"I like it!" Shannon said as he ran from one side of the valley to the other, then back again.
"Hey, Shane. Come play." Shannon murmured his eyes flaring goldish-green as he slide along Shane's back.
Shane gave a small growl and as Shannon giggled scampering off he looked to Matt and Jeff who both nodded. As soon as he had their approval he went running after his smaller lover.
Without letting them know, the Ulfric and Lupa of the Omega Pack watched their pups as they played. Taking this opportunity they moved up to the top of the rock facing. It seemed the perfect place to watch their little pack.
From their high position they sat and watched as Shane chased and wrestled with Shannon all over their valley. Then their eyes lighted on Sean who sat watching the younger wolves play. He was still healing from what Paul had done to him. The physical stuff had healed with his first change five month before, but emotionally he still had some months to go. Scott stood to one end of the valley chanting yet another protection and sealant spell on the open side of their new lupanar.
All of a sudden Shannon fell to his knees and started howling holding his ears, just as Jeff did the same thing.
"What?" Matt asked as he tried to get Jeff to look at him. The Ulfric was scared out of his mind, he had never seen Jeff do this, nor Shannon for that matter.
"They're coming!" Jeff cried out as he shot to his feet as did Shannon. Both of the pained weres grabbed their respective others and ran.
Jeff pulled Matt over the edge of the thirty foot drop. It didn't scare Matt, as a were they were able to pull themselves into position not to hurt them. Then Jeff was on his feet and pulling Matt toward where Shannon and Shane were running to Sean and Scott.
"Can't you hear them?" Shannon said in a hushed whisper as he laid his head on Shane's shoulder and Jeff laid his on Matt's.
"Hear what?" Matt asked Jeff softly as he scanned the tree line for encroachers.
"They're coming for us, Matt. Coming because we're finally a pack. I think..." Jeff said as his eyes glued on the western horizon, though Matt could see nothing there.
"I can't see them, Jeffy... Are they as pretty as they sound?" Shannon asked as he moved over to kneel with his head on Jeff's thigh.
"Beautiful, Shanny. They're beautiful." Jeff said as he watched the spectral figures he knew only he could see. They were every shade of the rainbow and some he was certain that the rainbow had never even dreamed of. As they got to the valley Jeff turned to watch them start circling around the center of their soon to be lupanar.
"What's happening?" Matt asked as they all followed his gaze, though they couldn't see anything. But all of them could feel something was wrong.
Just then a stone started to form. That was the only way to describe it. One moment there was nothing and then a small stone was there and it started growing and it continued growing until it was about two foot tall and about ten feet in diameter and was flat on top.
And with that Jeff watched as the munin disappeared into the rock and the strange music they had sung for him and Shannon was silent.
"Are they gone?" Shannon asked as he looked at the large gray stone that had come out of no where.
"They're here for as long as we need them." Jeff said as he walked over to the rock and laid down on it.
Matt looked at the others and went to his Lupa. "Jeff... what do you mean?"
"They're in this rock, Matty. It's the munin." Jeff pulled Matt down next to him and gestured for the others to join them.
"Oh." Shannon squeaked as he laid down by Jeff and Matt and heard the song from before.
*******
Adam sat silently staring at the man that lay in the bed beside him. He could almost weep at the love that beat within his heart as he stared at Jay. But he had to leave him. He couldn't take the chance that he might... turn him into a creature like he had become.
Quickly Adam rose and pulled on his clothes and started for the door when a soft voice from the bed made him stop.
"Adam?" Jay sat up and rubbed his eyes trying to see the clock beside the bed, wondering why Adam would be going out this late at night.
"Go back to sleep, Jay-Jay. I won't be gone long." Adam went back to the bed and brushed a kiss over Jay's lips and left quickly.
As soon as he was certain he wouldn't be seen, Adam shifted into his were form and ran for everything in him. When he was far from the city that night's event would be in Adam shifted back and collapsed in a small park he had found in a near suburb.
Every time he touched Jay he was afraid of passing his disease onto Jay. He couldn't do that... But he couldn't give Jay up either. Groaning Adam thought back to the last time he had actually been able to touch his lover without fear. And then it went to the time that had brought his change.
It had been four months since he had ran into Sean and Paul in the back of an arena. Paul had been drinking heavily and had Sean backed into a corner. If there was anything in this world Adam hated it was drunks picking on little guys. Sure Adam knew that Sean could take care of himself, but it was the principal of the thing.
Adam had waited until Paul was going to take a swing at Sean. Adam caught the drew back fist and flipped Paul away from the dark-haired man. What Adam didn't see was Sean strike out at the exact same time. The small were's claws weren't long or noticeable, but they were enough to barely scratch Adam on the cheek, though neither noticed.
It wasn't until the next full moon that Adam knew something had been wrong with the fight that night. He would always be grateful that Jay had been away at a friend's bachelor party that night he first changed. He had been so violent that he had destroyed their bedroom. Adam knew he had been fortunate that he hadn't harmed someone that night inside of the furniture.
Adam drew himself up to run again when the wind brought him a scent his instincts told him to follow. With a quick and graceful move Adam shifted and started following it.
*******
The Omega's were playing in a small park near their hotel. They were so entranced with their play they didn't sense the other were until he was upon them.
Turning they all stood ready to fight when Adam shifted and smiled sadly at them. "I didn't know you were all weres as well."
Matt stepped forward and scented him carefully. "What pack are you from?"
Behind him Jeff giggled and ran by him to hug Adam to his side. "Don't be silly, Matty. He's one of us."
The young Ulfric looked at his brother, then seeing the light in his eyes asked, "What do you mean, Jeff?"
"He's an Omega. Seany scratched him across the cheek." Jeff grinned and the weird light in his faded. "Oh, dear. Seany scratched him." Jeff muttered a second later as he recalled what the voice inside him had told the others.
Matt, Shannon, Shane, and Scott and turned to look at Sean who stood there staring with fear. "I didn't know."
Adam stepped forward. "It was when I helped you in the fight with Paul. It was so small I didn't even notice it until later that night."
Sean looked worried until the others circled around him in a tight hug. "It's okay, Sean. I turned Shane the same way... Sort of... I bit him." Shannon told him as he laid his head on Sean's shoulder.
Adam walked closer watching this group of weres carefully. Sure they might be his pack, but he didn't know if he would be welcomed.
When he was at Sean's side he hugged the shorter man to him. "It's okay, Sean. It was an accident. I don't blame you."
Sean looked into his eyes and gauged his honesty and found only the truth in his words.
"Welcome to our family." Matt told him and for the first time since he had shifted Adam was held and he felt no fear of what he could do to those around him.
*******
Adam slipped into his and Jay's hotel room and started pulling his clothes off.
Jay rolled over and smiled up at him. "I was wondering when you'd get back in."
Adam crawled into the bed and eased himself over Jay who's smile got bigger. "Love you."
Jay leaned up and kissed Adam softly. "I love you too."
The larger blond took his smaller lover into a deeper kiss and started running his fingers through his hair.
Sensually they rolled together and just as Adam was going to start searching for the lube so he could enter his lover Jay yelped and pulled away.
On his left hand was a tiny scratch. "It's only a scratch. Where were we?" Jay muttered after he had seen the damage done.
Adam couldn't answer him as he stared at the cut. Had it come from him? Was Jay going to be a were?
With those thoughts Adam pulled Jay to him and loved him as if it were their last night on Earth. Because for all he knew, it could be one of Jay's last as a human.
******
For the next two weeks Adam waited and watched for some sign he had infected Jay. Then on the first night of the full moon Adam held off his shift as long as possible waiting.
When the full moon light struck Jay through their window Adam sighed in relief and fled, not wanting to get him after all that.
The night after the last full moon of the month Jay came into their hotel room to find Adam packing his things.
"What's going on?" Jay asked going to see what his lover was doing.
"I'm sorry, Jay. This isn't working." Adam refused to meet his eyes. He knew he couldn't stay any more. He wouldn't force this onto his Jay.
"What? What isn't working?" Jay's voice had rose in fear. Was Adam, his lover of ten years, really leaving him?
"Me and you. I... I'm sorry." with those words and sob Adam rushed from the room with his bags, leaving Jay to stare after him in horror.
Adam ran to the room the Omega's were sharing and knocked. When Shannon answered the door he immediately pulled Adam into the room.
"What's happened?" Matt asked as Adam collapsed between him and Jeff.
"I left Jay... But I don't want to talk about it... Please not tonight." Adam cried into Jeff's shoulder and his Lupa nodded to Matt who sent looks to the others. Some how that night they fit the entire Omega pack into that one bed as they sought to comfort their youngest member in his hour of pain.
