyes crinkled the slightest bit as his grin grew, Seba forced himself to not look down. Instead, he pushed his own nervous smile onto his lips, then began pulling Ruoka into the waiting throng of nobility. 

It felt as if at least half of the people present wanted to touch his werewolf in one way or another. The men wanted handshakes and to immediately begin harassing him about his political views while the women tried to simply grab at his clothing while simultaneously asking him to dance. Seba knew that the majority of people would be interested in the new gentleman werewolf, but unfortunately, there were still quite a few people vying for his attention, too, which eventually drew the two apart into different groups. 

He did his best to keep up with the large array of conversations being thrown at him, but his worry kept bringing his attention back over toward the larger group that had surrounded Ruoka. The man, surprisingly, was doing incredibly well keeping up with his own situation. No one seemed bothered by his slower responses, because it was obvious that he was taking the time he needed to consider each person’s question before responding. It was also clear, if only to Seba, that the wolf had paid great attention to everything he’d ever heard growing up, because he wasn’t struggling at all. 

By the time two hours had passed, Seba was getting rather tired. He had even allowed himself to be pulled onto the dance floor by a human, then a werewolf, before excusing himself to rest. While he sat, he was again accosted by unwanted conversation as his eyes watched his werewolf dance effortlessly amongst the other attendees. He’d never been taught to dance, of course, but he was evidently a master in mimicry, and it took him barely any time at all to catch on. It probably helped that the vampire who currently held onto him like a vise was giving instructions, too.  

To say that the women watching the dance floor were enraptured and jealous would have been a broad understatement. Even the ones currently vying for Seba’s attention were splitting their’s between them. 

He pressed his fingers to his forehead as a faint headache began to pulse behind his eyes. He’d fed before coming, but stress always did burn his blood reserves faster than relaxing days. Of course, the host of the party had expected that some vampires might need to feed, but no matter how much he glanced around, he couldn’t find a single goblet of blood. 

Master, are you feeling alright? 

Seba looked toward Ruoka and felt his eyes widen as he noticed that the man had abandoned his dance partner right in the middle of the floor and was heading toward him while at the same time seamlessly dodging the other dancers waltzing around him. The group surrounding Seba immediately separated to give Ruoka room to get to him.  

“Master,” Ruoka began as he knelt in front of him and reached up, clearly intent on checking him. Instead of allowing it, Seba caught his hand and tried his best to give him a smile that didn’t look as tired as he felt. 

Judging from his pup’s reaction, it didn’t pass his test. 

“Master, are you hungry? I can go find you something to drink,” Ruoka said as he stood back up. 

Seba couldn’t really smell any blood within the room, and what he could was miniscule and stale, telling him that it was likely sitting at the bottom of already-drained goblets. It was unlikely that their host had procured enough for the event’s number of vampires. 

“I don’t think there is anymore, but if you wouldn’t mind looking…” he said as he held back a yawn. 

Ruoka immediately nodded sternly, then disappeared within the mass of people around them. As soon as he was out of sight Seba was rushed by people, women and men alike, human and werewolf, offering him their own blood. Some even went as far as to nick themselves, making him hurry to raise his hand to cover his nose. 

He was just stumbling to his feet when strong arms caught him, then lifted his body up with little effort as a loud warning growl emanated from the chest he was settled against. It was clear that it was Ruoka, which made Seba quickly shake himself free of his exhaustion and request to be set back down. He was not interested in being carried like a child, ill or not. 

He was let down immediately, but his werewolf refused to completely release him as he took his hand and gently guided him through the throng of people that parted without a single word as Ruoka demanded the space with just his presence alone. It wasn’t that the man was even being aggressive or displaying any kind of arrogance, either. 

He’s letting his alpha aura finally come out. Everyone is moving out of respect and reverence. 

He’d seen such incidents a couple of times with the other wolf alphas, but to see others move aside so readily for the little pup he’d raised? 

He’s not so little anymore…

Seba allowed Ruoka to tug him down a hallway and into one of the many sitting rooms set up for those who wished for a quieter conversation or just a simple rest from the festivities. 

He was brought over to a seat and helped to sit down, then Ruoka returned to shut the door before settling himself in front of Seba again. This time he did check his face with his hands, though he was gentle as he did so. 

“Master, I can go home and fetch you some blood from one of the servants,” he offered, knowing that he was struggling. 

It had been a while since it had happened, but there was no doubt in his mind that his sickness was destroying what he’d eaten earlier. he needed to feed as soon as possible, but at the same time, he didn’t want his master’s servant’s blood. 

Flaring his nostrils to take in Ruoka’s scent, Seba slowly leaned forward until he fell right into Ruoka’s arms, forcing the man backwards and onto the decorative carpet from the sudden surprise of his intentional fall. 

“Master Seba?” Ruoka questioned with a slight tilt of his head. 

Unable to speak, Seba looked down at his beautiful, handsome, gorgeous werewolf and swallowed his nerves as he leaned forward. He knew that he shouldn’t be doing what he was. Shouldn’t be putting Ruoka in such a situation, but he couldn’t help himself. 

This is my choice. I will break my master’s rules, because even though I’m extremely hungry and there are plenty of other people willing to feed me, there’s only one person I want to sink my teeth into. 

 “Ruoka…” he said, struggling to get the single word past his aching, decending fangs. 

Seemingly understanding immediately, Ruoka reached up and wrapped one arm around Seba’s lower back as his other hand settled against the back of his head, guiding him down to his throat as he calmly tilted his own head backward, giving him plenty of room to bite where he wished. 

“Drink,” Ruoka said calmly. 

With that simple, single word of permission, Seba nuzzled against Ruoka’s warm neck, then licked it twice before closing his eyes and sinking his fangs into his werewolf’s hot skin. 

As he began to drink, his body immediately started to relax as Ruoka’s familiar blood was greedily accepted and spread throughout his system. It eased his exhaustion and made him sigh with relief after only a few mouthfuls. He considered pulling away after taking a tiny bit more, but the hand settled within his hair pressed down the slightest amount before he could even retract his fangs. 

“Master, we have already broken every rule we have been given. Drink your fill and rest. I… we, will bother with whatever repercussions there are later.”

He wanted to argue, but firstly, his fangs didn’t want to retract from Ruoka’s warm skin. And honestly, the man’s blood tasted like the most delicious wine he’d ever tasted. He hadn’t realized how addicting it truly was until he’d been forced to not drink it. Absentmindedly, Seba chewed a bit on Ruoka’s neck, adjusting his fangs the slightest amount and making the man beneath him give out a quiet chuckle in response. 

“…adorable vampire.” 

Huh? 

His mind began to feel weighted, as if he truly was feasting on wine instead of blood. He’d missed what Ruoka had just said, but when he’d finally managed to retract his fangs and push himself up on the man’s chest in order to look down at him, his werewolf didn’t seem even the least bit dazed. 

I know I took quite a lot…

When Ruoka’s tongue slowly slipped out to lick along his bottom lip, Seba felt his face heat with the man’s hot blood. 

“Master is a messy eater when he is very hungry…” 

I… I am? 

Looking up at a mirror settled across the room, his face paled at the mess of blood beginning to dry around his lips and chin. He quickly lifted his fingers to his lips, intent on licking them and cleaning himself off, but right as his tongue pressed against two of them, his wrist was grabbed, then gently guided away as Ruoka lifted the hand he still had pressed against Seba’s back. 

“Master, may this humble servant help clean you up?” 

There was a hunger in the man’s eyes that spoke volumes as he leaned upward, putting their faces mere inches apart. The close proximity, mixed with the heady feeling of being completely sated made Seba have to fight to not look away. 

He’s given me so much blood… and saved me from possibly being dragged away by someone else.

“You may,” he eventually said in a quiet whisper as he finally averted his gaze. 

Ruoka gave him nearly a full minute to reconsider his words, but when he didn’t take them back, the man slowly leaned in the last few inches, closing the distance between them as his tongue softly pressed against Seba’s chin, then retracted immediately. 

When it didn’t return again, Seba tilted his head and returned his attention to the man… only for him to give out a surprised chuckle in response to what he saw. 

“Why is your tongue sticking out like that, you strange pup?” he asked, his words directed at the tip of Ruoka’s tongue that was sticking out from between his lips the slightest bit, as if he had forgotten what he’d been doing in the middle of doing it!

“Master seemed nervous. I didn’t want to make you nervous when you’re not feeling well,” Ruoka replied, making him blink down at him and frown slightly. 

“So you’re fine with making me nervous when I’m feeling fine?” he asked, worried that if he said that he was, in fact, feeling much better, that Ruoka might start laying into him much more strongly. 

When the man smirked and quickly nodded, Seba let his head sag between his shoulders, shaking it a few times before he felt Ruoka nudging through his light curtain of bangs. Before he’d even finished lifting his head back up, the man had swiped his tongue across his chin again, but this time, he didn’t stop at just that. It disappeared for only a brief moment before returning, then disappearing and returning again and again. 

It was such an odd sensation to have someone cleaning his face like a cat that Seba couldn’t help but laugh a little as Ruoka got really into it. He had most of the blood taken care of in less than a minute, but when his tongue began swiping across his lips, Seba felt them shiver in response. 

Seemingly having caught his reaction, Ruoka paused for only a brief moment as their noses softly settled against each others and their breath mixed together. When that damp, warm tongue returned to press against his lips for a second time, Seba tilted his head ever so slightly. Another lick occured after a few moments, then a retreat. Then another. As Ruoka’s tongue returned again, Seba unintentionally licked his lips at the same time. He immediately made his own tongue retreat after it met Ruoka’s, but when his werewolf leaned in a little more as he propped himself up with his arm, putting himself just close enough to settle a tiny portion of his upper lip against his, Seba was unable to hold back his curiosity.  

Just want to… try. 

He slowly leaned forward, closing the near-nonexistent distance between their mouths as his lips awkwardly pressed against Ruoka’s. 

(Edited)

Chapter 34

His master would have turned a much brighter red than he already was if he knew what was running through his wolf’s mind right at that moment. It took all of effort not to flip the man settled overtop him onto his back on the soft carpet. He wanted to kiss him more. To bite his neck, and anywhere else that the man would allow. It was honestly quite overwhelming, though he did at least know better than to try and remove any clothing… yet. 

Ruoka’s heart pounded within his chest as he tried to press his master’s mouth closer to his own using the hand at the back of his head, but there was no closer . They were as close as they could get, but his inner wolf wanted  much more. 

He was just about to consider slipping his tongue into Sebastian’s mouth when he felt the man nervously press a hand against his chest. Reading the signal immediately, Ruoka released him and flopped back down onto the carpet with his hands at his sides. 

Seeing his master panting hard as he leaned down to press his forehead against Ruoka’s chest made him feel uncomfortable. He liked it, a little too much, but at the same time, he was terribly worried that he’d pushed the ill man too far. Most vampires didn’t need to breathe much, if at all, but his master was different. Especially if he wasn’t feeling well or became stressed.

I want to help him, but I don’t know how…

So, he waited silently until Sebastian was finally able to catch his breath. When the man slowly looked up at him with tired eyes and slightly swollen, bitten lips, Ruoka sat up in a blur, startling his master as he wrapped one of his arms around his back and leaned forward with a feral growl. 

Stop! He said that he doesn’t want more attention. 

Well, he hadn’t said  it, but the signal had been crystal clear. So, while it took him a few moments, Ruoka managed to reign himself in and after closing his eyes and taking a few deep, calming breaths, he was able to relax enough to nudge his wolf back. 

“I apologize, master,” he said after several moments of tense silence.

He waited quietly until Seba finally leaned away enough to meet his eyes. 

That blush… I did that. My blood and my attention. 

Ruoka swallowed another urge to claim the man’s lips, but just barely. He was just about to apologize again when both their attention was suddenly drawn by the sound of someone hurrying past their room. When the scent of the person drifted to his nose, Ruoka felt his inner wolf bristle. 

Silas? 

“Isn’t he supposed to be working with Verander at his pack house right now?” Seba asked, voicing Ruoka’s concern as he quickly stood, easily lifting the man that had been settled in his lap along with him. 

He was just about to head for the door when Seba cleared his throat quietly, drawing his attention to him. 

“Can you um, put me down, please?” he mumbled awkwardly. 

I suppose. 

He didn’t want to, but if his master was requesting it…

Ruoka carefully set him back down on his feet, then picked up his hat and replaced it on his head. He then began heading for the door, only to stop abruptly and walk back to his master. He quickly fixed his clothing, then hair, before stepping back and running his eyes up and down his form for a moment. 

Still disheveled, but it will do. 

Besides, he wasn’t worried that others might think he had done something inappropriate to his master, but he knew that Seba would definitely care. So, he compromised, fixing his outfit and hair decently-enough, but not perfectly. 

The others at the gathering would still be able to smell the faint scent of intimacy on them, but he wasn’t sure if his master would really notice it… or at least, hopefully he wouldn’t realize that others could. 

I feel so conflicted. I want him to smell aroused, and I want everyone to know that I had done that to him, but at the same time I know that he won’t be happy about such things. 

Instead of voicing his many thoughts, Ruoka pursed his lips, biting the insides of them, before turning and stalking back toward the door. 

“Are you alright?” Seba asked as he gently took his wrist in his hand, catching him right as his free hand settled over the doorknob. 

 Not trusting himself to turn around again, Ruoka opened the door as he rotated his wrist, allowing him to slip free of Seba’s hold, only to grab the man’s hand, instead. 

“Alpha Silas is here, and I think I can sense alpha Marquise, too. They might be having a meeting and I would like to speak with the head alpha if I can,” he said as he turned to the left and headed farther down the long hallway. 

Seba allowed himself to be tugged along, calming himself further as they moved. By the time they got to the large set of double doors at the end of the hall, he was mostly composed.

Ruoka only hesitated for a moment before pushing the doors open. He’d heard voices from outside, but knocking, and being declined entrance, was not something he wished to waste time on. The occupants of the room quieted as soon as they appeared, and since none of the people present bared their teeth or told them to leave, he silently guided his master over to a large chair at the long table currently set up within the room. 

He wanted to pull Seba into his lap the second he sat down, but knew that such an action, especially in front of those who were present before them, would not be appreciated. 

Calm yourself and focus. Master is the most important. You must not make him anymore stressed than you already have. 

He reluctantly released his hand, but watched him until he was settled into the seat to his left. Ruoka then turned his attention to the man across the table from him. 

“Alpha Marquise, I apologize for interrupting,” he said, drawing a partial, unpleasant smirk to the side of the man’s lips. 

“Do you now?” he said with a chill to his words that told Ruoka just how  much he appreciated being interrupted. 

 “To what do I owe the honor of this interruption, alpha Ruoka?” Marquise asked with a slight growl to his words. 

Ruoka bowed his head slightly, trying to appease the man he had clearly angered. 

“I wanted to request to form my own pack,” he stated quickly, his voice determined and sure. 

Judging from the look on the man’s face, as well as Silas and Pretennon’s, who were also present, the request hadn’t been what they’d expected him to say. However, it didn’t take Marquise long to decide on a response. 

“Your request is denied, leave.”

Ruoka felt his wolf’s hackles rise, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind right before one of its growls could slip from his lips.  

“I wish to build a pack to prevent the Rain and Ghost packs from bothering myself and my master further about joining theirs,” he said as calmly as he could. 

He no longer wished to be pestered by either alpha, and creating his own pack would be a clear sign that he was not interested in whatever they intended to recruit him for. 

Marquise seemed to calm down a bit after Ruoka finished speaking, because the next time he spoke, his voice was much less aggressive.

“There is little you need to worry about from them now. Their interest in recruiting you was with the intention of increasing their numbers, since most of their males chose not to join the resettlement program, but it is quite clear that you have no interest in reproducing with a female werewolf,” he said, making Sebastian’s face redden as he looked down at his lap. 

Ruoka noticed his master’s sire watching them closely, but while his expression held anger within it, he couldn’t sense that it was directed at him. At least, not all of it.

Returning his attention Marquise, Ruoka nodded. 

“I have no interest in mating with other werewolves,” he stated without a single ounce of hesitation. 

Marquise tilted his head against the back of the large chair he sat in, reclining the slightest amount as he lifted one hand from the armrest just high enough to give a simple dismissive gesture. 

“Then you have no reason to request that a new pack be formed,” he stated. 

Ruoka couldn’t argue. If the other two alphas truly only bothered him and his master about joining their packs to set him up with a female in order to procreate, they would get nowhere. He would just be an extra mouth to feed, house, and deal with. Besides, he doubted that either of the three packs wanted to have a second alpha under their roofs. And speaking of such…

He glanced to his other side, where Silas sat patiently, waiting for the previous discussion to continue. 

I’m curious.

“I would like to stay for the remainder of the meeting you were having, if I may be permitted,” he requested with another slight bow of his head, trying to at least pretend that he could show some sort of respect to the elder werewolf. 

Marquise scoffed at his attempt, but didn’t bother telling him to leave. Instead, he turned his attention to Silas. 

“You were about to state your request. Please…” he said as he nodded toward the man. 

Silas straightened in his seat and nodded in return. 

“I believe that it will benefit everyone if the collar is removed and Verander is allowed to shift freely,” he said, making Marquise bristle slightly with what appeared to be annoyance. 

“You are the one who requested that we use that devise to harness his overly-aggressive wolf, yet now you wish to remove it… and while he is strictly under your care?” 

That didn’t sound like a good idea. Especially considering how aggressive Verander was to Silas. If he could shift freely, then that greatly reduced the amount of restraints he could use to hold the beast at bay. 

“I made a mistake without honestly trying to get to know the situation he was dealing with first. I’m not saying that I understand it all, though, because I definitely don’t, but I think that I might have jumped the gun on my request to collar him,” Silas said, surprising even Ruoka with his words. 

“Are you sure you want to remove it? I will not decline your request, if so,” Marquise said with a hint of interest in his voice. 

Silas nodded again without hesitation. 

“It is, I will take responsibility for my actions, and his.” 

Marquise gave an agreeing hum, then turned his attention to Pretennon, who was sitting silently beside Sebastian. 

“Elder Pretennon, you have also requested a meeting and I thank you for your patience. What is it that you wish to bring to my attention?” 

Pretennon leaned forward, settling his arms on the table. 

“I have discovered three more traps within the Rain pack’s territory earlier today and two were bloody. I wanted to go back and do another patrol after checking on the beta of the pack, since he hadn’t shown up for his shift. Confirming that he was sick, I returned to the forest and did a thorough search of the area. Towards the farther portion of the forest, near the southern border, I ended up stepping on a well-hidden silver leg trap.” 

Marquise’s eyebrows shot up at his words before his eyes darted downward. Of course, none of them would be able to see the injury, and the smell of any blood, if the wound still remained open, was likely masked by the goblets that had been served throughout the night. 

“I already tended to the injury it had caused, but if I were a werewolf, that trap could have done much more than simply stab a few holes in my ankle,” he said, drawing a serious nod from Marquise. “I don’t think that any of the Rain pack had gotten caught in them, but perhaps stray werewolves could have wandered in. Either way, there were no wolves currently in the traps.” 

 “I will assemble and lead a group of my warriors to investigate both the Rain and Ghost borders tomorrow morning. Until we are able to figure out who has been setting the traps within each territory, both packs should double their guards for safety,” he said as he looked from Pretennon to Silas. 

As Silas nodded, Ruoka licked his lips and leaned forward. 

“I would like to help in some way,” he said, surprising everyone in the room as all eyes turned to him. 

It was true that he had no interest in the other werewolves, or maintaining a territory, but if one of those traps could catch his master’s sire by surprise? He didn’t even want to think about Sebastian accidentally getting caught in one. 

I will protect my master. Even if it means helping the other wolves. 

“I’m not against you joining my group to scout for more traps tomorrow,” Marquise said, clearly still a bit surprised by his offer, but also intrigued enough to humor his request. 

Ruoka nodded immediately as he straightened back up in his seat. 

“Thank you, I will meet you at your pack house before dawn?” he said, earning a nod of agreement from Marquise before the elder werewolf stood from his seat. 

“If that is all, I will return to my home and begin gathering wolves for tomorrow,” he said as the rest of the people present stood. 

They all bowed respectfully, and remained that way until the head werewolf had left the room. When Ruoka straightened back up, he felt Pretennon’s eyes on him. When he turned to look at him, however, he felt the man’s attention shift away. 

He had turned his attention to his heir and was checking his face with a hint of worry in his eyes. 

I fed him. 

The thought he pushed toward the elder vampire had the man’s eyes widening as he stilled in his assessment of his heir. A moment later, after Silas had dismissed himself, he was straightening, his narrowed gaze on Ruoka.

“His illness had been acting up and I couldn’t find any flutes of blood. I was not going to let him suffer over a rule you made up to try and frustrate us,” he said, earning a restrained snarl from the vampire before him. 

Not deterred, Ruoka took a step forward, putting him at his master’s side, and nearly toe to toe with his sire. 

“I will not abuse my blood abilities. My master is still my master. I will obey whatever he asks of me,” he added, making Pretennon scowl. 

“You will obey him? You just offered yourself up for a lengthy, and possibly-dangerous patrol without so much as glancing in his direction,” Preto said as he met his eyes. “Tell me, if Sebastian requests that you do not go on that patrol, will you rescind your request to join it?” 

Ruoka fidgeted as realization dawned on him. It wasn’t that he had ignored his master when he’d made the decision to help Marquise patrol the next morning. He had joined with the intentions of making sure that wherever Sebastian wished to go, he could do so without worry, but Pretennon was correct. He hadn’t even considered, in the slightest, asking him if he could  help with the patrol. In all honesty, he had made several decisions since he’d first shifted into his human form without even considering if his master approved of them or not. 

Suddenly feeling uncomfortably chastised and depressed, Ruoka took a step backwards, then ran a clawed hand through his hair before spinning abruptly on his heels with a frustrated growl and briskly leaving the room.   

He knew that he was doing it again. Not allowing his master to have a say in his actions, but he couldn’t bring himself to face him at that moment. What Pretennon had said had struck a nerve. He’d been correct, and that was the problem. 

Ruoka hadn’t been interested in being ordered around. Now that he could think beyond the capabilities of his previously-simple wolf’s mind, he knew what he should do. He knew how to do it, or could easily learn. He didn’t need  to be told what to do in order to help his master. He could think of his own ways to please him, but was that what Sebastian really wanted? A werewolf servant who simply acted on his own instead of listening and doing what he was told? 

Giving out a tiny, stressed whine, he hurriedly walked into a copse of trees outside of the large mansion he’d just exited, then tugged off his clothing in a rush. Leaving the outfit, boots, and even top hat behind, he quickly shifted into his wolf form and darted out into a mostly-deserted road, needing to run off as much stress as he could before he dared return to his master’s home. 

(Edited)

Chapter 35

He had grossly underestimated their enemy. 

Wincing as he made his way up to his room after dismissing Sebastian for the evening, without a single word of reprimand for having broken the only rules given to him, Pretennon limped up the stairs and headed down to the end of the opposite hall. The moment he had his door closed he fell back against it, doing his best to stifle the cry of pain he couldn’t entirely hold back. 

He was pretty good at hiding discomfort, since he’d had plenty of years to get used to it, but he hadn’t expected such an injury to begin literally burning  through his ankle soon after his meeting with Marquise had concluded. Sure, the metal had hurt a good deal, but it had been a trap for werewolves, not vampires… or so he’d thought. 

The bastards had lined the teeth of the silver trap with holy water. 

Clenching his jaw as his fangs fully extended, Preto limped over to his bed, just-barely managing to make it there before collapsing onto his blankets. Leaving his left foot hanging over the edge, since he didn’t dare move it another fraction of an inch more, he extended his claws and let them slide into his thick comforters and sheets. 

It hurts…

Shoving his face into the blankets, he forced himself to begin trying to figure out how to deal with the injury. He needed to take his boot off, first, which would undoubtedly cause the pain to grow immensely. Just the thought of even tapping his shoe with the tip of a claw made his entire body shudder with unease. 

It has to be done, though…

He was just about to force himself to sit up when he felt someone gently settle a warm hand against the back of his head. It took his nose less than a second to determine who it was that had somehow snuck into his room. 

Kandza.

As much as he was frustrated with the man, he just couldn’t bring himself to growl at him. Not even a little bit. He accepted the silent attention as Kandza continued to simply stroke his hair, as if calming a distressed child. And for once in his undead life, that was exactly what he felt like. 

“I need to take care of your injury,” Kandza eventually whispered. 

Preto’s body immediately tensed at his words, but he knew that he was right. If he didn’t take care of his ankle soon, it might need to be amputated. Holy water on a vampire’s body was bad enough, but holy water inside a vampires body? He would be dead within days, all-powerful elder or not. 

He bit into his blankets as he felt the man tug off his right boot, then begin working off the one on his left foot, suddenly upset with his fashion habit of liking tight things. Thankfully, Kandza was using his claws and cutting away at most of the material as he went. 

It took nearly fifteen minutes before the shoe was finally off, leaving behind what he could only imagine was an unpleasant sight. He could smell his skin burning from the inside where the holy water had been locked in due to his quick healing abilities. In most cases, it was beneficial, but in his current one, it had sealed the poison within him. 

“Let’s go to the washroom,” Kandza said abruptly, making Preto’s eyes widen as he released his blankets and looked over his shoulder. Moving, at all did not sound pleasant. 

“I’m sorry, elder Pretennon,” Kandza said before abruptly, but carefully, rolling him onto his back, then scooping his body up into his arms. 

It hurt, like hell, but thankfully his boot was already off so at least there was nothing weighing on the injury. They silently moved to the other room where Preto was gently set down in the empty bathing tub. Kandza held his injured leg up as he grabbed several towels, then settled it down on the edge of the tub with the soft layers beneath it. 

He then grabbed the clean washbasin that had been left on the counter filled with fresh water and brought it over to set down on the chair next to the tub. 

“I’m sorry for what I’m about to do, but I will not stop until I know that I got it all,” he said, making Preto swallow down his growing fear. 

The man was just about to start cutting into his flesh with his claws when Preto hesitantly lifted his leg away from where it had been settled, making Kandza look up at him in confusion. 

“If you’re going to drain me, I’m going to need to be a lot more distracted than I am right now,” he said honestly. 

There was no way he’d be able to just lie still while his ankle was being carved up. Kandza probably knew that, too, but he didn’t seem to have an idea on how to help. 

Grinning, though it probably looked more like a grimace, Preto carefully pushed himself up against the back of the tub a bit more, then patted the spot between his legs. 

He thought that the guy might put up more a fight, especially considering the fact that he was completely naked, as per usual, but Kandza didn’t hesitate to immediately, but carefully, climb into the tub and settle himself right where requested.  

Preto wasted no time wrapping his arms around the man’s solid middle and nuzzling his face against his bare, warm back. Unfortunately, Kandza didn’t hesitate to begin his work moments later, either, making Pretennon’s arms tighten sharply around his abs. 

The man was clearly trying to be gentle, but there was only so much he could do. He’d already put off treating the injury longer than he should have, so as his blood began to run along Kandza’s hands, then leg, he just clenched his teeth and pushed through it with silent tears. 

“I will take care of you,” Kandza said solemnly as he continued to work over the next hour, carefully carving through Preto’s injury bit by bit to insure that he was slowly bleeding out the holy water that had mixed into his blood. 

Sensing the last bit of his blood slowly trickle through Kandza’s fingers made Preto feel something he hadn’t in a very, very long time. He was starving. Absolutely, completely, painfully, starving. 

As the last droplets left his body, Kandza finally set his leg down and carefully turned onto his knees to face him in the pool of blood he’d created. 

“Elder Pretennon, let me help you out of here and wash you off, then I’ll feed you,” he said as he gently began cutting through Preto’s ruined pants. 

As soon as he was free of them he was helped out of the tub in a daze, then settled on the edge of it before being wiped down with damp towels until his skin was mostly clean. He couldn’t help but think that he must have looked quite the sight in a long, pitch black trench coat and fancy silk dress shirt while naked from the waist down. 

“Lord Pretennon is a beauty beyond compare. No matter what you wear, or what you do not, I will never see anything else,” Kandza said, seemingly reading his mind as he gently removed the dripping coat from his shoulders and set it aside before deciding on just removing the shirt, too. 

He then took care of any remaining bits of blood that he’d missed before cleaning himself off and tossing the towels aside. He then wrapped up the already-healing injury and gently picked Preto back up into his arms. They weren’t even back to his bed before he’d nuzzled into Kandza’s neck and began licking. 

“Drink, love. I will call for a servant to help sate your remaining need once you have taken what you can from me.” 

He didn’t need to be told twice. Preto greedily sank his fangs into the man’s throat as they got situated on the bed, pulling mouthful after mouthful of hot blood back into his frigid system. Red lines ran down his chin as he continued to drink as quickly as he could, needing to replenish what was drained from him so abruptly. 

The entire time he drank he felt Kandza’s calm breathing pace itself comfortably with his own. He shouldn’t have had to breathe in the first place since he was an older vampire, but after losing all of his blood, and thus, all of the oxygen his body still needed to function, it regressed back to the primitive necessity of trying to pull it in through his mouth. 

He even had to actually release Kandza’s throat after a while so that he could settle his head against the man’s warm chest and focus on calming his breathing. 

He began to get it under control after a few minutes, but then he felt a certain werewolf nudge his nose against his cheek, then give a few tiny licks to that spot. Preto wanted to chastise him for being a little too personal, but hell, they were lying in his bed, both completely naked with him splayed out on top of the guy, while he sucked on his neck like it was a piece of prime rib. He was just thinking that it didn’t quite get more personal than that when he felt Kandza’s tongue begin to hasten its pace as it started cleaning the whole left side of his face. 

“Kandza…” he rasped, trying to sound annoyed but only managing a pathetic whimper of the man’s name. 

Hearing him say his name only seemed to spur on his frantic licking craze, too, because soon Preto was the one on his back while Kandza took great liberty in cleaning just about everywhere above his shoulders with that darn warm tongue of his!

Preto gave out a weak growl after a few more moments, but again, it just sounded pathetic. So, he reached up with shaky arms and grabbed both of Kandza’s upright wolf ears. 

I… have such an ear fetish. I don’t ever want to let these go again.

Snapping himself out of his perverted thoughts, Preto tugged on those super soft, fuzzy ears until he was able to bring the man’s head upward so that their eyes could meet. 

He was about to give him a piece of his mind for rubbing spit all over his face with his tongue, but when he saw Kandza’s red-rimmed eyes and the tear track marks on his cheeks, he couldn’t find the words in himself to chastise. 

So, instead, he loosened his grip on the guy’s ears, sending the signal that he was evidently allowed to continue washing his face with his tongue, because not a second later, that’s exactly what happened.

Even though he wanted to swat at him until he stopped, then maybe take another small nibble at his throat, since he didn’t want to completely drain the guy, especially right after he’d been sick, his fingers refused to give up their fuzzy ears. 

I have a problem. I really do. 

Even as he thought those words his fingers were moving, gently massaging those addicting ears as their owner continued washing his face until, he suddenly wasn’t. 

Eyes wide and body suddenly stiff from surprise, Preto lay frozen as Kandza’s lips pressed awkwardly against his own. 

The guy still wasn’t a good kisser, but that wasn’t even the point at that moment. There shouldn’t have been any kissing!

Kandza, get off.

The man leaned away slowly, but was stopped, again, by Preto’s refusal to release his ears. 

Damn these ears. 

The confused expression on Kandza’s face wasn’t a surprise. He was being told to do something, but being stopped from doing said thing by the person who told him to do said thing. 

Preto was just about to force himself to finally release the guy’s poor ears when a faint howl echoed into his bedroom. Both their attention turned toward the dark sky outside as another howl came immediately after the first. 

That sounds like… Ruoka? 

He’d watched the pup shift and run north before Sebastian had collected his discarded clothing, but considering the direction, he hadn’t bothered chasing, nor letting his heir give chase. He wasn’t running into the forest, so it would have been a waste, and partially inappropriate, to follow after the alpha when he wanted space. 

“Sebastian’s pup is requesting assistance,” he mumbled, more to himself than to Kandza. 

Before he could even begin pushing himself up, though, the werewolf on top of him promptly used his hands to press his shoulders down into the mattress. That action got a well-deserved glare out of Preto, but that didn’t seem to deter the guy at all. 

“Elder Pretennon will not assist. There are plenty of wolves that can heed his call,” he stated logically. 

He wasn’t wrong. Marquise likely already had several wolves heading towards him as they spoke, but still, Ruoka was his heir’s pup, and possibly more if their relationship continued to flourish…

“I should go, too,” he said as he tried to get up again, only for the man above him to abruptly shift into his heavier wolf form before lying down directly on top of him.

Kandza, get off of me right now! he snarled into the man’s mind, earning a brief glimpse from his wolf before it stretched out a bit, then dropped its fuzzy head down to his shoulder with a quiet grunt. 

If he hadn’t just been drained of his entire blood supply, Preto could have easily shoved the wolf off, but even after having partially refilled his system, it still wasn’t enough to be able to handle the stupid werewolf until his injury was completely healed and the damage within him had been mended. It would take time. 

Scowling as he glared up at the ceiling, Preto pursed his lips as another howl echoed to them through the cold night air. 

I apologize, elder Pretennon. 

He didn’t want to hear it. Even though he’d wanted to go out and assist Ruoka, he knew that it would have been a dumb move. After only a few moments of lying beneath Kandza’s warm wolf, he was already struggling to stay awake. His mind swam in and out of consciousness. During that time, Kandza nudged his wolf’s head closer and closer with every passing minute until one of those soft, adorable ears were settled right up against his cheek. 

He might not have been able to get up or move much, and he was about ten seconds away from passing out completely, but that didn’t stop Preto from reaching up with his tired arms and wrapping them around the creature’s fuzzy head as his fingers sought out those addicting, soft ears. He managed to grab hold of each target right before his mind shut off and he was pulled into a dark, dreamless sleep. 

(Edited)

Chapter 36

Silas immediately awoke when he heard a howl off in the distance. He quickly stood up from the wingchair he’d fallen asleep in in the foyer, then hurried toward the front double doors of his pack house. Another howl met his ears as he opened them. 

Ruoka…

He was just about to head out to respond to the wolf’s support call, but ended up pausing right before he turned around and ran up the stairs. When he opened the door to his bedroom, Verander’s massive wolf was already waiting for him, its giant paws crossed over the edge of his bed. 

Uh…

When he’d come back from the party earlier that evening he’d spoken with Verander about working with his larger wolf in order to share control sometimes, instead of just switching back and forth between the two entities. He also needed to start trying not to force the larger, more aggressive canine to the back of his mind more often than not. 

“Ruoka is calling for assistance. Would you like to come see what’s going on?” he asked, figuring that the other alpha would want to know about what was going on, too. He might not have control of his pack at the moment, but he was still in charge of that general area of town. 

Unsurprisingly, Verander quickly hopped off the bed and padded over to him. They had agreed to leave the chains and collar off for the time being and see how well the giant wolf handled the bit of freedom since he’d gotten permission from Marquise to do so. 

It still made him fidget when the massive wolf got so close, and it was obvious that it knew it, too, because it gave him a nudge to the hip right when Silas thought that he’d simply walk out of the room and head down the stairs. The little bump was nothing threatening, but it took him by surprise enough to make him step back a few times. His response earned a scoff from the wolf before it did  finally go down the stairs. 

Silas scowled at its swishing tail as it walked away, but sighed out his frustration and followed after a few moments, meeting the wolf at the open double doors to the house. 

Another howl met their ears as they stepped outside, this time it was Marquise, himself. 

Everything is under control, then. 

If the head alpha was already there, then they didn’t need to rush. It wasn’t a life or death situation. Or, at least, it wasn’t a life or death situation any longer, and if someone had gotten hurt, they were already being tended to. 

So, while Silas began running toward the direction of the howls, he didn’t feel the need to strip off his clothing and shift in order to go faster. He was just getting up to a good running speed when he felt another nudge at his hip. 

Thankfully, he knew that the large wolf was close, so it didn’t startle him this time, and he didn’t bother worrying about it, either, because if him running had actually triggered Verander, then they would have already been on the ground, their wolves fighting amongst each other. 

Since he had nothing to worry about, he ignored the nudge… only for another to occur a few moments later. When a third soon followed as they ducked into the surrounding forest, Silas swatted at the large wolf’s wet nose. 

“Behave,” he grumbled, earning a grunt from the beast before it began to slow the slightest amount, putting it just a few feet behind him. 

Strange w—ah!

Before he could try to move out of the way, Verander’s massive wolf darted between his legs, knocking a certain set of items as it forced him up onto its back! Silas hissed as he grabbed a fistful of the wolf’s shaggy mane of fur instinctively so that he wouldn’t fall, while at the same time leaning forward as he squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his forehead against the wolf’s neck. 

It hurts…

Thankfully, the pain ebbed after a minute, allowing the man to straighten slightly as he wiped away his tears with his free hand. 

I am sorry, alpha Silas. He’s not listening very well right now. 

That was pretty obvious!

Shaking the last remaining haze of discomfort from his head, Silas focused on the direction they were going. 

“It sounds like they’re in the red light district,” he said, the name basically meaning that the area was built to host those who wished for a night out on the town. 

Taverns and poolhalls abounded, as well as other… less appropriate places. Verander’s large wolf came to a slow stop in the middle of the main street, its impressive size easily forcing the excessive amount of human onlookers, most of them drunk, to step aside or get shoved out of the way. 

Marquise was standing off to one side with his arms crossed over his chest as he spoke with several of his packmates beside a large tavern. Silas noticed, as he quickly slid from his less-than-noble steed, that the person who held his focus the most was Ruoka. 

At first glance, he looked like he was perfectly fine, but when he turned his head to glance at them as they approached, he felt his heart leap into his throat. Sebastian was not  going to be happy. 

His face… got splashed with silver. 

It was extremely rare to see silver in liquid form, and making such a thing took quite a lot of time… and money. Someone had wanted Ruoka dead.. or at least severely injured. 

“Alpha Silas, alpha Verander,” Marquise said, his voice an order to come forward. 

They both obliged immediately, but Silas nearly tripped over his own feet when Verander’s huge wolf nudged his side again, and with quite a bit more force than the previous shoves!

Will you stop that? he grumbled, frustrated that he nearly fell right in front of the head alpha. 

I’m trying, but he really wants to attack you. I told him that he could nudge you whenever he wants for now and it seems to be keeping him under control enough for the time being… 

Silas felt his eyebrow twitch as he began to listen to Marquise tell them what had happened. Evidently, Ruoka had taken off after the meeting they’d had at the gathering earlier that night and had wandered into the red light district. He never went into any of the buildings, but as he walked past a bustling tavern in his wolf form, his ears had picked up suspicious voices. 

He laid down beneath one of the open windows and listened as the voices got more heated. It was a small group of men, perhaps three or four, that were going back and forth chastising each other for losing catches. One was being berated for the poorly-set trap in Verander’s territory that had let the wolf that had likely been caught in it to escape. That person, after being laughed at for several minutes, then turned his own ire on another, yelling that one of the other men had failed to catch the head vampire of the program in his holy water leg trap that should have easily taken down any undead!

He’d remained there, listening, until the front door had suddenly slammed open, drawing him to his feet as he spun around to face it. Not a moment later he was doused with liquid silver, forcing him to hurry away from the oncoming group or drunken men. 

Looking toward Ruoka, Silas frowned as he saw the silver continuing to burn, even though he knew that the man had likely washed his face already. 

He needs vampire blood. 

It wasn’t an instant cure, but it would slowly nullify the silver’s ability to burn a werewolf. 

“I’ve already summoned him,” Marquise said, drawing Silas’s attention back to the head alpha. 

He was about to ask who  he had summoned, but the words never left his mouth as Sebastian suddenly appeared, descending from the rooftop of a nearby business. 

He looked different from the nervous vampire he normally saw as he stalked up to his werewolf. Ruoka turned to face him, gently settling his hands on the man’s hips when he got close enough. To everyone’s surprise, however, Sebastian didn’t even say one word before reaching up and biting into his own palm, then pressing his bleeding hand against the side of Ruoka’s burned face. 

The taller man winced immediately, but instead of trying to pull away, he lifted his own hand until he could settle it overtop the bloody one pressed against his cheek. 

“I already have wolves tracking the men’s scents and will begin interrogating them as soon as they are captured,” Marquise said to their group, getting nods of agreement in return from everyone except for Sebastian. 

The vampire’s attention was focused completely on his werewolf, making Silas internally chuckle at the thought that he’d entertained when he’d first met the man. 

I don’t think we could have ever gotten that wolf to join our packs… let alone by trying to win his vampire’s favor. 

Verander gave a quiet laugh in the back of his mind. 

It seems like they just needed a push to get closer , he replied after a few moments. 

Silas bit back a grin and gave the larger wolf a slight nod before it nudged his side again, turning Silas’s grin downward into a scowl. 

“You are all dismissed for now if there are no questions?” Marquise said as his cold eyes looked between them all calmly. 

They all shook their heads. 

“We will wait for your men to catch those who attacked Ruoka. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask,” Silas said, earning a respectful nod from Marquise before the man turned and left, his dark, long coat flowing behind him in the gentle evening breeze. 

With the situation already dealt with, Silas turned his attention to the few that had remained. Mainly, Ruoka and Sebastian. Now that he wasn’t distracted, he couldn’t help but bite back a grin. 

Sebastian is wearing pajama pants and missing a shirt. 

Sebastian had heeded Marquise’s summons so quickly that he’d just tugged on a coat that had to be Ruoka’s, since it was way too big on him, and completely disregarded changing out of his black silk pajama pants. Considering how fast he’d made it to them, it was no surprise that the sleepwear was hanging precariously-low on his hips. 

He was just about to continue his nosy inspection when he felt hostile eyes on him and looked up at the same time he saw Ruoka’s hands grip the waist of Sebastian’s pants and gently tug them back up to their proper place. 

Oops. 

The feral, silent snarl that he saw when he lifted his gaze made him immediately take a step backwards and lift his hands. 

Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare, he thought to Ruoka before he was nearly shoved over and into several people walking nearby by another darn nudge from Verander. Growling out his own frustration now that Marquise and his pack were gone, Silas turned on the giant wolf with his own damned snarl. 

He was just about to yell at him when his open mouth slowly closed and he averted his eyes. An awkward warmth settled within his cheeks as he looked everywhere except at the other wolf… who was no longer a wolf. 

His eyes landed on Ruoka after a few moments, the expression he now wore even more unsettling than his previous snarl. Without a word, he grinned and scooped up Sebastian’s now-shivering body and calmly walked away. 

I almost don’t want him to leave me with this guy…

Pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose, he let himself take a few calming breaths before lowering his hand and turning around. As he moved he shrugged off his own coat and awkwardly handed it down to the naked guy still sitting on the dirty ground. 

Thankfully, Verander tugged it around himself quickly, then got up with just a simple embarrassed mumble of thanks. 

It was just… so awkward. Silas remembered when he was extremely young, his wolf would sometimes shove him back into control in intentionally-embarrassing situations, displeased with such an unworthy other half. It outgrew that habit after his human side had matured, as most wolves do, but it didn’t seem like Verander’s was quite done messing with him yet, because it had just shoved him back into control in the middle of a now-bustling street… completely naked.

Feeling uncomfortable from the second-hand embarrassment alone, Silas quickly grabbed his hand and tugged him behind the nearest building. Verander stared at him in nervous confusion for a moment before he quickly averted his eyes as Silas began to strip off his clothing. 

They’d both seen each other naked plenty of times, but the current circumstances just made it a bit more awkward than usual. 

Take it. 

Verander turned back around at Silas’s order, furrowing his brow for a second before he realized what he was supposed to do. He knelt down and slowly picked up the man’s clothing, then straightened again, still in a bit of a daze as he eyed his panting wolf in confusion. 

Just put it on. I know it’s going to be a little bit big but at least it’s clothing, Silas grumbled at him before slowly beginning to meander his way out of the alley. 

The man finished his task just in time to meet him at the entrance of the small corridor, drawing Silas’s eyes up to him for a brief glance. 

He… almost looks better than me in my own clothing. Even though they’re too big. 

He also noticed a certain feral look in the man’s eyes and figured that his wolf was still partially in control. It shouldn’t be too problematic in his human body, at least. 

Blowing out an annoyed breath through his wolf’s wet nose, Silas turned to start heading back to his pack house. Unfortunately, he barely managed to walk ten meters before his paws suddenly left the ground! He gave an immediate grumpy growl at being picked up, because, come on! He was a pretty big wolf, himself! Except, Verander didn’t seem to have heard his warning… or at least, he didn’t care to respond as he shifted his weight around in his arms a bit until Silas was forced to put his large paws over the man’s shoulders. He was thus carried all, the, way, back to his pack house in the man’s arms as if he were a stray kitten instead of a two-hundred and fifty-something pound wolf.  

(Edited)

Chapter 37

Pretennon’s eyes slowly blinked open in the darkness of his room. His body was still forcing itself to breathe, he noticed, as his chest expanded on a comfortable inhale. He also noticed that the giant wolf that had been pinning him down for part of the night had returned to its human form and was now practically glued to him. 

This man…

His right eyebrow twitched when he realized that he was still  holding onto one of Kandza’s wolf ears. Forcing himself to finally release the man’s poor ear, Preto took stock of his situation as he listened to something going on far down the hallway. 

It sounds like Sebastian is… angry? 

Livid, in fact. Interested, but still unable to move well, Preto settled himself and listened as he slowly allowed his free arm to trace little circled along Kandza’s bare back as the man continued to sleep peacefully against his side. 

He couldn’t quite make out everything he was saying, but he had no doubt that the situation had started with Ruoka’s distress call earlier in the evening. Ruoka seemed to be trying to get a word in here and there, but Sebastian was clearly to be inconsolable. Preto felt his lips tilt up slightly as things got more heated, but then, abruptly, everything stopped. 

Hmm, what happened? 

He could hear some sort of muffled sound here and there, but nothing was loud enough to distinguish words any longer. If they were even still talking…

“Elder Pretennon…” 

The sleepy, grumbled words drew his attention down and to the side, allowing his eyes to meet Kandza’s half-lidded ones. He looked like he might just fall right back to sleep if he wasn’t acknowledged. He had  taken quite a bit of his blood earlier, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he did slip off to sleep again. 

“What do you want, you stubborn wolf?” he grumbled, still not willing to forgive him for forcing him to rest, even though he knew that he would have been useless with whatever situation had previously occurred. 

Kandza’s sleepy eyes cleared surprisingly-quickly as he slowly pushed himself up onto his right elbow but didn’t bother moving his left arm or leg from overtop Preto’s body. He opened his mouth to speak, but when he simply closed it and pushed himself up the rest of the way, finally removing his limbs from around his body, Preto tilted his head against his pillow, curious. 

That was, until the guy grabbed his bandaged ankle and made him hiss abruptly, baring his fangs as pain surged up his leg!

“I-I apologize, elder Pretennon. I need to check your wound,” Kandza said quietly as he began to gently undo the bandage. 

Every single inch the dressing was unwound was torture! He hadn’t expected it to still be healing after he’d fed from Kandza so much earlier, but as the bandage finally fell away, it was clear that he’d underestimated the injury. Squeezing his eyes closed, he was just about to lift his fingers to his brow to massage the growing headache there when he felt himself suddenly being lifted!

When the man began heading straight for his bedroom door with him completely naked in his arms, Preto gave off a warning growl and snarled “stop!” immediately. 

The man slowed, but didn’t stop until he was at the door. That’s when he looked down at him, his normally-soft caramel eyes dark in the dim room. 

“Why are you trying to carry me out of my room? I’m naked, Kandza,” he said, then added, “and so are you.” 

The guy didn’t seem the least bit worried about their lack of clothing, but that made sense since he was a werewolf and had likely shifted plenty of times in front of other wolves. 

Still, walking around in my house naked in front of my servants… and my heir and his wolf. 

He didn’t like it. 

“Elder Pretennon needs his injury treated with clean, warm water,” Kandza replied, making Preto frown. 

He really didn’t want the guy touching his injury again, considering how badly it hurt, but he wouldn’t argue. At least, not about that. 

“Fine, but I’m not okay with you just carrying me out of my room naked. Both of us need to put something on first,” he said, hoping that the man would listen to him. 

He didn’t seem like he wanted to, but after a few moments Kandza sighed and returned Preto to his bed, then went and retrieved a pair of short undergarment pants that would settle a few inches above his injury. 

Preto reached out to take them, but Kandza ignored his outstretched arm and, instead, knelt before him and gently worked the clothing up his legs as he sat on the edge of the bed. He was extremely careful not to touch his injury, but his fingers were less hesitant to touch his backside as he slid the clothing beneath it to finally settle upon his hips. 

 He looked like he was about to pick him back up already when Preto swatted his hands away, earning a confused look. 

“You’re still naked,” he stated, as if it should have been obvious. 

Kandza looked down at himself, then back up at Preto, who simply pointed toward his closet. 

“Find something or shift, since it doesn’t seem like you brought anything with you this time. I don’t need you flashing my workers,” he said sternly, not willing to budge on the subject. 

Kandza pursed his lips but bit his tongue on a retort as he turned and walked over to the massive closet. It took him a moment, but he soon found something to pull on. It was a bit tight, and when he turned Preto couldn’t help but avert his eyes. The man looked damn good in his pants, although they definitely wouldn’t be something he could wear outside unless he got it in a few sizes larger because of a certain area…

“I have dressed,” Kandza stated with indifference as he walked back over and promptly lifted Preto back up into his arms. 

Such a stubborn wolf. 

“Has Silas never scolded you for anything?” he asked, honestly curious considering the guy’s frustratingly-stubborn personality. 

“Never,” came Kandza’s response not a moment later. 

That guy… let his love interest get away with everything! 

He didn’t argue with him anymore. Mainly because he at least had put something on. So, Preto remained silent as he was carried out the door and down the stairs. He was then deposited onto the counter in the smaller front kitchen before Kandza disappeared back out the door. 

Preto watched and waited for nearly ten minutes before the man returned with a large bowl of warm water. 

“That was fast… it normally takes longer to boil water,” he noted, earning a quick glance from Kandza as the man sat the bowl on the counter next to him. 

“They were about to make tea with it. I needed it more and they can just reheat more,” he said nonchalantly as he got Preto’s leg settled up on the counter beneath a small stack of towels, then got busy dipping a clean cloth into the bowl he set beside his ankle. 

You… took their tea water. 

Sighing, Preto silently apologized to his servants and would do so face to face later. He needed to teach his wolf some manners, it would seem. Quite a few of them, to be frank. 

Walking around naked in the house. 

Disregard for servants. 

Refusing to listen to the master of the house. 

He could go on, but he was jerked away from his thoughts as Kandza began gently wiping at some of the flesh that had been destroyed by the holy water. It had looked pretty good last night, but he’d known that it was likely to worsen… and it had. He was just about to bite himself to keep his mind on something else besides the pain when he suddenly felt warm fingers slip between his lips before the palm portion of the hand brushed up against his fangs. 

I can’t drink more from you already…

His fangs weren’t listening to his thoughts, however, as they itched to extend farther and gently kneaded themselves against the man’s soft skin. 

“Drink. I will eat as soon as I am done taking care of you,” Kandza said, his words sounding more like an order than a simple statement. 

Annoyed, but too hungry to chastise the man, again, Preto let his fangs extend and began taking careful sips of his hot blood as he somehow worked on his ankle with one hand. The blood was a wonderful distraction and took the edge off the pain of having his skin literally carved from his ankle. 

“I am finished, elder Pretennon,” Kandza said after a short while, making Preto blink out of his daze and quickly retract his fangs. 

I lost my focus…

Looking up as the other man straightened and went to dispose of what he’d carved, along with the dirty water, he noticed that Kandza was swaying slightly with every other step. 

I think I took too much. 

He quickly summoned his servants, who arrived after only two minutes. Swinging his leg down from the counter, he carefully lowered himself to the floor but didn’t put any weight on his freshly-wrapped ankle. 

“I apologize that my friend took your water earlier, but could you please get him something to drink and as much food as he’d like,” he said as one of the men hurried over to help Kandza stay upright as he walked back in while two of the women darted away toward the larger kitchen at the back of the house. 

Preto watched his servant guide Kandza over toward their larger sitting room and tried to follow by hopping, but another servant ran into the little kitchen a moment later and produced a wooden crutch. 

“Ah, thank you, Lilibell,” he said, grateful that he wouldn’t have to hop about. 

He carefully made his way into the room and took the seat beside the werewolf. His servants ran about beyond the room, getting things together, but as they began to come back into the room with food, Preto reached over and grabbed a nearby blanket, then tossed it over Kandza’s lap. 

Right as the blanket settled a young female servant walked over and set a large tray of both raw and cooked meat on the little side table between them. 

“I apologize that it is leftover, but master seemed like he wanted to feed him as soon as possible…” she said, then quickly added, “but we are cooking some things right now, too.” 

Nodding his thanks, Preto dismissed her and scooted his chair closer, then reached forward and took the fork settled on the platter. He wasn’t sure what Kandza preferred, but his stomach was likely to be uneasy so he decided to try the cooked meat first and see how well it settled. 

After cutting a small piece off of a pork cutlet, he lifted it up to Kandza’s mouth… only for the man to give a tired grumble and turn his head away. 

You’re really going to be stubborn right now? 

Sighing after trying again and getting the same response, Preto set the fork down and moved to sit upon the arm of the chair Kandza was settled in. He then reached for the glass of water on the tray and gently lifted it to the man’s lips. 

At first, it was clear that he didn’t want it, either, but Preto wasn’t going to let him get sick because of him. He had only just recently recovered from a bad cold. 

“You’re going to drink it or I’m going to force it down your throat,” he warned, his tone finally making Kandza blink open one sleepy eye. 

What is with that look? 

Did he think that he wouldn’t force feed him? 

“You are frustratingly stubborn,” Preto grumbled as he took a big gulp from the cup, then leaned over. 

It wasn’t surprising, in the least, when Kandza’s lips suddenly parted to allow the water into his mouth, but it was a surprise when his hand was suddenly pressing against the back of Preto’s head, keeping him there long after the water he’d offered had been swallowed down. 

Let go, Preto warned with a quiet growl. 

Kandza immediately lowered his hand and let his head fall back against the chair. His eyes were half-lidded and his breathing was shallow. He truly did look like he was about to pass out. 

“At least finish this cup of water,” Preto mumbled as he lifted it to the man’s lips… only to be declined again!

Why are you so stubborn! 

Clenching his teeth in frustration, Preto filled his own mouth with water and leaned down again. He was nearly to his target when he felt an arm wrap around his waist and tug him down into Kandza’s lap, nearly making him spit out the water in the process!

I can’t with this man…

“My Pretennon, I am thirsty…” Kandza rasped as he slowly leaned forward and pressed his lips to Preto’s gently. 

Preto’s eyes widened as he lifted his free hand, intent on shoving the other man away, but before he could even begin the gesture Kandza leaned away with a tired moan, his wolf ears dropping to either side of his head as he fought with himself to keep his eyes open the slightest amount. 

You really are about to fall asleep again. 

Nudging aside his frustration at being moved and kissed without permission, Preto took another sip from the glass of water and carefully moved until he was straddling the guy’s lap, allowing him to more-comfortably lean forward and press his lips against Kandza’s. 

Drink. 

The thought was clearly understood, even though he hadn’t sent it to the man’s mind, because Kandza parted his lips the slightest amount and allowed the water to flow between them, then swallowed after a few moments. They repeated that sequence of events for nearly two minutes, until the glass was completely empty and Kandza was just-about asleep. 

Finally removing his lips from the man’s for the last time, Preto leaned away and settled down into Kandza’s lap. He was considering getting off of him so that he could get some rest when he heard one of his servants stop by the door. 

Looking over, he felt his face warm with Kandza’s blood as he gestured her away. She had brought the cooked food, but there was no way his wolf was going to be able to eat right then, so they would just heat it up later. The young woman quickly bowed and hurried away, but not before gently pressing the door closed… evidently assuming that her master wanted privacy. 

I… give up. 

Still injured, himself, Preto decided not to bother with anything anymore, and simply got himself comfortable against Kandza. If the guy wanted him there when he woke up, then he’d be there… and his legs were going to be asleep from his weight, and his muscles would be stiff from not being able to move around at all, and he better not wake him up or he was going to get bitten for a third time. 

Scowling, Preto made sure that his injured leg was comfortable after moving himself so that he was leaning against the man’s warm chest. He laid there, expecting to not fall asleep for a good while, but it couldn’t have been more than five minutes later when he felt his head beginning to nod forward as his eyes began to close. 

He shook himself awake abruptly, but he was drifting off again less than ten minutes later. 

So be it… 

Snuggling in a bit more, he finally allowed his eyes to close and his body to relax. He was asleep two minutes later, his quiet breaths mingling with Kandza’s warm ones as his head rested comfortably against the man’s shoulder.  

(Edited)

Chapter 38

(Ruoka, you are evil XD) 

He ached all over. 

Groaning quietly, Seba pulled himself out of a deep sleep as his body stretched uncomfortably beneath the blankets. 

Why does it feel like I’ve been bitten by a horde of vampires in my sleep?

He slowly pushed himself up against the mound of pillows behind him, then hesitantly moved his blankets down to his waist. 

I… 

His face slowly drained of color as he stared at all of the small bruises along his body. He definitely remembered Ruoka nipping at him last night after a rather abrupt, long bout of kissing, but had he really gone to this extent? 

He considered checking lower, but considering that he could also feel similar aches in his legs, and other places, he knew what he’d find. Thankfully, the one spot he was most nervous about seemed perfectly fine. It didn’t ache and there didn’t seem to be a single hickey anywhere near it. 

Sighing with that little bit of relief, Seba looked up at the ceiling and tried to calm himself down. For some reason, though, even after several silent minutes, he still couldn’t manage to still his stubborn heart. 

Perhaps sleeping in the same bed as him isn’t the best idea. 

Just the thought of turning and looking at the man beside him made his heart thrum with nerves. However, that also made him realize that his thoughts weren’t the only things making his heart race. 

Turning his head to the side, Seba felt his throat suddenly become uncomfortably tight. Ruoka was awake, and probably had been for a while, considering that he’d woken up feeling like he was being watched, but hadn’t realized it until just now. 

Wait a second… that means that he was watching me look at all of the marks he’d left. 

A new wave of embarrassment crashed over him as he quickly yanked the blanket back up, then over his head as he turned away in the process. He could just stay in bed for a few days, or a week. Maybe a year, if he pretended to be really  sick. 

“Master Seba?” 

Sebastian hunched farther beneath the blankets, his aching body tense and his eyes squeezed shut. He knew that he was acting childish, but he’d never been in such a situation before. Sure, he’d gone to brothels every once in a long while, but Ruoka was most definitely not  a woman, and he seemed to have absolutely no interest in pretending to be one. 

I don’t want him as a women, either. 

He paused at that thought, trying to contemplate what he’d even meant by it when he felt a faint brush against his back. The blanket was still covering it, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t tell what Ruoka was doing. 

It was still incredibly awkward, even though Ruoka was just nuzzling against him softly. 

“Master is upset with me?” he asked in a gruff voice that was still clearly heavy with sleep… or possibly something else. 

Not wanting to make him upset, Seba slowly rolled over and tugged the blankets down just far enough for his eyes to be visible. 

“I am not upset with you,” he answered vaguely, then sighed.  

His werewolf didn’t seem to be buying his poor excuse, because he appeared to become even more stressed as he rested his jaw against the blankets. 

“I apologize for whatever I did wrong, master. I thought I had listened well, but it seems that I still made a mistake,” he said, making Seba feel even more guilty for being so embarrassed. 

Forcing back the next oncoming wave of nerves, Seba slowly lowered the blanket until his chest became visible. He wasn’t willing to go farther yet, but that seemed perfectly fine to Ruoka. The man’s eyes were already locked onto the now-visible skin as he calmly scrutinized each individual mark he’d left the night before. 

“You didn’t make a mistake,” he mumbled quietly, wanting to pull the blanket back up but also feeling that it would be rude to interrupt Ruoka’s careful observations. 

He waited silently, doing his best to keep his heartbeat from being audible in the quiet room, but it was clear by how his chest rose and fell that his body, while not quite at the point of needing to try and draw in extra oxygen, clearly still remembered the steps of how to show arousal. 

Ruoka, of course, caught the obvious signs and hesitantly moved closer, closing the small distance between them. Seba expected him to immediately start trying to nip at his neck after a quick kiss, but to his surprise, Ruoka simply settled his naked body gently up against his own, then began licking softly at Seba’s chin and cheek. 

“You’re… not going to bite my neck?” Seba questioned, making the tip of Ruoka’s tongue pause for a moment near the edge of his lips before retreating completely. 

When Ruoka leaned back to settle his head against the pillows only a few inches away, Seba felt an overwhelming urge to close the distance between them again… even though they were practically entwined already from the waist down. 

“Master said not to bite there,” Ruoka replied with a hint of fire in his hungry eyes. 

Did I tell him that? 

His memory from the previous night was a bit fuzzy. He remembered how it started, with a very  deep kiss, but once they’d gotten into Ruoka’s bed he couldn’t remember a whole lot more. It was all just a blurry mixture of frustration, anger, pleasure and pain. 

 Lifting one hand, Seba gently slid it beneath Ruoka’s face, then tilted it up off the pillow slightly. 

Thank god, his face looks okay. 

He’d put his own blood on the burns the moment he’d arrived at the area where the confrontation had taken place, and continued to do so throughout the night… even during their awkward evening together. The side of Ruoka’s face was now smeared with dried blood, but the burns from the liquid silver had all but healed. There would be a few small scars, but that was much better than permanent damage and possible illness. 

“Master took good care of me last night,” Ruoka said as he leaned forward again to press a gentle kiss over his lips. 

When he leaned away again, to a much shorter distance this time, Seba licked his lips. 

I’m going to need to make sure that the linen gets changed and cleaned in here, but also… 

“You said that I didn’t let you bite my neck last night?” 

Ruoka gave a slight nod against the pillow, his unruly hair begging to be straightened out, though it was clearly already a lost cause. 

“Master said that he didn’t want marks where others could see,” Ruoka stated simply, though Seba could see a hint of upset within his eyes as he spoke. 

That wasn’t too much of a surprise, though. He was an alpha, after all. Marking one another was just a basic instinct amongst werewolves, and was stronger the higher up in the pack they were, so to be told that he couldn’t have any of his marks be visible must have been at least a little frustrating. 

Lowering his gaze slightly, Seba nuzzled his nose back beneath the blanket. 

“I’m sorry, Ruoka.” 

He really did feel bad about it, but he just wasn’t ready to broadcast his relationship yet. 

“I-I’m not ready for that,” he said out loud, not wanting to leave the situation at the awkward silence he’d created. 

Ruoka, however, didn’t seem all that bothered by his words. In fact, his left hand had already found its way to Seba’s hip and was comfortably sliding south. 

“I am not worried about such things. Yes, I’d like to mark you where others can see it one day. I’d like it to be so obvious that no one would ever dare consider trying to court you, but I will wait to do such a thing for as long as master wishes,” he said, then grinned as he leaned in again and faintly brushed his lips over Seba’s. 

“Besides, I have already marked your most intimate place, and it tasted better than any meal I’ve even eaten,” he finished with a whisper as his hand found its target and wrapped gently but firmly around Sebastian’s length. 

Seba jolted up in bed at that exact moment, his face burning with all the remaining blood in his body! He quickly scrambled away, and thankfully, Ruoka didn’t try to hold onto him at all. 

“Master?” 

I didn’t raise you to be like this!

Hurrying to tug on clothing, Seba replied in a breathless stutter, “l-let’s go talk to alpha Marquise. I-I’m sure that he’s caught at least a few of the people who attacked you already.” 

Ruoka didn’t seem all that interested, but he didn’t argue as he slowly got himself out of bed, too. Unfortunately, Seba was just finishing tugging on his shirt and turning toward the other man when Ruoka tossed the blanket aside, giving him quite a nice view of a certain rock-hard item. 

“I-I’ll meet you downstairs!” he practically yelled before turning and bolting out the door, not even bothering to tug on the boots he carried in either hand. 

Out first. Then shoes! 

(Edited)

Chapter 39

Sebastian and Ruoka walked calmly through the awakening city, not bothering to rush as they focused on what was around them. He could sense eyes watching from several different directions, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary or hostile. Hopefully they were just curious bystanders. 

They arrived at alpha Marquise’s pack house around eight and were let in immediately. The man’s home was much larger than Verander or Silas’s, but it also housed quite a few more wolves. It took them a bit to be guided to where Marquise was evidently waiting, too. He sat in a large, black leatherback chair with intricate details carved upon its armrests. The man’s eyes smiled as his lips offered them a curt greeting but didn’t tilt upward. 

“Please, sit,” he said as he gestured to the two other chairs across from him. They weren’t as detailed as his larger one, but they were still plenty comfortable. 

Once settled, Marquise got straight to business. “Considering your master’s recent injury, Sebastian, I’m turning to you two for a task I had planned to give him.” 

So he had been hoping that we were coming by today. 

“Sebastian, I need you put the collar back on Ruoka,” Marquise said with a straight face and cold eyes. 

But wouldn’t that…

“He would still be the Ruoka you know, but it would keep him from being able to shift. I need you to pretend that you aren’t actually interested in letting him go and had returned the collar to his neck to keep him better under control.”

He didn’t like that idea, at all, but he knew better than to decline the head alpha’s request without hearing him out fully, first. 

“For what reason would I need to do such a thing? Am I trying to trick someone?” he asked, unable to think of anything else that might make sense. 

Marquise nodded sternly. 

“Yes, and I think it can work if we dye Ruoka’s fur a bit. The marks on his face seemed to have healed decently well already. They shouldn’t recognize him as the wolf they had abruptly attacked outside of the tavern.”

Seba looked at Ruoka at the same time his werewolf glanced toward him. Neither of them were too happy with the idea of trying to infiltrate the enemy in such a way. 

“You’re the only werewolf that’s new to this area, Ruoka, and Sebastian is also new and had paraded you in front of many humans when you still had the leash and collar on. You two are our best chance to figure out where these guys are hiding. My wolves caught two of the men who had attacked you, but neither was willing to talk. One of the wolves I sent out as also disappeared,” Marquise stated with a frustrated growl.

Sebastian fidgeted beneath the stronger man’s stare. He knew that if Ruoka had been in his pack, Marquise wouldn’t have bothered to talk to them in such a way. If he had already had command over Ruoka, this would have been relayed as an immediate order. 

 Since it wasn’t an order, however, Sebastian looked at his wolf again. Ruoka seemed to be considering the other alpha’s words very carefully, but he also appeared to be having a staring contest with him, too. 

Are you guys really going to start posturing at a time like this? 

He looked between the two for a moment before realizing that it wasn’t what it appeared. Reaching up quickly, he smacked the side of Ruoka’s head, snapping him out of his glare as he turned confused eyes to him. 

“Stop it. I get that you’re also an alpha, but you should know better than to challenge another in their own territory, and a stronger one, at that,” he chastised him, earning a pout before Ruoka returned his narrowing eyes to Marquise. 

“I refuse. I will not intentionally put my mate in danger,” he said, making Seba blink awkwardly, then blush right up to his ears.

Marquise tilted his head and furrowed his brows as his dark eyes turned to Sebastian, making the color on his face somehow burn even brighter.  

“There are plenty of faint nibbles, but I see no mating bite…” he noted, clearly interested in the new topic more than Seba wanted him to be. 

To his surprise, Ruoka immediately lifted his upper lip and allowed his wolf to snarl through his human mouth. 

“I belong to him, not the other way around!” Ruoka growled out, making Seba quickly reach back over and gently grab his clothed arm. 

“Ro, it’s okay. We didn’t come here to discuss such a thing,” he said, his voice trying to coax the man out of his aggressive behavior. 

Thankfully, he began to relax and eventually leaned back into the chair. 

Seeing that the situation was defusing, Marquise straightened slightly and retracted claws that Sebastian hadn’t noticed gripping the armrests until just then. 

“It is actually good that there is no mark yet. That would make this plan useless if it was so obvious that you two were together in such a way,” he said, making Ruoka glare but bite his tongue on a retort. 

Sebastian knew that Marquise wanted their answers right away concerning the assignment, but he didn’t feel comfortable agreeing to anything without first speaking with his master and discussing it further with Ruoka. 

“I need to run this by Pretennon and speak with Ruoka privately before I’d feel comfortable accepting your request,” he said honestly as he stood from his seat, drawing Marquise to his feet, too. 

It was clear that the alpha wasn’t happy with his decision, but he still gave a slow nod and reached out a hand to shake. His grip was solid and warm, but brief. He was released after only a moment as Marquise headed toward the doorway where they’d first entered from. 

“I will show you back outside. Please speak with your wolf and master promptly. I would like to see this situation taken care of as soon as possible in order to prevent more wolves, or your master, from getting hurt further.” 

Seba nodded, understanding that time really wasn’t on their side if they wanted to prevent more attacks. As soon as they were back outside they headed straight back toward his master’s home. 

Something was licking him. 

It only took a few seconds for Preto’s mind to decipher exactly what was going on. Kandza was trying to groom him as gently as possible, but there wasn’t much one could do to keep from waking someone up if they were literally being licked ! 

The guy evidently didn’t have much patience, either, because he began to pick up his pace after only a few seconds. 

“…’andza,” Preto mumbled as he tilted his head back slightly, giving the man more room for some bloody reason.

He felt a firm hand settle against his clothed backside as the man continued his assault on his neck, his tongue growing rough as he refused to return it to his mouth more often than not. 

My neck is going to be raw soon if he keeps this up. 

“Elder Pretennon…” 

Hearing Kandza’s gruff voice, Preto slowly reached up and grasped his right wolf ear with his left hand. He squeezed near its base, making Kandza moan quietly as that ear flicked a few times. 

Found your sensitive spot, hmm?

The man had also stopped licking him the moment he’d grabbed that soft, fuzzy ear, making Preto smirk and finally lower his head to meet Kandza’s caramel eyes. The man seemed a bit out of it, but he was thankfully beginning to come around. 

“Elder Pretennon, may I bite you?” 

Eh?

Maybe he wasn’t as coherent as he first thought. 

“No, you may not bite me. Why would you ask such a thing?” 

That was all he needed right then. Another injury to add to his list. 

Instead of looking him in the eyes and responding appropriately, Kandza wrapped his arms around Preto’s lower back and tugged him closer so that he could nuzzle his face against his bare chest. 

“I want to take care of elder Pretennon,” he said quietly as he continued to nuzzle against him, licking every few moments. 

Preto scowled and squeezed the guy’s ear again, but to his surprise it simply flicked a few more times, but didn’t slow down his physical attentions at all!

“You already do, you stubborn oaf,” he grumbled back as he released the guy’s ear so that he could put that hand on Kandza’s shoulder in order to keep his balance better. 

He wasn’t sure when he’d moved over to straddle the guy’s lap on his knees, but it was quite an awkward position to be in… especially right then. The arms around his back pulled him even closer as Kandza finally looked up at him with nervous yet-determined eyes. 

What is that puppy dog face for? You think you can get away with anything you want with that look even after licking my neck raw? And I also feel something poking me, you perverted mutt!

“Elder Pretennon, let me mark you. Let me be the only one allowed to take care of you,” Kandza said, his tone getting close to a wolfish whine. 

This man is so damned persistent. 

“Elder Pretennon thinks I’m annoying and stubborn, but I can change. I can be whatever you want me to be,” he said, making Preto’s brows furrow. He didn’t like those words at all . 

Scowling, he reached over with his left hand and poked the guy in his right cheek, making him frown and look utterly, adorably confused.  

Stop tucking those ears against your hair. I can’t focus on scolding you when you look that cute!

“Y-you are extremely annoying, and incredibly stubborn! I have never met a wolf like you before, who takes what he wants and then says sorry later,” he said angrily… even though his voice didn’t quite match his frustration. It truly did sound like he was simply chastising a child whose feelings he didn’t want to risk hurting. 

Kandza’s shoulders hunched slightly at the admonishment, but he didn’t even loosen his grip around his back a single inch! 

I can see straight through that puppy dog face!

Even though he really could  tell that the guy was doing it again, being stubborn as all hell, he just couldn’t find anymore frustration within himself. So, sighing deeply, Preto slowly lowered himself down to sit in the man’s lap, doing his best to ignore what was now pressing quite firmly against his backside. 

“You think you can keep me sated, you stubborn wolf?” 

Kandza immediately nodded, not hesitating for even half a second.

“You’re going to feed me when I’m hungry, and not look at anyone else, ever?” he said, his jealous side flaring to life at just the thought of the man even glancing at someone else. He’d suppressed it recently to try and allow himself to step away from Kandza, but now that it was given light again, it was already making him become ferociously possessive. 

Kandza tightened his hold on him even further as he nodded again, his gaze turning to firm steel. 

“Elder Pretennon has been the only person I’ve ever wanted to look at and I have no interest in ever considering another,” he said with a finality that made Preto’s cold heart flip in his chest. 

Reaching over, Preto firmly grabbed Kandza’s jaw and tilted it slightly until he could meet his eyes better. The man’s wolf was surprisingly close to the surface, paying extremely close attention to what its human was doing right behind Kandza’s gaze. 

The beast doesn’t want the human to make a mistake here. 

Shaking his head, Preto flicked the guy’s nose lightly, then tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes. 

“You better be the best lay I’ve ever had… you stubborn mutt,” he muttered right before he hissed and winced. 

The guy hadn’t been joking when he’d asked to bite him! His jaw was clamped painfully tightly against the side of his neck the second his eyes had closed, and even as Preto automatically tried to flinch away, Kandza refused to let him move away a single inch!

He felt the man’s teeth sink farther into his flesh every couple of moments, getting dangerously close to scraping his esophagus by the time he finally stopped adding pressure. Another painful minute passed where the only sound in the room was their tense breathing, then, finally , Kandza slowly released his throat and immediately began lapping at the lines of blood that began to flow from the injury now that his lips weren’t sealed over it any longer. 

Preto let him tend to the injury for a few minutes before he decided that he’d had enough beating around the proverbial bush. He reached up and grabbed Kandza’s jaw again, then leaned down as he guided it upward so that their mouths could press together. 

The man seemed to have no issue understanding what he was hinting at, because the thin pair of pants he’d helped him into the previous evening quickly found their way most of the way down to his bent knees. Kandza didn’t waste any time reaching for his own borrowed pair of pants after tugging Preto’s down, but right as he was about to tug himself free so that they could finally give in to some truly inappropriate urges they’d both been suppressing for far too long, the front door down the hall was shoved open abruptly and both of their eyes widened as they heard two sets of footsteps heading their way. 

Preto groaned and dropped his forehead against Kandza’s chest as his neck began to throb painfully. 

“Don’t ever have kids…” he grumbled before forcing himself off of his man’s lap and tugging up his pants. He needed to figure out a way to look presentable in the whole fourteen seconds he had before his heir and his own stubborn wolf came bursting through the door to the room they were in. 

At least his foot was much better than the day before and only made him limp a bit as he got himself situated in a chair opposite Kandza, who, thankfully, was tugging the blanket that had been on his lap the previous evening back over the rather obvious rise in his borrowed pants. 

It would be obvious that they had been about to be busy  just from the scent in the air, but thankfully it seemed like whatever his heir had to speak with him about was urgent, so he’d likely just ignore having walked into an awkward situation. 

Hopefully… 

He paused for a moment, then felt his face drain of whatever color was left in it at the same time the doors to the study were shoved open. 

To hell with me… again. I have a brand new, huge, bleeding, mating bite right on the left side of my neck on full display. I guess I’ll just enjoy the shocked looks on their faces before forcing them to get to the point of why they’d interrupted us so abruptly when I was finally about to get to taste my werewolf. 

That thought had him sitting up straighter in his chair. Kandza was his now. Who cares if people knew it. In fact, it was a good thing that the information would get out. That way no one would dare try to touch what was now his!

(Edited)

(Um, Preto, this wasn’t your chapter. It’s not nice to steal others’ just to have some sexy time…)

Chapter 40

Stepping up to elder Pretennon’s front door, Silas pursed his lips and lifted his hand to knock. For some reason, he felt like he shouldn’t, but there was nothing he could really do about it. Another one of his pack members had been attacked and was actually at the hospital and a second one had vanished earlier that morning. 

So, squaring his shoulders as he felt a nudge against his thigh from Verander’s larger wolf, Silas lifted his hand a little higher and tapped against the door three times. It opened almost immediately, surprising him a bit before he noticed that he was being beckoned inside by a servant. 

“S-sorry,” he mumbled as he hurried inside with Verander’s wolf on his heels. 

They were led toward a side hall and, to Silas’s surprise, again, others were already in line to speak with the elder vampire. Sebastian and Ruoka looked in their direction, curiosity in their already-wary eyes. 

What else happened? 

“Hello Sebastian… alpha Ruoka,” he greeted as Verander’s wolf stalked past them and into the room. 

He knew what the other wolf went to confirm, but he didn’t want to see it. The scent of arousal was faint in the air, even in the hallway, and he could easily smell Pretennon’s blood. They weren’t there to confirm his former love’s new mate, though. He would just have to push aside his emotions until later.

Stepping forward to stand beside the other two in the doorway, Silas nodded his greeting to a slightly-mortified looking Pretennon and a fidgeting Kandza. 

“I apologize for coming to see you on such short notice, but another one of my packmates has been attacked. He is not in good condition and another is missing…” Silas said in a steady, deep voice. He wasn’t sure how he managed to sound so composed, considering his heart was beating frantically in his chest as it tried to manage the situation he’d walked in on. 

Pretennon returned his greeting nod before glancing toward Verander’s wolf as it paced around the room. 

“Master, what do you think we should do?” Sebastian asked, continuing the conversation they had, no doubt, interrupted with their sudden appearance. 

Pretennon returned his attention to his heir and sighed. 

“It is honestly up to you, Sebastian. I dislike putting you in danger, but Marquise has a point,” he said, then turned his attention back to Verander’s pacing canine. 

“Might I suggest something that might help your situation?” he said after a few moments. 

Ruoka stepped forward and slightly in front of Sebastian, making Silas bite back a grin. 

Defending him against his own master, little alpha? 

Verander stopped at his side as Sebastian nudged Ruoka out from in front of him and nodded his agreement to listen to whatever his master wished to say. 

“Take Verander’s small wolf with you. His Rain pack marks can easily be covered with dye and his larger wolf will come in handy if the situation goes bad. What do you think, Verander? Marquise requested my heir and his wolf to try and track down where our attackers are coming from. Would you care to assist them? I think it would be easy enough to trick them with just Ruoka wearing the collar, which would let Verander shift into his larger form if things went badly.”

His first thought was to immediately say no , but his second thought was that it wasn’t his decision. Looking down as Verander looked up, Silas raised an eyebrow at him, curious about what he was thinking. 

What does alpha Silas want me to do in this situation? 

Silas frowned at the man’s sudden voice in his head. 

Why are you asking me? It’s your decision, he replied back immediately as he glanced away… and unfortunately toward Kandza. 

The man’s soft caramel eyes were dark with frustration and lust, making Silas quickly look away again. The floor was a great place to stare at, right? The floor would do. 

Alpha Silas is currently in charge of my actions. 

Oh… damn. He was right, but he didn’t want to be in charge of such an important decision! He was about to tell the wolf to make the decision on his own when he was nearly nudged over by the excessively-fuzzy beast. 

Fine, fine!

“Verander will join you two on your mission… but we will need a little time to prepare. Let us meet back here in four hours?” he asked, earning a nod from the rest of the group present after a few moments of consideration. 

He wasn’t exactly sure why he’d requested extra time, since there really wasn’t anything they needed to do to prepare since he figured that Marquise would take care of dyeing the wolves, considering how careful he was with each of his plans. All they really had to do was supply the people who were going to go on the mission. 

Oh well. Let’s go relax for a little bit before you have to go risk your life , he told Verander as they both dismissed themselves, then turned to leave. 

He breathed a stressed sigh of relief as they stepped back outside and headed toward his pack house. Their walk started out with a few random nudges, but as they finally made it back home and he headed up the stairs to his room, he was practically shoved to the floor as a nudge forced him to miss-step and trip on the last stair. 

It didn’t hurt. He scuffed his hand a little and might have a small bruise on his chin eventually, but that was nothing to a werewolf. Yet, as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, he couldn’t stop a sniffle from slipping out as a random tear somehow found its way down his left cheek. 

The tear made it nearly to his chin before a warm, wet tongue lapped it up, stopping its descent permanently. 

“What are you doing, you big lug?” he mumbled as he pushed the giant wolf’s muzzle away. 

The wolf didn’t seem deterred, in the least. It shoved its fuzzy face right back into his space, then pushed him onto his side with a swipe of its massive paw. Normally, he’d immediately reprimand him for using such a dominant behavior toward him, another alpha, but he just didn’t have the heart to be mad right then. 

He allowed the wolf to roll him this way and that, and even nibble at his hair. There just wasn’t any fight left in him right then. His heart just couldn’t stop pounding in his chest. Images of Kandza sitting in that room, nearly naked, with his mating bite on Pretennon’s neck kept flashing before his eyes, eventually bringing a full set of tears to the surface of them as he rolled onto his belly and lifted a trench-coat covered arm up to cover his oncoming breakdown. 

Verander’s cold, wet nose tried to nuzzle its way through his meager defenses, but he managed to stave it off just long enough for tears to stain his cheeks. Then he got a loud snort right next to his ear for his efforts…

Giving up on privacy, since he was kind of having his mental breakdown at the top of the stairs in his pack house, anyways, Silas pushed himself back to his feet and wandered into his room. He would have locked Verander out right away, but the wolf decided to headbutt the closing door, easily forcing it wide enough for him to saunter through. 

I really don’t want to mess around with you right now.

Even though he thought that, Silas knew that Verander’s larger wolf was stubborn beyond all belief. It’s aggression had thankfully been getting more manageable, but that didn’t mean that the wolf, in and of itself, was less stressful to deal with. It just changed its way of attacking him to nudges, shoves, and poorly-timed licks or nibbles. Well, at least it didn’t leave scars anymore… for the most part. 

Once he was close enough, Silas closed his eyes and covered his mouth for a yawn, then fell into bed with a grunt. Except, he never ended up hitting the blankets waiting for him. Strong arms easily caught his falling body and gathered it quickly but calmly into a very  naked lap. It was a bit awkward since the man was a little smaller than him, but Verander somehow made it work effortlessly. 

“Verander…” he grumbled in warning, though he knew that it would fall on deaf ears.

The man was becoming just as stubborn as his larger wolf. Though, thankfully the two entities were getting along a lot better now, and even taking turns in control. He could also see the larger wolf’s personality shining through every once in a while in Verander’s human’s eyes. In all honesty, he was surprised that he was able to handle himself so much better in only a few days. Marquise had been correct in his decisions about dealing with the overly-aggressive wolf. 

Feeling fingers gently sifting through his hair had Silas tilting his head into the touch, then leaning away with a scowl directed down at the softly-smiling man looking up at him as he lowered his hand back to the bed. 

“What are you doing?” Silas asked with as bland a tone as he could manage around his inner turmoil. 

 Verander’s smile widened slightly as he shrugged one shoulder. 

“I don’t know. You were falling, so I felt like catching you.”

What? I was falling into my bed, you darn mutt!

“Congratulations, you caught me. Now go get ready to go,” he said sternly. 

When Verander didn’t move his arm from around his waist, nor did he set him aside or seem interested in moving, at all, Silas frowned and furrowed his brow. 

“I am ready to go, but I don’t think you are.”

I… what? I’m not going anywhere.

“Alpha Silas, I will come back.” 

Blinking, Silas settled a little more comfortably in Verander’s lap as he tried to figure out what the man was getting at. 

“Of course you will,” he replied, his confusion easy to hear in his quieted voice.

When Verander reached up to sift his fingers through his hair a second time, Silas didn’t hesitate to lean into the touch and close his eyes. He really didn’t feel well, but the attention was at least taking his mind off of his stressful thoughts and slowly, ever so slowly, calming his racing heart. 

When the sifting turned into gentle pets, Silas leaned forward and slightly down so that he could settle his forehead atop Verander’s shoulder. He couldn’t deny that he was enjoying the calming attention. Even his wolf was relaxing beneath the man’s gentle hand. 

“I’ll come back very soon. Take care of Sitkea for me until then, mm?” 

 Silas grumbled his acknowledgement, earning a chuckle from Verander. 

“What’s so funny, you stubborn dog?” Silas mumbled as he finally leaned back enough to be able to meet the other man’s bright eyes. He could see the larger wolf right beneath the surface, but for once, it seemed content to stay where it was and not cause any trouble. 

Verander tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes, then leaned forward a tiny bit. 

“It seems like you might have something on your face,” he whispered quietly, his attention clearly on whatever he was staring at.

Silas glanced to the side at the large mirror hanging on the wall, but didn’t see anything. 

Maybe it’s so small that I can’t see it from here? 

He had really good eyesight, though…

Turning his attention back to a grinning Verander, he lifted a hand and rubbed at his own cheek, but again, didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. 

“I’ll get it,” Verander said as he leaned up with a knowing smile. 

Silas fidgeted a little in the guy’s hold, but didn’t turn away… even after he felt the man’s soft, warm tongue press a tiny lick to his cheek. 

“You… you’re not a wolf right now,” Silas mumbled, tripping over his own words as he reached up to run a finger gently over the little damp spot on his cheek. 

My face feels oddly warm. 

“I’m not,” was all Verander said, making Silas purse his lips and reach up to poke the man’s own cheek. 

“You’re not supposed to do that in human form unless it means something important,” he scolded, only to immediately shut his mouth when Verander reached up with his free hand and gently grasped the one poking at his face. 

Wait, why are you holding my hand? And looking up at me with those eyes and that smile? 

“I’ll be back,” he said instead of responding to his chastising words. 

You…

“You’ll… be back,” Silas mumbled helplessly in response as Verander lifted his hand to his lips and pressed a feather-soft kiss to his fingers.

(Edited)

Chapter 41

Sebastian sat with Ruoka’s wolf form right up against his legs. He’d been dyed here and there and his silver collar had been placed back around his neck before they’d returned to Marquise’s pack house.

Looking to his left, he nodded as Verander’s little wolf sat down a few feet away and flicked an ear. His previously-white portions of fur were now colored black to match the rest of his wolf. He nodded in return after a moment, then turned his attention to where Marquise was sitting a short distance away, flipping through some paperwork that was likely relevant to their task. 

While they waited for him to finish, Sebastian continued to look around the room, becoming a bit uncomfortable as more and more werewolves walked in and took seats. He understood that the situation involved all of the three local packs, and then some, but he didn’t like the amount of attention Ruoka was getting… especially from the female wolves. 

He hadn’t realized that he was actually making an unpleasant face until he felt Ruoka nudge his knee and give a quiet whine, drawing his attention immediately back down to him. 

“Sorry, I’m letting myself get distracted,” he mumbled as he reached down to sift his fingers through his wolf’s fur. 

Ruoka grunted in appreciation and leaned against him harder, making Seba bite back a chuckle. 

I’m so glad that I ended up coming back to visit my master. I had been so shallow-minded before. If I hadn’t come, you would have probably been stuck as a wolf your entire life. 

Ruoka’s fuzzy head slowly lifted and turned so that their eyes could meet. 

I am also glad that master brought me here. 

Sebastian’s hand slowed to a stop against Ruoka’s soft fur. It wasn’t that werewolves couldn’t talk telepathically, but it was so rare for him to hear their voices that it took him by surprise. Especially since it was Ruoka who was talking to him through thoughts. 

I hope this goes well. I don’t want anything to happen to you or alpha Verander, Seba thought nervously as his hand began to move against his wolf’s fur again. 

I will not allow anything to happen to you. We will protect you. 

He… didn’t really think that he  was the one that needed protection since werewolves were their enemy’s main targets, but he stopped that thought before Ruoka could pick up on it. Whoever was after the werewolves had also attacked his master, too. 

We will both be careful and watch each other’s backs. No one will get hurt, he eventually replied, earning a quiet grumble and nuzzle from his wolf. 

“Alright, sorry for the wait. Some of my guards had brought me some new information right before you arrived and I needed to take a look at it. They found out the general area where the enemy gathers but we can’t just send wolves in to try and find the exact location. They are armed with silver arrows. blades, and likely plenty of other unpleasant things. One of my guards has reported hearing muffled, distant howling from somewhere in the area, too. So, there’s a good chance that they’re actually trying to catch wolves, not kill them.”

It made some sense, but that didn’t make him any less worried about what they were likely walking into. 

“What are we getting as back up?” Sebastian asked. 

Marquise pursed his lips and looked over to Verander. 

“His large wolf is it. I know that this situation sounds like suicide, but there’s a reason why they haven’t killed the wolves they’ve caught. I just need to know where they’re specifically being held, and if possible, what they’re holding them for. As soon as you have that information you can get out any way you can, though I’d greatly appreciate it if you used discretion so that we don’t raise their suspicion so much that they decide to relocate their operation.”   

What do you think, Ro?

Ruoka, who had turned his attention to Marquise while the head alpha had been speaking, quickly looked back at him, settling his chin on Seba’s leg as he did so. 

The task is simple enough. 

It was, but still very dangerous. 

“I understand. We ate before we came so we’re ready,” Sebastian said as he looked over to Verander’s little wolf. 

It quickly nodded its agreement that it was also ready. 

“Very good,” Marquise said as he stood from his larger chair and finally looked around the room at the werewolves gathered within. 

“I want everyone to be on their guard and not go anywhere without another wolf while this mission is in progress. Whoever is behind these attacks has grown bolder over the past several days. I don’t want to lose anymore wolves, from any pack,” he said sternly. 

All the werewolves present nodded their heads in agreement before most began to file out of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves. There was quite a number from each pack, making Sebastian think that, if anything came from this situation at all, it would at least bring the wolf packs closer. 

Sebastian, Ruoka, and Verander waited until most of the people were out of the room before standing, themselves. Marquise thanked them for agreeing to the mission, then excused himself to go check on Verander’s territory. Sebastian felt a little uneasy about him going off on his own, even though he was definitely the strongest of all the werewolves, but right before Marquise stepped out of the back door, two of his wolves that had been standing on either side, possibly as guards, turned and followed after him. 

Glad he’s taking his rule seriously, too. 

Things would definitely get a lot more complicated if alpha Marquise were to be captured. 

Brushing that thought aside, Sebastian looked down at the two wolves now sitting directly in front of him. Their ears were perked up and heads tilted slightly. They looked almost like mirror images of each other, except one was black and the other a mix of browns and a little bigger. 

“Alright, let’s get on with this show, shall we?” he said as he took the two leashes he’d wrapped through his belt and fastened one to Ruoka’s collar.

He made a small noose with the other one and slipped it over Verander’s head. The wolf might have been small, but it had plenty of fur, especially around its scruff. The noose leash would look like a normal one well enough. Their enemy might even assume that he had a silver collar on, too, but just couldn’t see it. 

They were briefed by another wolf as they were led from the house. The young female gave them the location they were expected to go, where they would stay to try and lure out their target if they weren’t immediately confronted, and so on. Thankfully, everything she said was straight to the point, so by the time they eventually got to their destination area they knew exactly what to expect and where to go. 

If they hadn’t known about the whole werewolf debacle then the southeastern area of town wouldn’t have appeared all that different then the rest of London. With the knowledge that they now had, however, certain things began to become obvious the more they walked down the main street. 

People still went about their daily business, but every so often he’d notice a glare here or a scowl there. They were rarely ever directed at him, though, like they had been in the other parts of town for keeping werewolves that should be free, on leashes. No, they were saved mainly entirely for the wolves.  

Relax, master. We will be okay, Ruoka thought into his mind as he walked calmly at his side like he’d done his entire life. 

On his other side Verander gave his leg a gentle nudge, likely to reassure him, too, but immediately backed off when Ruoka bared his sharp teeth just long enough for the warning to get across. 

Seba should have probably reprimanded him for the abrupt display of aggression, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He kind of liked the fact that he’d gotten jealous over something so simple. 

I know that we’re going to an inn pretty close to here for safety purposes, but I still feel like we’re going to have to be extremely careful, he thought before Ruoka chimed in. 

My howl can easily alert Marquise’s men from this distance, but I doubt that our enemies will approach so aggressively, and even if they do, he said that he doesn’t want us to leave until we have the information he needs. We have to find out where they’re holding the wolves. 

Seba knew that… he just didn’t like the idea of being hunted. 

We will protect you. 

Fighting back the scowl he wanted to give Ruoka, since he didn’t want to give away that he was bothering to talk to him through thought, Sebastian just tugged them forward a little faster than they had been walking, keeping up that pace until they got to the inn a few streets away. 

It wasn’t anything special, but that was totally fine. He’d dressed as if he had money in a pair of nice black trousers and a matching shirt and trench coat, but it wasn’t overbearing. He looked like someone who could afford to take decent care of his pet werewolves, but didn’t care to waste money on going to super fancy inns. 

He checked in without issue, then headed up one flight of creaking stairs to the second floor. The room itself was basic as well, with a single bed, dresser, and a washbasin, but it was spotless and had a decent view of the street outside. 

He was just about to sit down on the bed and tell the wolves that they just had to wait for a bit now and see if they were approached, but before he could even speak his ears picked up the sound of someone coming up the rickety stairs down the hall. 

Humans. Two of them, Ruoka thought to him as he hesitantly settled at Sebastian’s feet. 

To his surprise, Verander did the same, and even scooted right up against Ruoka, tucking his head near his paws and dropping his ears to the side of his head as if he were extremely nervous. 

Of course, Seba knew that he was just playing the part, but it definitely looked good enough to fool most people. 

Alright. This is what we’re here for. They’re moving much faster than I thought they would, be oh well. Let’s do this, guys. 

Swallowing down his nerves, Sebastian licked his lips and dropped their leashes before walking to the door at the same time he heard a light knock against the opposite side. He waited a few more moments, giving himself enough time to take a deep breath and straighten his posture, then, putting on his best poker face, he reached forward and opened the door. 

(Edited)

Chapter 42

Silas felt incredibly uneasy as he ran directly behind Marquise’s human form and two guard wolves. He wasn’t sure why the man was rushing to Verander’s territory so haphazardly. There was no way he couldn’t smell the silver in the air, meaning that they were clearly rushing past traps while heading straight into others. It was a miracle that they hadn’t triggered any yet. 

The wolves he had on either side of him seemed uncomfortable, too, but Marquise’s stern expression hadn’t changed at all since he’d met them at the back door of his pack house, needing to help in some way instead of staying at his pack house waiting. 

He was still honestly curious about the other alpha. The man only showed up when he had official business to deal with, and from what he’d heard, he never  shifted to his wolf form. No one dared question that bit of information, though, because it was extraordinarily clear that he definitely did  have a wolf beneath his human skin. For some reason, however, he chose to keep it inside. 

The man suddenly came to a skidding halt in the thick leaf litter within the forest, his body tense and alert. Silas ran a few more meters ahead before slowing to a stop and tilting his ears this way and that, trying to pick up any abnormal sounds. 

The strange thing was… there was absolutely no sound to be heard. No birds, no rodents, nothing. 

“Come out,” Marquise said as he stared straight ahead, clearly seeing something that Silas couldn’t. 

They waited in silence for exactly one minute before a tall, slender man stepped out from behind a massive oak tree. He was impeccably dressed in a pair of white slacks, dark red shirt, and tailored long coat. A top hat sat perched upon his head and a silver pendant hung upon his neck. 

“Jerik,” Marquise stated solemnly, his previously unbreakable indifference suddenly fracturing. 

Silas looked between the two before taking a hesitant step backwards. It wasn’t that he didn’t know who the man was. Almost anyone in London would recognize their own mayor, but what was the man’s relationship with Marquise? Why was he standing out in the middle of the woods, as if he had been waiting for them…

“Alpha Marquise,” the man said as he nodded respectfully.

Something is wrong. What is going on?

“I was hoping that you weren’t the one behind the disappearances,” Marquise said, leaving his sentence slightly open, possibly wishing that the man would somehow agree that he wasn’t. 

It never happened. 

Instead, the man slowly meandered right up to Marquise, as if the person before him, while maybe a fraction of an inch shorter, wasn’t the most powerful werewolf in London. 

“So much stress in those pretty, dark eyes,” Jarek said as he reached up, clearly intent on actually patting Marquise’s head, but unsurprisingly, Marquise took a step backwards, putting himself out of range of the gesture. 

The other man didn’t seem bothered by his retreat in the least, and simply chuckled as he lowered his arm, then clasped his hands behind his back with a small smile. 

“We came to an agreement before I signed the papers for the resettlement program, did we not, alpha Marquise?” Jerik said as he slowly began walking a circle around the other man. 

Marquise gave out a quiet growl in response, but didn’t deny what Jerik said, making Silas lick his muzzle nervously. An agreement was logical when working on such a large, important project, but there had been one before the original? 

There are two agreements in place instead of just the signed documents we were given?

“That agreement was between you and I. It did not involve any of my wolves, and it especially did not involve any wolves from the packs I’ve recruited or the more wild ones beyond our borders,” Marquise stated sternly, his voice returning to its stoic, rough tenure. 

Jerik stopped in front of him again and shrugged one shoulder. 

“The deal was for a wolf to take part in important research. Said wolf had no stated name, nor did it say that only one would be used if the first subject was no longer able to participate,” the man said, meeting Marquise’s eyes without an ounce of hesitation or fear. 

He was definitely human, but it was obvious that he didn’t fear Marquise in the least. He also smelled like silver, beyond the scent that just the simple pendant around his neck would give off. 

He literally smells like silver, himself. 

It was a wonder that he hadn’t smelled him earlier, since there were so many silver traps hidden around them. His human scent, which was already minimal, was very well covered. 

“I have already proved that the research was not sustainable in our many meetings. The benefits were incredible, but the damage it caused…” Marquise said, his voice cracking near the end, as if he were in immeasurable pain. 

Is this why he was always busy with meetings when not dealing with his own pack? 

His focus had evidently broken as he remembered something terrible, because he jumped and fumbled backwards several steps when Jerik reached forward and pressed a hand to the side of his face, having taken him by surprise. 

“I understand that I hurt you, but that pain has saved so many lives. How could I not keep the program going, even if it hurt a few wolves?” Jerik said with a barely-there bit of remorse in his voice. 

“We were going to release them before the damage got as far as it did with you, so why have you been going against me so much on this? If you hadn’t backed out of the study completely, and instead found us another wolf to use to continue our work, we wouldn’t have had to hire hunters and trappers to catch the specimens we needed!” 

Marquise’s body had grown more and more tense as the other man’s voice rose higher and higher. Neither was likely to back down, but they also couldn’t hurt each other, most likely. Jerik smelled like he’d literally bathed in silver, and Marquise was an incomparably-strong alpha werewolf. A human could do nothing to him without an impressive arsenal of silver weapons, and Jerik was clearly not carrying any such thing. 

“Your research might help humans, but it tears us apart! I will not let anymore wolves rot at your hands!” Marquise said as his fingers began to sprout inch-long claws.

Silas felt his hackles rise just from the extreme stress Marquise was exuding, but he wasn’t sure what the other man wanted him to do. As angry as Marquise seemed to be getting, he still didn’t seem ready to attack the human before him. 

His eyes are getting watery…

Silas shifted from paw to paw, growing more and more uneasy about the situation. 

“You were our first subject! Mistakes were bound to happen. We have perfected the dosage to blood-draw ratio and the rotting side effect has been dramatically reduced!” Jerik yelled, his own frustration growing at Marquise’s refusal to agree with his decision to continue the project they had evidently started together. 

Wait a moment. They are talking about rot, but drawing blood from werewolves won’t cause us to rot. Even Sebastian feeds from Ruoka quite often, but there is not a single issue with him. 

Something wasn’t adding up. 

What is he talking about, alpha Marquise? Silas finally asked, needing to know what in the world was going on. 

He was missing a wolf from his own pack, so if there was a possibility they were somehow still alive, he wanted to rescue them as soon as possible. If Jerik was the ringleader causing the disappearances, then they shouldn’t be simply standing around chatting with him. 

Marquise spared him a tense, sad glance before returning his attention to the man before him. 

It is complicated. 

That was abundantly obvious, but he was also an alpha and had a pack to look after. He needed to know what the hell was going on. 

Alpha Marquise, I need answers. 

Marquise flexed his clawed fingers as his gaze narrowed on Jerik. His wolf flashed behind his eyes, making a rare appearance as a deep growl rumbled from his chest. 

Then open your eyes… Marquise replied as his body wavered and jet-black fur began to sprout from his arms and along his back. 

The transformation tore his clothing apart as if it were paper, but that was no surprise when Silas saw the insanely-large beast that was clawing its way out of the man’s bleeding skin. 

Normally a shift wasn’t painful, nor did it really hurt either side of the person. Marquise’s wolf, however, was ferocious as it tore his human body apart to finally free itself from its cage of flesh. 

By the time it was finally free, it stood  nearly as tall as Jerik and was panting heavily, blood dripping from its open mouth. 

While its size was immeasurable, even for an alpha wolf, that wasn’t what made Silas speechless and, honestly, a little terrified. His wolf tucked its tail and inched its way backwards until it was hunched closely against a tree a good distance away. 

How is he still alive? How is it possible?

His brain couldn’t put together what his eyes were seeing. The massive wolf was clearly still alive, but it definitely shouldn’t have been! 

That’s when he realized something. 

He never shifts in front of anyone. It’s not because he can’t, but who wouldn’t run if they saw such a thing? He keeps it hidden to keep from scaring everyone.

As if it had heard his thoughts, Marquise’s wolf turned its massive head toward him. Silas immediately dropped lower into the leaf litter and looked away from the beast’s intense stare. 

He wasn’t even sure if the man’s wolf could even see him all that well, since one of its eyes was silver instead of black. They also seemed quite damaged and blurry. One didn’t even have an eyelid and when he’d turned to look at him, it didn’t move where it sat in a bony, bare socket. It almost looked like the fur and flesh around that eye had been rotted away…

As the beast returned its attention to the now-silent man in front of it, Silas chanced another glance, but regretted it immediately as his stomach turned at the sight.  

It wasn’t just around the wolf’s right eye that had rotted. Several of its ribs were visible along its side, and its right front paw was mostly just tendons and bone, somehow still keeping itself together by some miracle. 

As he carefully snuck more and more looks as the wolf and Jerik simply stared at each other in tense silence, Silas realized what they had been talking about. 

Jerik did that to you. 

His mind took a few more moments to realize exactly how he could have done such a thing, though. The answer he came up with made him nearly throw up what he’d eaten earlier. 

Werewolf blood is known for healing… but it’s too strong for humans to use. Perhaps if it were diluted, though, it could work. There was only one thing that could truly cause such damage to a werewolf, though, and it would have to be applied in small doses or it would kill us outright… 

The giant wolf turned its head slightly back toward him as it let out a rumbling growl that echoed around the disturbingly-quiet area, its sound harsh and partially hissing, as if some of the flesh beneath the thick fur covering its neck had rotted enough to allow air to slip through. 

Werewolf blood can be diluted enough to be used by humans. It can save them from devastating diseases and terrible injuries… but the diluting agent will rot the wolf from the inside out. 

Silas felt his heart nearly stop in his chest as Marquise spoke into his thoughts. He quickly pressed his nose into the leaf litter, feeling the need to hide, even though his human half knew that just burying his nose wouldn’t do anything. He didn’t need anymore information. He understood. Marquise had agreed to allow himself to be injected with liquid silver in return for allowing his pack, and several others, to participate in a resettlement program. 

He’d sacrificed his wolf to make sure that others had a chance to integrate into society instead of being hunted down and murdered like monsters. 

(Edited)

Chapter 43

Sebastian’s eyes widened as the door creaked open. 

This… was not what I was expecting. 

Ruoka was evidently taken by surprise, too, because he could feel the wolf’s confusion in his mind. 

Remain on guard, master. 

He understood, but he did drop his more stern expression as the young girl, who couldn’t have been more than seventeen or so, offered him a toothy grin. 

“Hello, I couldn’t help but notice that you had two werewolves with you when checking in. You must be new to the area, as we don’t normally allow werewolves as pets here,” she said truthfully, and with only a tiny hint of disappointment in her voice. 

Sebastian nodded his agreement as he forced his body to relax a little. 

“I understand the rules of the area, though I’m very new. These two wolves do, in fact, belong to me, but I have to have them. You see, I was changed into a vampire many years ago because I was terribly ill with cancer. Unfortunately, while it definitely helped keep my illness at bay, it didn’t heal it.”

As he spoke, Seba could see the girl’s disapproving stare slowly change. It was honestly just making the situation even more confusing. 

“That’s a terrible lot you’ve drawn for yourself, sir,” she said in response, making Sebastian nod solemnly.

“What are their names?” she asked suddenly, making Seba almost give their real ones. 

Instead, he bit his tongue for a moment and then gave a half-shrug. 

“I just call them Brown and Black.”

The young girl laughed at his pathetic names, and honestly, he chuckled a bit at them, too. They really were absolutely terrible. 

“Funny names you got there, but why do you have two? That big one looks like it could manage you quite well. The other… it’s quite tiny in comparison.”

Okay, here we go. 

“He has for quite some time, but it’s been wearing him down lately, so I picked up Black outside the city a few days ago. He’s not the best behaved yet, but he’s learning quickly… I just wish that he was a little bigger. I don’t know how well he’ll sustain me when I’m finally unable to feed from Brown,” he said, forcing himself to sound frustrated at Verander’s tiny wolf. 

The girl nodded her agreement as she looked past him to compare the two. Her gaze, in particular, stayed on Ruoka far longer than Seba was comfortable with. 

When she finally returned her attention to him with a bright smile, Sebastian knew that the situation was about to progress. 

Stay calm, master. 

“I actually know a dealer who prefers little wolves. Thinks they make decent pets or something. Tames them good and sells them off away from London. He does pretty well with the business, but it’s not really my thing. Last time I paid him a visit he had some bigger wolves. Ones he wasn’t sure he wanted to try selling as pets… Perhaps, would you be interested in trading your little one for a different one, closer in size to Brown?” she asked as her eyes searched his face for any sort of negative reaction. 

“You really know someone who sells wolves?” he asked, sounding a bit skeptical on purpose. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, though it was a surprise. He just knew that such a thing was definitely not normal in London. Heck, it would be hard to manage werewolves in general, even if catching them for such things was  allowed. 

The girl lifted a finger to her lips and glanced around, then gestured for him to follow her as she started down the hall. 

Sebastian nearly began following without giving either wolf so much as a glance, knowing that they would normally follow him, anyways. Thankfully, Ruoka nudged his mind right before he was about to step out of the room. 

Oh, right. 

He… wasn’t the best actor. 

Thanks, Ro. 

Turning back to the two, he calmly walked over and grabbed his small bag of clothing, then, after putting it on his back, picked up both leashes and headed out the door with a wolf on either side. 

Verander was doing his best to act like a rambunctious pup as he swayed this way and that, sniffing the ground and stopping enough to make even Sebastian honestly annoyed. 

When he finally managed to catch up to the girl near the top of the stairs, she was giggling again. 

“You weren’t joking about that one needing training. He was lying there so nicely that I almost thought you were trying to mess with me, but he clearly hasn’t walked on a leash much yet, has he?” she said as she headed down the stairs beside him. 

Seba nodded, glad that Verander was better at pretending than himself. 

“He definitely needs some work on a leash,” he said before they both fell quiet as they walked the remaining distance out of the inn. 

When they were a good distance away, lost in thick throngs of people, he finally spoke up again. 

“You’re sure your friend really wants this scrawny pup? He’ll really trade me a bigger one?” he asked, his voice doubtful, as if she were possibly wasting his time. 

The girl nodded as she turned into a small alleyway between a bakery and a hat shop. Verander gave him a bit more trouble at the entrance to the darker area, but the girl doubled back before he could even question her and grabbed the leash from his hand, then yanked on it, hard. 

Verander yelped and staggered forward, pretending that he had a sharp prong collar on instead of the simple noose Sebastian had fastened beneath his fur. 

He quickly got into a heeling position at the girl’s side, drawing a pleased grin to her face before she looked up at Seba, offering the leash back. 

“You clearly did some training with him already, but you gotta be more forceful. They’re stubborn if you let them get away with things they shouldn’t be doing,” she said as Sebastian took the proffered leash, nodding in understanding as he did so. 

They continued their trek down the alley, then into two others before the girl finally lead him into the back of what appeared to be an old shoe factory. It had long-since closed down and was nothing much to look at… until the girl he was following walked over to a small dusty area, then leaned down to push an old, worn red carpet away from a door in the floor.  

Found it. 

They still had to confirm that the wolves were there, though. He couldn’t hear any howling, and it was definitely possible that it was a decoy area to try and keep snoopers away. 

We have to go down, he thought to Ruoka and Verander. 

They both nudged his mind with acknowledgements as Seba carefully followed the girl down a dark concrete staircase. The farther they descended the more humid it got, as if they were going deep underground quickly. 

When they finally got to the bottom and his shoes stepped down into what felt like moist dirt, he realized that his assumption was likely correct. He wasn’t given much time to dwell on that thought because he was abruptly snapped to attention by a sudden slam far above their heads as complete darkness fell upon them. 

“Right this way, sir,” the young girl said as she held up a small lantern that had just enough of a flame burning inside its dusty, blurred glass to make sure that they didn’t trip over their own feet. 

Sebastian kept both wolves close as they walked past dirt wall after dirt wall. There was nothing extraordinary about the tunnel they were in that would suggest any wolves were nearby. There were no cages, collars, leashes, muzzles, etcetera. He couldn’t even hear any hint of a canine besides Ruoka and Verander’s light panting. 

I smell them, Ruoka said abruptly.   

Seba nearly stopped in his tracks at that information, but forced his feet to keep moving as they followed the girl down a slope in the tunnel. 

How many? he replied. 

Verander was the one who responded curtly. Many. Likely the ones we are missing, and then some. 

And then some? 

Sebastian desperately wanted to take a closer look at the walls, but he didn’t dare act out of character. Instead, he kept his eyes forward and on the girl. 

“How much farther…?” he asked, letting some skepticism slip into his voice as they turned a slight corner, then were met with another set of stairs. 

“Only two more minutes or so,” she said as she cheerfully hopped down the stairs, making the lantern’s light sway back and forth. 

We’re ready , Ruoka thought to him at the same time Verander nudged his leg from the opposite side. 

He heard Ruoka growl into his mind immediately in response, but he quickly mentally shushed him as they finally stepped onto solid tile flooring. 

“Right over here, sir,” the girl said as she heaved open a solid wooden door that had to weigh at least as much as she did, if not more. 

No way she’s not a vampire. 

While the entire walkway had been devoid of any sign of life, the moment those doors opened bright light shone from a plethora of torches hung high upon the brick walls and voice after voice melded into one loud cacophony of gibberish. 

Okay, he couldn’t bring his mind to understand what the heck he was looking at. Jaw hanging open, Seba stared around the massive underground complex. 

How is this even here? Weren’t we just looking for a few werewolves? 

He could definitely smell them now, though he still couldn’t see any yet. There was also another scent in the air that made his stomach twist uncomfortably. 

Why does it smell like rotting flesh? 

“Hello there, young man.”

Sebastian closed his mouth and turned to look at a small group of men heading their way. A few of them looked like bodyguards, but the others? 

White coats… are they really doctors? 

Fumbling with his previous farce, Seba licked his lips and held out his hand for a handshake as one of the doctors did the same. The man’s grip was uncomfortably-firm before he released his hand and immediately turned his attention down to Verander. 

“Oh my, Sissy said that she found me a smaller wolf, but that one is quite a lot smaller than even I’ve ever seen,” he said as he reached toward Verander’s muzzle. 

He couldn’t blame the wolf for growling and bearing its teeth at that moment. If someone reached right for his own face, he’d probably do the same thing. The guy took the hint and retracted his hand, but his widening smile proved that he wasn’t deterred in the least. 

Looking back up at Sebastian, the man gave a slight nod to his right, but didn’t move in that direction at all… 

Instead, Seba jumped and spun around as he heard the giant door behind them slam shut. When he turned back around a moment later, the faces now staring at him didn’t look nearly as friendly as they had before. 

“Lord Sebastian, heir of elder Pretennon… and alpha Ruoka, so nice to finally meet you both face to face,” the doctor said as more and more people began to appear around them. 

Oh no…

“If you wouldn’t mind, please be so kind as to follow me?” the man said as he finally turned around, clasped his arms behind his back, and nonchalantly began walking through the mass of people that was still gathering. 

Ruoka?

Their cover was blown, but it wasn’t too surprising. 

They haven’t mentioned Verander yet, and we haven’t seen the other wolves, either, his wolf noted logically.   

He also hadn’t needed to mention that escape was impossible at that moment, as there were plenty of crossbows aimed at them and Seba could easily smell a mixture of holy water and silver amongst the weapons. 

Right, let’s at least try to keep our last secret and finish our mission. We’ll find the other wolves first, then worry about getting out. 

Steeling his nerves, Seba calmly walked behind the doctor as they headed toward a massive flight of winding stairs in the middle of the giant cavernous compound that appeared to be carved into giant reddish-brown rocks. 

We can still do this. Just play along as best you can until we find all the wolves and don’t let anything slip about Verander’s larger one. 

It sounded pretty simple, but he couldn’t lie about how unnerved he felt by the whole situation they’d unexpectedly walked into. He was also terrified for the two wolves at his side as they drew closer and closer to their destination, because the smell of rot not only grew nearly unbearable with each step, but it became abundantly clear exactly what was rotting as they finally got to the top of the stairs.

A dead wolf…

It looked off, though. Besides the amount of rotted flesh and missing fur present on its body, it still looked like it was… 

Breathing. 

It’s… breathing. 

(Edited)

Chapter 44

Silas nervously began backing away even as he felt multiple sets of eyes shift to him. He knew that there were humans just waiting for the order to shoot, but he also knew that if they hadn’t killed any of the other wolves they’d captured because they’d needed their blood, killing an alpha would definitely be a mistake. 

“I truly am sorry for what I have done to you, but the bigger picture is so much more important,” Jerik said as he stepped up to Marquise’s wolf and settled a hand against what remained of the fur on the right side of its face. 

The giant beast gave out an exhausted but firm warning growl in response, but the other man didn’t seem to care about heeding it. 

“You know, I was on death’s door when you first came to me asking to resettle your pack within the city limits to save them from being hunted down,” he said calmly as he continued to gently pet Marquise’s wolf. 

“I’d been hiding it from the public, but I was at my limit. Without your help, and without our agreement, I wouldn’t be standing here today…” 

Jerik let his sentence fade into silence, then sighed and looked Marquise directly in the eyes. 

“Unfortunately, I’ve reached my limit once again. I called you out here not to reveal my plans, but to relay my final words. You are a smart wolf, Marquise. You already suspected me, and even questioned me multiple times during our meetings, but you allowed your heart to cloud your judgment. I’ve seen you countless times outside my home, watching and waiting and hoping that I had nothing to do with the attacks of your wolves. I’ll be leaving this world soon, because the blood I have relied on, the one thing that has helped so many others, can no longer hold my own sickness at bay.” 

Silas watched as Marquise’s good eye slowly widened as he took in the information he was being given. Evidently, not only had someone he’d loved done such a terrible thing to his wolf, they’d also gone behind his back and used other wolves in the same manner. Wolves that he’d brought to the city, himself, so that they could be safe from human hunters. And now , after all of that, the man behind everything was still going to die by the sickness he’d harmed so many lives to try and fight. 

Pinning his ears, Silas took another step backwards, but immediately hunched to the ground when he heard movement from several different directions around him. 

Go, alpha Silas. Do not hesitate. Your wolves need you. 

Silas clenched his jaw tightly as his muscles tensed. Not a moment later and he was blurring through the forest faster than most eyes could follow. His speed didn’t stop the arrows coming at him, however, though his previous thoughts on whether they wanted to risk killing him or not had been valid. The arrows that pierced his hide stung, and smelled of silver, but even as he continued to flee with the shafts dug into his flesh, he could feel no burning. 

The feathers at the end must have been dipped in liquid silver. 

It would make the weapon itself smell strongly of it, and that scent alone would be a massive deterrent to react should a wolf have the weapon pointed at them. 

As soon as he was close enough to his territory he sent out a call to all of the wolves in the area. 

Gather any wolf you come across and head southeast immediately, this is a message from alpha Marquise and needs to be relayed as fast and as far as possible! 

He felt the immediate faint pressure of acknowledgement from several different wolves in response to his call, and as he got closer to his destination, his mind was flooded with thoughts from those in the large city around him as they hurried to gather. 

Skidding to a halt outside of elder Pretennon’s home, Silas scrambled up the front steps, then slammed his injured body against the front door before tilting his head back and letting out an extremely loud, roaring howl. 

One of Pretennon’s servants opened the door not two seconds later, her face twisted with confusion and worry. 

“Lord Silas? Pretennon is not here,” she stated quickly, then hurried to add; “Master Kandza is also absent. They left about half an hour ago.” 

Silas felt his heart twist into a tight knot but quickly reassured himself that the two were at least together. As he gave the woman a respectful nod, he dismissed himself and continued his way south. 

As he ran, he tried to connect his thoughts to Ruoka or Verander’s, but while he could feel them at the very edge of his mind, and could somewhat feeling what direction he had to go to find them, he couldn’t seem to get through to either wolf. 

Ruoka watched as Verander’s little wolf inched its way closer to the rotting one. His master was clearly too shocked to hold his leash properly, allowing him plenty of freedom… though he took it very  carefully since they still had plenty of crossbows aimed at them. 

“I know who you two are, but I’m curious about the smaller wolf. Ruoka has been your food for many years due to your illness, but I have never seen such a small wolf like the other you have brought,” the head doctor said as he walked closer to where Verander was now nudging at the incapacitated wolf’s muzzle. 

Play along , Ruoka thought to his master as he saw Sebastian straighten his posture ever so slightly. 

“I wasn’t joking when I said that I needed a bigger wolf. If you know who I am, then you know where I came from. I left this city twenty years ago to live by myself so that people wouldn’t ridicule me for still being so sick after being changed into a vampire. Soon after I moved a friend discovered a werewolf pup that had been left in a den after the pack had been forced from the area abruptly. He gave it to me and I raised it as a source of food,” he said sternly as he looked down at him for just the briefest of moments before returning his attention to the group of men before them. 

“I grew up hating werewolves, and even if my master’s views have changed, mine have not. The only thing I will say on that matter is that Ruoka does matter to me, since I’ve raised him for so many years. Even if I can’t feed from him as much as I used to, I’m not interested in trading him.”

Turning his attention to Verander, Seba nodded. 

“That one, however, I can’t use long term. It’s way too small to be fed from often.” 

The group of doctors didn’t look like they were being swayed, but at the same time, their hostile gazes seemed to relax the slightest bit.

“Does it not bother you that we did this to a werewolf? Whether you like them or not, you clearly don’t mistreat them,” the head doctor said as he stepped closer to Verander, and the rotted wolf, then abruptly grabbed the leash still fastened around his neck and yanked it back, hard. 

The action finally made the wolf turn its attention away from the sick one, forcing a yelp from Verander’s mouth as he hurried to back away and sit down, his shoulders and head hunched. 

“My main concern is for myself and my wolf. I need him to be healthy or I’ll be the one who suffers for it. Any other wolf is none of my concern,” he said before nodding toward Verander. 

“Except that one, since it’s the only one I’ve managed to catch so far and I’ll eventually need it as a partial replacement, but it probably won’t help enough.” 

“Dr. Bosh?” one of the other men questioned, drawing the doctor’s attention to him before he leaned closer to whisper something into his ear. 

Of course, they could hear it easily, but he doubted that they cared. 

Ruoka, however, did. Very much so. 

Don’t act up, Sebastian warned him, making Ruoka quickly lower his raising lips and force his ears back up part way. 

I don’t want them to touch you, he replied, a growl to his thought. 

Of course, he knew that his master didn’t want to be touched, either, but their cards were limited. So, when Dr. Bosh turned back around to face them, Seba remained calm. 

“I believe we might be able to make a deal. We have larger wolves that we no longer need, but aren’t in as bad a condition as this fellow here,” he said, gesturing to the rotten wolf near his feet. 

“We will give you one of those wolves in exchange for your smaller one, but we’d also like one more thing from you…” 

They already knew that, and they knew that he’d overheard them, so playing koi wouldn’t matter. 

“You can test my blood, but both wolves stay with me until that’s finished and you hand over your larger one,” Seba said with finality, even though Ruoka could tell that he didn’t feel like he really had a say in any of the events that were about to occur right then.

The men surrounding them all seemed to give their agreement as Dr. Bosh nodded his own, then offered a hand to shake. 

“That’s perfectly reasonable. Right this way, lord Sebastian,” he said as they shook hands. He then turned away from the rotting wolf to walk along a thick ledge carved out of the rocky wall. It hurt to leave it behind, but there was nothing they could do for it right then. 

Verander, especially, seemed distressed as Ruoka felt him pacing in the back of his mind, but the alpha was thankfully decently composed on the outside. 

They followed Dr. Bosh through different caverns, and eventually began passing jail cells carved into the course stone that smelled so strongly of silver that Ruoka couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose. 

The scent of rot was also present, but it was much less noticeable. Sparing a glance into the cages as they moved past them, Ruoka knew that they had found exactly what they’d come for. Wolf after wolf lay chained up with silver shackles, some of their eyes gleaming with hatred in the dim light while others simply kept their heads down, likely too exhausted to lift them.

All of the missing wolves are here, as well as several from the part of my pack that decided to remain in the wild,  Verander thought to them as they moved past the cages and took a left turn into a more open area. 

Ruoka bit back any kind of outward response as his eyes took in what appeared to be a large laboratory. It was quite large, even though it was just one story and carved into the wall. It was smaller than the first area they’d been in, but not by much. Torches on the walls gave off plenty of light and as he looked from place to place, he noticed all sorts of experiments going on. 

What caught his attention right away, however, was the wolf that was hog-tied in front of a desk loaded with all sorts of different tools to their left. It’s muzzle was wrapped tightly shut. It looked like there was a small wound on its neck, too, because a person in a doctor’s coat seemed to be taking a blood sample from it. 

“Right this way, lord Sebastian,” Dr. Bosh said, pulling their attention back to him as the other doctors that had been following them stepped closer, forcing his master to move. 

They ended up in one of the areas near the entrance, and even though a few of the men that were armed tried to nudge Ruoka and Verander away from Sebastian, Ruoka refused to budge, and Verander played the scared pup card very well and hid between his paws. 

“We had a deal. Tell your men to leave them alone,” Sebastian said with narrowing eyes as Dr. Bosh got some things ready. 

He seemed uninterested in listening to him, but eventually played his part and looked over his shoulder. 

“Back off.”

The other men thankfully retreated a few steps, and most of the doctors actually dispersed to other stations around the large room, but only half of the remaining ones lowered their weapons. When Dr. Bosh turned back around, he had a small bowl and a knife in his hands. 

“I hope you don’t mind, but we ran out of numbing medication,” he said with a smile that told Ruoka that they’d never had any in the first place. 

Ruoka? 

Stifling a whine of relief, Ruoka remained seated at his master’s side as his eyes followed the movements of the doctor’s knife as he got ready to use it. 

Elder Pretennon? 

Check their weapons carefully. They aren’t what they seem. Only one or two will likely have silver on the tip. 

Ruoka flicked an ear and yawned, tilting his head a good distance backwards before completing the gesture and shaking out his coat. He then got up and stepped away from Verander, who must have overheard the message, because he quickly began to nibble at Ruoka’s left leg, clearly annoying him on purpose. 

Backing up closer to the few doctors and guards that remained, Ruoka pinned his ears and swatted at Verander as he hurried to chase after him and bite at his muzzle. He was a little too good at playing the rambunctious pup. 

“You clearly haven’t trained the small one very well yet,” Dr. Bosh commented as he nodded toward his men, likely signaling to his guards to quell the pup’s little outburst. 

Ruoka glanced over his shoulder, watching as two men stepped back slightly and others hurried forward. 

Those two. 

If they were just trying to scare them into submission, then normal weapons would work fine. There was no need to accidentally shoot one of them with silver by mistake. 

One of the men, a smaller guy with balding hair, reached down to grab Verander’s leash, but right before he could, the tiny, bumbling pup suddenly gained a few hundred pounds… and some much- pointier teeth. 

The scent of his master’s blood met Ruoka’s nose right as Verander shifted to his second form, making his own wolf shiver with rage. He immediately lunged through the group of startled men standing around them and managed to clamp down on the neck of one of the two that likely had the more-lethal weapons. He snapped it in a heartbeat, but before his paws could land again, allowing him to go after the second man, Verander’s massive canine was already taking him down. 

Crossbow bolts and arrows quickly found their way into their body’s from all directions, but neither of them were deterred by the onslaught. They managed to take down all but two of the men before a searing pain erupted from his back right leg!

Thankfully, the silver arrow that had slid into his flesh was removed before he could even swing around to grab for it. 

“Go, Ruoka!” Sebastian yelled as he broke the arrow in half, then threw it off to the side. 

Ruoka caught sight of a figure blurring through more oncoming guards as he turned, his ears lifting to their full height. 

Lord Pretennon, we need to rescue the other wolves but their cages are made of silver, he thought as he hurried to follow after his master back down the path they’d previous taken toward the makeshift prison. 

The rest of the wolves are coming. Meet me at the cages,  Pretennon replied as he slid in front of him, grabbing his scruff and his master’s waist in order to move them out of the way of an oncoming barrage that would have been tricky to dodge. 

Thank you , he said as they were set down behind a large boulder. 

He could still smell the damage from the vampire’s leg, but he wasn’t too surprised to see him running around. Pain didn’t mean much to vampires… at least, not when their heir was in danger. 

“Go!” Pretennon hissed before turning and catching four crossbow bolts with his bare hands. 

Yes sir. 

Ruoka was just about to start running toward the cages again when he felt his master’s hands grasp his silver collar and quickly tug it off. He spared the beautiful man a quick, appreciative glance, then they both darted into the tunnel as fast as they could. 

When the ground beneath his paws began to shake about halfway to the caged wolves, they took a few steps backwards, confused.

“Ro?” Sebastian questioned, hoping that he had the answer to whatever was about to happen.  

Before he could even turn around, a massive stone slab slammed down behind them, mere inches from crushing his tail!

Another loud slam echoed through the growing chorus of stressed howls echoing down the tunnel. What he didn’t hear anymore, however, were the sounds of men running after him, weapons being discharged, or any kind of fighting. 

With his heart pounding in his chest, Ruoka took a few steps forward, being sure to put himself slightly in front of his master, then tilted his head back and howled loudly. By the time he had finished, all of the other wolves had quieted, sensing the alpha present amongst them. 

Since he could still hear no one coming toward them and no weapons being readied, Ruoka carefully but quickly led the way through the dimly-lit tunnel until they came across the rows of cages. 

“Why are there no guards?” Sebastian asked as he hurried to look around for anything that could help them open the cages. 

When he returned to Ruoka’s side at the first cage a few moments later, he knew that whoever had been guarding the wolves had likely taken the keys. 

Undeterred, Sebastian walked forward and grabbed a bar in either hand. His palms began to burn almost immediately, but even after Ruoka nudged him a few times, silently begging him to let go, he managed to pull the bars apart enough to slip inside. 

Thankfully, the chains holding the wolf in the cell didn’t have holy water on them, allowing his master to break them without damaging his hands further. 

As soon as the medium brown wolf felt the collar slip from its neck it stood up, shook out its coat, then ran from the cell and right to Ruoka. It was a bit awkward to have another wolf nuzzling against him, but when he noticed that the animal was shaking terribly and quite underweight, he calmed himself and returned its affections with a reassuring nuzzle of his own. 

“I’m not sure how many I can do, but let’s keep going until I can’t anymore,” his master said as he walked straight for the next cage. 

The bars on that one took a while longer and Ruoka whined as the pain from his master’s burning hands showed clearly on his face. Sebastian refused to give up, however, and after nearly five minutes of trying, managed to pry the bars open enough to get inside. 

As Seba tended to that wolf, who could no longer get up by itself, Ruoka decided to shift and walk to the next cell. Inside, a small pup quickly lifted its head and flicked an ear, nervous for only a moment before it stood up, its tail swishing a few times behind it as it realized that wolves were outside its cage. It appeared to be one of the city’s missing wolves and was in better condition than the other unfamiliar two. 

Ruoka looked around for any kind of fabric to protect his hands, but realized that nothing had been left behind. 

I can handle the pain. Master is hurting himself to free you. I will not hesitate to do so, either. 

Right before he was about to grab the bars, however, his master’s hand intercepted his right one, drawing his attention to him. 

“Here Ro,” Seba said as he tugged off his own shirt and tore it in two, then began wrapping half of it around Ruoka’s right hand. 

Ruoka’s brow furrowed with confused worry, especially because his master’s own hands were already bloody and burned terribly. He should be the one wrapping his hands!

“It won’t help me. They must have recently doused the bars with holy water because my hands began to react before they even touched it. A little fabric wouldn’t have done much,” he said as he finished wrapping his hand, then moved to do the same for the other. 

“Then let me finish freeing them,” Ruoka said sternly, his words more of an order than a request. 

Sebastian gave him a pained smile but didn’t argue as he finished wrapping his left hand, then leaned forward to press his lips to his own for the briefest moment before he settled on the ground where he’d laid the more-ill wolf. The one that had been brushing against Ruoka hesitantly turned its attention to Sebastian and, after only a few moments, found its way into his lap before settling its chin on his master’s shoulder. 

A faint hint of jealousy rose up in his chest, but Ruoka quickly squashed it and hurried to begin freeing the remaining wolves. They needed to get everyone out of the cages as soon as possible, because they were still trapped behind massive walls of rock and needed to find a way out before they ran out of air. 

One problem at a time, though , he thought to himself as he began to pry the bars in front of him apart.

He managed to get through the remainder of the cages within half an hour, freeing a total of eleven wolves between himself and his master. Two were severely ill and couldn’t stand, but the rest would be able to manage on their own. Most of them also seemed a bit feral, meaning that they had likely been caught outside of the city. 

Once done, he scooped up one of the sick wolves as his master picked up the other. They then headed for the opposite side of the tunnel. They knew that it was likely pointless, and as they came around the final corner they were met with what they figured would be there. 

“Another rock wall,” Sebastian said, his voice sounding exhausted as he looked up at the massive slab blocking their exit. 

Ruoka was about to comment that they should go back and start looking around for a possible third way out, but his words were cut off before they could even leave his mouth when the ground shook again… but this time, they could hear something behind the wall in front of them. 

His master was the one to speak up as the rumbling slowly ebbed into silence after a few more moments.

“Was that… a wolf?” 

(Edited)

Chapter 45

Verander’s hackles immediately lifted to pinpoints as the smell of rot assaulted his nose. The scent had lingered around the massive cavern plenty, but now it smelled as if the scent had quadrupled in strength, stinging his nostrils even though he could see no new decaying wolves from where he stood within a carved-out pathway. 

He’d been tracking the remaining doctors and guards from their little escort group that he hadn’t managed to tear apart yet, but had been forced to slow down because of the three silver crossbow bolts stuck in his flesh right behind his head. He’d managed to break their shafts apart with a simple swipe of his massive paws, but he couldn’t get the blasted poison tips out of his skin!

He was just lowering himself to the ground, his legs shaking with the stress of trying to keep his weight up with such strong poison rushing through his system, when he heard an earth-shaking howl from a good-ways back. The tremors it caused did have him dropping to the hard stone beneath his paws after only a short moment. There was no reason to waste what little energy he still had trying to stay standing in such a situation. 

Alpha Verander?

That voice sounded familiar… and too loud in his aching head. 

Stop yelling , he replied as he sneezed hard, then made a face as blood began to run from his sore nose. He could also taste it in the back of his mouth, but it thankfully hadn’t come up from his growing internal injuries yet. 

As crazy as he was sometimes, he did not  like the taste of his own blood. 

“Verander!” Silas shouted as he ran toward him, drawing the wolf’s tired head up from where it had unintentionally dropped to rest on its paws. 

He was just-about to him when the sound of a weapon being discharged rang out in the hauntingly quiet tunnel. Verander tried to get up and intercept whatever it was, but evidently, he hadn’t been needed. 

Silas jerked his hand up just in time to snag the arrow out of the air as he came to a skidding, snarling halt right beside Verander’s crippled wolf. 

The two guards that had snuck back to try and finish him off looked like they’d just seen a miracle happen right in front of their eyes. 

He couldn’t argue. He’d honestly thought that he was about to finally die. 

Thank you , he thought right as Silas caught a second arrow from the other guard, snapping it in half without an ounce of effort… even as the silver coating burned his hand. 

Of course, once they realized that their tactic was completely useless, the two humans quickly retreated again… or, at least tried to. 

Silas had already been naked when he’d arrived, so it was no surprise when he shifted abruptly and tore the two men apart. For as long as he’d known the guy, he’d liked to toy with his targets and wasn’t big on gore, but when he tore apart those two people? There was definitely something else pushing him to make sure that they never stood up again.

He was honestly kind of proud of the man’s sudden urge for carnage. 

When Silas had finally finished his gruesome task, barely any distinguishable pieces of the two men remained. 

Verander tried to stand as Silas’s bloody wolf approached, but he couldn’t manage the simple task. With an exhausted grumble he forced himself to wait impatiently until Silas had shifted back to his human form and knelt beside him. 

The moment he was close enough Verander began nudging his head and muzzle against the man’s bare torso. His wolf really  wanted to push him over, repeatedly, but he just-barely managed to hold it at bay by allowing the simple nudges. 

“It seems like we’ve finally found the way to keep your wolf in line. Just shoot it with three silver arrows,” Silas noted as he wrapped one hand around the first broken shaft, then yanked it out with a grunt. 

He got a slight nip for his efforts, but he didn’t seem to mind since he quickly moved to start pulling out the second arrow. When that one finally came out after a full minute of carefully tugging, Verander did actually yelp as his nose ran with more blood.

“I’m sorry, Vera. Just one more,” Silas said, his own voice sounding pained as he moved to grip the last arrow. 

He was just trying to work it out from where it was wedged right behind Verander’s right ear when they heard a deep rumble a few hundred yards away, back by the entrance of the cave. 

What is that? Verander asked as Silas’s entire body stiffened and the stench of rot increased three-fold. 

“I ran here after meeting one of Marquise’s old acquaintances. That person is the one behind all of this, but I… I can smell his blood mixed in with the rot of Marquise’s wolf.”

Marquise’s wolf? It’s rotted? 

He’d never seen the animal, but how was it possible that Marquise looked perfectly healthy, and was incredibly  strong, while his wolf was rotted so badly that they could smell its decay from so far away?

“He was the first wolf to take part in these kinds of experiments. He did it in order to allow his pack to settle within the city limits. He did it for their safety, and yet his friend had gone behind his back once his wolf had been unable to participate any further due to the rot from the silver mixed into its blood…” 

Silas quickly returned his attention to the last arrow as they heard the sound of heavy footsteps slowly approaching. It almost sounded like two of the beast’s paws were unusually large or, at least, responsible for holding more weight than the other two. In fact, it didn’t even sound like there were  two other paws. 

Is he limping? 

Silas didn’t spare a single glance in the direction of the encroaching creature. 

“I don’t know. I tried to send a message to its mind but it’s so chaotic that I can’t get anything through,” Silas said as he finally grabbed a fistful of Verander’s scruff and tightened his hand around the remaining arrow shaft and yanked it out with a yell. 

His hand shook as it sizzled from gripping the silver-soaked wood so tightly, but Silas ignored the pain as he threw the broken arrow away, then, finally, looked toward the approaching beast. It slowed to a stop at the slight bend in the pathway with a gurgled, hissing growl and slowly, very  slowly, inched its decayed face around the corner to stare at the two with one wide, blood-shot eye. 

“Alpha Marquise…” Silas whispered as he felt Verander’s wolf move in his arms in order to see better. 

What happened to him? he questioned as the massive beast slowly began to creep forward on three legs. It was holding up a rotted paw, the flesh barely clinging to bone and tendon. 

Shift, quickly. 

Hearing Verander’s thought, Silas looked back at him, confused, but when Verander just nipped his arm and let out a low warning growl, he hurried to shift right as Marquise’s massive beast gave out an earth-shaking bellow and spittle mixed with blood misted from its mouth. 

What the hell happened to him? Verander asked as his wolf nervously scooted itself in front of Silas’s slightly smaller one. 

He knew that Silas would have chastised him for trying to act tough, but their current situation wasn’t going to change depending on who stood in front of the other, anyways. 

They both focused entirely on the creature in front of them as its partially-rotted nostrils flared, taking in all of the scents in the tunnel with slow, raspy inhales, then hissing, stuttering exhales. Thin lines of blood dribbled from a hole hidden within its neck as it finally decided to hunch forward and take another heavy step towards them. 

He never let his wolf out after it got too poisoned from the experiments. It looks like it might have finally forced itself into control of both bodies. 

It almost looked like it had melded both its human and wolf side together, stretching out its back wolf legs to nearly twice the length they had been. At the same time, its front legs had grown as well, but they were much more bony and lacked much muscle, and even skin, in most places. 

It’s paws had also grown, nearly doubling in size in the back while stretching into rotted, stick-like, clawed fingers in the front. 

They watched in silence as it crept closer, its damaged paw remaining above the ground as it’s body struggled to complete each simple action that would eventually end with forward momentum. 

 Marquise? Verander tried again, doing his best to push his way through the creature’s chaotic mind. He stopped his efforts when it got close enough to nudge its decayed muzzle against his own. 

The rotted flesh of its upper lip twitched upward off and on as it seemed to try and figure out whether they were friend or foe. 

Verander flattened his ears against the side of his head and gave out a quiet wine but refused to return the physical gesture more than a slight nudge. His stomach was already twisting with the terrible smell coming from the decomposing wolf. He couldn’t intentionally push himself to get closer. 

Thankfully, Marquise’s nostrils flared again and his one eye jerked to look past them at the mangled corpses of the two guards Silas had killed. A low rumble began to echo from its slightly-shaky lower jaw as it started to limp past them. 

Silas, we need to help him somehow. 

Unfortunately, they both knew that such a thing would be  much  easier said than done. They were in no shape to even try to subdue the beast, let alone somehow get it to let Marquise have control back. 

We have to get out of here first, Silas replied as they slowly and silently got back to their feet. They waited until the moment they heard Marquise’s deformed wolf begin tearing into the two corpses Silas had left before carefully sneaking away with their tails tucked tightly between their legs. 

Verander staggered behind Silas but managed to keep up as he clenched his jaw and forced himself forward. His muscles were burning with exhaustion and poison when they finally got to the mouth of the tunnel. 

Holy hell…

Bodies were scattered everywhere. Most of them were human, but a wolf or two had met an unfortunate end as well. 

Shift. 

Verander grumbled at Silas’s abrupt order, but did as told. His wolf immediately retreated to the back of his mind to start healing and licking its wounds as Verander had to fight himself to stay on his hands and knees. 

Get on. 

Before he could question him, Silas slid beneath Verander from his right side and waited until he was settled atop his wolf’s thick fur before straightening back up. 

Silas took off as soon as he had a decent hold on him, but thankfully passed by a small abandoned room nearby that had a few doctor’s coats scattered about, allowing Verander to tug one on for at least a slight hint of decency. 

Thankfully, there was no more fighting going on in the main cavern and as soon as they got to the ground level several wolves greeted them. Three shifted immediately and carefully helped him from Silas’s back, even though he really didn’t want to get down yet… no matter how embarrassing it was to appear so weak. 

“Where is alpha Ruoka and lord Pretennon?” he asked immediately, needing to know the situation. 

“I’m here, but alpha Ruoka and my heir, as well as the other remaining test subject wolves, have been buried in the initial holding area,” Pretennon said as he walked over with only the slightest hint of a limp. 

He definitely looked worse for wear, though. There were quite a few holes from arrows and crossbow bolts, and a long burn mark covered half of his neck and the left side of his jaw. 

“The wolves are rounding up whatever humans are still alive, if they don’t resist further,” he added as Verander nodded and nudged aside those helping him stand. 

“Lord Pretennon, Marquise…” he said, his words dying off into silence as his brow furrowed and he frowned solemnly. 

The vampire before him nodded in acknowledgement. 

“He seems to understand that other wolves aren’t enemies, but if he wanders back out here, you need to shift immediately. He will attack anything he sees as human,” he said as he turned and gestured for him to follow. 

“Wait… that’s it? We’re just going to avoid him or shift if he shows up again? Isn’t he extremely dangerous to humans now? Can he get out of here?” Verander asked as he hurried after Pretennon, doing his best not to fall on his face as they ascended a staircase. 

Thankfully, Silas was at his side in moments, his large wolf allowing him to use it whenever he needed some extra help staying upright. 

He’s stuck in here… for now. He’s extremely strong, but also, quite literally, falling apart. I’ve never seen a wolf like his, and I’d love to sit and think on a way to help him, since communication seems impossible at the moment, but now is not the time. The wolves have already gathered up most of the remaining humans and taken them out of here. If he happens to find anymore… that’s unfortunate for them,“ Pretennon said as they stopped outside of what appeared to be a cave-in. 

“What I care about right at this moment is saving my heir,” the vampire said as he looked back at him. 

“Help me find a way to do that. Then I will do my best to assist you with alpha Marquise’s situation.” 

What about Kandza? 

Verander glanced around, his brow furrowing when he didn’t see the other wolf that should have been glued to Pretennon’s side. 

“He is alive…” Pretennon replied cryptically as he stepped closer to the wall of boulders. 

“I will take you to him once we have freed those who remain trapped.”

(Edited)

Chapter 46

“Pretennon and the others are outside,” Ruoka said right before Sebastian heard his master’s voice in his mind. 

Is everything alright in there? We are going to start trying to dig you out. 

Relieved, Sebastian gently set the wolf he’d been carrying down a short distance away from the rock wall, then hurried back toward it… only to be stopped when Ruoka grabbed his wrist. 

Sebastian looked over his shoulder at the same time Ruoka moved in front of him. 

“Let me do it. It’s dangerous,” Ruoka said at the same time Sebastian began narrowing his eyes on the man. 

Yes, he knew that pulling random rocks out of a massive pile was dangerous, but he was a vampire and could move faster than most. He also wasn’t interested in sitting around when the clock was ticking. It seemed like things had calmed down on the other side of the wall, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t go south again. He didn’t want to waste time sitting around. 

He was just moving around Ruoka when he heard something that had him pausing and turning back around. His attention moved past his werewolf, as well as the others, though. 

What was that sound just now? 

“It sounds like something is getting closer to us, but I don’t understand how unless it managed to silently get that giant wall on the other side of the tunnel,” Ruoka said as they both turned in that direction and hesitantly began walking forward. 

As they moved, Ruoka shifted back into his wolf form and tilted his ears up. He turned them this way and that as the odd sound grew closer, yet he still couldn’t pinpoint it. 

Master? Something sounds strange in here, Sebastian thought to Pretennon as they warily inched along the dark tunnel. 

How so? his master replied immediately. 

How so  really  was the question. 

Unsure of how to describe it, Sebastian decided to just say exactly what he thought. 

It sounds like something is hissing off and on. Perhaps a pipe leaking air? There’s also a strange, staggered thumping sound. 

Right as he finished his thought he heard the sound of pebbles and sand falling from above. The strange hissing sound followed soon after, then a faintly-echoing thump . 

By the time that thump  met his ears, their eyes had already risen to its source. 

M-master…

There was a monster. A true   monster  staring down at them with blood dripping from a severed arm it had clenched between its massive, decaying jaws. 

“Ruoka… what is that?” 

Get away from it, now! That’s Marquise’s rabid wolf! 

The sudden shout from his master made Sebastian jump, but he didn’t dare hesitate to heed his words and, thankfully, just in time. The massive beast’s one eye locked on him not a second before it lunged from the tiny tunnel it had forced itself through!  

It will only attack those in human form. Make sure to stay away from it , his master thought to him as Sebastian hurried away from the massive beast as fast as he could. For something so decrepit, it could definitely move quickly in short bursts! 

Thankfully, it was having trouble seeing in the dark space, too, and with only one eye, it often ran into walls mid-attack. 

I’m trying. It’s surprisingly fast, but it’s not that great with depth perception with just one eye. 

He felt his master’s confusion for a moment before he replied. 

One eye? 

Sebastian just barely avoided a swipe from the beast’s good paw as he darted around it and headed back toward Ruoka, who had been trying, yet failing, to draw the creature’s attention. He’d even resorted to biting its rotting tail and back legs, but the beast seemed immune to the pain. 

Once they were a good distance away, they slowed to a stop and turned to observe the giant wolf. It had slowed down and dropped the arm that it had been carrying in order to allow its large tongue to lull from the side of its mouth and pant. The whistling sound amplified as the beast tried to catch its breath. 

“He’s got holes in his throat,” Sebastian said sadly as he truly looked  at the large wolf. 

It’s actual ribs were showing in several places and its right paw was hanging on by bits and pieces. His master’s previous thought drew his attention up to the beast’s face, though, allowing him to confirm what he’d initially thought he’d seen. 

His right eye is missing, but it looks like it’s recent. There’s still blood coming from the socket, but there’s no fur or muscle there anymore. 

He could feel his master’s unease through their bond, but Pretennon seemed to nudge it aside so that they could focus on what was most important. 

The others are still working on digging you out, but I’m trying to find the tunnel he used to get there. Are you two able to reach it? 

Sebastian glanced upward but it was so dark that it was hard to find the opening to the tunnel Marquise had crawled out of. He was about to relay that information to Pretennon as he backed up farther with Marquise’s wolf limping closer, but then he heard a new growl that he truly wasn’t expecting. 

Looking back up, Sebastian felt his heart squeeze in his chest. 

“Kandza!” 

Master, Kandza is here! 

The dark wolf had done what they’d needed. He was standing in the entrance to the tunnel Marquise had come through!

“Ruoka, get the wolves up there! If Marquise could get through that tunnel, so can we,” Sebastian said as he moved to the opposite wall. 

Kandza dropped down to the ground right at that moment, shifting midway to land in a sloppy crouch as a human. The sudden movement drew Marquise’s attention as the massive wolf zeroed-in on him, then tilted its head this way, then that. 

Kandza should not be there! 

His master’s words were a bit too late, though he doubted that the stubborn wolf would have left whether he was supposed to be there or not. He already looked like he’d been hurt pretty severely, if the blood running from two circular wounds on his chest were any indication. His left wolf ear also looked like it had gotten damaged by something… perhaps a knife? Either way, it was also bleeding heavily and refused to stand upright within his human hair. 

Not having time to argue whether or not the man should be there or not, because that was all they’d do, Sebastian refocused his attention on his current situation. He had to deal with his own problem child, anyways. 

Ruoka wasn’t listening to him and had even shifted back to his human form to help act as decoy. 

“Seba, Kandza and I will distract—”

“No. I asked you to do something, and as your master, you need to listen and just do it,” Sebastian replied, cutting him off before he could argue. 

Ruoka didn’t look happy, and he’d honestly not wanted to ever order the man around again, but right now just wasn’t the time! Thankfully, Ruoka bowed his head the slightest fraction and went to pick up the sick wolves without arguing. Thankfully, his frustration made him faster, so Sebastian figured that they only needed to distract the bigger wolf for a few minutes, at most. 

Working together, Sebastian and Kandza darted around the larger wolf, using each other to draw its attention away from the other whenever it got too close to either of them. 

Master, is there a way to snap him out of this? He doesn’t seem to even know its us . 

He felt his master in the back of his mind, but it took the man a few moments to respond, and when he did, his thoughts sounded rushed. 

Not that I know of. We need to get you guys out of there first, then we will discuss how to help alpha Marquise. 

Sebastian didn’t like that his master wasn’t even sure how to handle the giant wolf, but he wouldn’t argue. 

“Seba, everyone is ready!” Ruoka yelled a few minutes later, drawing Sebastian’s attention up to where he stood crouched down in the upper tunnel entrance with an unconcious wolf in his arms. 

Hearing an encroaching thumping sound, Sebastian quickly darted away right before Marquise could grab his leg, then slid to a stop beneath the tunnel. 

“Kandza, go!” he shouted to the other man that was about to take a swipe at Marquise’s tail. 

He hesitated, but thankfully listened right as they heard a familiar voice yell from above. 

“Kandza, Sebastian!” 

Everyone’s attention, including Marquise’s, rose to meet Pretennon’s eyes. 

“Marquise, enough of this!” he yelled as he jumped down, fangs bared and claws already extended. 

Sebastian hurried over to where Kandza was limping towards them and quickly helped the injured werewolf onto his back. He then leaped up onto the miniscule ledge of the upper tunnel. 

“ Vampire…“ 

  Wh-what? 

Kandza slowly slid from his back as he returned to his wolf form, but neither of them ducked into the tunnel yet. Instead, they looked down at where Marquise’s massive, rotted wolf had stopped only a few feet away from where Pretennon stood. 

“So you can  talk,” Pretennon said, making Ruoka, Kandza, and Sebastian all look at each other in shock before quickly returning their attention to what was going on down below.

Of course, they’d just heard  him speak, but it had taken a few seconds to actually sink in that it had really happened.  

His master didn’t seem relieved that they could now communicate, though. Or, really, that Marquise was now willing  to communicate. 

Wait a moment…

“That’s not Marquise’s voice at all,” he noted quietly as his master narrowed his eyes on the rotted monster before him. 

“No, it is not Marquise. He is no longer there,” Pretennon said, making Seba shiver at the thought. 

“Vampire… why do I still exist?” 

Sebastian was glad that he was not the person being asked such a dark question. Because he had no answer to offer.

“You still exist because you are far stronger than most,” Pretennon answered smoothly, seemingly sure that his response was the simple truth. 

Except, the wolf didn’t seem interested in what others thought was the truth. 

It took a limping step forward, then, to everyone’s surprise, slowly sank down to the floor of the tunnel with a hissing whine. 

“I feel no strength… only horrific, burning pain,” it replied in its raspy, deep, faintly-hissing voice. 

It turned its massive head and leaned closer to its damaged paw, sticking its tongue out with the intent, Sebastian assumed, to lick at it, but it caught itself right before it could hurt itself further and leaned away with a sighed grumble. 

When its eye returned to meet Pretennon’s, Seba felt his heart clench in his chest. 

“When was the last time you were allowed out?” Pretennon asked as he took a careful step closer. 

Marquise’s wolf flicked one partially-bony ear as it thought for just a moment before responding. 

“Years.” 

Everyone was probably thinking the same thing, considering the looks on their faces, but no one dared to say it out loud. 

Marquise, the strongest and highest ranking werewolf any of them had ever know, had tortured and confined his other half for so long that it had practically torn itself away from his mind to form its own entity.   

“Your pack…?” Pretennon questioned, even though he already knew the answer. 

“Has not seen me,” the beast replied without hesitation. 

“You have not been allowed outside? To set your paws on grass?” 

The wolf lowered its head to settled on the hard ground beneath it before closing its one eye. 

“I had forgotten what it had felt like until I was, for some reason, let out today.” 

“You were intentionally let out earlier? Did Marquise willingly give you control, too?” Pretennon asked, seemingly having heard something about the previous situation, but likely not in full detail yet. 

“Willingly? No, he would never. I took my chance while I could. I killed the man who had tortured me for so long, then I just… ran. The scent of rot called me here, but I could not focus through the darkness in my mind, but what did that matter? There were more humans here, doing exactly what they’d done to me, to new wolves. To wolves that were in my pack, in the local packs, under my protection. I did not need control over myself to kill them.” 

Seba slowly sat down as Kandza disappeared to begin taking the sick wolves from the cavern. Instead of following, Ruoka shifted back to his wolf form and nudged his head against Seba’s hand, earning a glance and absentminded pat before he returned his attention to the larger wolf below… only to fidget when he noticed that it was staring straight up at them. 

“Alpha,” it eventually said, drawing Ruoka’s full attention. 

When it said nothing further, Ruoka tilted his ears a bit, then, carefully, hopped back down. He walked up to stand at Pretennon’s side, at first, but then decided to move closer, since the other wolf was no longer showing any signs of aggression. 

“Alpha wolf, what is your name?” it asked once Ruoka was close enough to nudge the side of its muzzle that still had a decent amount of fur on it. 

They seemed to communicate only between themselves for a moment before the larger wolf gave out a quiet, growled scoff.

“Food. To name such a beautiful creature such a thing…” 

Sebastian had honestly been regretting the name for a while, but Ro was Ro. He wasn’t sure that he could bring himself to change it, unless Ruoka specifically requested it. 

The two wolves seemed to talk silently for a while longer before Ruoka, surprisingly, lowered himself to the ground, then scooted closer, until he could rest his head against the other wolf’s furred neck. The larger wolf seemed conflicted by the gesture for a few moments before it reciprocated and settled its own massive head against Ruoka’s soft fur. 

When it finally closed its single eye and gave an exhausted, hissing sigh, Seba carefully jumped from the ledge. He didn’t approach the two wolves immediately, but he did step up to his master and give him a respectful nod. 

“Vampire…” 

Pretennon and Sebastian stepped forward together. 

“What is it that you need?” Pretennon asked calmly. 

The wolf’s one eye slowly opened, but it didn’t seem to be looking at anything in particular. 

“I cannot exist as I am, but I do not wish to lend my strength to someone who has so badly abused me… but I cannot make myself take his life, either.”

Seeming to understand, though it was clear he didn’t like where the discussion was going, Pretennon walked closer, then, finally, knelt down and reached forward to settle one hand atop the large wolf’s head. Unlike Ruoka, however, he did not differentiate fur from bone. It was all the same to such an old vampire. He would pet the wolf, fur and bone alike, because that was the wolf. 

“I understand, but if I do that, I won’t be able to reverse it. You will remain asleep forever,” he said, his voice just as calm as it had been throughout their entire conversation, even though it was slowly growing more and more stressful… at least for Sebastian. 

“I will rest forever, then. Take me away from this pain and lock away the power that I have given him his entire life. He has refused to allow my existence for years to save face… I will disappear now, as he wishes, but I will leave him with nothing. The alpha will become the omega.”

It paused for a few seconds before giving off a faint growl. 

“Less than an omega. A werewolf without its wolf.”  

 Pretennon bowed his head as his hand slowed to a stop beneath the wolf’s empty eye socket. The large wolf leaned into the touch, sighing with tired contentment. 

“I will do as you wish,” Pretennon said, no hint of hesitation to his words. 

Master… 

Silence, Sebastian. 

Seba immediately bit his tongue. He knew that Marquise had done something terrible to his wolf, but to take things so far, so quickly, without even speaking to him seemed… off. But at the same time, there was no denying that his wolf had suffered tremendously. 

There is more to the story than what you see. Silas knows most of it and has been speaking with me as I’ve been speaking with Marquise’s wolf. There is no excuse for what has happened, and I believe that what his wolf is requesting is a justified response… and very lenient. 

Sebastian nodded solemnly and took a step back as he gestured for Ruoka to return to his side. To his surprise, his wolf remained exactly where it was. 

I apologize, but I will not leave. I am needed here. Please help Kandza with the remaining sick wolves. 

Sebastian felt his eyes dampen slightly as he quickly blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. He’d heard that vampires could seal away a werewolf’s other half, but most had never bothered to learn the skill, since wolves had, throughout most of their history, been better off dead to most other species. 

He didn’t want Ruoka to have to see what was about to happen, though. 

You can’t control everything he does… nor do you want to. Ruoka is his own person, above all else. You gave him that right, and you will never try to take it away. 

Licking his lips, Sebastian took in a shaky breath, then nodded. 

Take care of them both, okay Ro? 

Without waiting for a response, Seba turned and hopped back up onto the tunnel’s ledge. There were still a few sick wolves a little ways into it, so, putting on a fake smile, he gently lifted two of the thinnest ones, then lead the remaining three out to the main cavern, to their freedom. 

(Edited)

Chapter 47

He was absolutely exhausted . 

After finishing the ritual to seal away Marquise’s wolf, the man had been forced back into control permanently. Of course, at that time he was also unconscious. So, Pretennon had had to carry him all the way back through the small tunnel until they reached a more open area where he could pass him off to one of his packmates. 

Once that was done, he helped transport anyone else who still had injuries to the local hospital for treatment. He’d then stayed with Kandza while they’d cleaned and stitched up his cut ear and allowed the doctor to put a salve onto the holy water burn on his own face, but that was all he’d wanted to tolerate for himself. 

Of course, Kandza wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily. It took him nearly half an hour of arguing, but he’d somehow managed to wear down Preto’s determination.

And now he was lying down on a cot in the hospital that smelled like blood, hungry and utterly at his strength’s limit. It truly was hard to wear out a vampire, and especially an elder one, at that, but… Heaving an exhausted sigh for the fifth time since arriving, Preto slowly turned his head on the uncomfortable pillow beneath it and stared into his wolf’s soft caramel eyes. 

“Kandza, go see your packmates,” he said with a voice so quiet that he could barely believe that it was his own. 

When Kandza simply shook his head and leaned down to nuzzle his nose against Preto’s cheek, right above the spot that had been burned, he grumbled. 

“Why are you so stubborn? I’m perfectly fine, that’s why the doctors haven’t bothered with me yet.” 

He really didn’t have all that bad of an injury. Yes, his face was burned, but it would heal. His foot would also heal, though he’d overdone it and it definitely could use a little help along the way now. 

“Pardon me, can I have your name and birth date, please?” a young female nurse asked as she poked her head around the small curtain blocking them from the other patients in the busy ward. 

Pretennon answered with his full name and date of birth, and fought back a slight grin when he noticed Kandza’s face turn a little red. 

What did you expect? I’m an elder vampire. You are a pup compared to me.   

He felt Kandza growl into his mind, but he knew that he had a point. If he had wanted a young person, or even one only a little bit older, he should have kept his focus on other werewolves… or at least, humans. By courting him, the stubborn werewolf now had a partner that had a lifetime  of years already behind him. 

I don’t care about how many years you’ve lived. I only want the remainder of them to be with me. 

Preto would have blushed if he wasn’t running so low on blood already. 

“Excuse me, sir?”

Stop distracting me!

“Yes ma’am, sorry. I’ve already gotten the burn on my face taken care of, but I wanted to have my foot looked at. It got injured a few days ago in a trap covered with holy water and hasn’t been healing correctly.” 

Because you refuse to stay off of it , Kandza added. 

Preto hissed at him mentally, but his werewolf didn’t seem to have even heard him as he scooted over so that the nurse could remove Preto’s boot and unwrap the bloodied bandages covering his injury. 

“How long have you been staying off of it?” she asked, though didn’t seem like she expected any kind of reasonable answer since it was so bloody from overuse. 

“He hasn’t stayed off of it at all. He refuses to,” Kandza said without waiting for Preto to even take a breath in to start his own response. 

He was just about to chastise him when Preto abruptly swallowed his words, nearly going into a coughing fit as Kandza’s hand moved to grasp his inner thigh, hard. 

What are you doing? And in front of the nurse! 

Kandza flicked his good ear and spared him only the briefest of glances. But in that look was everything Preto needed to know about why  he’d suddenly grabbed him. 

Behave , was the only word he got back in response, though. 

Overprotective, stubborn, jealous, brat! 

He could go on, but it was clear that Kandza wasn’t paying him the least bit of attention anymore, so Preto just scowled and turned his head away on the pillow as the nurse began gently examining his messed up ankle and foot. 

“You said that the original injury was from a coated trap? I see those wounds, but the damage has spread down to the sole of your foot,” she said as she got up for a moment to go retrieve a basin of water and some wash rags. 

Before she could begin cleaning the area, however, Kandza reached forward and took the damp rag in her hand. 

“I’ll do it,” he said without an ounce of hesitation. 

Preto glanced at him briefly, but pursed his lips and said nothing as the nurse moved to the side in order to give him room. 

“Are you sure? The entire area needs to be completely scrubbed so that the doctor can come clean out the dead tissue and do some stitches,” the nurse said. 

Kandza only nodded his agreement before getting to work, being gentle but meticulous in his attentions. 

Preto was honestly glad that the man had decided to clean his injury, because he really didn’t want to have to wait for the nurse and her delicate hands to do it. It would take forever. 

I want to lick. 

Preto made a face. 

Don’t you dare. I get that wolves lick their wounds, but there are limits. 

Kandza grunted but continued his work, thankfully with his hands and the rag. The nurse left after a few moments to go tend to other patients, returning about forty minutes later with an older doctor right as Kandza was finally finishing carefully wiping away all of the blood and dirt. 

“Ah, elder Pretennon, I’m glad you decided to allow us to examine your injury,” he said, seemingly pleased. 

The man had questioned him about it a couple times as he was running around helping with the sick and injured wolves, but Preto had declined his assistance each time. 

Now, with his wound finally decently cleaned, Preto was just about ready to pass out. It hadn’t hurt too badly, but he was just at the end of his energy reserves. 

“Ah, here. I brought you some blood since my nurse mentioned that you were looking quite pale,” he said as he began leaning over to hand him the cup. 

Kandza, of course, intercepted him, taking the cup quickly but carefully. 

“I’ll take care of it,” Kandza said as he helped Preto sit up against him with one arm, then began helping him take small sips from the cup as the doctor turned his attention to his injured foot. 

You know, I am capable of feeding myself , Preto chastised, even though he didn’t try to move away from his werewolf at all. Nor did he bother trying to take the cup. 

I know. Elder Pretennon is as strong as he is handsome… and as stubborn.

Preto was smiling faintly against the lip of the cup before he heard that last little part. He was just about to scold him in response when he suddenly hissed and bit the cup as pain radiated up his left leg. 

Well, the added pain of nearly breaking a fang on the cup definitely helped distract him from his damaged foot, at least. 

There’s always a plus side , he joked to himself without humor… right before Kandza licked the spot just beneath his eye after having set the half-empty cup aside. 

What are you—

Another lick. 

Will you beh—

A third lick. 

Dammit Kan—

Preto heaved a sigh and pressed his forehead against his werewolf’s shoulder, resigned to the awkward attention of having his face, and now hair and ear, licked. 

“I’m almost done,” the doctor said after a while, making Preto widen his damp eyes as he looked up. 

Wait, why is Kandza straddling my lap? And how did the doctor finish so quickly? 

He paused for a few moments as the doctor continued working together with the nurse and Kandza continued to lick his hair softly. His werewolf had distracted him quite thoroughly… and honestly, done a bit too well of a job.

I… I’m hard. 

“Alright, I think you’re all good now. We’re just going to bandage this up, then get some pain medicine for you and you’ll be all set,” the doctor said as he began wrapping up Pretennon’s foot and ankle. 

He wanted to argue that he didn’t need pain medication, that he was an elder vampire and all that shit, but Kandza quickly nipped that argument in the bud when he bit down on his ear, making him focus everything he had on stifling a moan. 

You’re a bad dog. A terrible, bad dog! 

“Thank you for everything, doctor. We really appreciate it,” Kandza said as he glanced over his shoulder at him with a smile. 

At the same time, he was patting the back of Preto’s head like one would when trying to calm a frustrated child. 

The doctor and nurse said a few more things, mainly information on how to care for the injury correctly , then they walked away to get the medication ready. 

“Why are you sitting on me? This is not the place!” he hissed out as quietly as he could once the other two were out of sight. 

Thank god the man had at least tugged on a pair of pants earlier, before they’d arrived at the hospital, but still! 

Kandza tilted his head and flicked his good ear, drawing Preto’s attention immediately to it, then over to his injured one. His previous frustrations drained away immediately as he reached up with the gentlest of fingers to softly grasp that poor, cut ear. 

Obediently, Kandza tilted his head down, allowing Preto easier access… but not without a cost. His hands immediately drifted downward along the vampire’s body until they attempted to slide into the waistband of his pants. 

Preto quickly snapped out of his ear-daze and snagged the man’s hands right as the top button of his pants was undone. 

“Why won’t you behave? We aren’t doing anything here!” he hissed out, refusing to let Kandza’s struggling hands go back to what they’d been doing. 

When the man finally realized that he wasn’t going to be allowed to touch, he lifted his brooding eyes back up to Preto’s. 

Um… 

He’d never seen Kandza look so… wolfish. 

Is… is he really just a beta? 

“Here you are, lord Pretennon. If you need anything else, please come back any time,” the nurse said as she set their paper bag of medication on the cot, then hurried away back behind the curtain. 

I don’t think I can ever show my face around here again. 

He was still hard, too, so when Kandza finally got off his lap, he was stuck pulling the blanket up over his pants… after having rebuttoned them, of course. He also noticed that he wasn’t the only one who had a little problem in his pants. 

“Sit down and relax for a minute,” Preto said as he patted the cot beside himself. 

He thought that the man might finally listen to him for once that day, but instead, he pinned his fuzzy wolf ears to the side of his head and began pacing. 

As he moved, it was clear that he was getting more and more frustrated. He was even growling quietly with each turn and backtrack. 

Alright, enough of this. 

Pushing himself to his feet, Preto winced as he tried to put weight on his bad foot, but before he could adjust to the pain, he was abruptly scooped up into Kandza’s arms!

He barely managed to reach down and swipe his medicine bag before the man carried him right out of the hospital, not giving a single damn if people stared or not. 

Thank god my body has calmed down enough to not embarrass me worse…

A few werewolves were stationed at the entrance to the hospital. Some were clearly guards, while others looked like they were waiting for other werewolves to be discharged after treatment so that they could help them get home to rest. 

They bowed their heads to them, but didn’t speak. In fact, neither Pretennon, nor Kandza, spoke the entire short walk home. Preto honestly stopped paying attention about halfway there and tucked his head more comfortably against his werewolf’s chest to rest. 

He dozed for a short time, then blinked open heavy eyelids when he heard Kandza’s muffled voice rumble through his chest and into his cheek where it was pressed against it. 

“What?” he whispered, wanting to know what he’d missed. 

He felt a soft kiss press against the top of his head before Kandza replied just as quietly. 

“I asked them to fill the bathtub for you.” 

Preto groaned inwardly. He did not  want a bath right now. He wanted to sleep! For at least a year or two…

“Elder Pretennon is very dirty. I only cleaned your foot,” Kandza stated logically, even though Preto didn’t want to hear it. 

Instead of responding with more words, he simply gave out a quiet grumble as he was calmly carried upstairs and to his room. He could sense his heir and alpha Ruoka in Sebastian’s room, but he didn’t bother trying to reach out to either. The tension coming from inside was more than enough to ward anyone away. Sebastian had seemed quite upset with Ruoka’s decision to stay and help with Marquise’s wolf, and even though he’d left immediately afterwards to find his vampire, his heir had still been unhappy. 

We are both a bit too stubborn. 

Kandza gently set Preto down on his large bed, then reached down to help undress him as his servants continued to walk back and forth behind him to fill the bathing tub. 

“Can you not be patient for one minute?” Preto growled as he tried to swat the man’s hands away, but continued to fail miserably as he was stripped of his coat, shirt, and pants. 

By the time his servants had finished their task, Preto sat on his bed, stark naked and, awkwardly enough, hard again. He’d leaned over to try and hide the obvious , and Kandza had moved the slightest bit to help shield him, too, but the damned man wouldn’t let him even have a blanket to cover himself!

He’d said that he would have tried to lie down immediately if he was given the blanket, then refuse to get up… which had been one-hundred percent correct, but still! 

Kandza was just leaning down again to help lift him up when Preto hopped up on his own, then nearly dropped to the floor. He managed to catch himself, with Kandza’s help, but when the man tried to lift him again he hissed, finally getting his point across that he was tired of being carried. 

Kandza grumbled in response, but relented and just tugged Preto’s arm over his shoulder and helped him limp toward the bathroom. The guy didn’t waste any time getting him situated in the warm bathtub with his foot out of the water, then tied his hair up. It was definitely a task for another day. He then grabbed a clean washcloth and wiped down Preto’s entire body, besides his bandaged foot, with a decent amount of soap.

The water turned dark quickly, making Preto silently grateful that the man had forced him to wash before allowing him to sleep. He also watched Kandza wipe his own body a bit with an extra damp towel, removing most of the faint layer of dirt that had gotten on him during the raid. The man then laid a new dry towel on the floor once he’d finished rinsing off Preto, then got a second one to wrap him in as he was carefully helped from the tub. 

Preto gladly slumped into the man’s arms this time, not even caring that one of Kandza’s hands had immediately slid down to his damp, partially-uncovered backside. As long as the guy kept holding him, he could do whatever he wanted. 

He dozed a little as he was, once again, lifted and carried over to his bed. There was no grumbling this time, though, but not  because he was exhausted. His left arm had found its way up and around Kandza’s neck, but his right one had drifted downward and behind him to claw at his loose pants. 

With everything the man had been doing in the past few hours, he’d been distracted and, especially while giving Preto a bath, the borrowed scrub pants he’d tugged on while in the hospital had slipped from around his waist and lowered quite a few inches. 

“Elder Pretennon needs to behave and rest,” Kandza said as he gently unwrapped his arm from around his neck as he laid him down in his bed. 

Preto couldn’t believe what he was hearing from the werewolf who had practically ridden  him in front of a doctor earlier! 

Pursing his lips, Preto got himself more comfortable, then reached up with shaky hands and undid the tie in his hair. The moment he had the tie off, Kandza took it from him and tossed it aside, then began gently running his fingers through Preto’s long, tangled hair, nudging most of the knots loose with ease. 

The gentle attention had Preto closing his eyes as he felt the other man carefully climb into bed with him after he heard the sound of something akin to fabric drop to the floor. Curious, and more than a little horny, Preto let his hands wander to the man’s too-warm body, then greedily began groping everywhere he could reach. 

He tried, several times, to get the man to lower himself down onto him, but each time, Kandza refused to budge more than an inch or so, eventually making Preto so frustrated that he forced his aching eyes open. 

Why can’t you just beha—

His words were erased from his mind as he stared up into feral, caramel eyes. Saliva quickly pooled in his mouth and he fought himself not to simply reach up and yank the man downward. One of his fangs extended a little farther than the other, sneaking past his upper lip. 

Even within the darkness of the room, it was clear that Kandza could see that little fang. His bright eyes shone down at him, hunger clear as day within them. 

Preto licked his lips slowly, contemplating what he could do to get the man to ravish him. He nicked his tongue on his fang but didn’t even acknowledge it as he reached up with one shaky hand and grasped the back of Kandza’s neck. 

“Kandza, come here,” he said, his voice quiet with exhaustion but still determined. 

When the man simply turned his head and licked the side of Preto’s arm painstakingly-slowly, Pretennon scowled. After a few moments, he let his arm fall back down to the bed, unsure on how he could get the darn man to act on the obvious desire shining in his eyes. 

“Why are you just staring at me? I can smell your arousal and feel the heat of your body even though we’re not even touching right now,” Preto said, needing to know the reason why he suddenly wasn’t good enough. 

Kandza gave out a long, tired sigh before  finally , slowly, lowering his body down onto Pretennon’s. The sheer amount of heat that the man was producing at that moment made Preto sigh as he hurried to spread his legs and wrap his arms around the werewolf, worried that he might try to get away. 

He’d hoped that he would just get busy and relieve them both, then they could sleep away the next day or two, but when the man still refused to so much as grope his ass, Preto growled and nipped at his neck. 

He waited, and waited, and  waited for a response, but what caught his attention some ten or so minutes later, after both their bodies had finally calmed down a little, was the faint sound of sniffling next to his right ear where Kandza had tucked his face against his pillow. 

Kandza? 

 “I still wonder, too,” Kandza finally said in a scratchy, muffled voice against Pretennon’s hair. 

Wonder? Wonder about what? 

“What do you want to know?” Preto asked as he began to gently sift his fingers through Kandza’s soft, messy hair. He avoided his fuzzy ears so that he wouldn’t get distracted, but it was hard. 

“Elder Pretennon, you let me mark you… but for what purpose?” 

Preto’s brow furrowed as he pressed his hand down firmly against Kandza’s hair and his other one’s claws dug slightly into the man’s back. His mouth felt dry as he tried to say the obvious, I let you mark me because I want you to screw my brains out, but no words came out. 

I… didn’t want you to get physical with someone else. 

Those words also didn’t get past his lips. 

I have a disturbing addiction to your fuzzy wolf ears. 

Yeah, definitely not the right words for any situation. 

Holding the man a little tighter, Preto nuzzled his face into Kandza’s soft hair and sighed. 

“I don’t want you to go anywhere,” he eventually said, unsure if the words were what Kandza wanted to hear or not, but they were what he could manage to push past his slightly trembling lips.

He felt the man move against him a little bit, likely getting more comfortable. Just that slight bit of movement had Preto groaning as his body reacted again, clearly hopeful that they would be getting busy  soon. 

“Why not?” Kandza asked, taking Pretennon by surprise. 

He tightened his hold on the man immediately, not caring that he was making him bleed a little where his claws dug into his back. 

“Because you’re mine,” he growled out, pushing aside his exhaustion to make sure that his words were heard loud and clear. 

Kandza made a quiet grumbling sound as he lifted his head to nuzzle his cheek against Preto’s for a moment before pressing his face into the crook of his neck. 

“Why?”

Why? You marked me! You’ve been at my side constantly! You only wanted me to look at you, and now I only want you to look at me! 

“Because I love you, you darn stubborn wolf!” 

Pretennon made a face as he realized what he’d just said. He hadn’t really meant for those words to come out of his mouth, but he couldn’t just tell Kandza to erase them from his mind, either. Even if he’d begged, he doubted that the man would entertain his request for even half a second. 

His mind grew fuzzy with wave after wave of nervous nausea, making him dizzy enough to have to squeeze his eyes closed. 

“I love elder Pretennon, too. I am sorry I stressed you and made you confess, but I needed to hear those words,” Kandza whispered just loud enough to be heard over the blood rushing around Preto’s head.  

“What…? You really needed to hear me say it? Even after I let you mark me, and touch me…?” Preto questioned, not able to wrap his mind around what his werewolf was saying. 

When Kandza simply nodded against him and gave his neck the slightest, gentlest lick, Preto felt his chest tighten. 

“I wasn’t sure if I was good enough. I knew that elder Pretennon coveted my body, but I wanted him to want more than that. I wanted him to want all of me… but you hesitated.” 

Preto slowly forced himself to relax and not say anything he would regret. For so many years, he hadn’t bothered trying to get close to anyone in such a way. He was a bit of a rake, and preferred to just enjoy himself as opposed to tying himself to a single person. He’d done that many years ago, but an elder vampire’s lifespan was far greater than a humans, or even a werewolf’s. He hadn’t wanted to go through the heartbreak of losing a loved one again. 

You are good enough, though. You’re the first and only person I’ve wanted to keep by my side in so many years. 

“I… apologize for not saying what I needed to sooner. It has been many, many years since I’ve tried to love someone,” he finally replied, hoping that he was saying the correct thing. 

Kandza was silent for a few moments before he lifted his head high enough for Preto to finally meet his caramel eyes again. The faint, boyish grin on his face made him nervous, but also a little excited. 

“I forgive elder Pretennon, and I love you, too,” Kandza said before leaning down and pressing his mouth of Preto’s. 

The kiss enflamed Preto’s previous arousal, making him spread his legs wider, hoping to invite Kandza to finally take care of their needs. 

They kissed for quite some time, and the man’s hands wandered to quite a few places to grope and rub, but, somehow, he still refused to slide himself just the slightest bit farther down Preto’s body and connect them together. 

When their heated kiss finally ended, Preto groaned as he stared up at Kandza. The man looked like he was starving, so why…? 

“It is time to rest, elder Pretennon. You must regain your strength.” 

You… did not just say that after sucking on my face and groping me for so long! 

But he had, and right after Kandza had finished speaking he got himself off of Pretennon and dropped down to the bed beside him. 

Livid and beyond frustrated, Preto turned onto his side to give the man a piece of his mind, but his words got caught in his throat when Kandza pulled him against his chest and began gently licking his face. 

Why the hell isn’t he ravishing my body? He would have totally done it if I had told him that I loved him the last time he’d confessed, instead of pushing him a— shit. 

Nearly roaring with anger, Preto pushed himself up to a sitting position abruptly, startling Kandza into rolling onto his back and looking up at him with a surprised, confused expression. 

“Are you getting back at me for the first time I rejected you?” he ground out, fuming. 

When Kandza simply tilted his head on one of Preto’s pillows and gave him a lazy, lopsided smile, Pretennon wanted to tie the man down and take what he needed… and yet, all he did was growl pathetically. Kandza waited patiently until he’d managed to exhaust himself again, then slowly sat up and reached forward to tug him back into his arms before lying down again. 

“I am sorry, elder Pretennon,” he said quietly as he stroked Preto’s back with one hand while tucking his head against his chest with the other. 

“I’m mad at you,” was all Preto could say as his eyes finally got too heavy to stay open. 

Kandza gave an acknowledging sound but didn’t speak again. 

This darn wolf…

“You better make it up to me tomorrow,” Preto eventually mumbled out, his words slurring with sleep. 

He felt Kandza’s arms hug him tighter in response, then, right as he was finally drifting off to sleep, the man’s whispered words met his ears. 

“I will make it up to both of us tomorrow.” 

(Edited)

Chapter 48

Everything hurt. 

Silas’s body ached just about everywhere, and the few places he’d been injured still burned from the silver that had been on the weapons even after having tended to the wounds. 

His body was no longer the issue, though. 

Glaring down at the naked man lying on his belly in his  bed, Silas scowled for what felt like the hundredth time that day. 

“Vera, you need to let me treat your injuries,” he said, for at least the tenth time that day. 

It was already close to sundown and the man still refused to simply get out of his bed so that he could wipe some salve onto his injuries without getting his bed dirty. 

Well, dirtier. Neither of them had washed since they’d returned from the underground facility, since he’d been trying to get him off his bed ever since. 

“Why are you being so stubborn? Not even Sitkea behaves this badly,” Silas said as he began to pace from his frustration. 

He managed to do twenty complete circles before he heard Verander move, making his attention immediately snap back to the other man. 

He had turned his head to finally face him, though his arms were still tightly wrapped around Silas’s pillow like a vise. 

Figuring that the guy was finally ready to at least talk, Silas crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow, waiting. 

Verander huffed and nuzzled his nose into Silas’s pillow, then took in a deep breath before mumbling against the worn fabric. 

“I almost didn’t come back… like I said I would.” 

Silas’s annoyance slowly drained from his body as he walked back over to his bed and knelt down beside it. He was met with a quiet, yet-nervous growl. 

Now he understood. 

Verander wasn’t really  the one that didn’t want to leave his bed. It was his wolf that was still extremely stressed out from what had happened. Verander had said that he would come back, and when his wolf had gotten badly injured, it had doubted its ability to return alive. Now it was struggling to reconcile what had happened while overthinking about how badly their situation could have turned out. 

“You’re thinking too much into it, Vera. What happened, happened. You came back, just like you said you would,” Silas said, trying to speak as simply as he could so that Verander’s wolf could understand him, too. 

Verander grumbled again into his pillow, but then moved to roll onto his back. Except, there was no way in hell he was going to let the guy bleed all over his blankets! 

Silas reached out just in time to stop him from completing the action, allowing him to sigh in relief at his saved bedding. Before he could finish releasing that breath, however, he was abruptly yanked onto the bed and pinned beneath a smirking werewolf!

“V-Vera! This is not the time to mess around!” he reprimanded as he felt his body begin to ache worse in response to being handled so roughly. 

They both needed rest, not  whatever Verander had planned in those dark, hungry eyes of his. 

He was just about to try and free his wrists from the man’s firm hold when Verander simply lifted his left hand away and moved it so that his fingertips were brushing aside the bangs settled against Silas’s forehead. 

The sudden change from aggressive to tender had Silas pausing in his attempt to free his other wrist. 

“I’m still working on controlling him a bit better,” Verander said with a goofy grin that had Silas wanting to shake his head. 

The reminder about his wolf, however, was definitely needed. So much had happened recently that he’d honestly let his guard down a bit too much around the man. 

“You’re doing well,” Silas said honestly as Verander finished tucking his stray bangs behind his right ear. 

His words seemed to be exactly what Verander, and his wolf had wanted to hear, because the man leaned back and settled atop Silas’s abdomen with his hands pressing gently against his chest to hold himself up. 

“We are slowly learning to seek out even ground between our split minds,” Verander said as he gently ran his fingernails slowly along Silas’s exposed belly. 

The skin beneath the man’s fingers quivered wherever it was touched, sparking an excited light within the man’s dark eyes. 

He couldn’t control his body’s reaction to being touched after such a long time without even tending to himself, but Silas still wasn’t sure if he was truly ready to let go of the one person he’d honestly loved yet. 

Of course, he knew that the man wasn’t his, and he, unfortunately, never would be, but that didn’t stop his heart from aching for him. 

I want those fingertips to be K— he quickly pushed that thought away, but it didn’t seem to matter that he hadn’t allowed it to finish. 

The look on Verander’s face was easy to read. He didn’t think that he’d heard him, but considering he felt a tear slip down his own face, Silas knew that the man could read the situation well enough. 

He wasn’t blind, and even with his wolf pushing against his human thoughts, he could see that he still hadn’t managed to move past his first love. 

It was embarrassing, and yet, there was not a single thing he could do about it. Kandza still had ahold of a big piece of his heart, even if he’d never given part of his own in return. 

“Si…” 

Silas swallowed the growing lump in his throat and, having not realized that he’d turned his head away, moved it back into place, thus allowing him to stare back up at Verander. 

What is that look for? 

The guy was smiling, but it wasn’t nearly as perverted as his previous one had been. Sure, the hunger was still there, but his gaze had softened quite a bit, and was now altogether much more calm. 

“Mm, Silas?”

Unsure what expression he should have at that moment, Silas simply licked his lips for a second, then replied with a quiet tone. 

“Can you shift?” Verander asked, taking Silas slightly by surprise. 

They were both injured, so shifting wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but he could  technically do it without too much effort. 

When Verander suddenly got off of him and sat at his side with his gentle smile still in place, Silas hesitantly rolled off the bed and stood up. He wasn’t sure why the guy wanted him to shift all of a sudden, but he wasn’t opposed to it. 

So, when Verander didn’t say anything else, Silas sighed and turned to face away from the other man, then tugged off the shorts he’d pulled on after returning home. 

He could immediately feel eyes burning into his now-bare flesh, but he didn’t let himself dwell on the feeling as he quickly shifted to his wolf form, then slowly turned around. 

Huh?

Verander was still sitting on his bed, but he definitely wasn’t in his human form anymore. He wasn’t a little wolf, though. Nor was his massive one present.  

I wanted to show you, but things kept getting in the way , Verander thought to him, making Silas tilt his head and cautiously approach his bed. 

The slightly larger wolf grunted and suddenly dropped down into an overly-excited play-bow, making Silas hesitate getting closer. It swung its head and gave a few loud yips, then seemed to realize that its crazy behavior was having the opposite affect it wanted. 

It froze in place, mid bow, then twitched its wet black nose and grunted before dropping its raised backside and lifting its head like a dignified, non-crazy wolf. 

I… am sensing a trap. And I know it has to do with that fuzzy fusion of contradictions. 

He couldn’t fault the guy for his efforts, though. His wolves definitely didn’t share the same personality, so the fact that he could actually merge them together in such a way was already a massive accomplishment. Especially since he’d just learned how to manage his larger wolf… somewhat. 

It still nudges me all the time, but it’s definitely better than the full-on assaults I used to get. 

When he still refused to get closer after a few more moments of tense silence, however, Verander flopped his head down on the blankets and gave out a frustrated huff. 

Alright, alright. Just keep your teeth to yourself. 

After hesitating for a few more moments, Silas finally made himself hop up onto the bed, then lie down. He stuck to the very edge, since he knew better than to trust Verander’s wolf… in any form. 

As he expected, the large beast immediately reacted and rushed forward, but right before it would have tackled him off the bed, it slid to a halt, bunching up blankets around its big paws as it did so.  

Silas’s wolf pinned its ears back as it watched those claws get dangerously close to his midsection, but… they never touched him. 

I’m sorry, I’m trying , Verander told him as he forced his wolf backwards a few scoots. 

It was honestly the funniest looking thing Silas had seen in a long while. It looked like Verander had a horse halter and bit on his poor wolf considering how much it was swinging its head, as if it were trying to dislodge whatever was trying to rein it in.  

He managed to get a hold of it after a minute or so, but the wolf was clearly pouting… while at the same time kneading its paws into the blankets almost as if they were the little chubby hands of a toddler silently asking to be allowed to grab something. 

Do you think you can control it well enough to lie down next to me? Your injuries still need attention. 

Verander shoved his nose into the blankets and snorted as he nibbled at the fabric. 

I can try…

Silas twitched his own nose as he considered his options, but his concern for Verander outweighed his concern about getting a few extra nips. Besides, he’d merged his wolves, and the smaller one never meant him any harm, so it should, hopefully, calm the larger one enough to keep the situation from going south.

Come here and lie down next to me.

Verander clearly tried to hold his wolf back from zooming across the bed, but it was a lost cause. The large beast immediately barreled right to him! Thankfully, it stopped before it could shove him right off the bed, but Silas’s wolf did grunt from the impact of the other canine smacking against its side. 

I’m sorry. 

Silas ignored the apology and nudged at the other wolf until it lowered its head enough to allow him to begin grooming its fur. He quickly but calmly made his way to Verander’s injuries, and was pleasantly surprised when he found them already healing. 

I guess I really shouldn’t have worried too much. We are alphas, after all. I’ll just put some salve on them later, just in case.   

He spent a few minutes cleaning the area, anyways, then moved on to simply grooming the other wolf. It was a bit odd, since he wasn’t really close enough with the other members of his pack to do such a thing, besides Kandza, though that was rather rare. Yet now he was doing it with the aggressive alpha of the neighboring pack. 

Before he knew it, half an hour had passed, and while Verander had initially put his energy into cleaning Silas’s paws, as soon as Silas leaned away from his injuries to tend to his coat elsewhere, the wolf had immediately lost control and gone into a licking frenzy!

Silas had tried to fight it at first, and even nipped the stubborn wolf’s nose twice, but nothing seemed to discourage it long enough to make it think that it was doing something it shouldn’t. 

He could also feel Verander trying to rein it in over and over again, but there was only so much the man could do with such a headstrong animal. Silas honestly hadn’t expected him to be able to control it much, anyways. Eventually, he just ended up huffing out a tired sigh and closing his eyes as he rolled onto his side. 

If all he wants to do is clean my fur, then I’ll just let him do it. 

He honestly wasn’t giving up, per say. In all honesty, even though he would never admit it out loud, he was actually really enjoying the attention. As an alpha, he was always the one giving the gentle nudges, supportive words, and encouraging gestures. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time someone in his pack had spoken to him about anything positive that he  had done or offered him a reassuring lick for his wolf or pat on the shoulder for his human. 

His wolf whined quietly at his thoughts, agreeing that it was actually enjoying itself for once. Being an alpha without a mate was truly a lonely existence, even when you were surrounded by a large pack that respected you. 

He could sense Verander wanting to respond to his thoughts, but thankfully, the man decided to bite his tongue and simply continue grooming him. The silence was appreciated. He already knew the man’s intentions… there was no need to remind him again. He would take Verander’s interest in him seriously, but such a matter was for another day. 

Silas’s wolf groaned and stretched out after a bit, then yawned widely before getting a little more comfortable on its belly. Verander’s wolf paused in his attentions until Silas gave out a content sigh, and when he didn’t bother opening his eyes or speaking to him through their thoughts again, he scooted a tiny bit closer, then continued grooming him in a slower, calmer manner. 

He wasn’t really sure when it happened, but at some point during the next hour Silas began to drift in and out of consciousness, and was eventually lulled into a much-needed sleep by the rhythmic licking of a stubborn, overreactive, possibly a little sweet, werewolf. 

(Edited)

Chapter 49

There were so many things he wanted to do to the man lying snuggled up against him. The moment they’d returned home Sebastian had insisted on taking a bath… together. It had been quite a tight fit, but they had definitely made sure to clean each other quite thoroughly before getting out and drying off… in between several bouts of hungry kissing.

Once they’d settled in bed, it was no surprise that after a bit more physical attention, his master had fallen asleep. Ruoka’s wolf had paced in his mind, the need to mate surging through its system like fire and he was still rather uncomfortable below the waist, but there was nothing to do for it. He wasn’t going to touch himself while holding his love, no matter how strong he felt the urge to do so.

He watched over his vampire until the early morning when he began to stir and nibble at his neck.

Alpha Ruoka?

Ruoka sent an immediate warning growl to the werewolf trying to garner his attention. He was in bed with his love, who was just beginning to awaken. He had no interest in dealing with others.

I apologize for my rude intrusion into your morning, but alpha Marquise req— Ruoka cut the voice off immediately with a second warning growl mixed into his words.

He is no alpha.

While he had never been in a werewolf pack, Ruoka wasn’t lost to their rules. He had paid close attention to each interaction he’d seen between his own species over the years, and most-specifically, during their current stay in London. Marquise might have been an alpha, and an extremely strong one at that, but he no longer was. Even if he had retained some of his abilities, which was not known to him at the current moment, or not, Ruoka would never consider him of higher status than himself anymore.

He did not deserve the attention of other wolves, and especially did not deserve to call upon them whenever he wished.

I apologize for disturbing your rest, alpha Ruoka, but it is quite important, the other werewolf replied, making Ruoka growl out loud the slightest amount.

Of course, Sebastian flinched in response, seemingly taking that growl as a negative towards him, making Ruoka even more upset.

He tamped down his frustration and gently pressed a hand to the back of his love’s hair, guiding him back down the few centimeters he’d retreated until his nose brushed against the skin of his neck once more.

“Drink. I am talking to someone and let my emotions slip. I apologize for startling you,” he said honestly.

Sebastian seemed like he wanted to know what the conversation was about, but he held back his curiosity and replied with a simple sleepy hum before nicking a little spot on Ruoka’s neck so that he could lap at the blood as it began to flow there.

Al— Marquise is looking for someone to take over his pack.

Not interested , Ruoka replied immediately as he began to gently sift his fingers through Sebastian’s soft hair.

The other wolf seemed stunned, because it didn’t speak, yet it still didn’t leave the area, either.

I do not wish to take over any pack. I have what I want, he reiterated sternly, dismissing the other wolf with a final hint of warning to his words.

He was not interested in sharing his time. An alpha within a pack was required to lead others, from daily life to territorial disputes and patrols… As long as he was free to live within the city limits without hostility from the other packs, he was perfectly happy as he was.

I believe I may have a solution for this situation.

Ruoka felt his brow furrow slightly at the sound of Pretennon’s voice within his mind. His love fidgeted again in his arms, no doubt having heard his own master’s words, making Ruoka bare his teeth at the wall behind him. His love had exhausted himself for the safety of the city’s wolf packs. He needed to be allowed to rest!

Pretennon slowly sat up in bed after stretching contently against his naked werewolf. Kandza was an absolute furnace when it came to body heat, and while he’d slept next to plenty of humans in his lifetime, this was his first time sharing his bed with a werewolf.

Let me wake Kandza, then we will be right down , he said to the owner of the unfamiliar voice.

He was just about to get out of bed before he listened to his instincts to lie back down… since a certain person owed him one hell of a time , but a strong arm wrapping around his midsection stopped him right before he could. Firm heat pressed against his back as a second arm found its way around his upper chest and a grumbling Kandza nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

“Preten’n,” he mumbled in a raspy tone that sent just about all of Preto’s blood straight south.

Tease. This man is an absolute tease!

“I need to go downstairs and talk to a wolf that’s just arrived,” he said as he tried to squirm his way out of Kandza’s vice-like grip.

His arms had been comfortable around him until he’d mentioned that he needed to talk with another wolf. Then they turned into shackles.

“Let me go you oaf. Marquise is looking for an alpha to take over his pack, but Ruoka refused. I need to go speak with the person downstairs… and you should come, too.”

It was clear that Kandza still wasn’t a fan of his suggestion, but he relented after a few more moments and finally released him.

Preto wasted no time in jumping up from the bed and hurrying to get dressed before they both decided to just ignore the other wolf. Well, Kandza was already at that point, but thankfully he’d still listened to what he’d been told to do, anyways.

While Preto tugged on a pair of loose black pants, a dark red long-sleeved shirt and a lighter-than-normal trench coat, Kandza simply stood and stomped over to the closet and yanked on another pair of Preto’s too-small pants.

I really need to have him go get his clothing from his pack house…

Shaking his head, Preto led Kandza out of their room and down the main staircase. The other wolf was waiting for them outside, its tail swishing back and forth with nervous anticipation.

It bowed its head as soon as they stepped out into the crisp morning air, and, wisely, didn’t dare to look at Kandza for more than the briefest moment.

They followed it all the way back to Marquise’s northern pack house, but took their time because of his injured foot… and because Kandza refused to let him run and he refused to be carried.

Thus, by the time they got there the house was bustling with werewolves doing just about everything. Cleaning, tending to pups, gardening, and so on.

Everyone is trying to stay busy.

It was no surprise. There was no way to hide the fact that their alpha had lost his abilities, as well as his wolf, and thus, his status. For all intents and purposes, the largest pack in London was now without a leader.

Even if their human sides still wanted to follow Marquise, at least until the truth fully came out, their wolves would eventually pull them away. They needed a leader. Someone who was strong, capable, and who had a wolf to match.

Marquise was no longer strong. He had proved his incapability. And he no longer had a wolf.

The little brown wolf that had guided them there hurried up the massive grand staircase, then padded down the hall until it stopped in front of a set of double doors. Instead of shifting and announcing their presence, it simply nodded to them, then bolted away.

His wolf is already uninterested in serving Marquise.

It must have taken a lot of willpower for that pup to lead them there at its old alpha’s request.

After knocking lightly, Preto heard Marquise’s faint voice call out to him. He gently pushed the doors inward, stepped inside with Kandza, and pressed them closed again. He could smell the faint scent of rot still lingering in the air, and when he turned around to see the other man sitting at a small table, his hand bandaged, it was no surprise.

It’s turning black.

Dark purple and black skin were edging out from beneath the wrapped flesh, killing the tissue there.

His wolf really had let itself be sealed within him.

It had also given him its injuries.

When Preto looked him over a bit more as he walked over to sit, he also noticed the man’s missing right eye, logically hidden behind a dark patch strapped around his head. Dark purple was also visible just beneath the eyepatch, as well as on the side.

“Lord Pretennon,” Marquise greeted with a respectful nod.

He had normal dark circles under his left eye and it was obvious that he hadn’t slept yet. Judging from the look in that eye, he could guess that the man was in far too much pain to even consider resting. His body was degrading and only time would tell how far it was going to go compared to his wolf’s. Either way, it was not his business, nor did he wish to delve into it, no matter how curious he was.

“I was told that you were looking for a replacement,” Pretennon said, getting to the point since he doubted Marquise wanted to entertain guests.

The man nodded, but it was clear that he wasn’t exactly expecting them .

“I know that you had asked for my heir’s wolf, and while I agree with your decision, Ruoka has declined your offer. He has no interest in having a pack.”

Marquise didn’t look too surprised at his words. In fact, he even seemed to smile the slightest fraction as he turned his attention to where Kandza stood directly behind where Preto sat.

“You want me to choose him,” Marquise eventually stated, a hint of thoughtfulness to his words that made Preto relieved.

The man was honestly considering it.

Of course, they both knew that Kandza was a beta, and Marquise did have his own beta, but that didn’t mean that Kandza couldn’t work out. Yes, most wolves were born alphas and it was clear right away that they would be formidable rulers, but some rare cases, like Ruoka, developed into one over time.

“I think he can be what your pack needs,” Preto said honestly.

He could sense a hint of unease from Kandza behind him, but to his credit, he put a hand on Preto’s shoulder and squeezed tightly but carefully.

“I am willing to take over the Moon pack. You know of my experience in my current pack, and I am willing to switch, both for personal reasons and for practical ones,” Kandza stated calmly but with an air of authority that made Preto proud.

He had seen the man’s interactions and assessed how he handled situations throughout the time that they’d known each other. It was true that he wasn’t very good with personal space when it came to other species, especially when he was intent on garnering attention, but he interacted very well with his own and everyone within his current pack respected him. It would be a very good decision to hand the title over to him.

And besides, Preto didn’t mind his constant invasion of space now. As long as Kandza stayed loyal to him and didn’t try a single thing with any other person, he was perfectly happy with his overly-affectionate mutt.

And I love you, too, my handsome leech.

Preto whipped his head around to scowl up at a calmly smiling Kandza.

“Not the best nickname?” he asked with a cheeky tone.

Biting back a retort, because they were currently a tad busy, Preto shoved his growing annoyance aside for later and returned his attention to Marquise. The man, for once, looked completely oblivious to their inner squabbling.

While most wolves wouldn’t be able to pick up on it unless they really tried, alphas should easily be able to read the thoughts of the wolves nearby. And he and Preto also had a pretty reasonable connection.

He really is completely cut off.

“I accept your offer to take over the Moon pack, Kandza,” Marquise said as he stood up and bowed at the waist, his long dark bangs partially falling in front of his lost eye.

“Please take good care of it… and I beg you, do not stray as I had,” he said honestly, making Preto internally flinch as he stood and bowed in return with Kandza, mirroring his actions at his side.

When they all straightened back up, Marquise offered them an exhausted smile and gestured for them to follow him out the door.

They did as directed, and continued to do so until they were all standing out front on the lawn of the pack house. As they’d moved through the house, more and more eyes had fallen upon them, too, so by the time they got outside, at least half of the pack had their attention focused solely on their small group.

Marquise stopped walking after a few moments, seemingly making sure that any wolf who was in the area and wanted to see what was going to happen could easily do so, then he turned and knelt down on one knee before bowing his head to Kandza.

“I formally denounce my role as alpha of the Moon pack, and if my former wolves will have him, Kandza, of the Rain pack, with take over my position and do what I have failed to,” he said, not bothering to sugarcoat his words.

Once he had finished speaking, Preto turned his attention to Kandza, and was a bit surprised to see that he had shifted and was just finishing kicking off his borrowed pants.

His wolf stood tall with its ears pin-point straight, all of the authority of a future alpha held in its posture and stern gaze.

Not a single wolf moved after Marquise had finished speaking, and even after Kandza had shifted, they hesitated.

Seeing that they were still at a stalemate, Preto took a step forward and bowed his head toward the majority of the wolves.

“I know that there are a lot of questions about what has happened, and the exact truth will be told to every single wolf in London. Once that has been done, and I am cleared from any negative involvement in the situation that has occured, I will dedicate my time to assisting Kandza and the Moon pack.”

Having been Marquise’s closest confidant within the resettlement program, Pretennon had, of course, come under scrutiny as well. He knew that he wouldn’t simply be trusted so easily, so he would take a step back from the pack until his name was cleared, and after, he would devote himself to helping them recover.

It took another five minutes of tense silence before one wolf, Marquise’s quiet beta, stepped forward. It was normally in its wolf form, like Kandza, and tended to lead patrols more often than be at home, so it wasn’t as involved in the politics of the pack as most would be.

It slowly walked up to Kandza’s similar-sized wolf and nudged his muzzle gently. After a moment, it licked his nose, then took a step back.

When the darker wolf lifted its nose to the sunny morning sky and let out a hauntingly-beautiful howl, Preto knew that things would be alright.

Kandza definitely wasn’t the biggest wolf amongst the group, and he also wasn’t the most dominant in terms of personality, but he was a stubborn bastard and he carried himself well.

In a show of mutual respect, Kandza tilted his own head backwards and howled calmly in unison with the other male.

Their song drifted over their heads and throughout the woods that surrounded the pack house on most sides. As it slowly began to wind down, a third voice stepped in, turning it into a new song as a white wolf nervously stepped out from within a large group.

Two others soon joined her, followed by a pup that could barely carry the tune as it tried to focus through its minimal attention span.

Soon, the entire area was alive with the music of a hundred wolves.

Preto enjoyed the chorus as he felt Marquise calmly slipping away. The man had left once the first few wolves had begun to howl, tentatively accepting Kandza as their new leader. There were likely to be quite a few reasonable tests before Kandza could truly proclaim himself alpha, though. It would take time, and that was perfectly fine.

Of course, the other wolves had seen Marquise leave, and while the former alpha had quite a bit of blood on his hands across the local packs and surrounding wild wolves, they had all seemed to understand that his punishment was already severe enough. And, it would seem, that his wolf would see to his demise, anyways. His hand and the right side of his face were already rotting even in his human form. So, as Pretennon felt his presence slowly disappear from the area, he knew that the man wasn’t long for this world.

I know that you can no longer hear me, but I do wish you well, and I thank you for what you have done for everyone, even though you went astray in the end. You have cost them lives, but you have saved so many more.

Farewell, alpha Marquise.

(Edited)

(So, I think Marquise needs a story after this one is done… maybe.)

Chapter 50

“Kandza!”

Pretennon had heard them coming, even through the chorus of howls that were just-now coming to an end.

All heads turned toward the alpha of the Rain pack as he stepped out of the wooded area before them in a simple pair of torn brown trousers. It was quite odd for an alpha to suddenly appear on another’s territory, but circumstances were quite strange right now, so not a single wolf bothered to bare their teeth or show aggression. Especially since the man had come in his human form. He was clearly not looking for a fight.

Pretennon nodded his greeting as the man approached, but his attention soon wandered past him to the other werewolf now emerging from the forest.

As expected.

What wasn’t quite expected, however, was the man’s bushy black wolf tail, and the pup currently attached to it, using it like a tug toy.

Preto fought a grin as he nodded again as the Ghost alpha walked the same path as Silas, and eventually came to a stop right beside the other werewolf. He didn’t seem to mind the pup tugging at his poor tail as his eyes scanned the area calmly before his attention settled on the same wolf that Silas was currently staring at.

Pretennon could see the pain in the Rain alpha’s expression, though he hid most of it decently well as he finally walked up to his former beta. Kandza met him halfway and bowed his head to press his forehead into the hand Silas reached out toward him.

They seemed to be talking through their pack bond, and since the situation was clearly tense, no other wolf dared to interrupt. Even Verander stood silently beside the other alpha, his head held high even though he was still recovering from visible injuries.

After all of the previous nudging from them to try and get Ruoka to join their packs because of the skewed ratio of male to female wolves… and here they are, together.

It was honestly quite funny, but he kept his humor to himself. There was no need to ignite either of the alpha males’ tempers. So, he waited quietly, just like Marquise’s former wolves.

When they finally seemed to finish their conversation, Silas knelt down and Kandza’s wolf stepped into his waiting arms. Their embrace was brief, but heartfelt. Silas was finally giving up on his beta, and letting him go so that he could do what he felt was necessary.

“Take care of your new pack, Kandza. You are an incredible wolf and if you ever need help with anything, I will always be there for you,” Silas said before releasing Kandza’s wolf and returning to his feet.

He then turned his attention to the little pup tugging at Verander’s poor tail and gently detached it, then picked it up as he turned to face Marquise’s wolves. He spoke for several minutes about the dramatic change they were going through and that the Rain and Ghost packs would be there for them if they needed any help.

As he spoke, Preto watched Verander step minutely closer until their hands could brush against each other’s. The wolves present probably didn’t notice, since they were all clearly focused on his words, and the pup now held against his chest gently with his right arm, but Preto easily caught the sweet, reassuring gesture.

Elder Pretennon?

Preto lifted his attention from the two alphas’ slowly entwining fingers up to their faces. He’d expected to be contacted by Silas, but when Verander was the person staring at him from the corner of his eye, he realized that the voice in his head hadn’t been Silas’s.

Alpha Verander, he replied respectfully with the faintest nod of his head.

Please take good care of Kandza. Silas acknowledges that he is not the person in his heart, but his love towards him will last forever. Please help him succeed and live well.

Preto offered the man a warm smile as he nodded again.

I will do everything within my power to see that he has a reason to smile everyday.

Verander slowly turned his attention back to the man still speaking at his side as his hand finally slid completely into his, then squeezed gently.

I thank you. I am still working on my own faults, but I will do my best to heal my alpha’s heart.

Preto turned at that moment and headed back toward his home. In any other situation he would have stayed with his wolf, but he was still under suspicion and Silas was now talking about future pack coordination and recovery, and while he was definitely going to help in any way he could, he didn’t feel like it was okay for him to stay for that particular meeting.

I will inform my handsome leech of the meeting’s materials when I return this evening.

Preto scowled over his shoulder once he stepped into the forest, sending a glare toward his snarky wolf.

You need a few lessons in respecting your elders , he retorted, earning a quiet chuckle from Kandza through their connection.

I will show my respect to my elder all night .

Pretennon scoffed as he walked along.

Only tonight? Don’t think that you’ll last for at least a few rounds in the morning? he said, taunting the man.

He knew that it was a little mean, but Kandza had teased him one too many times. Of course, now that he was looking back on their awkward relationship, he might have deserved quite a bit of it after pushing him away so abruptly before, but there was nothing they could do about their past.

His mind refocused when he felt Kandza’s nervousness flare through their connection.

I… have never mated before, but I will try my best to please my beautiful vampire.

Preto stopped walking some distance into the forest and leaned against a nearby tree as he pressed his fingers into his brow. Kandza had never outright said that he was a virgin, just that he wasn’t good with personal situations and such.

“Dammit all,” he sighed as he shook his head slowly back and forth.

“The man-whore and the virgin werewolf…”

Leaning his head back against the bark, Preto closed his eyes and licked his lips as his fangs began to extend.

It took him a few minutes to gather his thoughts, then open his eyes and continue on his way. His fangs refused to retract, however, but that was fine with him. They knew what they were going to get later.

Be in my bed before ten… and be naked and ready to get dirty.

He could feel heat flare through their bond but pushed it to the back of his mind as he sped up to a blurring run. He was home within twenty minutes.

Unfortunately, as soon as he walked in the front door, he realized something that made him hesitate to move farther. His sensitive ears were impossible to fool when it came to such sounds.

I suppose I finally have an official second heir.

He heard the bed upstairs creaking in a frantic, mussed rhythm that made him roll his eyes… and smile knowingly. He’d heard that werewolves were a bit aggressive during sex, and considering that Ruoka was an alpha and inexperienced… He sent out a quick telepathic message to one of his staff members to prepare some ointment for his poor heir’s backside. Hopefully they weren’t getting ahead of themselves, either, because he knew that Sebastian hadn’t been feeling the best earlier… but he also knew that Ruoka wouldn’t dare do anything that his master disagreed with.

Shaking his head again at the absurdity of his life, Preto was just about to leave when one of his servants came up to him and held out an envelope. He took the item and was about to question it when he noticed the handwriting scrawled across the smooth paper.

Marquise?

“It was delivered earlier by a small wolf,” his servant said as he bowed his head respectfully.

Preto nodded in return and dismissed the man before walking back out the front door and down the steps. He then began to head toward the hospital as he flipped open the envelope and pulled out the slip of paper folded within it.

He read over the short letter in a few moments, then reread it once more before looking at the even smaller piece of paper tucked behind it.

He left them everything he had.

While Marquise’s pack was decently-well off as they were, he, himself, had accumulated quite a bit of wealth over his lifetime, too, since he had been one of the first wolves he’d known to delve into the dealings of normal society.

Changing his direction, he headed for the bank, instead.

It took a while to get everything sorted out, but by the time he was finished Marquise’s fortune was distributed to several other accounts. Of course, he kept absolutely none of it. Instead, he used a large sum of it to pay off all of the hospital bills for the injured and sick wolves, then split the remainder between the three packs evenly, because he had a feeling that they were going to be growing quite close soon and Marquise, while alpha of his own pack, cared greatly for all three.

Once he was finally done, it was getting dark outside. Enough time had passed that he felt better about returning to his house. And, as anticipated, it was quiet when he stepped through the front door this time.

Except, when he began making his way to his office to put away the documents the bank had given him, he heard familiar footsteps hurry down the stairs.

Ruoka appeared as Preto turned around. The man’s hair was an absolute mess and there were claw marks all up and down his chest. Not to mention four separate bite marks around his neck and collar-bones.

It seems like my heir held his own quite well…

He hadn’t expected it, but he was quite proud.

…and I’m glad that he remembered to at least pull on a pair of pants before coming down.

Ruoka actually blushed as he walked over, stopping only a foot or so away before bowing his head respectfully. Preto knew that he wanted to have a serious talk about his heir, but honestly, there was no need. So, instead, he reached up and settled his head on top of Ruoka’s messy hair.

“You’re a good werewolf, Ruoka. You caught my eye from the very beginning, but I had to be sure that you were serious, because Sebastian is everything to me. I had to make sure that he would be happy,” he said honestly as he ruffled the man’s soft hair.

When he stopped, Ruoka looked up through his mess of bangs with his soft, bright eyes.

“As soon as he removed my collar and allowed me to shift for the first time, I knew that I had to take care of him, like he had taken care of me for so many years,” he replied, making Preto tilt his head slightly as he withdrew his hand.

“He used you for many years, though,” Pretennon said.

Ruoka straightened his posture and gave Preto a cheeky grin.

“He used me, yes, but he also saved me by taking me in. Throughout the years he made sure that I was well fed and well groomed. No one bothered me with him at my side, and now I am here, standing before you as an equal, thanking you for this chance you have given me and asking for your permission to take care of your heir, my master, for the remainder of my days.”

Preto ran a hand through his own long hair for a moment as he looked down, failing to fight back his own grin. When he returned his gaze to Ruoka’s, there was no way he could hide his excitement.

It’s time for my heir to begin his new life.

“I give you my blessing, alpha Ruoka. Please take care of my sweet Sebastian. Love him and live for him. I will always support you two in whatever you decide to do, and if you choose to move away, just be sure to bring him to visit every so often… or else,” he said with a hint of warning to his words.

He had gone far too long without seeing his heir when he’d left twenty years ago. There would be no more of that. He was getting older and he wanted to see his Sebastian at least a few times a year!

Ruoka gave a quiet chuckle and nodded.

“I will definitely make sure that if we decided to find a new home, that we visit often, elder Pretennon.”

Oh no, this one is already getting cheeky.

Flicking his hand, Pretennon sighed.

“Alright, alright. Away with you, you stubborn dog. You have an adorable vampire upstairs who needs your attention,” he said.

Before he could even finish speaking, Ruoka was gone.

Kids…

Shaking his head, Preto turned around and continued to his office. He’d intended to file away the paperwork he had after reading it over one more time, but his plans were halted abruptly when he opened his door to find a werewolf sitting on his desk… naked.

Feeling his right eyebrow twitch, Preto scowled and walked over to Kandza, setting the papers in his hand down on a bookcase on his way over.

“I think you’re a little confused, Kandza. I said to meet me upstairs at ten. It’s seven thirty and you’re sitting on my work desk, naked,” he growled out even as his fangs began to itch. They were still partially out from earlier, and had gotten him quite a few stares as he’d gone about his previous business.

Now that their target was right in front of his nose, however…

Kandza lifted one leg up onto the desk and leaned forward with a calm smirk, seemingly not minding Preto’s frustrated words in the least.

“The meeting ended early and as I walked over, I thought of all the places I wanted to show my vampire how much I love him,” he said, making Preto’s scowl slowly evaporate from his face as a look of nervous confusion took over.

“You’re sitting on my desk naked, Kandza. On top of my paperwork,” he eventually reiterated, though his voice shook a little bit as his body hurried to react to the naked man in front of him.

It clearly didn’t care if Kandza was sitting on his papers. Not one bit.

The werewolf lifted a hand and reached forward, firmly grasping Pretennon’s chin before tugging it the slightest bit closer to his own smirking face.

“Does elder Pretennon still wish for me to go upstairs?” he asked as his hungry eyes bore into Preto’s.

This man…

He was about to ask himself where Kandza’s dominance had come from, but as he thought back on their previous situations, his question answered itself. The man had always been dominant. He submitted if absolutely necessary, but he was pushy, aggressive, and downright stubborn.

Preto’s body hummed with need for that pushy, aggressive, and downright stubborn man as he swallowed and reached up to place a hand against Kandza’s scalding cheek.

Hot.

“Lord Pretennon…” Kandza whispered as he leaned even closer, putting their mouths within inches of each other as his breath ghosted over Preto’s lips. “…let this humble, horny werewolf make love to you all night.”

Humble, hah. Horny, definitely.

Preto felt his fangs prick his lower lip as they extended fully, ready and waiting. Groaning, he finally gave in and leaned forward to press their mouths together.

I want six rounds before noon tomorrow, he thought to Kandza as their kisses quickly became heated and he climbed up into his werewolf’s naked lap, then grabbed hold of his uninjured wolf ear tightly.

He expected Kandza to try and argue the number down, but the only response he got was a smirk against his lips and a brief return thought as the man’s arms wrapped around him securely.

As you wish… try to keep up well, elder Pretennon.

-End

Marquis’s book is Alpha to Omega for those interested.

(Edited)

There will be an epilogue to finish pulling little bits together, but I felt like this was the perfect spot to end it XD

Epilogue

(As promised, long Silas and Vera portion XD) 

Silas paced in circles in his room. He’d been quite busy all day with overseeing the expansion of his pack house, but everything had slowed to a stop as the sun began to set. Sure, werewolves could see decently well in the dark, but there was no need to make things more difficult when they were already making decent progress. 

He paused abruptly when he heard the front door open downstairs. It had been opening and closing quite a bit more frequently now that the Rain and Ghost packs were beginning to intermingle, but the footsteps that now met his ears made Silas hurry to his open bedroom door. 

Vera…

The man he’d been waiting for had finally arrived back at home. 

He’s… so dirty. 

“Some of the more wild wolves tried to give me a hard time,” Verander said as he finished ascending the stairs and walked right up to Silas, then tugged him into a firm but gentle hug. 

They had been working on integrating some of the wild wolves who wished to try and stay within the city that had been taken for experiments, but some were quite a bit more headstrong than others. They’d also been working on their own relationship, slowly. He’d honestly still been in love with Kandza when his beta had initially agreed to take over the Moon pack, but with the man no longer under his roof and constantly handling tasks for his pack, it had become much easier to begin healing. 

Raising an eyebrow as Verander leaned away, Silas reached up and poked the man’s bare chest. 

“You need to go wash up, but we don’t have any bathing tubs available right now,” he noted, honestly a bit surprised, himself. 

The pups were using two in the nursery, which had grown a bit with the addition of the few Ghost pups coming over for socialization. Sitkea was pretty much the leader of the baby pack, and boy was he teaching them some painful bad habits. Not that they could reprimand him, though. He was too adorable to even think about scolding. A few of the other pups had taken a couple nips at him after he’d bitten their tails, though, trying to copy him, so perhaps he’ll learn from his own age group that its not so fun being on the receiving end of tiny dagger teeth. 

Out of the other two tubs normally in the communal bathing room, one was broken and the other already had a line to use since they’d recently called it quits for the evening on their building projects. 

I need to order a few more. 

“How about we go wash up in the river?” 

Uh… we? 

Sure, he’d shared his bed with the man quite a bit the past month they’d been learning to lean on each other, but they hadn’t really taken it very far physically, and he always  wore something to bed. 

“I’m not really dirty,” Silas said truthfully. 

He’d only been directing his workers, so the most he had on him was maybe a little dust in his hair… and the dirt that Verander had just gotten on his shirt. In fact, the guy seemed to have taken his words as a bet, because he was already reaching forward again to pull him back against him. 

Silas quickly took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Silove,” Verander cooed, making Silas want to gag. 

That’s such a terrible nickname!

Feeling a hand firmly grasp his left arm, Silas scowled as he began being tugged toward the stairs. 

 “You know, you can  bathe by yourself,” he said as they headed down to the first floor. 

Verander was quiet until they stepped outside into a light drizzle. 

“I could, but I know how much you love seeing me naked.” 

This… man. 

Planting his feet, Silas finally got Verander to stop pulling him and turn around with a curious frown. 

“I don’t love seeing you naked,” he growled out. 

Verander seemed a bit taken aback by his words as he let his hand fall back to his side. 

“But you always tell me that I don’t have to wear clothing to bed,” he stated quietly. 

Silas fidgeted. 

“That… that’s just so that you’re comfortable.” 

Verander tilted his head. 

“You always tell me to take my shirt off when I’m around you,” Verander tried again. 

Silas bristled and scowled at the ground. 

“Because you tend to get dirty. Just like you are right now,” he grumbled, even as his face began to warm. 

“But we’re usually just working on paperwork and reading in your r—” Silas pressed his hands over Verander’s mouth as a full blush covered his face from top to bottom. 

“ Be-have ,“ he ground out before stomping past him and beginning to jog. 

Verander remained where he was for a few moments before easily catching up. 

Silas sent a sideways glare toward the man before speeding up, but of course, the guy easily kept up with him. He wasn’t too upset about that, but he was  annoyed by the shit-eating grin he had on his face.

They ended up racing all the way to the river, and right as they were slowing to a stop at the bank, Silas darted behind Verander and shoved him right into the water!

The guy yelped and disappeared beneath the gently flowing current for a few moments before popping back up a few feet away. He shook out his shaggy dark hair, then grinned up at him. 

“It feels great. Come in, Si!” 

Silas crossed his arms back over his chest and leaned against a tree a few feet away from the edge of the water. 

“I’m good. Just clean up so that we can go back before it gets late.”   

Verander pouted up at him, but he wasn’t swayed. Not when the man swam around playfully. Not when he tried to splash him a little. Nor even when he gave him the most adorable puppy face he’d ever seen on a grown ass man. 

“Silove is no fun,” Vera eventually grumbled as he finally swam to the edge of the water and tossed his soaked clothing up onto the bank, then got busy wiping the dirt and sweat from his body with his back turned away. 

Silas had redirected his attention to a small finch that was bouncing around from branch to branch overhead singing its evening song, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering back toward the water every few moments. 

After about ten minutes he figured that the guy would be done, and even heard him get out of the water, so he allowed his attention to fully return to him… only for him to press himself more firmly against the tree he was leaning on. 

Why the heck is he doing that! 

Now honestly mad, Silas stomped over to the wolf rolling around in the mud.

“Why did you ask me to come bathe with you if you were just going to get yourself dirty all over again?” he growled, truly frustrated. 

Verander had been pretty darn clean only a few moments ago, yet now he was completely covered in brown mud! 

The wolf stopped its rolling and righted itself before looking up at him with a curious head tilt. 

“Don’t give me that. What are you trying to do?” he asked as he crouched down a few inches away from where the mud started. 

Verander’s wolf, which was actually the little one, now that he noticed, whined. 

“What happened to the medium wolf you were planning on using from now on?” he asked, honestly curious. 

They still don’t see quite eye to eye, but we’re working on it. 

Ah, well, that made sense. He honestly preferred the little guy, anyways. It didn’t nudge him around constantly. He was just about to get up and put some space between them when he was suddenly head-butted by the muddy wolf and shoved onto his back!

Son of a…

He had not  expected that little mutt to be able to knock him over so easily! 

He wants to play with Alpha Silas… 

Silas glowered at the wolf lying on top of him, its muddy paws and panting mouth right next to his face. 

“He can play with himself,” he responded with a glare. 

But Si, he was playing with himself. You walked over, so now he wants to play with you. 

That wasn’t funny. 

“Alright, enough games. Get off of me, you muddy mutt,” he said sternly. 

He expected the little brat to hop off him immediately, since it was Verander’s submissive wolf, but to his surprise, it gave a stubborn woof and smacked his chest with a dirty paw.

Excuse me, sir? 

“Are your ears suddenly not working?” Silas asked as he reached up and grabbed both of the pup’s fuzzy ears and pulled them. 

The little wolf seemed startled and whined as it tried to tug its ears free from his grasp, but Silas wasn’t having it. 

“Hey, you’re the one that wanted to act all dominant. Where’s your dominance now, you brat?” he said as he tugged the ears a little more. 

He was smirking like a mad man as the little wolf grumbled and wiggled on top of him as it tried to figure out a way to free itself. It was honestly feeding his slightly sadistic side that rarely reared its head, but his sudden enjoyment died almost immediately when the pup shoved a muddy paw right into his mouth!

Silas instantly gagged and shoved the wolf off of him as he hurried to the water and waded in, then quickly and repeatedly washed his mouth out. By the time most of the taste and grit were gone, there was a grinning werewolf staring at him from a few feet away. 

Verander’s head was just-barely above the surface of the water. He knew that he might have to run fast.  

Smart bastard. Get closer and see how mad I really am about what you just did. 

“You wouldn’t let go of his ears, though…” Vera said sheepishly as he blew a few bubbles in the water. 

Silas felt like those bubbles were his blood boiling in his veins as he glared at the man before him. He knew that Verander was technically right, but that didn’t mean he was happy about it! His wolf had also tackled him first, so technically its situation had still been its own fault. 

“Silove?” 

Alright, this dog is going down. 

 Silas lunged for Verander with a wolfish growl as he shifted mid-action, tearing his clothing enough that they fell away with his movement. He wasn’t too surprised when the guy disappeared beneath the surface right before he could catch him, but he wasn’t deterred. The man liked to mess with him far  too much to just leave things at that. And, as expected, the guy popped back up only a few yards away, farther into the deeper water. 

Snorting out a bit of water, Silas hurriedly swam over but was just a hair too slow again. Verander disappeared again, then reappeared a few feet behind him. Undeterred, Silas turned around, then continued his pursuit! 

He wasn’t sure how he’d lost track of time, but when he finally managed to catch Verander, he was completely  out of energy and practically fell into the guy’s arms as Vera sat waiting for him in the shallows. His animal form wavered and strong arms wrapped around his exhausted human form and tugged him into a gentle hug. 

The chest he was resting against rumbled with soft laughter, but Silas didn’t have the strength to chastise the man any longer. He simply let his eyes drift closed and allowed Verander to hold him in the gently flowing water. 

He felt the man eventually nuzzle his nose into his wet hair, then huff out a breath, making Silas finally lean away just enough to lift his eyes to meet Verander’s. 

“What are you doing, you stubborn man?” he asked honestly, his voice quiet and rough with a need to catch his breath and rest. 

He felt Verander begin to swim slowly to the side and reached up to wrap his arms around the man’s shoulders, not wanting to fall and have to force himself to swim again. 

I really need to work out more. I haven’t been doing a whole lot of exercise since I gave my patrol route to my new beta. 

They stopped in a little rocky alcove that hid them from the strength of the current and gave them a quiet, calm little place to settle. There was just enough room for Verander to sit on the smooth rocks, but the only space Silas had to settle was the man’s lap. For once, though, he didn’t mind at all. 

The light drizzle that had been present while they’d been messing around had turned into a steady, warm rain, making Silas nuzzle his face closer into the crook of Verander’s neck. 

“Si, love?” Vera whispered as he hugged him closer. 

Silas felt the man’s left hand firmly settle against his bare backside and squeeze gently as he spoke. 

I… don’t really feel like reprimanding him. 

He was an alpha, so being touched by another alpha in such a personal way was uncomfortable, but at the same time, he had gotten used to Verander being in his personal space. He was respectful and listened unless he knew they were just playing around. Even his bigger wolf was much easier to handle now. 

“Who do you think you’re touching?” he eventually asked in a whisper. 

He wasn’t really sure if the guy could even hear him, but when he felt Verander’s thumb gently rub along his smooth skin, he knew that his words had been heard. 

“I’m touching the man I love… is it alright?” Vera eventually responded in his own hushed whisper as he leaned over to press his lips against Silas’s ear. 

He knew that it wasn’t the warm rain that sent a shiver down his spine, but he was going to blame it anyways as he slowly straddled the man’s lap, then leaned back until he could meet Verander’s bright purple eyes. 

He’d meant to say something meaningful or sarcastic in response, but for some reason, he couldn’t get a single word out of his mouth. Verander waited for nearly two full minutes before he allowed his lips to transform into a beaming smile. 

His hand slid up from Silas’s backside to trace its fingers along his spine. 

“Silas?”

Verander’s hand paused against his skin as the man tilted his head slightly. 

“Are you alright?”

Silas blinked out of his daze and realized that his heart was going crazy in his chest and his face felt super hot. 

“I-I’m fine!” he stuttered out before looking away, then back at Verander, then away again. 

Vera watched him for a few moments before his eyes flashed with amusement and his smile grew the slightest fraction wider. 

“You’re adorable, Si.” 

Silas reached up and pressed two fingers to Verander’s soft lips. 

“No more talking…” he mumbled, then jerked his hand away abruptly when the darn guy licked his fingers!

“You!” he barked as he reached up with his right hand and grabbed a decent handful of Verander’s dark hair tightly. 

He was about to tell him off, or something along those lines, but his words, once again, got caught on his tongue when he noticed the man’s bright eyes staring at him hungrily. 

“Wh-what are you looking at me like that for?” he eventually managed to say… but when the man didn’t answer him, Silas fidgeted and pursed his lips, then licked them nervously. 

Verander’s eyes immediately darted downward at the same time Silas’s tongue swiped across his lower lip, stealing his attention in an instant. 

“Vera…?” 

The man’s hand against his back slowly pressed him closer again as his other hand lifted to settled against the side of Silas’s face as he leaned his own closer. 

“Vera? Y-you can talk now,” he stuttered out as he looked away again. 

Verander stopped with his lips barely an inch from Silas’s cheek, then replied in a gruff whisper. 

“I want to kiss you,” he said, answering the man’s previous question now  that he had been given permission to speak again. 

Silas turned his attention back to Verander immediately, then scowled as he reached between them and poked the man’s firm chest. 

“You know, I’m the bigger alpha. I should be the one to initiate that kind of stuff, a-and other things,” he said with as much determination as he could muster. Which, honestly, wasn’t much at all. 

Verander seemed entertained by his words, however, and leaned back slightly with a knowing smirk. 

“Alright, love. This wolf desperately wants his alpha to kiss him. Will you, pretty please?” he asked with a wink that made Silas swallow hard. 

Wait… 

“You’re trying to trick me into kissing you!” he grumbled. 

Vera chuckled and leaned back against the mossy rocks above the water, allowing his messy hair to splay across them without a care. 

“Did it work?” 

He had a million things he wanted to yell at the darn guy, but as the rain patterned down on his bare back and a sliver of moonlight shown through the large gap in the open rock formations above them to illuminate Verander’s goregeous face, he decided that words weren’t necessary anymore. 

Not right then. Not at that moment. 

Silas, instead, just gave a simple hum of agreement as he slowly leaned forward until his body was settled comfortably on top of Verander’s with just their lower halves still mostly in the water, then he lowered his head the slightest amount as Verander lifted his own just enough to bring their mouths together. 

It  was no surprise to him, at all, when Verander quickly took control of their kiss. He was gentle, at first, but his aggressive side didn’t take long to show itself. Thankfully, he kept the biting to a minimum and by the time the man finally relented, Silas was completely out of breath and had to rest his head against the man’s chest to keep his sore lips from being claimed again. 

Thankfully, Verander seemed quite content with the single kiss he got as he ran one hand leisurely up and down Silas’s back as his other one gentle but firmly held his backside. 

“We should head back soon,” Silas eventually said once he managed to catch his breath. 

Verander slowly sat up, then squeezed him in a tight hug before releasing him with a content grin. 

“Alright, love. I will do whatever my husband wishes,” he said right before darting beneath the surface of the water!

You…

“H-hey! Who’s your husband, you stubborn, childish man!” Silas yelled back as he dove down to follow him, only to be caught a few yards away and gently tugged back to the bank by his husband . 

Verander easily carried him out of the water in a spot that wasn’t muddy, then set him down before retrieving his own clothing. To his surprise, though, Vera didn’t bother putting any of it on. Instead, he tossed aside the ruined shirt and handed his pants to Silas. 

Before he could respond after taking the proferred item, Verander had shifted to his small wolf form and happily danced around him, waiting for him to lead him home. 

“Alright, alright. Thanks for the pants… though I could have shifted, too,” Silas said as he tugged them on, then tied the drawstring so that they wouldn’t fall off of him. 

I like seeing you in my clothing , Verander responded with an excited swish of his tail. 

Instead of giving him the reaction he wanted, which was probably a blush and any  kind of attention, Silas simply sighed and started heading toward home. He was exhausted, a little stressed still from everything that was going on in their lives, and still a bit overstimulated from that kiss. 

Unintentionally, he lifted his fingers to his lips, then licked them before quickly dropping his hand as Verander’s pup looked back at him. 

“L-let’s go. It’s getting close to bed time,” he fumbled out as he hurried forward and began to jog. 

Yes, he was pretty tired, but if he took too long to get home, his mind might begin to bend even further and they might not even make it home. At least, not until morning. 

Shaking his head slightly, Silas let himself enjoy the quiet run back home in the rain with his wolf at his side. They still had a little ways to go with their relationship, and even though he’d gotten a bit annoyed when the man had called him his husband so readily earlier, he honestly didn’t really mind being addressed in such a way any longer… so long as it was only Vera who was calling him that. 

“Ruoka!”

His wolf immediately perked its ears up and bounded over to him with an eager swish of its tail. The moment it bumped its forehead against his palm Sebastian smiled.

They’d decided to move out of his master’s house, but also decided against moving back out to the countryside. So, he’d used a decent bit of his money to purchase a small home near the eastern edge of town. It was only three bedrooms and one story, but that was honestly fine with the both of them.

They had two servants who lived with them and provided blood every once in awhile, but to his surprise, once they’d moved and gotten settled, his sickness had calmed itself and was much more manageable now. He was also much less stressed overall, but probably the biggest issue that he’d resolved was that he no longer cared what others thought of him.

Yes, he was sick, but that would not rule his life any longer. If people wished to gossip about it, then let them waste their time.

Seba, can we go get some pork today?

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at Ruoka’s request.

There was another reason why they had moved to the edge of the city. The Rain and Ghost packs were in talks about combining their ranks, and while that would partially reduce their forested territory and maybe allow for a new pack to settle in the future, it would expand their city allotment. He also figured that the main reason for the possible combination were the alphas, themselves.

While he, himself, didn’t have a mating bate from his lover because Ruoka was always extremely hesitant to harm him in any way, he didn’t doubt that the alphas of the Rain and Ghost pack would soon be sporting some large marks. 

Especially Silas. 

Ruoka crawled into his lap where he had just settled down against one of the massive trees on their new property. He gladly wrapped his arms around his sweet alpha, then nuzzled into his familiar, soft fur.

“Thank you for being so wonderful, Ro.”

He sensed Ruoka wanting to get rambunctious and lick his face, and normally he wouldn’t allow it while he was in his wolf form, but he was honestly feeling fantastic today, so what the heck?

“Go ahead. You’ve been a good boy so I’ll allow it today,” he said playfully.

Ruoka didn’t waste any time and was already licking his cheek right as Sebastian had finished speaking. He let his wolf do as it wished and eventually ended up closing his eyes as his face got a thorough cleaning.

It wasn’t until about ten minutes later that the big slobbery tongue finally disappeared. He was just about to blink open his eyes again when he felt warm lips press against his own.

Seba didn’t hesitate to open his mouth in response as he wrapped his arms around Ruoka’s bare torso, hugging him gently to himself.

Their kiss was unhurried, much unlike the man’s wolf’s kisses, but that was just fine with him. He loved both sides of him.

“I love you, Seba,” Ruoka whispered after finally breaking their kiss.

Seba smiled and reached up to press his hand against the back of Ruoka’s head, settling his fingers within his soft hair.

“I love you, too, my sweet Ruoka.” 

They stared at each other for a long while before Seba tilted his head as a thought came to his mind. 

“I haven’t heard from my master in quite a while. Have you seen him around town at all?” he asked, curious. 

Of course, he would have just gone over to see him again, but the last few times he’d showed up, he’d been turned away because Pretennon was too tired to manage guests at the time. 

He’d then sent several calling cards to save himself so many trips, but the responses he’d gotten had been more of the same. 

When Ruoka simply grinned and leaned forward to lick his nose once, Seba frowned. 

“What’s that look for?” 

Was his question funny? 

Ruoka gave a quiet chuckle and settled comfortably in his lap. 

“Your master is simply very  busy. I’ve seen Kandza around a few times, and he has confirmed that elder Pretennon is doing quite well, so I would not worry. I am sure he will come to visit as soon as his schedule is free.” 

That makes sense, I guess. There is quite a lot going on right now. 

Nodding at that logical response, Seba leaned his head back against the tree and allowed himself to relax as a soft wind blew through his hair. 

“Let’s take a nap, shall we, Ro?” 

His love quickly snuggled even closer, giving his silent agreement as he got completely comfortable. 

“I’ll take that as a yes. We’ll relax for a bit, then go get you some pork ribs for dinner, alright?” 

He felt Ruoka’s excitement through their telepathic bond and gave a quiet chuckle of his own as he settled with his arms firmly wrapped around his naked lover’s body. They fell asleep like that beneath the large tree in his backyard, away from prying eyes and with no stress or hunger between them. Things had changed for the better for both of them, and now they intended to spend the remainder of their lives in peace, and, in each others’ arms. 

-End

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