Secrets of a Predator Chapter 1
This One Shot is set in the 'The Wolf Among Us' Universe, a few weeks after episode 5.
Enjoy reading.
This line is killing me.
Bigby Wolf was currently standing in a line outside of the Business Office, waiting for his turn to have an audience with the newly appointed Deputy Mayor Snow White.
I'm the Sheriff, I shouldn't be waiting in this line, he thought disgruntled.
He was leaning against the wall, shifting from one leg to another. He had waited here for half an hour already.
I should tell Snow to put some chairs out here.
"Nice feeling, waiting here huh?", he heard the smug mock of the person standing behind him.
Bigby groaned and rolled his eyes. Not this guy…
He turned around and looked at Gren, smirking slyly.
"This whole 'I'm the Sheriff and I do what I want thing' is over now I guess…", he provoked.
Bigby eyed him silently, not giving in into his little game. He was not here for trouble.
He folded his arms over his chest as he asked Gren:" What are you even doing here again? You are here almost every day; you have nothing better to do?"
Gren narrowed his eyes. "What's it to you Wolf?", he snapped.
"I'm here for Holly, alright? She doesn't like leaving the bar to wait in this fucking line for hours", he mumbled.
Bigby lifted his eyebrow suspiciously, but turned his back to the other man again.
What's up with that? Anyway, as if I care. He always wondered what was going on with Gren and Holly.
I'm sure Collin knows all the gossip about the two of them; he rolled his eyes once again as he thought of the pig. That pig just couldn't keep his snout to himself. He dismissed the thought quickly as he heard noises from inside the Business Office.
"…look, I need even your respect now, so could you stop speaking in such a way with the new Deputy Mayor…"
It was Snow's voice. His face contorted in worry. That's the actual reason he came here. He wanted to make sure she was doing alright, now that she was Deputy her work must have multiplied tenfold.
But of course he wasn't going to tell her that. He looked down for a moment at the binder he was holding in his right hand.
He had some letters which were by mistake delivered to his Office. They were addressed to Snow though, from various Fables. So he found the perfect opportunity to go check on her and see if she was doing alright.
If Bluebeard doesn't drive her insane first. He clenched his fist.
Gren snickered behind him.
"Seems like your lady love has found a new toy", he teased.
Bigby turned to him, with a deadly stare. Gren seemed unfazed and continued his teasing merrily.
"I can understand her though; Pirates are so much more exciting than dogs…" It was now Grens turn to fold his single remaining arm across his chest, a reminder of what happened when he challenged the temper of the Sheriff the last time, ready for whatever Bigby had to say next.
"You know, you don't seem to be so fond of that arm you got left…", Bigby threatened.
"Why?", Gren inquired, oblivious to Bigby's obvious threat.
"Because I'm gonna rip it the fuck out of you if you don't shut up", Bigby deadpanned and took a step towards Gren.
Both of them were interrupted by the sudden opening of the door. Bigby turned around to see Bluebeard finally exiting the Business Office. He eyed the situation in front of him.
"I don't want to disturb you two lovebirds, but you can enter now Sheriff", he stated with a hint of mockery in his deep voice, without so much as looking at Gren, who just huffed and crossed his arm in front of his chest again.
Bigby left the two of them behind him as he entered the Business Office, gripping his binder tightly, trying to calm himself down.
What he saw before him, quickly sobered his anger, and arouse his worry once more.
Snow was sitting in the big chair behind the Deputy Mayors desk, which still had Ichabod Cranes initials engraved on it. She looked absolutely exhausted. There were mass amounts of papers on either side of to her. She had her head in her hands, not noticing his arrival.
He slowly walked towards her, door closing behind him.
"Snow..?", he asked tentatively.
Her head shot up and she immediately had the professional distance on her face, as she always had, nowadays.
"Sheriff Wolf, I am surprised to see you"; she stated, motioning for him to sit in front of her.
"You had to wait outside for some time, so I am sure your matter is urgent?", she asked as he was sitting down. She didn't look up from her notes. He frowned.
"Well, I have these letters here. They were left at my Office, but they are addressed at you…" he began slowly, holding out said letters for her to take.
She quickly took the sheets from his hands, avoiding any physical contact with him.
"That's it? That's what you waited in the line outside for? Mr. Wolf you could have left me a note", she chided as she skimmed through the letters, still not looking at him.
Bigby gritted his teeth. Really, this Mr. Wolf bullshit again?
"Look around you Snow, you are drowning in notes", he explained as a matter of fact.
She lifted her head to stare at him icily.
"Are you saying that I am not capable of handling my work, Mr. Wolf?", she demanded as she straightened her back in her chair, making herself taller in front of him.
Damnit.
Bigby was unsure how to express his worry about her.
"No, I am sure you are capable Snow… How about you get a secretary?", he suggested. He leaned forward in his chair.
"I mean Crane had you as his secretary, and you can have someone too…", he smiled at his idea. She didn't seem impressed.
"Well I have actually thought about it before, and as a matter of fact, right now I'm going through possible candidates.", she replied. He nodded slowly.
This is not going how I want it to, he thought unsatisfied.
"…Thank you for your concern though…" she added quietly and smiled a small smile. It seemed genuine.
His face lit up. They were staring at each other for a few seconds.
She was the first to break the silence. She cleared her throat.
"It was nice catching up with you Mr. Wolf now excuse me…", she insisted.
I guess that's my cue to leave, he thought dryly. But something wasn't right. He needed to get it off his chest while he still could.
God knows when I am able to talk to her next…
"Snow…there is actually one more thing…", he stammered while scratching the back of his head.
She laid her eyes once more on him, nodding for him to speak.
He opened his mouth several times, wanting to speak but unsure of how to begin.
"You know, I'm still Bigby to you. You don't need to call me Mr. Wolf… I mean we are here alone after all." He muttered while looking at the ground.
He heard Snow sigh.
"Look…", she started softly, leaning towards him in her chair.
"I am not doing this because…. There just needs to be a certain level of professionalism between us, now that I am Deputy Mayor. I need your respect as a Sheriff, and all the other Fables should see that too.", she explained.
I have always respected you Snow, he thought dejectedly.
"All of Fabletown is going through some changes now, but it is for the better, believe me, Bigby", she added quietly. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized she let his name slip.
He looked at her with disbelief.
This had been the first time in weeks.
They looked at each other for a moment. Her eyes softened and he could see the once familiar look of fondness in her them.
For one moment it was as if they were just the same people from a few months ago again. Two colleagues with an insufferable boss. Two friends sharing secrets smiles and hidden glances.
She was about to say something, when the door slammed open.
"Hey, how long are going to make me fucking wait out there?", Gren interrupted the scene. Snow quickly regained her composure.
"Not this guy", Bigby groaned quietly. Snow shot him a glance, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"You can come in Grendel. I was just done talking to Mr. Wolf", Snow casually replied.
Bigbys heart dropped.
So nothing is going to change? He defeatedly rose from the chair and started walking towards the door, as Gren passed him with a smug face.
"Sheriff Bigby?", he heard Snow ask behind him. He turned around, surprised.
She suppressed a smile: "I will talk to you soon again". She then turned around, focusing her attention on Grendel.
He stood there for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had just called him.
He started walking towards the door again, closing it softly behind him.
He walked casually down the hallway with a smirk on his face.
Sheriff Bigby huh? I can live with that.
Thanks everyone for reading. So this is going to turn into a One-Shot Collection.
More chapters are soon to come.
