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Neil is standing in the center of mainstreet, his pack all around him, staring at Matt giving an acceptance speech for mayor.
“This is the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to this pack,” Kevin says under his breath, he’s standing between Neil and Aaron and looks like he would rather be anywhere else. “And I’m including the numerous monster attacks we’ve dealt with.”
“Glad you think so,” David says, cupping Kevin on the back of the head and pushing his head down, “Now stop talking.”
“Parents aren’t supposed to hit their children you know,” Kevin says.
“If I hit you, you would know,” David tells him.
Neil rolls his eyes at them.
Kevin has grown bold around his father, the light teasing often ends with Kevin in a headlock and begging for mercy.
He hooks his arm through Andrew’s and rests his head on his shoulder, watching as Matt says something that gets the crowd laughing and cheering for him.
Dan stands behind him, a smile on her face.
“Kevin’s right,” Andrew comments, his mouth close to Neil’s ear, “This is weird.”
Neil elbows him in the side. “Let him have this.”
David says, “Seriously. Stop talking.”
The crowd screams when Matt is finished. He waves like any other elected official would and steps off the stage to start shaking hands.
“Does it count if no one ran against him?” Kevin asks.
This time David does smack him on the back of the head. Kevin turns on his dad and says, “Better watch it, old man!”
David gets Kevin into a headlock and ruffles his hair.
“You bastard!” Kevin yells at him.
Aaron looks exhausted.
Matt won’t find them for a while, so Neil nudges Andrew away from the crowd and towards the diner.
“Matt will make a good mayor,” Neil says, giving Andrew some space but keeping their arms linked, “He’s a people pleaser.”
“That might ruin this town financially,” Andrew says, “Billy from the autoshop asked Wymack to pay for an automatic machine gun to be installed on his roof.”
Neil laughs, “No he didn’t.”
Andrew says, “Yeah he did. I was there.”
The townsfolk have a strange appreciation for the wolves now, even if they tried to get their town destroyed twice over. The ones who stayed behind to fight were the loudest fans. They defended the pack when the other people in town argued that they should leave.
Which somehow led to Matt running for mayor uncontested. Neil still isn't entirely sure how that happened.
They walk into the diner and find Allison already there, perched on a stool with a milkshake in her hand.
“So this is where you went,” Neil says.
He takes the milkshake from her and takes a sip then promptly hands it back when he realizes it’s mint chocolate chip.
“I was not going to stand out there in the cold and listen to Matt give the same speech he’s been practicing for two weeks straight,” she says.
“So you’re drinking a milkshake to stay warm?” Andrew asks.
Allison points a finger at him, “I liked it better when you said absolutely nothing.”
Neil snorts and ignores the way Andrew looks at him with betrayal.
Andrew settled into the pack easier than Neil thought he would. As soon as the bond was formed everything seemed to click into place for him. He wasn’t as affectionate as the others were, Neil thinks maybe the extra affection is abnormal and this pack is the odd man out, but he talks more and more and gets himself into arguments. Especially with Allison.
The door opens and Renee steps in, her nose red from the cold.
“An angel!” Allison sings happily. Renee giggles and goes to her side, letting Allison wrap an arm around her shoulder.
“Matt gave a rousing speech,” Renee says, “I think there are people out there asking for his autograph.”
“This is going to go straight to his head,” Allison says, “I was opposed to this entire idea, by the way. So don’t come complaining to me when Matt gets on your last nerve.”
“I’m proud of him,” Renee says with a shrug, “I think he’ll do some real good for this town.”
“There are about two hundred residents,” Allison says, “How much good can he do?”
The rest of the pack filters in from the street. Matt is the last to join them. The small crowd in the diner cheers when he steps inside.
He waves at them and then comes up to stand beside his pack. He’s glowing. Absolutely brimming with joy.
“I think things are really starting to turn around for us,” He says happily, “Can you believe it? A wolf is the mayor of a town?”
“When you say it like that it sounds like a terrible idea,” Nicky says before patting Matt on the back, “Good luck.”
“Yeah, good luck, Matt,” Kevin says, “I hope you like paperwork and people complaining about taxes.”
Matt doesn’t let the comments deter his good mood. He smiles wide and bright and claps his hands and says, “Let’s eat!”
~~~
David is sitting in his office with his face in his hands when Neil passes by on his way to the kitchen to grab something to eat. He stops and takes a step back, looking in at David before knocking on the door.
“You okay?” Neil asks.
David sits up and rubs his hands over his face and then sighs, “Sure. Just exhausted and tired of fixing everybody else's problems.
“You love fixing other people’s problems,” Neil says, “That’s your whole thing.”
David laughs weakly at him and waves him away, “You know what I mean.”
Neil steps into the office and takes a seat in front of David’s desk.
“Do you regret taking over the position of Alpha of all?” Neil asks.
He’s spent most of his time the last few months cleaning up the messes that Kengo and Ichirou had left behind. He always looks tired and worn out of shape. Neil never remembered Kengo looking that way.
“I just have to adjust,” David says, “I don’t regret it. I regret that it took me this long to fix the wrongs of Kengo. He let a lot of people down and now I’ve got to make it up to them.”
Neil taps his fingers against the desk, he says, “I think you’re exactly the person they need right now.”
David smiles at him, “Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”
“I mean it,” Neil says seriously, leaning forward, “You’re the best alpha there is. You can control omegas and calm them down and help them find new tethers. You’ve been keeping this place safe for years and protecting the people that live here. I don’t think there is a better person out there to lead the wolves. Someone who lets humans into his pack and protects his pack no matter the cost.”
David looks at him like he’s seeing Neil clearly for the first time, which is something that happens at least once a week these days.
“You sound like your mother,” David says with a smile. He leans back in his chair and then says, “How are you holding up? Considering you’re the witch to the Alpha of All.”
Neil shrugs, “I’ve had worse alphas.”
David laughs at that. He says, “You’re out of your goddamn mind, son.”
Neil warms at that.
“I think we have to be in order to be a part of this pack,” Neil says.
“You’ve come a long way. Far gone is the kid that stood in front of me and shook like a leaf,” David says, “Now here you are. Sharing wisdom with an old man like me.”
Neil smirks and says, “Oh you’re admitting you're an old man now?”
“I aged about fifteen years in the last three weeks,” David says, “Don’t tell Matt he’ll never let me live it down.”
They sit in the office for a while in silence. It’s comforting. Neil always feels calmer when he’s around his alpha.
“You should head back to your boy,” David says, “I’ve got work to do.”
Neil nods and then stands, heading to the door. He stops and then looks over his shoulder to say, “You don’t have to do it all alone. You have a strong pack behind you. You always told me an alpha is only as strong as their pack.”
“Get the fuck out of here, Neil,” David says, but he’s smiling, “I’ve had enough of your advice for the evening.”
Neil leaves him be. He walks into the kitchen and starts sifting through the cabinets for something to eat.
He nearly jumps when Andrew leans onto the counter beside him.
“You scared the shit out of me,” Neil says.
Andrew shrugs, “You were taking too long.”
“I stopped to talk to David,” Neil says.
“Moping still?” Andrew asks.
“He’s stressed out,” Neil replies, elbowing Andrew in the side.
Andrew pokes him under the armpit, which he knows pisses Neil off, and then says, “Same thing.”
Neil rolls his eyes at him.
“We’re fresh out of anything good,” Neil says, “We can head to town and find something?”
“You mean you can head to town and find something,” Andrew says.
“Right, I could,” Neil replies and he leans into Andrew’s side and bats his lashes at him, “But what if something happens to me on the way there?”
Andrew doesn’t look impressed, “Are you flirting or are you making a promise?”
Neil elbows him again, which earns him another finger in the armpit.
That’s how Kevin finds them, bickering in the kitchen and nudging each other around.
“You both act like children,” Kevin says.
“Right and what do you act like?” Neil asks, “A man?”
Kevin rolls his eyes, “Yes, Neil. I act my age.”
“So when are you going to man up and make a move on Aaron?” Neil asks him.
Kevin sputters indignantly then says, “can we not talk about this in front of Andrew?”
“Why?” Neil asks. He looks to his mate, who to anyone else would have looked bored, but to Neil looked very amused.
“I would rather keep all of my fingers,” Kevin says.
“Andrew, did you threaten Kevin when I wasn’t looking?” Neil asks.
Andrew steps away from the counter and walks off into the living room.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Neil says, “We’re going into town. Do you want anything?”
“A new pack,” Kevin replies.
Neil says, “I’ll see what I can do.”
He finds Andrew waiting for him at the front door, their keys in his hands.
They had to get all new cars, because the ones they had before Neil had unceremoniously destroyed in his magical outburst. Andrew, since he was part of the pack now, got his own car that he shared with Neil.
Even if Neil still didn’t have a license.
Neil saddles up beside him, leaning in closer than he needs to. It’s been months but Neil never feels like he has enough of Andrew. He wants to be near him at all times, touching him, soaking up his warmth.
For whatever reason Andrew tolerates his clinginess. He takes Neil’s chin into his hand and pulls him into a kiss.
Neil will never get tired of that either.
The compound is quiet. The birds sing overhead and the wind blows.
Neil takes a deep breath and breathes in the territory. He feels it wash over him, pressing against his magic like a warm hug.
Hi. Hello. You’re here. You’re here.
Neil whispers out back to the territory, “I’m here.”
Andrew waits for him to finish his moment in the sun. He leans against the side of the car and watches Neil with a gleam in his eyes.
“My what big eyes you have,” Neil says to him.
Andrew looks unimpressed.
“Get in the damn car before I change my mind,” He says.
Neil laughs and gets in.
~~~
The compound is swarming with visitors more often than it isn’t. More people come to see David than they ever have before. Neil knows it’s part of being the Alpha of All, but the lack of privacy is starting to weigh on him.
For someone that’s never thought about sex before, Neil sure does want to have a lot of it with Andrew.
Unfortunately he can’t, because as they’ve learned, much to Neil’s horror, it’s impossible for him to stay quiet enough for the rest of the house not to hear their activities.
So he’s pent up and frustrated. He loves his pack, but right now he wants to be alone more than anything.
Which is why he’s surprised and excited when David tells him he’s expanding the compound to give them all more room.
“I need the rooms in the main house,” David says, “We have people coming and going too often for us to keep putting them up in the motel down the street. It’s costing me money.”
Neil doesn’t point out that building more houses is going to cost him a lot of money.
Workers come and by the end of the month there are three more houses on the compound.
Neil and Andrew take the one closest to the woods.
Neil likes it. No, he loves it. He’s never had his own space before, and here it is, his own house pressed up against the territory that he loves so much. He keeps the windows open every chance he gets, even when it’s too hot or too cold for it.
He wants the smell of the forest to fill his home. He always wants it around him, whispering to him.
They break in the new house on the first day.
Neil is pressed against the counter, his hands out in front of him trying to keep him upright, but he keeps slipping on the polished surface with every hard thrust he takes.
Andrew is fucking into him and Neil can’t stop himself from whining and groaning.
Andrew bites the back of his neck almost hard enough to break skin. Neil feels his body tighten and coil.
Andrew knows Neil likes it rough. He likes it soft and gentle too, but most of the time he likes it like this. Hard, fast, with Andrew’s teeth in his skin, his claws digging into him.
A particularly hard thrust has Neil giving up on keeping himself upright, he falls against the counter top and cries out as he comes, his dick pulsing painfully.
Andrew leans over his back and groans in his ear as he comes inside him. Neil squeezes around him and chokes out a sob when Andrew smacks his ass for it.
“You’ve turned me into a monster,” Neil pants, “I want to do this all the time.”
Andrew huffs out a laugh against the back of his neck.
They stay like that and catch their breath. Andrew pulls out and tucks himself away, he pulls Neil up off the counter and turns him around so he can kiss him messily.
Neil puts his hands in Andrew’s hair and cards his fingers through the soft strands. His heart feels light, and maybe it’s because he’s just orgasmed hard enough to see stars, but he thinks it’s just because of Andrew.
They kiss until Neil can no longer stand the feeling of cum dripping out of him.
“Shower?” Neil asks with his mouth against Andrew’s lips.
“Fine,” Andrew says, “But I’m not doing all of the work.”
Neil laughs because he knows he’s lying. Andrew is nothing if not attentive. Especially after sex.
They take their shower and then fall into bed. A bigger softer bed than the one that Neil had in the main house.
Neil lays with his head on Andrew’s arm, his hand pressed over the rose on Andrew’s neck.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m dreaming,” Neil mumbles.
Andrew curls his arm around him and pulls him closer.
“Sometimes I wonder if my father really did kill me that day and all of this is just a death dream,” Neil says.
Andrew presses his face to the top of Neil’s head. He breathes him in and Neil knows what he’s smelling. Cinnamon and fire.
“If this is a dream,” Andrew tells him, “Then I hope we never wake up.”
Neil laughs lightly. He curls his fingers around Andrew’s throat so he can feel his pulse, steady and strong beating underneath his hand.
Sometimes Neil thinks about his mother. Her hair, her smile, her laugh when she would twirl in the kitchen and Neil would watch her.
Her hair is safely tucked away on the shelf by their bedroom door. Neil stops and looks at it everyday before he leaves.
He sits up and looks at Andrew, his hand never leaving his neck.
“You never did tell me what your tether is,” Neil says, “You have one now, obviously. What is it?”
Andrew’s hand finds Neil’s cheek. It’s sweet until Andrew is pinching him.
“Ow,” Neil says blandly.
“You,” Andrew tells him, “A stupid tether.”
Neil smiles and feels warm, his heart singing.
“Why is it stupid?” Neil asks.
“Because you’re going to get yourself killed someday,” Andrew tells him.
He might be teasing, lighthearted, but Neil can see the real fear in his eyes, buried deep, easy to miss if you didn’t know how to look for it.
But Neil knows how to look for it. He sees Andrew.
He tells Andrew as much, “I see you.”
Andrew stops pinching his cheek and goes back to caressing him.
“I see you,” Neil says again.
Andrew hums, pulling Neil down so he can kiss him.
“I see you,” Andrew replies against his mouth, “Cinnamon and fire. The whole goddamn forest.”
Neil’s heart swells painfully in his chest.
He’s never going to let him go.