AN:

Thank you guys who have stuck with me. I know I can be terrible about updating. I wish my life wasn't so crazy. I just try to make the chapters I put up be good enough to make up for the wait. I think the stage is set pretty well at this point so drama and thrills are on the way. Romance too of course. Thanks to everyone for the amazing response once again. I'm on tumblr in case any of you didn't know that and I love to chat so feel free to come say hi. My tumblr is linked on my profile here. Reviews make this all worthwhile so please let me know what you think. Oh and I want to give a shout out to MyopicFacination for always giving me great reviews!

Also, if any photoshop inclined people wanted to make art or photosets for this fic that could be used on tumblr I'd love you forever. (^_^)


Maura heard Jane's steps recede down the hall and a moment later, the sound of the front door latching. She leaned her head under the shower spray and tried to steady her breathing. The water rinsed the tears from her eyes but did little to calm the swirl of emotions battling inside her. She closed her eyes and focused, trying to catalog and compartmentalize the various things she was feeling. It was a technique she'd used for much of her life whenever things became overwhelming and it usually worked. This time it wasn't as easy. So many conflicting feelings were hard to separate.

She finally settled that frustration was the biggest thing. She'd tried so hard these past few months to fight the growing attraction she felt for Jane, tried so hard, because she didn't want to risk their friendship. What she had with Jane was the best, most important human connection Maura had ever formed. And now it was all in jeopardy and Jane had initiated it! Jane had defeated Maura's self control so easily. She'd shattered it risking everything between them only to run. Run from the bed. Run from Maura.

At the same time Maura felt sadness and worry which kept her from feeling properly angry at Jane. The fear in Jane's tearful eyes wrenched Maura's heart every time she pictured it, raising in her a seldom known desire to hold, comfort and soothe away whatever scared Jane so badly. And what scared Jane? That was yet another emotion battling inside her. The powerful quest to understand. To solve the strange riddles Jane presented. Maura had been certain Jane's fear was born from some abuse. Something that left scars on her heart like the ones on her hands. But Jane's derision destroyed that hypothesis. Jane's countenance was arrogant, dismissive of such a notion, in the exact way Maura had seen several times before. It was no act or facade.

Maura ran her hands down her stomach and shivered. And there was the final part of the strange fucked up mixture that boiled inside her. She was still so turned on! As her hands slid across her wet skin memories of Jane's hot, strong hands filled her mind. Tracing her lips with her fingers she could still feel and taste Jane's. Her searching tongue and hungry mouth. Maura had been so close, even with their clothes still on, and when Jane had bit down on her neck she'd almost come right then. But then it was over, leaving Maura horny enough to scream on top of everything else she was dealing with.

Maura was no stranger to self pleasure and even if she had been there was no way she could've stopped herself now. Images and sensations of Jane touching her, taking her, came easily as Maura closed her eyes and ran her hand down to where it was most needed. Leaning under the spray, her free hand's knuckles white from gripping the soap dish, a heavy aching release came upon her as she worked her overstimulated center, dragging with it a low sobbing moan from her lips.

With the orgasm came a sense of calmness and the roil of emotion in her heart eased somewhat as hormones and endorphins flowed through her. Maura brought her breathing down to a relaxed level and finished her shower quickly. She resolved to focus, do everything she could to find Hoyt. Jane had promised answers when he was back in prison so obviously the quicker he was caught, the quicker Maura could figure out where she and Jane stood.

Wrapped in a towel, Maura headed to the kitchen to prepare a quick breakfast for herself and Bass. Stopping to check the morning's mail which Jane had neatly stacked on the stand near the door, she glanced out the window beside the door to see Jane's car just pulling away. Why had Jane been out there for so long? She'd left Maura in the shower almost twenty minutes earlier. Was she sitting in her car all this time? Doing what? Thinking? Debating coming back in the house? A pang of longing shot through Maura and she wished Jane had. Just come in and said it was all a mistake and she wanted Maura, unreservedly, she was done hiding. If only Jane would trust her that much. As she worked on breakfast Maura added to her resolution. She would not only solve this case quickly, she would prove to Jane that she could be trusted completely. That Jane should never be afraid to share anything with her.

As she walked out to her car she remained deep in thought. So deep that she almost ran into a well built, quite tall blond man who was walking down the sidewalk toward her. She apologized vigorously but he offered little more than a grunt in reply. He stared at her intently though and Maura thought his nostrils flared excessively, as if he was sniffing deeply while he watched her open her car and get in. His intense gaze made her uneasy and she locked her door, driving away before her usual pre-driving check of her mirrors and gauges. As she looked back in her rear view mirror he was gone. That was odd, she thought. She mulled the encounter over as she drove to the station and by the time she arrived she had almost convinced herself that he was simply a forward, leering man who found her attractive. And apparently not one for using words much. She added.


Jane sat at her desk staring through her computer monitor, not seeing the screen. Frost was either on the phone or processing and collating information on the victims and their close acquaintances all day long. Jane and Korsak had interviewed the cleaning lady and the next door neighbors for several hours trying to catch any brief hint of anything out of the ordinary in the past few days. But mostly it was all frustration for Jane. This case like last time, wouldn't be solved with regular police work. She couldn't even bring up that Hoyt had had an apprentice with him because then they would want to know how she knew and there was no way for her to explain it. She couldn't explain hardly any of what she really knew, not even to her partners. It was a scenario she'd dealt with many times before and for the most part she'd gotten fairly good at dealing with it. But not this time. Not with Hoyt on the loose and with him knowing her secret.

And if he had an apprentice who was a Wolven it was even worse. She had to do this herself. All of it. She couldn't lead Frost and Korsak in against a homicidal Wolven. If they were killed or infected she'd never forgive herself. So here she sat biding time until night. Last night she'd been exhausted. But tonight she'd let her wolf out and return to the crime scene. She'd scour all of Boston if she had to. But if her Aunt would return the call she'd left earlier maybe it would'nt be completely alone.

Korsak snapped his fingers in front of her face and she realized he'd been talking to her. "Um, what? Sorry, I spaced out."

Korsak heaved a sigh. "I know this has probably been hard for you Jane. Did you get much sleep last night? I know I didn't"

"Not a lot." She admitted. "But what I had was good. I'm okay. Really." She patted his arm.

"Well anyway, what I was saying was, I just got done talking to the last neighbor. He's an older guy and he has insomnia. Well he said that he's seen an animal prowling around the houses late at night the last few nights. It doesn't mean much in terms of catching Hoyt, but maybe it explains what chewed up the woman. Maybe Hoyt posed her out there for you to find and this dog or whatever came along afterwards."

Jane nodded as if she agreed, but her mind was on her plan for the evening. If the Wolven was all over the neighborhood it increased her chances of finding a clear trail to follow.

Korsak was going on. "Maybe Hoyt left you even more of a message and the dog ate it."

"Yeah." Jane said. "Or maybe it was Hoyt's dog."

Korsak chuckled but then saw Jane was serious. "Maybe." he nodded.

Jane's cell rang and she saw it was the number she'd been hoping for. She got up and walked away from Frost and Korsak before answering. "Hi Aunt Gianna! Thanks for getting back to me so soon."

"Of course Jane. Selena said it was urgent." Her deep, warm voice was incredibly soothing in Jane's ear. But then, Aunt Gianna was Jane's Alpha and that effect was natural on the members of her pack.

"Auntie, Hoyt, the serial killer I caught a few years ago who escaped, he's come back. The problem is, he has an apprentice and it's a rogue Wolven. Hoyt knows what I am. I'm not sure how, but he does."

"Goddess help us." Gianna sounded as worried as Jane had ever heard her. "You must be careful Jane. Who knows what traps he has prepared for you. If it's been two years then that's two years he's been planning."

"I know, I know. But he's been foolish. He let me know too soon that he knows what I am. Didn't he? Anyway, I don't want to do this alone. I need to track this bastard wolf and I was hoping the clan could help."

"I'll make some calls." Gianna sounded somewhat calmed from hearing Jane's idea. Your uncle Tony will be down tomorrow and I'll find out which of your cousins are free. Have you called Tasha?"

Jane rolled her eyes but said, "Not yet. I was going to." she finished lamely.

Gianna wasn't fooled. "Jane, you and her need to stop this hyper competitive thing! Especially when lives are at stake. Looking beyond the fact that she's almost as powerful a Wolven as you, she's an FBI agent and extremely useful, I would imagine, when trying to track serial killers and murderous rogues."

"Okay. Okay! I'll call her." Jane growled. "Well, thanks for the help..." Jane didn't want her Aunt to go just yet. She'd missed her a lot, only getting to visit on rare occasions the past few years. "How's Aunt Selena?"

"Healthy and well, dear. She's looking very much forward to our trip to Italy in the fall. I'd hoped we'd see you up here for the family gathering before that..." She let it hang.

"I really hope so too." Jane agreed. She desperately wanted to spend some time in the woods before the summer was completely gone.

"Well how are things with you? Aside from the serial killer, I mean. Your mother mentioned that you've made a new friend."

Really ma? Really? Jane thought. "Yeah, I've met this amazing woman. She's the medical examiner here now. She's amazing." Jane couldn't keep the warmth and love out of her voice when talking about Maura it seemed.

"Well maybe you'll bring her next time you come then." Gianna sounded like she was smiling.

"I don't know if we're there yet." Jane said. "But I'd really like to."


Maura entered the elevator to head up to the cafe from the labs. She'd had a productive day so far and now could say with certainty that the wife had been mauled and partially consumed by some specie of wolf. An uncommonly large wolf, but a wolf none the less. The hairs on the body and the shape of the teeth and claw marks confirmed it quite clearly. More curious, the wolf hairs were also found inside the house. She needed to find out from Jane if the back door was found open and the animal had had easy access into the house at some point during the night.

Stepping into the main floor of the station Maura's gaze was pulled to the tall dark haired woman in a dark suit who was browsing plaques on the wall seemingly waiting for someone. Maura had thought it was Jane for a moment until she noticed the suit was of a different cut and a pricier material than the ones Jane wore. As if feeling Maura's gaze, the woman turned to look at her and Maura's breath caught in her throat. There was no way this woman wasn't related to Jane. She had the same olive skin, long bones and striking jawline. Maura had seen pictures of Jane's brothers and while she could see certain parts of them in her, this woman looked far more like Jane than they did.

The woman came over after a moment and said "Do I know you? Cause you seem like you know me." She smiled with an easy manner that said she wasn't bothered by Maura's appraisal.

"I'm sorry," Maura stammered slightly. "are you related to Jane Rizzoli? You look so much like her."

The woman laughed. "She looks like me, you mean! I'm older than her by a year." She reached out her hand to shake Maura's. "I'm.."

"Tasha!" Jane clapped her on the shoulder. "Maura, this is my cousin Tasha Rizzoli. She's a special agent with the FBI." Jane smiled at Tasha but while it seemed genuine, Maura could see there was more behind it than simply being happy to see a relative. "Tasha, this is Maura Isles the chief ME here."

"It's very nice to meet you." Maura took her hand and noticed she had similarly long, strong fingers to Jane's.

"The pleasure is all mine." Tasha said with a twinkle. "I've heard of you from Angela. She says you're taming this feral beast here." She elbowed Jane.

Maura laughed despite Jane looking like a cornered animal and said "I'm doing my best. It may be beyond me though."

Tasha was clearly enjoying making Jane uncomfortable. She smirked. "Well if you ever want pointers on how to put her in line just ask. Maybe we could talk about it over dinner sometime."

"Hey, how's Beth?" Jane cut in suddenly before Maura could answer, drawing Tasha's attention.

"Beth is fantastic!" Tasha grinned. "She made assistant DA last year."

"Who's Beth?" Maura asked.

Again, Jane cut in before Tasha could answer. "Beth is Tasha's wife." she said, enunciating wife a bit more than necessary. "Well, we really need to go over that case thing." Jane said. "You know, the reason why you're here." she started pulling Tasha away.

Tasha let herself be led away, but called back, "I'm serious about dinner! I'll spill all of Jane's weaknesses." and they went off with Tasha laughing.


Franklin had reported his discovery to Hoyt. The Rizzoli bitch and the blond woman, Isles he'd found out, were a pair of some sort. It was unmistakable from the scents. Now Hoyt had given him a new job. Hurt Isles. Not kill her. That was for Hoyt. But hurt her. Scare her. Make the Rizzoli bitch crazy and afraid.


Maura walked through the parking garage to her car. It was almost 8:00 and the call of her bed was powerful. It had been such a strange day. Starting out with incredible emotions, not to mention the best kisses she'd ever had, and then a good days work followed by meeting a new member of Jane's family. Tasha was very intriguing. Much more open than Jane. That dinner sounded like a wonderful Idea. A great way to get more pieces of the Jane Rizzoli puzzle.

She was unlocking her car when she was viciously turned and slammed into the side of it. The blond man from this morning. He was gripping her arms painfully in his large hands. His face inches from hers, she could smell his breath, curiously smelling of raw meat a part of her brain noted. He was so strong that struggling was pathetically ineffective. She started to cry out and he clamped a hand over her mouth.

The man growled at her and Maura felt her eyes were playing tricks. His teeth were inhumanly sharp and large."Hoyt sent me to leave Jane a message. He wants her to know that everyone she cares about is on the menu!"

The fingers on her arm felt like they were piercing into her bicep. Maura cried out but his large, filthy hand muffled it almost entirely.

"I'm just going to take one bite." he rumbled. His mouth incredibly close to her cheek. She could feel drool running down, dripping onto her neck.

And then he was gone. Well more accurately there was a sound, a sound unlike anything Maura had ever heard. Something like an angry dog and a tiger and then he was gone from holding her down. Maura was dazed but she finally found her bearings to look around and saw Jane on top of her attacker. They were striking each other and wrestling for position. They were moving so fast Maura could hardly keep up. Eventually Jane struck him across the face, seeming to knock him senseless momentarily. Then she was on her feet. She lifted him bodily, spun and threw him into the concrete pillar of the garage. Jane stopped to look back at Maura and Maura felt her eyes playing tricks again. Jane's features were different. Harder, longer, more angular. And her eyes were amber.

The man had recovered too quickly for the abuse Jane had given him. When she turned back he slammed into her, sending her smashing into the hood of Maura's car. Maura rushed to Jane and when they looked up the man was far away, running incredibly fast. He lept over a railing and disappeared into the night. Jane looked for a moment like she wanted to follow but then turned back.

"Maura!" she moaned. "Fuck I was so scared he'd hurt you!" and she crushed Maura in a tight embrace.

Maura cried into Jane's neck and neither one let go for a long time.