#liminality masterlist

After sending out a group text to update Frankie, Pope and Yovanna - and a separate text to Frankie, explaining what had happened and that you were safe - you went out into the main bar area and took a seat at it. 

Both Will and Benny came out and kept you company, the older Miller joining the female bartender to help with the lunch rush while Benny plopped down on a stool beside you, both of them doing what it took to keep you distracted and your thoughts occupied. 

You ordered food that you only picked at, still trying to understand how, after so long of being so careful, you’d blown everything because you’d let Tom get under your skin. Which is exactly what he’s been trying to do this entire time. 

It had been stupid of you, and you knew it. But neither Benny or Will had looked angry or disappointed. Instead, they’d just seemed concerned, flipping immediately into protect mode as all of you waited to see what would happen. 

“I should have recorded it.” You hung your head, shoulders slumped. “Then you could all hear what we said. Then you could prepare for -”

“You didn’t. And there’s nothin’ you can do about that now.” Will leaned over the bar and said your name, waiting until you met his gaze to speak again. “The only thing you can do is get yourself ready for it. That’s all any of us can do.” 

“He’s right.” Benny put his hand on top of yours. “And I’m going to be right fucking there with you when he shows up. I want him to see what a piece of shit I think he is before -”

“Ben.” Will straightened up, head moving from side to side. “Not the place. Not the time.” Benny pulled his hand back and grumbled, reaching for the glass in front of him and downing most of it. “We’ll talk about it later.” 

You wondered how long it would take Frankie to see the messages and to get to you - and what his reaction would be. He’s going to be pissed. He’s going to be so pissed. You checked your phone and saw that there was a message from him from a few minutes earlier, and winced at the short, harsh nature of it. 

Stay where you are. I’m coming. 

“Frankie’s on his way.” You held your phone up. “I guess he’s done flying for the day.” Will dragged a hand through his hair and nodded, and Benny stood, flattening his hands on the bartop. 

“I’m going to go back into the office. I need to get some shit done before he gets here.” Will nodded, and as Benny turned away from both of you, you rubbed at the bridge of your nose. 

“I wish I could have seen the look on his face when you slipped.” Will picked up a towel and started rubbing at the already clean space in front of you. “He must have been pissed.”

“Probably. He was probably so mad that I figured it out faster than you guys did, or at least he thinks I did, anyway. But he was just … he gave me this look like… I don’t know, Will. It was scary. He stayed so still, and … he just smiled.” 

“Redfly does that.” He sighed. “It’s almost worse when he doesn’t react.” You agreed. “He got real good at it when we were enlisted, and that’s how we all knew shit was bad in South America. We’d never seen him the way he was then.” Will reached for your glass and then picked up the soda gun, tilting it to refill your drink. “And none of us have ever seen anything like now.” 

You dragged your thumb along the condensation on the bartop and then looked up at  the blonde. “I’m sorry.” You saw confusion on his face, Will frowning as he waited to see what else you’d say. “I’m sorry that your friend is … not what you thought. And that my being here brought it to -”

“He was doing this shit before you got here.” Will rolled his eyes. “You being here sped things up, but you didn’t cause it. You just made it real fucking clear that there’s no limit to what he’ll…” He clenched his jaw. “You being here is a good thing. Especially for ‘Fish.” 

Part of you agreed, but another part of you felt responsible for the fact that Frankie would need to end the life of someone he’d considered a brother for the majority of his adult life. Even though stopping Tom is important no matter what, it … 

“What does she owe you, Ironhead?” You felt him behind you as he spoke, Frankie pressing against your back as he wound his arms around you. “Because whatever it is, we’re paying and then leaving, and -” 

“It’s on the house, ‘Fish. You know that.” Will rubbed at his jaw and looked past you and at his friend. “We’re all good here. You good?” Frankie’s arm’s tightened around you and he didn’t say anything else, even as Benny reappeared at the end of the bar, a towel slung over one shoulder. 

“Good to see ya, man.” He sidestepped a stool and then stood next to you, resting one elbow on the wood. “Good flights today?”

“Real good.” You could hear the tension in his voice as well as feel it in the way he held you. One hand rose to stroke the length of his forearm without pause, your fingers glancing over the raised skin of his scar. Oh, Frankie. “Dinner at my place tonight. What time you off?”

“We can both be out of here at 7.” Will cleared his throat. “You tell Pope yet?” Frankie grunted out a no, and Will’s gaze shifted to Benny, who sighed, the sound heavy. 

“I’ll tell him. We’ll bring some beers. There a game on tonight?”

“Hell if I know.” Frankie’s arms finally loosened, his hands moving to rest on the back of your barstool. “I’ve been busy worrying about a bunch of other shit.” Ok, that’s enough. 

“Alright.” You stood, smiling at Will and then at Benny. “One of you tell Pope and Yova about dinner. We’ll order wings or something and have ‘em delivered.” You looked over at Frankie for the first time that night and were stunned to see how wrecked he looked, his skin paler than usual and his hair disheveled, like he’d spent the entire drive over running his hands through it. “Oh, Frankie.” 

Benny nudged you forward, and you reached for Frankie’s hand, your fingers slipping between his. Neither of you spoke as you headed for the exit, and once you were back out in the late afternoon sunshine, you took a deep breath, collecting your thoughts. “I’ll drive. I don’t want to let you out of my sight.” 

“I need my car, Frankie.” You turned to face him, reaching up to rub your thumb over his cheek. “Can’t just leave it here for the next couple days.We’re trying to keep things normal, so -”

“You can get it tomorrow.” He pulled you closer, hands settling on your hips as he stared you down. His eyes were still mostly brown, but they seemed lighter - and it wasn’t a brief change; it was constant. Oh, Frankie. “Please do not make me watch you walk away from me right now.” It was a simple enough request - and you could get the car the following day; you leaving it in the bar parking lot wasn’t out of the ordinary. Especially since Will and Benny own it. 

“Ok.” You nodded twice, and then leaned in to kiss him. “I’m fine, Francisco. It was scary when it happened, but …” You sighed. “There’s no way he would have tried anything in public or in front of the Millers.” 

“No, he wouldn’t have.” Frankie’s eyes shut and he sighed, his head shaking back and forth slowly. “I just … I got that message, and then I still had another flight that I couldn’t cancel, and …” 

“I know. But I was safe. I said something really stupid, but I was safe.” Moving your hand, you put your arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, Frankie’s head immediately lowering so that he could bury his face against your neck. He held you close, and only let go when the blare of someone’s horn from the street startled him. “Let’s go back to your place. We can talk there.” 

— 

But when you got to his house, Frankie didn’t seem interested in talking. 

Instead, as soon as the front door was shut and locked behind you, he was on you, mouth moving over your face and neck as his hands pulled at your clothing. He’s never been like this before. It was sudden but not unwelcome, and once you’d managed to kick your shoes off and put both of your hands up, fingers sliding through his hair, you finally got a word in. I need to know what’s going on in his head. 

“Wait.” You tugged on his hair, pulling his face away from you. “Frankie, wait a second. Talk to me.” 

“I can smell him on you.” He curled his lip, eyes more gold than brown, though it was gone before you knew it. “It’s mostly just Tom, but since we’re so close to the moon and you riled him up, it’s the wolf too. And I fucking hate it.” 

“Could you smell it before?” Your breath came out shaky, but you continued. “Before I got to Florida, I mean? Do wolves smell like wolves, or -”

“

“I don’t know.” He leaned in, nuzzling against your throat. “Maybe. But after he stopped coming out with me when I run, I guess… I guess I stopped seeing him close to the full moon altogether. And since I’d never been around another wolf, I didn’t … fuck. I should have paid more attention.” 

“No.” You kissed his temple. “Because you had a suspicion the night he cut himself, and you didn’t smell it then, either. You had to smell his blood. Maybe it’s just before the moon, Frankie. Maybe -”

“Then why did I react the way I did to Ashley?” His hand slid beneath your shirt and ran up the center of your back, his skin warm against yours. “I walked into that hospital room and I knew.”

“She was on the defensive.” You swallowed, stroking the back of his neck as Frankie’s mouth worried the skin at the base of your throat. “She was on high alert and so were you, so maybe … maybe that’s what it takes. Or maybe since you knew she was a wolf, there’d be something different to scent, or -”

“I’ll ask her.” He groaned as he mouthed at your pulse point, raising his head slowly. “But right now all I want is to get these fucking clothes off of you and make you smell like me instead of that fucking …” He bit at your chin, your head tilting backwards as you whined. I kind of like him like this. I kind of like … 

“You going to be able to keep it together if we have sex right now?” He met your eyes, his lips parted as he waited to see what else you’d say. “I thought you were riled up last month, but this is …” You bit your lip. “I wish it was for a different reason, but I kinda like you like this.” 

“No promises.” He raised a brow, and for the first time, you saw a brief smile on his lips. “Except that yes I can keep it together enough not to bite you.” He leaned in, tilting his head to the side and letting his mouth hover over yours. “Hard, anyway.” That made you giggle, the sound catching you by surprise - and making Frankie’s eyes widen as his smile returned after he backed away. “It’s good to hear that coming from you.” 

“You’ll hear a lot more things you like from me if you kiss me again.” You tugged on his hair, licking your lips. “Do you want to stay out here, or go into your room?” 

“Bedroom.” He nudged you toward the doorway. “We’re having company later and I think they’d appreciate not sitting on the same couch that we just fucked on.” That made you laugh again, and you leaned in, kissing his lips. 

“You’re so considerate.” He snorted as you stepped away, turning your back to him and reaching down to pull your shirt off. “It’s one of the reasons I love you.” His hands found their way to your hips as he followed you into the bedroom, Frankie close behind. “Wait.” You turned to face him, tossing your shirt into the dirty laundry pile. “You said… we’re having company.” 

“I did.” He focused on you, only breaking eye contact when he pulled his shirt off, too, throwing it over with yours. “And I meant it exactly how it sounded.” 

“I like that.” You undid the button on your pants, shimmying out of them and watching as he unbuckled his belt, pulling it free from the loops with one hand. “Are we going to talk about -”

“After.” He dropped his jeans, stepping out of them before he kicked them to the side. “Need you first.” He moved forward, his hands finding your bare skin and sliding over it, wide palms moving fluidly as he urged you closer. “Sit on the end of the bed.” You nodded, carefully turning so that he didn’t have to let you go. 

He walked with you to the bed, and as you lowered yourself onto the mattress, you looked up, raising a brow as he stayed in front of you. “I’m in the perfect position, Frankie.” You placed your hands at his waist, fingertips trailing along the edge of the elastic band of his underwear. “Let me -” 

“Later.” His hips jerked forward as your hands moved, but he shook his head. “I -” You paid no attention and tilted your head to the right, leaning forward and kissing his abdomen, mouth moving inward toward his belly button. “Fuck, you’re not … you’re going to …” He was hard beneath the cotton, the outline of him clearly visible against the light gray material. “Shit.” 

You smiled as you moved your mouth down, your hand dropping from his waist to cup the bottom of his bulge as you kissed along the length of it. The urge to press your thighs together was strong, but you couldn’t with him where he was - and you knew that when you finally removed the rest of your clothing, it would be apparent that teasing him had turned you on. Good. Good, he needs to know. 

Making your way back up, you opened your mouth and sucked the tip of him between your lips, tongue lapping at the cloth. He hissed, one hand moving to grip your shoulder and the other going to the back of your head. “You’re in a mood today.” He groaned and mumbled your name as you squeezed him gently. “Gonna make me come in my goddamn underwear like a -” He moaned when you dragged your teeth gently along him as you lifted your head, raising your eyes to meet his. 

“No. I was just teasing you.” Licking your lips, you shrugged. “You’re very tense, Frankie.” He was breathing hard, his eyes bright. “I just …” Biting the inside of your lip, you sighed. “I was trying to help.”

He moved abruptly, dropping to his knees in front of you faster than you thought possible, and then it was him looking up at you. “You like teasing me?” He reached up, one hand sliding along the inside of your thigh. “Let me return the favor.” You widened the spread of your legs as his hand moved closer to your center, and when one of Frankie’s thick fingers found its target, pressing against the damp fabric, you couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped you. 

“Jesus, you …” You closed your eyes and tilted your head back, a second finger joining his first. “Holy shit.” His mouth met the inside of your thigh before it moved inward, the motion of his fingers never ceasing. 

You deserved the teasing - deserved to have him do the same thing you’d done to him - touching and tasting you through the fabric instead of without it as a barrier. It’s only fair. Reopening your eyes, you looked down at him, watching his progress and gasping when he withdrew his hand and used it to urge your leg over his shoulder. 

He pressed down on your other one with his hand, widening the spread of your legs, and before you could say anything to him, he took the edge of your underwear between his teeth and tugged, releasing it moments later and letting it snap back against your skin. 

You moaned at the feeling - half his name and half just noise, and then Frankie’s mouth was on you, pressing kisses to your soaked core and dragging his tongue along it afterward. You dug your heel into the center of his back and curled your fingers, bunching up the blankets beneath you against your palms. 

He’d already proven time and time again that he was capable of getting you off quickly with his mouth, and you knew that if he continued, that time would be no different. I need to tell him to stop. “F-Frankie.” You forced it out, even as you rolled your hips forward and against his mouth. “Unless you stop, I’m…” He snapped the elastic again, which made you pause, teeth digging into your lower lip. Dammit. “I need you.” 

He looked up then, pulling back enough that when he exhaled, the heat of his breath fanned out over you and made you shiver. You repeated yourself, nodding as you sat up and reached behind you to unhook your bra. “Need you too.” He eased your leg down, and once it wasn’t in the way anymore, he rose, reaching down to take off his underwear. “You have no fucking idea how much.” 

Frankie climbed into the bed as you moved yourself backwards and into a more comfortable position. Once you were in place, you also took your underwear off, staring up at him as he reached over and into the drawer for a condom, the muscles in his upper body rippling with each motion. I think I do know how much.  

You assumed he’d tear the foil open immediately, but instead of doing that, he set the square down on the pillow next to you and then leaned over, taking a slow breath as his eyes moved over your face. “You put yourself in danger today by meeting with him, and I don’t like that.” He clenched his jaw and you saw a muscle in his cheek twitch. “I understand why you did it, and I know you were safe after, but it still…” 

“I know.” You spoke quietly, reaching over with one hand to touch his. “I’m sorry that it happened that way.” Frankie lowered his head and kissed your cheek before turning so that his lips were in front of your ear. 

“You will never have to put yourself in that position again.” You heard the growl in his voice, and when he met your eyes again, his expression was hard. “I promise.” All you could do was nod, reaching up to pull his face back down to yours so that you could kiss him. 

You could feel the tension in his shoulders, but as the kiss deepened, Frankie’s lips parting at the first gentle probe of your tongue, he relaxed. That’s good. He needs to relax… and so do I. 

When he broke away to breathe, you jerked your head to the side, eyes moving from Frankie’s face in the direction of the condom. “You gonna use that, or what?” 

— 

“They’re going to be here in like ten minutes, Frankie.” You were toweling off, though your attention was on the shower, where Frankie still stood under the steaming water. “We’re cutting it really fucking close.” 

He grumbled out an agreement, but only moments later the water stopped and he poked his head out. His eyes widened at the sight of you holding out a fresh, dry towel, but he took it without saying anything. Despite the time crunch, you still took a few moments to stare at him when he stepped out and onto the bathroom floor, the towel hanging low on his hips, though it was wrapped tightly, the end tucked into place. 

He caught you looking and straightened up, one side of his mouth lifting into a smirk. “See something you like?” 

“Maybe.” You winked at him and forced yourself to turn away, giving yourself one final look in the mirror. “I’m glad we ordered food before we showered.” He stepped up behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist, meeting your gaze through your reflections. “What?”

“How are you so calm?” You’d known it was coming. Though the two of you had pushed the truth of your situation to the side long enough to focus on each other in bed, the fact of the matter was that in only a few minutes’ time, your friends were going to arrive to talk over something very serious. Shit. 

“I don’t know.” You pulled the hem of your t-shirt into place and then reached up to pinch the bridge of your nose. “I’m trying not to let myself think about it right now, to be honest.” Turning so that you could look at him, you tried to smile. “I have to believe that between all of us we can figure something out, and that it’ll -”

“We’ve already figured it out. I’m going to fucking kill him.” He didn’t flinch as he said it, Frankie’s tone even. “And if, for some reason I can’t, or I fail…  then you and Benny will finish the job with silver.” 

You hadn’t even considered that Frankie might not be able to kill Tom. And if he failed, then that means… no. “You’re not going to fail.” You put your hand against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath it. “Frankie -”

“No. I’m not. But …” He shrugged. “We need to prepare for anything.” You knew that he was right, and that Benny wouldn’t hesitate to raise - and use - a gun. “Let me get dressed. I don’t think any of those guys want to see this much of me when they get here.” You lowered your head and nodded, trying to steady yourself as Frankie backed away and then disappeared into his bedroom. 

You exited into the main hallway, turning and making your way into the kitchen, where you busied yourself with getting plates and napkins ready. Despite everything, you felt comfortable moving around in the space, the feeling from the morning after you’d been with him for the first time amplified. And he likes having me here, too. 

You glanced down at what you wore and smiled, briefly closing your eyes. You’d left a few things at his place - a few outfits and a toothbrush, along with some toiletries - so that you weren’t just constantly bringing everything back and forth. It made you feel more settled, and that was something that both of you liked, especially with the situation you found yourselves in. As you finished, you looked around and let your gaze linger on the chalkboard.

He hadn’t erased your message from the morning you’d left after him, but he had added to it; an arrow pointing directly at it along with three words: I want to. 

It was more a note for himself than anything else, but it still made you grin and your cheeks heat. I can’t believe I found someone like him. You finished with the dishes and then turned back toward the living room, checking your phone as you crossed the space. 

“Pope’s about to pull up.” Frankie entered the room, running his hand through his towel-dried hair. “Benny and Will shouldn’t be too far behind.” You hummed out an agreement and lowered yourself onto the couch, hands in your lap. He sat beside you after unlocking the front door, pulling you close and encouraging you to tuck your head against his chest. “You smell better.” He kissed your hair, inhaling deeply. “And I put your clothes into the washer.” 

You laughed at that, the sound short. “Thank you.” You heard a car pulling up, followed by the sound of a door slamming, and only a few seconds later, Pope was walking through the front door, a 6-pack of beer in one hand. Frankie didn’t stand to greet him, and after saying hello, he walked into the kitchen, returning a minute later with an open beer. “Yova said to tell you she’s sorry she couldn’t be here. She had a spin class or some shit tonight, and she didn’t want to miss it.” He sat on the chair, eyeing the two of you. “Molly’s in the class.” 

It made sense - keeping up appearances was going to be important. And if Molly’s acting weird, she’ll be able to tell us. “We ordered food. It should be here soon.” You checked your phone. “Arthur has our order and is getting close.” Pope nodded, looking between you and Frankie. 

“I’ve been working on some things today. I think Yova and I are going to stop at the RV on the way out of town tomorrow and drop some shit off for you.” 

“Where are you going after?” You sat up, putting your hands in your lap. “Isn’t the RV out of the way?” 

“St. Augustine.” He gave you a small smile. “She’s never been. And it’s a good alibi, just in case.” You agreed - but that brought up another question. 

“I didn’t even think of that. Obviously if … when Tom goes missing, you guys will be questioned, since you’re his friends. And we’ll be at the RV, but … it’s in all of your names. They’ll look there, too. And if you fight him, Frankie, there’s going to be blood, and -”

“I said I’ve been working on some things.” Pope leaned in, saying your name. “I need you to trust me when I say that we’re planned shit like this out before. It’s a hell of a lot easier when you’ve got money.”

“I…” You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. “What if Tom fucks you over? What if he fucks us all over, and tells Molly, or tells someone from the Chaos line, or … I don’t know, preemptively calls the police and tells them to go to the RV site, and -”

“Then we fucking deal with it.” Frankie stood, crossing his arms. “There was enough wolf in his blood after the moon that I could sense it, so if they find blood at the clearing, it’ll come back animal with some human DNA in it, whether it’s mine or his.” He turned in a slow circle. “And we’ve all bled up there at one point or another just from doing dumb shit. All of our DNA is all over that trailer from the last couple years.” 

“I don’t think he’d call police.” Pope spoke up, taking a sip from the beer bottle. “If he wants to finish this, he won’t want to be interrupted.” It made sense, and as the three of you thought those words over, you heard another car pull up, followed by the sound of Benny and Will’s voices as they greeted someone. The food. 

Frankie walked toward the door and pulled it open for them, saying hello to his friends and then addressing the delivery guy by name. Good timing. The three men came into the room at the same time, Will carrying one bag, Frankie another, and Benny with a second 6 pack of beer - and a bottle of soda - in his hands. 

You greeted them, too, and didn’t miss the wink Benny gave you after assessing your new outfit and Frankie’s still damp hair. Don’t say a word, Benjamin. He didn’t - about that. But it was Benny that spoke up first, gesturing toward the kitchen as he headed in that direction. 

“We’ve got some important shit to talk about … but we should eat first.” He paused, looking around at the rest of you. “Mission planning always goes much smoother when you’re not fuckin’s starving.” 

“Can’t argue with that, little brother.” Will nodded, following him toward the kitchen. “Lead the way.” 

— 

You didn’t talk about the plan while you ate, but you talked about other things. 

The five of you sat out in Frankie’s back yard, and they listened while you recounted your meeting with Tom in detail. When you got to the end, repeating that he’d said to tell Frankie he’d see you in a couple days, you felt him stiffen next to you, though he’d kept quiet. 

“So he’s going to be at the RV.” You nodded, your attention on Pope. “Which means that he has two days to plan, too.” 

“But he’s only got himself.” Benny cut in, pulling his phone out. “And we’ve got all of us.” You definitely had the advantage, but it only went so far. “And,” the younger Miller continued as he typed on his screen. “Tom’s in Orlando right now.” He turned the device outward so that you could see a photo that had been posted roughly an hour earlier. “He went to that conference.” 

Frankie took the phone and stared at it, and you did, too. The picture was of Tom and a few other people sitting in a restaurant, with what looked like registration packets sitting on the table in front of them. He actually fucking went. 

“So what, is he going to run 90 miles as a wolf?” Will scratched the side of his head. “That doesn’t seem right. It would take him hours. If he brings his car back here, he can’t use the conference as a cover.”

“You know how fucking easy it is to get your hands on a shit car and register it to someone else, Will.” Frankie handed the phone back. “And if he doesn’t take the toll roads, the license plate won’t be picked up, so as far as anyone knows, he’ll be in Orlando and just hanging out in his hotel room until it’s time to check out … and he doesn’t.” You hadn’t even considered the traffic cameras, so you were glad he had. “My guess is he goes to the conference tomorrow and the day after, and heads here early afternoon. He’ll park in one of the overnight lots for camping that’s closer, and then wait til he turns to go to the RV.” 

“You’ve thought about this.” He nodded. “But that means you’d have to confront him as a wolf.” He nodded again. “You won’t get answers.” 

“Unless I don’t kill him until morning.” Frankie scratched the back of his neck. “If I’m able to hurt him enough to keep him there, then I can wait til we’re both human again, and -”

“I’ll gladly tranquilize his ass.” Benny spoke up, his tone hard. “Put enough of that shit into him to knock out a fucking elephant, and sit with him until the goddamn sun comes up.” 

“Me too.” You reached over, touching Frankie’s leg. “I wouldn’t think twice about it.” 

“I want you up in the blind.” He looked over at you. “I don’t want you on the ground in case anything goes wrong.” 

“No.” You shook your head, the motion almost violent. “No. I can’t do shit from up there. He’s actually hurt me, Frankie. I swear I won’t get in your way or Benny’s, but I want to be on the ground.” 

“She’s right, ‘Fish.” Will held up a hand. “More people on the ground will confuse him. He’ll have to try to pay attention to a hell of a lot more, and it could give you the upper hand.” 

“One of the things I’m taking out there tomorrow is a silver net.” Pope pulled his phone out and showed you and Frankie a picture. “There is a surprisingly robust market for shit like this. People take their cosplay very seriously.” That made you snort back a laugh, and Benny joined you, Will following along a few minutes later. “Anyway. It’s electroplated silver, but the girl that did it told me it’s pure.” 

“We could test it.” Frankie swallowed. “I can turn, and you can test it on me.” 

“‘Fish, that …” Pope started speaking and then stopped. “That might actually be a good idea.” He stood. “It’s in my trunk. Where should I bring it?”

“Garage.” Frankie stood, wiping his hands on his pants. “Let’s get this shit over with.” He reached for your hand, fingers closing around yours as he helped you to your feet. “You don’t have to watch.”

“Yes, I do.” You could almost feel his gratitude, and as you headed for the garage - and Pope for his car - all of you were silent. Frankie, to your knowledge, had never attempted to fully turn on command. And he’s doing it tonight just to test this net. 

“We’ll wait out here. Tell us when it’s alright to come in.” You assured Will that you would, and then you and Frankie entered the garage, his right hand reaching out to flip the lights on as you passed the switch. 

He undressed quickly, pulling his t-shirt off and setting it on top of his workbench along with his pants and boxers before he turned to face you.”I don’t know if this will work.”

“It will. You can do it.” You reached out, cupping his cheek with one hand. “It’s close enough to the moon that it’ll probably be easier than it would be otherwise, too.” He swallowed, staring at you. “I love you, Francisco. I -”

“You do it.” He wet his lips. “No way in fucking hell I’ll hurt you, and I have no idea how I’m going to react to this.” 

“You’ve come a long way in a month.” You kissed him, lips lingering against his. “First you weren’t sure whether or not you’d hurt me and now you’re sure you won’t.” You stepped back, keeping your eyes locked with his. “Alright. Go ahead.”

You leaned back against the wall, arms crossed… and waited. 

Frankie closed his eyes and flexed his fingers, and you watched his breathing change - shallow ones lengthening, his head tilting back as he exhaled. It took longer than it had the previous month, and when it happened it was slow, his muscles bulging beneath his skin as his limbs lengthened, a quiet groan reaching your ears when he pushed his shoulders back and crouched down, his hands making contact with the floor, fingers spread wide. 

He still didn’t look at you, and when his head dropped forward, you were able to see his face changing, features shifting as the fur began to sprout from his skin. It was an incredible thing to see - and something that, months earlier, you would have been terrified of. But it’s Frankie. He growled, head shaking back and forth, and you gasped when his ears seemed to slide up at the same time they elongated - which was something that you hadn’t seen previously. 

Fingers and toes turned to claws and paws, and then things sped up. You blinked and he was almost fully a wolf, Frankie in a sitting positon as the final stages of the transformation took place. He finally lifted his head and met your eyes again, and you gave him a sad smile as you nodded. “I love you, Frankie. It’s ok.” 

He whined, breaking eye contact, and when he shook himself, nails scraping across the garage floor, you cleared your throat, calling for the guys to come in. Frankie kept his distance, standing on all fours as they surrounded you. I wonder what this looks like to him. “Whoa, ‘Fish, you’re bigger than I remember.” Benny laughed, but it wasn’t entirely natural. “It’s fuckin’ wild with the tattoo. I never would have noticed that before.” 

Frankie lowered his head to look at his paw and then cocked it to the side, eyeing Benny. We need to hurry. I don’t know how long he’s going to be able to hold this for. “He asked me to use the net, Pope. He said he wants it to be me.” Pope agreed, moving to stand beside you. “Frankie, why don’t you lay down? That way we can start small, and just … lay it on your leg or something. Maybe we won’t need to cover you with it.” 

He moved as you spoke, lowering himself to the ground. Will and Benny remained silent, but Pope stepped forward with you. “I’m just carrying it, ‘Fish. It’s a little heavy.” Frankie nodded, which was somewhat jarring for you, but your steps didn’t falter. “I don’t like this. “ Pope spoke quietly, the two of you kneeling down in front of the wolf. “It’s going to hurt him.” 

“Yeah.” You held your hands out, and Pope handed the folded net over. Shit, it is heavy. “But only for a second. It’s going to hurt Tom a hell of a lot more.” You hoped you were right - hoped that the silver made Tom miserable.

You unfolded a section of the net and then took a deep breath, tuning out Pope’s presence and focusing on Frankie. Reaching out with one hand, you tapped on the paw that didn’t have the tattoo marking, and he extended it a little further. 

“We just need to know what it does. A few seconds. And please try not to howl, Frankie. The neighbors… shit.” Picking up a corner of the net you extended it and took a deep breath. Here we fucking go. 

As soon as it touched him, Frankie’s entire body jerked, and he let out a long, low whine. “You need to put it on his leg. We need to know if he can move.” Pope spoke quietly, trying to keep his voice even. “We need to immobilize Tom if possible.” You reached out with both hands, lifting the metal and then extending it further, apologizing to Frankie before you set it down again. 

He growled then, turning his head away and snapping his jaws - but he didn’t move the leg that you’d covered. “This is good, Frankie. You’re doing great.” Oh, this fucking sucks. There was no smoking or smoldering, and the chain hadn’t left any marks on him - that you could see - but it was definitely having an effect on the wolf. “Ok.” You reached out, carefully lifting the net again and pulling it back. “Enough. You can tell us about it when you turn back, but … no more.” 

It took him a few seconds but he finally moved, lifting his paw and shaking it out as he stood back up, Frankie using his other paw to swipe at the one you’d tested. “”You can change back now, ‘Fish.” Pope gathered the net up and then stood, clearing his throat. “We’ll give you some time.” Frankie whined again, and you watched as the other three left the garage, heading back out and into the yard. 

When you turned your attention back to him, it only took you moments to open your arms to the wolf, Frankie moving immediately to let them encircle him. You turned your head inward, closing your eyes as the wolf rested the bottom of his muzzle on your shoulder. “Come back to me, Francisco.” You stroked one hand along his fur, breathing slowly. “Whatever you need to do.” 

He broke free from your hold, and though it surprised you at first, when his entire body began to shake, you understood why.

The transformation from wolf to man was much different - and much more violent to witness, and as soon as you knew he wasn’t looking at you, you pressed your lips together and covered your mouth with one hand to hide your shocked gasp. 

He seemed to shrink, dark fur turning back into skin, ears moving back into place on the sides of his head, mostly hidden beneath his curls. He whimpered, head whipping back and forth, and even though you didn’t want to, you had to look away as his fingers and toes began to reemerge, the lengthening of the digits turning your stomach. I shouldn’t have asked him to do this. 

The whimper turned into a low groan, and when you looked back, it was Frankie in front of you, crouched on the floor. His whole body trembled, and even though you didn’t know if he’d want it, you crawled forward and put your arms around him again, drawing him in and against your chest. He came willingly, his hands grasping at your shirt, and for almost a minute, neither of you spoke. 

His heart was racing and Frankie was breathing hard, but he calmed under your touch, hold loosening… and it was him that spoke first. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“I’m not.” Kissing the top of his head, you closed your eyes.”Thank you for doing that. Is that the first time you’ve turned on command?”

“Fully, yeah. I’ve …” He inhaled, holding his breath before he released it. “I’ve practiced a couple times, but never gone all the way. Fuck I’m tired.” It didn’t surprise you, and you hoped that him forcing the turn early wouldn’t put him at a disadvantage with Tom. “It wasn’t as hard as I thought, though. I’m sure next time … will be easier.” He sat up, pointing at where his clothes were. “Can you get those for me?”

You stood and did what he asked, Frankie taking them from you and then slowly standing. You turned to give him privacy, and were taken by surprise when he hugged you from behind, holding you tightly. “Frankie…” 

“You’re incredible.” He kissed the side of your neck. “I’m so lucky you found me.” You could have argued that it was the other way around, but chose not to, instead just humming out your response. “We should go back out there with them.” 

When you rejoined the others, you noticed that they’d cleaned up some of the remnants of your meal while you were in the garage, leaving less for you to do later. Someone had also brought out a large bottle of water and a couple packets of electrolyte mix, setting them on the table in front of where Frankie had been sitting. That’s so goddamn thoughtful. 

He mixed the drink before sitting, gulping down half of it in one go and then finishing it in a second. “Thank you.” He looked between his friends, nodding at each one in turn. “The net was a good call, Pope.” 

“I figured.” You and Frankie sat again, Frankie yawning while he got comfortable. “We did all those tests with you after we got back home, and you reacted to the silver, so…” He shrugged. “Did it hurt?”

“It did.” Frankie held out his hand, showing you his unmarked skin. “But it didn’t burn. It just sort of … paralyzed me, I guess? I wanted to move my leg away but couldn’t. Everything else was fine, though.” The others nodded, Benny’s features set into a thoughtful expression. 

“So if we throw that over Tom, he won’t be able to move?” 

“Correct.” He yawned again. “So the plan should be … get him into the clearing. I distract him with an attack, and then we tranq him. Once he’s asleep, put the net on top of him and keep it there til morning, when he turns back into a human and I can question him.”

It was a good plan, a simple one, and that made you doubt it. “And once you have your answers?” Will leaned closer, head tilted to the side. “Then what?”

“I take care of it.” Frankie clasped his hands together. “I know it’s Tom, but … he’s crossed so many goddamn lines.” Benny opened his mouth, but Frankie cut him off. “We’ve all crossed lines, Benjamin. I know it. But he’s killing and hurting people because he can. He deliberately hid this from us and then attacked someone I love and fucking pretended he didn’t. There’s no other choice.”

“What about Molly? And Tessa?” Pope sighed. “Tom’s a piece of shit, but those two …”

“That’s not our problem, man.” Will crossed his arms. “I can’t believe Tom would fuck them over if anything happened to him, though. Especially not with Tessa starting school.” You agreed. But what if they know something? What if they suspect, or he leaves a note, or … 

“How do we protect ourselves from this?” Will frowned. “Pope, you’ll be out of town, I’ll be at the bar. But Benny, you’re going to be in the middle of the woods, right  where -” He paused. “Right where it happens.” He looked at you. “You, too. And ‘Fish. If they start looking, it might not be too hard to piece shit together.” 

“We’ll figure it out.” Frankie stood, swaying on his feet, and stabilized himself with one hand on your shoulder. “He doesn’t get to get away with this, especially not now.” Frankie pointed, gesturing to all three of them, “If you want out, that’s fine, and you’ll never know what happens in that swamp. But I am not fucking risking him coming after anyone else. We can end this. We can protect ourselves and other people. I can. And if that’s the one good fucking thing I can do after this?” He held his scarred arm out, fingers curled into a fist. “It’s enough.” 

“I’m in.” Pope stood, holding his hand out and setting it on top of Frankie’s. You got up, too, and added your hand to the top of the pile. Will was the next to stand, his large hand settling on top of yours and then Benny’s landed, too, all five of you silent as you eyed each other. 

“Go… team?” 

You tried your hand at adding levity to the situation, and to your surprise, Benny laughed out loud, tightening his hand before he pulled it away, everyone else following. “We’re behind you, ‘Fish. All the way.” 

— 

Once they’d left later, you and Frankie climbed into bed early. You checked Tom’s profile again, looking through the posts he’d made from that evening. The first one was accompanied by another of a different group and at what looked like a different location. You scoured it for the man and woman that you thought were responsible for turning him, but they were nowhere to be seen. 

“I can’t believe he went.” Frankie rolled toward you, stretching out. “He’s giving himself an alibi.” 

“We’re all doing the same.” You darkened the screen, setting your phone on the tabletop. “You and Benny taking me to the RV to spend the night so that I can write where it’s quiet while you guys hang out? Will at the bar? Pope and Yova out of town? We’re all trying to cover our asses, Frankie.” 

“We won’t need to.” He closed his eyes. “They’re not going to find Tom.” He sounded certain of his words, and you appreciated that. Even though so much can go wrong. “Tom still thinks he’s untouchable. It’s been that way since we first met him. I’m counting on his arrogance here.” 

You understood where he was coming from, but that didn’t make the thought of something happening to him - or to any of you any easier to consider. “I trust you. And I know you know him better than I do, but it still…” Just tell him the truth. “Knowing this is going to end one way or the other in two days is fucking with me.”

“There’s only one way this is going to end.” He reached over, resting his hand against your cheek. “Him dead and unable to hurt anyone else ever again, and the rest of us getting back to our lives.” 

It was cruel - especially when you considered Molly and Tessa, but the longer you looked at Frankie, the more you realized that the thought that they were better off without Tom wasn’t just a thought … you really believed it. 

“I can’t wait.” Closing the distance between you, you rubbed the tip of your nose along his and then pressed a light kiss to his lips. I hope he’s right. 

— 

Benny drove the three of you to the RV on the night of the full moon, but unlike the previous time, the mood in the car wasn’t light. You were in the back and they were sitting side by side in the front, and though they kept up a steady stream of conversation, there was tension in their tones. 

You’d used a burner phone before you left to fill Alec and Ashley in on what the plan was, promising that you’d update them when you could. And just in case you didn’t end up making it back from the RV, you’d packed all of your family’s research into a single box and addressed it to your aunt, mailing it out while Frankie was at work. You left some of your book research in the rented apartment, along with all of your other belongings. 

It was probably overkill, but you didn’t want to lead anyone anywhere … especially if it would put the others at risk. You had your laptop, though, copies of your information and updates stored on a hidden drive. 

You’d done everything you could to get ready for that night, and you wondered if you were as nervous as you were because you’d never really been involved in a situation like the one you were heading off to. They have. They’ve done so many dangerous things. “Hey.” You were startled out of your thoughts by Frankie’s voice. “You hear what I said?”

“No. What’s up?” He gave you a tight smile. 

“I asked if you wanted to stop for food. We should eat before.” Telling him you didn’t care where you went, you lapsed back into silence and stared out the window. 

You didn’t know how to articulate to him that you were scared because there was a chance that you’d never see Frankie as a man again after he turned at sundown. If I tell him that, then he knows I’m worried he might not finish this. You didn’t want to psych him out. You didn’t want to give him any doubts about what was going to happen, or make him think that you didn’t believe in him. Because I do. I just … nothing’s certain. 

You didn’t speak again until you were parked at the RV, the three of you carrying your things from Benny’s SUV to the front door. Nothing looked out of place - everything seemed in order, including the ground where you and Tom had bled the previous month. Tom and Will both spent time cleaning it up.  

Setting your bag down on the couch, you turned straight into Frankie’s chest, his arms going around you. “It’s going to be alright.” He whispered the words, holding you close. “I promise you.” 

“Yeah.” You turned your head, pressing your cheek against his chest. “It’s going to be fine.”

After you checked out the new supplies Pope had dropped off - the net, a new first aid kit and a restock of silver bullets along with a slew of tranquilizer supplies - you went outside and sat at the picnic table to eat. You had roughly 90 minutes before sunset, but you knew that the time would pass quickly. 

“He posted this morning from the conference floor.” Benny spoke around a mouthful of hamburger after taking a photo of the three of you sitting at the table. “And Pope said that Molly and Yova talked at that spin class like nothing was different than usual.” He scoffed. “I can’t believe we fucking … fuck.” He dropped the last few bites of his dinner and then stood up from the table. “I have some fucking questions for him, too.” 

“We all do.” You ate a fry, glancing over at Frankie before you said anything else. “I just want to ask him what he thought he would gain by attacking me, and how he found the Chaos line.” You gestured toward Frankie. “And why he never thought to tell any of you that he’d found anything in the first place.” 

“I’m staying outside.” Benny paced behind your chair, the sound of the gravel crunching beneath his feet loud in your ears. “I’m going to be right here when this asshole shows up.” 

“Remember you’re not shooting to kill.” Frankie adjusted his hat, looking between you. “You’re trying to get that tranq in him and then distract him so we can get that net over him. We need Tom alive til morning.” Benny nodded and so did you, but Frankie went on. “He’s looking for me. This is between me and him, so -”

“My aim isn’t great.” You let out a long, slow breath. “Frankie, what if I hit you with the dart?” 

“You won’t. I trust you” He smiled. “Pope left us lots of extras, too. So once we’ve got him out and under the net, we’ll have to keep dosing him. The wolf body will try to heal him, and that means absorbing the drug faster than usual.” Benny nodded and sat down again, linking his fingers together on the tabletop. “This is going to work.” 

For a man that was likely only hours away from seriously injuring - and then killing - one of his best friends, Frankie was remarkably calm. You wished that you felt the same. Maybe I need some of that tranquilizer. “Yovanna just posted from the beach.” Frankie held up his phone, smiling. “Look at ‘em.” 

You took the phone and widened your eyes at the picture - the two of them, sand dunes and a sign for a restaurant at their backs. The wind was whipping Yovanna’s long hair, strands of it covering her face - but they looked happy. Alibi secured for them. “I wish I was at the beach.” 

“We’ll go.” Frankie smiled, reaching over to take the phone back. “You an’ me. We’ll ask them where they stayed. Make a weekend of it.” 

“I’d like that.” Covering his hand with yours, you squeezed. I need to tell him. “Frankie can we talk for a minute? Before you start getting ready, I mean. I just …” The look in his eyes changed, going hard for a second, but he agreed. 

You followed him into the RV, so much like you had the first time you’d been there, but that time, he didn’t immediately turn to kiss you when the door shut. Instead, Frankie sat down on the edge of a couch cushion, hands hanging between his knees after he removed his hat. 

“You’re worried about tonight.” You sat next to him, sighing. “What exactly is bothering you?”

“I’m not thrilled about watching you fight someone to the death, Frankie.” You bit your lip, staring down at your feet. “He’s been your friend for how many years? Even if what he’s doing now is  inexcusable, that wasn’t always the case.” He reached over, taking your hand. “I’m worried that I’m going to have to stand there and watch you get hurt because you hesitated for a single second and he didn’t.” 

“I won’t hesitate.” He squeezed, your interlocked fingers flexing with the motion. “You’re not going to have to watch me get hurt.” Frankie said your name and when you looked over at him, you could feel how determined he was, his jaw set and eyes hard. “Tom made his decision the first time he chose to attack someone. He confirmed it when he attacked Alec and Ashley. And he signed his own death warrant the second he fucking touched you.” 

The words made you shiver, but he didn’t waver - or look away. 

“You and I are going home tomorrow morning with Benny. That’s all there is to it.” He finally closed his eyes and inhaled, the man’s mouth lifting briefly at the corners. What’s that about? “It’s going to be ok.” 

“Do you promise?” He nodded, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against yours. “Because I’m kind of looking forward to a hell of a lot more years with you, Francisco. And you need to be around for those.”

“I will be.” He dragged his nose along yours, the hand that you weren’t holding rising up so that it could cradle the back of your head. “Please listen to Benny. Don’t try to jump in and put yourself in danger.” 

“I won’t.” Swallowing, you parted your lips and pressed them to his. “Fuck, I’m scared.” 

“I know.” He kissed you again. “But it’s almost over.” 

He excused himself a minute later to go into the bathroom, and you stood, turning toward the table where all of the supplies were. Might as well start getting ready. You unlocked the lockbox and pulled out the same gun you’d had earlier, checking the bullets before setting it down onto the table. From there, you reached for one of the tranquilizer darts, holding it up and taking a shaky breath. I feel more confident with this than the gun. Slipping a handful of them into the pocket of the hoodie you wore, you picked up the gun again and turned for the door. 

“I’m going outside, Frankie.” You didn’t wait for an answer, stepping through the doorway and out into the fading sunshine. Benny was sitting at the table, phone to his ear. As you approached, you heard him say something about a delayed order, and wondered if he was talking to Will. Another alibi. 

He hung up as you got closer, checking the screen of his phone before he put it down. “Nineteen minutes.” It’s so soon. “As soon as he comes out here, I’ll go in and get what I need. I’m not leaving you alone for a second.” You didn’t think that was necessary, but you nodded in agreement as you sat down, the RV at your back. “You alright?”

“No.” You twisted your fingers together, eyes on the clearing as you answered. “I’m scared for Frankie and for us. I’m worried Tom’s going to pull something out of his ass and figure out how to be two steps ahead. I’m afraid that after Frankie turns into a wolf tonight, I might never get to hear his voice again because -”

“Tom has never been one step ahead of anything on his own in all the years I’ve known him.” Frankie stopped next to you, the blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders. “He might have a plan, but it won’t be a whole plan because there’s unpredictable shit happening.” He gestured at you and Benny with one finger. “Like you. Like me. Like …” He looked up and at the sky. “Like everything that’s going to happen in the next couple hours.” 

Benny snorted as he headed for the door, leaving you and Frankie alone. I hope he’s still laughing when this is all over.   

Frankie stood in front of you, looking down at where you sat “What?” He stayed quiet, eyeing you, and it only took a few seconds for you to realize that he was staring at you because he wanted a last look. “Francisco?” You rose, taking the few steps necessary to reach him, and then touched his face with your fingertips. “You said it was going to be alright.” 

“I know.” He shook his head slowly. “I just…” Frankie wet his lips and then poked his tongue into his cheek. “You never know.” That was the problem. You knew that Frankie believed he had a good shot at beating Tom and getting answers. You knew that the odds were stacked against Tom, with you and Benny on hand to back Frankie up. But … “If it looks bad… shoot him.” He touched your face, thumb sweeping over your cheekbone. “I know we want answers, but if it means you or Benny get hurt, it’s not worth it.” 

“But -”

“No. No buts. I’m telling you, if things go to shit, kill the bastard.” He locked eyes with you, and you saw actual fear in them. “If you can’t do it, Benny will.” I can shoot him. I will shoot him. “But I want you to listen to me, alright?” He shifted on his feet, straightening his shoulders. “This isn’t gonna be the last time you hear my voice.” Frankie winked at you, and for a few seconds, it was like things were good. “You could never be that lucky.” 

“I’m going to hold you to that.” He nodded, and you reached up to tuck hair behind his ear. “I love you, Francisco.” 

“I love you, too.” The blanket slid down to expose the tops of his shoulders as he adjusted it, and then Frankie’s arms extended so that he could wrap them around you. You leaned into his chest, resting your cheek against it and letting your hands move over his sides and then across his back, feeling the movement of his muscles beneath his skin. 

You knew that your time was winding down, and Frankie would open his mouth to tell you that you needed to step away and let him turn. But we have a minute. We have now. He kissed the top of your head, mumbling that he loved you so goddamn much, and when you squeezed your eyes shut, you had to will yourself not to cry. 

“‘Fish.” You were startled by the sound of Benny’s voice, both of you turning toward it. “Couple minutes.” 

“I know, Benjamin.” You felt it when he spoke - the sound a deep rumble in his chest - as Frankie’s attention focused on his friend. “I can feel it.”  He said your name and you looked up, taking a half step back. “I’m staying in the clearing tonight.” He looked between you and Benny, easing the blanket down so that it only covered his lower body. “I’m not going anywhere unless it’s to chase after him.” 

You nodded, and Benny agreed out loud, but you didn’t look away. Frankie’s muscles began twitching, the movement visible beneath his skin. But wait. You rushed forward, catching him by surprise. “Just be quiet.” He didn’t argue, and when you kissed him, your lips meeting his in a desperate press, he dropped the blanket and crushed you to his body. It was a way for you to say what you couldn’t speak, and you took the opportunity. 

The danger of him beginning to turn as you kissed didn’t matter to you. You licked past his lips and into his mouth, and Frankie’s fingers dug into your hips, holding you in place. I love you so much. You didn’t care that Benny was only a few feet away, or that it would likely be awkward when you and Frankie broke apart. He’ll understand. Stroking his hair, you inhaled through your nose as your mouths stayed busy, trying to memorize the taste of him. Just in case. 

But when Frankie pushed you away roughly, and you stumbled back a few steps, you knew that time was up. “Love… you.” He spoke through gritted teeth, his fingers balled into fists - and you only got a glimpse of his face before he doubled over, shoulders slumping. You didn’t want to, but you stepped back further, only stopping when you felt Benny’s hand on your arm… and you watched Frankie. 

It happened faster than you thought it would, his body’s shape and size changing as he dropped to his knees and then to all fours. He didn’t try to stay quiet, either, his groans and grunts loud, as was his breathing, the sound almost harsh. He yelped, and it made you flinch, briefly closing your eyes. Oh, Frankie. 

That sound turned into a howl, long and low, and when you reopened your eyes, there was a wolf in front of you, his head hung low and his chest expanding rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. “Hey, Francisco.” The smile you gave him was genuine, and in response, Frankie tapped his paws against the ground before straightening up and then heading for you. 

He stopped just in front of where you stood and then sat, looking up. “You smell anything, ‘Fish?” Benny leaned forward, eyes on Frankie. “Any sign of him?” It seemed unlikely that Tom would have been able to get so close so quickly without Frankie noticing, but Benny’s question made sense. Frankie’s head moved back and forth and when he tipped his head further back, nostrils flaring as he scented the wind, you looked away and out at the gathering darkness in the clearing. 

He stood, nudging your leg with his nose before turning and trotting away. You and Benny watched as he circled the perimeter, pausing a few times briefly but never stopping. “Him bein’ calm is a relief.” Benny got comfortable in the chair, and you sat down too, crossing your arms. “He really loves you.” 

“I really love him.” You knew that Frankie could hear you both, but figured that was also a good thing. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not worried.” 

“Would be stupid not to be.” He reached over, settling a hand on your knee. “But ‘Fish has  … we all have been through a lot of shit that’s at least as dangerous as this.” He smiled, reaching up to adjust his backwards ballcap with his free hand. “And you’re here now, so we’re even more ready to deal with it.” You had to laugh at that, Benny’s well-timed joke breaking some of the tension you felt. 

“Thank you, Benny.” Laying your hand on top of his, you squeezed. “I needed that.” Both of you went quiet as Frankie made his way back and then plopped down in front of you, crossing his front paws and resting his snout on the ground. “Now … we wait.”

Even though it was only a couple days, you used them wisely - and thanks to the rain, you spent the majority of them indoors. He’d been right; the storm had been little more than rain and some wind, and while the lights in your hotel had gone off briefly, you hadn’t been in the dark for long. 

And Frankie called you during those two days, checking in in the morning and before bed, along with sending photos and texts throughout the day. In another situation, it would have been overkill, and made you feel like he was trying too hard. But you understood that he was doing it to prove to himself that you were alright, and to let you know that even though you were apart, he was still thinking of you. 

Will sent you a few messages, too, asking how your leg was doing and how you were enjoying your trip. You knew that those replies were going to the entire group, all of them on alert thanks to what you’d revealed about Tom. 

You wondered if they were sending updates to Tom, too - like they had in the past. But you didn’t dwell on that, because instead, you went back to what you’d been doing for years prior to meeting Frankie: going over your notes and findings.

Having all of your research - and Alec’s - in front of you was helpful, as was the opportunity to focus on it. 

You hadn’t had so much time to yourself in months, and you used it wisely. You were almost certain that Tom had met the wolf that turned him at a prior realtor’s conference, and you spent hours poring over his social media friends and photos. There were tons with the men you knew, both in uniform and out. There were even more with Molly and Tessa, and people that you assumed were extended family based on facial features and last names. 

But Tom was also tagged in photos from the conferences and even a few dinners throughout the years, and it was those you paid the most attention to. You made a list of all of the people that had started to appear in his photos and comment on his content in the previous 16 months, and your search was made much easier when you realized that he’d joined a group specifically for realtor friends…and its members list was public. 

Three of the names popped up repeatedly, and when you searched them further, two of them were connected to each other in different ways, too. It was a man and a woman, her long auburn hair braided and hanging over her shoulder in nearly every photo. He was taller and stocky, with piercing eyes and a smile that didn’t reach them. 

They’d gone to college together, their photos going back well over a decade, and at about 3 am on your second night in Punta Gorda, you found it. 

The photos were grainy, since they were from 2013 and 2014, but they clearly showed the man’s arm wrapped in a bandage and the woman pointing at it with a look of mock horror on her face, and then, a few months later, the two of them relaxing on a boat somewhere, his arm exposed … and a brand new scar that looked suspiciously like a bite mark near his elbow. 

The second photo also showed what looked like a long-healed mark on the woman’s inner thigh, which meant that if you were correct, and they were Tom’s connection to the Chaos line, she had been the one to bite the first man. 

From there, you researched as much as you could into her history, and after an hour of searching through that, you got your confirmation. The woman’s name was linked with one that had shown up in Alec’s research as a possible Chaos wolf. I’ve got him. I’ve got him and if I want, I’ve got them, too. 

You didn’t know where Tom’s bite was, or how he’d hidden it from Molly, but it had to be in a place that would have been covered, even if he went to the gym or the beach with any of the guys. His inner thigh, like hers? Or maybe his side? You frowned, thinking. His back or chest? 

You took one more look through Tom’s recent photos, foot tapping restlessly on the floor while you scrolled. In the previous year and a half, he’d posted a variety of pictures from different locations, including a few from the beach with his family. 

After taking a much closer look than you would have liked at one of him sitting on a low chair, legs spread, you determined that the bite wasn’t there. So it’s on his upper body. 

There were a few shirtless images, too, and in all of them, his left arm was never raised. There was only one that showed a somewhat clear view of that side of his body, and when you zoomed in on it, you saw what could have been a discoloration from scar tissue. But that could have been from anything. Shrapnel, getting shot, something going wrong during the missions… there’s no way to know. 

But it hadn’t been there in earlier photos. It hadn’t even been there when Tom had posted a picture of the tattoo on his shoulder. It was a small thing, but it gave you something to go off of, and you made a note of it to show Frankie and the others. 

You went to sleep at 5 that morning and woke up a few hours later, quickly packing your room and carrying your things back to the car. It was still drizzling, but it seemed that the worst of the rain was over, which would make your drive back to Tampa simpler than the one south had been. 

You used that time to think, too, trying to come up with a plan that would work to draw Tom back out to the RV during the next full moon. He’d never gone back to the previous month’s crime scene before, but he’d also never attacked anyone that any of the guys knew before, either. And now that he knows I’m planning on staying, and that I’ll be out there with Frankie as often as I can … 

What you didn’t know was what Tom’s end game was. You didn’t know what he hoped to achieve by hurting you - or continuing to hurt others. Part of you wondered if he was just doing it for fun and because he could. Another part of you wondered if he was making up for the fact that he was no longer in uniform and getting sent out on missions where he was able to do whatever it took to complete them. 

The others had settled into life after the military, but Tom was the exception.

Frankie was doing what he loved, Pope was able to take care of his family and kept himself busy with Yovanna and the small logistics company he ran. Benny and Will had the bar - and the fighting and training - which kept them focused and fit. 

Tom had the same dead-end career that he’d taken up before the South America trip, and by his own admission, wasn’t very good at it. He had the money to do whatever it was that he wanted - in any part of the world he wanted to go to - but he’d stayed in Tampa with his family, and continued to work in a job that he didn’t need and didn’t make him happy. But he chose to do that. He could have decided anything else, and being unhappy doesn’t mean that the only solution was to become a wolf and hurt people. 

As you passed Bradenton, it clicked. 

Tom was doing it for the attention. He’d been the group’s defacto leader throughout their entire enlisted time together, and then afterward, too. But when they’d come home from South America and been forced to deal with Frankie’s bite - and wolf status - the focus had shifted from them looking to Tom for leadership to doing whatever was necessary to help Frankie find answers, and to keep him safe and hidden. 

You probably wouldn’t ever know for sure because there was no way to ask him without playing your hand, but all of his behaviors added up. He wanted to be a leader again. He wanted to have people following his orders and doing what he said. He wanted people to fear him and what he was capable of. He’d proven himself over and over during mission and assignments - by the admission of everyone in their group… and once the need to do that was gone, he’d had no purpose. 

And even though the Chaos line was well established and likely didn’t need someone to lead, they needed other things that Tom could provide: strength, ruthlessness and financial support. He’d traded one group for another, and didn’t seem to care what he’d given up in order to achieve his goals. But hurting me still doesn’t make sense. He has to know Frankie would care. He has to know that he’d want to do something about it. Going after me was a risk. 

Drumming your fingertips against the steering wheel, you bit your lip. There was a solution, and you knew Frankie wouldn’t like it. But it has to be mentioned … and I need someone on my side. 

Reaching for your car’s touchscreen, you dialed out and waited for an answer on the other end. 

“Hello? Is everything alright?” 

“Hey, Yovanna. Everything’s great.” You closed your eyes and nodded. “But I need your help. Are you going to be home in about an hour and a half? I need to run something by you.” 

— 

“He’s going to fucking kill me.” Pope’s words were muffled because his hands covered his face, but you still understood all of them. “He’s going to kill me and then bring me back just so he can kill me again.” 

“He is not.” Yovanna swatted at him, her expression set into a glare that you never wanted to be on the receiving end of. “It is a good plan.” 

The three of you were waiting outside on Pope’s back deck, untouched glasses of lemonade on the table. They were beside each other on the larger couch and you were curled up on one of the single chairs, the sun just beginning to set. 

Frankie was planning on meeting you when he got back from visiting Carmen, and though the plan was for the four of you to head out to dinner, you didn’t know if that was going to happen. 

“It’s not a good plan. It’s a stupid one, but it’s the only way I -” Pope cut you off, looking up and at you from between his fingers.

“It’s not stupid.” He sighed, sitting straight up. “It’s actually really smart. He’s just not going to like it.” 

You agreed, and even though you knew it would be difficult to make Frankie understand, you thought it was possible. “There’s still a lot to work through,  but unless we start now, there’s no way we finish before the next full moon and I just … I want this over. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.” 

You heard a car door slam, and all three of you listened for a few seconds, waiting to see if it was Frankie arriving. It’s got to be. He said he was close. 

“Here we go.” Pope closed his eyes and then leaned over, kissing the side of Yovanna’s head. “Hope you’re ready to see Frankie lose his shit.” 

Turning in your seat, you watched as he opened the gate and stepped into the back yard. Your breath caught at the sight of him, even though it had only been a couple days since you’d said goodbye. He wasn’t wearing a hat that night and his curls were exceptionally tousled, sticking out wildly over his ears. His facial hair was longer than you’d gotten used to, too, and as he got closer, you bit your lip at the sight of him, repositioning yourself so that you could stand. 

“Stay right there.” He held up a hand and shook his head, speeding up as he stepped up and onto the patio. “I’m comin’ to you.” He leaned over when he made it to the chair and used both hands to brace himself on the arms. “Missed you.” 

He didn’t say anything else before he kissed you, but as soon as your mouths met, it was clear that he didn’t need to. Missed you too, Francisco. You stroked the back of his head before he pulled away and then took a seat, jerking his chin in the direction of Pope and Yovanna. “How was your trip?” 

“Great.” He grinned, running his fingers through his hair. “Carmen was excited and it didn’t rain for one of the days, so we went to the zoo.” His grin widened. “She’s getting so damn big and wants to run everywhere.” Pope laughed and you grinned back at him, heart breaking at the fact that in only a few seconds, you’d ruin the few days of peace that he’d had. But I have to rip the bandaid off. “See you made it back in one piece, too. Rain bad down there?”

“Not really, no.” You reached for the drink in front of you, lifting it and taking a small sip. “But I still spent a lot of time inside, thinking.” His expression fell slightly, but Frankie didn’t say anything. “There’s something I need to talk to you about, Frankie. You’re not going to like it, but -”

“That doesn’t sound good.” He frowned, leaning in, and you watched his eyes flick over to Pope and then back to you, his jaw twitching before he spoke. “Did you change your mind? Are you leaving? Are we -”

“No, Francisco.” You moved before he’d even finished, scooting to the edge of your seat and reaching over to cover his hand with yours. “Of course I’m not leaving you. That’s the last thing I want.” It hurt that his first thought was that you were going to abandon him, and you wondered if that was a constant fear of his - specifically when it came to you. I hope not. “I love you. I told you I was staying here and I meant it.” He put his other hand atop yours and curled his fingers against it. 

“Then what do you need to talk to me about? And why here? In front of them?” 

“I needed backup, Frankie.” Wetting your lips, you reached over with your other hand and actually took his, linking your fingers together. “Because you’re not going to like this at all.” 

Time was against you, and even though it wasn’t the way you would have liked to explain your plan to him, you had no other option. 

“I’m going to remind you, ‘Fish, that this is my parents’ place. So you have got to keep it together, alright?” Pope cut in, warning - and a little amusement - in his tone. “Let her talk.” You felt his fingers flex, but Frankie only nodded at his friend, never taking his eyes off of you. 

“The moon is less than two weeks away, and all we’ve gotten so far is that we think Tom will come back to the RV and try to finish me off.” It was a crude way to describe your situation, but it was the truth. “But we can’t know for sure, especially since he’s supposed to be in Orlando that night.” 

He nodded slowly, but stayed quiet. You could almost feel the tension in the air, and when you risked a glance over at Pope and Yova, you saw her give you a slight nod, though there was apprehension in her eyes. Here we go. 

“I think he’s doing this because he misses the way he felt when you were enlisted and he was the go-to guy. I think he sought the Chaos wolves out because he wanted to feel important again, even if none of you knew it. And I think, Frankie, that he wanted to attack me to prove to you that he’s always one step ahead of you, and that even though you’re … different now, you still couldn’t keep me safe from something like him.” 

It didn’t entirely explain why Tom had attacked the others throughout the summer months, but it was a start, and despite his uncertainty, you could tell that Frankie agreed with you. That’s good. 

“You need answers, and to get those answers, we need confirmation that Tom’s a wolf. He’s not going to admit it if any one of you confronts him. He’s too stubborn, so you … we have to catch him during a full moon, and to do that, we need to know exactly where he’ll be.” Frankie was frowning, the lines between his brows deepening by the second. But I’m right. Pope and Yova agreed with me and I think Will would too. “Frankie, I need to make him want to come back to the RV on the full moon.” You took a deep breath, closing your eyes. “I need to piss him off so he’ll come after me again.” 

“No.” He pulled his hands free and stood up, holding one out toward you, pointing with a single finger. “No, that’s not going to happen. You’re not using yourself as fucking bait for a werewolf that we can’t -”

“It’s the only thing that’s going to make sure he comes back to the RV.” Pope sighed, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes. “If he thinks she’s a danger to you - or to himself - he’ll act. We saw how he fucking reacted when we questioned him with Lorea and the money. This will be the same.” 

“I can’t believe you’re just going to agree to her doing this. She could get hurt, Pope. I can’t be there, because Tom won’t show up if he can smell me. And if one of you fucking shoots him before I get back, we won’t get answers. This isn’t going to work.” He looked back at you, head whipping back and forth. “You’re not doing this.” 

“I am, Frankie.” Even though your heart was racing and you hated going against what you knew was only him trying to make sure you were safe, you didn’t budge. “I’ll meet with him under the guise of talking about another apartment, and I’ll just … casually mention something that’s intended to rile him up.”

“What would you even say?” He scoffed. “And that means you’d be alone with him. He doesn’t deserve to be in the same room as you, and you want to meet him somewhere and -” 

“Tom won’t hurt me while he’s human.” You were sure of it. “He -”

“‘Fish, she’s right.” Pope leaned forward in his seat, hands hanging between his knees. “He’s hiding behind the wolf the same fucking way he hid behind the uniform and behind the secrecy of the shit we did after.” He cleared his throat. “Pissing him off gets results. How many times have we seen it before?” 

Frankie didn’t reply right away, instead looking between the three of you with a pained expression on his face. You wondered what he wanted to say. You wondered what was running through his mind and how he was going to try to convince you not to do what you’d suggested. 

“He needs to feel like he is smarter than you. Than all of you.” Yovanna spoke up, standing and stepping in front of Frankie. “He wanted to kill me and my brother instead of leaving us in Peru. He would have done it and he would not have been sorry.” You looked over at Pope, watching as his lips parted and he stared at the woman, eyes wide in surprise. “She has obviously done something to make him mad already, Francisco. He would not feel threatened by her otherwise.” 

“Threatened by what?” Frankie threw his hands up, shaking his head. “She’s done nothing but come here and -”

“He is threatened because he feels like she is taking you away from him.” Yovanna reached out, putting her hands on Frankie’s arms, just above his elbows. “You have told no one for years, not even me. But her? Yovanna leaned in, looking up at Frankie. “You told her after only weeks. You told her and you spend all of your time with her and she accepts you. And that means you do not need him as much. Whatever he thought would happen by becoming a wolf doesn’t matter anymore, and that scares him.” 

It made perfect sense. It was about more than Tom needing or wanting to be in charge and the one they all looked to in a pinch. It was about more than protecting Frankie’s secret or keeping their secret about Lorea. It was all about Tom’s ego, and it seemed that Yovanna had figured things out long before anyone else had. I understand why Pope loves her so much.

“Maybe he wants you to figure it out.” You spoke as soon as the thought entered your mind. “Maybe he thinks that if you figure out that he’s the other wolf, the two of you can … bond or something? He probably figures that you’d understand wh-”

“I haven’t killed a single goddamn thing that isn’t furry or feathered since South America.” Frankie reached up and gently removed Yovanna’s hands before he sat back down, dragging his fingers through his hair. “Why the fuck would he think I’d be alright with him going out of his way to kill people? How could he think I’d forgive him for hurting … fuck. Is he really that stupid?”

You had an opinion about that, and if her expression was any indication, so did Yovanna - but neither of you spoke. 

The yard was silent for almost a minute, even as Yovanna retreated back to the couch and sat down, Pope pulling her onto his lap. It was you that finally broke the silence, scooting all the way to the edge of your seat and reaching for Frankie’s hands. 

“I’m going to do it with or without your agreement, Francisco.” Linking your fingers together, you squeezed. “But it would mean a hell of a lot to know that you’re on board with it.” 

“What if you’re wrong?” He looked up at you, and you gasped at the sight of his red-rimmed eyes. He’s crying over this? “What if all of you are wrong and this backfires? What if he hurts you and then runs, and then we have to worry about him coming back and hurting someone else that we care about?” He gestured to Yovanna. “You? Or Will’s wife? Fucking Carmen?” 

Frankie pulled his hands free from yours, the loss of contact hurting more than you thought it would. “We won’t let that happen.” You whispered the words, lowering your head. “He wouldn’t run. He wouldn’t do anything that makes him look weak.”

“And if he even went near Carmen, it wouldn’t just be you that was fucking angry.” Pope cleared his throat, saying Frankie’s name. “We can figure out the details in the next couple days, but as much as I don’t want to admit it, I think … I think this is the best option. Put Tom on edge. Make it so he has to act.” He sighed. “It fucking sucks, but … it’s the best shot we’ve got.” 

“Wait.” Frankie cleared his throat. “If he’s going to Orlando for the conference, how can he come to the RV? They track attendance at that shit.” 

“The registration fee was only a couple hundred bucks, Frankie. Even with a hotel I don’t think he’s going to be too concerned about that.” You took a breath. “The only issue will be whether or not he reaches out to the woman that turned him, because -”

“You know who it was?” Pope cut in, eyes narrowed. “How?” 

It only took a few minutes for you to explain what you’d found, and bring up the Facebook profiles. They looked through them wordlessly while you watched, chewing on your lower lip. “And if he tells her? Or this other guy? Or someone else that he reports to?” Frankie handed you your phone back, his face set in a scowl. “What happens when a whole pack of wolves comes here looking for him or looking for me because of what I fucking do to him?” 

“They don’t …” You sighed, rubbing your temples. “As far as we know, the Chaos wolves don’t stay in packs. It’s not like Ashley’s group, or other smaller family units.” You paused, looking between the three of them. “That’s one of the reasons it’s so hard to find them. They’re usually alone, and from what we’ve gathered throughout the years, it’s … why there’s so much turnover.” You sighed. “To them, Tom’s just one of many. He hasn’t interacted publicly with either of the two in just about a year, so to be honest, she probably just recruited him and then he went somewhere else to learn from -”

“He was gone for three weeks last year.” Pope snapped his fingers and then pointed at Frankie. “Remember? Molly took Tessa somewhere on vacation, and then he said he was going to make the most of the time they were gone?” He laughed, swearing under his breath. “We thought that asshole went to a fucking cabin somewhere up north, but instead he went to werewolf bootcamp?” 

It shouldn’t have made you laugh but it did - and the sound seemed to ease the tension between all of you. Thank God. “It makes sense.” You swallowed hard and then took a deep breath. “And so does no one coming to his rescue if he’s in trouble. They’re known for drawing focus to themselves, but what Tom’s doing is … too much. They won’t want the attention and sending multiple wolves to -”

“He would not call anyone.” Yovanna laughed, the sound bitter. “He would never tell them he needs help or can’t handle a human woman.” She curled her lip and looked directly at you. “He has too much pride.” She nodded slowly. “This is a good plan.” 

There wasn’t much more to say, and so a few minutes later, you stood, taking a slow breath. “I’m going to go. I know it’s early, and we were supposed to get dinner but today’s been a lot.” You got a sympathetic smile from Yovanna, but it was Frankie that spoke up. 

“Which house you going to? Because if it’s the one you’re renting, I’m going with you.” You hated to admit how much you liked it when he got protective, but the look in Frankie’s eyes as he said his piece made your chest burn. 

“I…” Shaking your head to clear it, you sighed. “I need to get clothes, so mine.” You’d moved a few things into Frankie’s place, but the majority of your small amount of possessions were still in the rented apartment. “But I don’t need to stay there tonight.” 

“Well, then.” Pope stood, crossing his arms. “The four of us can get dinner later this week. Yova and I are hungry now, though. So… get the fuck out of here.” He was joking, and with some good-natured grumbling on Frankie’s part, the four of you began saying your goodbyes. 

He paused next to his truck when you got to your car, but after a few seconds, he closed his eyes. “I’ll follow you, alright?” You wanted to question his hesitation but chose not to, agreeing before you climbed in and started the ignition. 

The drive over wasn’t long enough to get lost in thought, but by the time you parked, you knew that you needed to say something. And when he parked behind you, the door of his truck slamming as you got out of your own car, you started. “Frankie, we need to -” 

“Not now.” He was on alert, his eyes bright and his fingers curled into loose fists by his size. “I need to focus.” It was the closest he’d ever been to actually being rude to you, but you let it slide when he beelined it for the front door, positioning himself between it and you. “Key?” You handed it to him, and when he used it to open the lock, Frankie stepped inside without turning back to look at you. 

You followed closely, eyeing the interior of the space, and trying to figure out if anything was amiss. The living room looked fine, but when your eyes made it to the kitchen, and then to the bedroom, you froze. “The door is open.” He was here. “Frankie, I closed the bedroom door before I left. I’m sure of it.” 

He moved in that direction without speaking, and when he pushed the door all the way open and disappeared into the bedroom, you stayed put, waiting. Did he think I was lying about going out of town? “If he was in here, he didn’t fuck with anything.” At the sound of Frankie’s voice, you moved again, taking the few steps necessary to reach the bedroom. “I don’t smell anything, nothing’s torn up. Your suitcase is still closed and -”

“He moved it.” You entered, walking over to where the luggage was and pointing. “The zipper pocket was facing out. I always leave it like that when I leave my stuff in hotels or rentals. It’s just me being paranoid usually, but … not this time.” 

“What the fuck was he looking for?” He took his hat off, scratching at the side of his head. “There’s no way he knows what you’re really doing in Florida, so what the fuck would he have found?”

“Maybe…” You sat on the edge of the bed, shivering at the thought that he’d done the same. “Maybe he was seeing if I’d written anything about you down? I don’t know what he thinks I would have found, but… I don’t know.” 

Frankie sat beside you, waiting a few seconds before reaching over to settle his hand on your knee. “I really don’t like the idea of you meeting him alone.” 

You’d wondered how long it would take for him to bring it up, but the fact that he’d pivoted from finding out that Tom had actually been in your apartment while you were gone back to your potential meeting with him spoke volumes about just how worried he was. I get it but it has to happen. 

“I don’t like it either. But we need to get him to that RV, and he’s already attacked me once, Frankie. If I give him a reason to come out and finish the -”

“Don’t even think that.” His fingers curled, Frankie hissing out the words. “I get it, but I can’t… I don’t want to hear it. The fucking thought of him…” He trailed off, and when you looked over, you saw that his head was lowered, his eyes on the floor. “I don’t think he’ll attack you when he’s human, either. I think he’s got too much to lose if he did it as Tom. But he’s so fucking unpredictable, I can’t know for sure.” He sighed, the sound heavy. “I wish I could go with you.” 

“I know you do.” You put your hand atop his, keeping your voice soft. “And there’s no way to know for sure. But it’s a risk we need to take, Frankie. Because even if you never know why he’s doing this, you still need to … stop it.” 

“What are you going to say to him?” He looked over at you then, meeting your eyes. The look in his almost broke your heart; he didn’t just look sad, he looked scared, the fear making them glisten. “And when are you going to ask to meet?”

“As close to the full moon as possible.” He sucked in a breath, his eyes widening. I know. “And before you tell me just how dangerous that is, I get it. But the less time I give him to figure out how to react, the better. He seems like he responds emotionally, and that’s what I’m counting on.” 

“You fit right in.” He smiled, though it was brief. “With us, I mean. You might only have half a plan, but you’re focusing on the important shit.” That made you laugh, and as you did, you leaned over and rested your head against his shoulder. “Get your clothes and let’s go back to my place.” He kissed the top of your head, sighing again. “And I don’t know why you pulled that bullshit at Pope’s - I know you’ve gotta be hungry, so we’re gonna drop your car off at home and then go get something. How’s that sound?”

You didn’t miss the way he’d casually called his house home after inviting you there. Oh, Frankie. It was deflecting from the seriousness of the situation you were in, and both of you knew it. But we’ve still got more than a week until the full moon … so for tonight, it’s fine. 

—  

The morning you were supposed to meet Tom, you woke up with a ball of apprehension in your chest. 

It persisted even as Frankie pulled you tighter against his body, arms wrapped around you and urging you to tuck your face against the side of his neck. “Cancel.” He whispered the word, mouth hovering just above your ear. “Don’t meet him today.” His hold on you tightened and you exhaled, concentrating on the steady beat of his heart. 

“I have to.” You pressed your lips against his bare skin, keeping your eyes closed. “This is our best shot at ending this.”

“I’d rather never end this than risk losing you.” He backed away, saying your name, and when you’d locked eyes with him in the early morning light, he spoke again. “I fucking mean it. Your life is worth more than -” Oh, Frankie. 

“To you it is.” What he was saying loosened the tightness in your chest, but it didn’t change the truth. “Frankie, the people that he’s killed in the last couple months also had people in their lives that felt the same.” You repositioned yourself so that you were comfortable on the pillows and could look over at him without lifting your head. “If … when this is over, you’re stopping him from hurting anyone else, not just me.” 

“I don’t care about anyone else. I care about you.” 

“That’s not true. You care about Carmen. You care about Becca. You care about Pope and Yova and Benny and W-”

“What are you going to tell him?” He sighed, running his hand slowly up and down your bare arm. “Have you figured it out yet?” 

“That I’m going to start looking into wolves. That I’m going to see if I can use my contacts from past projects to look into the paranormal and figure out if there’s anyone I can put you into contact with or anyone we can maybe get more information from.”

“But we’ve all been looking for years, and found nothing. Why would that scare him into stopping you?” He frowned. “It’s a start, but it’s not enough, and -”

“I’m going to tell him I found someone out west, maybe somewhere in Oregon or some shit, to talk to. That they seemed to know something, and that after this next moon, I’m going out there to investigate.” 

“Why Oregon?” 

“Because between me and Alec, we’ve got information about wolves out there, and if we were able to find it, then Tom and his connections probably know about them, too.” You paused, thinking. “I’m not sure they’re still there, but it wouldn’t surprise me, and I think, Frankie, that Tom will want to keep me from finding anything out. I think he’s been purposely misleading you this whole time to keep you in the dark, because how else would he have found something and no one else did? And if I tell him that I know something, even if it’s an unverified lead, I think it’ll scare him.” 

“Do you know how much I hate to admit that this is a decent plan?” He reached up, following the line of your brow with his fingertips. “You’re playing at his ego. You’re giving him a lead to chase that won’t go anywhere, but it’ll still make him want to stop you from finding that out. Why the fuck are you so willing to do this? You’re putting yourself in danger, and -”

“Because I love you. Because I understand how dangerous he and other wolves like him are. The Chaos line isn’t usually this ruthless, Frankie. They start shit and they hurt people but they’re not usually serial killers.” Saying it out loud made it real for you, and if the look in Frankie’s eyes was anything to go by, it made it real for him, too. “We have to stop him, and if that means doing something unpleasant to give you the chance, I… I’ll do it.” 

“You’re brave as shit, d’you know that?” He was still scared for you, you could tell by the way he held you, but he spoke like he’d resigned himself to your decision. It won’t always be like this. “What time are you meeting?” 

“Two.” You twisted one of his curls around your finger, biting your lip. “And we’re meeting close to Ironhead’s so if I need to make an escape… Will’s working today.” He nodded. “I’m going to be alright, Frankie. I’ll update you as soon as I’m done.” 

“He’s going to be a little unpredictable since the moon’s the day after tomorrow.” Frankie swallowed and then curled his lip. “I’m fuckin’ wound up, so I can’t imagine what he’s feeling.” You’d counted on that - Tom’s emotions getting the better of him and causing him to think and act irrationally. “And if you can, pay attention to your heartbeat. He’ll sense anxiety. He’ll … fuck. If he thinks -”

“Frankie.” You inched closer, hooking one leg over both of his. “Of course I’d be anxious. I’m about to go back into the woods with you after being attacked. And I’m also contemplating going alone to a different state to seek out other wolves. This is all supposed to be new to me, so if I wasn’t nervous?” You laughed, head moving across the pillow toward him.  “There would be a problem.” 

“Good point.” He mumbled the words before kissing you briefly. “I know that we’ve been talking about some pretty serious shit, but…” He rocked his hips forward, grunting. “You’re naked in my bed, and -”

“I could use the distraction.” And I know you can, too. You kissed him again, nodding. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” 

— 

You were early to your meeting with Tom, and you used the time to try and calm your breathing, like Frankie had suggested. It was easier said than done, but when you reminded yourself that it was literal lives on the line - including yours and Frankie’s - you were able to focus. 

When Tom’s truck pulled into the parking lot and drove by your car, you took a final deep breath, put your phone into your bag and reached for the handle. Here we fucking go. 

He was dressed casually, wearing dark jeans and a t-shirt, and you wondered if, like Frankie, the closer he got to a full moon, the warmer he ran. Probably. It’s gotta be a wolf thing. “Hey.” He jerked his chin at you, the lopsided smile on his face making you want to throw up. “Isn’t this the same Dunkin’ we met at the first time?”

“It is.” You got closer, walking with him to the door. “I thought since it was close to your office, it would be easy for you to meet here before you go back to work.” 

“I’m not working today, actually.” He opened the door and waited for you to step inside before he followed. “I’m meeting you and then going back home to pack. I’m driving to Orlando tonight.” 

You joined the short line and stood in silence as you ordered your coffees, making sure to pay for Tom’s as well as yours. He didn’t even offer. “Checking in early for your conference?” He nodded while you waited, his eyes moving over the few people seated around the restaurant. “Well I won’t keep you long.” I can’t. I can’t physically… 

“We should go sit outside.” He pointed using the hand holding his coffee. “Couple tables out there.” That suited you just fine, and when you were both sitting on opposite sides of the table, he spoke again. “You could have just emailed me.” He sipped his drink, watching you over the lid. “We could have set something up for when I get back.” 

“We could have.” You lifted your cup, agreeing. “But I wanted to do it now, just in case any leads come up over the weekend while you’re in Orlando.” Just fucking get to it. The sooner you do this the sooner you can leave. “I’m staying in Tampa, Tom. Frankie and I are …” You didn’t want to elaborate on your relationship, but you knew you had to. “Neither of us planned on it turning out this way, but I’m going to need a more long-term place to stay.” 

“No shit. You’re staying?” He laughed, his smile wide. It’s so goddamn fake. “Just like that? What will your family think?” 

“It’s pretty much just me. I’ve got some cousins, but I don’t see them much. None of them are going to care what I do.” Alec cares, but it’ll make him happy to know I’m finally doing something for myself. “And after … everything, I think me staying is best, don’t you?” You swiped your thumb over the plastic of your cup, wiping off a bed of water. “That’s a pretty big thing to walk away from.” 

“It is.” He drank again. “I’d be pretty upset if I was him and I’d told you everything and you just … left.” He tipped his head to the side, eyes narrow. “Be pretty shitty of you to abandon him after he trusted you with a secret like that.” Fuck you. “So you want me to look for an apartment for you? Where? What’s the budget?” 

You gave him some bullshit numbers, telling him you wanted to stay within fifteen or twenty minutes of Frankie’s place and to his credit, Tom actually took notes on his phone, nodding along as he typed. He repeated the information before he set his phone down on the tabletop, reaching for his cup. Time to change the subject. “Benny’s going with us to the RV.”   

“Yeah?” You nodded as he shrugged. “I’m surprised Pope doesn’t want to go.” 

“He did. But Yovanna’s got plans out of town or something.” You waved a hand in the air, sighing. “And since Will went last time and you’ll be in Orlando…” 

“I’m kinda shocked you’re going.” He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head. “After last time. You’re not afraid it’ll come back?” He’s fishing. He’s too fucking cocky. Unbelievable. 

“I’m going because I want to be there for Frankie, Tom.” You spun your straw around, the frown on your face deepening. “I need him to know I accept what he is. And no, I’m not afraid it’ll come back, because that hasn’t been the pattern. All of the other attacks that have been in the news have been at different locations, never the same one twice.”

“You really looked into this shit.” He dragged his fingers through his hair, still eyeing you. “Talking about patterns and attacks and -”

“I did. That’s what I do. And …” Ok, here goes nothing. “And I think I found something else, too.” His eyes flashed in the sunlight, but Tom stayed quiet, waiting. “I think I found more wolves.” 

“What?” He stiffened, narrowing his eyes, and you could almost feel the change in the air. “More wolves?”

“I didn’t want to tell Frankie until I was sure, because I didn’t want to get his hopes up, but yeah. I think… I’ve been emailing with someone for a little while, and I’m almost positive that they’ll be able to tell me more about wolves in general and about why one of them would be doing what the other wolf in Florida is doing.” 

“Did you tell them? About ‘Fish I mean?” He leaned in, nostrils flaring. “Because you said you wouldn’t.” 

“Not about Frankie specifically, no.” You leaned back to put distance between you - the motion reactionary, and not one you could stop. “I just strongly hinted that I’ve been in contact with a wolf, and that there’s a second one that’s causing chaos and bringing a lot of unnecessary attention, and the two -”

“You fucking idiot.” He hissed the words out, lip curled into a snarl. “All they’ll have to do is look up an increase in animal attacks and they’ll know where we are. You just put a target on his -”

“I did not.” You stood, pointing a finger at him. “I haven’t once mentioned him by name. I haven’t used my real name. And when I meet them in person, I’m still going to be careful, because I’m not stupid, Tom. But he deserves to know more about being a wolf. He deserves to have some help, and if it can give him an advantage when it comes to getting rid of the other piece of shit wolf that tried to kill me last month, I’ll do whatever it takes.” He scoffed, leaning all the way back and crossing  his arms, head moving back and forth slowly. “What? What’s that look for?” 

“You really think you can just come here and be his fucking savior?” Tom rolled his eyes. “Do you know how many women have tried that? How many times we’ve tried that? He probably wouldn’t even still be clean if he hadn’t gotten bitten, and -” How dare you. 

“You’re a shitty fucking friend to him.” You grabbed your cup, fingers tightening around the plastic. “In a lot of ways. But this is…” You leaned in, the anger blooming in your chest, and stared straight into his eyes. “This is something else.” Tom laughed again, tilting his head back briefly. But when he met your gaze, there was no mistaking the reddish tint to them, and it froze you in place. Get out of here. Get out of here now. “I thought you’d understand, because you’ve been trying to help him since South America. I thought you’d be happy that I might have found answers for him.” But first … “Unless you don’t want him to learn more about wolves, Tom. Is that it? Are you so fucking desperate to keep him in the dark about it and relying on your protection that you purposely keep information from him?” 

“Don’t say another goddamn word.” His eyes narrowed. “You need to stop right fucking now.” 

“Or what?” You set the cup down, the anger flowing through your body and making your heart pound. “Are you going to attack me again, Tom? I bet not, since it’s broad fucking daylight and you can’t hide behind the wolf this time.” 

You realized what you said as the words were coming out of your mouth. Shit. Shit shit shit. Straightening up, you took a step backward and toward the parking lot, never breaking eye contact. Oh, fuck. “Well that’s a surprise.” He smiled, but there was no warmth to it. “And you still came here today?” He leaned over the table, the smile widening. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or think you’re really fucking stupid.” 

“I’m not afraid of you.” You inched forward again, even though every muscle in your body was screaming at you to turn and run the other way. “I think you’re a coward.” Tom was silent for a few seconds and then he cleared his throat, his shoulders relaxing. 

“You should be. And so should he.” He gestured to the parking lot. “Go. I’m not going to stop you.” He rubbed his jaw with one hand, nodding. “Not today, at least.” You glared at him for a few more seconds before turning and walking back toward your car, fighting the urge to sprint. He said your name after you’d taken a couple steps, and you paused long enough to look back over your shoulder at him. “Tell ‘Fish I’ll see you both in a couple days, alright?” 

He laughed then, covering his face with both hands, and you took the opportunity to get back to your car, sitting down and locking the door before you put your seatbelt on. “Fuck!” You yelped the word out as you started the ignition, pulling out of the space and going back toward the road without giving Tom another look. “Fucking idiot. How could I be so stupid?” 

You held it together the entire length of the drive to Ironhead’s, parking and then walking across the lot on shaking legs. Will was behind the bar when you entered, the blonde talking to a brunette sitting on one of the stools - but when he saw you he immediately excused himself and headed in your direction. 

“Are you alright?” He put both hands on your shoulders, concern evident on his face. “You look -”

“I fucked up. Will, I really fucked up. I just met with Tom, and …” He swore quietly before putting an arm around you and guiding you down the hallway and toward the office. Once you were inside, he locked the door behind you before turning to face you again. There was no kindness in his eyes then, just cold, steely resolve. 

“What happened?” 

“Will, it slipped. He knows that I know. He -”

“I guess that means we won’t have a problem getting him out to the RV this week, hmm?” Benny appeared from the smaller room, leaning against the doorframe as he spoke. “Shit’s about to get real, isn’t it.” 

Frankie was pacing around the living room, one hand rubbing at the side of his head and tugging his hair into further disarray by the moment. You were curled up on his couch with a blanket wrapped around you, eyes unfocused and staring across the room at the wall next to his TV. 

Neither of you had spoken much after his declaration in the truck, and you knew that you were both trying to process the revelation that Tom was, in fact, the Chaos wolf. That means he was bitten after Colombia. That means that he somehow found someone in the Chaos line. That means - 

“It’s just me.” Will’s voice came from the kitchen, and both you and Frankie turned in that direction, even though he didn’t stop moving his feet. “Bike’s in the garage, just in case.” He stepped into the room, his eyes moving between you and his friend, and then lingering on Frankie. “You alright?”

Frankie finally stopped moving, spinning to face Will and lashing out with one arm, pointing directly at you. “No, I am not fucking alright. We’ve been giving him insider fucking information for weeks now, and because I didn’t figure it out, he almost fucking killed my -”

“Frankie.” You leaned forward, putting both feet onto the floor. “This isn’t your fault.” You knew it would take more than your words to get through to him, but you still needed to try. “You didn’t ask for any of this, and you didn’t know, so you can’t blame yourself.” 

Will crossed his arms, taking a deep breath as he leaned against the doorframe and watched the two of you as Frankie started again. “If I hadn’t been bitten in South America, he wouldn’t even have known the fucking wolves existed. And he wouldn’t have been looking for another one, which means that he wouldn’t have -”

“How do you know that one of them didn’t just find him?” Will cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes. “His bite could have been just as accidental as yours was, ‘Fish.” You understood his reasoning. Will was trying to explain what had happened in a way that didn’t put all the blame on Tom. And they’ve known each other for so long and been through so much together, it makes sense. I’d do the same thing for someone I thought I knew. “Think about all those trips he took with Molly and Tessa. Could have been on any one of them.” He turned his attention to you. “You said the Chaos line has been a problem for a long time, right? Are they only in the States, or are there more of ‘em in other places?”

“They’re all over.” You rubbed the space between your brows with two fingertips. “And my family’s research confirms that it’s been that way for as far as they’ve been able to go back.” Will nodded, breathing slowly. “How long… you said Tom stopped coming out with you for the moon about a year ago, right?” They both nodded. “So whatever happened to him, happened recently.” 

“We didn’t notice anything.” Will stepped closer and then dropped down into the armchair, running a hand over his beard. “We were all so fucking busy with our own shit that we didn’t notice a change in him, and that’s…. Fuck. That’s on all of us.”

“You might not have.” Readjusting the blanket, you bit your lip and shook your head. “Is Frankie much different, aside from that period right around the moon?” Both of them said no, and so you went on. “So it makes sense if Tom had someone helping him learn everything. The Chaos line is only visible when they’re at their worst. They’ve mastered blending in because it’s a survival technique for them. If Tom had the help of one or more of them, then … you wouldn’t have noticed anything because you shouldn’t have.” 

“You called it.” Frankie stepped closer to you and then sat down on the cushion to your right. “At the bar that night when he winced? But I said you were wong. And then he fucking … I should have listened. I should have believed you.” 

It wasn’t worth trying to convince him that you weren’t mad - or that he shouldn’t have been upset with himself. But I appreciate him admitting that. 

“What are the odds, though?” Reaching over, you took his hand. “Frankie, if he got bitten a year ago, and these attacks have been going on for months, then he started attacking people pretty much right away. And that means that he knew what to do and how to manage it. And if he knew how to manage it, then he knew how to hide it. You weren’t supposed to notice anything.”  

“So you don’t think that it was an accidental bite.” 

“No.” You looked away and at Will, unblinking. “I don’t.” His jaw twitched, eyes going hard. “Because if it was an accidental bite, he’d be in the same boat as Frankie and know nothing. You guys already have a routine in place to handle one transformation, so adding another wolf into the mix every month wouldn’t have changed much, especially if he told you that he got bitten while looking for answers.” You finally looked at Frankie, holding his gaze. “He deliberately kept it from you. He’s deliberately hurting people. I don’t know him the way you do, so I have no idea why. Based on what I do know, though? He’s … what they’d want. I’ve been looking for this fucking line of wolves for years. It fits their pattern.” 

“But what can he give them?” Will leaned closer, head tilted. “Molly’s not having another kid. He’s working alone. And none of the people that he’s attacked and bitten have survived, so it’s not like he’s furthering the line.”

“No one survived that we know of.” Frankie lowered his head, covering his face with both hands. “They found bodies of people that didn’t, and Alec made it to the hospital but wasn’t bitten. If he’s bitten anyone and they’ve lived? He might have pointed ‘em in the direction of whoever he answers to so they could get help.” He was right, and that was something that you’d never thought of. And I should have. “And Tom’s fucking loaded, Ironhead. We all are. He can offer them money.” 

You gasped in surprise,  but as soon as he said it, you knew Frankie was right about that, too. Even a line of wolves that went back hundreds of years would have been motivated by money - especially in the amount that Tom could have offered. “I need a drink.” You pushed to your feet, heading for the kitchen. “Either of you want anything?” 

They both said no, and so you entered the room alone, immediately going for Frankie’s liquor cabinet. 

It would have been easy for you to spiral - to stand there and dwell on the fact that in the span of only a few months, you’d met and fallen for a wolf and found a separate link to the line of wolves your family had been after for years. Adding in the fact that the second wolf had actually attacked you - purposely - was another concern. But it’s not that separate. 

Grabbing a bottle at random and then a glass, you poured yourself a strong drink and then knocked it back in two swallows, wincing at the burn. It wouldn’t solve your problems - nor would it change the way you felt, but it would calm you. And then I can try to calm him. 

Frankie and Will were talking quietly, but both of them turned their attention to you when you walked back into the room. Frankie’s eyes brightened briefly, and Will gave you a single nod. “Better?” 

“Not better, but … I needed that.” You dropped back down onto the couch but instead of letting you sit next to him, Frankie yanked you closer, both arms wrapping around you. “Frankie, what -”

“He was alone with you twice tonight. After he did what he did. He was alone with you, and he was questioning you, and I just … fuck, it makes me mad.” Frankie laughed, the sound bitter. “He did it right under my fucking nose. All of this. And he had the goddamn balls to tease you with that wine. It wasn’t just about me, he was telling you that he’s a wolf, too.” You replayed the conversations, thinking hard about Tom’s demeanor. He’s good at hiding shit, I’ll give him that. 

“He’s getting bolder.” You turned your head and kissed Frankie’s cheek. “He attacked me even though he knew Will was there and that I’d have access to a gun with silver bullets. He invited us over. He’s actively planning things with you guys, and -”

“He’s going out to clean up the RV site.” Will swore, lowering his head as he whipped it back and forth. “I already did it, but he’s going to make sure there’s no fucking trace of himself there, at least in wolf form. And he’ll know which way he went in the woods to get rid of that trail, too.” Oh shit, that’s true. “And we fucking just … let him walk right in and do it.” Wait a minute. 

“Will.” You swallowed hard and then bit your lip. “How did you and Frankie come up with the idea to try and get him to bleed tonight?” That question actually got Will to smile, the blonde sitting back down on the chair and angling his body toward yours. “Something tipped you off. Why tonight? What was it?” 

“It was you.” He grinned, gesturing with one hand. “When you showed that video and I watched it again, I noticed something.” What? What could possibly have made you consider this? “The other night, when you and ‘Fish were in that clearing, and you saw him for the first time?” He paused, sticking his tongue unto his cheek. “You pointed out his tattoo in the pattern of his fur. The tattoo on his hand’s still there when he changes, but the one on his arm isn’t.” 

“And when you showed us the video, Will noticed something on the wolf.” Frankie mumbled your name, and then leaned down to kiss the top of your shoulder. “Something on his shoulder.” Seriously? 

“I recognized the shape of it. And it was just too convenient. So when ‘Fish and I went inside to get beers, I told him what I thought I saw, and we decided to do somethin’ about it.” He paused, looking down at the ground and taking a deep breath. “We didn’t know if I’d be able to do it tonight, but we figured it was good to try because of his sense of smell.” It was a good call - his heightened senses would have allowed Frankie to smell the wolf in Tom’s blood, which might not have been the case even a few days later. “But then you guys left, and I thought we were fucked, but -”

“But I had to take a leak.” Frankie laughed again, rolling his eyes. “And so it all worked out.” 

Tom hadn’t seemed like he knew what was happening while he was attempting to clean his hand off, but there was no way to be sure. “You’re going to have to act normal for the next few weeks with him.” You closed your eyes. “And I’m going to, too.” 

“You’re not going fucking near him for the next few weeks.” Frankie’s voice was little more than a growl, and Will agreed moments later. “In fact, I don’t want you to stay in that house you’re renting, either. He knows you’re there. He might have keys. And if he’s suspicious, he -”

“He might get more suspicious if she’s suddenly here all the time instead of there, too.” Will wet his lips, his eyes moving between the two of you. “It’s too quick.” 

“I don’t fucking care.” Frankie stood again, crossing his arms and beginning to pace between the couch and Will’s chair. “And we told everyone she’s staying in Florida because we’re together, so why wouldn’t she move in?”

“Because she hasn’t even met your kid yet. ‘Fish.” Frankie stopped moving and you straightened up, your mouth falling open. He’s right. “And if there’s one thing Tom knows about you, it’s that your daughter’s the most important person in your life. You wouldn’t move a woman in after a couple months without having her meet Carmen and Becca first.” 

“He’s right, Frankie.” You looked up at him, defeated. “Me moving in now would look bad. And I don’t want to live with you because we’re scared, I want it to be because you want me here.” 

“I want you here.” He turned to face you, letting his arms drop to his side. “You think I don’t? After wh -”

“No. But I want you to ask me to move in when we’re not dealing with this anymore.” You held your hand out to him and he took it, his fingers sliding between yours. “We’ve already skipped a boatload of steps in this relationship, I don’t want something so important to be another.” 

It was a conversation you didn’t want to have in front of Will, but at least beginning it was necessary. Because we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have to be smart about this. We have to be smarter than him. “It’s gotta be business as usual, ‘Fish. For all of us. And we’ve got a leg up, because he doesn’t know she’s looking for wolves, and because he doesn’t know we know he is one.” 

“We need to tell Benny and Pope.” Frankie let go of your hand, turning back to look at Will. “We need to let them know what we’re up against.” 

“We’ve gotta do this the right way, Frankie.” Will leaned forward, glancing at you before he looked up at his friend. “Otherwise he’s going to know something’s up. We have weeks until the moon, and it’s not like he can change between the -”

“About that.” Frankie’s hand was moving back and forth, fingers loosely curled. “He might be able to. I can, and if he’s been learning from people that know what the fuck they’re doing, we’ve got to assume he can, too.” 

“Fuck.” You used one hand to cover your mouth, fear starting to creep back in. If he can change at will, he could get into my apartment and … there’d be nothing to tie him to it. Just animal fur. You leaned back against the corner of the couch, drawing your uninjured leg up toward your chest. “He was fishing tonight. He was asking me questions and it felt … I don’t know. It felt different. He’s always kind of smug, but tonight felt like he wasn’t trying to hide it.”

“He gets like that when he feels like he’s winning.” Will dragged a hand through his hair, shaking his head back and forth. “Cocky. But he makes mistakes, like he did in South America.”

“He made a lot of fucking mistakes in South America.” Frankie laughed, and it was the first time that night that it sounded almost genuine. “We all did. But you’re right. Because when Tom thinks he’s untouchable, it makes him real fucking reckless.”

“This is gonna kill my brother.” Will stood, his sigh audible. “He idolizes Tom. And there’s no real way to prove it’s the truth until we can catch him on a full moon, so -”

“Is there really a realtor conference in Orlando next month?” You mumbled the question, reaching into your pocket for your phone. “Because if there is, that might be how he met the Chaos wolf in the first place. But if it’s over a full moon, that means he’s going to turn in Orlando, and I know nothing about that city to even begin to....” You did a Google search, eyes on your screen. Well, he wasn’t lying about that. “There is one.” You nodded, scanning the text. “And it’s the right dates.” 

“Might just be cover,” Will moved away from his chair and toward the doorway, pausing and turning his head back to look over his shoulder. “To give him a reason to be gone for a few days. Molly won’t ask questions if he says he’s doing something for work.” He reached up, resting his hand on the doorframe. “One of us should follow him there. And since I was with you this last time, ‘Fish, it should be me.” 

Part of you understood that reasoning. It was logical. It wouldn’t raise suspicions if Will bowed out of going with you and Frankie, since he’d done his part the previous month. But another part of you felt terror at the thought that Will wouldn’t be there with you. He saved me once. I trust him. I trust him with my life. “That’s a good idea.” Frankie nodded, watching his friend closely. “But we’ll need to figure this shit out with Benny and Pope, too.” 

Will agreed, eyes moving between you and Frankie before he closed them, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t going to end well for Tom, is it.” 

“No.” Frankie stood, shaking his head slowly. “It isn’t.” Will’s response wasn’t audible, but you did see his jaw lock, a muscle in his cheek twitching as he let out a slow breath. “There’s no way it can.” He and Frankie shared another look, and you saw the resignation in his eyes, his shoulders rising and falling in slow motion. I get it. It’s got to be so hard for them to think about that.

Will turned his attention back to you, lips turning upward into a sad smile. “I hope you get some sleep tonight. Both of you.” 

“You too, Will.” You set your phone down, leaning back. “Get home safe, alright?” He assured you he would, and then he and Frankie left the room, heading for the front door. You could hear them talking, but before too long, Frankie reappeared in the doorway, his posture much looser than it had been. “We need to go to sleep, Frankie. You have to be up to fly tomorrow.”

“I do.” He walked back over to where you sat, sitting down on the table in front of you and then leaning in. “I need you to look at me.” You did, lifting your chin enough that you could meet his eyes. Frankie reached up, sliding his fingers along the column of your neck so that he could curl them gently around the nape. “What happens to Tom isn’t just because of what he did to you. It’s not going to be your fault, that I take care of this. It’s his own.” 

“I know.” You moved your thumb over his stubbled cheek, nodding. “He made his choices.” Frankie agreed, leaning into your touch. “We need to talk about what happened right before Will left, but it’s not a good -”

“After we deal with Tom, I want you to meet Becca and Carmen.” He stiffened slightly, and you could see fear in his eyes. “Will’s right. I can’t ask you to come live here before that happens, but …” He sighed, closing his eyes. “We’re going to go back and forth between your place and this one for the next couple weeks. Spend as much time as you can with one of us or at Ironhead’s or even at Pope’s with Yova. And if Tom -”

“I know, ‘Fish.” You closed the distance between you, pressing your forehead to his. “And I know that you do want me here. I just want to make sure that you’ll still want that when this is over.” And you’ve had to kill someone you thought you could trust. “I don’t doubt your feelings for me, but this isn’t a normal situation.”

“It’s not.” He squared his shoulders, nodding. “But we both … we both felt this before we knew anything else was going on, so that has to mean something.” You agreed, and it made you feel better, but only marginally. “First time I met you, remember?” You smiled, eyes dropping as your cheeks heated. Yeah, I remember. He stood up, holding both hands out to you. “Now come to bed with me so that I can wake up and fly tourists over the Bay tomorrow.” 

That made you laugh, and he squeezed your hands tightly when you took them, helping you to your feet. “I was one of those tourists when I first got here.” 

“You were.” You headed down the hallway, Frankie walking backwards so he didn’t have to look away. “And I looked forward to every flight with you.” Arching a brow, you watched as he grinned. “Still do, if you ever want to go back up.” I do. I really do. 

The two of you got ready for bed quickly, and when you stood by the side of his bed, Frankie stopped you before you could grab the bottom hem of your shirt. Instead of letting you remove it, he did it for you, tossing it to the side and then reaching to unhook your bra. Once that was gone, Frankie’s hands skimmed over your skin, his eyes following the movement. 

“Bed, Francisco.” You spoke quietly, reaching out to press a hand against his abdomen. “It’s late and we’re both exhausted.” He didn’t fight it, instead nodding as you climbed into bed and waited for him to follow. 

He held you close after you both got comfortable, but you could tell that he was still tense. I am too, though. This is …  more complicated than I thought. 

Tom actually being the Chaos wolf was something that you hadn’t expected - and you knew that none of the other guys had, either. It complicated things, but more importantly it forced their hand in a way that you knew would be difficult for them to handle emotionally. And it has to be done soon, which makes it worse. 

Tom would fight back, that much was certain, based on the way he’d acted in the previous months. The real question was whether or not Frankie and the others having an advantage of knowing would be enough for them to win. It has to be. Because I can’t lose him. I won’t.

— 

It took a few days to get everyone together in the same room, but that was only because it had to be done in a way that Tom was invited - but couldn’t make it. 

Will handled that, sending out a group message asking when the guys wanted to meet for drinks at the bar. When Tom said he had no time that week because of late showings and plans with Molly, it became easier to choose a day and a location. 

That turned out to be Pope’s place, which meant Yovanna would be there. But she knows. So maybe this is the right time for her to tell everyone. You were nervous as you and Frankie drove there after he’d finished his flights, but despite the conversation that awaited you both, he kept it together. 

Will’s truck was parked in front of the house when you pulled up, and when you walked around the house and into the back yard, you saw that Benny was there, too, both of them sitting in chairs and holding drinks as they talked to Pope and Yovanna. 

You caught the look she gave you as you headed to where they were, her eyes dropping to your leg and then rising - first back to meet your eyes and then drifting to Frankie’s face, her lips twisting into a frown. You shook your head, mouthing the word no, and her eyes widened before she reached over, taking Pope’s hand and squeezing it. 

The two of you joined the group, sliding into open seats and saying hello as Benny slid drinks across the tabletop to you. Frankie took his and opened it, downing a long swig before turning his attention to Will. You watched as they shared a look, the blonde’s throat working as he swallowed and then gave Frankie a nod. 

“Hey.” Will closed his eyes, and then let out a deep breath. “There’s something we need to talk about, but I don’t know if Yova’s going to want to hear it.” You weren’t surprised that he’d called the woman out directly - that was just how Will was - but you were surprised when she pulled her hand free from Pope’s and moved to sit next to you, her arms crossed over her chest. 

“I want to hear it.” She nodded, looking between the other men and then finally at Pope, who was watching her with a look of amusement on his face. “Especially if it has to do with the wolves.” 

“You knew?” Benny leaned in, his eyes widening. “This whole time? Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“Because I did not want to.” She shrugged, scoffing. “What would it have helped? Me telling you stories? I have never met one before Francisco. But I knew there were others. I knew another one was here and it was hurting people.” She leaned forward and looked past you at Frankie. “And I knew it could not be you because you are not that kind of man.” 

There was trust in her eyes - her voice strong and even as she spoke. “Last thing I want to do is hurt people.” Frankie cleared his throat. “But yeah, that is … what this is about.” Pope sat down, too, joining the rest of you at the table. 

It was silent for long seconds, and you didn’t know who was going to speak first. But it should be me. “I’ve been lying to all of you.” Frankie stiffened next to you, but you ignored it. “I didn’t come here to write about Tampa. I came here looking for werewolves.” It helped that only Benny and Yovanna had been in the dark about it, but you were thankful that everyone at the table stayed quiet and let you go on. “Frankie figured it out because my research wasn’t hidden when he showed up at my apartment one morning. I told Will after I got attacked last week.”

“You were looking for ‘Fish?” Benny leaned in, eyes narrowed. “How’d you know it was him?” 

“No, I didn’t know it was him. That all just … it’s a weird fucking coincidence. And even before he told me what he is, I still didn’t think it was him that I was looking for. But as soon as he did, I realized that there were two wolves. And the other one was the one I’ve been trying to find.” 

“Why are you looking for wolves?” Pope cut in, scratching at the back of his neck. He’s going along with it. “What do you want from them?” 

That started your story, and you repeated it for what you hoped was the last time. Everyone listened to you without interrupting, and Frankie’s hand rested on your thigh the entire time, reminding you that he was there. Like I could forget.

“And since my cousin’s out of this for good now, I’ve got … I’ve got to finish this. Even if it’s the last thing I do with hunting, taking care of this wolf?” You looked between them, locking your gaze on Benny’s face. “I’ll make it right for Alec. And I think … I think that’ll be enough for me.” 

“Will it, though?” Pope swallowed, taking his lower lip between his teeth. “You had no plans to stop before, so why would this be enough now? It’s one wolf. You’re not going to eliminate the whole line. You never were.”

“No.” Laughing, you rubbed at the space between your eyes. “I wasn’t. But this is what I knew. It was what I thought I had to do to be considered a contributing member of my family. Even if I never found anything, at least I tried.” 

“But you did find something.” Yovanna reached over, taking your hand and linking her fingers with yours. “You found Francisco and you found all of us. You found out that it is possible to be with a wolf and not need to … hunt it.” She took a breath. “But you also found the other one. And it …” Her gaze dropped and then rose, her eyes wide. “You know who it is. You know who the other wolf is and that’s why we’re here tonight.” 

“Yes.” Your heart was pounding, but you knew that if you looked at Frankie, you’d break down - and so you didn’t. You looked at Pope first, and then at Benny before finally meeting Will’s eyes. He nodded slowly, raising the tips of his fingers from where they rested against the tabletop to tell you to relax. “We do know who it is.” 

“Tom should be here for this.” Pope leaned in, eyeing you. “He’s part of this, and he was there when ‘Fish got bitten.”

“There’s a reason he’s not here, Pope.” Frankie’s voice was low, and when you finally turned your head to look at him, you saw that his shoulders were straight, eyes bright. “There’s a reason it’s just us, and -”

“Bullshit.” Benny cut in, making a fist and knocking it against the table. “Will asked him to be here. I saw the fucking texts. Why -”

“We picked tonight because Tom couldn’t make it.” Will crossed his arms again and leaned back in his chair. “Tom is the other wolf, Benny. ‘Fish and I tested it the other night, and it’s him. He’s been attacking people for the last couple months. He attacked her cousin. He attacked her. He doesn’t give a shit who he hurts, and he’s been lying to us for a fucking year.” 

No one replied right away, and as Will’s voice trailed off, you risked a look over at Benny, watching as his face contorted between emotions. He’s hurt. He’s hurt and sad and… “How?” He licked his lips and then stood up from the table, pushing his chair back. “How did it happen? How do you know?” 

“I smelled his blood the other night, and it was the same as what was all over the clearing.” Frankie sniffed. “I have no idea how he found someone to bite him, but I’m sure as fuck going to ask next month.” 

“How? He’s got that conference. He won’t be -”

“I think it’s a cover.” You pinched the bridge of your nose. “There is a conference, but I think that just got him out of having to come and stay with Frankie next moon. I think … I think he’s going to come back to the clearing and try to finish what he started because he knows Frankie will be miles away and I’ll be there.”

“That’s dumb as shit, though.” Pope’s eyes were narrow. “He knows there’s always someone there with Frankie. He knows that we wouldn’t dream of letting you go there by yourself next month. He has to know that ‘Fish wouldn’t go far, especially if he thought there was a chance the other wolf would come back.” 

“He’s too cocky.” Will spoke up, frowning as he shook his head. “He’ll think that -”

“He is an asshole.” Yovanna spat the words out, standing up and shoving her chair backwards before slapping her hand down on the table. “I have never liked him, not even meeting him that first time. And since I have come here?” She snarled, waving her hand. “He is mean and nasty and I have never trusted him, but I put up with him because he was your friend.” She pointed at Benny. “Your own brother is telling you this is the truth and you don’t believe him? Why would he lie? Why would Francisco lie when that lie means Tom has to go?” 

The rest of you were silent as her words sunk in, and for a few moments, you were in awe of the woman. She barely knew you, and had no real reason to stand up for you in the way she was. But she loves Pope. And if Tom is willing to do this to someone Frankie cares about, she’s in just as much danger. 

“Are you sure?” Benny’s eyes were narrowed as he stared at you and then at Frankie. “I mean positive, ‘Fish? Because if what you’re saying is true, then we have to -” Will groaned, covering his face with both hands.

“Watch the video, man. The spot on the wolf’s shoulder is in the same damn place as Tom’s tattoo. ‘Fish smelled the blood. Tom’s been real fuckin’ shady about helping out for a long time now. It fits. We didn’t see it because we didn’t want to, but c’mon, Benny.” 

“I’m sure, Benjamin.” Frankie’s head moved from side to side, and you heard the fatigue in his voice. “I don’t want it to be true, but it is.” It was your turn to support him then, and you reached over to settle your hand on his forearm, fingers closing around it. I know you don’t want it to be true. I don’t either. “And I’m not asking for your help with this. I understand if you don’t want to be involved with what’s got to happen, but I need you to at least … not give anything away for the next couple weeks.” 

“How the fuck are we supposed to -” Pope rubbed at his eyes. “‘Fish, man. C’mon. He’s not stupid. He’s going to know something’s up the second one of us talks to him.” 

“No he won’t.” Benny sniffed, dropping back into his seat and hanging his head. “Because this is the shit we were trained to do. We’ve got to put our emotions to the side and treat this like any of the fucking bullshit missions we went on.” You felt relief - despite his closeness to Frankie, and the friendliness Benny had shown you while you were together, you figured that he would have been more difficult to convince. “This isn’t Tom. This is fucking Lorea all over again. He’s dangerous and he’s hurting people, and we need to stop him.” 

“So we’re just going to kill him?” Pope laughed, his expression incredulous. “Just kill our friend without giving him a chance to explain? How does that make us any better than any of the people we went after in uniform? How does it make us any better than him?” 

“This is what he’s done to people, Pope.” You pulled out your phone and navigated to the hidden folder of photos that contained your research on the Florida Chaos wolf. “This is what he’s done to the people he’s killed. This is what he did to Alec. This is what he did to me.” You slid the phone over the table at him and then pushed your chair back, lifting your leg and swinging it upward and onto the table before ripping the bandage off of it. 

You heard Benny’s gasp and Yovanna’s reaction - something muttered in Spanish that was muffled by the way her hand covered her mouth. You saw Will’s wince, even though he’d seen the fresh wound. It was beginning to heal, and though it looked better than it had days earlier, it was still red and swollen and somewhat raw around the edges, the scabbing thick. 

“She’s going to have that reminder for the rest of her fucking life, Pope. You saw the video. You watched him attack her. He didn’t flinch. There was no hesitation.” Frankie’s hand moved to touch your ankle, the tips of his fingers gliding up your leg, though he avoided the wound. “We aren’t going to do anything. I won’t ask you to be a part of this, but I need you to know why I’m going to -”

“Frankie.” Pope darkened the screen of your phone and then pushed it back toward you. “There’s no fucking way you’re doing this yourself.” Your breath left you in a whoosh of relief, and as you put your foot back on the ground and closed your eyes, shoulders slumping. “It’s just a lot to take in, y’know?” 

“I know.” He cleared his throat, reaching up to take his hat off and toss it onto the table. “But we can’t let him keep going, and you all know it. He’s not going to stop. So I have to stop him, because I’m the only one who can.” 

“And what if you can’t?” It wasn’t unkind, and it was the first time Will had questioned Frankie - which surprised you. “He’s bigger than you as a wolf. He’s mean. You’ve tried real hard to hide that part of yourself during the moon, and he hasn’t.” 

“That’s my advantage. He’s never seen me as a wolf protecting someone I love.” Frankie paused and said your name, waiting for you to look over at him before he continued. When he spoke again, you heard an edge to his voice that had never been there before - and it chilled you to the bone. “But that’ll be the last thing he ever sees.” 

— 

Over the next few days, everything changed - and at the same time, nothing changed. 

You and Frankie continued your routine of spending nights together, alternating between your apartment and his house. While he was at work, you kept up with your research, using what you already knew about the wolves and adding information about Tom straight from Frankie’s photo albums and anything that the others told you - or that you could find on social media. 

You were determined to find the same link that Tom had to the other wolves, because that would mean more of an understanding about the way the Chaos wolves worked - and recruited. But what am I going to do with that? After this, I’m… I’m done. 

That was another thing that you’d thought long and hard about, both while Frankie was beside you and when you were apart. You’d told him that you’d consider ending your search for the Chaos wolves after Florida, but the truth was that you’d known for a long time that what you were doing was a fool’s errand. I just had no real reason to stop. 

But Frankie was a reason. Will and Benny and Pope and Yovanna were reasons. Carmen was a reason. You’d never be able to eliminate the Chaos line in its entirety, but removing Tom from the equation would balance the scales for your family somewhat by getting payback for causing Alec’s injury - and for yours. 

It probably wasn’t the route that prior generations of your family had imagined, but it would be enough. Enough for me, anyway. Enough to keep us safe.

Though the assumption was likely foolish, you had no doubts that Frankie would handle Tom - with or without the help of his friends. You trusted that he would do whatever was necessary to keep his daughter safe, which meant tapping into a part of himself that he’d never allowed to the surface before. But it’s not just for Carmen, it’s … to protect me, too. 

You kept up your routine and so did Frankie, his scheduled flights going off without a hitch until two forecasted rainy days in a row thanks to a tropical storm grounded everything. It was during those days that he decided to drive up to see Carmen and Becca, which took a little convincing on your end. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend time with his daughter, but Frankie was very against leaving you alone for such a long period of time. 

He’d only agreed after you promised to find some way to keep yourself occupied for the time he was gone that didn’t involve you staying in Tampa. It seemed like overkill, but when you saw the look in Frankie’s eyes as he made the request, you realized that it was nonnegotiable. 

So the night before he was set to leave, and you were scheduled to check into a bed and breakfast in Punta Gorda, the two of you headed to Ironhead’s just to keep up appearances. 

It was busier than usual, since thanks to the rain, sitting on most of the outdoor patios was out of the question. But you still managed to find an open booth, both of you sliding into it as you lowered the hoods on the jackets you wore. 

There were drinks placed in front of you moments later, and when you looked up, you found Benny’s smiling face, the blonde nodding at you before he turned his head to look at Frankie. “Hey, you two.” 

“Benjamin.” Frankie reached for his drink, lifting the glass. “Busy in here tonight.” 

“Sure as fuck is. It always gets like this when it rains, but that forecast’s got a lot of the tourists worried, so…” He shrugged. “I’m not gonna complain and neither are my bartenders.” You laughed, settling back against the cushion as he said goodbye and headed back for the bar. 

“You excited, Francisco?” You sipped your drink, locking eyes with him. “Two days with Carmen?” 

“I always am.” The look in his eyes softened, something that hadn’t happened often in the previous few days. “She wants to go to the park, but I don’t know if we’ll be able to because of the rain.” 

“You’ll figure it out.” He nodded, his gaze leaving your face and sweeping over the busy bar. “Should I be worried about storm surge or anything down there? I don’t want to get stuck because of flooding, or -”

“Nah.” He sipped his drink again, shaking his head. “Storm’s tracking north. You might get a little flooding and some wind, but you’ll be alright.” He met your eyes again and winked, one side of his mouth lifting in a smirk. “You can trust me, I’m a pilot. I know weather.” 

You laughed at that, lowering your head. For a few seconds, it was like things were normal between you, and that night at the bar was just a night out with Frankie. Maybe it will be soon. Maybe we can have … When you looked up, your laughter stopped as you saw who was standing in the crowd beside the bar. Oh, shit. 

You leaned forward, reaching over the table to take his hands. “Frankie.” He stiffened, shoulders going rigid. “You have to stay calm, alright? Molly and Tom are here, and -”

“That fuck can’t just -”

“He can.” You squeezed his hands, wetting your lips and trying to stay calm yourself. “We know nothing, Frankie. We have to make him believe it.” It was a pep talk for him as much as it was one for you - and you were uncertain that you could make your own words reality. “There are too many people here. Too many innocent people, and …” You trailed off when he lifted your joined hands and pressed a kiss to your knuckles before he let go and reached for his drink again, downing the remainder in one long swig. 

“I’m good.” He nodded, shoulders relaxing. “I’m fucking peachy.” 

You wondered if maybe, with the crowd, Tom wouldn’t see where the two of you were sitting. A few seconds later, you understood that that wouldn’t be the case. He caught your eye, his brows rising before he leaned over to speak into Molly’s ear, one hand lifting to point in your direction. “They’re coming over, Frankie. It -” 

“Hey, you two.” Your blood went cold at the friendly tone of his voice, but you forced yourself to look up at where they stood, eyeing Tom as he slipped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Busy in here tonight, isn’t it?” 

“We were going to have dinner on a patio, but with the rain, everything’s closed and …” Molly rolled her eyes, drawing your attention. “We ended up here, which isn’t bad, but …” 

“D… do you want to sit?” You forced the words out, surprised to hear that your voice was steady, even though your heart was racing. “Frankie can scoot over here, and you can sit on that side.” Tom looked stunned at the offer, and so did Frankie, but before you could say anything else, he slid to the end of the booth and then stood, moving to where you sat. 

He got as close to you as he could, his arm draped over your shoulders, and as Tom and Molly took seats across from you, you realized that Frankie’s arm was positioned so that his scar was visible. It’s like he’s reminding Tom what he is but in a way that seems … oh, Francisco. You reached over, laying your hand on his thigh and squeezing. 

“So.” Tom sipped his drink, his eyes on you. “You get to be here for a tropical storm. You gonna ride it out at ‘Fish’s place, or -”

“Actually.” Frankie cocked his head to the side. “Actually, I’m going to see Carmen for a couple days. Can’t fly with the wind and rain, so it seemed like a good time.” Tom’s eyes widened, and as Molly interjected, telling Frankie how great it was that he’d get to spend time with his daughter, he stared at you. You wondered if, like Frankie, Tom’s eyes flashed a different color when he was emotional, and then wondered if that other color was the reddish that you’d seen while he was a wolf. 

“He’s leaving you alone here?” Tom chewed on his lower lip, eyes narrowing. “That’s a surprise.” What are you planning? 

“No, I’m going out of town, too.” You reached for your drink, willing your hand not to shake. “Planned it before the weather went to shit, and I’m still going to go. It’ll be good research, and I’m not really interested in trying to cancel reservations.” 

“Where you headed?” Coming from anyone else, it would have been an innocuous question, but you could almost feel the edge to Tom’s ask, and you knew Frankie did, too. 

“South. Cape Coral. Frankie promised me that the majority of the storm would skip there, so…” You shrugged, hoping that it hid your discomfort - and the lie. “I guess we’ll see.” 

Tom didn’t speak right away, but Molly did, waving her hand back and forth and rolling her eyes as she told you that you’d get a little rain and some wind. It was easier for you to speak to her, and so you did, answering with a laugh that was only half-forced as you took another drink. 

Your hand tightened on Frankie’s leg as Tom joined in the conversation, talking about one of the many storms that they’d ridden out during their time in Tampa. And his arm shifted slightly to pull you closer, his head turning so that he could press a kiss to the space behind your ear when Tom laughed about sandbags exploding, Frankie’s quiet I’m right here, I love you making you shiver. 

You had no idea how he was keeping so calm, because you were wound tighter than you could ever remember being before, and were almost desperate to get away from the table - and Tom. 

It wasn’t that you were afraid he’d try anything that night. In fact, you were convinced of the opposite, because you knew that Frankie wouldn’t hesitate to fight back. You also knew that Benny and Will kept a gun behind the counter, a stash of silver bullets in a small bowl beside it. And if you knew that, then Tom did, too. 

But you were afraid of him, afraid of how little he seemed to care about antagonizing you and Frankie. You were fearful of his cockiness, because it meant that he was overconfident, and if he was overconfident as a man, you knew it would carry over the closer it got to the full moon. And that makes him more dangerous. 

“Anyone need a refill?” Benny appeared almost out of nowhere, his arms swinging loosely by his sides. “Tom, Molly, there’s a table that just opened if you guys wanted to have some privacy. I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it with Tessa at college.” It was subtle but pointed, and you felt a surge of affection for the younger Miller, your mouth turning upward into a smile at his offer. “Closer to the bar, too.”

Tom didn’t want to get up - you could see the hesitation in his eyes, but when Molly reached over to take his hand, nodding excitedly, you let out another small sigh of relief. “Yes, please. We should leave these two alone so they can enjoy their date. And I’m starving, so the sooner we order food, the better.” 

“We can order while we sit here, Mol. I’m sure ‘Fish and -”

“Actually,” Frankie cut in, his fingertips tapping on the tabletop. “We were trying to have a date before I leave, so we’d appreciate the privacy, too.” It happened then, and you were almost positive that Tom wasn’t even aware of it - but his eyes did flash, changing color briefly in the fluorescent bar lighting as his jaw tightened. He doesn’t like Frankie challenging him. He’s angry. But that confirms it. He’s … it’s… “It was really good to see you, Mol. Hope you’re holding up well with an empty house.” 

“It’s weird, but …” She pushed on Tom’s arm, urging him to stand. “We’re enjoying it.” You laughed, watching as they stood and took a step away from the table “Right, Tom?”

“Right.” He stood stiffly, his eyes moving between you and Frankie. “You two be careful driving tomorrow.” Frankie grunted and you nodded, thanking him and telling him you would. You watched as he put his hand against Molly’s lower back, turning her in the direction Benny had indicated. 

“Be right back with a refill, ‘Fish,” the blonde called back at you. “No need to get up.” 

Molly giggled at his words and you managed a small smile, but Frankie didn’t react until they were out of earshot. “You need to take everything you have on the Chaos line with you when you leave. He knows you won’t be there for a couple days. He…” He sighed. “He might decide to take a look around.” 

You agreed, and told him as much. “I won’t go back in there until you’re back, either.” He nodded. “Did you see it, his eyes, they -”

“Mine do that too?” Turning his head to look at you, you saw concern in the depths of his, though there was nothing unusual about them that night - they were his usual deep brown. “You said you’ve seen it.”

“They do. But not red. Yours are …” Reaching up, you swept your thumb over his stubbled cheek. “They’re gold. Warm. It sort of looks like your eyes under a really bright light.” He leaned into your touch, and you felt him relax slightly. Good. 

“Break it up, you two. This is a public place.” Benny put two new drinks in front of you and then stopped next to the table, flipping a towel over one shoulder. “You guys alright?” 

“No, but it could have been worse.” He gave you a sympathetic smile and looked to Frankie, taking a long breath. 

“We cant ask ‘em to leave, and I’m sorry about that, ‘Fish.” 

“Don’t apologize.” Frankie slid away from you on the seat and your hand dropped. “As long as he doesn’t come back over here, we’re all good.” He stood up and Benny stepped back, watching as Frankie moved to the other side of the table and sat again. “We might not stay long, though. Maybe finish this round and head out.” 

Benny nodded and then tapped his hand on the table, telling you that if either of you needed anything else, you knew where to find him. And when he was gone, you turned your attention back to Frankie. “After this is over…” You reached out, putting your hand flat on the table between you. “We should go on a trip somewhere.” 

“What? That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” The abrupt change in subject did the trick, and you watched his posture change, Frankie’s brows shooting up as he leaned in. “A vacation?” 

“Yeah, why not.” You shrugged. “It’s going to be winter soon. And I know you’ve spent almost your whole life in this humid hellscape they call Florida, but…” That made him laugh, and the sound warmed you from the inside out. Good. Good, that’s what I want to hear. “But there are places where it actually gets cold. Places where there are snow and mountains and different kinds of forests for you to run through during the full moon.” 

“But I’ve never … aside from Colombia, I’ve never ….” He frowned. “What if something happens?” 

“It won’t.” He took your hand, sliding his fingers between yours and pressing your palms flat against each other. “But a change in scenery, even only for a little while might be a good thing.” 

“I can’t miss a holiday with Carmen. I won’t.” 

“Ashley’s not due until the end of December anyway. So we can’t go out there til early next year.” You grinned, tilting your head. “And there are places out West where it snows until May and June, so we have time.” He was quiet for almost a minute, eyes locked on your face. What are you thinking, Francisco? 

“You’re already thinking that far ahead?” He wet his lips and then bit the lower one. “About next summer?” 

“Yes.” You swallowed, still staring at him and watching as the look in his eyes changed, heat filling them. But that’s not the wolf. “I hope that’s alright.” 

“It’s more than alright.” He reached for his drink and drained half of it in one long gulp, eyes half closed as he tipped his head back. “In fact,” he continued when he’d set the glass down, creating a new ring of condensation on the table. “I think we should leave and I’ll show you just how alright it is.” 

Your stomach flipped, and you shivered. Oh, Frankie. But you nodded at the same time, picking up your drink and taking a smaller - but still healthy - sip. “What are we waiting for, ‘Fish?” He squeezed your hand and then let go, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his wallet and drop a few bills on the table. 

“Nothing anymore.” He stood again and waited until you did, too. Because the bar was so crowded, he had to walk behind you, but he stayed close, one hand on your lower back until you were outside in the parking lot again. 

It reminded you of the first night you’d met, and when you turned to tell him that, he was waiting. “I wanted you to kiss me in the parking lot the first night we met.” You blinked a few times, watching as the water began to dampen his hair and shirt. “I understand why you didn’t, but … I wanted you to.” He stepped closer, staying quiet. 

You believed that Frankie would handle Tom. You believed you’d get answers. You believed that after, you’d go to Texas and then to somewhere snowy. You believed that you’d meet Carmen and Becca and be able to take the next steps toward a future with him. But just in case… if it doesn’t happen? I don’t want anything unsaid. “I wanted to, too.” 

His hands moved to your waist, pulling you closer. “I love you, Francisco, so much. And yes, I’m thinking about next year and next summer and all of the nexts because I don’t want to -” 

“How ‘bout I kiss you now?” He slid one hand up the center of your back, fingers splayed. “Better late than never, right?” You nodded, closing the distance, and when your lips met, you closed your eyes, savoring the feeling. 

You’d kissed him probably hundreds of times in the few months you’d known him, but that one felt different. 

It had little to do with the rain and the breeze, and everything to do with what it signaled - the breaking of the tension that had grown with Tom and Molly appearing in the bar, processing of the conversation that you’d been forced to have with them, the realizations that had come after. But most importantly, it was an indication that you were still on the same page, and that it wasn’t just about immediate satisfaction or the fact that you’d found each other temporarily. 

He bit softly on your lower lip and you parted them for him, the tip of your tongue poking though and meeting his. It escalated quickly from there, one of your hands rising to tangle in the damp curls at the back of his neck, Frankie’s fingers twisting the material of your shirt between them as he backed you toward the corner of the building and where he’d parked his truck. 

Your back hit the cool exterior wall of the bar, and he kept kissing you, his body pressed against yours as the rain continued to fall. A flash of lightning followed by a low rumble of thunder broke you apart, and you groaned, still holding onto him. “We’re getting soaked, Frankie.” 

“And?” His lips moved over yours before they strayed to your cheek and then back toward your ear. “It’s just water.” 

“We’re going to ruin the interior of your truck.” Reluctantly, you pushed him away and then took his face between both hands. “But the sooner we get home, the sooner you can help me out of these clothes.” 

That was the right thing to say, because Frankie backed off on his own then, jerking his chin toward the parking lot and then reaching up to take your hand.

Distracting each other wouldn’t solve your problems, and you could only continue to do it for so long before the next full moon came. And we need to worry about now before we can even think about next.

But when Frankie’s hand found yours and lifted it so that he could kiss your knuckles, it was hard not to think so far ahead… and even harder to imagine that there might not  be a future for the two of you. 

There was a text from Alec, and with some hesitation, you decided to tell him the truth about what happened. You sent him a voice note outlining the previous night, and by the time you finished it, Frankie’s attention was back on you, his mouth set in a deep frown as he listened. At least I only have to explain once. 

“Can I see the video?” His voice was even, but you heard the unease in it, Frankie’s posture rigid. “See what it looks like?” 

“Yes.” Scooting closer to him on the couch, you opened your camera and then the video, hanging your phone over. “But you need to watch the beginning, too. Before the wolf. It’s important.” 

He pressed play, eyes on the screen and at the sound of your own voice, you looked away, staring out the window. You had no desire to watch your attack, and even though it was the truth, you were somewhat embarrassed at the way you’d bared your feelings to him before the wolf had found you. So I’ll just let him watch and listen. 

You stared out the window until you heard yourself scream for Will, and then you looked back at Frankie, watching his reaction to what he was seeing onscreen. It was subtle, but you saw the way his body stiffened, watched the color of his eyes briefly change again, flashing gold for a few seconds as his nostrils flared, your screaming and the wolf’s growling louder than you thought it would be through your phone’s speakers. 

The sound of a gunshot rang out, and for the second time, you heard the wolf react to getting shot, followed by the sound of Will’s voice and yours, the video ending abruptly and plunging the room into silence. Frankie didn’t speak right away, but when he did, it was to whisper your name and then pull you into his lap, his arms going around you before pulling you tight against his chest.

“You’re so fucking brave, do you know that?” He spoke into your ear, the tip of his nose grazing the shell of it. “Most people would have dropped the phone. Most people would have been too afraid to fight back. Most people would have run screaming when they saw what I go through every month.” Frankie pressed his lips to your cheek. “You didn’t. You weren’t. You stayed. You got the other wolf on video. I don’t even know how to…” His arms tightened around you. “Tell me what you were going to say.”

“What?” It took you by surprise, and you backed away, meeting his gaze. “What do -”

“You got cut off when the wolf showed up.” He swallowed hard, unblinking. “That’s the second time you’ve been in the middle of saying something to me and you got interrupted.” You’re not really doing this now, are you? “D’you want to finish that sentence?” 

“I do, but...” Pressing a hand to his chest, you could feel his heartbeat thrumming beneath your palm, though the rest of him gave almost nothing away. He’s anxious. He’s … why? What does he expect? You stared at him, thinking, and wondered what he saw in your expression. I already told Pope. “I’m scared, Francisco.” You spoke quietly, but didn’t look away. “It -”

“I’ve read up on a lot of shit over the past couple years.” He cleared his throat, the hand on your back moving in a slow circle. “Just to try and see how similar my behavior is to a regular wolf’s. I’ve seen videos of myself while I’m not human, and I remember what happens, so…” He shrugged. “And it’s pretty typical for both.” You nodded, unsure of where he was going. “But the more time that passed, I started noticing that I was doing … different things, even when I’m human.” He frowned, but quickly erased the expression from his face though the furrow in his brow didn’t lessen any. “My sense of smell’s better. My vision’s improved, even though it was damn good before. My reflexes are back to what they were when I first joined the Army, or better, maybe.” 

“That’s good for a pilot.” He nodded, still stroking your back.

“I figured that since it’s always in me, the longer it was there and the more used to it I got, the more … we’d mesh.” His other hand moved down to your hip and squeezed. “I’ve always been protective of my family, but when I came back, the first time I saw Carmen? I’d never felt anything like that before. It was like … I can’t explain it. And I thought that the same would be true for Becca, because even though we had problems, I still … we’d been together forever, y’know? Mother of my kid and everything, but it wasn’t like that. Ever. I didn’t have the same … drive when it came to her as I did for Carmen and even the guys. Losing any of them would have been fucking awful, but my relationship with Becca? It sucked when it ended but I wasn’t…” 

“Frankie, you don’t -”

“No, I do. Let me explain.” He swallowed hard, and then took a deep breath. “I want to protect you. I’ve told you that before, but it …” He closed his eyes, swearing under his breath. “The first night I met you. Do you remember what happened?’

“Yeah. You fucked me in front of your fireplace and we both pretended it was going to just be a casual hookup.” He smiled, his eyes flashing with amusement. 

“I bit you.” His gaze dropped, lingering on your neck for a few seconds before it rose again. “I bit your neck.” He smiled. “Actually, I paid a lot of attention to your neck, and -” Just like he did last night when he turned. Was that the wolf’s interest in me from the very beginning? Fuck. “And I didn’t want to go into the bedroom with you, I -”

“You wanted me on the floor.” Your eyes widened. “And it didn’t feel right until you were behind me, and…” It was all coming together for you, and you were stunned. It shouldn’t have taken this long. I should have realized. “It was a wolf’s instincts from the beginning. And you’re… it’s just… fuck, Frankie.” 

“Some part of me knew from the beginning how I’d… how important you were going to be to me. It doesn’t make sense. None of this does.” He leaned in, resting his forehead against yours. “But if it’s the wolf and it’s making everything I already do and feel stronger, then…” He took another breath and let it out, the sound shaky. “I treated you like a mate from the very first night, and you reacted the way that I hoped you would, even if I didn’t realize I was doing it at first.”

“You scented me last night.” Your jaw dropped. “I thought you were trying to hug me, but when you put your paws on me, it was because …” You wanted me to smell like you. Oh, Frankie. 

“I asked you to stay.” His heartbeat had slowed and Frankie’s voice was steady, but you could feel his tension. “Everything else might be the wolf, but that was all -”

“No.” You leaned in, shaking your head. “It’s you, Frankie. The wolf, the man, all of it’s the same thing.” Are you really going to do this? “I don’t have friends. I don’t have people I can count on, except for Alec, and even that’s spotty.” Biting the inside of your lip, you narrowed your eyes. “But ever since I first got here, it felt different.” You’re going to do this. “I’ve never been as scared as I was last night. And yeah, I thought I was going to die for a second, but it was more than that.” 

“You didn’t, though. You did what you needed to do.” He squeezed your hip. “You were perfect.” 

“It’s too soon to say any of this, and I understand that.” You steadied yourself, closing your eyes and taking a breath . “But if I didn’t say it and I never got to, I’d regret it.” He hummed but didn’t interrupt, and so you continued, opening your eyes and meeting his. “I was scared I was going to die last night before I got to tell you I love you. I thought it days ago, but after last night, after seeing you in that clearing, I … I know it.” 

It felt good to say the words. Admitting to the truth was freeing, but Frankie’s silence unnerved you. He wasn’t expecting that. Why would he? It’s been two months. “Repeat that.” He wet his lips and then drew the lower one back and between his teeth. “Please.” 

“I love you, Francisco Morales. And believe it or not, I want to protect you just as much as -”

“The first time we met, when I sat next to you at the bar? I knew it was different.” He shook his head, looking down and then back up. “There was something about you, about the way you smelled, and because it was only a couple days after a full moon, it … there was no way I could miss it.”

“I missed it, though. I just thought you were shit at hiding being attracted to someone.” He laughed quietly, rolling his eyes. “We both tried pretty hard that night to play it cool, didn’t we.” Frankie nodded, the look in his eyes soft. “All I wanted to do that next morning was kiss you.” You looked down, nerves catching up to you as you registered the fact that he still hadn’t replied to the fact that you’d told him you loved him. “I just thought you should know. I -” 

He reached up and used one knuckle beneath your chin to urge you gaze back to his face. “You shouldn’t have stopped yourself the other night in bed.” Oh. really? “I didn’t think it was fair to put any of this shit on you before you saw everything, though, so I didn’t ask you about it.” He steadied himself with one deep breath, nodding as he said your name. “You still feel that way after yesterday? After … you got attacked?”

“Yes.” Your answer was immediate, eyes going wide as you spoke. “That had nothing to do with you, Frankie. Why would it change how I feel about you?”

“Because you know what one of us can do to someone. You’ve seen the way it changes me, and it’s not going to stop. This is my life for as long as I’m living, and if you love me, that means you accept that, and the chance that I might turn on you at some point.” 

“You won’t. If you were going to, you would have yesterday. I trust you.” He still hasn’t said anything back. All he’s done is try to talk me out of feeling this way. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, the look in his eyes sad. “It is, especially coming from you. You shouldn’t love me. You shouldn’t love someone like me, especially after you’ve been looking for wolves to -”

You stood abruptly, wincing as you put weight onto your leg - and distance between the two of you. “No, not just any wolves, Frankie. The Chaos wolves. You’re not one of them. You proved that.” You moved further away, your back to him to hide the fact that you were in pain. “And if you’ve been treating me like your mate since the beginning, you obviously would have noticed if I’d had any reservations about that, or about you or about being with you.” 

It hurt - not that he hadn’t immediately told you that he loved you, too, but that you’d bared your feelings to him, and all Frankie had done was question your admission. Especially after how he’s noticed he’s been treating me. Especially with what I thought he felt toward me. You stood in front of the fireplace, crossing your arms over your chest and blinking back tears.

The room was silent, thick with tension and almost uncomfortable, but moments later it was shattered by the ringing of the doorbell. Food’s here. Rubbing at the bridge of your nose, you lowered your head and closed your eyes. I’m not hungry. I should go. “Let me know what I owe you for dinner, Frankie. I think I’m going to go back to my -”

“Please don’t.” You heard the couch springs creak and then a few footsteps as he made his way to where you were, stopping before he got close enough to touch you. “Please don’t leave.” You turned slowly to face him, unsure of what to expect. 

It certainly wasn’t a look of unease on his face, or his lower lip trembling. And it also wasn’t his slumped shoulders or the nervous shuffling of his feet, Frankie shaking his head as he stared at you. “Why? I just bared my goddamn emotions to you, Frankie, and all I get in return is you telling me that I shouldn’t feel a certain way, or that I couldn’t possibly understand what I’m getting myself into with you. That’s what love is, right? Taking a chance and going into things unprepared and trusting yourself to navigate through it all with the person you’re with?”

“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “But it’s not usually with someone like me.”

“Alec and Ashley seem to be perfectly happy together.” You swiped a hand over your face, the sadness turning into anger. “He was raised in the same damn way I was and he’s having a baby with a wolf. Fuck, Frankie, you’re not the only person in this world that -”

“We stole hundreds of millions of dollars from a drug lord.” He stepped even closer, straightening up. “So I’m also thinking of that when I consider how the fuck I feel about you, and how close it’s safe to let you get.” His lip curled, and Frankie’s head moved back and forth a few times. “It’s not just that I’m a wolf. I might also have a target on my back for a lot of other reasons, and bringing you into my life fully puts that on you, too.” 

You hadn’t considered that, and you knew that your expression gave it away. Fuck. He’s right. “Frankie, I -”

“I’m fucking in love with you, and every time I’ve thought about telling you that these past couple weeks, I’ve convinced myself not to for multiple reasons. And hearing you say it first, I … fuck.” You gasped, a shaky breath escaping you, and when Frankie took another step forward, you nodded, tears filling your eyes. “I wasn’t looking for this. I’m not ready. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready, but you’re right. It doesn’t matter. You need to know. You deserve to know.” 

“You’re in love with me?” He nodded, one large hand rising so that he could slide his fingers along your jaw, his thumb catching briefly on your lower lip. “Really?” He nodded again, unblinking. “Well that’s good to hear.” 

Silence hung between you for a few tense seconds and then he laughed, his other arm going around you. He took the final step and closed the distance completely, crushing you to his chest without forcing you to take a step on your injured leg. Your tears started falling when he lowered his head to speak into your ear, murmuring that he didn’t know what to fucking do with you, but you were too overwhelmed to speak. He’s in love with me. He’s in love with me but was scared to tell me because of everything he’s been through and done and … fuck. I shouldn’t have pushed. I shouldn’t have forced him to… “Hey.” 

“Yeah?” You backed off, meeting his gaze again. “Hmm?” 

“That’s not how I wanted to tell you any of this.” Frankie used one knuckle to brush tears from your cheeks. “I’m not happy I’m a wolf now, but I’ve made peace with it, y’know? I just sort of figured that I’d never really have anyone permanent in my life again, and then you …” He swore quietly, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “You showed up and just …” 

You understood immediately, Frankie’s desire to protect you winning out over his emotional detachment. And he doesn’t know what to be more worried about, the drug money or the wolf, which is …God, I can’t even imagine what he must be thinking. “We can start over.” Your voice low, you tightened your hold on him, fingers gripping the material of his shirt. “This conversation anyway. Start at the beginning, and -”

“I’m in love with you. I want you to stay here, in Florida with me. I want to find this wolf and get rid of it and then figure out what comes next, but …” Frankie took a deep breath, nodding. “I want to be with you. There’s so much shit I still need to tell you, that I want to tell you.” He paused, wetting his lips with a flash of his tongue. “If you’ll let me.” 

“I will.” Your heart was pounding in your chest, eyes locked with his. “If you’re honest with me, I’m more than happy to listen to whatever you’ve got to say.” Here goes nothing. “That’s what happens when you love someone, right?” He nodded slowly, never looking away from you. “Then yeah, Francisco. We’ll do that.” 

“Good.” He bit down on the inside of his lip, narrowing his eyes. “Do you actually want to go, or were you just trying to bow out because you thought I wasn’t going to say anything back to you?”

“I don’t want to go anywhere.” You looked up, eyes on the ceiling for a few seconds as you thought. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome, but the idea of being alone right now isn’t appealing, either.” 

He didn’t say anything right away, instead leaning in and kissing your forehead, his lips lingering. “Why don’t we eat dinner, and then we can decide what to do next, alright?” Frankie spoke quietly, sighing as he straightened up. “We’ve got a month to figure this shit out.” 

— 

“Frankie, we’re going to have to get out of this bed at some point.” You sighed, reaching down to drag your fingers through his damp curls. “We have plans tonight.” He was wrapped around you, cheek resting against your chest. “And to be honest, I need a couple hours of rest, because -”

“You weren’t complaining earlier.” Tightening his hold on you, he tipped his head back so that he could catch your eye. “Or this morning, or -” He wasn’t wrong. Since you’d admitted the truth to each other the night after the full moon, the two of you had barely been able to keep your hands off of each other when you were in the same room. 

You’d lost count of the number of times you’d been together, the hours slipping away as you spent them tangled up in his bed and shower. It was like a barrier had been broken down completely, freeing you to not only act on your true feelings, but to stop hiding them, too. He whispered that he loved you over and over between kisses, and hearing his voice repeat it at full volume before he left for work and when he got home in reply to your greeting made you feel at peace in a way that you’d never anticipated. 

But the truth was that you were tired, despite getting good sleep, and you knew that he was, too. “I’m still not complaining.” You sighed, pulling on a curl. “But we need to go and meet your friends, and I’d like to be alert for that conversation.” He laughed, finally letting go of you and sitting up to stretch. “Is this how it’s going to be every month after the moon? Because if it is, I might need to take some extra vitamins, or buy stock in electrolytes or -” 

“Might be.” He wrinkled his nose, reaching up to ruffle his own hair. “Donno yet.” He was joking, and the two of you laughed together, Frankie leaning down to kiss you softly on the mouth. “It’s just nice not to have to hide anything, and I know that when we go over there, it won’t be like that.” 

You sat up, too, leaning against his headboard and pulling the blankets up to cover your chest. “I get it.” You shrugged, nodding. “But I do think it’s for the best.” 

The two of you were meeting his friends for the first time since your attack to fill them in on all the details. You were going to be honest with them about everything - except for why you were in Florida. While in truth, it would only be Benny and Tom that didn’t know the whole story, widening the circle of trust even that much further seemed risky. It wasn’t because Frankie didn’t trust the two of them; instead, it was because he didn’t want to make you explain your entire family’s history, or bring Ashley and Alec into it without their permission. 

Will’s knowledge of the situation had been the result of circumstance, and though you were glad that he knew, part of you wished that you hadn’t slipped up in front of him. Because it feels like too many people know, and nothing’s changed as a result. “I’m gonna jump in the shower.” He stood up, giving you a lengthy opportunity to stare at his bare ass, and then headed for the bathroom. “You wanna come with me and conserve some water?” 

“Is that what we’re calling it now?” You grinned and got out of the bed, too. “Saving the environment?”

“It can be.” He waited at the door for you, reaching back so that you co uld take his hand. “Just for tonight.” Both of you were laughing as you entered the bathroom, Frankie flipping the lightswitch up before you shut the door behind you. 

— 

“Where’s Molly?” You looked out the window at Tom’s place, eyeing the well-kept lawn and pristine house. “You guys don’t come over here to meet up often, right?”

“She’s gone for a couple days with her friends, I think?” He pulled up to the curb, parking his truck. “And Tessa’s in college now, so she only comes home on weekends to do her laundry.” He laughed. “They moved her into her dorm a little while ago.” You hadn’t realized that - but you were thankful that there was a place that all of you could talk without interruptions. Not that Yovanna is an interruption, but … “And he’s always looking for an excuse to use his grill, so it worked out.” 

You made your way to the gate that led to the back yard, Frankie walking slower than usual to accommodate your injury. It felt much better, and he’d re-bandaged it for you twice, checking on the state of it and reporting back to Will, but it still hurt, and there was no reason to push it. 

The others were already there when you rounded the garage and made it to the back lawn, and you and Frankie were greeted with a chorus of hellos, Benny lifting his beer bottle in salute. But the smile on his face froze when he got a good look at you, his gaze going immediately to your bandaged leg. Here we go. 

“What the fuck happened to you?” He frowned, looking at Frankie. “‘Fish? Wh-”

“That’s her story to tell.” He pulled your chair out for you, waiting until you were seated to drop into the one next to it. “Figured it’d be better to do it in person.” You gave Benny a smile and then looked in Pope’s direction, nodding before letting your eyes move to Will and finally to Tom, who was standing next to the grill with one hand on his hip. He looked curious, holding your gaze for longer than he usually did before shaking his head and clearing his throat. 

“Well we’re all here and in person.” He stepped toward you. “And we’re listening.” You felt Frankie’s hand on your knee, the pressure welcome as he squeezed it. “What happened to you?” There was no way to sugarcoat it, and no real reason to, and so you didn’t, opening your mouth and letting the words tumble out. 

“I got attacked by the other wolf in the clearing outside the RV.” It sounded impossible, even by your standards, and that feeling only grew when you continued. “It didn’t bite me, though. It just clawed at me, and then Will shot it, and -” 

“WHAT?” Benny was on his feet, fingers balled into fists by his sides. “You what? My brother did what? And we’re just now hearing about -”

“Benjamin.” Frankie’s voice was quiet, but you heard the power behind it. “Calm down.” The younger Miller stilled, though his expression didn’t soften. “Nobody said anything because we wanted to tell the story once. And we took a few days to recover, but none of the three of us thought that a phone call or a text message was the right way to talk about this.” 

Benny finally nodded before dropping back into his chair, his gaze focused on your injury. It was Pope that spoke up next, reaching across the table to touch your hand before saying anything. “Are you alright?”

“I am. It was a little scary for a couple minutes, but as soon as Will scared it off, it was … better.” He nodded, leaning back. “No, you know what?” You closed your eyes, steeling yourself before you pressed your lips together and nodded. “It was really fucking scary for a few minutes. I thought … I didn’t think I was going to make it.” 

“But you did.” Tom crossed his arms low across his chest, tilting his head to the right. “It didn’t try to bite you? Really?”

“Really.” Flattening your hands on the tabletop, you looked between the four other guys again, taking a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “If you come and sit I’ll tell you all exactly what happened.” For a second, you didn’t think he’d join you - but then Tom crossed the patio and pulled out his own chair, dropping into it without looking away. 

It took a little while because they all interrupted you, but with Will and Frankie’s help, you recounted the events from the night you’d been attacked. And when you pulled your phone out, opening the cropped video and pressing play, they were all locked in, eyes on the tiny screen throughout the duration of it. It played once for all of them, and then each man took your phone in turn, the device held up close to their faces as they analyzed the other wolf’s attack. Benny’s response was anger, his lip curling while his head whipped back and forth. Pope just seemed sad, his large brown eyes filled with emotion as he winced at the sound of your screams. Will’s expression was full of intrigue, his brows knit as he used both fingers to zoom in on your screen toward the end, mumbling the words I should have aimed higher before he handed it to Tom. 

And Tom’s response shocked you most of all, his posture rigid as he stared at the screen, teeth digging into his lower lip. When he set your phone down and slid it toward you, he finally spoke, leaning in to lock eyes with you. “Don’t take this the wrong way, because it’s a good thing, but why the fuck didn’t it bite you?” 

Frankie growled from next to you, but you murmured his name, head moving slowly back and forth. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to figure that out for the last couple days, and all I’ve come up with is that maybe it didn’t want to? I don’t think it wanted to turn me the way the kid that bit Frankie did, I think it just … wanted to hurt me.” Lowering your eyes to where your fingers were linked on the scarred wood, you took a deep breath. “And it did. But not like it… he has hurt the other people he’s attacked.” The guys all nodded in agreement, but none of them spoke before you went on. “At least now you all know what it looks like. You know for a fact that it’s not Frankie attacking anyone. I don’t know what good that will do, but -”

“How did it know you’d be there?” Tom’s voice was soft, the the fingers of one hand rhythmically tapping the table. “That RV isn’t even in a real camping spot, we had to bribe them to approve the space for it.” He rubbed at his forehead. “It doesn’t make any fucking sense.” 

“It does.” Frankie spoke up, leaning forward so that he could look at Tom. “Based on the pattern.” He explained your theory about the other wolf working his way through local parks that had campsites, explaining that Richloam was one of the final ones in the area that hadn’t been an attack site in the past. “And I can smell people from miles away those nights, so he probably smelled all of us, maybe even me as a wolf, and came running.” 

Tom looked thoughtful, his attention moving between you and Frankie for long moments before he swiped a hand over his face. “Fuck.” 

“So what do we do now?” Pope leaned back in his chair, exhaling. “Frankie, you said there was a pattern to the places the other wolf’s been attacking? Do you think we can use that to figure out where he’ll be next month?”

“Maybe.” Frankie leaned in, nodding. “There were only two or three that were left that are similar to the ones he’s already been to, but Richloam was the most likely. I just didn’t think … I didn’t think our campsite would be where he went first.” Frankie looked over at you, wetting his lips and then lowering his gaze to the tabletop. “He’s either going to branch out and find places further away, or start the pattern again.” He looked up, meeting the eyes of each of his friends in turn. “It’s what I’d do.” 

“Makes sense.” Will agreed, scratching the side of his head. “To someone that’s not looking for a wolf, the attacks seem like random animals, and I’m sure at least a couple of the parks and swamps have had others since the first one we noticed that are just shit like big cats and things fucking with campsites.” You hadn’t looked into that, and made a mental note to do so when you got back to Frankie’s. I should have already thought of it. 

“But what the fuck do we do about it? One of us goes out to each of the most likely places, while ‘Fish picks one of us to come with?” Benny pointed at you, shaking his head. “Do we let you go out by yourself, or always pair you with Frankie because if this fuckin’ thing got your scent, he might be looking? Do we all stay at the camper every full moon so there’s five of us with guns and -”

“I can’t exactly leave my wife once a month on every full fuckin’ moon, Benny.” Tom gestured toward the house, his tone harsh. “She’s not dumb. She’d ask questions, and unlike Morales, I don’t exactly want to tell her wh-”

“Guys.” Will stood, holding his hands out. “Look, we don’t need to decide anything tonight. We know what happened. We know that we need to come up with something before the next full moon. When is that, by the way?” 

“October 28th.” You were the first to answer, certainty in your tone. “The Hunter’s Moon.” You reached for your phone and pulled it back toward you, fingers curling around the device. “And I have every intention of being a part of this plan - whatever it is, because the sooner we deal with this, the sooner Frankie and I can …” 

You trailed off, realizing that you’d just admitted to the fact that you and Frankie were considering a future together. Shit. Did he want that? Did - “The sooner we figure all of this out, the sooner we can figure out how her staying here works.” He reached over and put his hand on top of yours, slowly looking between each of the others. “Because that’s what’s happening. We’re -”

“Hell yeah, brother!” Benny jumped up and circled the table, first clapping Frankie on the shoulder before he put him in a loose headlock, the two of them laughing. When he let go, he moved to you, winding his arms around you from behind and ducking down to press a kiss to the top of your head. “And good for you too. There are plenty of worse guys out there than ‘Fish.”

It made you laugh - Benny lightening the mood significantly, and when you tipped your head back so that you could plant a kiss on his cheek, he grinned and winked before he backed away. “He’s alright.” That made the others laugh, too, and when Pope stood to go and get another drink, the conversation around the table resumed. 

You settled in, Frankie by your side with an arm around your shoulders as all of you caught up with each other. For the next hour, everything was normal, and when Tom stood to preheat the grill, you also pushed away from the table, excusing yourself to use the bathroom. 

“I’ll come with you.” Tom pointed at the grill. “This is ready, so I need to get dinner out of the fridge anyway.” 

There was a small bathroom off of the kitchen, which was bright and cheerful with lots of natural light and greenery. Molly, I’m sure. He was still inside when you finished, and when Tom turned in your direction, holding out a tray of skewered vegetables, you took them happily. “I’ll be honest. I never pictured you as a grill guy, Tom.” 

“Oh yeah?” He grinned at you and you nodded, eyes on him as he picked up a tray of hamburgers and hotdogs. “What did you think I was?” He gestured to the bags of buns before he grabbed a basket full of cutlery and condiments, and then the two of you headed back for the door. He pushed the screen to the side, waiting for you to walk through. 

“I don’t know. I just figured with as much time you spent enlisted, you never had time to learn to cook.” You jerked your chin forward. “Or grill.” He spoke as he followed you, his tone amused. 

“Molly’s the cook. And I’m decent with grilling, but I like it.” You set what you carried down and then turned to reach for the condiments, Tom reaching forward to hand them to you. You caught the wince he tried to hide - slight but still noticeable, his jaw tightening briefly before it relaxed and he spoke again. What did they say happened? Tess and volleyball? “And these assholes will eat just about anything, so as long as I don’t turn their burgers into fucking hockey pucks, it’s fine.” 

Benny snorted but agreed, and even Will nodded briefly, though there was an expression on his face you couldn’t read. You sat down next to Frankie again, and without hesitation he reached over and took your hand, squeezing after linking your fingers together. Ask later. “I’m also not a fan of eating hockey pucks, so…” Tom held up both hands after setting the meat down, muttering the word understood, and then pulled the top of the grill open. 

The conversation continued around you, and as the smell of cooking meat and vegetables filled the air, you fully relaxed. The weather was nice, the company was even nicer, and the fact that everyone was 90% on the same page was a relief. 

“Hey.” Frankie’s voice was quiet in your ear as he leaned in closer, his lips curved upward in a tiny smile. “Ironhead and I are going in to get another round of drinks. You need one?” You did - and told him as much, eyeing the two men as they stood from the table and left you, Pope, Benny and Tom in the back yard. 

When Benny stood to walk over to Tom, you turned your attention to Pope, beginning a conversation about him and Yovanna, and what they’d been up to. He answered enthusiastically, his face lightning up as he spoke, and you were so engrossed in what he was saying that you almost missed Frankie and Will coming back, setting down bottles and cans in front of where everyone was sitting. 

Dinner was ready only a few minutes later, and while you ate, there was none of the lingering tension from the beginning of the conversation, or even any of the uncertainty that you’d seen on Will’s face. You chalked it up as just a product of the situation you’d all found yourselves in, and once again let your guard down. 

It was stupid not to; you were surrounded by a retired Delta Force team and the full moon was weeks away. Nothing was going to happen to you in Tom’s back yard, and even the dull itch of your healing leg wasn’t enough to deter you from that line of thinking. 

As the night went on and dinner was cleared from the table, the six of you moved from the patio and into the yard, sitting in a circle around a small fire pit. You knew that you and Frankie would have to leave earlier than everyone else - he had flights the following morning, and needed to sleep - but the truth was that you didn’t want to leave. 

You’d been to gatherings before, though none of them had been with actual friends. You’d attended bonfires and parties, scoring invites from people you’d met in previous cities in an attempt to strike up conversations with people as they drank or smoked more and let their guard down. But you’d never been to a night like the one that night, and even though you enjoyed yourself, it was also a reminder that no matter how close you got with Frankie and the others, they had true history together, something that you’d never had the opportunity to experience. 

“You alright?” Frankie leaned over, ducking his head to kiss your shoulder. “You’re quiet.” 

“I’m just glad to be here.” You gestured with your bottle, indicating his friends. “It’s a nice change of pace from my usual routine.” You could see that he understood, and while the two of you stared at each other, the firelight flickering in his eyes, you also understood how much the time with his friends in a casual setting meant. “We should probably go soon, though, right?” Chewing on your lip, you took a deep breath. “You’ve got a 10 am, right?” 

“Right.” He leaned back in his chair, stretching. “And that alarm goes off early.” Frankie groaned, reaching up to pull his hat off before using the back of his hand to rub at his eye. “We’re gonna get going.” The other conversation stopped, everyone’s attention going back to you. “We should probably figure out what we’re doing about next month pretty soon, just so we’re all on the same page.”

“Think it’s my turn to head out with you, ‘Fish.” Benny cleared his throat. “But I’m not opposed to turning it into an all play, just to cover our asses.” 

“Might be a good idea.” Pope sighed, rubbing at the space between his eyes. “I think it’s gonna come back and try to see if we’re back at the RV. It had to have smelled wolf-you, Frankie. It might even go back there as a human to scope it out, so -”

“I can head out there in the next couple days.” Tom leaned forward, the hand holding his beer dangling between his knees. “See if everything looks right. Check on the blind, replenish the first aid kit, all that.” Frankie nodded from next to you, and you opened your mouth to speak, but Will beat you to it. 

“Will you be able to get away with us next month, Redfly?” He sipped from his beer, gesturing to the rest of you with it. “Strength in numbers and all that shit?”

“No.” Tom shook his head, staring at the blonde. “There’s a realtor’s conference in Orlando that goes all weekend. Didn’t get to go to the one in August, so I thought this one was a good backup.” He cleared his throat. “I can do whatever you need me to until that Wednesday night, but I won’t be home for the full moon.” 

“Alright.” Will agreed, shrugging. “We’ll do it without you, then.” You could hear the annoyance in his tone, but everyone else ignored it - and so you did, too… at least outwardly. It’s bullshit that Tom hasn’t helped the same ways that the others do. You stood, reaching behind you to move the chair out of the way so that you could head for the fence gate. It seems like he’s just making excuses, and that’s… it’s fucking bullshit. 

It wasn’t your place to say anything, and even though part of you hoped that one of the others would, you didn’t know how likely it was. “Thanks for dinner, Redfly. See you around.” Frankie moved to stand next to you, extending the goodbyes to the rest of his friends. “Let me know what you find at the RV, alright?”

“Sure.” Tom stood, too, sticking one hand in his pocket and jerking his chin at you. “Take care of that leg, alright?” You assured him that you would, and then you started walking again, Frankie’s hand reaching over to take your bottle from you. He dropped them into the trash can next to the back door before you made it to the side of the house, and then he linked his fingers with yours, squeezing. 

“Do you want to go to the car? I need to use the bathroom.” You stopped, turning your head toward where he stood. “Or you can come inside with me, and we’ll go out the front.” 

“That.” You nodded. “Sitting in the car alone feels weird.” He grinned and then changed course, heading for the sliding door. You followed him, moving to lean against the dividing wall between the kitchen and the front hall. The lights were dimmed, but you used the time to look around the room, taking in the details. 

It was cozy and looked lived in in a way that Frankie’s house didn’t. Molly’s influence was all over the decor, and there were fresh flowers in vases scattered around the room, too. I bet Tom doesn’t give a shit about artwork or tile style or - 

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of breaking glass, and instinctively, you perked up, craning your neck toward the door leading outside. There was some commotion and then the sound of voices as they got closer to the screen door, and only a few seconds later, you watched as Tom entered, his face set into an angry scowl and one hand curled into a tight fist. “You alright? I -”

“Ironhead dropped a bottle.” He went toward the sink, using his other hand to turn the tap on. “Sliced my fucking finger open helping him pick up glass.” You winced in sympathy for him, watching as he unclenched his fist and stuck his flattened palm under the water, shoulders rising and falling as he rinsed the wound. 

A few seconds later, the bathroom door opened and your attention moved to Frankie, watching as he stepped back into the kitchen, wiping his hands on his jeans. He inhaled sharply and then paused, but he veered past Tom to get back to you, sliding an arm around your waist to pull you closer. Why is he so rigid? What is going on? “You cut yourself, Redfly?”

“Beer bottle. It’s fine.” He groaned and turned the water off, reaching for a paper towel. “Ironhead already offered to stitch me up if I need it.” You laughed quietly, but Frankie didn’t, instead pulling gently on you and leading you toward the door. “Have a good night, you two. Get home safe.” 

The further you got from the kitchen, the tighter Frankie’s hold on you became. And when you were finally inside the truck, he raised both hands to the wheel, gripping it tightly enough that you heard it creak. Ok, what the fuck. “Frankie? What’s -”

“I should have fucking seen it.” He nearly growled the words, squeezing the wheel one more time before letting go and starting the truck’s ignition. “I should have fucking known. It’s been right there, in front of my goddamn face.” What? What is … His hands were shaking as he put it into drive, and even in the low light from the streetlamps, you could see that he was breathing hard. Something happened, but what? 

“Frankie, you’re scaring me.” It was the truth. You hadn’t actually felt fear around him in the entire time you’d known him up to that point. “You were fine before you went into the bathroom, and then Tom -”

“FUCK!” He reached up, pulling his hat off and flinging it at the windshield, the truck jerking to a stop at the end of the block. “I can’t fucking believe that he … goddamn him. He’s lucky I didn’t fucking …” The truck started moving again as Frankie’s head whipped back and forth, the shadows sliding over his features as you headed away from the Davis residence. What the fuck is going on with him right now?  

“Frankie?” Your heart was pounding, and even though you were afraid, you knew that he wouldn’t hurt you. Not with the way that he got me out of that house. Not with the way he got me away from … “Tom.” 

The pieces fell into place in an instant, even though you didn’t know the details. Tom’s the other wolf. Somehow, he figured it out tonight, but what would have … “Take your phone out.” He was still angry, but there was a calm to the way he spoke, and you realized that Frankie had slipped into whatever mindset he’d used to get through each mission he’d been on. He’s in survival mode. And that means he really believes this is true. “Ironhead’s going to call you as soon as he gets into his car because he knows I’m driving.” 

You wanted to reach for him, but instead you did as he told you, digging your phone out and holding it - screen up - in one hand between you. “Where are we going?”

“Back to my place.” He was still holding the wheel with both hands, eyes on the road. “Because if we don’t go there, and he checks, he’ll know.” Before you could reply, your screen lit up, Will’s name and picture on it. “Speaker, please.” 

You answered, saying hello, but you didn’t get a chance to say anything else because Will’s voice filled the cab of the truck, his tone just as calm as Frankie’s. “Well?”

“It’s fucking him. I don’t know how, but it is.” He let out a shaky breath. “Good call on the glass, by the way. I can’t believe it worked.” He smelled the blood. He smelled it the other day, and then again today. 

“Are you sure?” He wasn’t outright questioning Frankie; he was confirming. “Because -”

“I smelled his blood all over that goddamn clearing, and even though my nose isn’t as good right now, I’d know it anywhere.” You covered your mouth with your other hand, turning your head to look out your window. “Tom is the other wolf, Will. He’s been hurting people for months, and he just tried to kill my girl a few days ago. I’m fucking sure.” 

There was a long silence as you and Frankie drove through the darkness, and your fingers tightened around your phone as you waited to see who would break it. You didn’t have long to wait. Before you and Frankie made it through another light, Will’s voice came though the speaker again - just as calm, but with a note of resolve in it. 

“I guess we’ve got to decide how you want to handle it then, don’t we ‘Fish?” 

The cab of the truck was silent for a few seconds longer, and then you watched as Frankie eased his grip on the wheel with his right hand. Tom? It’s Tom? He tried to … “Can you come to my place, Ironhead?” But you said he might check. How… how will this work? “This isn’t a conversation I want to have over the phone.” 

Frankie reached over, settling a hand on your thigh and moving his thumb against it in a slow, possessive arc. His touch was gentle, though, despite the rigidity of every other part of his body. “Yeah. Let me go home and get the bike. I’ll be there in thirty.” 

You hung up then, setting your phone down into one of the cupholders - but you stayed quiet. What is there to say? With both hands free, you moved to clasp them together in your lap, but Frankie didn’t let you, intercepting the movement and capturing one hand with his and bringing it to his lips to press a kiss to your knuckles. 

“I meant it, by the way.” His voice was low but even, and when you turned your head toward him, Frankie’s gaze slid to the right and caught yours. It didn’t surprise you that his irises were golden, and you realized in those few moments just how hard he was fighting to hold himself together. 

 You didn’t pull away - and you didn’t flinch, either. “Meant what, Francisco?” He kissed your hand again and then lowered your hands to rest against his thigh, his grip tightening. 

“I’m going to rip his fucking throat out.” 

“Better than I thought I would, to be honest.” Ducking your head and pressing your face to his chest as you yawned, you were very aware of the way his fingers curled in against your skin, his hand settled atop your hip. “You?”

“I didn’t dream.” Frankie murmured the words, shifting closer to you as he spoke. “And I always dream, especially after the full moon. It gets real vivid for a couple days, but not this time.” You wondered why that was, and if him having some answers had settled his mind. “I like waking up next to someone.” 

“Someone?” Backing away enough so that you could look into his eyes, you arched a brow. “Ouch.” 

“You know what I mean.” He rolled his eyes, lifting one leg to hook it over yours. “Do you always give guys such a hard time first thing in the morning when they’re still waking up?” I could make so many comments about hard things, but I’ll spare him this one time. 

“No.” Biting down on the corner of your lip, briefly closed your eyes before reaching up and running your fingers through his curls. “Not all of them. Just you.” 

He was silent for a few seconds but then said your name, Frankie speaking quietly and waiting until you were looking back at him before he leaned in. 

Unlike the first morning with him, he didn’t hold back, lips pressing against yours for a lingering kiss. No matter what had been discussed, it was still dangerous for you to let yourself get used to it - to his proximity, to the way he made you feel, to the fact that with every kiss and touch, you wanted another immediately after. But I can’t help it. And even if I tried, I … I don’t think it would matter. 

“I meant it.” He spoke again when he pulled away, the hand on your hip sliding back and around your waist, his fingers spread over your lower back. “Everything I said last night. I know when we met I said I wasn’t looking for anything long term, but … fuck. The idea of not having this anymore? Not knowing if you’re safe? I don’t like that at all.”

“This is fast, Frankie.” You took a deep breath, unwilling to break eye contact. It’s really fast. And that scares me. “I meant what I said too, but I just worry.” I don’t know how to say this. “What if what you’re feeling - what we’re feeling is because of how fucked up this situation is? What if it’s just because we’re both on high alert because of the Chaos wolf?” 

You saw the hurt flash across his features, and for a few seconds, you wondered if you’d said the wrong thing. But he finally nodded, closing his eyes. “It is. And I’ve never moved this fast before, either.” Frankie sat up then, the movement startling you. When he looked down, you saw the determined look in his eyes, his shoulders settling as he nodded. “I have to trust what I’m feeling. I’ve been with more than a few women since I got bitten. One of them was the woman that I loved for years. It’s never been like this with any of them. Ever.” 

You sat up, too, holding the blankets over your chest in an attempt to keep yourself covered. “Did Ashley talk to you about the trust thing?” He nodded, a small frown putting a crease between his brows. “I’m not surprised. Alec said she doesn’t really have a filter.”

“I don’t either, so it was a good conversation.” He grinned then, the expression breaking the tension. “And like I said last night, too, I don’t expect a lifelong commitment, just … I want a real shot at this.” Frankie gestured between the two of you, cocking his head to the side. “Because you’ve got to admit that there’s something here, and it’s not just sex.” 

“It’s not.” It never has been. “But if we’re going to do this, Frankie? What do we tell people? And by people I mean your friends, because -”

“We tell them the truth. Or some of it, at least.” He reached for your hand, sliding his fingers between yours and squeezing. “Pope already knows about why you’re here, but he said we should be careful.” Careful? What do you mean? “The guys knowing that you know what I am is one thing, but them knowing what you’re doing here?” He shook his head. “That’s too many people, especially with this other wolf on the loose.” 

“Why? Would they say something?” You were confused - none of his friends seemed like the type to let a secret like yours slip. Especially after they kept Frankie’s for so long. “Who -”

“None of them would say anything.” He sighed, looking away for a minute and then back at you. “On purpose anyway. But Benny and Will have the bar, and all it would take was one of them opening their mouths to the wrong person, and it could be dangerous for you.” 

You hadn’t thought of that, but his reasoning made sense. “Alec said… Alec said that the wolf that bit him was methodical, that it was smart.” He nodded, eyes still on you. “And you said there’s a lot of cops and military in the bar, right?” 

“Right.” Frankie swallowed hard. “And if it’s one of them? Or someone one of them knows and they’re protecting him?” He reached up with his free hand, swiping his thumb beneath your eye. “Puts a target on your back that doesn’t have to be there.” You shivered at his words, but Frankie didn’t flinch. “You knowing about me is fine, but anyone else knowing about you?” He shook his head. “It’s an unnecessary risk that I’m not interested in taking.” 

“That makes sense, but then how would I know about you?” Licking your lips, you reached up to rub the back of your neck. “You haven’t told anyone. Why would you tell me? I’m a stranger, Frankie. And as far as any of them know, I’m just someone you’re occasionally sleeping with for a little while while I’m here working, and -”

“That’s not at all what you are, and you know it.” You heard the hurt in his voice, almost like even thinking that that was the case made him angry. “And… I thought about that when I woke up this morning.” He inched closer, taking both of your hands in his and holding them, the man saying your name quietly. “It’ll be a lie, but I think I figured something out.”

“I don’t want you to lie to your friends.” He can’t do that. Not for me. Not about this. “It -”

“I’m going to tell them that I told you because once I found out how close you were to where the attack happened?” He squeezed harder, his hands warm in yours. “I lost control. And I started to shift in front of you and there was no option but to tell you.” That could work. You were silent, thinking, and Frankie was too. 

It was a plausible explanation, and since all of them had seen Frankie change before, they would know how much of a shock it was to see unexpectedly. But it’s still a lie. “That would mean telling them that you can change when the moon’s not full.” He nodded slowly. “And it would mean that they’d know you’re reacting emotionally to the thought of -”

“Yeah.” He let go of one of your hands, gaze falling to the inside of his forearm as you ran your fingers over the scarring beneath the ink. “And I can already hear the shit they’ll give me for falling so fast for someone, but …” He looked up again and shrugged. “It’s the truth. You’ve seen it with your own eyes more than once. My focus is not the best around you.” That made you smile, heat rising to your cheeks as you bit down on the inside of one. Falling for me? Is he … did he just? Oh, fuck. “You’d have to sell it, though. Act like it was a big adjustment, like the idea of -”

“I can do that.” Your smile widened. “Pope’s going to know that we’re full of shit.” You shrugged, laughing. “Despite my overall reaction, Frankie, this is a shock to me. And even though I’ve seen you start to shift, I’ve never seen anyone go all the way.” Closing your eyes, you took a breath to steady yourself. “I’ve never seen an actual wolf or anyone become a wolf. So I only know bare minimum about what actually happens when you turn.”

“Would you want to?” You heard fear in his voice, Frankie’s breathing shallow. “See a wolf, I mean.” Has he ever asked that of anyone? I doubt it. 

“Would I want to see you?” He nodded, the motion hesitant. “I’d like that very much.” You could feel his relief at that, Frankie closing his eyes and letting out a woosh of breath as his posture loosened. “Is that possible?”

“You could come with me next time.” He leaned in, nodding. “It’s September second, so we have what, a little more than three weeks until the next full moon? It would mean that you can’t look for the Chaos wolf that night, but it might still be useful.” 

He was offering you a true glimpse into the most private part of his life - something that he’d reserved only for his brothers for three years. But that delays me by a month. It meant that there’d likely be another attack, someone else getting hurt because you’d chosen to spend the full moon with Frankie. But I want to. And it’s just as likely that this wolf will be in that area as any other, so … “Ok.” The single word made you feel lighter, and you watched as Frankie’s eyes widened in response. Did he think I’d say no? “But only if you’re sure, Frankie. I don’t want you to feel like you need to show me if you’re not ready.”

“I said I wanted to give this a shot.” He swallowed and then rubbed his fingers against his cheek, his frown returning. “And that means showing you what you’d really be agreeing to, wolf and all.” It was a big step - and you both knew it. I don’t even know what to say. “But that’s enough about that right now. Do you know when the last time I had a Saturday off was?”

“No, I don’t.” Covering your mouth as you yawned, you you hummed with your exhale. “And I didn’t know you were off today. How’d you manage that?”

“Only had a single flight booked and they canceled.” His smile grew. “And that means I’ve got all day free today, if you wanted to hang out.” You grinned back, deciding that if Frankie could let everything go for the time being, you could, too. It’s not like we’re going to find this wolf today anyway. There’s plenty of time to focus on that. 

“Does hanging out with you include breakfast, Francisco?” 

— 

For the next two days, you and Frankie kept to yourselves, only leaving his house to go back to yours for a change of clothes. He had Sunday off, too, and at his suggestion, you packed up the suitcase full of research and your laptop and took it to his place so that you could spend time going over it together. 

He read quietly, eyes moving over the writing in each of the journals. Frankie flipped back and forth between pages, occasionally reaching for corresponding photos and then studying them. He asked you questions and you did your best to answer him, filling him in on more things that you’d learned throughout the years whenever you could. 

You liked his curiosity and appreciated the way he actually listened when you spoke, dark eyes locked with yours. You could almost feel the change in him as the hours passed, his mood much different than it had been prior to the two of you coming clean with each other. Part of you wondered if it was just that he’d finally been able to open up to someone about himself and didn’t have to hide everything during conversation. But the other part of you - the rational part - assumed that it had more to do with the fact that he knew more about what he’d been turned into and what he could expect from his life moving forward.

It didn’t really matter though. Whatever it was that had lightened his mood, you were thankful for it. Because Frankie seemed happier - smiling and loose, making the best of the situation that you found yourselves in without pushing you away. And if this is the first time it’s been that way since it happened? It’s all worth it. 

You knew the bubble would burst sooner than you liked when it came to getting back on track with your search - and back into the routine of him going to work and hanging out with his friends. So when you said goodbye to him on Monday morning, it was you that brought it up as the two of you stood in his driveway, the early morning sun just beginning to warm the air. 

“When are we going to tell them?” Your arms were crossed, eyes on Frankie as he sipped from the travel mug that you’d given back to him. “Don’t you guys usually meet up during the week at the bar? Would that be a good time?” 

“It would.” He nodded, adjusting the baseball cap on his head. “And I’m not sure when I’ll see them this week. Maybe Wednesday? The holiday today fucks everyone up, but I haven’t really talked to anyone about it.” Frankie lifted a brow, staring at you. “Just been talking to you a hell of a lot these last few days.” 

That made you laugh, the sound turning into a sigh as you ducked your head. He has. We’ve spent a lot of time together. Maybe too much. “Are you saying that you want to talk to me less Frankie?” 

“Hell no.” He leaned in through the open window to set the mug down in the center console and then moved toward you, reaching out to put his arms around your waist. “I’m just saying that I haven’t made plans with any of them because I’ve been with you.” You nodded, but before you could speak he leaned in closer, tilting his head so that he could kiss you softly. “The next couple days are pretty busy for me. I’ve got scheduled maintenance tomorrow for the helo. I never know how long that’s going to take but I have to be there early.” You nodded, the tips of your fingers moving through the curls at the back of his neck. “So I might not be able to see you ‘til Wednesday. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Of course not.” You rolled your eyes. “It’s work, Frankie. You have people depending on you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t need to work. I -”

“Having an ungodly amount of money doesn’t mean you should stop doing the things you love.” You pointed up. “And you love flying. I’ve seen how happy you are up there. You might not need to work for financial reasons, but you need it for emotional ones.” Leaning in, you kissed him again, mouth lingering and your teeth closing around his lower lip as you pulled away. “Believe it or not, I can find something to keep myself occupied for a few days.” 

“Not too occupied, though.” He mumbled your name, one hand sliding beneath the bottom hem of your shirt so that he could rest his palm against the center of your lower back. “Right?” 

“We’ll see.” You winked and backed away, reaching for your keys. “You should go, though. I don’t want to make you late.” He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t, nodding before he turned back toward the door of the truck. Wait, though. “Frankie?” He stopped immediately, looking back at you over his shoulder. “These last couple days?” Frankie nodded, waiting. “I… they’ve been…” Biting your lip, you reached up to scrub at your face. “They’ve been really good days. Really fuc-”

“Yeah. They have.” His fingers tightened on the door, Frankie nodding once. “I’m looking forward to having more of them.” Neither of you said anything after that, and by the time you’d buckled yourself in and started your car, you were breathing normally again. 

There were things you could do to keep yourself busy. There were places you could go, people you could talk to, preparations you could make. It would have been nice to have a partner, but you didn’t need one, and you didn’t want Frankie to think that you did. Because I managed just fine before him. I found the wolf… wolves here, and that was on my own.

But at the thought of the other wolf, you thought of Alec, and realized that you hadn’t heard from him or Ashley since you left the hospital. And I should I have.

On the way home, you called Ashley’s number, the ringing filling the interior of your car until she answered on the fourth one, greeting you warily. “Ashley? What’s wrong. Is the b-”

“The baby’s fine. It’s Alec.” Sitting up straighter, you tightened your hold on the steering wheel. “He’s going to be ok, but the antibiotics weren’t strong enough, and his side is … it’s infected.” You swore, groaning as you pulled into the driveway of your rental and parked the car. “Everything else is good. We were actually planning on leaving this week, but now we don’t know if that’s going to happen.” 

“You’ve got to be going stir-crazy in there.” She confirmed, but didn’t say anything else. “Is there anything I can bring you guys? Anything you need? Do you need me to come sit with him so you can take a shower, or -”

“I’m using the shower in his room.” She sighed. “And I’ve left a few times to go out and get things, but yeah. When I was with Frankie in the courtyard, that was the longest I’ve been outside in days.” 

“I was going to see if you wanted me to come visit.” You sighed, eyes on the dashboard. “Now I don’t think it’s not a good idea.” 

“It probably isn’t.” She cleared her throat. “He’s in and out of it. They changed his medicine, and he’s been kind of an asshole because he feels like shit, and we’re both tense.” She paused. “But how are you? How’s he doing? Did you talk more?”

“We did. He’s good. He just went to work.” You got out of the car, slinging your bag over one shoulder. “I spent the weekend with him. We talked a lot. It’s…” Entering the living room, you dropped the bag onto the chair and then lowered yourself onto the couch. “It felt really good to be so honest with him, Ashley. Whatever you said to him, he seems much different now.” 

“Bad different?”

“No. Fucking great different. He knows that there are actual answers out there and I think he’s determined to find them.” 

“He’s a smart guy.” You could hear the smile in her voice as she continued. “He just needed some help.” You didn’t disagree, but Ashley’s next words stunned you. “I hope he told you how much you mean to him.” 

“He told you?” She confirmed with a single word, but didn’t elaborate. “I… yes. He did. He told me that he wants to help me with the Chaos wolf and then … see what happens.” 

“You should do that.” She said your name and then paused, the tone of her voice changing. “The world’s not going to end if you stop looking for these wolves. You and Alec… it’s not on you to try and save everyone.” 

You knew that she was right - and she was the third person in less than a week that had said the same thing, though in a different way. “We’re going to try. I don’t know what’s going to happen.” You didn’t need to elaborate. If there was anyone that would understand, it was Ashley. “Will you let me know when Alec’s feeling better? I’ve got nothing planned for the next couple days, and I’d like to see him before you leave.” 

“Of course.” You heard the sound of another voice on her end, and then the woman apologized, letting you know that your cousin’s doctor had arrived. You hung up soon after that, standing and turning in a slow circle in the sun-drenched living room. For the first time in a long time, you were totally content - and it was a shock. 

You had a man that cared about you, and wasn’t just a one-time fling. You had a solid lead on one of the wolves that you’d been hunting, and time to prepare. Your cousin was free to live his life, had a woman that loved him along with a baby on the way. You were under no pressure to keep doing pointless research in the area, and could focus entirely on your real work. And I’m not alone. I have help. I have Frankie. 

It was fast - almost too fast, if you were being honest - but it felt right in a way that you hadn’t ever experienced before. Frankie being a wolf should have thrown you. It should have been setting off alarm bells in your head, and giving you pause before continuing the physicality between you. It doesn’t, though. And it hasn’t. 

You’d never truly been afraid of him, even the morning you’d held him at gunpoint. He’d never posed any sort of threat to you, even in wolf form. Or when he’s started to change in front of me. There were plenty of reasons to fear Frankie, and you had an idea that there were things he’d done that scared him, especially while enlisted. And after, too. But he was loyal. He was kind. He was protective of the things and people that he cared about - and one of those things was you. 

Of all the things that you and Frankie had talked about over the weekend, the one you were absolutely certain of was that whatever was going on between you had already reached and passed the point of no return. Promises of protection and help, the way he touched you, the way your body responded to him - the way you wanted to be around him at all times - there was no way to ignore any of it. 

He’d broken rules with you from almost the start, beginning with the fact that he’d put his teeth to your throat the night you’d met. Despite the fact that he’d managed to restrain himself somewhat in the weeks between your first time together and his admission, the feeling that he was holding back - and that it was hard for him - had always been there. 

“Fuck.” 

You spoke to the empty room, bringing both hands up to your face and covering it. Thinking back to his words from that morning - that he’d fallen for you - you nodded slowly. There was no denying it. 

You’d always believed in the supernatural and had actively hunted werewolves from the age of 18 on, but the truth was that you’d never thought that you were in over your head more than you did when it came to Frankie - and the way you felt about him. 

Lowering your hands, you opened your eyes and then looked around again, chewing on your bottom lip. But if I’m in over my head, then so is he. The thought made you smile, your shoulders dropping in relief. We’re in this together. 

It was still early enough in the day that going back to bed wouldn’t have been out of the question, but instead of doing that, you made your way into the bedroom. Until he’d mentioned it that morning, you’d forgotten that it was Labor Day, which meant that the beach would probably be packed with tourists and people enjoying the last official hours of summer. You didn’t care, though, stuffing things into a shoulder bag before changing your clothes into more appropriate beach attire. 

For what it was worth, while you were in Florida, you were a tourist … and you were going to make the most of it. 

— 

Wednesday night, though, you felt like a local.

Frankie drove to your place after work, and then you drove the two of you to Ironhead’s,  

After you parked, you sat in the car for a few minutes, going over the plan. He was going to bring up the fact that you knew. He was going to lead the conversation, and you were supposed to follow, only concealing that you were in Florida to hunt the wolf - and that the person that had been most recently attacked was your cousin. Everything else was fair game, including your relationship with him.

It was a simple enough plan for you to stick with, and even though you reminded him that you hated the thought of having to lie to his friends, Frankie didn’t budge. “Pope knows what the truth is,” he reminded you as you headed across the parking lot. “But he’s the only one. He’s going to go along with us, too.” 

Frankie squeezed your hand before you stepped into the building, but he opened the door and let you walk in first, following a half step behind you. Here we go. 

Benny saw you immediately, the blonde raising his hand in a wave from his place behind the bar. You smiled back, meeting his eyes as the two of you headed for where Will and Pope were already sitting. You slid into the booth first and Frankie followed, neither of you speaking until Will pushed an already full glass toward you.

“What’s this?” His grin widened and one brow rose but he kept quiet, pushing another drink toward Frankie. “I’ve never walked into a bar and had a drink waiting for me, what is -”

“It’s just a beer.” Frankie lifted his glass, taking a long swallow. “Ironhead literally poured it from a pitcher.” 

“It’s the thought that counts, asshole.” Will rolled his eyes and then Pope laughed out loud, dragging a hand through the curls atop his head. “But you’re right. It’s just a new beer we’ve got on tap, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s one we should keep.” 

You sipped from the drink, not knowing what to expect. To your surprise, it was delicious - crisp and light, perfectly chilled … and exactly what you needed to prepare you for what was coming. You told him that you liked it and were gifted a brilliant smile from the blonde man, Will’s eyes locked on your face. “I’d order it again.” You took another drink, nodding as you swallowed. “What about you, Frankie?”

“It’s good.” He shrugged, one thumb rubbing over the condensation on the outside of the glass. “I usually go for something stronger, but this works.” 

“Stronger like whiskey?” Your attention shifted at the new voice and you widened your eyes as you watched Tom walk up to the table, a small tray of shot glasses held in one hand. “Because that’s what I have.” 

“Didn’t think you were gonna make it, Redfly.” Tom set the tray down and then took a seat next to Will, getting comfortable before he started passing out the shots. “You said you felt like shit.” 

“No, that is not what I said.” He rolled his eyes, giving you a half smile before looking at his friend. “I said I’m sore as shit because Tessa’s playing volleyball now, and I’ve been playing with her so she can practice her serves.” He scratched at his cheek, wrinkling his nose. “And I am way too fuckin’ old to be diving around after a ball, but …” He lifted the shot glass, holding it out. “The things we do for our kids, right?” 

“My kid’s not old enough to play volleyball or any other real sport yet, so I know nothing about that. But I can tell you just about anything you want to know about building sandcastles to be structurally sound or that Bluey dog.” Frankie laughed as he spoke, and then so did Pope, but you all reached for your shots, too. What about Benny? “But that explains why as soon as you walked over here, it smelled like Icy Hot, so -’

“Fuck off, ‘Fish.” Tom laughed, though, and soon enough everyone at the table was laughing -  including Benny, who’d run over last minute and picked up his glass, too. 

Once those were downed, the six of you started talking. Despite the fact that you were mostly silent, you didn’t feel left out. Instead, you were content to sit back and listen to them catch up. 

You appreciated the level of camaraderie, and were entertained by the way they all interacted, finishing each other’s sentences at times and only needing a few words to get their points across during others. You were actually jealous of what they had, because aside from Alec, you’d never had that kind of close relationship with anyone. And that’s sad. I don’t even have friends, and they’ve had this for years.

“You doin’ alright?” Pope leaned closer, speaking quietly. “You’re quiet.” 

“Not much to say.” You sipped your beer again, shrugging. “You guys are talking enough to make up for it.” 

“We’re probably talking too much, right?” Tom drank from his glass, staring at you over the rim of it. “What have you been doing? Heard you and Ben went out on a boat last week.” 

“We did.” Here goes nothing. “It was a lot less scary than I thought it would be.” You looked from Tom to Benny, the blonde’s smile small but still there. “Benny was very prepared for the gators, but they all behaved.”

“We saw a ton of ‘em.” He scoffed, finishing his drink. “They stayed away from the boat, though .And then when we heard the … whatever it was, we got the hell out of there.” 

“Heard what?” Tom frowned, looking between the two of you. “You didn’t say anything about that.” You felt Frankie’s hand on your knee then, thumb sweeping over the inside of it as he squeezed. Before Benny could answer, you did, your voice steady. 

“We heard what sounded like a wolf, Tom.” His eyebrows shot up, a quiet, disbelieving laugh following. 

“A wolf? There are no wolves in Florida. Must have been your ears playing tricks on you or something.” He shook his head, looking between the others sitting at the table. “Ben, you’ve been around enough different kinds of animals to know what -”

“I grew up in Colorado, Redfly.” Benny drank again, eyes narrowed. “I know what a fuckin’ wolf sounds like.” Tom had no reply for that, though he did look between you and Benny again, his lips set in a thin line. He’s good. He’s not giving anything away.

“Yeah, and then the next morning, I heard on the radio there was another animal attack.” You drummed your fingers on the table, like you were thinking. “Only a few miles from where me and Benny were, actually. Which makes me believe that whatever it was that we heard was what attacked him.” You paused, looking over at Benny, who was watching you with a confused expression on his face. “I know what I heard. What we heard. And it sounded like a wolf.” 

“You seem pretty sure.” Will leaned in, fingers steepled together. “There a reason for that?” 

“She knows, Ironhead.” Frankie spoke up, taking and then releasing a deep breath. “She knows that she heard a wolf, and that it wasn’t a regular wolf, either.” 

The table was completely silent, and as you looked between the other men, you felt a knot of unease growing in your stomach. We shouldn’t have said anything. This was a mistake. It - 

“What do you mean she knows, ‘Fish?” It was Pope that broke the silence, looking first at you and then at Frankie, eyes filled with concern. He’s good too. “What did you -”

“She knows what happened to me. What I am.” Frankie’s voice was quiet but even. “I told her everything.” That time, it was Benny that reacted, the man pushing away from the table and swearing under his breath, eyes averted. 

“Why the fuck, man? What -”

“She saw me start to turn.” Frankie leaned in, both hands on the table. “The morning after, Pope told me about the attack. Even though I knew she was home safe thanks to you, Benjamin, I was still worried. He dropped me off and I went over to her place, and I was just …” He looked over and met your eyes, and for the first time you saw apprehension in them. “I couldn’t stop it.”

“I wouldn’t have believed any of it if I hadn’t seen it.” 

“Seen what?” Tom cut in, his voice rising and then falling, a scowl on his face. “What the fuck did you do? How did - ”

“Must have been because it was still so close to the full moon, but she saw me start to change, Tom. I’ve never done it before, but I was so worried it just… it happened.” Frankie pulled his hat off and let it drop onto the table, fingers running nervously through his hair. “I didn’t go all the way, just …”

“His eyes. His eyes and his nose a little and …” You let out a shaky breath, meeting Tom’s gaze. “I had no idea what was going on, but I was freaked out and he just started talking.” He didn’t look away, but his frown deepened, and when Will said your name, you looked over at him, waiting.

“He told you?” You nodded, chewing on the inside of your cheek. “And you believe what he told you?”

“What choice do I have? I watched his fucking eyes change color, Will. They were gold.” You kept your voice low, though the volume of the others in the bar around you was loud enough to disguise your words. “He asked me for a chance to explain, and I was confused, but let him, and …” You shrugged. “Here we are.” 

“No, shit.” Benny’s grin grew as he looked back and forth between you and Frankie. “‘Fish finally told someone? And you just accepted it? No problem?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say it’s no problem.” You forced a laugh, finishing your beer and then pushing the glass away. “I didn’t wake up last week thinking I’d find out that Frankie is …” Looking down, you took a deep breath to steady yourself. This is where I have to be convincing. “A wolf.” You said the last part with your head turned toward him, eyes locked with Frankie’s. “But he told me what happened, and based on what I saw and heard in those woods, I believe him.” 

“I showed her the tracker.” Frankie nodded once at you and then looked away, making eye contact with everyone in turn. “So she knows I wasn’t the one she and Benny heard in the woods that night.” He sighed. “And she now knows that there’s a second wolf here, too. And that that one’s not as nice as me.” 

“Well fuck.” Will swiped a hand over his hair, head shaking in disbelief. “That changes things.” It does. 

“Are you going to write about him in your book?” Tom’s smile was sarcastic, his head tilted to one side. “Tampa’s very own resident -”

“No.” You spat the word out, recoiling. What the fuck? “Of course I’m not going to. Why would I?”

“Could be worth some big bucks.” He shrugged. “Even the hint of -”

“Knock it off, Tom.” Pope held up a hand. “Nobody’s saying shit to anyone. I’m sure ‘Fish told her how careful he’s been since South America. And she’s here alone, so it’s not like she’s got anyone else to -”

“I’m right here. I can speak for myself.” You cut Pope off, tone sharp. “And I’m not going to say a goddamn word, because first of all, who the fuck would believe me? And second of all, I don’t make it a habit to run around blurting out people’s secrets. My parents raised me a little better than that. Frankie’s my friend, and I understand the need for secrecy here.” 

“I thought Morales understood secrecy, too. But he told you after only a couple weeks of fucking you, and he knows nothing about you. None of us do.” You felt Frankie’s posture change next to you, and sensed the others at the table’s moods changing, too. This isn’t good.

The anger you felt was real - partially at the fact that it seemed that at least Tom was livid that you knew, and partially because you felt like you and Frankie needed to defend yourselves. But this has to be a shock to them, too. 

“You need to cool it the fuck off, Redfly.” Frankie leaned in, and when you looked over at him, you saw that his upper lip was curling, both eyes narrowed. “What I do and who I tell are not your goddamn concern.” It was quick - and if you hadn’t been looking, you would have missed it. But Frankie’s eyes flashed, his gaze never wavering away from Tom’s face. He needs to calm down. Not here. Not … 

“Can I talk to you outside, Frankie?” Tom stood, staring down at where you sat. “Just the two -”

“Use the office.” Will finally looked away and then up at his friend, clearing his throat. “It’s quiet in there. Just don’t fucking destroy anything, alright?” 

“Fine.” Frankie took a deep breath, lowering his head. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” Looking over at you, he parted his lips, head shaking back and forth. “You ok?” 

“Yeah. I’m good.” Reaching over, you squeezed his hand. “Go. You convince him I won’t ruin things for you, and I’ll convince them.” That got a smile from him, though it was brief, and moments later, Frankie was following Tom toward the back hallway, leaving you with Pope and the Miller brothers. Silence stretched between you, but no one spoke up. One of us has to. And it should be me. “Well that was awkward.” 

It was Pope that reacted first, reaching for the pitcher on the table and refilling his glass and then yours. “Sure fuckin’ was.” 

That got Benny and Will laughing, and just as suddenly as the tension thickened, it was gone. Your only worry was that within a few minutes, Frankie would tear down the hallway in wolf form, chasing after Tom. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t let himself get carried away like that. Not here.

“So you’re really OK with it?” Will wet his lips, his large hand rubbing over his bare forearm. “It’s a lot to handle. All of us were pretty freaked out.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m OK with it. I just … I had no choice but to accept it.” You stared down into your beer, watching the bubbles rise to the surface and then pop. “It wasn’t what I was expecting to hear from him, but he showed me that it wasn’t just me being exhausted and seeing things, you know? And I know he’s not lying about it. Why would he?”

“He hasn’t told anyone.” Benny closed his eyes, sighing. “Not even his ex. Yovanna doesn’t know, and she’s been with Pope since right after it happened.”

“I wouldn’t say she doesn’t know.” Pope actually laughed, reaching over and settling his hand atop yours. “I haven’t told her the truth, but she’s not stupid. She probably knew shit like that existed a hell of a long time before we did.”

“So you think she knows but won’t confirm it?” He nodded, eyeing you. “And Frankie’s never asked?”

“He hasn’t.” Pope looked away and then back at you, smiling sadly. “He’s had no answers for three years. He’s had to learn to deal with this all by himself. I don’t think she would have been able to tell him anything, but I donno. There’s only so much we can do.” 

“If ‘Fish told you, then it means something.” Will leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “And if you aren’t completely freaked out by this, then that means something, too.” It does. 

“He didn’t ask for this. And the fact that he’s able to keep from hurting people while he’s not himself means that the one attacking all of those people is dangerous to everyone. I haven’t known him for long, but I feel …” You didn’t know how to finish that sentence, and so you didn’t, looking down at the table, where the fingers of one hand were wrapped tightly around your drink. “I trust him. And that might be stupid of me because I’ve only known him a little while, but it’s the truth.” 

“He’s never hurt a human as the wolf.” Benny cut in, saying your name. “Ever. I trust him, too. We all do.” Pope and Will agreed,  both of them giving you broad smiles when you met their eyes. “And we’re protective of him. Probably much too protective of a grown man.” 

“There’s no such thing.” You relaxed then, letting out a deep breath. “You’ve known him for years, and he’s like a brother to you. Protecting your family is the right thing to do.” You thought of Alec and Ashley then, and of the way you’d spent years fighting for your family’s payback. “He’s lucky to have you.” 

“And he knows it.” Benny’s grin grew, the man leaning back in his chair as he stared at you. “None of us are ever going to let him forget it.” You laughed at that, despite the fact that you were worried about what was happening between Frankie and Tom in the office. They’ve known each other forever. They’ll work it out. They have to. 

“You’re really calm.” Will cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “You’ve only known for a couple days, but you seem … I don’t know. Unsurprised, maybe? Why is that?”

“Because my only option is to be calm.” You shrugged, reaching for your drink again. “What should I do? Run away? Freak out? Tell him I never want to see him again? This isn’t something that he can control, you know? He didn’t ask to get bitten.” 

“A lot of people would do that, though.” Pope leaned closer. “Even if they didn’t mean to.” 

“I’m not one of those people.” You touched your finger to the tabletop, pressing against a divot in the wood. “He trusted me enough to be honest with me, and I’m choosing to believe that that means he wants me in his life.” 

“What will you do when you leave?” Benny crossed his arms, one eye narrowed. “The way Tom asked was pretty asshole-y, but it’s a valid question.” You didn’t quite know how to answer. Being truthful would mean telling them that you were planning on staying, even for a little while. But only if we can deal with this wolf. 

“She’s not planning on leaving, is she.” Will’s voice was quiet, his eyes locked on your face. “Or … she’s not planning on leaving for good.” Oh, he’s … perceptive. 

“I’ll still have to work.” You didn’t look away, wanting him to see your expression with each word you said. “But I… coming back to Florida between assignments is just as much of an option as me going anywhere else is.” 

“‘Fish’s got a girlfriend!” Benny slammed his hand down, palm smacking the table’s surface. “Hell yeah.” 

You didn’t even try to contain your laugher. Instead, you reached up and covered your face with both hands once the sound trailed off and let out a groan. “There’s no label on it or anything, Benny, but …” Peeking at him, you saw that the blonde was grinning, his eyes wide. “I would be coming back or staying here to be with him, yeah.” 

Without warning, Pope leaned over and slung an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer. “Good for you.” He kissed the top of your head, nodding. “Good for him.” 

“It’s not going to be good for anyone if you keep doing that, Santiago.” Your head snapped up, and you saw that Frankie was standing a few steps away from the table, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. “I’m gone for ten minutes, and you move in? What would Yovanna think?” Where’s Tom? He’s not with him. 

“Not moving in on anyone.” Pope squeezed your arm and then removed his, straightening up. “Just congratulating her.”

“Likely fuckin’ story.” Frankie rolled his eyes and then dropped down to sit next to you again. “And before anyone asks, no, I didn’t do anything to the office. Everything is exactly how you left it. Redfly’s …” He paused. “He’s not too happy with me, but we’ll be alright.” 

“Did he leave?” Benny rubbed the space between his brows, continuing to frown. “Without saying goodbye?”

“No.” Frankie finished his beer, scoffing. “He went outside to smoke. He’ll be back in a couple minutes.” Oh. Well, that’s… sort of promising? 

You wondered if Tom would say anything to you when he came back in, but tried not to dwell on it. What had been said between the two men was exactly that: between them, and even though it involved you, that didn’t mean you had any right to know what they’d talked about. But they didn’t physically fight, and that’s the important part. 

Conversation slowly slipped back into the easy banter that it had been earlier. Will and Pope told a story about one of their first times deployed together and you listened intently, eyes flicking back and forth between them. 

They were making an effort to include you, and the fact that they’d just accepted your knowledge of Frankie’s status and moved on said volumes. They might say something to him in private, you admitted to yourself as you downed the rest of your drink. But that’s also none of my business. 

The sound of your name pulled your attention away from what was being said. When you looked up to find Tom standing at the end of the table, you were shocked to see that his posture was looser than it had been - and that there was some warmth in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He didn’t blink, maintaining eye contact. “I shouldn’t have blown up the way I did about you knowing. It’s none of my business who Morales tells. I just worry, you know? He’s my friend and I don’t want anything to happen to him.” 

It seemed genuine. Tom’s apology was an explanation for his behavior, even if it shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place. So without even looking at Frankie, you nodded and swallowed hard, reaching your hand out so that he could shake it. “I understand, Tom. I’d want to protect him and this group, too. But I swear I’m not going to say anything. I don’t even know who I would tell, to be honest.” 

“I get it.” He took a deep breath. “It’s just a shock that someone new knows after so long.”

“Wasn’t the plan to tell her, Redfly. Not so soon, anyway.” Frankie reached over and took your hand, linking your fingers together. “And it sure as shit wasn’t the plan to tell her the way I did, either.” You looked over at him then, hoping that he could see your appreciation for him in your expression. Yeah, I know. I kind of forced your hand. “But I’m still glad she knows.”

“Me too.” You squeezed his hand, closing your eyes as you nodded. “And I accept your apology, Tom. Thank you.” He nodded once and then sat again, reaching for his beer. It was tense for a few seconds and then Benny cleared his throat, reaching for the pitcher of beer. 

“So uh…” He topped off his glass, picking it up and staring at the foam for a few seconds. “I’ve been thinking about getting back in the ring.” 

It was the distraction that the entire table needed - because only seconds later, everyone was speaking, the chorus of their voices taking the focus off of you and Frankie and putting you at ease. Is this what it’s like to have friends? 

Even though you didn’t speak out loud to ask the question, you felt Frankie’s hold on your hand tighten before he released it, the man reaching over to slip his arm across your shoulders before pulling you closer to his side. This is what it’s like to have him.

—

An hour later, the night was beginning to wind down.

The beer at the table was replaced with water, and Pope had texted Yovanna to let her know that he’d be leaving in a little while. Frankie’s arm hadn’t left its place over your shoulders, and as time passed you’d leaned in even closer, your arm and shoulder flush with his.

It was nice to be affectionate in public with someone. It was more than nice that that someone was Frankie. And it was a relief that none of his friends had even really reacted to the sight of the two of you, instead choosing to keep talking. 

But when Tom stood up, throwing a $20 down onto the table, you sat up straight, keeping your eyes on him. “I’ve gotta head out too. I’m closing on an apartment with a guy tomorrow morning, and we’re meeting at 9 to do paperwork.” 

“That’s rough, man.” Pope groaned, finishing the water in his glass and then staring down into it briefly. “Why’d you schedule it so early?”

“Because afterward, I’m going with Molly.” He smiled, his grin lopsided. “It’s winery day, and -” Wait a minute. 

“You hinted at what Frankie is.” Pointing at Tom, you wet your lips. “The day I signed my lease, you gave me a bottle of wine that was …” His eyes widened and then, as he stuffed one hand into his front pocket, Tom nodded. “Howl At The Moon? Isn’t that a little on the nose?” Will swore under his breath and Benny laughed, lowering his chin to his chest and shaking his head. “He reacted to the bottle when he saw it, but I thought it was just because he didn’t drink wine. Now, though, it seems like more.” 

“You got me.” He raised and lowered his shoulders in a shrug, never looking away from you. “My wife really does love that one, but I also … I donno. I suggested you reach out to ‘Fish to fly, and I thought it’d be funny to give you that bottle knowing what I did and what you didn’t. I never thought he’d actually tell you, so it wasn’t a big deal to me.” 

It was a big deal to you, but you didn’t want to make it one, because you had no interest in ruining the night. Even though he already tried to. “Well whatever the reason you handed me that bottle, Tom, it was good. I drank it sitting in the back yard. So thank you. Your wife’s got good taste in alcohol.” Maybe not in men though. 

They said their goodbyes then, Tom waving with one hand before he turned his attention back to you. “Seems like we’re gonna be seeing more of you around. Do you think you’ll be trying to renew that lease, or looking for somewhere else?” Unbelievable. “Couple places coming open, and -”

“I’ve still got some time to decide.” You pressed your lips together, humming. “We’ll see.” He didn’t say anything in reply, but you saw his nod, keeping your attention on the man as he reached for his jacket and pulled it on. Tom visibly winced as he shoved his left arm into one of the sleeves, muttering his daughter’s name as his head shook back and forth. Wait a minute. 

You watched him for a few seconds longer, eyes narrowed. He hurt his arm, too? “Hey, you alright?” Frankie’s voice was low in your ear, breath warm where it hit your skin. “You’re holding your breath.” Shit. 

Shaking yourself out of it, you turned toward him, forcing a smile on your face. Not here. Not now. “I’m fine. Just …” You used your chin to gesture at Tom, who was walking away from the table. “He threw me off. I wasn’t expecting that kind of excuse for the wine.” 

“Kinda pissed me off, to be honest.” Will groaned, leaning in and saying your name. “Tom can be an asshole sometimes, but that’s way beyond even his usual limits.” 

“We do have a couple wolf-themed drinks on the menu.” Benny raised an eyebrow, looking between you and his brother before settling his gaze on Frankie. “Raised By Wolves? The Full Moon? That’s no better than -”

“Why are you defending him?” Pope stood, too, grabbing for his jacket and slinging it over one shoulder. “You’ve talked about wanting to kick his ass because he’s annoying more than all of us combined.”

“I’m not defending him, I’m just making the point that Redfly’s not the only one that’s alluded to ‘Fish’s … condition.” That wasn’t how you would have described Frankie becoming a werewolf, but there was no point in arguing. I’m still new here. I have no right. I just … let it go. “Ours are a little more subtle, but they’re still there.” 

“It’s not like I put two and two together or anything.” Reaching over, you settled your hand on Frankie’s knee. “Still came as a shock when he told me, so I guess there’s no harm done.” Frankie nodded at you, a small smile on his lips. He’s not that upset, so I shouldn’t be either. 

You watched as Pope also threw a bill onto the table, and then stepped away from it, telling the others goodnight. Before anyone else could speak, Frankie chose to, clearing his throat before pulling his arm from around your shoulders. “We’re gonna head out, too. I’m flyin’ tomorrow morning, and I need to get some sleep.” 

“Sleep?” Will smirked at the two of you. “That’s what they’re calling it these days?”

“Yes, Will, sleep.” You rolled your eyes, draining the last of your water as both blonde men laughed. “The last thing I want is to be responsible for Frankie taking off when he’s tired. I’m dropping him off and then going home.” 

You followed Frankie as he exited the booth, and when he also dropped money onto the table, you finally spoke up and asked about it. But it wasn’t Frankie that answered - it was Benny. 

“It’s just something we started doing when we meet up to have drinks. Since we’re taking up a table but getting our own refills, we’re taking away from the servers and bartenders making tips, so…” He pointed at the money. “We all throw in at least $20 and it goes straight to them.” 

That wasn’t something you’d seen the other times you’d met the men at the bar, but you figured that there were times when the guys didn’t have cash on them. So one of them probably covers and the others pay them back. “Well then it’s only right that I contribute, too.” You dug through your wallet, adding your money to the pile. “That’s nice of you to do that for them.” 

“Yeah, weeknights are usually a little slower anyway, but if it’s busy and we’re still all here?” Will rubbed at the back of his neck. “We kick in a little more. A lot of people will say drinking in the place you own is a no-no, but it’s only once a week if that, and we’re all pretty responsible about it.” 

“None of us take advantage, you mean.” Frankie winked at his friends, and then put his hand on your back. “Have a good night, guys.” Neither of you spoke until you were outside and you were sitting in your car - and then it was Frankie that broke the silence. “What happened in there? You froze. You were looking at Tom, and you just went stiff.” 

“Frankie, I -”

“No. Tell me. I know you’re not happy about the wine, but it was more than that.”

“It’s stupid.” You knew it was - and you also knew that the last thing you wanted to do was offend him by accusing one of his friends of something that was next to impossible. “When he put his coat on, he winced. And he winced when he tried to use his left arm, which is the one that Ashley said she bit. But there’s no way, Frankie. Right? You said he wasn’t injured in South America, and you’ve never hurt anyone. You guys weren’t able to find anything out about wolves, or find another one, so… how could he be a wolf, too?” 

“It’s not stupid.” He sighed, reaching up to scrub at his beard with one hand. “It’s a natural reaction to the fact that you’re looking for answers and you only have so much to go on.” You started the car then, putting both hands on the wheel. “I didn’t bite him, and neither did the kid. He helped me out as much as any of the other guys did, and he only stopped when he and Molly seriously got back together.”

“How long ago was that?” The more he talked, the more at ease you felt, so you wanted him to continue. 

“Maybe a year? I don’t remember exactly. They were kind of half-assing it after we got back from South America, but toward the end of Tessa’s junior year, he got serious about it. Tom’s … happier when he’s with her, so we encouraged him. He still checks in with whoever’s with me that night, he just doesn’t stay out anymore.” 

“And it’s been a week.” You sighed, coming to a stop at a red light. “He would have healed already, right? Ashley didn’t bite him hard enough to do lasting damage, so whatever she did wouldn’t still be bothering him.” You caught his nod out of the corner of your eye, his silhouette moving in the low light.

“He’s pretty out of shape.” Frankie laughed as the car started moving again, the sound filling the small space. “So him not being able to keep up with his teenage daughter on the volleyball court is … not that far-fetched.” That got a smile out of you, and both of you were quiet for the rest of your drive. You didn’t know what he was thinking about, but you were running through scenarios in your head and examining his words from multiple angles. 

Frankie knew his friends. Frankie had known his friends through years of difficult situations and important life changes. He trusted them with his life, and even though they were no longer in combat or in danger, he had no reason to trust them any less. In fact, because of his situation, he needed to trust them more. So I have to trust them, too. Even if I don’t like one of them much. 

You pulled into his driveway and parked behind the truck, turning in your seat to face him. “I’m glad they know now. It makes this a little easier.” 

“I am too.” Frankie took a deep breath and then released it slowly. “Why haven’t you asked what Tom and I talked about in the office?”

“Because it’s none of my business.” You shrugged. “If you want to tell me, you can, but whatever the two of you said isn’t something I need to know.”  

“Come inside.” He took your hand, squeezing it. “I know you said you were going to go home, but you’ve got your car. You can lave tomorrow. Doesn’t even have to be when I get up to go to work.” It was tempting, and after thinking it over for a few seconds, you realized that you had no reason to turn him down. 

“OK.” You shifted into reverse, backing up and then parking next to his truck. “This way if I don’t want to wake up when you do, we won’t have to worry about moving cars.” 

His grin was visible even in the dark, and only a few minutes later, the two of you were inside and ready for bed. 

Instead of laying down, though, you both leaned against the headboard, your temple resting against his bare shoulder. He had one arm draped over your thigh and was running his fingers idly over your skin, which was exposed beneath the hem of the oversized Ironhead’s tee you wore. 

There was nothing sexual about the way he touched you. Instead it was comforting, Frankie’s presence beside you soothing without any need for conversation. 

But when he spoke, it wasn’t to say anything that you’d anticipated. 

“I told Tom you knew about Lorea, and the first thing he asked me was if I thought you’d try to blackmail me.” 

“What?” You sat straight up and his grip on your leg tightened. “Blackmail you? Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Frankie sighed. “Tom’s … really money motivated. Always has been. And to be honest, he’s the main reason why we ended up with so much of it from that trip. I’m not that surprised it’s where he went with it first.” 

“Frankie, I would never. It doesn’t matter to me if you’ve got five dollars in your account, or -”

“I know.” He turned his head and then leaned in, kissing the side of yours. “You were just looking for wolves. There’s no money in this for you, and there never was.” 

“That’s not entirely true. I make decent money with the books and the site, and …” You trailed off as you realized that that wasn’t at all what he meant. “If I found a wolf, the only thing I ever wanted was for it to be dead.” 

“I hope that’s not true anymore.” He was smiling; you could hear it in his voice. “Because I really like being alive.” 

“I like you alive, too, Francisco.” Reaching up, you chewed on the edge of your nail. “Very much. And I’d like to do whatever I can to help keep you that way.” 

“Which means finding the other wolf before it attracts too much attention and other people come looking.” He sighed. “I know.” 

He eased down onto the mattress and pulled you along with him. You let him, rolling onto your side to face Frankie. Even though you couldn’t see him clearly, you could feel the way he watched you, his gaze intent as his hand slid up and over your hip, pushing the shirt with it. “We’re not doing that tonight, Frankie. It’s already late.”

“I know.” His hand continued moving, palm flat against your skin as he reached your ribs. “That doesn’t mean that I can’t touch you, right?” 

“The day I tell you to stop touching me and mean it is the day you’ll know it’s not me talking.” He snorted, moving even closer. His hand slid forward, Frankie’s fingers curling gently around the curve of your breast. “Frankie, come on, that’s not fair.” 

“I’m just getting comfortable.” He dragged his thumb slowly over your nipple and then whispered your name. “Can I tell you something?” 

“Yeah.” Your reply was breathy, and you hummed at the feeling of his continued touch, arching your back into it. “What’s up?”

“I never thought I’d ever have this.” He spoke quietly, but his voice was clear, his hand sliding away from your chest and back to your side. “Someone that knows. Someone that believes me. Someone that understands what I’m going through.” Oh, Frankie. “I never thought I’d get to be myself with someone again, and then you -”

“I’m here.” You reached up then, cupping his cheek in your palm. “You’ve got me.” You paused, steadying yourself. “All I’d ever want you to be is yourself.” 

It was next to impossible that you’d fallen for him so hard and so fast after years of never letting yourself get close to anyone. But the attraction you felt toward Frankie was more than just sexual in nature - it was everything about him that drew you in - and it had since before you’d found out what he was. There was no denying it, and both of you knew it.

He didn’t answer verbally, though. Instead, Frankie leaned in and you felt his fingers curve against your skin as he anchored himself to you - first with his touch and then with his lips. The kiss was soft - softer than any you’d shared previously, and it wasn’t a prelude to anything. No, you thought as you slipped your fingers into the soft curls behind his ear. He’s just letting me know he gets it. 

“I’ll be really quiet when I get up tomorrow.” He kissed the apple of your cheek and then backed off, settling on the pillow so that he could look at you again. “You can just lock the door when you leave.” 

“You trust me in your house without you here?” 

“What could you possibly find that would be worse than what you already know?” You laughed at that, rolling forward and burying your face against his bare chest. Good point. 

“G’night, Frankie.” You mumbled the words, pressing a kiss to the skin above his heart. “I -” You froze, despite your heartbeat quickening, and were almost positive that he’d felt it. Shit. “I hope you sleep well.” It was a poor recovery, but he didn’t say anything in reply. His answer was a quiet hum and a slight tightening of his arms around you. 

Slowly, the elevated rhythm of your heart returned to normal, and from your place pressed against his body, you felt Frankie’s slow, too. He fell asleep well before you did, his deep, even breaths - and the weight of his touch - helping you focus. But it didn’t help you sleep, and it wasn’t because of the things that had been said at the bar. 

It was the slip you’d almost made - and the realization that even though you were glad you’d stopped yourself, it didn’t change the truth of the words you bit back. It’s not the right time for that. Not now. Not … yet. 

As you finally drifted off, too, your arm loose over Frankie’s side and the tips of your fingers grazing the center of his back, you were certain that the time was coming when one - or both - of you weren’t going to be able to keep quiet. 

Instinctively, you backed up. 

But you’d misjudged your position and went sprawling over the legs of one of the outdoor chairs that surrounded the small fire pit, another cry escaping your lips. You kept the phone in your hand, though, determined to do something good with what might have been the final few moments of your life. You’ll know what he looks like. You’ll know what it looks like so you can find him. 

It had only been seconds, but if felt like much longer,  and as the wolf got closer to you, you used what little light you had to assess it. It was big and it was fast, and unlike Frankie, it was dark, its fur shorter than you expected. But it’s limping. Still. And unlike Frankie’s warm golden eyes, this wolf’s were orange bordering on red and catching the light made them glow the same way they had in the darkness. It looks mean. It looks… 

You scrambled away from it, and instead of trying to go for the RV’s door, you went for the chair on the other side of the pit, hoping that you could grab the gun and at least get a shot off before it got you. But that was wishful thinking - and you knew it. Where the fuck are you, Will?

You screamed again when it reached you, stopping just short of where you were and lowering its head. 

Your first instinct was to kick outward at it and hope you made contact. But it swiped at your leg, claws easily tearing through the pants you’d changed into earlier as it deflected the first blow. That didn’t stop you from lashing out a second time with the same leg, splatters of blood raining down on the dirt around you. When you made contact, the heel of your foot catching it somewhere on the shoulder, you heard it grunt, the sound oddly human. 

It backed away and then stared at you, head tilted to one side… and then the wolf growled, lowering its head a second time without taking its eyes off of you. You only had a split second to think, and when you closed your eyes, it was Frankie’s face you saw - his bright smile from the night you’d first met flashing in your memory. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

The crack of a gunshot caught you off guard, a piercing howl of pain filling the air immediately afterward. And when you opened your eyes again, you saw the wolf spinning away from you and tearing back for the trees, leaving a trail of blood behind it. Will’s voice came moments later, and then he was beside you, the blonde on his knees as he assessed your injury. 

“Did it bite you?” 

“No.” You forced the word out, still holding onto your phone. “No it sw…swiped at me, and …” Your leg hurt - the wound was painful, even though it wasn’t huge. “Fuck, Will, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I -” 

“We need to get up into the blind in case it comes back.” He moved to crouch in front of you, taking your face between both hands and forcing you to look at him. “Can you walk?”

“I think so.” You flexed your toes, nodding. “I can’t climb a ladder though. I -” 

“There’s a pulley.” He nodded, his voice calm, though you could see how tightly he was wound. “I’ll get you up there.” You nodded back, glancing down at your phone. Still recording, but I can stop now, I … 

He helped you to your feet and you ended the video, stuffing the phone back into your pocket. Will put an arm around you to help support your weight, but it still took longer than you knew he would have liked to get to the trees where the blind was. “Will, I can try to climb. I -”

“No.” He pointed. “We’ve got supplies up there that are heavier than you and we sure as shit didn’t haul ‘em up by hand.” You watched as he tugged on a rope, the muscles in his biceps flexing, and then a few seconds later, a wooden platform came into view as it lowered from above. “It’s only about 20 feet up. We had ‘Fish as a wolf run and jump as high as he could, and it was still too high for him to reach.” He gestured with one hand. “Get on and sit. It’s smooth, I swear. We’ve all done this before.” 

That made you smile, even though your still-pumping adrenaline was fading fast. You did as he asked, lowering yourself at the center of the platform, and then without warning, Will was lifting you into the trees. You didn’t want to question it, but you had to wonder how it was rigged - and what exactly they had stored up in the blind that required an elevator. 

You got your answer moments later when you rose through the hole in the floor of it and saw what you would have described as a small studio apartment inside of the space. This is like a fucking treehouse. There was a twin sized mattress under a covered window on one side, along with a crate that you assumed contained food and drinks. There was a larger crate on the opposite side, and resting on top of that was a laptop. The entire space was lit by string lights, and they cast an almost cozy glow down on you. 

“What the fuck?” Scooting off of the platform and onto the floor, you peered over the edge and called down to Will.  “I’m up here, do I need to -”

“No. You’re good.” He looked up, nodding. “Back away, I’m gonna bring it back down here.” You were confused but did what he asked, and once the platform was out of sight again, you scooted back and then leaned against the wall, your injured leg stretched out in front of you. 

You were bleeding steadily, and as you eyed your leg, you wondered if Will realized just how bad your injury was. That didn’t matter, though. What mattered was that you were safe, and that you only had a few hours until Frankie was back - and the three of you could get the fuck out of the woods for a month. 

Will called up to you as he climbed the ladder, and when you saw his head poke up and through a smaller door in the floor, you actually laughed, the sight of him calming you more than you thought it would. “I went and got your gun. Figured we should both have one.” 

You thanked him, taking the weapon and cradling it to your chest, and then for the next few minutes, you watched him go into soldier mode. 

He raised the platform a second time, pulling it all the way to the ceiling and securing it there. That left a gaping hole in the floor, but when he pulled the rope all the way up, too, you understand what he was doing. If it tries to jump at us, we’ll see it. Once that was done, he sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face. “Will, I -”

“Don’t you dare apologize.” He met your eyes, head shaking back and forth. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Didn’t I? I should have had the gun. I should have been prepared. “I need to clean and bandage your leg. I’ve gotta see if it’s going to need stitches.” You hadn’t even considered that, but once again, he was right. Shit. 

Will unloaded the contents of his pockets onto the mattress and then opened a second crate, pulling out the largest first aid kit you’d ever seen. I’m not surprised, though. He pressed a button near the end of the light strand, and the room brightened, giving you your first real look at your leg. 

There was blood pooled beneath it, and you got a glimpse of your skin through the torn fabric. It hurts. He settled down next to you and carefully lifted your leg, resting it atop his knees. “I’m going to pull your pant leg up, alright?” You nodded, fingers curled in against your palms. He acted without pause, peeling the torn material away and then folding it over on itself. “I’m going to clean it now. I’m sorry, but it’s probably going to hurt like a sonofabitch.”

You mumbled a thank you for the warning but kept quiet otherwise as Will took things step by step. It wasn’t quite as bad as you’d thought once the blood had been wiped away, and you both heard and saw his sigh of relief when a trio of slashes was revealed, proving that it had only been a claws and not teeth that pierced your skin. 

He cleaned it deftly, his fingers carefully moving over your leg, and then Will applied a generous amount of antibacterial ointment before reaching for the kit again. “Good news.” He held up a bandage. “I don’t think you need stitches. It’s deep, but as long as you’re careful, I think it’ll close on its own.”

“Frankie’s not going to let me be anything but careful, Will.” Covering your face with both hands, you tilted your head back. “I feel like such an idiot. I set the gun down to make a video for him, and then I wandered away from it, and …”

“Wait, you took a video? Were you recording when it came at you?” He sounded stunned, and when you met his eyes again, nodding, you saw something like excitement in them. “That’s fucking great. Now we’ll know what it looks like, and if someone ever blames Frankie for this shit, we can prove it’s not him.” You hadn’t even thought of that, but it was the truth. “Oh, that’s amazing.” His smile grew, Will’s attention focused on you. “He might not kill me now.”

“Kill you? Why?” Will raised a brow and dropped his gaze to your leg, tapping on your ankle with one finger. “Because I got hurt?”

“I hesitated.” He spoke quietly, but there wasn’t a long pause before he started to explain. “Not because I didn’t want to shoot it, but because it was so close to you, and if I missed, or you moved …” That was something that you didn’t want to think about, and for long moments, both of you were quiet. But I do have to ask… 

“Did you hit it? It ran like you did.”

“I did.” Will nodded. “Hit it in the leg. There’s blood all over the clearing from both of you, so we’re going to have to clean that up tomorrow morning before we leave, but wherever it is, it’s hurt.” 

“That means it’s been hurt two moons in a row.” You spoke without thinking, and only caught yourself once you’d finished. Shit. Shit, I shouldn’t have … “I mean…”

“What do you mean?” He leaned in, frowning. “How do you know that?” You could blame it on the pain - or the lingering adrenaline - but no matter how you framed it, you’d blown your cover. 

“I…” Just tell him. “Will, I’m not really here because I’m writing a book about Tampa.” You rubbed at one eye, sighing. “I mean, I am writing, but that’s not …” Straightening up as much as you could, you repositioned your legs so that your bandaged one was stacked on your other one, elevated slightly. “My family hunts werewolves. I saw the articles about the attacks, and so I came here.” 

“Before you say another word…” He stiffened, and for the first time, you saw anger in his expression, his eyes going flat. “Does Frankie know?” Of course that’s his first question.

“He does.” You let out a shaky breath. “That’s why he told me what he was. He did come to my place after last month because of what Benny and I heard and because of the attack, but it wasn’t that he started to shift, it was that he saw all of my research.” You stared directly into his eyes and continued. “My cousin was the last one attacked. And the only reason he survived was because a wolf… his fiancee as a wolf protected him and chased the other one away.”

“What the fuck.” He stood, pacing back and forth as he looked down at you. “You’re joking.” 

“I’m not. I wish I was. They came here because I told them what was going on, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time and … she bit the other wolf. She hurt it. And I knew she hurt it because I went to the hospital to see him that morning and she told me.” 

It felt good to tell him. It made you feel lighter to be honest with one of Frankie’s closest friends. And they all deserve to know. “Is he alright?”

“He is. He didn’t get bitten either, just clawed. He got it way worse than me, though.” You pressed a hand to your belly, sighing. “Frankie’s arm was also bothering him that morning, and for a split second, I thought …”

“You thought it was him so you pulled the gun.” Will stopped moving and then crouched down, looking you in the eye. “This is fucking nuts. Why did you lie?”

“We thought that the more people that knew, the more dangerous it got. You guys own the bar and there are hundreds of people in and out every week. Something slipping could have been bad, so Frankie suggested that we tell you guys that I knew, just not … the whole truth about why.” 

“Smart.” He nodded. “Every now and then ‘Fish surprises me.” That made you laugh, and when Will extended his hand, you took it and let him help you to your feet. “It’ll be more comfortable if we sit on the mattress.” He waited for you to take the few steps necessary to reach it, and when you were sitting, he moved a smaller crate in front of you so that you could keep your leg elevated. Will busied himself in front of the large container for a few minutes and then lowered himself next to you, reaching over to hold out a bottle of water and a few tablets. “These’ll help with the pain. Prescription strength ibuprofen. Nothing bad.” You took the pills and swallowed them dry, squeezing your eyes shut. 

“He’s going to freak out when he comes back and there’s blood everywhere and he can’t find us.” You knew that he’d think the worst, and wished that you’d been just a little more careful. We could have ended this. 

“He is. But it’s better than the alternative.” You agreed and then let your mind drift. You could hear the creatures in the forest again, bugs and frogs and then, after a while, the hoot of the owl. It relaxed you, because it meant that the wolf that had attacked you was long gone - unless Will’s shot had injured it more than he’d anticipated. But we wouldn’t ever be that lucky

You actually dozed off a few minutes later, head tipping to the side and resting against Will’s sturdy shoulder. His voice brought you back to attention, even though he spoke quietly. “So you didn’t know when you met ‘Fish? The two of you meeting was … on accident?”

“It was. I saw one of Tom’s ads while I was in a hotel, and reached out because I needed somewhere to stay. He recommended your bar and Frankie for helicopter tours, and it all just spiraled from there.” 

“What are the fuckin’ odds?” You’d asked yourself that multiple times a day since you’d arrived in Florida, and you told Will as much. His laugh was genuine, but it was short-lived, as was yours. “Will you tell me more about what you do? Why you do it? Before he got bit in South America, I didn’t know any of this shit existed, but over the last couple years, it’s been… I’ve learned a hell of a fuckin’ lot even though we knew nothing for sure.” 

There was nothing you could do to put your secret back under wraps, and so you took a deep breath before clearing your throat.  “My great-great-great grandma was the first person in our family to have been bitten…” 

— 

You talked to Will for almost an hour, but then you started to drift again, even though you knew it was approaching sunrise. 

He’d given you a blanket to wrap around your shoulders right around the time you’d gotten to the part where you took over the hunt, and the material was soft. You snuggled into it, yawning, and to your surprise, Will let you lean against him, even going so far as to put an arm around your shoulders to steady you. 

“Get some rest. We can talk more later.” He sighed. “Before that, though, I have one more question for you.” What’s he going to ask? “Do you want me to tell him I know, or do you want to do that?”

“We’ll tell him together.” You yawned again, covering your mouth with one hand. “I never wanted to lie to you guys, or for him to. It didn’t feel right.” He hummed, and you couldn’t tell what the tone of the noise was, but it didn’t matter. After that, you stopped fighting sleep - and it came quickly. 

But it didn’t last long, and you were startled awake by the sound of Frankie’s frantic voice, the man screaming your name from below you. “Shit.” You pushed to your feet and then hissed when you put weight on your injured leg, nearly toppling back down onto the mattress before Will caught you. “Fuck, he -”

“It’s fine.” He squeezed your arm. “It’ll be fine.” Will knelt down and then leaned over the opening in the floor. “‘Fish, we’re up here.” You peered over, too, and were stunned to see Frankie wearing nothing but a pair of athletic shorts standing in the clearing beneath you, both hands in his hair. He looks so worried. Shit. I never wanted … “We’re both up here, and we’re fine, but -”

“What the fuck is all this blood?” He sounded almost frantic, and the expression on his face when he looked up and focused on you nearly broke your heart in two. “I smell another wolf. Who got -”

“Frankie, it’s mine. Some of it is -”

“WHAT?” He roared the word and you heard Will groan, his fingers tightening against the edge of the cutout. “What the fuck do you mean it’s yours?” 

“Let me climb down, ‘Fish, and then we can get her down, and we’ll explain.” Will looked over at you and you saw the concern in his eyes. “But you’ve gotta calm down. I’ve got blood on my clothes, and so does she, and it’s not going to do anyone any good if you… react.” 

Frankie rubbed both hands over his face and you watched as he took a deep breath and held it, his broad shoulders relaxing after long moments. “I’m good. You can come down, Ironhead.” Will backed away from the opening and then stood, fingers combing through his short hair. 

“I’m going to climb down, and then we’ll bring you down the same way I pulled you up, alright? Two of us, it’ll be easier.” He leaned in, his eyes locked with yours. “He needs to see that you’re alright, so you need to be ready as soon as -”

“I understand.” You lowered yourself into a sitting position, staring up at him. “Be careful climbing down, Will.” 

He assured you that he would, and then after unhooking the platform from the roof and letting it drop through the opening, Will disappeared down through the trapdoor, the gun still tucked securely into his waistband. You leaned forward and looked beneath you, watching as he made his way down the ladder to where Frankie was standing. They talked for a few seconds, Will holding a hand up to keep Frankie at a distance, but you didn’t see defensive posture in either of them before Frankie looked up and met your gaze. 

You saw what you could only describe as fear in his eyes, and with shock, realized that for two months in a row - ever since you’d met - he’d spent the morning after the full moon worrying about you. This can’t keep happening. I can’t be the reason he feels like this. We need to find this wolf. 

He joined Will near the rope, and when the platform appeared again, you positioned it and secured it so that you could climb on, swearing when you moved your leg to get it situated. You tugged on the rope to let them know that you were ready, and when you began the journey down to where the two men were, you steeled yourself for what was to come. 

You were shocked at the amount of blood on the ground, your eyes moving over the semi-dried puddles and splashes, following the trail to where it disappeared into the woods. There was a second one that followed your path to the blind, but that one was smaller. That means he got the wolf good. You don’t bleed like that if it’s just a graze. 

Frankie dropped to his knees as soon as you hit the ground, and before you could say a word, he had his hands on you, the man’s touch gentle as he assessed the extent of your injures with his eyes and hands. “Are you alright?” Will stayed quiet and so did you, even as you nodded, but when Frankie reached your leg - and then your injury, his entire body going rigid, you knew it was time to speak up.

“It clawed me. Will took care of it. I wasn’t bitten. It hurts, but it feels better than it did, and -”

“I’m going to fucking kill this goddamn wolf.” His fingers hovered over the bandage, Frankie’s breathing fast as he stared at you. “I’m going to find out who it is and I’m going to rip its goddamn throat out.” You’d never heard him sound so angry, and even though it scared you, there was a part of you that was responding to Frankie’s promises in a very different way. Who wouldn’t? “What happened? Why were you outside?” 

He looked at you first, head shaking back and forth. He’s going to be so disappointed. “It was my fault. I left the gun on the ground and circled the fire pit. I wasn’t even thinking.” 

“She was making you a video, ‘Fish. We both fell asleep in the RV and then she went outside, and the next thing I knew, she was screaming for me.” You leaned into Frankie’s touch, his palm curved against your jaw, thumb moving over your cheek in a slow, steady arc. “I had no shot at first. It was … she was between me and it, and I couldn’t risk her moving.” 

“It came out of the woods and ran straight at me.” You swallowed hard, maintaining eye contact with Frankie. “I reached for the gun and didn’t have it. I knew it wasn’t you. I was ready to shoot it.” Shaking your head, you chewed on your lower lip for a few more seconds before saying anything else. “It was playing with me, Frankie. It charged like it was going to plow into me, but at the last second, it pulled back and just … swiped.” 

He looked down at your leg - the first time he’d averted his eyes from your face since he’d locked his gaze on you. “It didn’t try to bite you?” You shook your head no. “Fuck. I should have stayed. I shouldn’t have run.” 

“Will hurt it, Frankie.” You reached up, covering his hand with yours and easing it away from your face. “He shot it. And there’s so much blood, it had to have been hurt bad, so -”

“Apparently, I hurt it for the second month in a row.” Will cleared his throat and you and Frankie both looked up. You felt his fingers curl beneath yours, but before Frankie could speak, Will continued. “It slipped. She told me about why she’s here and what happened last month.” 

“Shit.” Frankie hung his head. “Oh, shit.” 

“It’s fine.” You sighed, the sound turning into a short laugh. “It’s better that people know. They were going to find out sooner or later.”

“I get it, ‘Fish.” Will moved closer, his arms crossed over his chest. “You’re protecting your girl. You’re protecting yourself. I would have done the same.” 

Neither you or Frankie corrected Will’s label on your relationship, and for the first time, you realized that you didn’t need to. Because I think I am his girl. And I like the way that sounds. “We should get you inside, Frankie. Get you something to drink, and some clothes, and -”

“I’m staying with you.” He rolled his shoulders back and for the first time, you stared at him and saw the way he looked in the early morning light. His skin was dirty, curls tangled atop his head, and his face was even more stubbled than usual. It suits him. Somehow, it … 

“You two go ahead and go back inside. I’m going to follow the trail and then clean up out here.” He gestured to the clearing, shrugging. “Gotta rake over the blood, get the blind secured … you know the drill.” 

“Help me up?” You tugged on Frankie’s hand. “I’ll come inside with you. I can clean everything up in there while you shower.” He looked like he wanted to argue with you, but instead, Frankie did help you to your feet and then looped an arm around you to give you some support. “That alright, Will?”

“Yes.” He nodded, lips curving upward briefly as he watched you. “That’s fine.” 

You left him behind as you and Frankie slowly made your way back to the RV and then inside, closing the door behind you. 

Your leg hurt, the ibuprofen doing little to dull the ache, but you didn’t want to tell Frankie. He needs to keep his routine. He needs to go shower and - “Are you really alright?” He spoke quietly, leaning against the edge of the counter and crossing his arms. “Because -”

“I am.” You sat at the table, resting your hands on the surface. “There were a couple seconds where I didn’t think I had a chance, but …” Looking down at your hands, you swallowed hard. “But I’m fine. Won’t be walking a whole lot for the next couple days, but it could have been a lot worse.” It almost was a lot worse. “Go shower. I’ll get stuff packed up so we can leave when you’re done.” 

“Will knowing means everyone is going to know.” He said your name, tone serious. “Benny won’t be a big deal, but Tom… he might not… he doesn’t like liars.” 

“I’m not afraid of Tom.” You pushed yourself to your feet, angling your body toward Frankie. “We had a valid reason not to say anything. It’s not like I knew when I reached out. I -” Lowering your head, you closed your eyes. “I should have told you sooner. Maybe then Alec wouldn’t have gotten attacked or -”

“No.” Frankie stepped closer to you and wrapped his arms around you, pressing his lips to the top of your head. “You did everything right. And it was my decision not to tell anyone, not yours. So if Tom’s gonna be pissed he can be pissed at me.” 

Even though Frankie smelled like the forest - leaves and dirt and sweat - you didn’t want to let him go. Pulling away enough that you could look up at him, you slid your hand along the back of his neck, urging him closer. “Frankie, pl-”

“Stop.” It was the first time he’d denied you, and you saw resolve in his eyes. “I’m not going to kiss you until I shower and brush my teeth.” He held you tighter, and you saw him struggling to keep his word. “Not after spending a night in the woods.” You wrinkled your nose at that, Frankie’s words reminding you of exactly what he’d been doing for the previous hours. 

He let you go moments later, squeezing your arm and then disappearing down the hall and into the small bathroom, his bag over one shoulder.

It took you longer than it would have without an injured leg, but you could still hear the shower running by the time you’d changed clothes, packed all of your stuff up and were ready to go. Will was still raking the clearing, and you could see that he was almost done. You figured that he’d finish just about when Frankie did. Good. That means we can go home soon. 

 You watched him through the window, Will meticulously obscuring the evidence that anything had happened the previous night. I should have taken pictures of the blood. I should have followed it into the woods just to see - 

“You still want that kiss?” Frankie’s arms wound around you from behind, the man resting his chin on your shoulder. “Because my mouth doesn’t taste like I’ve been drinking pond water all night anymore.” 

You turned before he was even finished, nodding. “Fuck yes I do.” He laughed, but you cut the sound off with the press of your lips to his, the fingers of one hand tangled in his damp curls. 

There was no hesitation on your part. 

You didn’t care that he’d been a literal wolf an hour earlier. You were unbothered by the fact that he’d likely done things overnight that no human should have even considered. The only thing you were focused on was the way he held you and the way he kissed you, one large hand splayed out against your back and the other cradling your skull. 

“I thought it got you.” He mumbled the words between kisses, voice low. “You and Ironhead, and -”

“It didn’t.” You pressed your forehead to his. “We got him. And he’s hurt, Frankie. This isn’t like Ashley biting him. I don’t know how fast you heal if you’re hurt as a wolf, but -”

“Will shot him with silver, so …” Frankie kissed you again, mouth soft as it pressed against yours. “So until he gets that out, or unless it went straight through, it’s going to hurt like a motherfucker. And if he couldn’t get it out before he turned back into a human, he’ll heal like a human.” 

You hadn’t even considered that, but it made sense. He’d heal faster as a wolf, but as a human it’s just … oh, damn. “I hope you don’t know that from experience.” 

“Not a gunshot, no. And never silver. But other injures have followed that pattern.” He sighed and then yawned, groaning. “I -”

“D’you think that the two of you could finish that somewhere else?” Will interrupted you, the man standing just inside the door with both hands on his hips. “I’m fuckin’ exhausted and I still have to drive us home.” 

In spite of everything, you laughed at his words, Frankie following suit shortly after. “Yes, Will.” You swiped at your face with one hand, the laugh turning into a yawn. “Since you asked so nicely.” 

— 

 Will dropped the two of you off at Frankie’s, promising that he wouldn’t say anything about the previous night until you’d had time to rest. Frankie thanked him, but hadn’t said much else before heading straight into his kitchen and downing glass after glass of cold water, his back to you and covered only in a thin t-shirt. 

You didn’t know what to say, or where to begin, but Frankie took care of that for you, twisting the water off and then turning back to face you with his arms crossed. “I put you in danger. You being there with me was -”

“No, me being there with Will was what saved my life.” You made your way to him, trying not to wince when you put weight on your injured leg. “Don’t do this. Don’t try and paint this situation like you put me in fucking danger when I’ve never felt safer than I do when I’m around your friends or you in either form.” You stopped inches away from him, bracing your weight on the counter. “I was where I wanted to be. I am where I want to be. So don’t give me the bullshit about pulling away to save me, because that’s exactly what it is. Bullshit.” 

He looked surprised at your outburst, but you meant every word. “You could have been killed. You could have been bitten, and I honestly don’t fucking know which would be worse.” That hurt - and for the first time, you flinched away from him. 

“I wasn’t. I’ll be fine in a few days. It’ll probably scar, but Jesus, Frankie, it was worth it. I know what it looks like now. It’s hurt. It was limping when it ran across the clearing at me, which means that Ashley fucked it up. And now Will did, too. That’s two months in a row that it wasn’t successful in attacking anyone. And that means it’s going to be pissed. And that means it’s going to get sloppy.” 

Your words had an impact - you saw the look in his eyes change as you spoke, anger turning to understanding. I’m right and you know it. “I was fucking terrified. I came back and I smelled blood. I saw blood. Neither of you were in the camper, and I knew it was another wolf. I thought …”

“I know.” You closed the distance, winding your arms around his neck. “I know what you thought. But I’m right here. I’m fine, Francisco.” Twisting a curl around one finger, you tugged on it. “If you’re not too tired, I can give you a demonstration of just how fine I really am.”

“That’s not fair.” He finally smiled, his grin a welcome change - and enough of a switch in demeanor to make you sigh in relief. “You’re gonna make me say no to you?”

“I’m not going to make you do anything.” You leaned in, running your nose alongside his and then kissing him on the corner of his mouth. “But I know you’ve got to be exhausted, so you can always take a raincheck.” 

“I think I’m going to have to.” He groaned, turning his head so that he could kiss you, his mouth pressed to yours as he replied. “I can barely stand up.” That didn’t stop him from kissing you again, though, Frankie’s tongue teasing against the seam of your lips briefly before you parted them for him. He encircled you with his arms, hauling you even closer, and you let him, the edges of your nails digging into his back, and the fingers of your other hand tangling in his hair. 

“Then let’s get you to bed.” You paused long enough to take a breath, teeth closing around his lower lip and tugging once you’d spoken. “I could lay down, too.” Frankie’s smile was small but you felt it, and he pushed off of the counter, urging you toward the hallway. “You can go ahead of me. I have to walk slow, it -”

“No.” He spun you slowly so that your back was to his chest, and then kept his hands at your waist. “Together. I don’t want to let you out of my goddamn sight.” 

It was overkill, and you knew it - and you thought he did too. But I won’t complain. 

You both paused just inside his doorway, Frankie stepping next to you and letting out a weary sigh. “I’ve never been so happy to see my goddamn bed.” 

“Not even after South America?” Raising an eyebrow, you turned your head to look at him. “Will told me you guys were there a hell of a long time.” 

“We were.” He pulled his shirt off, tossing it toward the hamper. “And I guess you’ve got me there. We got home and I slept for two days straight. I’m pretty sure Becca thought I fuckin’ died.” He undid the button on his pants, sliding them down and then throwing them to the side, too. “But you get my point.” Frankie raised both arms above his head, stretching. “You gonna wear all those clothes to bed?”

You eyed him, letting your gaze rake over every inch of exposed skin. You’d looked at every opportunity, but that morning, it felt different. That wolf is inside of him. It’s … it shouldn’t be possible, but … Reaching out, you dragged your fingertips down the center of his chest, closing your eyes at the warmth of his skin. It’s all him, though. And I wouldn’t want to change any of it. “No. I guess I’m not.” 

His hands moved to the lower hem of your shirt, and when he tugged it upward, you raised your arms to help him. He made quick work of it, and when you went to remove your pants, you felt his hands skating down and over your sides. “You’re here. You’re still -”

“I am.” You swallowed, a shaky breath escaping a few seconds later. “He didn’t get me that -”

“No. I mean after you saw what happens… what I am, you’re still here. With me.” It broke your heart that even after he’d witnessed your response to his transformation - after he’d been able to sense the way you felt about it, he’d still doubted that you’d want to be close to him. “You’re not afraid, and you don’t think it’s disgusting, and -”

“Frankie, stop.” Using two fingers, you pressed the tips of them to his lips. “I understand you worrying, but if you really thought that that’s how I’d respond, then you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.” He sucked in a breath, staring at you. “I want you, and everything that comes with it. Still. I know what I’m getting into. It’s going to take more than that to get rid of me.” He smiled at that, and when you saw his expression soften, you moved to pull your hand away. “But.” 

“But … what?” Frankie’s eyes flicked downward and then met yours again, his shoulders set. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I don’t want you to lie to me about how much it hurts you. You said changing was unpleasant, but c’mon, ‘Fish. Don’t lie to me about being in pain.” Gesturing to your leg, you laughed. “I’m certainly not going to lie and tell you this doesn’t hurt. I’m not going to think less of you because you admit that your bones literally rearranging themselves hurts when you turn into a giant wolf and back.” 

“Complaining about it doesn’t change shit.” He moved his thumbs over your abdomen, shaking his head. “I’ve just got to deal with it.”

“Maybe with them.” You bit your lip. “But not with me, alright?” It took a few seconds but he finally nodded before pulling you into a tight hug. You nuzzled against the side of his neck, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. It was stupid - and you knew it - but being so close to him made the previous hours and your attack seem less scary. No less serious, though. 

“We need to get into that bed.” You mumbled the words without backing off, and Frankie’s hold on you tightened. “Do you have a towel I can put under my leg? I don’t want to bleed on your bed, and I might if -”

“If Ironhead bandaged that, it’s not going to bleed.” Frankie straightened up. “He knows his shit.” That made you snort, but when Frankie took your hand and guided you to the bed, you went with him, taking it slowly. He got in first and you followed, getting situated under the blankets with your back to his chest. 

He held you close, carefully hooking a leg over your uninjured one, and as you both went quiet, you finally let yourself relax. All things considered, ending the morning wrapped in Frankie’s arms was as good an outcome as you could have hoped for. The shitstorm is coming, but for now… You scooted back even further, Frankie’s arm tightening. For now, this works. 

You especially didn’t mind when, on the night before he was set to change, he nearly dragged you down the hallway and into his bed and spent what felt like an hour between your thighs.  He made you come twice with his mouth, Frankie’s moans mingling with yours and sending vibrations through your body that followed the waves of pleasure. 

But when you pushed him away, protesting that it was too much, he went willingly. Frankie’s head popped up and his eyes were bright, the evidence of your arousal glistening on his lips. “You alright?” His voice was husky, the man pausing long enough to take a deep breath and flick his tongue out to get a final taste. “You sounded like you -”

“I am.” You shivered, nodding. “Come up here, Francisco.” He did as you asked, though he didn’t immediately lay next to you. Instead, he kissed his way up the center of your body, turning his head to suck one nipple briefly into his mouth before releasing it and pressing his lips to the base of your throat. “Is this how you always are this time of the month?”

“I don’t know.” He took a breath and then lifted his head, meeting your eyes. “I’ve never been with anyone the night before. Never … trusted myself.” Your heart broke for him, but in the same moment, you understood exactly what he was saying. This means he trusts himself with me when he’s this vulnerable, too. It’s not just tomorrow. “Why? Did I do something wrong?” 

“No.” Cupping your hand against his cheek, you shook your head slowly. “You’re just … more enthusiastic than usual. Couple more minutes of that and I wouldn’t have made it through you actually fucking me.” His lips quirked up briefly, but he kept quiet, still watching you. “And I really want to be able to enjoy that for as long as possible.” 

You could feel him pressing against your leg. 

Even though you knew how much going down on you turned Frankie on, it was still a point of pride for you to have evidence of it. Because he’s got so much else on his mind right now, too. Urging him to close the distance with the curl of your fingers beneath his chin, you met Frankie’s lips with your own. 

It was him that broke away first, Frankie’s teeth closing around your lower lip as he pulled back - and quiet words following moments later. “You could have told me to stop.” 

“I didn’t want you to.” Laughing, you dragged your fingers through the curls at the base of his skull while he settled in next to you. “I just need a couple minutes right now to breathe, and then I’ll be good to go.” He murmured in agreement, one of his arms wrapping around your midsection, but you and Frankie stayed quiet otherwise, both of you breathing heavily. 

He and Will were picking you up the following afternoon. The three of you were going to head straight to the RV, making sure that Frankie had plenty of time to get settled in before the sun set. He wanted to be the one to show you the routine, and you were on board with it. Because if I’m going to do it again, I need to know exactly how to help him. 

“Can I tell you something?” He kissed the top of your shoulder, pausing to give you a chance to reply. 

“Of course.” Turning toward him, you moved your hand so that it rested against his bicep. The new position allowed him to trail his fingertips over your lower back, the motion soothing. “What’s going on?”

“I’m worried about tomorrow.” Worried? Why? “It’s … I had them record me changing once, because I wanted to see it from someone else’s perspective, and it’s …” He winced. “I’m worried that you’ll be disgusted by -”

“If you don’t want me to watch you shift, that’s fine. It’s up to you what you show me.” You spoke quietly, keeping your voice even. “But it’s not going to change anything, Frankie.” Leaning in, you kissed him, letting your lips linger against his for long seconds. “Me being in your life isn’t only about being around for the best parts… and I’m not just talking about your wolf.” 

You meant it - you needed Frankie to know that you didn’t expect him to sugarcoat things for you, no matter how terrible they were. But only if he wants to include me. “Thought I had to put a ring on someone’s finger for them to be around for better or worse.” He’s joking, but … shit. That is what I just offered to do. He paused, saying your name and waiting until you pulled back enough that you could meet his eyes - and see that he was actually amused - to continue. “There’s a lot of bad shit. Shit I haven’t told you or showed you or -”

“We’ll get there.” You squeezed his arm, nodding without looking away. “We’ve only known each other a little while, there’s still plenty of time. This just … circumstances forced a few things a little early, and now we’ve got to deal with them.”

“Sure as fuck did.” He grinned, some of the tension breaking. But it was only a momentary reprieve, because the worry settled back in his features a few seconds later. “I really don’t want to scare you away, and this might. You can tell me it’ll be fine all you want, but until -”

“Until I see it for myself, neither of us are going to know what’s going to happen.” You nodded, chewing on your lower lip. “Frankie, I don’t want this to be more stressful for you than it already is. That wouldn’t be helpful at all.” 

“I keep thinking about the fact that tonight might be the last night I get this with you.” He closed his eyes, letting out a long, shaky breath. “And I don’t want … that would be fucking awful.” You didn’t reply right away, instead letting his words sink in. 

He wouldn’t have said anything if he didn’t truly think that there was a possibility that he’d lose you. And the thought of losing you wouldn’t have been so terrifying to him if he didn’t feel strongly for you. Shit. 

“It won’t be.” You brought your hand up, running your knuckles over the stubble on his cheek. “At least not by my choice, ‘Fish.” You were certain of that - of the fact that whatever he showed you the following night, it wouldn’t change the way you felt about him, at least not in the ways he was concerned with. “You’re asking me to trust you tomorrow, right?” He nodded, narrowing his eyes. “Then you need to trust me, too.” 

Your hand slid back, fingers curling around the back of his neck before you urged him closer. Please trust me. “I do.” He nodded and then kissed you, exhaling through his nose without pulling away. “I’m sorry.” 

“I don’t need an apology, Frankie.” You spoke against his lips, taking the lower one between your teeth at the end of your sentence and tugging. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He sighed, the hand on your back sliding down to your hip and squeezing. “But…” You traced over the curve of his lip with the tip of your tongue, the ends of your fingers delving into the hair that curled against the nape of his neck. “I do need you to fuck me right now.” 

You weren’t usually so blunt with him, because you didn’t need to be. But he needs a distraction. And he needs to know that I want him. “That’s what you want?” You nodded, humming as his mouth returned to yours, Frankie pushing you backwards and then letting some of his body weight rest on you. “Good.” He rocked his hips forward, grinding against your thigh. “Me too.” 

Frankie swallowed your reply in a deep kiss, and for the next few minutes, you let your mind wander. You knew that sex as a distraction wasn’t the best call - but rationalized it as necessary in that case when he finally pushed up and away from you, reaching for the bedside table and the condoms there. The following day was going to be stressful, and the more relaxed both of you were when the sun set and he changed, the better. 

You did come a third time that night - but it happened almost 30 minutes later - Frankie’s orgasm triggering your body’s response, which was no less intense than it had been earlier. And instead of pulling out immediately, he held you close for a long time after, his face pressed to your neck. 

It was almost impossible to tell because of your ragged breathing, but you could have sworn you heard - and felt - him speaking against your skin, Frankie’s hold on you secure. You didn’t want to put him on the spot, so you didn’t question him about if he’d spoken - or what he might have said. 

And instead of continuing your earlier conversation, you and Frankie simply climbed back into bed after cleaning yourselves up, his arms wound tightly around you from behind. It was you that said goodnight first, sleep already creeping up on you thanks to how exhausted your body was. He spoke his reply directly into your ear, the arm around your body tightening - though his voice was low. 

He fell asleep before you, the worry gone and his body relaxing as soon as his breathing evened out. You weren’t far behind him, but  you took the time to link your fingers together against your stomach, his curling against yours, even though he was already snoring softly. Nothing is going to change. It can’t. 

You fell asleep holding his hand and with the comforting feeling of his body pressed against you from behind … and neither of you moved until morning. 

— 

Will and Frankie showed up to get you early, but you were already packed and ready to go by the time the SUV pulled into your driveway.

After putting your overnight bag into the trunk with both of theirs, you climbed into the back seat, taking a deep breath. “Hey, guys.” Will said hello in return without looking at you, already backing out of the driveway, but Frankie turned to look into the backseat, his eyes bright beneath the brim of his hat. “Francisco.” 

You could tell he was nervous; you could see how rigidly he was holding himself. At your tone of voice, he relaxed marginally, lips twitching upward into a small smile. “Hey.” He paused and you reached forward, squeezing his arm. There’s no reason for you to be so nervous. “You ready?” 

“I am. I brought snacks, because -”

“We’re going to stop before we get to the RV.” Will looked back at you in the rearview mirror, arching a brow. “Couple fast food places right off the freeway. And there’s stuff in the camper, too.” Frankie reached up and covered your hand with his, but then turned to face forward, settling back and against the seat. “It’s about an hour drive, so you should get comfortable. ‘Fish always picks the music, so sorry ‘bout that in advance.” 

That got a laugh out of you and a groan from Frankie, but it also lightened the mood, which seemed necessary. “I also brought headphones.” You cleared your throat, settling back against the seat. “Just in case.” 

Will’s laugh filled the interior of the car, but it was drowned out when Frankie spun the volume dial on the radio - and then started to sing along. Maybe this is going to be OK. 

— 

After you got to the RV, the three of you sat inside with the door open, eating. It was a little before 6, which meant that you had just over an hour before Frankie needed to start getting ready. 

As the minutes passed, you noticed the change in mood, though you and Will kept up a steady stream of conversation and Frankie tried to do the same. Will seemed anxious, while Frankie’s nerves became more and more apparent, the man repeatedly removing his hat so that he could drag his fingers through his unruly curls over and over. 

It was difficult to watch - and you made a mental note to ask Will later if that behavior was normal, or if Frankie was acting differently because you were there. Either way, it didn’t matter, because as soon as you were done eating, Will stood up, wiping his hands against he front of his pants and clearing his throat. 

“I’m going to head up into the trees.” He looked between you and Frankie, taking and releasing a deep breath. “I’ll be down as soon as you head out, ‘Fish. Don’t forget the t-”

“The tracker. I know.” He nodded once, his tone sharp. “I’m good, Ironhead.” 

“I’ll be watching at sundown, but not before.” Will said your name, waiting until you’d shifted your attention to him to continue. “I will not let anything happen to you.” Do you really need to say this? It’s just going to - “Frankie made me promise to say that to you while he was still here. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but -”

“I’m not taking any chances.” Frankie straightened up, reaching out to take your hand. “Not with you.” There was nothing else to say, and so you just nodded, the two of you waiting until Will gathered his things and headed out the RV’s door, closing it behind him. And then when it was quiet, you watched Frankie carefully, waiting. 

You wanted to let him explain things in his own time, and in the way he wanted to - and that meant not leading him. Taking the opportunity to look around the small space, you grinned at the sight of the photos that decorated the walls.

“We figured that since this belongs to all of us, it should look the part.” Frankie stepped toward one of the bulletin boards, pointing. “Took this on our first deployment together.” His finger moved down and to the right, jabbing at a shot of the five of them that looked much more recent. “This one was from South America.” 

Stepping closer, you took a better look at the picture, which was of them sitting on a patio together, the cheerful lights strung above them illuminating a wooden table that was littered with cans and bottles, but keeping the background in shadows. “Before everything?”

“Before Lorea, yeah. That was the night we agreed to help Pope.” Frankie sighed, lowering his arm. “Was pretty much the last good night we had before everything went to shit.” 

“At least you didn’t come home empty handed after everything you guys went through.” He laughed, but the sound was bitter, Frankie backing away from the photos and turning to unlock a crate that was sitting on the other side of the room. 

“Yeah, the money’s a nice little consolation prize.” He bent down, pulling a folded blanket and a notebook out. “Especially now that I have to deal with this every month.” He reached back in, pausing before he withdrew his hand. “I know you brought your gun, but I’m going to need you to carry this one tonight.” 

He turned back to face you, holding out a revolver and a holster, his expression serious. “Why?”

“Because you need to have something that’s got silver bullets in it, and if you used your gun, you’d have to explain why you’ve got them in there already.” You hadn’t even thought of that, but it made total sense. That would have been a mistake on my end. “They still carry when they’re with me. Ironhead’s got a gun of his own up there. This one’s a backup, but he’ll be looking to make sure I gave it to you.”  

“Of course.” You took it from him, undoing your belt and sliding the holster onto it. “Anything else?”

“The notebook’s to keep track of the time the change starts, and when I come back.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Ironhead’s focused on numbers, so leave that to him tonight. I don’t know what the fuck they do while I’m out there, but I’m sure he’ll fill you in.” You nodded, swallowing before you took a step closer to Frankie. “The blanket’s because I get naked before. I didn’t the first couple times and I ruined my goddamn clothes, so now I just …” He shrugged. “Take ‘em all off.” 

“Do I bring it back in once you’re gone?”

“No. Whoever’s out here usually just moves it underneath the awning on the side of the RV so that I have a little privacy when I come back. If it’s rainin’, yeah. Bring it inside and then set it out again right before sunrise, but otherwise …” He shrugged again. “C’mon, let me show you the rest of it. We’re running out of time.” 

For the next thirty minutes, Frankie showed you the rest of the inside of the RV, carefully explaining the measures that they’d taken to protect themselves - and him. He showed you the tracking device and the app they used to monitor it, the map of the area that he tended to frequent - a peaceful place that was about fifteen miles south of the camper near a small creek  that gave him plenty of space to run. 

As the time ticked down, you could see - and feel Frankie’s demeanor change. Not only did his words come out faster, but you saw the way his body moved - fingers flexing more often, his wrist twisting back and forth by his side as he explained things to you. 

You stayed close, though, listening to him and asking questions. You made it a point to touch him, even briefly, every so often just so that he knew you weren’t going to shy away. I wouldn’t. Ever. A little after 7, he stopped abruptly, straightening up and turning to look at you. “I need to go outside.”  

“Of course. Do you need me to leave while you get undressed?” 

“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” That got a smile out of him - and a laugh out of you, but as you stood back and leaned against the edge of the dining room table, you stopped laughing. He methodically removed his clothes - starting with his shoes and socks and then moving to his shirt, the man taking everything off and tossing it into the chest that he’d pulled things from previously. “Keeps my scent hidden. Seems like a good idea with this other wolf running around.” 

You agreed, murmuring the words back to him. “You said your senses are heightened now, right?” 

“They are.” He nodded, reaching down to unbutton his jeans, slowly sliding them down and over his hips. “Soon as I go outside it’s going to … I don’t know how to explain it. Explode, maybe?” Frankie looked back over his shoulder at you, smirking. “You smell amazing right now, by the way.” That took you by surprise, as did Frankie’s wink before he faced forward again and then stepped out of his jeans, bending down to scoop them off the floor. 

You couldn’t help the way your teeth clamped down on your lower lip when he straightened up, rolling his shoulders back before reaching for the waistband of his underwear - the only thing he had on. Your reaction to the sight of his body was instinctual and because he’d just admitted that everything was heightened, you knew he’d sensed it, too. 

Frankie gave you a much longer than necessary glimpse of his bare ass before he leaned forward and picked the blanket up, wrapping it around his shoulders. “When we go outside, we’re gonna go and stand in the middle of the clearing. Will’s going to be able to see everything, so…” He spun to face you, and for the first time, you saw true worry in his eyes. “I’m going to say goodbye to you in here, if that’s alright.” 

“More than alright.” Closing the distance between you, you reached for Frankie, taking his face between your palms. “It’s going to be fine.” He nodded but didn’t say anything before you kissed him, moving in as close as you possibly could with him holding the blanket closed around himself. 

You knew you had very little time - and when Frankie stepped forward, backing you up and against the closed door, you realized just how little. 

He’d never kissed you quite like he did then. 

What started out with you in the lead quickly shifted to something more, his mouth hungry against yours, Frankie’s hips rolling forward and keeping you pinned against the wood. You felt him growl into your mouth - the sound needy as his tongue stroked yours, and you moved a hand into his hair, yanking his head to the side as you let out a moan that only made him inch even closer. 

The desire was bleeding from his body. 

Frankie was trembling against you, and you had no idea how he managed to keep his hands off of you and firmly holding the blanket. But it’s a good thing he did because him touching me now is … He broke the kiss, but instead of pulling away, Frankie lowered his head and nosed along your cheek and then your jaw before dropping his head so that he could nuzzle against your neck. “What are you -”

“The way you smell right now is fucking …” He groaned, and you felt him press an openmouthed kiss to your pulse point. “Nothing like it.” Dragging your fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath, you closed your eyes and inhaled too, trying to see if there was anything different that you could sense.

He still smelled like Frankie - faint cologne and clean sweat, a hint of laundry detergent from the blanket - and even though you knew what was going to happen in only a few minutes time, you still didn’t feel any differently about him. 

The motion of his hips stopped as you felt his chest expand with a few deep inhales, followed by Frankie pressing a lingering kiss to the side of your neck before he nipped at it with his teeth and straightened up. “Couldn’t help it.” He raised a brow, meeting your eyes. “At least this time I can blame the wolf.” 

“We should go outside.” Rubbing your thumb over his cheek, you tilted your head to the right. “I don’t want you to cut it too close.” You saw uncertainty in his eyes for a few seconds but then he nodded, closing them and stepping back.

You moved away from the door and then pulled it open, walking down the few steps that led to the forest floor. He followed, but was silent - and didn’t break that silence until you were about ten yards from the RV.

“Flip the snap on that holster.” He swallowed, shifting back and forth on his feet without looking away. “But don’t put your hand on the butt. I don’t … know how I’ll react to that.” You nodded, wetting your lips. “I’m not going to get mad if you look away. This is all new for you.”

“You’re going to let me see?” Your eyes widened. “Frankie, I thought -”

“I am.” He rolled his neck out before he tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. “I need you to know everything.” He winced and shuddered, his eyes shut. It’s happening. “Step back.” His voice was lower than usual, and when Frankie opened his eyes, you saw that they were lighter, his pupils wide. “And if it even seems like I’m going to -”

“You won’t. But I know.” You tapped the gun, smiling at him. “It’s alright, Frankie.” He wrinkled his nose, and you watched as the blanket twisted in his hands as he tightened his grip. “I’m right here.” 

The clearing was silent, and though it should have bothered you to know that Will likely had a gun pointed at the two of you, you were entirely focused on Frankie. You wondered what the beginning of his change would look like - if it would start slowly or happen all at once, resulting in the man in front of you disappearing as he became something else. I’m going to find out. I - 

“Don’t…” He groaned, stomping one foot and gritting his teeth. “Don’t run. Turn away if you need to, but please don’t do anything that might make me chase you.” Oh, Frankie. You knew it was dangerous, but you didn’t even try to stop yourself from taking the few steps forward that were necessary to put yourself directly in front of him. “What the fuck are you -”

“Stop worrying about me.” Placing your hand flat on his chest - palm over his frantically beating heart - you stared directly into his eyes, which were already more gold than brown. “Focus on what you need to focus on, Francisco.” He went still, but then nodded, his gaze flicking down to your mouth and then back up. “I’m not afraid of you.” 

Leaning closer, you kissed him on the cheek and then backed off, knowing that you were already pressing your luck. 

“You might not say that in a few minutes.” I doubt it. He dropped the blanket suddenly, exposing his entire body to you - and for the first time since you’d met Frankie, you looked at him with something other than want. 

There was no real way for you to describe what was happening except to say that it looked like everything was stretching. The bones in his arms and legs were elongated, as were the ones in his hands, which forced his fingers to curl inward toward his palms. Even Frankie’s chest seemed to expand, and you watched in disbelief as the shape of his body changed, breath catching in your throat at the sight in front of you. He’s got to be in so much pain. 

Frankie stayed quiet, though, and when you looked up and met his eyes again it was you that made the first sound. A gasp tumbled from your lips before you brought a hand up to cover your mouth at the sight of his face. If not for the tangle of curls on his head and the lingering furrow between his brows, you wouldn’t have even known it was him, because it wasn’t a man’s face you were looking at - it was that of a wolf. 

He bared his teeth as he fell forward and his hands hit the ground, but the only noise you heard was the grunt of the impact. You had no idea how he stayed silent. No matter what he’d said, the process of changing had to be painful, and you were almost certain that he’d lied to you about the way it felt in order to spare your feelings. “Oh, Frankie.” 

It slipped out before you could stop it, but he didn’t even acknowledge your words, and though you assumed he’d heard you - his human ears had become the pointed ones of a wolf - you had no way of knowing for certain. 

He dug in with his hands, leaving a few gouges in the earth, but when you watched his shoulderblades shifting beneath his skin for the final few seconds before dark fur sprouted from his body, you finally looked away, needing a second to compose yourself. 

You were crying; you felt the tears tracking hot down your cheeks, but it wasn’t because you were afraid of him. Instead, you were angry for him, upset that every 30 days, he had to relive the transformation twice in the span of twelve hours. Nothing could prepare me for that. Not a goddamn thing. 

A whining noise drew your attention again, and when you turned your head back toward Frankie, you gasped a second time, lowering your hand. 

The man you knew was gone - and in his place was the largest wolf you’d ever seen, sitting on his haunches and staring at you with its head tilted to the side. “Hey, Francisco.” Reaching up with one hand, you wiped away your tears and gave him a smile. “Look at you.” 

You took a few seconds to do just that, your heart thudding in your chest at the sight of a werewolf, not even ten feet from you, after years of searching. He was much bigger than you’d imagined; the top of his head reaching almost to the center of your chest, and his shoulders were broad, mirroring the man in human form. 

He pawed at the ground, and you watched as he scented the air, never looking away from you. You wanted to move closer, but didn’t want to spook Frankie, so you cleared your throat and took a breath, giving him a smile. “Can you understand me?” He nodded and then blinked twice, but he stayed put. Fucking weird. “Will you come closer?” Wetting your lips, you laughed, the sound nervous. “Only if you want to. I -” 

He moved as you spoke, rising and then slowly trotting forward, but stopping before he was close enough for you to touch. Even in the slowly darkening twilight, you could see that his wolf mimicked the way Frankie looked as a man, and you wondered if that was the case for all of them. 

Shaggy fur in a deep chestnut threaded with gray covered his entire body, but his face was lighter, especially on his cheeks and snout. With a genuine laugh you leaned closer, biting your lip at the sight of his cheek. He tilted his head to the side, staring at you, and it was easy to read his curiosity.

“The patches in your beard.” Reaching up, you tapped your own face. “You’ve still got them.” For whatever reason, seeing that was what tipped you over the edge and put you truly at ease. Because he’s still Frankie. “Even as a wolf, I’d know that handsome face anywhere.” He whined again, ducking his head, and when he looked up, you could have sworn he was smiling. Good. Good, he can see… I’m not afraid. “That looked like it hurt, Frankie. But thank you for letting me watch.” 

Crossing your arms over your chest, you stared at the wolf in front of you, fighting the urge to reach out and touch him. 

You didn’t know how he’d react to that - had no idea if anyone had ever touched him in that form, or if he even wanted anyone to. Why wouldn’t he? You felt oddly calm, even though your heartbeat was still elevated, and as you eyed Frankie, you realized that Ashley and Alec hadn’t been lying about the size of wolves. He’s huge. And if the other one is this big, too… I’d stand no chance, especially if he was attacking me from up close. 

“Am… am I allowed to touch you?” Gritting your teeth, you swiped at your face with one hand. “Fuck, that’s a stupid question, I just -” But apparently, it wasn’t, because Frankie rose to all fours and took another cautious step toward you, putting himself within arm’s reach. You had no idea what to do, and so you held out one hand toward him, proud to see that it was almost completely steady. 

He moved his head, turning toward your outstretched hand to sniff it, and then you moved on autopilot, stepping forward and lifting your hand so that you could slide it between his ears, fingers curling into the fur there. It’s not as soft as it usually is. You still grinned at the feel of it, your other hand moving to the side of his neck and stroking downward. 

“You’re gorgeous, Francisco.” Humming as  he stepped forward again, nudging your hip, you kept going. “And you’re fucking huge, and if I didn’t know it was you, I’d be …” You sighed, stroking his fur. “You’re intimidating, even when you’re just sitting there. Thank you for not scaring the fuck out of me.” He nudged you again, rubbing the side of his face against your hip, and then without warning, he broke away from your touch and circled around your legs, head lowered. “You still don’t like compliments, even when you’re like this, hmm?” 

His head shot up and you somehow knew that if he were human, he’d have rolled his eyes. But when he took a seat in front of you again, you took a deep breath and crouched down, bringing yourself closer to his eye level. 

The two of you stared at each other for long seconds, and the longer you looked, the more of Frankie you saw in front of you. The wolf sat proudly, though his head was tilted to the side as he eyed you.There was warmth in his gaze, along with a sense of calm that you hadn’t expected with how nervous he’d been only minutes earlier. 

He’d given you permission to touch him, and so you did, reaching out and stroking the fur along the side of his face and then down his neck, following the motion of your hand with your eyes. He repositioned his paws, inching marginally closer, and at that your smile widened, a barely there nod of your head accompanying it. His fur lightened as it got closer to the ends of his legs, and you were surprised to see what looked like a black smudge atop the left paw. He must have had that one when he was bitten. “Frankie, have you ever…” You touched it, looking up. “Your tattoo, it’s….” 

He lowered his head further, and when you felt the press of his wet nose against the back of your hand you finally moved it away, letting him see. The noise he made in response was almost startled, which made you laugh, and forced you into a sitting position, giving you a chance to look up at him. 

He straightened up again and stared at you, blinking slowly, and then Frankie extended a paw and rested it on your knee, the movement cautious. You reached for it, lifting it slowly, and when you pushed gently on his toes, you saw the true size of his claws, as well as noticed the fact that his paw itself was massive, and much larger than your palm. You wondered if he was considered small for a wolf, and then wondered if Ashley would allow you to see any of her pack during a full moon so you could compare. 

“Frankie, the fact that you’re like this with me now …” You met his eyes again, taking and holding a deep breath. “This is incredible. You’re incredible.” He ducked his head again but it didn’t last long, because he drew his paw from your hold and then moved forward, lowering his head and sniffing at your bare arm. You felt it moments later - the warmth and wet of his tongue as he licked the back of your hand. “Oh. Oh, ok…” 

You moved then, raising both arms and putting them around his neck, turning your head so that you could bury your face in his fur. If you hadn’t been certain before, that moment made it clear that you loved him, wolf and all. How could someone not love him?

Frankie let the weight of his head rest on your shoulder, and you head him whining, the sound loud - followed by the press of his paw against your other leg. He’s trying to hug me back. Oh, Frankie. 

He pulled away first, but didn’t go far, and even though you stayed mostly still when he started, your eyes widened as you felt him nosing at your neck, his breath hot against your skin. Shit. He’s… 

Frankie licked your neck twice, and then rubbed his face against it, whining loudly as he backed off. But that time, he took a playful stance, his tail wagging back and forth and his ears swiveling as he watched you, tongue lolling out of his mouth. 

“Oh, you’re in a good mood now?” He nodded again, agreeing, and when you pushed to your feet, he stretched, front paws out and that half of his body lowered while the back end remained upright, tail still moving from side to side. “You need to go, don’t you.” He set his paws and then shook his body, yipping out a reply to you at the end of the movement. “Then go, Frankie. Run. Have a good night.” Stepping forward, you reached down and found the metal chain around his neck, trailing your fingers over it until you found the tracking device. “I’ll keep an eye on you. We’ll keep an eye on you, alright?” 

He barked then, turning his head to the right and then looking up, and you knew it was looking for Will, even though he likely couldn’t see him. He barked twice more - the sound carrying, and then Frankie backed away further, putting distance between you. 

Part of you didn’t want him to go. You wanted him to stay in the clearing with you all night. But you knew that he had to, that he needed to run and stretch his legs and let the wolf’s instincts take over for the few hours that it could. And it would be selfish of me to ask him not to do that. 

“Be safe.” You said his name, crossing your arms. “I’ll see you in the morning, alright?” He whined, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, though he stayed in place. What is he waiting for? You watched him closely, Frankie turning his head to look up, and even though you weren’t sure, you spoke again. “Go ahead. It’s not going to scare me. Let me hear you.” 

Your permission had been what he was waiting for, and only moments later, Frankie sat and tipped his head back, letting out the loudest, longest howl you’d ever heard in your life. It didn’t scare you, because you knew it was him, but the sound was chilling, and somehow different from the regular wolf calls you’d heard previously. And it’s different than last month’s, too. It sounds … fuller. 

He howled a second time, and you couldn’t take your eyes off of him, watching as he held his position, nose pointed toward the sky and his broad shoulders set. It was an incredible thing to see - and it would have still been incredible even if it wasn’t Frankie that you were watching. But the fact that it is him… it’s more special. 

The howl trailed off, and Frankie rose to all fours again, turning away and toward the woods to the south. At the edge of the clearing, he stopped and looked back, pausing long enough to howl again - that one long and low, almost sad. 

And then he was gone, disappearing through the trees and into the gathering darkness. 

You waited a solid minute and then deflated, dropping to your knees and covering your face with both hands. You were overwhelmed - there was no way around it, and since you knew that he probably wouldn’t be able to hear it, you started crying again, shoulders shaking. 

It had gone much better than you’d imagined it would. Frankie had seemed at ease with you in way that you’d never expected, and despite your tears, you weren’t scared or upset at what you’d seen. It made you sad, of course, but you were convinced even more than you had been earlier that you had nothing to fear from Frankie, even when he was a wolf. 

It was still almost a slap in the face to have learned just how large werewolves were, and exactly what your relatives had expected you to face in order to complete your revenge quest. Frankie’s gentle behavior was, as the guys had said, somewhat misleading, because the others wouldn’t be like that, especially around someone that they didn’t know. And the Chaos wolves are especially dangerous for someone that’s accustomed to a wolf they know. 

Reaching up, you rubbed at the side of your neck and then reached out with your other hand to touch the spots in the ground that he’d disturbed, fingers trailing over the claw marks and then coming to rest in one of his pawprints. A wolf the size of Frankie could easily overpower an adult human. A wolf the size of Frankie without the self restraint of a former Army Special Forces helicopter pilot could do it before the other person even knew what was happening. “Fuck.” 

You hung your head, shaking it back and forth. Yes, you had a better idea of what you’d be up against when finding a Chaos wolf, but it made the odds seem so much more stacked against you. “You alright?”

You shot to your feet at the sound of the voice, your hand automatically going for the gun on your hip as you whirled around. Will stood a few feet away, both hands held up with his palms out and a smirk on his face. Jesus. “You scared the fuck out of me, Will.” Your heart was racing, fingers frozen just above the butt of the gun.

“So let me get this straight.” He lowered his hands and then crossed his arms. “‘Fish turns into a goddamn wolf right in front of you and you’re fine. Two minutes after it happens, you’re petting him … and I’m human an’ ask if you’re doin’ alright, and you go to pull a gun out on me?” 

“I…” Wrinkling your nose, you winced. “Yeah, that’s kind of fucked, isn’t it.” Both of you laughed then, and you rubbed at your face before you said anything else. “I don’t even know what to say. That was … that happens every time?”

“Every time.” He stepped past you and reached down, picking the blanket up. “He’s quiet now, though. First few times, he screamed.” 

“He said it didn’t hurt, that it was just uncomfortable.”

“He’s a fucking liar.” He folded the blanket with precision, and then moved back toward the RV, motioning for you to follow him. “His goddamn bones grow and move. His face changes shape. I didn’t go to college and study the fuckin’ supernatural, but … the way he screamed at the beginning? I can guarantee it hurt. And it might be something he’s more used to now, but …” 

“Yeah.” It made you feel worse, but you couldn’t fault Frankie for lying to you. “So what now? He won’t be back until morning, right?” 

“Right.” Will stuffed his hands into his pockets, shrugging. “So now it’s a whole lot of sitting and waiting. We’ve got internet and TV inside. I can take you up and show you the view from the blind. We can stay out here… it’s up to you.” 

“We should probably go inside.” You rubbed at your neck again, nodding. “That way you can show me what -”

“Look.” He stepped forward, laying a hand on your shoulder. “The hardest part is over. The rest is just waiting for him to come back.” Will’s smile was small but genuine, his blue eyes bright in the single overhead bulb beneath the awning. “We’ll check his location a couple times, and update the guys once just to let them know everything’s good, but aside from that?” He tightened his fingers against your arm and then let go. “It’s just a typical night.” Unless something goes wrong. 

It was unspoken, but it hung between you. Everything’s going to be fine. Closing your eyes, you let yourself listen to the forest around you - the faint sound of bugs and the breeze, along with the hooting of a far-off owl reassuring you. Alright, Will. “Got any beer in that fridge?” 

He surprised you with a laugh, but only moments later, Will was gesturing for you to head inside in front of him. “Sure fuckin’ do.” 

— 

 Both of you dozed off a little before midnight, the TV playing some action movie from Netflix in the background. 

You woke up a few hours later, Will snoring quietly on the couch next to you, and when you stood, he didn’t move. He must have had a long day. You covered him with a blanket and then headed over for the laptop that had Frankie’s tracker displayed on the screen. 

He was still far south of where you were. For a minute or two, you watched the motion of the dot that signified his position as it moved East along the bank of the creek, wondering what he was doing and what he was feeling. 

By the information that was also on the screen, you saw that there were still hours until sunrise - and when Frankie would return. The thought of laying back down - that time on the bed instead of the couch - wasn’t appealing, and so you decided to go outside and enjoy the darkness for a little while. It’ll relax me. The sounds and the smell, and … 

Slipping your shoes back on, you grabbed the gun - but not the holster - from where you’d set it earlier and headed for the door. “Where you goin’?” Peering back at Will, you saw that he’d opened his eyes, one hand rubbing the sleep from them. “It’s -”

“Just outside for a few minutes.” Tightening your hand on the door handle, you smiled. “Need to stretch my legs, and I didn’t want to risk waking you up.” 

“Take the gun.” He cleared his throat. “Just in case.” You held it up so that you could see it, and when Will nodded, you went through the door, closing it softly behind you. 

You looked around, eyeing the circle of light that was provided from the ones strung above you and then sank down onto one of the chairs near the firepit. Moments later, you set the weapon down on the ground beside you. You couldn’t see much of the sky through the trees, but the moon was bright, and it was only when you stifled a yawn with one hand that you looked away, humming as you rubbed your eyes. 

You and Will had gone over a lot while you sipped your beers, but the thing you took away from his companionship was that the nights spent waiting for Frankie were usually very uneventful - and that being there with someone was a welcome change of pace. 

He filled in the logbook and then let you flip through the previous entries. While you clicked around through Frankie’s previous location records, he stepped outside to call his wife. They had a routine, and the fact that you were one of six - seven if you counted Yovanna - people that were included in it wasn’t lost on you. 

You’d also skirted the topic of just how close you and Frankie were. And based on Will’s posture and facial expressions, you had an idea that he was well aware of exactly how serious it was between you. That was fine with you - he was one of Frankie’s closest friends, and since Pope was also aware of where things stood, you figured that the others weren’t far behind because even though they didn’t know you well, they did know him. 

It scared you more than a little that things were moving so quickly, but you didn’t regret letting it happen that way. “Not with you, Frankie.” With a sigh, you pulled your phone out and opened your photo album, swiping through and finding one of the pictures of the two of you. You were both grinning at the camera, Frankie’s arm around your shoulders, and one of your hands holding onto his, fingers linked. 

You didn’t know what you were going to say to him when he came back and was human again, and you hoped that whatever you did manage to get out, he believed. Because I’m sure he’s still worried, even though he saw that I really wasn’t afraid of him. Sighing, you flipped back to the actual camera and then swiped to take a video, reversing the view before you pressed record. 

“Hey, you.” Staring at the screen, you thought for a few seconds. “It’s been a while since you left, but I just … I know you might not believe me when we talk next, and I wanted to tell you a couple things that I’ve been thinking about all night.” You stood and took a few steps further away from the RV, trying to be mindful of the fact that Will was likely sleeping, and the window above the couch was partially open. “I wasn’t crying earlier because I was scared. I wasn’t crying because I was … disgusted by what I saw.” 

You stopped moving, looking off to the side and then back at the phone. “I was crying because I’m upset that you’ve had to deal with this alone. I’m upset that you have to downplay how much it hurts to become the wolf every month. I’m just … I couldn’t do it, Frankie. Before I saw you tonight, I had no idea. Everything I thought was wrong.” 

You meant the transformation, but you also meant that you’d been wrong about werewolves in general. “I hope you’ll believe me when we talk, you know? I don’t want you to second guess this or me or the way I feel about you.” Because I don’t. 

You went quiet, staring at the small screen, and with the absence of your voice, you realized that the woods around you were silent, too. You didn’t hear insects, and the owl from earlier was quiet. But we’re deep in the woods. There’s always noise. You looked away from the phone and then back at it, your hold on the device tightening. Unless there’s a predator close by. 

It could have been anything - a panther, a bear, a bobcat - but the same instincts that led you to Florida told you that it was something else… and that it was watching you. And it’s close, because it wouldn’t be quiet otherwise. You had the RV between you and the forest on one side, and thanks to the phone’s camera, you could sort of see what was happening behind you. But I want to turn around. I want the RV at my back, and … 

“It’s important that you know this, Frankie.” Your voice shook and you winced at the sound, your eyes moving over the phone screen as you peered into the darkness displayed on it. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Because I …” You trailed off at the sight of a pair of glowing eyes flashing on it from somewhere behind you, but they blinked out moments later. Whatever it is is big. “Frankie there’s something behind me.” You whispered the confession, fighting back tears. “The gun’s by the chair, I don’t have it on me and … fuck. I’m sorry. I fucked up. I’m so sorry.” 

It wasn’t him - you could sense that it wasn’t him, and the eyes - though you’d only seen them briefly - were a different color than Frankie’s. And even though it was all the way across the clearing and in the woods, you knew that you wouldn’t have time to get from where you stood to your gun before it made it to you - especially if it was as big as or bigger than he was. 

You had one play - and likely only moments to attempt it. “If this goes bad, Frankie … at least you’ll know what it looks like.” You flipped the camera and then spun so that the RV was behind you and you were facing the darkness… and  then you opened your mouth and screamed. 

“Will!”