oh my gosh i apologize that it took so long (also that itâs a wip-) but I hope you enjoy!
TheWolves were not only disgusting, dirty creatures, they were also abysmallyidiotic.
âDonâtyou say that to us too?â Molly asked uncertainly, her head tilted as sheglanced at him, watched him watch them.
âYourpoint?â he muttered.
IfMolly had said anything after that, he hadnât heard it. He hated to fall intothe clichĂŠs of their century long feud, but there was something about the waythose mutts prowled that stunk of misplaced superiority, and if there wasanything he hated more than attending galas in his brotherâs place, it wassomeone thinking themselves better than he.
Thewolves were only passing by the city, on their journey to the deserts ofAhastier. Having gone through his brotherâs files well before the gathering, heknew exactly what it was that they were after.
Personally,Sherlock was surprised his brother hadnât showed his face - Mycroft pridedhimself in his ability to keep the world in line with his wishes. That thewolves would become near infallible should they find cure to their afflictionto silver could be⌠troublesome, and should be well within Mycroftâs concern.
Hiseyes, having swept over the room disinterestedly, caught on the blond wolfhumming in the corner of the room, in his arms a grinning human with bright eyes.
Humansgenerally didnât care to be out and about with werewolves, or vampires, orgargoyles, or sirens, or anything that wasnât of their own kind. They wereclose-minded that way, and the only exception he had met had been Donovan, whoonly hated him for undermining her, instead of his lack of humanity.
Nothingwas sacred in a hall filled with Vampires and Werewolves, and the thrillinglaugh torn from the humanâs throat made something in him shift. Curiosity,perhaps.
Atany rate, it would take up his time.
Molly,who had been his attendant for nearly a decade, startled when he strode throughthe crowd, hurrying to follow. He took a glass from a near empty tray, makingsure to have some of the thinned blood spread across his lips.
Thewhole point of this endeavour was to entertain himself, after all.
Closerup, he saw the worn travelling cape the human had clasped around his neck, thedusty boots in a hall as grand as this, and allowed a faint sense of surpriseto flood him. He had come with the Wolves. A human had come with the wolves ontheir little classified mission, or perhaps he hadnât known what heâd sign upfor.
However,watching the way the humanâs hand was curled around the wolfâs shoulders,watching how they murmured amicably to each other, it was highly unlikely thathe hadnât been told.
Thewolf, nearly a head taller than the human, stilled imperceptibly at hisapproach, his gentle smile fading as his green eyes flickered towards him.
Hefelt his lips stretch in a smile, just as the music reached a crescendo.
âMayI have this dance?â he asked smoothly, offering a hand to the human with a headcocked.
Thehuman, with an assemble just on the side of formal, all weapons â for Sherlockwouldnât make the mistake of assuming him without, a human among wolves âhidden properly, politely, turnedtowards him, ocean eyes widening to the sight of his bloodstained smile. Therewasnât as much of a struggle as he had hoped, as the manâs heartbeat calmed ina way that was most certainly practiced, dipping his head in a cordial nod ashe pulled away from the Wolf. He had a handsome face, if somewhat plain, linedwith age and worn with time. His cheeks were flushed, just slightly, a productbrought on by his dancing.
Thewolf backed away, but Sherlock could feel him hovering.
âPartner?âhe asked in a rumble, slipping his arm around the humanâs waist, tugging himtowards him firmly. Their fingers entwined easily.
Thehuman allowed him his manhandling, a small oofshocked out of him when their chests bumped. âNothing like that.â He saidcarefully, his voice a pleasant tenor as he tried to shift away, his fingerstwitching against his shoulder. His head tipped to keep their gazes locked,barely pausing on his lips. âIt wouldnât be proper if I was⌠romanticallyentangled with my C.O.â
âHeâsnot your Alpha.â He hummed, turning his head away to catch Mollyâs worriedgaze.
Tensionshad always been high between them and the wolves â a word out of place and theycould be looking at a war. He believed his brother to have taken special careto warn his attendant of watching over him tonight.
âWhatmakes you think I have one?â The human countered, both eyebrows raised. Therewas a small plastic smile playing at the edges of his lips, as he movedmechanically from left to right.
âEvenif I hadnât seen the crest sewn into the inside of your cloak,â he said softly,bent to murmur into the humanâs ear, relishing in the sudden uptick of hisheart, the sudden pounding of his blood just a finger beneath him. âWolves areterritorial creatures, slow to trust outsiders. You are no mere soldier â youare human. You must hold quite a standing to have been allowed on thisridiculous trek, and yet,â he gently spun the human, watching him trail afterhim uncertainly. âYou donât know how to dance. A family member then, or afamily friend, to have volunteered you. No matter which way you look at it,none of these Wolves would have trusted you unless you were part of a pack.â Hetipped his head to the side, drawing the humanâs wide, disbelieving eyes dartingto the numerous Wolves watching them, whether discreetly or not.
âAndas you can see,â he murmured, surprise flitting through him to see a half smilecurl the humanâs lips. A real one,this time. âThey are remarkably fond of you.â
âTheycould have just known me for a really long time.â The human argued, sounding atouch breathless; he pulled away slightly to look at properly the man. His eyesnarrowed slightly, to think that he had accidentally lost himself to the whitenoise of human blood, losing sight of the man himself. He hadnât in a long time. The humanâs eyes were astormy colour, and the flush of his cheeks had spread. Sherlock had the sudden,unfamiliar urge to follow it with his tongue.
âIfthey did, you would have been accepted into the pack at some point.â Hereminded, his fingers spreading on the manâs waist, stroking once with his palmto invoke an involuntary shudder. âA pack has an Alpha.â He continued lowly,his teeth aching. âLogic.â He finished, hearing a low growl definitely meantfor his ears.
âNot mind reading?â the human asked, staringup at him with wide eyes.
Sherlockrolled his eyes heavenward, just about to snap out a sharp reprimand at thesurfacing of an old rumour, his patience diminishing, when he saw the grin thehuman tried to hide, ducking his head from his sight, and he suddenly felt at aloss as to what to do, with such a magnificent creature in his arms.
âThatwas brilliant.â The human said, as if assuring a companion â an enjoyable companion.
Hehadnât felt this wrong-footed since Irene.
âWasit?â he asked softly; the rumble of his voice caused the humanâs to pupils todilate, to his satisfaction and delight. Heâd always known his features tocause heads to turn, but his tongue and dripping disdain usually warded themoff, usually had them watching from afar instead of coming too close.
Thishuman, however. This human withcoarse fingers curled warmly around his cold skin, his smile sincere andbreath-taking, and Sherlock might want to keep him forever.
Theyhad drawn the eyes of nearly everyone in the hall.
âMayI have this dance?â another voice said, accented and gruff. There was anunderlying current of amusement in his voice.
Thehuman seemed to tear his eyes away from him as reluctantly as he did, turningto face a wolf as tall as he, one he had spotted lounging by the candle-littables chatting up a forest nymph. There was a jagged scar running along hisjaw, one he certainly flaunted. Â He had ahead of windswept bronze locks, and a hand held towards the human, his headcocked to the side.
Sherlockdidnât even have to look to know they were conversing without him â the humanâsheartbeat stuttering with indignation and shame.
Theman finally dipped his head in a nod, reaching out to let the Wolf cradle oneof his hands.
Blueirises flickered to him; he saw his own eyes burning red reflected in them. Hiseyes had never glowed without hisconsent â he blinked, pulling his glamour over himself carefully once more.