Prompt: Werewolves Au

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT

Laws Be Damned

Killian ran in a dead sprint through the tightly packed dirt tunnel.
He couldn't look back or else he might get caught and he refused to be caught.
Up ahead, he could just make out the pale light of the moon, shining in the entrance way.
He'd made it.
"Or not," he growled as a large mass suddenly appeared before him, blocking the way out.

The wolf was extraordinarily large and, though his human eyes weren't as sharp in the darkness, he knew the beast to be a pale grey with sandy brown highlights. The creature let out a sharp bark as Killian attempted to move past it, a shudder running through its body.
"Come now brother, don't be a dick about this," Killian said, not batting an eyelash as it was suddenly Liam standing over him rather than his canine alternative.
"If anyone is being a dick here, it's you little brother. What the hell was that?"

Killian let out a long suffering sigh, pushing a hand through his hair, noting that he would need to cut it as summer drew nearer.
"I believe you would be referring to another of your failed attempts to set me up."
Typically, a his older brother, Liam saw it as his duty to ensure that Killian was safe and happy. Apparently, the wolf in his mind decided that he needed to find a mate of his own; after all it was the perfect time. The full-moon was in a few days' time and the females in the pack were beginning to feel particularly amorous. Naturally, as the second in command, the next most dominant alpha and not to mention his rather dashing good looks; Killian was viewed as a prime candidate to mate with. Yet, despite that he knew he was up to it hormonally, libido and testosterone not being the issue, no amount of pheromones could make him mark one of the women as his own.

Cue Liam and his disastrous attempts at meddling.
"I am just trying to help," his brother huffed, "I want you to have what I have with Tink."
"And you think I'm going to find that with Ariel? Come on Liam, you know we're all waiting around for Eric to finally make a move. Sounds like you're trying to get me into a fight."
He could see that his alpha was about to interrupt with the long list of reasons as to why Killian should have settled down by now but, quite frankly, after a few years, he'd had enough.
"Look," Killian said, holding up a placating hand, "I know you are just trying to look out for me, you've been doing it ever since I was a cub and mum died but brother please; what you have with Tink is beyond special and believe me when I say I want that. I want to find my mate and live happily ever after, but she's not here. This pack is my family, but that's it, you trying to set me up with the single women isn't going to change that."

His brother looked at him, his own blue eyes mirrored in a different face.
"I just want to be happy."
"I know," Killian replied, resting his still raised hand on his brother's shoulder, "But I also know that you know that you can't force this. So please may I?"
He gestured to the exit that he was being blocked from using, smiling as Liam finally stepped aside.
"Go back to Tink, I expect to have a niece or a nephew by the time you're done."

He took off again before Liam had time to smack him around the back of his head.

~E&K~

He charged through the trees, ducking round branches, letting the wolf in him power his human legs, not wanting to change until the very last moment. The pack hated when he did this, but still Killian ran full pelt until he saw the sharp drop of the large cliff above the river falling away.
The animalistic glint entered his eye as he flew right to the edge, pushing off at the last second as the shudder passed through his body, landing neatly on the other side.
The large black wolf let out a howl of victory before continuing to thunder through the undergrowth.

His senses came alive alerting him to the scent of various creatures that ducked away as he came closer, the taste of pine and the feel of the wind in his fur and the earth that flew up in a shower wherever his feet landed.
People tended to avoid these woods, scared of venturing to the land where the giant wolves were spotted, though none of them knew the truth of the packs. Liam and Killian Jones just happened to be members of a small village that lived amongst the trees despite the danger, the people venturing into larger towns every so often for supplies. It was easier that way; people tended to accept slightly odd humans as an answer opposed to werewolves.

There were a few packs in the area, their kind often coming to rest in this spot that was safe for them. In the beginning, there had been massive fights about territory costing many wolves their lives, until the truces were established and the land divided. But even with the precautions, so many monsters in such close proximity, there was bound to be trouble.
The alpha of the second largest pack after the Joneses' had taken interest in his mother when he had crossed the boundary and come across her. His father by nature, did not react well. It ended with both his parents and the other clan leader dead when Killian was just five years old and Liam fifteen.

His brother had been forced to take over as had David Nolan, the young son of the rogue alpha. He had risked his life entering their territory to apologise on behalf of his father and a new treaty had been established dictating an area of no-mans' land to prevent accidental line crossings.
It was in this unclaimed territory that Killian suddenly found himself, his mind having zoned out and not picked up the lack of his packs' scent in the place.

He was about to turn back when he heard a faint rustling to his left and immediately went on the defensive. The thing was large, smaller than him but still more sizable than any deer in this land, there was also the unmissable wolf smell.
A growl rumbled through his chest in warning as the new arrival made themselves known.

She emerged from the brush, clearly a female by her slight, narrow frame, though she walked as any alpha male would approaching an undetermined threat with her hackles raised and teeth bared. He refused to back up as she circled, prepared to strike if necessary until the moonlight caught her fur, showing him the unmistakable blonde colouring that he had only seen on one occasion.

Cautiously, he eased his stance, allowing the link to open in his mind that all wolves shared.
"Evening Swan," he said, watching as the recognition dawned and the blonde wolf, if it was even possible, rolled her eyes.
"Jones," her voice sighed in his mind, "Should have known it would be you rebelling against orders and entering the no-go zone."
He barked out the equivalent of a laugh, sitting back on his haunches, trusting that David's second wasn't suddenly going to attack him.
"I do consider myself a bit of a pirate at heart. What about you love? What has you breaking all the rules tonight?"

He couldn't quite help the flirtatious tine that his 'voice' took on with her. The two had met on one of David and Liam's amnesty trips to ensure good feeling remained, the pair of them each holding position on the right of their alphas, the rest of the packs behind. Though they were both still very young, by blood it was their right to be front and centre as the leaders had the first of many peace meetings. She too held the title of younger sibling, the same age as he was and, in Killian's opinion, entirely too alluring for her own good. The event occurred annually on the day after the terrible fight had taken place; the two packs taking on their human forms and socialising within the designated unowned zone.

He'd come to know Emma Swan rather well, the two often falling into conversation at some point during the evening. He'd heard all about her rebellious phase, going lone for a few months, changing her surname to set her apart before returning, ready to be the second her pack needed. In turn he'd told her about some of his own packs weird more human rituals such as Liam's eventful stag-night that had started out in the local pub in flesh form, before ending as drunk wolves trying to commandeer a boat on the river.

He had come to find out that she had a captivating smile, a sharp mind and throughout the years she'd grown into a fierce hunter. She was worthy of the position she held, ignoring the jibes of some of the men lower in their ranks, letting her actions speak for her. From the age of six until now, he had seen her change from a slightly scrawny club into a devastatingly beautiful woman.
A desirable mate if there ever was one, but seeing as she was out here...

"I would have assumed that some lucky man would have you coveted away tonight lass."
Emma scoffed, pawing at the ground to clear some of the foliage before she too sat down.
"You sound like my brother. Trust me, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Wolf hearings a bitch at this time of the month."
Killian smiled knowing exactly what she was referring to, he had come to make sure he was on the other side of the den when Liam decided to take Tink to bed, if only to spare his own sanity.
"I know what you mean love. No sibling should have to bare that."
"Ah, so the elusive Killian Jones still hasn't settled down."
As a wolf he couldn't really raise an eyebrow, but he gave it a good go.
"Oh please," she sighed, covering herself, "Women gossip whether they transform into a wolf or not and every un-mated woman in this area probably knows you haven't sealed the deal yet. Laws don't stop them from looking."

It was true. The treaties made it very clear that the packs to keep to themselves. Mating outside of your own was unheard of, but there was no covering up the scent of wolf that was yet to mate, especially with the full-moon on its way.
That thought seemingly sparked something in Killian as, in an instant, he seemed to be surrounded by the perfumed scent that seemed to be rolling off of Emma towards him. His whole body stiffened, something in his mind seeming to click into place as he inhaled cinnamon, earth, sunshine and something just distinctly Emma.

The world around him seemed to fall away until there was only her, the blonde wolf sitting before him, moonlight reflecting in her hair, illuminating her bright green eyes that were locked on him. It was as if something had snapped, as if a tether had come loose only to be replaced by something much stronger, something holding him to her, to Emma.

~E&K~

She gazed at the larger black wolf, getting lost in his penetrating blue gaze even as he seemed to be miles away in his own head. All that talk of mating and suddenly she seems to be seeing Killian Jones in a whole new light. Objectively speaking, he was a remarkable specimen of their kind. The sleek, glossy coat, the obvious strength and speed that were quite clearly contained in his muscled form, the way he held himself that just screamed his lineage. Beta by title, Alpha by nature. But looking at him now, Emma saw more. She noticed the wit, the intelligent gleam in his eye, the lack of aggression. He could have easily taken her down. A male wolf of his stature finding a powerful female outside of his pack close to his territory could easily be identified as a threat to be eliminated. Yet he had been the first to relax, so quick to let down his guard when he realised who she was.
There was also the way that he didn't seem to look at her as a piece of meat as so many of the males in her own group was. He managed to ignore the base instinct the surely told him to just go and try and have her, instead holding a conversation as equals.

Her body was all too aware of his own, and she found it was a struggle not to shift around, trying to stem the heat that was erupting within her.
In a second though, it stopped.
Killian's eyes regained their focus and locked onto her own, a change having occurred within their depths.

Emma gasped with the shift. Her mind seemed to explode in a burst of light, the beam settling until there was nothing and no-one but Killian. The years of single nights of conversation flooded to the forefront of her memory, each interaction fuelled by fondness and what she now recognised as the unconscious desire to be close to him.
The few feet that existed between them suddenly seemed like miles, everything in her urging her to cross that distance; to go to him, to her mate.

Instead she turned and ran.

~E&K~

Killian couldn't get his legs to work as she flew away from him, he couldn't get his voice to call out her name as she went.
He was hopeless; frozen to the ground by the force of her rejection, but what choice did they have. The law was clear. She could not be his, their choice was not a factor in the equation, the treaties over-ruled the emotion. They would never be together.

He threw his head back and howled, a long pitiful scream of anguish into the air that had the transformed blonde woman collapsing behind a tree-trunk with sobs wracking her body; the pain of not being able to go to him.

~E&K~

Liam sat against a large rock, soaking up the last traces of the sun, while his pack relaxed around him, Though he was trying to enjoy the slowly ebbing heat of the ending summer's day, his gaze was pulled to rest on his brother who was sat hunched over in the shadowed entrance to the den, where he had been since Tink forced him to come and join them.

He didn't know what was wrong with him, but a few months ago Killian had returned home with an undefinable pain in his eyes that Liam had no way of fixing. He had grown, thin and quiet; less willing to interact with any of their family, instead choosing to remain in the cove that passed for his room, curling up on his pallet and staring unwaveringly at the ceiling.
Everyone had tried to coax him out from himself, though all were unsuccessful. Will had come back limping on his front leg, something having broken in Killian that had him lash out. He had taken his punishment in silence, collapsed without any fight beneath the weight of the alpha in Liam's voice. It was then everyone knew how truly troubled he was, Killian had never lain at his brother's feet, the strength of his blood keeping him standing with minimal struggle; he had never given up.

Liam felt hopeless as he gazed at the shell of the man who used to be Killian, the darkness that suddenly covered them not enough to hide the bruising beneath his eyes that betrayed his lack of sleep. He had just made up his mind to try and approach him again when Robin, who had been acting as a circling scout, appeared in wolf-form out of breath.
Sensing the tension rolling off him, the pack immediately shifted as one.

"An intruder," Robin huffed, his chest heaving, "A lone male. I could smell him from a mile off. He's headed here."
"Then we drive him away," Liam spoke, issuing it as a command to everyone.
They fell into formation without another word, taking off into the brush and Liam was at least pleased to find Killian at his flank where he belonged, a spark in his eyes; the need to protect his family outweighing whatever it was that was troubling him.

They easily picked up the scent of the rogue, the stranger obviously changing course as he sensed the pack coming up behind him; but they needed him gone. If he remained on their land he was still a threat.
With a determined growl, Liam shot forward, picking up the pace as his family followed behind.

~E&K~

Killian ran like a man (or a wolf even) possessed. Instinct to ensure the safety of the pack drove his body forward to such a point that he had to put himself in check so as not to overtake Liam. However, the thought flew from his mind as his eyes suddenly fixed on the lone wolf up ahead. He was crossing at speed back onto their land, which seemed odd considering they were the ones he was trying to escape, when he noticed the heavy scent of other wolves in the air.

Running across the length of no-man's land in a menacing line, were David's pack. The male had obviously fled onto their territory and they too were trying to drive him out. Without command, Killian split away from his formation, using all the strength in his hind-legs to push him faster than the rest, until he was snapping at the heels of the intruder, driving him back towards the boundary line and the two packs.

David was pulling back from the line, keeping distance between his wolves and Liam's who had crossed into the peaceful zone to give chase to the wolf who was running along the central strip between them. He once again tried to dart left only to be met by Killian, still out front, forcing him to hold his course. Instead the beast tried to go right when, out of nowhere, a slim blonde wolf was blocking his path.

Killian's senses flared at her closeness, the two of them running parallel to prevent escape, though the alpha had clearly decided who would be more difficult to pass.

Without warning, he leaped with his teeth and claws out, tackling the smaller wolf on his right to the ground, trying to pin her down not knowing what he had just unleashed.
A terrible snarl erupted from somewhere deep within Killian and, uncaring of everything else, he launched himself at the exposed back of the alpha was attacking his Swan.

The unidentified male screamed as Killian's fangs dug into him, hauling him sideways in a role off of Emma who lay limp on the ground behind the now raging battle. The two wolves dove at each other again and again, snapping and growling, trying to take each other to the ground. Killian was clearly the faster and stronger of the two, but was held back by his need to defend Emma who was yet to stand. The other male, sensing the weakness in his defense made one last huge lunge at the prone form on the ground, a move that would sink his claws into her neck.

But Killian was ready.

In a move so fast, he grabbed the other wolf by the throat as he flew through the air, swinging him around and tossing him in a heap to the ground.
The blood in his veins, his ancestors blood roared to life as he stood at his full height, hackles raised, Emma safe beneath him and spoke in the voice of all the pack-leaders who had come before him.
"Go from this place, do not return, or I shall be forced to kill you. Go!"

Terrified, the other wolf scrabbled to his feet, running on three-legs away from the scene, not daring to look back.
It wasn't until he was out of sight that Killian relaxed and dropped his head to nose at Emma.
"Sweetheart," he murmured desperately, nudging at her with a soft whine, "Please wake up, please Emma, come back to me."
His ears flattened to his head as she remained motionless, his whining becoming more frantic as he pawed at her leg in hope of irritating her awake.
"Please Emma," he sobbed, "I love you."

Tentatively, he licked at her face , before flopping to the ground in defeat, his body curling protectively around her own.
She was perfectly still until her chest suddenly expanded with a large intake of air, body shivering slightly and pressing back against him.
"Killian?" She breathed, slowly tilting her head to look at him.
"I'm here love, I've got you," he answered, moving to lick at the wounds on her leg and neck.
"You saved me," Emma sighed in wonder, her snout turning to rub against his own.
"Of course I did you bloody stubborn woman."
"Because you love me right?" she asked, ears twitching in amusement at his 'obviously' stare as he went back to cleaning her up, "Good, because I love you too."

That got him to stop.
Killian gazed down into the same eyes that had been haunting him since he realised that she was the one, seeing the sincerity and feeling the piece of him that had been so prominently missing, fall back into place. Bending his neck, not caring about the awkward angle, he pressed his forehead against hers, eye closed, breathing properly for the first time in weeks.

"Care to explain little brother," said a stern voice above his head, making Killian sigh and look up to meet the expectant gaze of his brother.
"Yes I do believe an explanation is in order," added David as he joined the trio.
"You know it's not exactly in our control," Emma said, looking from her brother to his, "Bonds don't exactly obey the laws that were put in place decades ago. Just because you say something shouldn't happen doesn't mean it won't."

The two alphas glanced at each other, likely having their own private conversation, which seemed grossly unjust in Killian's opinion. Still it gave him a chance to return his attention to Emma, enjoying being able to nose at the soft hairs along the column of her throat, imagining kissing a trail there when they were in human form. He also enjoyed how Emma's breath hitched as she leaned more heavily into him.
A pointed bark drew them apart.

He could tell their brothers were trying to appear disapproving or annoyed even, but they shared the same happy glint as David said,
"You two are a goddamn logistical nightmare."
He knew then that they would be okay.

~E&K~

Logistics as it turned out weren't really all that difficult to figure out.
The two packs were friendly, the bad blood long since having left their system so it was easy enough to join forces. They still moved as the old packs to prevent issues of who was alpha, but their human sides allowed them to live harmoniously together, joining their land and creating one large den to share whilst maintaining the other two as private get-aways.

The next full moon came and Emma Swan basked in the soft light that filtered into her small alcove, resting naked atop the sleeping furs.
It was this way that Killian found her, spread out before him like a delicious treat that he couldn't wait to sample.
"God I love you," he rumbled, the wolf entering his voice as he tore his clothes off and rushed to cover her body.
"It's payback time," she whispered into his ear, flipping them over so she was sat astride him, "Make me howl."

Safe to say that nobody in the den got any sleep that night as the newly mated pair too revenge on them all for the suffering they'd experienced every month of every year.
In the morning, Liam and David told them they were banished to the other dens until they had themselves under control.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that they returned and even then, with every full-moon that came they left again enjoying being as loud as they wanted.

The End