Hi! It's been a really long time! And I'm really sorry for the wait. I know it's really bad to wait a lot for a new chapter, I also feel like that with my favourite stories here, so I'm really sad for making you wait. But even if I take long because I'm busy or because I'm blank with how to continue writing, I want to continue the story until the end.

I want to thank all this story followers and the people who put this story in favourites. Also, I'm so thankful for all the people who review, that makes me smile all day with just one review so, yeah, thank you a lot! (L)

Also a lot of thanks to Promiselight for correcting the chapter.

Now I will let you read it. Hope you like it! :D

Oh, and... Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, even if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or if you are single. Be happy today and forever! :DDD

Chapter 8

"Are you hungry Lucy?" Erza asked.

"A little" she answered.

"Natsu and Gray will be back soon. I'm sure they are trying to catch something big" Erza said.

They were under a tree in the forest, between Hargeon and Magnolia. Natsu decided to stop to rest a little and eat. So Erza and Lucy were waiting for him and Gray who went to hunt something to eat. Erza was supporting on a trunk in her human form, while Lucy was lying down on the grass, still in her wolf form.

Erza watched how Lucy was looking at the water in the river following its way slowly. She didn't talk too much since they reunited, she just answered their questions with short answers.

Erza arrived some moments after Deliora's dead. She saw Lyon unconscious on the floor, Deliora's dead body surrounded by blood, Natsu near it with Lucy, and Gray lying down near them. Erza had tried to come near Natsu and Lucy, asking them if they were fine, but a growl stopped her. She could feel the tension and the aggressiveness in the air. She looked at Gray and saw him getting up and limp until the exit of the cave. Erza followed him without another word.

"What happened?" Erza asked Gray when they were outside.

"As you could see, Deliora is dead. Natsu killed him."

"Did Deliora attack Lucy?"

"He tried. Natsu killed him. Lucy is not hurt."

"But now Natsu needs to calm himself. That will take time, they aren't mated and their relationship is still new. I have finished Lyon's friends, they are unconscious in the same place we were. What do you think we should do with them? Take them to the town where they kidnapped Deliora?"

"We will have to wait until Lyon wakes up to see, and for Natsu to come to his sense to decide."

"Gray told me about how Natsu killed Deliora. It was your first time seeing someone die?" She asked to Lucy.

Lucy looked at her just a moment before looking at the river again. "Yes, I know that Bora killed some werewolves but I never saw it."

"Deliora would have killed you if Natsu didn't do it."

"I know… is not that I didn't want Natsu to kill him… it's… nothing. Sorry."

"Are you scared of Natsu?"

"I'm… I'm scared of dominant wolves... Bora was violent… I know that all dominant wolves are violent… it's just, a part of me it's not scared because of Natsu being dominant, but the other part… please don't tell him."

"Don't worry Lucy, I'm not going to tell anything to anyone but if you need to talk, remember, I'm here for you" Erza said smiling at her. "But you also need to know, that Natsu is dangerous, like any dominant, but he will never hurt you. I can imagine how was your life in Titan Nose, your mind has created some defenses like your dominant fear to protect you, but your heart knows the true. Lucy, don't think to much about it, you are still small, you will understand everything better when you are older, even your own feelings. Just, be a wolf and follow your instincts."

Lucy gave her a little smile, she knew that already, but it was difficult to not let her brain to mess with her feelings.

After some time, Natsu and Gray come back to them with some rabbits. "There aren't any big animals near here." Gray said after the gaze Erza gave him.

"Erza prepare the fire and Gray prepare the meat. The biggest one will be for Lucy. It should have more nutrients" Natsu said before going inside the river to clean himself a little. Inside the river he changed to his human and went to the riverside. "Lucy, come here. I will bath you."

Lucy still had some of Deliora's blood in her fur, like Natsu. It has been two days since the fight, after Natsu calmed down, three hours later, Natsu woke Lyon up and the three of them went outside to look for Erza and Gray. He let Gray and Lyon talk a little in private, even thought he could listen everything. After Lyon saw that Deliora was to dangerous and strong for him, and because Gray saved him, Lyon regained his good sense, like Gray said to them after the talk with him. Lyon thanked them and promised to never do anything stupid like that, he promised to take everyone with him to look for a pack that would take them, and live protecting it and others to compensate for his stupidity. Gray believed him, so Natsu let them go away.

After that, Natsu wanted to start their journey back home really quickly. He ordered Erza to take the things they had hidden in the forest before confronting Lyon, and to heal Lucy's new wounds. After that they started they trip back without thinking, with Lucy in her basket and without stopping until now. Last night rained a little, and that was when most of the blood in their bodies went off their fur and they were a little more clean, but not completely, at least until they stopped there beside the small river.

Erza showered first, before Natsu and Gray went hunting, after that she took her human form to prepare some bandages for Lucy and to take some wood from a tree. And now it was Lucy's turn to clean up. Natsu couldn't stand Deliora's smell on her fur anymore. He wanted to clean it before, but he couldn't stay in there anymore. His nose was too strong and he wanted to walk away from the cave as soon as possible. Even if he needed to bear with Deliora's blood in their bodies. Now that they found a river it was the best moment to clean.

Lucy got up and went to the shoreline. She tried to not look at Natsu's eyes all the way, but when she arrived he took her in his hands and put her eye's at the same level as his one's.

"Are you fine Lucy? You look tired" he asked. He was a little tense, he knew that she was scared, he could smell it, but he didn't know why. And a part of him didn't want to know, he feared it was him scaring her, he couldn't take it and the most probable thing would be that he become violent and aggressive, and that would only scare her more. So he tried another way to make her relax and feel comfortable with him, a way less dominant and calmer, even if that was killing him on the inside, trying to become a Beta or some other low level was not natural for Alphas.

"A little, I'm hungry…" she answered.

"The food will be ready soon, meanwhile let's clean you well, I can't stand anymore that horrible smell that you still has on because of that bastards blood" he said trying not to growl.

Natsu took her to the middle of the river, the flowing wasn't strong and the river only reached Natsu's hip, it wasn't dangerous if she wanted to swim a little. He put her in the water slowly, never letting her go completely, and with the other hand he cleaned her carefully. He cleaned her face first, and later her body, taking care of not touching the bandages where her wounds where.

Lucy trembled a little, her body was scared of him but her heart was throbbing really fast. Natsu thought this was because of her fear. So when he finished he brought her near his chest and hugged her, without too much force.

"N-Natsu?"

"I'm sorry Lucy, I'm sorry" Natsu whispered to her, but he didn't say why he was sorry, and Lucy couldn't understand it. Still, she didn't say anything, she only stayed there, in his arms, listening to his heart. That was becoming the only way for her to relax. His throbbing heart was the only thing that could calm her body and her mind.


"Levy-chaaaaan!" two wolves cried while jumping in front of her and throwing her small body to the floor, until you couldn't see her blue fur.

"Jet, Droy… I can't breath" Levy tried to say.

"We are back" Mira smiled while entering Fairy Tail.

"Welcome back Mira, I see you complete the mission and come back with Levy. But where is our leader?" a small but old grey wolf asked.

"Another problem started when we were going to come back, so they stayed behind to fix it. Something related to Gray's past, I can't tell for sure, and I think is better if you ask him when they are back" Mira answered.

"I suppose it was dangerous, because of his election of people."

"You are always right Makarov" Mira said with a little frown.

"So we are free until Natsu comes back?" A big yellow wolf appeared from a cave and went directly to Mira to nuzzle her head.

"Sorry Laxus" Mira smiled, "Natsu send orders while he is away. We need to prepare for the festival. He wants everything to be perfect. And he means it, he will be very angry if not. So everyone, don't be to lazy and start working in your chores."

"How strange, so they will take some time to come back?" Makarov asked.

"I don't really know how much time they will take…"

"I needed to talk to him. I have listened some rumors and he needs to know them."

Mira looked to him with a worried face "Bad rumors Makarov?"

"I don't know, I need to confirm some things. For now, I just know that some black packs are moving in the shadows. I think they are planning something. I will need to talk to Blue Pegasus."

"Let's hope it's nothing. Natsu wants this festival to be perfect, and I'm sure he will not only be angry, he will be very dangerous with anyone that meddles in it."

"Why is so important this year festival?" Laxus asked.

"Oh! I didn't say it? It's because is the first festival for Natsu's mate" Mira smiled.

Everyone become silent, like their minds stop working. "Did you just said Natsu's mate?" They shouted.

"Yeah, she was an Epsilon of that hateful pack that kidnapped Levy."

"Oh, so our Alpha will finally have some adult fun. It was time." Laxus laughed.

"Laxus…" Mira smiled with a dangerous smile. "Don't tell him that or he will kill you seriously, and I still want my mate to be here. And you all should know, she has some trauma, that pack was like a hell. So try not to be too hard on her."

"An Epsilon with an Alpha, she should start fighting that fears if she wants to be an Alpha mate" Laxus said.

Mira kicked Laxus, "you know that you can't change what you are, and Epsilons can't be too strong. But yes, I'm sure she will overcome her fears, she only needs time. After all she is still a puppy, only 9 years old. Let her grow up, I feel like she will be a really good mate for Natsu."

"A puppy?" Everyone shouted again. Laxus started laughing even harder and Mira kicked him again. "Ok, enough with the surprises and the laughter, everyone start working. When Natsu comes back everything needs to be prepared!" Mira said before she sighed, they finished to rescue Levy, and another thing come up, and now, before they arrived, maybe they will have some other problems. "Natsu, and everyone, please come back safe."


Natsu was reclining in a tree with Lucy on his legs. He was drying her with a small towel while the others cooked the meat.

"W-why... did you say... s-sorry before?" Said Lucy looking at his shirt.

Natsu looked at her. "Because a lot of things. Because of my dominant behavior. Because I scared you. Because I should have found you before, so you didn't have to live with that bastards of a pack."

"You are not at fault of those things" she replied.

"Yeah..." he whispered. "But if only I had found you before, maybe you wouldn't be scared of all dominance wolves" he thought. "You know, I also lost my parents when I was a puppy, just like you, but I had my pack with me, I didn't lost everything. You look so fragile, but you are really strong. I know Lucy, you are scared of me, but you also fight that fears because of our bond, you are trying, you are a fighter even if you are an Epsilon. Only that is already very impressive."

Lucy's cheeks were blushing, even with all the golden fur you could see it. "And, if I ca-can ask, what happen to your parents?" she looked for the first time to his eyes.

"My mother died while giving birth to me, she was sick, but she wanted to give me life before dying, or that's what my father Igneel told me. He was the one to raise me, he and the pack. I was born in Fairy Tail, my father was the Alpha before me. He was so powerful, we have a lot of allies, with humans and other packs, because of him. But one day, when was 6, something happened, I'm still not sure of what. I only knew that an allied pack needed help, so some of the strongest wolves went to help, my father was included with them, he knew someone from there, someone important to him, or at least that's what he told me before parting. It was the last time I saw him. He never come back, not any of the wolves who went to that mission come back. Even after they disappeared, Fairy Tail with some other packs tried to look for them and the pack they were helping, but everything and everyone disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, there was nothing in there, only the houses and some other things, but not any body or corpse, with or without live. It was like nobody was there in decades.

"I'm so sorry" Lucy said with tears in her eyes.

Natsu smiled at her "don't be, like you said it's not your fault."

"B-but it's so sad" she cried more.

Natsu took her with his hands and hug her while licking her tears from her fur. "Don't worry because of me Lucy, I had friends, and family, even if they weren't blood relatives, they took care of me, and they trained me to become a powerful and good Alpha, like my father. That's what I always wanted to be. There's a man, a good friend of my father, his name is Gildarts, him with Metalicana and Makarov were his most powerful Betas. He was like my second father. And now they will be your family, we are your family, you are not alone anymore. What's mine is yours. Forever" he kissed her snout.

"Natsu" Erza said, "sorry to disturb, but the meat is ready."

"Ok, let's go eat and sleep, there's still a little more way to go before arriving home" he said getting up with Lucy still in his arms and sitting near the fire.

"Yeah, and then Gildarts can tell Lucy a lot of your most embarrassed moments in your puppy days. Like that day when you fall from a rock and..." said Gray but stopped when Natsu growled at him.

"Stop talking and eat Gray" Natsu growled again.

"Yeah Gray, and that was not that embarrassed, I think that time when he went naked to the human town was more embarrassed" Erza joined to the conversation.

"You too Erza, stop with this stupid topic."

Erza stopped talking but she still looked at Lucy and winked at her with a small smile. Lucy fought the laugh that wanted to come from inside her and started eating the meat that Natsu put in front of her.

After they ate, they went to sleep, with Gray being the first one on call. Lucy slept for the first time with a little more pleasure in Natsu's arms. Knowing that he also had some problems and that he also was a puppy some years ago, made it easy for her to fight a little more her fears.


"Alpha!" Someone screamed while entering the cave where a big violet wolf sat eating a full bear.

"What? And why are you screaming? My ears are good enough to listen to your whispers. And I'm eating so I hope this is really important!" He growled and showed his fangs to the other smaller wolf.

"Sorry..." he whispered with his head down, "We found her... the golden puppy you were looking for..."

"What? Where is she?" The other screamed while getting up and going near him.

"She was in Titan Nose pack."

"Titan Nose? That's the pack who traffics with human and werewolves woman right? I bought some merchandise from them some years ago, if she is there, maybe I can talk with, how was his name again. Yora? Pora?"

"Bora sir..."

"Yeah... Bora, he can sell me the puppy if they have it, send a message."

"But sir, she is not there anymore..."

"What?" He screamed again. "And where is she now then? Don't tell me you don't know, because if that's so you will be my next meal" he growled.

"She is with Fairy Tail!" he said trembling.

"Fairy Tail?" he whispered.

"Yeah, they attacked Titan Nose and killed most of the Betas and Deltas with the Alpha. And they took here, I don't know where they are right now, but someone saw them took her. I suppose they are going back to their territory."

"Oh... so our little lamb is now going to Fairy Tail..." he laughed. "Good, this is so good. Now that I know where she is, I will have here finally. You, go outside and tell every fighter to prepare, soon we will go to war." The small wolf went outside without looking behind, letting his leader and Alpha to go back to eat, this time with a full smile in his mouth. "Yeah, little golden present, this time, I will make sure you won't get away from me again."