Until the Full Moon

by Anath Tsurugi

For many generations, the wolf kind and the dwarves have been at war with each other. When two young princes suddenly find themselves at the heart of the conflict, what future will they ultimately bring to the land? Will Fili and Kili bring the light of hope...or the darkness of despair? Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. (Durincest, mpreg)

1. Part One

(A/N) Hello, my fellow chickadees! Time for more story time with Anath. This latest fairy tale was inspired by Little Red Riding Hood...only it takes more of a Once Upon a Time stance on the Little Red story, if you take my meaning.

Warnings: Incest (No? Really?), rape (physical and mental), some loosely defined A/B/O dynamics, mpreg, bestiality (again, kinda...you'll see what I mean). This latest offering will also be a tale in four parts, so I certainly hope you enjoy...

Until the Full Moon

Part One

Once upon a time, which is all times and no times, but not the very best of times, there was a kingdom beset by wolves.

These were not ordinary wolves, mind, but fearsome creatures, strong beyond mortal strength. The worst thing about them, though, was that they were not always in the shape of wolves. It was only during the time of the full moon that these creatures resumed their true shape. During the rest of the month, they could easily hide in plain sight among all the other dwarves…unless they happened to be of the mind that wolves shouldn't have to hide, of which there were a growing number. So great, in fact, was this number of dissenters that the kingdom was on the brink of civil war. The fighting between the wolf kind and the dwarves grew so bad that the king of the dwarves carried out a war of genocide against the wolf kind, destroying them in large numbers. Most of them were killed off, but unfortunately for the king, there was one in particular whom he could not manage to kill.

The leader of the wolf kind was driven near to madness by the slaughter of his people and when but a handful remained, the wolf took terrible vengeance on the king and his three children…a secret so horrifying, they knew they could never allow it to come to light.

Before departing the land, the wolf leader swore that he would return someday…to cultivate the seed that had been planted and take his ultimate revenge on the royal family.

XxX

"Fili, wait up," Kili hissed quietly after his twin brother. The two were creeping through the halls of the castle, avoiding the very frequent sentries in their attempt to sneak outside the walls. They had often snuck out into the woods on other nights, but they'd never attempted to do so on the night of a full moon, when palace security was nearly doubled. If they were caught, they would both be severely punished. Kili was starting to get worried, having lost sight of his brother five minutes ago. Before he could take another step, though, a hand reached out from an alcove and pulled him in. He would have cried out were it not for another hand covering his mouth.

"Hush," the familiar voice of his brother, Fili, whispered in his ear as he held him tightly against his body. Then he pointed in the direction Kili had been going. "Look."

Just then, another sentry passed through the hallway Kili had been about to cross. He surely would have been caught.

"Thanks," he whispered, sagging against his brother's body in relief.

"Be more careful," Fili whispered, turning him in his arms to embrace him properly. "They'll have us publicly executed if we're caught sneaking out tonight."

"Well, that's why I have my big strong brother to lead the way," Kili teased, leaning in to give Fili a peck on the lips. Even though Kili was taller by an inch, Fili was technically the older by five minutes, which he liked to remind people of, and which Kili enjoyed teasing him for.

Fili smirked at him, the blue of his eyes caught by the dim light from the hallway. "Come on. We're only two corridors away from the kitchens. Then we're out…and I know you know what that means."

"Yes, I do," Kili said, smirking right back before kissing him again, a little deeper this time. Tonight was the night of the twins' sixty-fifth birthday…their coming of age. The feasting and celebrating had been magnificent, certainly, but what Kili was really looking forward to was tonight…to Fili's promise that they would finally be together.

The princes had been in a relationship for several years now. Having grown up sequestered from the rest of the kingdom at their mother's insistence, they had grown much closer than most brothers do, exploring the changes in their bodies and their sexual awakenings together. They had done much together…but they had yet to truly become one, and they had promised their mother they would wait until they were of age, and now that they were, nothing was going to stop them from going straight into each other's arms. Kili smiled at the thought as he followed his brother, their hands joined as they moved silently through the darkened corridors. They had to dodge one more patrol before the lingering scent of garlic and roasted meat let them know they'd reached the kitchens. It didn't take much more to get them out into the open air. Just as they were sneaking around from the last gate, ready to make a break for the safety of the forest, they nearly ran into another sentry patrolling the grounds.

Fili quickly pulled Kili back against him, into the shadows.

"It's never been this difficult before. I'd say security's almost tripled," the blond said.

Kili wondered faintly if they shouldn't just give up. Security was tight during the time of the full moon for a reason…but at the same time, he knew they couldn't stop now. He could hear the forest calling to him…even stronger than it ever had before. The two brothers could never explain it, but they always felt safer in the forest…more at home than they ever did behind the castle walls. They didn't feel right unless they were running through the trees together, or kissing beneath the branches of an oak tree, or curled up together in a grassy hollow. Now, tonight…now that they would finally be able to give into the urges of their bodies and souls, neither of them would have the strength to resist the ever-present call. They would be together as one in the arms of the forest.

Once the sentry had passed, the twins moved on some unheard signal, bolting for the forest. They ran until the castle was out of sight, finally collapsing against a large tree, laughing joyfully.

"That was our best yet," Kili said.

"Yes. They'll tell stories about us for generations: the two princes who outwitted an entire castle," Fili said, laughing right along with him, before his expression suddenly went serious when he noticed something. "You need to be more careful, Kili. Your cloak's coming loose. What if it fell off? What then?"

Kili glanced down as his brother reached forward to readjust the ties on his red cloak. They were both wearing red cloaks, and had done at the time of the full moon since before they could remember. Their mother, their uncle, Frerin, and their uncle, King Thorin, also wore the cloaks at the time of the full moon. The twins had grown up hearing the story. Before they'd been born, their grandfather, King Thrain, had been slain by the leader of the wolf kind, Beorn. When he became king, Thorin had gone to seek the aid of a wizard, who had created the red cloaks for the young king and his two siblings, claiming that the red cloth would protect them from the wolf kind. When Fili and Kili had been born, cloaks had also been made for them, but no more could be made, as the wizard had informed Thorin the magic was limited. The magic of the cloaks seemed to work, though, as wolf kind had not been seen in the kingdom of Erebor for many years. In fact, neither prince had ever even seen a true wolf kind before. They often talked about whether or not the cloaks were needed and sometimes discussed removing them, but the habit was too deeply engrained.

"Are we really going to fuck with these cloaks on, Fili?" Kili whined quietly, holding his brother's hands against his chest once he'd finished securing the cloak. Fili gave him an odd look.

"I never realized you had such a dirty mouth, baby brother."

"Oh, I think you know just how dirty I can be," he said, nipping the corner of his brother's mouth. Fili growled quietly against him, seizing his lips in a kiss.

"I know…but it's a full moon tonight. We're already taking an enormous risk with our own family. I'd rather not run the risk of being set upon by wolf kind. So we'll play it safe…for tonight, anyway," he said as he undid Kili's belt, slipping it from his body, along with the few daggers that were strapped to it. Kili groaned as he slipped his bow and arrows from his back. He quickly returned the favor, slipping Fili's swords and other concealed blades from his body. They had gotten stripped out of their boots and trousers when they heard the rustling sound in the bushes nearby.

"What was that?" Kili hissed, gaze jumping fearfully in the direction of the noise.

"Who's there?" Fili demanded, reaching for one of his twin swords, standing between his brother and the threatening clump of undergrowth. No further noise came from them, though.

It was from the opposite edge of the clearing that the wolf emerged.

It was a wolf unlike any they'd ever seen before. It was huge…nearly larger than they themselves stood. The very air seemed to vibrate with the fury of its snarl as it snapped its jaws at them, menacing teeth glistening with blood and saliva. The creature's hackles were raised and its eyes glowed red with anger as it stalked toward them. This was no ordinary wolf. There was no doubt about what sort of creature they were facing.

Wolf kind.

Fili was frightened. Of course he was frightened. He'd have to be a fool not to be frightened…but still he stood his ground, keeping himself solidly between the wolf and his precious brother.

"Fili-"

"Just stay behind me, Kili. It can't hurt us so long as we have the cloaks," Fili reminded him, though he wasn't nearly as certain anymore, seeing the way the beast's sharp canines glistened in the moonlight. He kept up a brave front, though. He would not let his fear prevent him from keeping Kili safe.

"I'm warning you, wolf kind…leave now! You have no business here!" he shouted at the creature, snarling a warning of his own…and Kili was frightened to hear how similar that snarl sounded to the wolf kind's own. The next sound to emerge from the beast's foul maw was not a growl…but a voice.

"It is your night, young ones…your night to come of age. You will both present tonight…and I may have a use for you. Why do you still wear these unsightly forms?"

"What…what are you talking about?" Fili asked, utterly confused. He knew wolf kind could speak, but it wasn't normally in such complete sentences…and this one seemed to know who they were. What was it talking about?

"Oh…" the creatures started, nodding its great head, as if it understood something. "They haven't told you. You don't know…do you."

"Don't know what?" Fili demanded.

"There's no point in telling you. I'll just have to show you. Then you will understand," the wolf kind said…right before it sprang at Fili.

"FILI!" Kili screamed in horror as his brother disappeared beneath a mass of black fur and teeth. The wolf kind easily got his sword away from him, but the young dwarf still somehow managed to grapple with the mighty beast. Fili held back the wolf kind's jaws, somehow preventing them from snapping down on his throat. For several minutes, they fought, and when it seemed they might be evenly matched, the battling pair suddenly rolled into a thick patch of undergrowth…a patch that Kili knew to conceal a steep drop into a gully. Kili first heard the howl of the wolf as it fell, then his brother calling his name…calling for help.

Kili sprang forward, diving into the undergrowth, crawling through until he found Fili, clinging to a gnarled tree root that was quickly starting to give under his weight.

"Kili…help," he pleaded, eyes wobbling with fear.

"Here…take my hand!" he shouted, reaching out for his brother. Fili tried to reach, but he couldn't let go the root for very long and the distance was just too great. He couldn't reach.

"Kili…"

"Please…" Kili begged, reaching out as far as he possibly could. He could see that Fili was injured from the fight with the wolf kind. He couldn't hold on much longer. "Don't let go!"

Fili couldn't manage it, though. His grip slipped from the splintering root and he fell. At the last moment, Kili reached and seized a handful of the red cloak, but it wasn't enough. Fili was gone…and he was left holding his cloak in his hand, watching Fili tumble down into the overgrown gully below.

"No!" Kili shouted, immediately gathering himself up and starting to skid down the steep incline. He knew Fili could certainly survive the fall, but he was badly injured, and worse still…what if the wolf kind came upon him without his cloak?

"Fili!" he cried out upon reaching the bottom. He searched, but there was no sign of his brother. It was as if he'd simply vanished into thin air. What if…what if the wolf had got him?

"Fili…Fili, please!" he cried out, sinking to his knees as he clutched the red cloak in both hands. "Where are you?"

Kili felt his stomach drop when he heard the snarl of the wolf kind once more. He looked up to see the enraged beast moving toward him on sure feet.

"Where's Fili?" he demanded, even though he was completely defenseless. "Where's my brother?!"

"The other one is of no use to me. It will have to be you, little one. You will have to present as I need you to," it said, snarling as it advanced.

"No…no…" he whispered as he fell back, clutching the cloak in one hand as he scuttled back. "Where's my brother? What have you done with Fili?!"

"Only shown him the truth…as I will you. This will be much less painful for you if you simply lie back and accept it."

"What…what are you…what do you…what are you talking about?" Kili asked, fear reaching up to choke him when he suddenly came up against a tree. He couldn't escape. He was trapped.

"Don't run, little one. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you," the wolf kind said as it pressed one heavy paw against the young dwarf's chest, pinning him to the tree. "Your body is mine. Now open yourself to me. Lie back and accept your leader!"

Just then, the howl of another wolf split the night air and a blur suddenly appeared from the trees, barreling into the wolf that stood over Kili. It just barely registered in the terrified dwarf's mind that this was a second wolf kind.

The pair grappled fiercely for several minutes before one of the wolves finally backed down. At first, Kili couldn't tell which was which, but then the defeated wolf spoke…the same one as before.

"All right…fine. I will allow it. This could prove to be much more interesting," the creature said, slowly backing away to watch from a safe distance.

The new wolf slowly turned to look at Kili. Like the first wolf kind, its eyes glowed red, but this one was just a little smaller and its fur was a much lighter color. This one didn't speak, though. It just snarled as it approached him. Then, as the first one had done, the wolf kind placed a paw on his chest. Kili didn't feel near the same amount of strength behind this one, but he was still pinned, just the same. Then, surprisingly, the beast leaned in and began to lick his face.

After several minutes of this, just when Kili was beginning to feel a little less scared, the wolf pulled back.

"Your…your body…" the creature fought to speak, struggling with the words, "Your body…is mine!"

Some rational part of Kili knew he should be frightened by this…and he was…but there was also another part…deeper and stronger…a place in him that was all instinct…that responded to the wolf kind's words. As his cock grew hard, he felt a sudden moisture between his legs. His mouth went dry, but his lips grew moist as they parted involuntarily, emitting several sharp, heaving breaths from his lungs. As he panted, feeling his body begin to grow hot, he felt his skin grow tender…aching…aching so badly to be touched. Against his will, his legs parted…as if inviting the wolf to join with him.

"Open…open…yourself…to me," the wolf kind ordered, still struggling, not as if the words were difficult…but as if it didn't want to say them.

Unlike with the first one, Kili felt no fear anymore. He felt the remaining tension in his body ease. Acting on instinct, he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the underside of the wolf kind's jaw, acknowledging him. Then he leaned his head back against the tree and a long, clear howl escaped his lips…a sound unlike anything his vocal cords should have been able to produce.

The wolf kind also threw its head back and howled. Then it bent its head over Kili body, mouth going straight for his already dripping erection. It sniffed for a moment…then began to lick, tongue swirling around his pulsing cock.

The rational part of Kili knew how wrong this was…knew how much danger he was in. After all, this was how the wolf kind turned people…by raping them…by introducing their cursed seed to a healthy body. Kili knew all of this, but he couldn't fight his body…couldn't fight the pull this wolf had on him. His body wanted this…wanted so desperately to be fucked by this wolf kind…to be laid open and filled with its seed…to be dripping with it and to carry it within him. The need was so powerful, so uncompromising, that his rational mind just couldn't win. He knew that if this wolf kind didn't take him soon…he would die.

Kili parted his legs even further, inviting the wolf kind to his body, and the creature obliged, licking even harder with its rough tongue, but being careful of the teeth. Kili moaned helplessly, rutting gently but steadily against the beast's mouth. What was happening to him?

"Hngh…ah…please," he panted. He knew his body couldn't take much more. He dug his fingers into the wolf kind's ruff as he felt his orgasm drawing near. Mahal, he was so close!

Kili cried out in rapture as he was gripped by the hardest climax he'd ever experienced, spending himself in a large pulse of seed. The wolf kind quickly lapped up every drop of him. Kili was so dazed by the force of the orgasm, he almost didn't realize that his own body was shifting, changing positions…until he was crouched down on hands and knees, his entrance presented to the wolf kind. For several agonizing moments, he could feel the wolf's deliciously hot breath at his entrance. Then he felt its tongue.

Briefly, his rational mind screamed at him that this would hurt…that it would be excruciatingly painful and that he might never recover from it…but again, rational thinking lost out. Kili felt his body stretch beautifully around the wolf's large cock when it penetrated him…as if he'd been prepared for hours before this. His body offered no resistance to the cock that violated him…even though a quickly fading part of his mind screamed in horror.

Please! No! Don't do this! No! I'm a virgin! You can't…please!

Kili screamed in both horror and ecstasy as the beast thrust into his body, pounding furiously. No. He was no virgin…not anymore. Aside from the horror of being raped was the even more terrifying knowledge that his body was known by a wolf kind. The moment its seed was planted in his body, he would be one of them…just as damned as all of the wolf kind…

…and yet he still wanted it. He was incomplete without it. No matter how horrified he was, he couldn't fight what his body wanted…and when he came a second time, gloriously fucked open by that large cock, another howl issued from his lips rather than a scream.

Kili felt it when the wolf spilled inside of him, felt the burn of it as their bodies connected, irrevocably intertwined. Then he felt the cock inside of him swell in a different way…knotting…keeping their bodies forcibly joined so that the wolf kind semen had a chance to implant in his body. It wasn't like it mattered. It wasn't as though anything could actually grow…but it still felt like one further violation of his body and his spirit, to be unable to pull away…even though the hideous act was done.

The young prince felt his attacker collapse on top of him, resting against him while they both waited for the knotting process to be complete…and as he lay there, with the wolf on him and inside of him, Kili wept. He had never wept so hard in his life. His body was his own once more, but that didn't matter now. It was too late. The damage had been done.

As they lay there, Kili could feel the wolf nipping gently at his shoulder blades…and he could hear the creature whining plaintively…almost as if it wept with him…but that couldn't be…could it?

Kili didn't know how long he lay there, but after a time, he began to hear a strange sort of chuffing sound. Glancing off to his right and seeing the first wolf kind standing only a few feet away, he realized he was laughing.

"A beautiful performance, my little ones. You will both be even more magnificent than I'd dreamed."

Realizing that this beast had watched him raped…had seen the other wolf kind defile his body…was somehow just a little too much. When the wolf finally released him, Kili curled in on himself, drawing both his own and Fili's cloaks around him like a shield, shutting out the rest of the world. He could hear the first wolf kind laughing as it padded away. Then he heard the other wolf, the one who'd stolen his innocence, howl…loud and clear…and to him…sounding almost sad. Then he heard the creature bolt away into the trees.

Kili just held himself a little tighter, struggling to keep himself from falling apart completely.

"Fili…Fili…where are you?" he sobbed.

Why did this happen? What's happened to you? What's happened to me? Where are you? Fili! Why?!

XxX

The castle had immediately gone on high alert when Dis had discovered Fili and Kili missing from their bed. As Thorin led the search for his nephews, he constantly berated himself for thinking that upping the sentries would be enough. He should have known better. There was no way the boys would have been able to resist the pull on a night like tonight…the night of their presenting. Really, he should have had them tied to their bed to keep them safe. But for some foolheaded reason, he'd wanted to hope that the boys would be spared, but he had known, deep down, that could never be. Beorn had cursed them all, and all the generations to come would bear the old wolf's wrath.

"Fili! Kili!" he could hear Frerin calling in the distance. "Answer me! Can't you hear us?!"

"Where are you?!" he called, starting to get desperate. What if…they were too late? "Fili! Kili!"

Just as Thorin was turning about to lead his group on another track through a different part of the wood, Kili suddenly emerged from the trees, stumbling, eyes glazed over. He seemed to be in one piece, but he was clutching something in his hands.

"Kili!" Thorin shouted, racing toward him and seizing him in a fierce embrace. They weren't too late. The night had given one of the boys back. "By Mahal, where have you been?!" he demanded, taking a step back to look his sister-son over. Kili couldn't quite seem to meet his gaze. His face was streaked with tears and dirt, his body shaking as he clutched the item in his hands.

"We…we were attacked…a wolf kind. I can't…find Fili. I don't know…where he is. Fili…Fili…where's my brother? I can't find him. Where is he?" he murmured desperately. As the first rays of sunlight crept into the forest, Thorin realized that the item Kili held so desperately in his hands was Fili's red cloak.

"Oh…no…" Thorin whispered, reaching out a hand to touch the red velvet. They were too late. One child was already lost.

"Uncle…where is he? Where is he?" Kili repeated mindlessly before finally losing his feet and tumbling into Thorin's arms. He looked to be out cold, but he continued to whisper, "Where is he? Where is he?"

This was how Frerin's group found them only moments later when they came bursting through the trees. Frerin's expression quickly matched the despairing one on his older brother's face.

"Oh, Mahal," he said softly, coming to kneel beside them. "We…we have to find him."

"What's the point? He's already lost," Thorin said bitterly.

"You can't know that. He may yet be alive."

Thorin sighed, lifting Kili's body in his arms as he stood. "Fine then. Take the cloak. Seek him out…but don't be surprised if you don't like what you find," he growled, allowing Frerin to take the red cloak from Kili's hands before turning to lead his party back home, carrying Kili back to his bed.

XxX

The young prince was incensed for the rest of the day and the following night. As he lay in his bed, he could feel his blood pounding through his veins, racing like the flow of the tide. He thrashed about in the bed, clutching his head in pain. He felt the pull stronger than he ever had before. The strength of it was driving him mad…the need to run free, to howl, to hunt. Something was happening inside his body and he couldn't understand what.

Throughout all this, his red cloak stayed on, as it always had during this time. He didn't dare even think of removing it now. He remained wrapped in the thick fabric like a babe in a blanket, hiding from the world…not facing what had happened…what he had become.

It was late on the second day following the attack that his uncle carried his twin into their room, wrapped like a newborn in his red cloak.

XxX

"Is he all right?" Kili asked as he watched Frerin lay Fili down beside him, his voice hoarse.

"As all right as can be expected. He's had a rough few nights, but he should recover. Nothing a few of Oin's salves won't heal."

Frerin left them alone after that. Kili watched his brother intently all the while. He could still feel the pull in his blood, but it wasn't nearly as strong now. After a time, he reached across the space between them to touch Fili's cheek, reassuring himself he was still there. He remained like that until night fell and the full moon shone into their darkened chamber. The moment the pale light fell on him, Fili's eyes snapped open…and for a single horrifying moment, those eyes that he so loved shone red.

Gasping in fear, Kili bolted upright in bed, involuntarily scooting back several inches…but then he looked back and they were the eyes he'd always known…the eyes of his brother…his lover.

"Kili?" he started slowly, blinking several times. "What's wrong?" He tried to reach across to him, but couldn't bring his arm quite far enough.

"Nothing," Kili said, reaching the rest of the way to take his hand in his. "I…I thought I saw something…but I must have just imagined it. Fili…what happened to you? What happened…after you fell into the gully?"

Fili screwed his eyes shut, thinking hard for several minutes before finally shaking his head, looking up at Kili with sorrow in his eyes. "I…I can't…remember. I don't know. I remember…hearing you scream…then everything just goes blank. I don't know what happened."

"I looked for you. I looked everywhere for you…but I couldn't find you. I needed you. Where were you?" he asked, feeling his throat tighten against tears as he gripped Fili's hand tighter.

As he looked at Kili, Fili's eyes began to shine with tears of his own. "I don't know what happened. I just don't know. I'm so sorry. Can you every forgive me?"

Kili nodded slowly. "I know it wasn't…really your fault. It was just…so awful. You disappeared…and the wolf kind found me…"

Fili's eyes widened in horror at this. Slowly, he forced himself to sit up, keeping his hold of Kili's hand. "What…what happened?"

"Well…it…I think it was going to take me…to turn me…it…it was saying things…but then…another wolf kind appeared."

"Another one?" Fili asked, feeling almost as if something were clawing at his heart.

"Yes…they fought…and the first one lost. The…the other wolf kind…it…said things to me…" Kili said, looking away from his brother. He knew he had to tell him what he'd done…had to cleanse his soul of his betrayal…but he still feared what would happen when he did.

"What…sort of things?" Fili pressed, fearing that he already knew the answer.

Your body is mine. Open yourself to me.

"It said…'your body is mine. Open yourself to me'," he repeated, his throat nearly completely closed with the struggle of not crying. "And I did! Oh, Mahal, Fili. I did it!" he cried out, hands clutching desperately at the fabric of his cloak as tears began to trickle down his face.

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, feeling the thing clawing at his heart sink in even deeper, planting a new despair inside of him…a truth that he couldn't turn away from.

"It was like I had no will of my own. I did what the wolf said…and it took me. It came inside me! Mahal, Brother, I…I'm one of them now!" Kili screamed, burying his face in his hands and sobbing openly. "Fili, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I didn't…mean to betray you. I- I couldn't…I…I don't know what happened. I'm so sorry."

"No…you're wrong," Fili's horrified voice sounded in his ears. "This isn't…your fault. It's me."

Uncomprehending, Kili looked up to see his brother's hands covering part of his face, his eyes wide with shock and pain as he shook his head slowly, as if unwilling to accept what was right in front of him.

"It's me," he repeated, trembling hands falling into his lap as he stared at them in abject horror.

"Fili?" he whispered, still not understanding. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to touch his arm, but Fili slapped him away the moment he felt the touch.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed, tears trickling from his own eyes as he stumbled out of the bed, backing slowly toward the door. "You…you can't…I'm not…oh, Mahal," he mumbled, not looking at Kili.

"Fili…Fili, please…" Kili whispered desperately. He had expected this to go badly, but not like this. Was it really his fault?

Yes…yes, it is, a hideous voice at the back of his mind suggested. You wanted it. You allowed it. You're nothing but a whore, a whore of the wolf-kind!

NO!

"Fili…look at me…please," he begged. He knew he didn't deserve it, but he needed his brother now.

"Stay away from me!" Fili snapped, still not looking at him. "I can't…protect you anymore," he said softly before bolting from the chamber.

"No, wait! Fili! Come back!" he shouted before collapsing back onto the bed, curling in on himself and sobbing. Things truly could not be worse. Not only was he wolf kind now…one of the damned…but his brother, the only one he could truly count on…had abandoned him…turned away from him in shame. It was his right to; it was no more than Kili deserved after what he'd done…but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. What was he going to do now? How would he live? He didn't know if he could…not like this.

XxX

The two brothers descended into a period of abject misery after that night. As far as the younger twin knew, his brother hadn't told anyone else about his condition, but he couldn't bring himself to tell anyone either…not after the way his brother had reacted. He mostly kept to their room, stopped talking and didn't eat or sleep much, which worried his family, but no one knew what to do…especially since the elder twin was actively avoiding his brother.

The older prince stopped sleeping in their room. In fact, like his brother, he mostly stopped sleeping. He wandered aimlessly through the corridors, lost in his guilt and misery. His brother didn't realize it, but it wasn't out of any sense of anger or betrayal that he stayed far from him. He had his own burdens to deal with…and he was just as unhealthy as his brother in dealing with them.

The younger, meanwhile, was starting to waste away with fear for the coming time of the full moon…the time when he would finally lose himself to what had happened. Sometimes it seemed to him that he was dying…that he had only this last month left to live. His thoughts were always on the wolf kind who had turned him…the one he was bound to, whether he wished it or not. He wondered what sort of person the creature was outside of his wolf skin. Was he another victim who lost himself at the time of the full moon, someone who had no choice but to hurt him…or was he one of the monsters…one who enjoyed what he became…who delighted in the pain he caused? He would never know. Something the young prince should have realized, though, was that one ought never say that things cannot get worse…because, invariably, they do. Things can always get worse.

It began when the prince noticed he was gaining weight, despite the fact that he ate almost nothing. For the most part, he was getting skinnier, but his belly was starting to swell slightly. The next symptom was a craving for nearly raw meat, which he resisted, managing to blame it on his condition and denying himself what his body wanted out of a sense of self-hatred. The final revelation came, though, on the day he felt something moving inside of him…quickening. There was no escaping the truth.

He was pregnant.

He didn't understand how, but he was with child. As a final indignity, the dog who had raped him had gotten a litter on him. Not only was he turning into a wolf, but the foul creatures would be using him to bear their next generation.

The final straw came on the day of the full moon…the night he would finally, truly lose to the wolf inside him.

XxX

Kili was moving quietly down a corridor, nursing a cup of tea his mother had forced into his hands. He was contemplating his situation when he overheard Fili and Thorin talking in a room one corridor over. Being even more quiet, he crept up to listen, realizing they were talking about him.

"We've got to do something," Fili insisted.

"There's nothing we can do. Just how do you propose to make this situation better? We tried to protect the two of you…and we failed. What makes you think you can do any better?"

"I can't…bear to watch him suffer like this anymore. There must be a way."

"There isn't."

"Uncle, please. What do you think is going to happen tonight when it's not like he's expecting it to be? After all this…he'll go mad. Let me go to him. Let me help him."

"No!" Thorin snarled. "Under no circumstances are you to tell him what you know."

"But he-"

"No, Fili. This is your doing. You are the elder. You made the decision to take your brother out that night, even though you knew it might be dangerous. You are the one who must now bear the consequences of your actions. You brought this on him…you and no other."

"But why? Why should my brother be made to suffer for my sins?"

"Because you made a decision that night…a decision to end your innocence…even though you didn't understand everything that meant."

"Uncle, he…Kili is pregnant."

It wasn't so much the fact that Fili knew this that shocked Kili…as it was his uncle's response.

"Yes…I know. We've all known for quite some time…Frerin, your mother, and I."

They knew. They had known all along…and they'd never said anything. They had done nothing…nothing but let him suffer in silence. Did he really mean so little to them now that he was a monster? Why didn't they just put him out of his misery? The wolf kind were the enemy, after all.

The next thing Kili became aware of was the sound of porcelain shattering. He looked down to see the broken pieces of the cup he'd been holding lying in a puddle of tea. His hands were covered in tea and tiny cuts. He hadn't dropped the teacup. He'd crushed it in his hands in anger. Both Fili and Thorin came rushing out of the room at the sound.

"Kili…" Fili started, his voice strangled as he reached out a hand to touch him…but Kili flinched away from him. Why did they even pretend anymore? Anything they'd ever had was clearly already over.

"You knew," he said, the whisper of his voice a stinging accusation. "You knew…this whole time…and you never said…"

"Kili…please-"

"No!" Kili shouted, taking a few more steps back. "I can't bear this. I can't stand it anymore!" he cried out, turning and fleeing from them.

"Kili, wait!" he heard Fili shouting, running after him, but he didn't care. He was so tired of everything. It didn't matter anymore. There was no reason left to fight. In that moment, all he wanted was to make everything stop.

Fili wasn't far behind him when he threw himself into their room, but he had enough of a head start that he was able to make a grab for his weapons on the wall, fingers scrabbling at a small dagger. He turned to face Fili just as he burst into the room.

"Stay back!" he warned, menacing his brother with the blade.

"What are you doing?" Fili asked, holding his hands up in an attempt to placate him.

Slowly, keeping his gaze locked with Fili's, Kili drew the knife to his throat, sharp edge ready to tear through the delicate flesh. "I can't do this anymore, Fili. I can't live like this. I don't want to be a wolf. Please…just let me do this in peace," he begged, tears spilling down his face.

"You haven't…even turned yet," Fili tried to reason with him.

"But I will. In just a few hours, I'll turn…and I'll be a danger to everyone. I have to do this," he said, the shaking of his hands belying the resolve in his voice.

"What about the babies?" Fili pleaded.

"They're better off dead," Kili snarled, even though it hurt him to say it. "They're the product of a rape…and I can never forget what I am…what they will be. But…if I love them at all…wouldn't it be better not to have them suffer…not to bring them into a world that doesn't want them?"

"You want them," Fili pointed out, moving a few steps closer. "I want them."

Kili laughed bitterly at this, repositioning the knife. "Don't lie to me. Don't tell me pretty lies you think I want to hear. How could you possibly want the pups of that wolf kind?"

"What…what are you talking about?" Fili asked, clearly taken aback.

"You know…I think I might have been able to bear this…if I'd had you by my side…but you turned from me that night. You couldn't stand the sight of me."

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, both hurt and confused. He was standing right in front of Kili now.

"Shut up!" Kili screamed at him. "Don't you dare try to take it back now. I know what I saw that night. You would rather…see me dead…than as some dog's bitch!"

"Oh," Fili whispered, finally understanding what he was hearing. "Oh, Kili…no. No. I ran from you that night…because I thought you hated me."

"W-what?" Kili whispered, the blade lowering infinitesimally.

"Kili…the wolf kind who…took you…that was me."

Kili shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"It was me. I said it…that night. As you described it, I remembered…and I said it out loud. I thought you realized. I thought that's why you were so upset…because of what I'd done to you. That's why I've stayed away."

For several minutes, Kili just stared at him, uncomprehending, the knife lowering by little bits every moment as the breakdown built behind his eyes.

When the blade was finally low enough, Fili moved in, seizing it. Kili fought him, but only for a moment. It ultimately slipped into Fili's hands and he only faintly heard it clatter away when he threw it. All he was concerned with was his brother, alive, filling his arms. The rest could be dealt with as they came to it.

Kili sobbed openly as Fili held him close, soothing him.

"I don't…understand!" Kili cried, clinging to him as they slid to their knees. "How? How can you… be the wolf kind? What are you? What are we? I don't understand."

"It's all right," Fili soothed, gently stroking his hair. "It's going to be all right. I'll show you everything tonight."

Kili couldn't manage much more after that. As confused and lost as he was, he was just so relieved that Fili didn't really hate him…that at least that had only been a misunderstanding. For a long time, Fili just held Kili while he cried. They shared several kisses, happy to be together again, even if everything else was falling apart. Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, Fili pulled away from Kili reluctantly, going to retrieve their red cloaks from where they hung for most of the month. He put his own cloak on before gently securing Kili's around his shoulders.

"Come on," he said, offering Kili his hand. "The moon will be up soon."

"But-"

"Come on. It'll be fine. You'll see."

Finally nodding, Kili took Fili's hand, allowing him to lead him from the safety of the castle and out into the forest. No one stopped them.

As they walked through the trees, Kili found himself gripped by fear…fear that at any moment, he would turn, transform into a hideous, mindless beast. Would he hurt Fili if that happened? Only…Fili had said that he was a wolf kind, too. Wouldn't he also turn?

However, as they moved deeper into the forest, nothing happened. When Fili seemed to think they'd gone far enough, the two brothers curled up together beneath the branches of an old yew tree, cuddling close as they both waited for something to happen.

As the hours wore on and the moonlight moved through the trees, though, nothing happened.

"Will you believe me now if I tell you that nothing will happen unless we want it to?" Fili asked Kili, raising his chin so he could look into his despondent eyes with a reassuring smile. Kili nodded, but he was still confused.

"What's happening? Why aren't we changing?" he asked as Fili pulled away from him, standing up and moving several feet away.

"I'm going to take my cloak off now. If anything happens, I want you to throw it back on. Throwing it over top of me should do the trick…and when you think you've seen enough, you can put the cloak back on me," he explained as he began to untie the stays that held the cloak.

"Fili…I don't understand. What's going to happen?"

Fili looked at him for several minutes, reassuring him without words, before answering, "I'm going to turn."

With that, Fili swept the cloak from his shoulders and flung it at Kili. For a moment he stood, illuminated by the moonlight…but then it began.

Fili's muscles bulged beneath his skin. He could hear his bones breaking as they reformed. He fell forward onto all fours with the shifting of his skeletal structure. As his face elongated into a powerful jaw, sharp, glistening canines burst from his gums. Golden brown fur sprouted from his skin and rippled across his body like a wave, while a long bushy tail also sprouted. It looked like it should have been excruciatingly painful, but the look on Fili's face as he shifted forms was one of peace. The final change was for his blue eyes to shine red in the night. Feeling a brief flicker of fear, Kili stumbled back against the yew tree, clutching Fili's cloak against his chest. Then Fili threw his head back and howled at the moon, loud and long.

Kili stared at Fili for several minutes before slowly falling to his knees. Fili stared right back, making no move to come closer until he was sure Kili was all right with it…and he was, eventually, even though this was clearly the wolf who had known him a month ago. He just couldn't feel true fear for him. Something in him he barely understood called out to him…that same something that had compelled his body to open for him all those nights ago.

When he felt that Kili was comfortable with him approaching, Fili did, padding easily forward. Shifting onto his knees, Kili leaned toward his brother and nuzzled him under the jaw, kissing the soft fur there. He could feel his body calling to his twin, to his bond mate, but the urge wasn't as strong as before.

"Fili, you're…you're beautiful," he said softly, stroking the fur behind his ears. Fili whined appreciatively.

Feeling he understood what he'd meant by saying when he'd seen enough, Kili draped the red cloak around his brother's large shoulders. Almost immediately, the transformation began to move in reverse, until Fili was crouching on the ground before him, just as he had always been. Again, Kili leaned forward and kissed him, pulling him into his arms. When they finally separated for air, he asked him, "What was that?"

Tired out from the round of rapid transformations, Fili lay down with his head in Kili's lap.

"I turned. You would, too…if you took the cloak off."

"The cloak?"

"Yes. We weren't…told the whole story…about the night Beorn killed our grandfather. He did something else before he killed him…to take vengeance on him. He turned our mother…and Frerin and Thorin. They're all three wolf kind."

"All of them?"

"Yes…and so are we. We were conceived…the night Mother was attacked."

"The night…but…that means…"

"That means…that Beorn is our father."

"Oh…Mahal…"

"That was him…that night. It was Beorn."

"How do you know that?"

"Frerin said he could smell it on me…when they found me. He said it was a scent he would never forget…after what Beorn did to him."

"What…what was he doing here?"

"Thorin believes he came to claim us…as his heirs…as fresh blood for his followers. What he said about presenting…he was hoping one of us would present as an omega."

"What does…that mean?"

"To the wolf kind, an omega is one who can bear children…or pups, as the case may be," he said with a somewhat self-deprecating smile. "Young wolf kind present as either alpha or omega when they come of age."

"So…so he meant to…"

"Get a litter on you? Yes. Our own father…" Fili hissed, wincing at the thought. "Our uncles think he's trying to build up their ranks again…after they were devastated during the last war. They think we'll start seeing it soon…more dwarves…turned in the night. Probably more born like us, too…from mothers turned…so that he can create true wolf kind."

"True? What does that mean?"

"Most of the wolf kind that still exist are cursed…like Mother…they were turned against their will. There are even fewer true wolf kind. Beorn's one…born from the womb of a wolf kind…and so are we. Even though we were created in the act of his turning our mother…we are his sons…and we were born from the womb of a wolf kind. We're not cursed, Kili. This is what we are," he said softly, looking up at him, reaching up a hand to touch his face. "I know you've been hating yourself. I've hated myself, too…but we didn't choose this. We were born this way."

Kili wasn't sure how he felt about that yet, so he gave no voice to his feelings of confusion. Instead, he turned his thoughts back to the present conversation. "So…that's what happened to you…that night…when you fell into the gully?"

"Yes. I turned for the first time…and at first, I was confused. I didn't understand what was happening…but then I smelled him…and I heard him attack you. I intervened without even really thinking about it…because he was going to take you from me. What I did…I'm sorry…but if I hadn't done it, Beorn would have. He let me step in…and I think he only did that because I'm his son."

"I know it wasn't…your fault. I don't blame you for it anymore," Kili said, meaning it. He wasn't wrong…when he'd thought he'd felt sadness from the wolf that night. Fili hadn't wanted to do it like that…but it had plainly been the only way to protect him. There were still…other things about that night, though. "I'm just…I'm afraid of what my body did that night. When he…Beorn…spoke the words to me…I could feel my body start to give in to him. It wasn't as strong as when you spoke the words to me…but I still felt it. I think…if it had been him…to claim me that night…I would have fought harder…but he would've had me in the end. I would have given in. Why? Why couldn't I resist?"

"I think…that's because he's the leader. He's the Alpha. He has absolute mastery. You probably didn't feel his pull as strong because you were still in dwarf form. If you'd been a wolf, it would have been much stronger. It was…very difficult…for me to challenge him. I think I probably…amused him…more than anything else," Fili said, his voice bitter.

"But…if it's not as strong when we're in different forms…what happened with you and me?"

"That's easy," Fili said, managing to smile again. "You and I are bond mates. Our souls are bound together…regardless of our form. When I called to you…your soul knew it was me…even if your mind didn't."

"That…that makes sense," Kili said, feeling a burden lift from his heart. The one thing he hadn't been able to admit to Fili before…was that he had somehow enjoyed what had happened that night, and he had no way to reconcile that with himself…other than that he was disloyal to Fili and he was a terrible person, which he had quite readily accepted along with all the other horrid things he'd thought about himself this past month. Perhaps…it would be good to try again…knowing properly who was sharing his body.

"Though…what is it with the cloaks?" Kili finally got himself to ask, getting back on track. "Why are they so important?"

"Well…the part they've always told us about seeking out a wizard's help was true. An old wizard wove these cloaks out of magic. They do protect us…just not from other wolf kind. They protect us from the wolves within ourselves. So long as we wear these red hoods during the time of the full moon, we won't turn…but you've seen what happens when it's removed."

"Yes," Kili said softly, running his fingers through his brother's hair. "Only…what happened when Frerin found you…after that night?"

"Frerin pursued me alone. When he found me…he turned in order to subdue me. When he'd beaten me, he turned back and threw my cloak over me, changing me back. The next thing I remember was waking up beside you. At first, I couldn't remember…but then you told me what happened…and I started to remember…and I couldn't bear it…so I ran. I…I went to Thorin and Frerin for an explanation. They weren't going to tell me at first…tried to say it had all been a bad dream…but then I threatened to walk into town and take the cloak off…to see if it was a dream then…and they finally gave in. They told me everything. They'd never wanted us to know…and they'd forbidden me from telling you anything more…and I was convinced you didn't want to see me anyway."

"I thought…you didn't love me anymore. I thought you found me disgusting…for betraying you…for giving my body to a wolf kind. I was…so alone…" Kili whispered, fighting back tears again.

"Oh…Kili…I'm so sorry," Fili said, sitting up and pulling Kili into his arms, letting him rest his head against his chest. "I never meant to hurt you. I just…couldn't face what I'd done to you. I'm so sorry," he whispered again.

"I forgive you," Kili whispered, breathing in the familiar scent of his brother once more. "Can you forgive me…for not coming after you?"

"You are always forgiven, Kili…my love," he said, nuzzling the top of Kili's head. They cuddled a while longer before Kili looked up at him again.

"Does anyone else know?"

"Just Balin and Dwalin…and Oin and Gloin. Other than that, no one else knows what we are. Thorin was afraid the kingdom would descend into chaos if it should come to light that the new king was a wolf kind. The secret's been kept for sixty-five years…and they want to go on keeping it. Only…I'm not so sure that's such a good thing."

"Why not? The wolf kind are our enemies…aren't they?"

"Maybe so…but I think you might feel differently after you've turned."

"Do…do I have to?" he asked, feeling uncertain. Fili looked down at him, looking sad.

"I won't force you to, no…but I'd really like it if you would. There's really…no way to explain what this feels like."

"Does…does it hurt?"

Fili shook his head. "Not at all. It's like waking up after a long sleep. It's like nothing you've ever felt. You'll see. I promise you. If you don't like it, you can change right back."

"All…all right," Kili said after a while, sitting up, then pulling himself to his feet. "I trust you."

Slowly, he undid the ties that held the red cloak in place, then allowed it to fall from his shoulders, pooling at his feet as it dropped to the ground.

For a moment, he just stood, exposed to the moonlight. Then he began to feel it…the call…the call of the moon…flowing in his blood…pulling him toward…he wasn't sure what at first, but then he began to feel his body shifting…like sand passing through a sieve…flowing from one state to another.

The feeling was like alcohol in his system, warming him up, loosening him, and calming his mind. He could feel the sensations of his muscles growing and his bones breaking, of his face growing outward and his tail coming in, of the midnight black fur sprouting from his skin, but he felt it as if through a drunken haze. He was moon drunk. When he was finally transformed, though…he thought he understood what his brother had been talking about.

It was like he had been reborn into a whole new world. His eyes were sharper. Things that had been in shadow before were fully illuminated in the light of the moon. He could feel the prick of the wind in a whole new way as it moved through his fur and he could taste that same wind on his tongue. The forest that had been silent only moments before was suddenly alive with the chittering of a thousand new voices. He was powerful, so much stronger than he'd been before; he could feel the ripple of his strength in each new muscle. He knew that if he were to spring into a run now, he would be fast…so fast. And the scents…the scents were the most amazing and overwhelming of all. There was an entire world composed of the network of scents alone. He was drunk off the joy of it and off the power of the moonlight. Unable to contain his joy any longer, he threw his great head back and howled, singing his happiness to the moon.

Fili watched his brother with a smile on his face. The young wolf's joy was infectious. Kili darted briefly around the clearing, testing out his new legs, the beautiful black fur on his body rippling like liquid midnight. Apart from the sight of Kili in his dwarf form, it was the most beautiful sight Fili had ever seen.

"Didn't I tell you, Brother," he said softly, which Kili was still able to hear, of course. The young wolf kind quickly padded over to him. He knelt before Kili and his brother nuzzled him under his much smaller jaw, offering several licks, the wolf sign of respect and affection. Fili embraced him, his intoxicating scent already calling to his wolf senses, lurking just beneath the feeble dwarf veneer. Grinning, he slipped his cloak off again. He didn't know what would happen now, but he had a feeling it would be amazing.

He was not disappointed. The moment he was a wolf again, he felt something he hadn't before…a rush of thought and feeling that didn't come from him…but from Kili. They were bound so tightly together that when they were both in wolf form, they were able to share thoughts. From his brother, he received a stream of joy, play, happy, love, love, love!

Yipping playfully, Kili rolled onto his back, tucking his paws against his body and presenting his belly to his alpha. Smiling in his way, Fili circled Kili, leaning down and nuzzling the area of his soft belly that was growing heavy with pups…their pups…his pups. His mate…his pups…no one else's.

Kili gave a long wolfish sigh of contentment when he felt his lover's touch against his newly sensitive body. He could feel the pups moving inside of him beneath their father's gentle nuzzle. For one month, they were already very far along, but Kili knew that a wolf kind pregnancy only lasted for three months. In two short months, he and Fili would be parents…parents of four beautiful, healthy pups. Both smiled as they shared this warm thought, but already their thoughts were turning toward other things. Already they were driving each other crazy with their scents.

So…shall we mate properly, little brother?

Mm, yes, Kili shared back, rolling gently onto his belly and smacking his paws against the earth. We shall.

"Your body is mine. Open yourself to me," Fili said, speaking the words of the alpha.

Now, instead of feeling panic, Kili felt comforted by the words…warmed and embraced. Instead of fighting, his mind and body moved as one as he presented himself to his alpha. He could smell the heady, musky scent of his own arousal as Fili took him…completing their bond and truly making him his own.

They lost themselves for the next few days, lost in the wolves and in each other. They joined, they hunted and gorged together, and they ran together through the forest, racing the wind.

When the time of the full moon at last came to an end, the two found themselves lying in a field together, cradling each other close as the sun rose.

"Kili?" Fili started slowly, uncertainly. "Are…are you all right…now?"

"All right?" Kili repeated, confused.

"I mean…do you want to live again? Do you want our children? Will you stop hurting yourself…starving yourself? They need you, Kili…I need you," he whispered, kissing his lips. Kili kissed back, then offered him a smile. His memories of the full moon were still hazy, but if nothing else, he carried with him the joy of it…the relief after a time of darkness…and the renewed love between the two of them.

"Yes…I'm all right…we're all right. There's just…one thing I'm wondering."

"Which is…?"

"How did you all know I was pregnant?"

Fili grinned at him before burying his nose in the juncture of his neck and shoulder, inhaling deeply. "Smell you."

"Oh…heh…of course."

"Even though they're not as strong as when you're a wolf, you're going to find that your senses are a lot sharper now you've turned."

Kili laughed at his brother's lingering playfulness, taking joy from how casual he could be about their situation. Perhaps all it took was a little perspective…like turning the world upside down…in order to be able to see things clearly.

XxX