Born Wolf - 17. Chapter 8.2

Willis didn’t bother to knock on the Spencer door. There was no point, everyone was out, a winning combination of school and work. Everyone except…

“Morning Kurt.” Willis threw a hoodie at his charge. It has been hell to get the day off work to deal with him, but Carson was going to take the rest of the week, so it wouldn’t be too bad. Willis had gotten off with a ‘family emergency’ and since a werewolf’s family extended to his whole pack it wasn’t exactly a lie. Kurt was lying in bed with nothing on but a sheet and bandages and he groaned at Willis’s intrusion.

“I had hoped Tay was joking.”

“No such luck kiddo. Get up.”

“I’m in pain.” Kurt pulled on the hoodie, wincing as he did. “Why are you here?”

“Rehab Ulrich. Get up.”

Kurt grumbled, but got up. Noakes had been right, he was healing well. Kurt found sweat pants and got dressed. Shoes were harder, Tahryn had different sized feet, but Kurt did up the laces extra tight and put on extra socks. He was shaky and panting by the time they got downstairs, but he leant on his knees instead of the wall. Willis waited for him.

“You alright?”

Kurt growled.

“Easy buddy.” They walked out back and Willis saw Kurt staring longingly at the forest, like a man denied food and water in the desert. “No turning today kid.”

“The wolf wants out. It’s been ages.”

“‘The wolf’,” Willis make little finger quotes in the air when he spoke, “what’s up with you Kurt?”

“Nothing.” Kurt’s stance was suddenly tight and angry, his voice sharp. “Leave it.”

Willis sighed but did nothing. He and Kurt walked around the garden and he could see the skinny dark haired boy fighting to maintain an image of strength. That was a good thing, he’d work harder, heal faster. By the second time around the garden Kurt was keeping pace easily. Willis led Kurt into the woodland and saw his muscles go instantly slack. Just being close to nature and open territory made him feel better.

“How’s the face?”

Kurt fingered the now sealed cuts without wincing.

“Good. Not too ugly?”

Willis frowned. Since when did Kurt care about his human appearance?

“So where are we going?”

“For now we’re just going to walk. Degan wants us to go check out the territory boarders and do some other stuff.”

“Alright.” Kurt shrugged, and an easy silence settled between them. Noakes had said Tahryn and Kurt were generally uneasy, but Kurt seemed the way Kurt had always been around him. They were equals. And maybe that was the problem.

Mostly, Willis was worried about what Kurt had said about ‘the wolf.’ The boy had gone from being totally wolf to split right down the middle, and it seemed the two sides weren’t talking to each other. But the exercise was good for him and the farther they went, the easier Kurt seemed to take it, it wouldn’t be long until he was fully healed.

The pack houses were right on the northern edge of the town, the rest of the quaint little settlement between them and the sea. Pack boarders stretched along with the lie of the land, to the motorway in one direction and to the river north and west. The big loops that wound through the valleys made for a great natural barrier, even though there wasn’t a single pack between them and the north of Kent. The hills levelled out once you got into the national park land, and the going was easier. When they reached the edge of the territory Willis began to jog down the gentle slope and was pleased when Kurt followed without complaint. It was nowhere near as fast as they would normally go, slow even for a human pace, but Kurt kept up and drew level as they reached the flat valley floor. They were three miles from the coast, four from home as the crow flies, and the world stretched out all green and wet before them, the glacier shaped landscape dotted with sheep and cows. There was a gravel track that traced the winding patterns of the river. It was one of the few places in the south of England with oxbow lakes.

“When was the last time you were off pack land?”

“Never. This would be the first.” Kurt looked slightly shifty, knowing he was no longer ‘home.’ How on earth the kid was going to cope leaving home for good was a mystery to Willis.

“How are the muscles?”

“Sore. Fine.” They were back to walking now, and Kurt was rubbing the knuckles of his injured arm with the other hand. “Willis why are we out here?”

“Property. There’s a camp site for sale Degan wants us to look at.” Willis hoped that would be the end of the questions, but it wasn’t.

“Why?”

“Who can say? There’s more money coming into the pack, and new businesses. There’s a bunch of you who are all going to need property soon.” Willis smiled, “Chaska and Jene, now that I did not see coming. Aliza and Deo are going to have the empty house.” He was very careful not to mention the previous occupants. “Degan is talking to National Council about expanding the territory out west.”

“Right…” Kurt looked roughly suspicious. “I miss being a wolf.”

“Well you’re making a good human.” Kurt snarled at the comment. “Fine, fine. Tell me about you and Tahryn. All better?”

“Yes. No. We’re getting there.” Kurt sighed, and unconsciously went to rub his neck. Willis raised an eyebrow at the mark there. “I want to run. Please?”

“Sorry Kurt, doctor’s orders.” He paused looking out over the river at its widest point. “Tell me about this ‘the wolf’ thing. It doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s the only way.”

“Kurt…” Willis turned to the boy to find him sitting on the side of the path, feet dangling over the edge of the sharply drop in the land. “The only way for what?”

“For Tahryn. I want to give him what he wants, and I wanna have what I want and it’s just all too confusing.”

“So you’re gonna be two people instead?”

“It’s better than shouting at each other all the time. I hate fighting with him, it hurts.”

“Alright, alright.” Willis laid a paternal hand on Kurt’s shoulder and was surprised when the boy covered it with his own. “I’m not going to pretend to understand. Now let’s go look at this property OK?”

“Sure.”

*

They got back as Tahryn’s little blue Triumph Spitfire pulled up outside the house. Kurt ran to his mate, desperate to be back by his side pretty much since the moment he’d been able to scent home. Tahryn wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him up against his chest much more roughly than he had the previous day.

“Heya pup.” Tahryn’s voice was so low it was practically a vibration and Kurt swallowed and pushed the wolf right to the back of his mind, the animal in him bristled to be called ‘pup’ in front of people. Isla, Mehran and Chaska all appeared out of the car behind their brother and waved. “Missed you.”

Tahryn’s words made Kurt’s mind cloud instantly with lust, rational thought getting pushed out of the window a little bit.

“You too.”

The cool soft scent of Jene interrupted them.

“Kurt, where’ve you been all day?”

“Out.” Kurt sounded a little guarded.

“Lord we have to buy you a phone boy.” She smiled at Tahryn and waved to Chaska who was standing in the doorway to the house. “I was going to take you shopping. I don’t suppose your mate wants to join us?”

“More shopping?” Kurt sighed, he should have known. The longer he spent being human the more indulgent Jene wanted to be. The wolf rankled and snarled, but Kurt shut him up. You idiot, what are you doing… Kurt shook himself and tried to summon a smile. Why try and be human? Just go for a fucking run already.

“You wanna go?” Tahryn’s voice was almost overridden by his thoughts which Kurt received loud and clear, ‘God but I want to see you try on lots of clothes. And take them off.’

“Alright. Can I shower first?”

“Meet you in half an hour boys?” Was Jene’s rejoinder before she vanished into the house with Chaska. The boys followed her in.

Twenty minutes and a very difficult to concentrate shower later Kurt stood in jeans and a t-shirt and let Isla wrap and splint his arm. It hardly hurt now, but Noakes had been very specific. Tahryn had worked out a good lie if anyone asked, sprained while biking in the forest, which also explained the now healed scars on his face. They look like day old scratches, rather than overly healed four day old fangs marks.

“You’d better bring me something back.” Isla was glaring at him. Apparently she was losing kudos with her friends because of Kurt’s long absence from school. “It’s not fair. I never get to go anywhere fun with you guys.”

“Isla it’s shopping. It’s not fun.”

The girl, that Kurt was coming to think of as his sister, rolled her eyes.

“Boys!” She muttered. “How do I end up with the only gay brother who doesn’t like clothes?”

“Sorry little bit. I promise I’ll take you running when you change, whenever you like.”

“You’d better.” Isla wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly Kurt thought for a moment she meant to strangle him. The wolf half of his mind snarled and he stamped on it. “Go. They’re waiting for you.”

Kurt got into the front of the car with Tahryn, the girls in the back seat. His mate grabbed his hand when he changed gear and Kurt felt the sweet delicious snake in his chest coil more tightly around his heart. Why had he waited this long to be human and give in? It was so damn good. The whole drive Kurt kept pushing down the wolf in his mind. Every wide smile and possessive touch made the dominant black beast snap and snarl and want to rip Tahryn’s hand off. It had been way too long. He wanted out, to run, but Noakes had said no, and being alive and human in the here and now was nice. Except for every time something Tahryn did rankled the wolf.

In the shopping centre Kurt swallowed down bile as Tahryn grabbed his hand and the four of them giggled their way through the shops like any totally normal bunch of teenagers. Jene led the way to the store where she had taken Kurt before. Familiarity made him relax a little more. The wolf was on a tight leash. Unsurprisingly Tahryn went for the men’s clothes that were colourful and loud. T-shirts with big print and graphic logos, jeans which made Kurt think of the humans who fancied themselves as surfers and rock stars. With the blond hair and tan skin Tahryn really did look the part. Kurt smiled when he was asked for his opinion. Anything was better than that silly timber wolf t-shirt. He could feel his level of tolerance shrinking though. When Jene and Chaska pushed a bundle of clothes into his arms and turned him in the direction of the changing rooms he had to try really hard to focus.

*

Mary James sat down on the little chair outside the changing rooms and leant back against the wall. Being more than a week overdue was very trying. It was nice to have Layla Davies to talk to, full of questions about what the next seven months would hold. Mary found it slightly odd the girl hadn’t known she was pregnant. She had known straight away when her body changed. No wonder she and Carson had been moody with each other; they had smelt the difference in themselves and reacted to it. Now everything was sorted, due to Kurt’s incredible sense of smell, and she was taking Layla shopping for maternity clothes. Not that she was showing yet. She was young and keen.

“I am not wearing this!” Mary looked around the changing room, which was empty, to the curtain at the end of the line near the other door where the voice had come from. A voice, along with the scent of damp moss and wet bark.

“Kurt?”

The skinny dark haired boy stuck his head out of the cubicle and stepped out to see her. He was wearing a pair of blood-brown cords and holding a t-shirt.

“Hey Mary.”

“Look at you all shining and smiley. Tahryn here?”

“Yeah. He and the girls are trying to pick clothes for me. I am so not wearing this.” He held up the shirt, which was black with big bold pink lettering ‘likes boys.’

“I see.” Mary smiled to herself, “Jene picked it out?”

“Yes.” Kurt looked grumpy, folding his arms across his chest. “What are you in for?” Kurt referred to shopping like it was prison.

“Layla,” Mary shrugged. “She and Carson are much happier now. You did well. That’s some nose.” She looked Kurt up and down as she spoke. His arm was bandaged with a single splint and he looked pretty healthy for someone who had been at death’s door four and a half days ago. He looked subtly different, less hard and sharp, the angles of his body no longer wired in aggression.

“Thanks. How are you and the little one?”

“Well, he seems pretty happy in there really. Doesn’t wanna come out.” Kurt folded the shirt and headed over to where she sat. He dropped into the seat next to her and sighed.

“How do you stand not shifting for nine months? I’m so glad I’m not a girl.”

Mary chuckled.

“You can’t shift. It’s not like I can even try. But I really wish he would come on out of there now. It’s been too long.”

“You know it’s a boy?”

“No, just guessing. Why?” Mary cocked her head and looked at Kurt as he leant against the wall. Being half naked in public wasn’t such a big deal for werewolves, but she could see the tension in his neck and shoulders.

“Smells like a girl, softer. I could be wrong.”

“You never are.” Mary took the shirt from him and shook it out, refolding it neatly. It was true, she was vaguely sick of being pregnant, although she didn’t dare admit it to anybody, even to her pack sisters. People would look down on her. Kurt wouldn’t. He looked good, but exhausted.

“Pup?” Kurt visibly tensed at the sound of his mate’s voice, his shoulders rising. Mary could almost see his hackles rising. He bared his teeth to the floor. “Oh there you are. What’s up? Hi Mary.”

Tahryn was carrying another few hangers, and Mary could feel the tension slack off again as Tahryn drew near. Jene and Chaska were giggling not far behind him. Kurt stood and the uneasy feeling seemed to leave him, the tautness vanished and he moulded against his mate. Layla chose that moment to appear with an armful of clothes and Mary felt the barrier between them. The teenagers seemed vaguely unaware of the split, but looking at them together, they seemed like a little pack all of their own. Things were changing in South Sea.

The werewolves all exchanged pleasantries, and Kurt was hustled back into his ordinary clothes. They group left with a selection of the things Tahryn had been holding and Mary and Layla were left in the changing rooms holding the shirt Kurt had rejected.

“You feel that?”

“Yes.” Layla raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “You reckon they realise it yet?”

“On some level,” Mary put her hands on her hips, trying to relieve the pressure of the baby on her bladder, “Kurt seems fractious.”

“Well if his mate is calling him things like “pup” in public… I’d have a hard time adjusting too.” Layla rubbed her abdomen distractedly. “Hey are you OK?”

Mary exhaled hard, pain radiated up from her abdomen.

“I think maybe she’s ready to come out.”

“Now?” Mary had the surprising pleasure of seeing the trim little solicitor panicked. “Oh crap.”

“Call David, tell him to get the bag. Then call Dinah. Baby’s a-coming.”

*

Kurt sat on the bed and watched Tahryn put away his new clothes. The sight of his clothes hanging with his mate’s made him somehow happy. Tahryn’s clothes were bigger than his, and brighter. Kurt had managed to stick to things that came in black, grey and the darker shades of reds and blues. They were easy to pick out against Tahryn’s loud wardrobe. He could hear Tahryn thinking, it was nice.

‘Is it too soon? Can I ask him yet? What if he says no?’

Kurt decided he didn’t like the flavour of those thoughts too much. He wanted Tahryn to be happy. The wolf in his head snarled at him. The fuck is wrong with you? You cannot actually want to do this? Kurt shook himself and slipped off the bed. His trip out with Willis had been useful, instructive even, and he felt much better than he had the previous day. Well enough to…? Kurt stayed on his knees, moved across the carpet and sat back on his heels as Tahryn turned around.

‘What are you doing down there?’ The question in Tahryn’s head was not framed by his mouth. The wolf snapped and growled, but Kurt pushed it back again. It was harder now to do it, to keep the wolf caged. Being on his knees didn’t help much, but the big wide-eyed expression on Tahryn’s face was too good to miss out on.

“Jesus Kurt…” Tahryn’s voice was low and breathless. “Are you sure?”

Kurt didn’t trust himself to speak, so he nodded and reached out for Tahryn’s fly. His hands shook but he managed the zipper and Tahryn helped him ease the jeans down over his hips. Tahryn, like most wolves, did not bother with a great amount of underwear. Christ it’s huge… Tahryn’s cock was proportioned like the rest of him, big and tan, nicely flared at the end and thickening up quickly. Kurt reached out and touched him. What he’d done in the bath had been experimental, interesting, and oh so fucking sexy. Kurt wanted to avoid thinking about what it meant for his dominant side to be on his knees in front of Tahryn.

“Oh pup…” Tahryn’s voice was a low rumble, husky blue eyes wide and boring into his skull. His thoughts were almost incomprehensible; images of want and need too coloured and clouded with lust to make any real sense. Kurt wrapped his hand around the base of his mate’s erection and twisted his hand as he drew up the length in the way he knew he liked on himself. Tahryn hissed and every muscle of his abdomen tensed, deep tan ridges which Kurt leant up to kiss. The blond trail of hairs leading from navel to groin intrigued him and he licked and lapped at the different textures. When Tahryn’s big hand landed in his hair he vibrated with the effort it took to keep the wolf pinned down. He moved down and kissed the join where Tahryn’s muscles changed, his cock pulsing along with his heartbeat.

Tahryn’s visual instructions were much clearer now that the main shock was over and Kurt followed the pictures he was being sent, images of himself with his lips wrapped around Tahryn’s cock. Apparently Tahryn thought he was beautiful because he glowed in the visions. He gave the head of Tahryn’s member an experimental lick, felt his mate’s whole body jerk in response and then kissed the tip, wrapped his lips around the fat pink glans. He looked up. Tahryn was staring down at him like he was… God or something. His chiselled lips were open and wet, panting with need and lust and desire.

It was awesome.

Kurt licked again at Tahryn’s member, even though the size of it scared him a little bit, and then went back to softly sucking. It was not totally comfortable, and having to use half his mind to squash the wolf down was distracting, but Kurt was enjoying himself too much to really care about the big black wolf which snapped and snarled. He was proud when he managed to swallow enough of Tahryn’s cock to feel it bumping against the back of his throat. It sort of hurt, but it was sort of good, so he kept going. He was intoxicated by the taste of his mate, which was just as good as his scent; spicy sweet and full of the flavour of the hot sea. How Tahryn had ended up smelling so good was a mystery to Kurt, but right now he didn’t care. The way Tahryn gasped and moaned was way too interesting, and his fingers in Kurt’s hair never pushed or tightened. Tahryn’s breathing changed, became really shallow and irregular and Kurt hummed to himself in satisfaction. He’d done well, he was good at this. He’d done well.

The fuck is wrong with you? Done well? You’re a bloody lap dog.

The voice of the wolf in his head was so strong and loud Kurt instantly pulled back, repulsed by what he was doing. He stood, his knees shaking and cramped from too long in one position, but before he could pull away and think of placating the wolf, Tahryn grabbed him, arms around him all possessive and dominant, and kissed him hard until he was dizzy.

“Fuck that’s awesome.”

“It is?” Kurt tried not to show he was wrestling to stay as a functioning human shaped object.

“I want you.” Tahryn’s growl was half an octave off a command. His hands pushed at Kurt, pressing through his barriers and stripping him effectively of his clothes. Tahryn’s skin was searing hot, and as he pushed Kurt back against the bed the smaller boy realised his grip on the rabid feral canine in his mind was not as strong as perhaps it should be.

“Wait... Tay.” Kurt didn’t know what to do. He was so far above pleading for anything. Normally he just did or took whatever he wanted if he thought he was strong enough. Now Tahryn had him pinned against the duvet and was kissing his way across the soft skin of his stomach, growling low, happy and possessive. “Tay…don’t…”

“Oh pup…” Tahryn’s voice was a command whether he meant it or not and Kurt panted as his self-control was ripped from him, his mind leashed. It didn’t matter; he wanted to do it, to please his mate, to experience the pleasure Tahryn clearly felt when he submitted as a wolf. They were all good reasons to want to have sex with his mate. But he was scared. He was no longer crushing the wolf down, everything was being held by Tahryn. What was going to happen when he let go?

Tahryn turned him over, big hands gentle and firm all at once and Kurt wanted to scream and cry at the same time as Tahryn squeezed his butt, one finger touching at his entrance. He had no tail to pull in front to guard himself, and because he couldn’t think of anything to say or do, he did nothing. Tahryn’s breath was hot and wet on the back of his neck. Talking to him between kisses, telling him he was beautiful. Kurt couldn’t focus. The wolf was right there under the surface, waiting to punch through and hurt something. Tahryn wasn’t concentrating on what he was saying, and the command slipped. Kurt spent half a jagged breath on the verge of going feral and shredding everything in sight before he won the fight with the wolf.

“Can I fuck you?”

It was a shock to be asked permission, lying on his front with Tahryn’s hands over him, the weight of the taller young man holding him down, but Kurt twisted to look over his shoulder and Tahryn was all gold and blue like the sun on the sea and Kurt nodded even though he was petrified.

“Remember to breath.” Tahryn whispered the words against his skin and Kurt felt the wet head of his mate’s erection press at him, seeking entrance to his body, wanting them to be joined fully. The wolf growled and snapped, being on his knees was one thing, but there was no twisting this situation in order to be dominant. Kurt held on for dear life, and exhaled as Tahryn pushed.

It hurt, it was too big and Kurt was sure he was going to die from the pressure of Tahryn’s huge cock trying to work its way into him. He wanted to scream, and fought the urge. He bit his lip and tasted blood. The tight ring of muscle clenched, spasmed, and it seemed Tahryn ploughed in for his whole length in one go. And there was the thought which changed everything for Kurt and the big dominant wolf that was sick of being pushed around in the back of his mind.

‘Oh fuck that’s good….I wonder if he would let me pull his hair…’

The words sprang straight into his mind, bypassed the normal junctions of tolerance, lust and desire and speared into his instincts like a bullet between the eyes. The under developed human emotions were not enough to counter the overwhelming presence of the dominant wolf brain and Kurt found himself finally losing control. He’d held out for so long, but the wolf had been in full and total possession of him all his life, and five weeks of humanity were not enough to fight back against a canine that’d spent his whole life practicing the game of dominance.

He shifted.

The spasm removed him from the bed, Tahryn’s cry of shock ringing in his ears as the tight pressure around his arousal vanished. Kurt, his brain at war with himself wasn’t even there, his black furred form running on auto pilot as he snapped, snarled, flattened his ears and fled. Tahryn had learnt, he was quick, and his hand closed around the wolf’s hind leg as he dove off the bed. Kurt turned and snapped at his limb. Pain seared through his mind as his fangs cut the flesh of his mate. Tahryn screamed, Kurt shrieked, a high otherworldly noise of an animal in pain.

He couldn’t open the door, or barrel through it. It opened inwards and Kurt threw himself at the wood until his shoulder threatened to dislocate. He rounded on Tahryn, barely recognising the shape of his mate. The human-Kurt part of his mind was gone, the wolf-Kurt remained, raw and feral and snapping at everything. Tawny eyes fixed on the window and Kurt jumped, claws scrabbling on the desk for purchase. Glass was easier to break. He was good at jumping from the second floor. But pain nicked him as the glass cut his paws. He stumbled as he leapt, half healed bone grating at the pressure and the stumble. There was a yelp, the sensation of falling, and the wet crunch of bone and flesh hitting the ground.

Kurt saw black, and knew nothing.

*

Deoran stood looking at the interior of his car. It wasn’t a pretty sight. He’d pretty much lived out of thing since he’d bought it, second hand, six years ago. It was a mess with books and papers, bits of teaching stuff, supplies, emergency clothes, food, and blankets. There were old sweet wrappers and photocopied essays done for him by children who’d been nice. It was a weird representation of a life. Now he’d parked the decrepit car outside of the house he and Aliza were sharing. Aliza had not wanted to give up her apartment over in town. Deoran knew his new mate enjoyed her independence. It felt sickeningly good to be part of a real pack again. He was just debating what to get out of the car first so he could start what would be the lengthy job of cleaning it properly now that it didn’t need to double as his house, when he heard the shout, the high panicked bark and the noise that sent him straight back fourteen years to when he had been sixteen, smart and apparently king of the world.

The sick thud of flesh and bone breaking, the sound of a warm body hitting the ground with force, the half yelp that broke out of a throat already too pained to finished the noise. But instead of the squeal of tires and the chugging thud of stalling engines there was just the sounds of nature, the birds in the far trees twittering away like nothing was wrong, the local owl hooting in the woods, pleased not to have to fight off any wolves for its hunting grounds.

For a moment, Deoran thought his imagination was running away with him again, and then came the scream. It was wordless, it was almost a howl for all it came from a human throat, a thick red and black ball of pain and shame and sorrow that was too strong for any one soul to bear. Deoran didn’t decide to do anything, he just ran, straight across the road. Without looking again, do you ever learn? He rounded the side of the house where the Spencer family lived along with the intimidating pair of which Kurt Ulrich was half. Lying in the grass was the body of the big black wolf. Crouched over him was the naked figure of his mate. The boy had obviously jumped and landed awkwardly, grass stuck to his skin and he wasn’t leaning on one shoulder, but his hands were moving over his mate tenderly.

“Oh please no, don’t be gone. You can’t be gone I need you. You have to be alive please please please Kurt….” The litany went on and on, and Deoran stood staring at the white hot love that poured out of the naked boy towards the wolf. His human instinct to be busy when things were weird kicked in and in moments he was kneeling next to the big black creature whose sudden appearance had scared him shitless not four days before.

He touched Kurt’s front leg and the big blond growled and pushed him back. His eyes were glazed and he wasn’t thinking clearly, if at all.

“Let me help him. He’s still alive.” Deoran touched him again and began to feel his fingers up Kurt’s fur checking for broken bones. He hoped he hadn’t lied to the husky eyed young werewolf who looked like he himself was on the edge of going totally feral any minute. When he felt the pulse, steady but not strong, under his hand, he relaxed. “Turn his head. Angle his neck so he can breathe better.” He didn’t have to tell the boy to be careful; he touched the big black creature like he was made of glass. “And go and get the doctor.”

For a long moment Deoran thought the big tanned teenager was going to argue with him, but he got up, took a long look at his mate, and sprang off around the corner of the house. Deoran knelt, checking over the rest of the wolf’s body. Kurt was either blessed or miracle lucky, because nothing was apparently broken, and his breathing and pulse were returning to normal. By the time Deoran sat back again on his heels, he found the tawny brown eyes of the black wolf open and watching him through a haze of pain and confusion. Deoran recognised the look. He’d worn it himself for a long time.

“You and me mate, we’re going to have to have us a talk.”

Then the boy’s mate arrived with Noakes and apparently the rest of the pack, and Deoran sat with the black wolf through all the fuss, never breaking that gaze. He could see Kurt turning what he’d said over in his mind, and when the wolf blinked once, deliberately and slowly, Deoran knew he had his answer.