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Lykos: Alpha Rising Chapter 2 Written by Leo_Todrius and Trickster_D

Tony placed the ceramic plate full of steamy ravioli in front of his alpha with a gesture that was almost of devotion; he covered the small mound of pasta with some of the sizzling melted butter from the pan and then sprinkled it with shredded cheese, like a tasty snowfall.

"I really hope you'll like them," he said with a sheepish smile on his face. "The filling is made out of beef meat and more cheese... Well, not the same cheese I grated, another kind. I hope you're not, like, lactose intolerant or something... I should've probably asked you beforehand."

"Oh god, I..." Bard mumbled, "Some... some werewolves don't react well to chocolate, I should have told you sooner... but the meal looks perfect, I know I'm going to love it." Bard said, equally sheepishly. Tony grinned.

"Luckily there's no chocolate in here," he said, poking at one of the ravioli in his plate with his fork. "Well... buon appetito!"

"Bone... apetite." Bard said hopefully before he started to dig in. Watching him eat was like some, strange, new kind of performance art. The degree to which he savored every bite was exquisite. There was a finesse to his movements, almost like a dance. He moaned and murmured in all the appropriate places, looking up at Tony with almost dreamy eyes, knowing it was this man that had brought him such delightful food. Tony looked back at him with his head slightly cocked towards his left shoulder, with an expression that was confused and amused in equal parts.

"I guess that means you like them?" he asked, grinning, before he impaled one of the ravioli on his fork and munched it with a thoughtful face. "To be honest I was afraid that the cheese would've covered the taste of beef a bit too much, but I'd say the two main ingredients are quite balanced, don't you think?" he added, his tone very serious and mature all of a sudden. He sounded like a young but experienced food critic more than anything else. "The cut of beef I got wasn't the best one, so I decided for a milder cheese, which was probably for the best... If you like more flavorful stuff, I can make you something tastier and spicier next time."

"Are you kidding? This is better than anything I ever had at any restaurant... I mean... I want to curse it's so good." Bard said, his right eye watering a bit at how tasty it all was. Tony's eyes went wide.

"Seriously? 'cause I think they are pretty average... Must be because I've always eaten my Ma's cooking." A soft, tender smile appeared on his lips. "Although... It feels good to be appreciated so much, Bard. Thank you."

"I wish I could put into words how good this is, seriously... You're... Why aren't you in cooking school? Or teaching one?" Bard grinned. Tony blushed a bit, his face a bit blurred by the curtain of vapor rising from his plate.

"U-um... Well, I wouldn't mind opening a restaurant, yeah... Maybe in the future," he answered, his hands fidgeting with the napkin. "B-but, well... There's something I wanted to ask you to do with me, if you agree with that."

"I always want you to be honest with me. We're a team, a pack." Bard said, smiling reassuringly. Tony nodded.

"Yeah, that's basically what I wanted to say!" he exclaimed. "We can, you know... exchange questions, taking turns, and answer truthfully. That way we can get to know each other better. What do you think?"

"Sounds good. What do you want to know first?" Bard asked, taking another bite of food before moaning and murmuring in appreciation. He had nearly cleaned his plate already; Tony pushed a fragrant loaf of bread towards him.

"This is for the butter," he explained with a smile. "And, well... You know how I became a werewolf, right? But I don't know how you became one... So yeah, that's what I want to know first."

"Ah, well... " Bard leaned back, holding some of the bread in his hand as he recalled the event, "It was kind of a stupid way... I mean, well... I was in a really bad fight." Bard blushed.

"Oh, I'm so curious now!" Tony replied, his eyes once again wide open in surprise. "What happened? Did you fight a werewolf? Or two?"

"It was a bar fight, and I was underage... Didn't realize I was fighting a wolf. We both got banged up really bad, enough for blood to exchange..." Bard said, "I had a bit of a rough youth." Tony's mouth was hanging as he kept staring at Bard as if he was made out of gold and diamonds.

"Woooooow... " he murmured in a raptured tone. "You're so cool, alpha! Oh, man, I'll have to work really hard to keep up with you! The most dangerous thing I've ever done in my life was to try and stop a bully at school from beating my friend... But an actual bar fight? That's badass!"

"Well, if I hadn't become a wolf I probably would have died, and even then it was close... But once I found my pack I settled down, lived a little more normal of a life." Bard said, "What about you? Was the restaraunt your long term plan all along?" Tony's brow furrowed as he scratched his hair a bit.

"Um... To be honest I still don't know what will be of me in the future... I'm not really good at anything except cooking, though, so I guess it's a pretty easy choice, huh?" he confessed, shrugging.

"Well, before this whole eclipse thing... The goal of most werewolves was to find a comfortable life with a wolf friendly job in a place where you wouldn't attract too much attention... So if you do open a restaurant, you'd want to focus on lunches, or have enough helpers for the full moons so you don't have to be there." Bard said.

"Oh! I see..." Tony whispered. "I hadn't thought of that! And since we are on the subject, my next question is: are there other werewolves in town? I mean, as far as you know."

"I don't know now, I mean there were five wolves and a keeper in my last pack but... they're gone now." Bard said softly, "But there was the two direwolves that attacked us, and the direwolf that bit you too... Did you see more than one?" Tony shook his head.

"N-no... Just those three. And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of what happened to your pack..."

"I have to face it... Their funeral is going to be Thursday." Bard said gently, "The city's going to have a presence too, for the victims of the terror attacks and all."

"Can I come to the funeral?" Tony asked all of a sudden. "I mean, even... even though I didn't know them, they are important to you and you are important to me. Would it be a problem?"

"Not at all, I think I could use the support. Thank you, Tony." Bard said gently. The boy smiled back.

"Well, time for your next question!" he exclaimed.

"I..." Bard hesitated, "What are your music interests? Movies? Shows? I mean... I don't know where to begin. I know I can teach you all about wolves, but we're starting a new pack, a new family. I need to know all about you." Bard said.

"Um... I like cartoons and animes and TV series... That kind of stuff," Tony replied, blushing a bit. "I guess I am kind of a nerd, but I try to keep a low profile at school because I don't want to get in trouble.

"Wait, because of what you'd like?" Bard asked, an eyebrow rising.

"Because people can be mean with those who are different... Especially in high school," Tony said curtly. "I just want to graduate and then live my life without being judged on the basis of what I like or what I eat for lunch or because I have a funny name. That's all."

"Well, I can sort of understand that... and there's a little more respect in the adult world, but at the same time, if you compromise who you are to appease or hide from others, then you still might not be ready to be yourself after graduation... Then again, maybe I'm not the model of success. I think you're on a better track to have a worthwhile career." Bard mused.

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself! I mean, you have your own garage, and... well, okay, it's also your house, but maybe with some clean up..." Tony murmured tentatively. Bard chuckled at that.

"It's just a man cave, but I don't know what I'd do with a whole house. Then again, an apartment... Step in the right direction?" Bard grinned.

"That'd be nice! And I could come visit and, you know... Cook for you and stuff," the beta said in a soft voice.

"And, maybe one day, I could put a bed in there for you..." Bard considered. Tony's face turned crimson.

"O-oh... T-that..." he babbled in an almost incomprehensible tone. "T-that w-would... be very nice..." He couldn't help but putting a silly smile on his face. "S-sorry, didn't w-want to... l-look this embarrassed..."

"It's adorable, but I'm probably pushing the line again." Bard smiled, "So, tell me if you have any plans for dessert..." Bard grinned.

---

Tony was lying against a tree, his eyes closed and his breath a bit heavier than the usual. The night surrounding both him and the entire woods was unexpectedly warm, and clinged on the skin of his slender arms like an impalpable blanket; the boy had always thought at the woods at night as a dead silent and quite scary place, but now that he had been graced with the improved senses of a werewolf, everything felt so alive and noisy; even if his sight was sealed under his eyelids, his ears and nose were overloaded with different stimuli and sensations, some of them familiar and some others still completely alien... but, after all, that was the very reason why he was there: to learn, to become better, to hone his new, unexpected gifts.

Bard had been gone for nearly an hour, but a new scent started to waft on the wind, reaching Tony's enhanced senses. It was a mix of citrus oil and sandalwood, a fairly common fragrance, but something that Tony had been preparing for. The boy grinned, showing his pointed fangs; he had more or less learned - thanks to Bard's patient teachings - how to let his inner wolf come out to play just by thinking about it... it was like flexing a set of muscles he had never known he possessed. Of course, that was not even remotely enough to be a good werewolf, and that was why Bard had prepared a trial for Tony to pass. The pointed ears of the young boy twitched, the tufts of spiky fur ruffled by the slight breeze, before he started running a bit clumsily towards the source of the distinctive smell.

It was hard at first to keep on the scent. Every time the wind changed, it started to slip away, but Tony was honing in on it more and more. After some effort, a hint of color caught Tony's eyes. Through a particularly dense grove of trees, stuck to a high branch, was an orange and white scarf fluttering in the breeze. Tony's golden eyes went wide for a moment, before a smile appeared on his lips.

"Great! I found it!" he exclaimed. "This was way easier and less scary than that horror video game where you have to find those pages scattered in the forest with that tall faceless man chasing you... " The boy glanced over his shoulder, suddenly a bit panicked. "W-well, I hope that guy doesn't really exist, that would be majorly creepy..." Tony eyed the scarf hanging from the three branch, a small shade of suspect making his irises a bit darker: could that be a trap? The young werewolf looked around once again, sniffing and perking his pointed ears for good measure, but his senses didn't catch anything out of ordinary. "Well, I guess I won fair and square!" he said to himself before getting ready to climb the tree and claim his prize.

As he advanced, there was only a moment of warning - a single twig snap - before something caught him by his side and he went tumbling, rolling around with the weight of a viking before the two slowly rolled to a stop. Bard was on top, pinning Tony to the ground, giving a fang filled grin to his new pup. Tony lowered his gaze, his pointed ears drooping just a bit.

"Awww, it was a trap..." he murmured. "I feel so stupid now..." The boy blinked a couple of times as he replayed the entire scene in his brain. "B-but I was sure I didn't smell your scent!"

"I was down wind... So your hearing has to kick in for that situation." Bard said, still smiling, "Don't feel bad though, took me months to master. Want me to get up?" he asked. Tony stuck his tongue out, a playful expression on his face: apparently, it was very difficult for him to stay sad for a long time.

"Well, you are here to train me after all," he grinned. "Should we practice some fighting moves too?" He let out a soft growl, exposing the points of his fangs, but the goofy smile on his face betrayed his true intent. "Or, um... maybe it's a bit too soon for that?" he then asked, just to drive the point home. If there was a thing Tony totally didn't possess, was a poker face.

"Well, we have two options from this point... You trying to wriggle free, or we could practice your claw swipes." Bard replied, gazing into Tony's eyes. The young boy, however, simply stared at Bard with curiosity, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Um... I was thinking... Since you are my alpha, is it right for me to fight against you? I mean, wouldn't that be a challenge to your authority?" he asked, his tone sincere and humble. "I was watching a documentary on wolves this afternoon on the Discovery Channel, and, um..." his words started degenerating into formless whispers. "B-but if I cannot train, I cannot become stronger, am I right?"

"Exactly... I don't care about that pack bullshit, I want my friends and family to be strong. No matter what you do, I know that if you like and respect me, it's okay." Bard replied, reaching to pet Tony's hair. The boy shivered at the touch, a tender murr escaping from his lips; as always when Bard touched him, Tony felt a pleasurable warmth spreading inside him, as if his insides had been replaced with sweet molten chocolate.

"I like you, Bard. I like you a lot," he whispered, his golden eyes staring into Bard's shining irises as if they were twin beacons. "And I promise I will never, ever hurt you."

"And I promise I won't ever hurt you in a way you don't like." Bard grinned before he leaned down and gently bit Tony's neck before kissing it softly. Tony, whose arms were still trapped, arched his back a bit as a puff of air escaped from his nostrils; he still didn't want to give up that easily, but... There was no denying that Bard was able to make him feel so good with just the touch of his hands or his lips.

"O-ooh..." he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment. "B-Bard, I..."

"So, claw swipes?" Bard asked, knowing that Tony didn't want to push it too fast even if he was fun to play with. The boy looked at his alpha, his eyes wide and watery, as a tremulous yelp escaped from his mouth.

"Y-yeah..." Tony said, trying with all his might to resist the urge of panting. "B-but first... C-can I ask you to do something f-for me?"

"Anything, Tony." Bard said, never letting up on his gaze.

"I-it's a little embarrassing... Um... M-maybe it's majorly embarrassing, b-but..." Tony gulped down a dollop of dense saliva. "C-could you... scratch me behind my ears, please?" Bard let out a sound that Tony had not yet heard, somewhere between a murmur and a purr. Soon he felt a strong claw scritching behind his right ear in careful movements; up, down, up, down. Each scratch had just a bit more pressure than the last. Tony felt tiny explosions of pure pleasure right where the pointed tips of Bard's claws were pressing against his skin; a low, almost inaudible growl of bliss blossomed in the depths of his throat as his left foot began to kick as if it had a mind of its own. Now he knew why dogs loved being scratched like that: even if a tiny part of his body was being stimulated, the pleasure was spreading all over his body like massive wings.

Bard had tried to respect Tony's wishes, but it was almost like the new recruit was a drug. He loved flirting with the passion, seeing how far he could get away with it, and Tony seemed to be enjoying himself very much. Bard moved his other arm and commenced scratching behind his left ear as well, really going at it. The double stimulation didn't redouble the pleasure, but for Tony it became even more difficult to focus on something that wasn't the firm yet gentle pressure of Bard's claws on the back of his ears; his young body writhed and wriggled on the grass, and after some seconds, Tony realized that - since Bard was scratching him - he was free. With a sudden, agile move - something he would've never been able to pull off before - Tony rolled on his left, the claws of his alpha leaving tiny scratches on his skin, and then got back on his feet before running towards the tree where the white and orange scarf still was waiting for him.

Bard sprung up to his feet, but it was too late. Even as he broke into a sprint, he knew he wasn't going to make it in time. His clawed feet pounded into the dirt, his yellow eyes fixed on his apprentice, a huge grin on his face. Bard was invigorated, excited, and incredibly proud. Tony jumped forward, an expression of pure enjoyment on his face, adrenaline coursing through his body like sea foam. The tree bark was no match for his strong wolf claw, and the boy climbed the trunk like a monkey, the cool air of the night messing with his spiky hair, his eyes and nose and ears and entire body focused on his prey and on nothing else.

One last small jump, and his pointed teeth pierced the scarf edge, and Tony panted and grinned and fought the instinct of howling in joy and victory, because he didn't want his long-awaited prey to fall to the ground. His vision was full with red and gold, his body was warm and tingly all over, and his mind was as empty and vast as a winter landscape. For a moment, he was nothing but a wild animal, free and wild and untamed... And then old Tony came back, and his fear of heights followed suit.

"O-oh... Oh, man..." the boy mumbled, trying desperately not to plummet to the ground, the scarf still stuck on one of his fangs. Powerful arms came up around Tony, holding him by the waist before he was lowered to the forest floor. His feet back on the ground, Bard carefully extracted the scarf from the young man's fang and promptly tied it around his neck as a bandanna. The grin on Bard's lips was profoundly intent, almost like a proud father. Tony panted, his eyes staring back at Bard, his tail lowered... even though it was still wagging a bit.

"S-sorry, alpha, I... I didn't mean to trick you," he said with a soft smile on his lips. "But it looked like the perfect chance."

"Don't be sorry. That was awesome..." Bard grinned, "You totally passed." Tony's eyes went wide.

"S-seriously?" the young boy murmured. "I mean, I... I just wanted to surprise you, that's all... My body kind of... You know, moved by itself. It was weird and a bit scary, but most of all..." Another smile appeared on his face, the biggest one until that point. "It felt awesome."

"Good. I want you to hang onto that. For better or worse, that instinct can save your life." Bard replied. Tony nodded enthusiastically.

"I will, alpha!" his hand went to his new bandanna, caressing it gently with his fingertips, while a small grin appeared on his lips. "Now... Why don't you show me those claw swipes you were talking about?"

---

Click. Click. Click. The sound of heels on the sidewalk resonated through the empty street, just as their owner bit her lower lip in dismay. Ariadne Monroe wasn't particularly happy, especially because what she had been sent to such a small town for what seemed pointless in a way that bordered on offensive.

"Go there, they say. It will be easy, they say," she mumbled, kicking a pebble and sending it to tumble against a bright red fire hydrant. "I'm not working for them because I want to do easy things... I'm not a child!" she complained to nobody in particular. Of course, since without her heels she was maybe five feet and four inches, not to mention the fact that despite she was pushing thirty years old she still looked a good eight years younger, or her high-pitched voice... It was easy to see why she could be at least mistaken as a child. Though, obviously, that would've been a very gross underestimation.

As Ariadne advanced, she was flanked by a younger man who looked barely old enough to be out of high school. His sand colored hair was long on top and brushed back, but shaved quite short on the sides. It seemed a more robust style that contrasted with the large, perfectly circular glasses resting on his almost cherub like nose. Topher was scratching away with a stylus on a tablet as he followed Ariadne, trying to anticipate her every need.

"Perhaps they valued your experience on the subject matter and didn't want to leave it to a research assistant?" Topher questioned. Ariadne turned her head, and her green eyes mellowed a bit.

"I guess?" she asked back. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this, Topher, I know it's not what you imagined for your very first field work... Though, well, maybe you will learn something useful anyway. Maybe we all will." Her hand pinched the tip of her straight nose a couple of times. "Stay positive, Ari. Gotta stay positive." In an effort to help his mentor, Topher sifted back through the information he had been gathering.

"The city coroner reports that fourteen were killed on the day of the eclipse, though there are a few reports of citizens missing longer than is considered normal by the locals as well." Topher shared. Ariadne nodded, her expression getting serious and focused; she might have looked like a high schooler, but her stare - and the brain behind it - was as sharp as a blade.

"They will never let us examine them directly, not if we want to keep a low profile," she murmured. "We do need some DNA samples, though... How about the people who disappeared? Has some of them popped up again after the eclipse, or are they MIA still?"

"I'll have to double check the police database to see if any of the missing persons reports were canceled, use that as our clue." Topher mused aloud as he followed after the clicking of her heels. Click. Click. Click. The sound of the heels stopped as Ariadne turned around and sent an intense glance to her assistant.

"Topher, seriously... keep your voice down, won't you?" she whispered. "Last thing I want is for people around here to start thinking we are involved in this mess... In any way, shape or form, I mean. We are just doing a 'preliminary investigation'," her expression became sour and a tad depressed. "Whatever that means. And if anyone asks, we are here as freelancers. No one has to link us to... you know, them."

Topher grimaced a bit at that but nodded dutifully. His precious tablet still had the glue on the back of it from the vinyl sticker he had torn off, obscuring the emblem of their benefactor. While all of their colleagues at the Houston office were getting to meet and greet with the local government, Ariadne and he had been dispatched to the drought parched remote backwaters of California. It didn't seem fair at all.

"I know what you're thinking, Topher," Ariadne murmured. "But we have to hang in there and do what they say." A sigh travelled through her small frame, as her voice became a barely audible whisper. "You know how difficult was for me to find a company willing to fund my research? And even now it's anything but easy... You know Lisa from the reception? She was my secret Santa, and she gave me a 'Team Jacob' t-shirt for Christmas, that bitch. Oh, but I'll show her now!" Topher's nose quirked a little, almost like a bunny's. He hoped it wasn't too big of a tell, but it had been his only way to hide his amusement at certain things Ariadne found egregious. That being said, he had no qualms in ensuring that they succeeded in their mission and rose to a position of prominence. The woman turned around while walking, her eyes burning.

"But I'll show them! And..." her voice was tinged with sadness and guilt. "Even after all these years, I guess I owe my little sister at least that much," she added in a subdued tone.

"What if you got Lisa one of those pilgrim outfits or whatever they wore at the Salem Witch Trials..." Topher mused, "Imply that she's a witch? Or is that too direct?" he asked, hoping to try and cheer Ariadne back up. The scientist stuck her tongue out, a gesture that made her look even younger.

"As if I'm spending money for her... Unless I'm her secret Santa this year, that is." Click. Click. Click. "I was thinking, Topher... Maybe we should ask the HQ for the big guns, you know."

"A fully customized, built to order mobile research unit?" Topher asked, his eyes practically glittering. Ariadne grinned.

"Yeah, I know you wanted to try using an RV sooner or later... And this town seems promising enough. I know there might be some, well... interesting specimens around here." The woman's eyes sparked too, even though she was excited for a slightly different reason than her assistant. "And once we'll manage to find a sample..."

"What... is our long term game plan? With everything they are doing in Houston, they are poised to make rapid advances but it could backfire dramatically... And then there's us, way out here." Topher considered. Ariadne shrugged, but from the look on her face it was clear that the question made her at least a bit uncomfortable.

"I told you, Topher... It was insanely difficult for me to find a company willing to fund my research. I just want to uncover the truth I'm desperately trying to find all these years. What they have in mind, though... I can't say I agree with everything, but you don't bite the hand that feeds you, as they say."

"Then what do they want us to do?" Topher asked, putting his wishes to the side for the moment.

"Discover the truth on the matter." Ariadne replied. "Or at least that's what I tell myself when I try to sleep at night."

"Where do you want me to start?" Topher asked.

"Call the HQ, ask them for the RV. Then..." Ariadne's eyes sparked again. "I think we should take a short trip to the woods." Topher did his best not to squeak before he darted back for the car, as light on his feet as ever. It was clear he was very pleased. Ariadne watched her assistant run away with a small smile on her face, before she raised her face towards the sky.

"Just wait, Irene... I'll find whatever beast took you away, I promise. It's not that much of a vengeance, but it's all I can do," she murmured in a somber tone, before following Topher at her own pace, her heels still clicking on the asphalt.

---

The only way that Bard could attempt to describe it would be timeless... Californian summers, the heat and the light, hanging out in the woods with his pack. He sat on a log, leather bracers around his wrists, a dark brown glass bottle of illicit liquids. There was a grin on his lips, laughter in the air. Even with his long goatee, he seemed to be the runt of the group. The oldest there was approaching forty, his black hair hanging down to his ass. His full beard descended to his clavicle bone and silver hairs had started to creep into both his head and beard. The man's eyes were wild and riotous with joy, pure and simple. The other two males were about thirty. One had his brown hair long like the others, draping over a spiked collar, but the other's red hair was plaited into a long braid that hang down like a cord, making his thick beard seem that much more robust in comparison.

The group's laughter was almost like music, carrying on from one joke to another like waves in an ocean. They talked about hot men, about breaking laws but not hurting anyone. Bard felt amazing, lighter than he had in many weeks, but some part of his mind was fighting the truth. Something was off about the encounter, like he knew that not all of the details were being filled in. The trees were indistinct, more like watercolors than anything else, and the faces of the friends he knew so well were sometimes little more than blurs.

Subconsciously Bard held onto every scrap as hard as he could, but his body was rejecting the concept, the idea, the dream. His yellow eyes snapped open, revealing his bedroom again. It had been nothing more than a dream, a flashback to a different time. Bard exhaled slowly, trying to come to grips with it. His pack was gone, life had changed. Bard went to roll over but stopped, feeling something pressed against his side. Turning, Bard's eyes widened gently as he saw it was in fact Tony curled up against him. Bard started to wonder if he was in another dream since he'd dropped Tony off back at his house, but everything around him at least seemed real this time.

The young boy, as if he had somehow realized through the thick walls of sleep that he was being stared at, let out a long sigh and scrunched his face into a serious, concentrated expression; he was wearing nothing more than a faded t-shirt and a pair of shorts, the scarf Bard gave him still draped around his neck. His body, pressed against Bard's side, radiated a gentle warmth.

Bard let out a small, happy sigh, looking at his pup. His life had changed so much, he had lost his family, but he had gained another. He reached down and pet Tony's hair gently, letting his claws push out of his fingertips as he stroked the head of the one he cared so much for already. Bard was amazed that his heart had the strength to let another in, but perhaps that was the scaffolding keeping it from collapsing completely... His world was not empty, it had this amazing young man. Tony opened his right eye, blinking a couple of times before a huge yawn forced his mouth to open wide, showing his teeth stretched into small, pointy fangs; his gaze shifted to Bard, and a small, sleepy smile appeared on his lips.

"Hey, alpha..." he murmured. "Sorry, I was feeling lonely at home, and I knew you were lonely too, and... Well, the window was open, so..."

"That isn't an easy window to get through, you must have been dedicated." Bard grinned, petting Tony's head, "But I'm so glad you're here." The boy murred, brushing his head against Bard's palm.

"Your body was a bit tensed, earlier," he said, caressing the chest of the alpha with gentle strokes. "You seemed restless... Were you having a bad dream?"

"It was sort of a good dream, but I was... trying to hold onto it. It was before the... the eclipse." Bard murmured. Tony lowered his eyes; all of a sudden, he looked guilty.

"O-oh... So it was about..." the young boy shook his head. "I-I'm sorry, Bard... I didn't m-mean to..."

"No, trust me, waking up with you here is the most wonderful way to wake up." Bard grinned. Tony grinned back, a bit tentatively, but then he stretched his body and placed a short but undoubtedly tender kiss on Bard's lips.

"It's great for me too..." Tony said. "You are the first person I slept with. Well, if you don't count my brothers and sisters when they had nightmares and wanted to sleep with me."

"So are you a good nightmare ward? Keeping the bad dreams away?" Bard smiled, snuggling up to Tony more. The boy nodded.

"Well, I try. Since I'm the oldest one, I'm kind of like their alpha, in a way." He chuckled, a bit nervously. "Not that much intimidating of an alpha, but apparently they like sleeping in my bed, and I don't mind. Except when Amanda and Alessandro - they are the youngest, you know - pee in my bed... That I don't like."

"Oh wow, that's going to be even more potent now with your enhanced smell." Bard said with a smirk. Tony shuddered, an expression of pure disgust on his face; he looked like he was about to cry.

"Bleah, why did you have to tell me that, alpha? I was trying not to think about it!" His face, once again, became dead serious in the span of half a blink of an eye. "And also... What if I change while I'm sleeping with them? What if I'm having a nightmare and I use my claws, a-and..."

"There have been a lot of werewolves over the years, and very few have hurt someone in that way. It isn't like the movies exactly." Bard said, sitting up a bit, "When you're relaxed, when you're vulnerable, you're more likely to stay human... But if you start getting worked up, even in a dream, your wolf will start waking up. You'll sense what's going on around you, and you should be able to control yourself even if it means you wake up from sleeping." Bard said. Tony stared at his alpha with his head slightly cocked, his dark eyes looking even wider and more innocent than the usual.

"Okay... I'm sure you are right." Tony's slender frame pressed against Bard in a clumsy hug; the boy rested his face against the curve of the man's neck, kissing the rough skin from time to time. "I just want to be a good wolf and live in peace with you and my family."

"We'll get you there. Tonight we're going to learn meditation, but the key is not to fall asleep." Bard smirked happily.

"Great! I want to know as much as I can!" Tony exclaimed. "A-and... I want to repay you somehow, alpha Bard. I promise that..." the boy gulped; it was clear that whatever he was going to say was costing him a lot in terms of embarrassment. "I promise t-that when I feel ready for it, I... I'll let you be m-my first. Okay?"

"Your first what?" Bard asked, wrapping an arm around Tony. The boy looked even smaller and more inconspicuous than the usual.

"W-well, you know... M-my first... I mean, the first person I'll do... That with," he mumbled. He looked frantic, his cheeks red and flushed, his fingers shaking.

"When the time is right, I can assure you that I'll be honored." Bard whispered, leaning to kiss Tony's forehead.

"I'm sorry I'm that childish... I'm sure a lot of eighteen years old already had, you k-know... sex," Tony spat out the word as if it was a curse. "But I, well... wanted to wait for the right person."

"That's a noble pursuit, something important in this day and age. I just... hope I can be that person for you." Bard replied gently. A funny smile appeared on Tony's lips.

"Don't be silly, Bard! You are my alpha! Of course you are," he said with absolute certainty. Bard looked at him for a long moment before nodding.

"Well, only if you're sure my Beta." Bard replied gently, closing his eyes and laying back, holding Tony to his body.

---

It was a humid evening. A storm front was coming in, but for the moment it was still warm near the surface. There was a distant rumbling of thunder, but the ground was bone dry. The air felt alive with the coming electricity, but to one young man it was more than just that. Cut, bruised bare feet stepped through the dry grasses. His steps were uneven, his movements imbalanced. Somehow he managed to never quite fall down and to keep moving, his eyes focused on something that wasn't quite there.

The property had once been beautiful, though the recent drought had robbed the farmlands of their viability. Somehow the few large deciduous trees around the large crater like hills managed to keep the grass in the center fresh enough to live. Stumbling through the midst of it was an eighteen year old, one of the santos boys. His black hair was long in in the middle and shaved on the sides and what had once been a peach fuzz mustache was darkening into a true one... but his eyes were not right at all.

Dante looked out toward the trees, the blossoms waving in the wind, but it was all background to him. In his unfocused gaze he could see something more... Echoes, memories, ghosts. The movements were fleeting at first, but as he directed his consciousness away from the tangible they came more into focus. He could see the events that had imprinted themselves on that place. He could see the monsters running through the dim light of the eclipse, and he could see his sister fleeing from them.

"Isabella, no..." Dante murmured, "No..." he added more firmly, watching the murder happen before his eyes, "NO!" He screamed, holding up his hands. There was a silent flash from his hands before the light spread out, and then came the explosion of sound. Two of the trees on the far side exploded, splintering into a trillion pieces, blown back as if lightning had hit them. Then the wave hit the dried out, dessicated field. A wall of dust was ripped up from its resting place, catching on the wind. Having expelled so much energy in an instant, Dante's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he crumpled into the grass of the place he had considered sanctuary in his youth.

As secluded as he could be, crouching up in a divot behind one of the trees on the north side of the grotto, Malakai watched in wonder. The problem with being a direwolf was that the disconnect between the wolf and the human often left one with limited memory of what had gone on, but after the eclipse that had all changed. The curse itself had become something new and day by day Malakai was remembering more of his past life. He had known Dante as little more than an insufferable nuisance, a keeper that knew just enough to protect his pack when his back was against the wall.

Malakai rose up to his feet, a hungry look on his face. Whatever had changed the direwolves had changed the keepers as well. Malakai knew that Dante could be a dangerous adversary or an amazing ally, but he would have to make that decision soon. The direwolf took a step forward, but as he reached the rim of the crater like hills, he was stopped in his tracks. A pearlescent shimmering rippled outward, arching over the crater, protecting the sleeping keeper. Malakai's blond eyebrows rose up in intrigue at that.

The wolf extended his pitch black claws from his fingers and traced them along the projected barrier, feeling its strength and its steadiness. If Dante could manage that while asleep, there was no telling what he could do when awake. Even without getting to the human, Malakai knew his decision. It would be too much fun to try and swing Dante to his side, even if it resulted in his own death. Sometimes playing with fire was just irresistible.