Chapter Ten
Thursday came faster than anyone was expecting. The past two days had held only perfect weather for the kennel to get done quickly and for everything to be prepared. Every time Darwin and Alex came out to the facility they brought a few more belongings from their apartment and slowly began to fill up the large suite Charles gave them.
Charles hadn't realized how bad the two had it. As he worked with Alex, showing him how to measure out the wolves' food and do a basic check-in, the younger boy opened up to him. Told him how his younger years had been more than a little on the rough side before he met Darwin, and how he was still trying to recover. He knew Hank from high school, where the vet had been one of the few to go on to do something with his life while the only place Alex saw in his future was jail. That's exactly where he had landed - in juvie, to be more exact, and only for a year. Charles had to give Alex credit for being an honest kid. Coming forward so quickly about his past took guts.
Alex was smart, though, and he caught on fast to the running of the reservation. He managed to feed the wolves with Sean on Wednesday while Charles hovered nearby to oversee. He had a bit of a mouth, but to the adults running the wildlife preserve he was more than respectful. Charles saw the way the blond laughed and joked with Raven and Sean and nodded eagerly when Moira asked him to perform a menial task on the estate. Of course, he seemed to have some quiet hero worship for Erik, but Charles suspected it was because the Were had a mysterious aura that Alex could relate too.
Darwin fit in better than perfectly. He always asked if there were something that needed to be done, making Charles would blink in surprise before sputtering out a task. Things that he had been meaning to tend to for months were finally getting attention, and Charles couldn't be happier. Erik's motives for hiring the two to stay may have been misplaced, but it had clearly been a good idea.
And then there was Erik.
Erik, who didn't shy away from him anymore and seemed to be falling into life in the Mansion as much as the two new workmen. Charles couldn't even look at the other man without feeling like his face was going to burst into flames. Erik returned each look with a smile that said he wanted to devour him.
And maybe Charles wouldn't mind that so much.
The only downside to Alex and Darwin living with them was that it put Erik and Raven's morning runs were on standby until they could find a time when no one was on the estate - times which were few and far between. Both Weres were restless. Raven locked herself away in the weight room like she used to do before Erik entered their lives, and Erik sometimes joined her. At other times he burned his energy with Charles' help.
There was still no word from Erik's pack master, and it was becoming easier and easier to forget the real reason Erik was staying with them. And every time he tried to remind himself to be worried, Erik leaned over and nuzzled his neck, and the feeling would be gone.
It was easy to pretend that what they had going would last forever because it felt like it would.
XXX
The van was supposed to come at nine o'clock, but it was already thirty minutes late. Charles looked down at his watch for the seventh time and frowned. Beside him Hank pocketed his hands and yawned.
"It's perfectly normal for them to be late right?" he asked, sparing a look at the vet.
Hank blinked sleepy dark eyes and nodded. "It's a long drive, Charles. You can give them at least another couple minutes before starting to worry."
Charles shook his head and shrugged into his thick coat. It wasn't the ideal day to be standing in the front driveway and waiting for thirty minutes, but he wanted to greet the transporters as soon as they arrived and quickly get the wolf processed into the reservation.
Alex jogged up, with splotches of water decorating the knees of his pants and the bright red jacket Charles had lent him. His smile was bright as he said, "Wolves hate water. Is he here yet?"
"Not yet." Charles clicked his tongue and stood on his toes as if the position gave him a better vantage to see the truck coming. "But soon."
"Good to see you again, Alex," Hank stammered, his mouth twisted into a nervous smile. From what the Professor had observed, the blond intimidated the taller boy more than a little. Hank was closer with Darwin, it seemed, but the older boy was out buying material for the spare kennel the Reserve needed built.
Alex seemed to interact with Hank civilly enough. "You too, big foot," he said, affectionately teasing him with a nickname that had apparently stuck with Dr. McCoy all through high school. Big footbeing the more civil of the names. Alex clapped the vet encouragingly on the shoulder and started asking what Hank was going to do once the Mexican Grey arrived.
The young vet briefly described the general checkup and nutrition check he would be performing, the confidence in his voice growing louder from his expertise. Alex's eyes widened just slightly as he nodded and listened intently.
Meanwhile, Charles licked his lips. Still no sign of the tuck.
He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his phone. No missed calls from the handling company or from Moira. His colleague had gone back to the university. Moira still had her own classes to teach as well as being busy with making sure the work Charles left by the wayside had someone to attend to it. The woman was a godsend.
For once Erik wasn't by his side either. The Were was busy working off his pent up energy with Raven. Charles quietly wondered if the two fed off each other's presence, since Erik arrived Raven had seemed more restless than usual. She also seemed a bit calmer, as did Erik. It was possible having another Were living with them put their protective nature at ease. He had been somewhat surprised when the other man had announced he wouldn't be hovering nearby when the Mexican Grey arrived.
Surprised, but also slightly relieved. It wouldn't do having too many people crowding around the new animal.
A sudden sharp breath from Hank encouraged him to look up, and there it was, a large white animal control truck making its way up the freshly graveled driveway. The bright yellow logo on the side was the only thing that alerted them to the truck's identity, and Charles felt himself relax at the sight.
"There it is," Hank said, holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight.
Charles thinned his lips and took in the sight. After all this time, all the long preparation, it was finally here. "Yeah," he breathed before turning to where Alex stood dazed behind them. "Alex, will you go fetch Sean please? We'll probably need his help getting the wolf to the clinic."
Alex nodded quickly. "On it, Professor," he said before darting to the mansion.
Charles turned his attention back to the truck just in time to see it stop in front of him. The driver - there was only one - took up the entire front seat. He looked like a big fellow, and as soon as he cut the engine and jumped out the truck seemed to lift, visibly shedding pounds. When he stood, Charles could see he really was a big fellow. At least Eik's height, probably taller, with broad shoulders and even broader arms that threatened to rip the shirt off his back.
Charles couldn't help but blink at the man. Usually the animal control officers were pleasant older women or men, with builds similar to his own. The man in front of him looked more suited to be a pro wrestler than an animal handler. But maybe when handling this wolf a man built like a semi truck was necessary.
He put on a friendly smile. "Good morning," he called out as the handler made his way towards them. "I'm Charles Xavier. I hope the drive was pleasant?"
"It was fine," answered the stranger, wiping his hands on the leg of his pants before stretching out a hand. "Name's Victor, you in need of this wolf?"
"Yes, next to me is our Veterinarian Hank McCoy, and I have some help coming if we need it." Charles took the offered hand and felt Victor's iron grip before the man turned and gave Hank the same courtesy.
Hank was taller than Charles, but under his large vet coat and glasses that were a size too large he looked brittle shaking hands with such an enormous man. Victor shook his head at Charles' earlier comment, "I gave the wolf an extra dose of tranq forty miles back. To make sure it stayed sedated for this transfer. It should be down for the entire check-in and while we move it to the kennel."
Hank's brows frowned just slightly. "What kind of tranquilizer did you give it?"
"The only kind they gave me, Doc," Victor shrugged, leading the way to the back of the truck. His large muscles flexed as he lifted the latch and swung open the wide back door. Inside was a collection of animal cages, but only one animal.
Charles eyes took in the small form of the Mexican Grey, his fur the color of a southern desert, tan and grey. The noise from the opening door didn't bother the animal at all as it continued to lay in the same spot, almost as if it were playing dead.
Victor's voice brought him away from the wolf and back to the task at hand. "Alright, boys, help me get this guy out."
Hank and Charles dug out work gloves from their jean pockets while the trucker grabbed the cage with his bare hands. Together they got a good grip on the metal bars and hefted the entire carrier out in one clean movement. Victor dropped his side carelessly when they set it down, almost catching Hank's hands between the ground and the bottom of the cage. The vet yelped and flashed the man a look. Victor simply looked uninterested as he shrugged.
"Well, my job here is done."
"Thank you for bringing him all this way," Charles said again, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a generous tip for the driver. "Again, it was a great help."
Victor gave the money a long stare before taking it, his mouth pulling into the first flash of a smile since his arrival. The smile looked more like a grimace, but Charles would take it.
"You be careful with that wild animal, now," Victor chided, not even looking at the wolf as he pocketed the money.
Charles' smile fell a little as he turned to look at the wolf again. It still slept like the dead. When he looked back up, the trucker was locking up the back once again before moving to get into the truck. The Reserve staff waited patiently as the white vehicle roared to life and bumped down the road.
Only when it was a halfway down the driveway did Hank sigh, "That man was an idiot."
"Hank." Charles turned to give the younger man a well meaning look but the other just shook his head and bent down beside the cage of the Mexican Grey.
"Didn't even know what sedative he gave the wolf. Aren't they supposed to be medically trained? At least with the basics."
"We'll discuss it if there's a problem with the wolf," Charles answered, bending down beside him. "Now let's just get this guy checked into his new home."
At that moment Sean and Alex came strolling out of the front doors, taking their time while talking animatedly and laughing. Charles did his best not to sigh as he called out to them, "Boys, do you mind? We have some things that need to get done."
That startled Sean into a brisker pace. Charles had complained to Moira once before about the intern's leisurely attitude towards the work, and for a couple months after that he had noticed a new swift and earnest attitude in the boy while Moira smiled at her computer screen and said nothing. Now whenever he chastised Sean even a little, he worked hard to redeem himself. Whatever Moira had said to him had really motivated him, or possibly scared him into submission. He wouldn't put it pass Moira MacTaggart.
Alex seemed just as surprised by the abrupt change as he jogged behind Sean, giving Charles a an awestruck look.
"What do you need, Prof?" Sean asked as soon as they came to a complete stop. His eyes wandered down to the wolf and widened. "Shit, is that the wolf? Why is it dead?"
"It's sedated," Hank sighed in an exasperated tone.
"We need to carry this entire crate to the clinic," Charles explained. "We'll need everyone's help. Hank will give the wolf a check-up, and then we're going to put it in its pen. Alex, while Hank looks over it I need you to make sure the Grey has water and food ready in its new home. It's going to be dehydrated when it wakes up."
Alex nodded, his face set in a no-nonsense attitude. "Understood."
"Alright." Charles ran a hand through his hair as he looked back down at the metal crate. "Everyone take a side. On the count of three, we'll lift."
XXX
The check-up lasted thirty minutes, until Hank deemed the wolf free of viruses or infection. Still, the animal was underweight and malnourished. Charles had expected as much after reading the Mexican Grey's initial report, but actually seeing it made him feel nauseous.
The wolf's ribs were visible even through its fur. There were markings on its front and hind legs where it had been chained up, and around its neck the skin and hair had been rubbed raw, displaying a painful red rash. Lesser cuts decorated its muzzle and belly, but they were already in the process of healing. The wolf's entire body was already beginning to hide the days of abuse it had withstood, but it would take much longer time for the psychological healing to occur. If it ever did.
Sean hissed loudly as the damage became more and more clear. "They really did a number on this guy, huh?"
"They did," Charles said, brushing his hand across the grey fur. It felt coarse against his soft fingertips but he continued the soothing gesture. Even if the wolf was unaware of it. "But that's why he's here."
"Charles, you're going to have to make sure he gets the right supplements in his food. Don't overfeed him, but give him a little more to eat for dinner and give him these vitamins with his food." Hank pulled out a bottle of pills and slipped it into Charles' awaiting hands.
The professor nodded. "Oh course."
"I'll give you some sedatives to keep on hand here, just in case he acts out. Which, I shouldn't have to remind you, is still a very real possibility." Hank eyed him intently from behind his thick glasses while his hand rummaged for more sedatives. Sean took them and immediately threw them in the nearby fridge.
"I'll prescribe some ointment for his skin. It's dry, which is bad for the burns, so put this on once every two days." Charles nodded while Hank pushed up his glasses, "And finally, it's going to get cold here soon. The Mexican Grey isn't used to this kind of winter, so I suggest you put some blankets in its pen or figure out some way to keep it warm. I doubt it will be growing a winter coat."
"Understood." Charles' mind was already going over the list again while Hank wrote down the name of the skin ointment and a list of recommended eating supplements. While the vet busied himself with the list, Charles and Alex hauled the animal off the examination table and back into its crate. The Mexican Grey was probably the lightest wolf he had ever handled. They were supposed to be small wolves, but its weight was still unsettling.
"We'll take him out while you finish up in here," he suggested, looking up at Hank who was still fiddling with his list.
The younger man looked up, dark eyes blinking rapidly before he nodded. "What? Oh yes, okay. I'll meet you outside."
With a nod, Sean and Alex hurried over to the crate and helped Charles lift it off the ground. Even with just the three of them, the weight of the carrier was insignificant. The heaviest part was the metal, the wolf itself being hardly noticeable. The three of them moved slowly at first, trying not to bump anything as they moved out the door. Once outside though, Charles urged them to move faster in case the wolf woke soon.
In ten minutes they were gently placing the wolf's body onto the soft, newly dug soil and quietly leaving the kennel. When the kennel lock clicked behind them, Charles sighed and rested his head against the wire. Finally able to relax.
They all stared at the unmoving animal for a long moment, taking in their new charge with intense curiosity.
"We need to give him a name…" Sean said suddenly.
Charles glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "You do not get to name him this time."
"Aw, why not? I always pick awesome names!"
"Because you've named the last five wolves," Charles stated. "Someone new gets a chance this time."
The mansion door slammed loudly behind them. They all turned to look, expecting to see just Hank making his ways towards them. Instead, Charles saw Raven happily clutching the Vet's arm while Hank stammered in conversation. Erik loomed behind them, shooting a displeased look at Hank that the other man fortunately missed.
Charles smiled and shook his head just as Raven noticed them and called out. "Hey! Is he here?"
"We wouldn't be standing around his pen if he weren't here," Alex pointed out.
As they neared the others, Raven detached herself from Hank's arm and jabbed Alex playfully in the shoulder for his backtalk. The blond laughed but rubbed his shoulder where Charles was sure a bruise would be forming. Sometimes Raven still didn't realize how much stronger she was than humans.
His sister's eyes immediately turned to the kennel and took in the creature lying there. "Is he even alive?"
Charles sighed. "Yes, and he should be waking up soon, so step away from the fence."
Raven looked up and flashed him a smile. "Look who's talking," she said, eyeing Charles' fingers wedged between the wires.
The professor gave a thin-lipped smile, and they both took a few steps back from the kennel. His eyes left Raven and moved to Erik. Both of the Weres had changed out of their work out clothing, which was a shame. Erik drenched in sweat was usually a great sight to behold. Still, in his jeans and black t-shirt, he looked as handsome as always.
The Were raised a brow at Charles' appraising look, showing he'd read the thoughts passing through the Professor's mind. Erik couldn't hide the smirk as he asked, "What are you three doing now?"
"We're trying to figure out a name for it," Sean replied.
Raven rolled her eyes. "Please tell me Charles vetoed anything you already came up with."
"No, apparently I'm not even allowed to offer my opinion on the matter," Sean made a show of pouting over the decision while Raven just sighed.
"Oh, thank God."
"Hey!"
"I think either Erik or Alex should name it," Charles spoke up, using his teaching voice to silence the ongoing argument.
The group grew quiet. Alex's eyes were wide while Erik's brows narrowed just the slightest bit. Raven and Sean looked at eachother, then to Charles for further explanation. He shrugged, "Our newest members should name our newest wolf. I think that's fair."
"Fine!" Sean huffed, clearly all drama with no real remorse in the utterance.
With the redhead's resignation, all eyes turned to the-would be namers. Alex's face turned pink under their gaze. "Look, I'm not great at naming things," he admitted without meeting anyone's eyes. "I couldn't even name my fish when I had one. I just called it fish, sooo…"
"Just try to think of something," Charles encouraged softly before turning to Erik. "What about you?"
Erik's mouth was a straight line as he looked at the pen behind them. He stared at the motionless animal. He shrugged his shoulders slowly, and Charles assumed he was going to give up as well before his stern voice washed over all of them. "I like Pietro…"
"Pietro?" Raven repeated, looking back down at the wolf. Then she laughed, not unkindly, as she said, "God, Erik, could you think of a more stereotypical name?"
"Hey, Erik, are you a comic book fan?" Sean asked suddenly. "Because - you know, in this one, the villain has kids and one's name is…"
"Pietro is a fine name," Charles interrupted, giving Sean a sharp look. The intern flashed him an apologetic smile before trailing off, "I'll shut up now," under his breath.
The biologist redirected his gaze to Alex. "If it's fine with Alex, of course."
The blond shrugged, "Better than anything I would have come up with."
"Perfect!' Charles said with a clap of hands. "Then it's settled." He turned and looked at the unresponsive wolf. "Welcome to the family, Pietro."
XXX
Pietro, it later turned out, was like no other wolf Charles had ever dealt with. When the wolf awoke, he became a non-stop flurry of snapping jaws and frazzled movements. He entertained himself for awhile with trying to chew through the wire of his pen, then went about sniffing angrily, marking his new territory. Not once did he stop snarling at the humans watching him, and after failing to break out of the cage he never came within three feet of the fence.
Sean looked at the wolf as if it was the first wild animal he had ever seen - which, compared to Charles' other wolves, was probably truth. Pietro was as wild as they came.
Alex merely seemed disappointed when the wolf backed away from the fence, and sad when it never stopped its angry growling.
Charles simply shook his head and wondered out loud if he should get something to coat the fence, to stop the wolf's chewing habit.
Erik just watched.
He noted every tense movement Pietro made. Followed the patterns it paced, and stared back as the animal's eyes took each and every one of them in with the distrust and fear of an abuse victim. When Pietro's wild green eyes met his own, the wolf paused for a full minute. Which was some improvement, at least.
For Erik it was the most surreal feeling, watching the Mexican Grey. It was partly seeing the animal Charles had obsessed over and cared for ever since he'd first met him. But more than that, Erik felt like he was looking at the mirror image of himself. Stalking his way across the earth, angry about his situation and the people who surrounded him. At least that had been him until a few short days ago, before Charles worked his magic.
If anyone could help Pietro, Erik thought solemnly, it was Charles.
XXX
Eventually Sean excused himself to go do his school work. Darwin returned from the errands he went to run in town. He looked at Pietro, then turned to Alex and offered the distraction of moving more things into the mansion, which the blond gladly took. Hank had to leave, but Raven coaxed him into the house for a soda, leaving Charles and Erik alone outside watching Pietro continue to stalk around his pen.
The silence hanging over them was a new experience. Usually Charles was chatty around his favorite animals, but Pietro's condition sobered him in the face of the harsh realities some animals had to bear.
Erik quietly stretched his back and licked his lips. "He not what you expected?" he eyed the Professor out of the corner of his eyes and saw the small head shake.
"No. He's exactly how I expected him to be. That still doesn't mean I'm not shocked," Charles said calmly.
Erik turned back to the animal, studying the numerous man-made scars along its legs and the sickening cavity in its abdomen. "Is he beyond fixing?" The question had been gnawing at his mind ever since the Mexican Grey's unsociable personality came to life. He didn't know Charles' methods for integrating a wolf back into the wilderness, but it looked like nothing would be able to make Pietro anything less than dangerous.
He tried not to look at Charles as the smaller man answered, "I don't know." There was a long silence as Charles seemed to assess his options. "I'm definitely going to have to go about things differently with this one, and there's no guarantee that he'll be eligible for release, but if that's the case he'll just have to live out the rest of his days here."
"You'd let something this wild stay on your property?" Erik couldn't help but snort. "What if he hurt one of your visitors, or your workers?" He didn't worry about any of the wolves attacking Raven - her reflexes were quick - but Charles could easily be betrayed by the animals he seemed to love so much. It was already a miracle the man didn't have any telling scars from wolf mishaps in the past. Usually people who worked with wild animals as long as Charles had had one or two close calls.
Charles' jaw worked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Instead he sighed, "All wolves are wild, Erik. It's just their nature. I don't allow myself to think for one second that my animals are anything but that."
Then Erik felt his companion's solemn gaze turn towards him. He refused to look back. He couldn't be sure what emotions were playing across Charles' face as he spoke, and he was too much of a coward to find out. "Just because they're wild, though, doesn't mean that they are broken. They all have a place here."
He was at a loss for what to say to Charles' words. Their undertone made his stomach clench painfully, making it difficult just to get out, "That's noble of you, Charles,"
"Hardly," Charles replied, laughing briskly, "just what I love to do." He stood up, brushing the leaves and dirt from his clothing, and turned to the Were. His blue eyes looked glassy in the bright autumn sun and the freckles on his face stood out more prominently in small blotches. "I need to go in and start on a plan for our friend Pietro here. Will you be all right for the rest of the evening?"
Erik nodded. "Of course."
Charles smiled before dropping his gaze to his shoes, "I'd like to tell you what I come up with later tonight, possibly," he offered, a crimson blush creeping up the sides of his neck.
Erik had to bite down on a smile. Neither of them were brave enough to directly address the change in their relationship for what it truly was. Mutual comfort for a short and limited time, yet they couldn't stop it. The invitations of chess and liquored conversations turned into much more without any prompting anymore. Erik was just as guilty as Charles for letting it happen, but he was probably the only one who regretted it, even a little.
Still, the shy smiles and inventive ways Charles came up with to buy them time alone were amusing and always sent a thrill of heat from Erik's heart to his groin. He nodded, trying hard not to look up and down Charles' slender body. Even hiding behind layers of baggy farm clothes, the image of pale lean muscles came to him as easily as if Charles were standing naked before him.
Pietro snarled behind them, causing Charles to straighten up and run his hands nervously through his locks. His face betrayed embarrassment as if caught red handed. "Right, then I shall see you later inside."
"I expect a full report later tonight," Erik said, enjoying the earnest smile that pulled at Charles' lips in response before the biologist jogged off towards the house.
As Charles passed him, Erik took the chance to sniff at the air for good measure, taking in the scent of pine trees and earl grey tea with a deep sigh. Pietro's musk was in the air as well, a combination of sand and what Erik imagined to be cactus along with medicine and the stink of stale fur. Something else lingered between the two scents, though.
He frowned, drawing his brows together as he took another tentative breath. In the presence of the others, he hadn't allowed himself to get too close to Charles, so he couldn't have caught it earlier, not with six other unique odors around him. Now he could only detect the smell, not the source or any defining traits.
He glared down at the pen where Pietro was busy rolling in the fresh patch of dried mud. An unsettling feeling caused Erik to remain rooted in front of the wolf's kennel. Every muscle had tensed as soon as he sniffed Charles, and he couldn't figure out the reason behind it.
It wasn't just Charles, though. The smell clung to Pietro as well. He bit the inside of his cheek and took a step towards the wolf, hoping to get close enough that he might be able to pick up something else.
Immediately Pietro's attention snapped towards him and the wolf bared his teeth.
Erik could barely hold in a eye roll. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, the softness in his voice surprising himself, but the wolf backed further away from the gate and he cursed under his breath. "Come here."
At that moment his phone vibrated in his pants pocket, causing another curse to erupt from his mouth as Pietro snapped his teeth in irritation and darted behind a cluster of trees. "Shit," Erik snapped, digging into his pocket for the offending device. His irritation radiated off him in waves that would put the ocean to shame. Without even glancing down at the phone he snapped it open and mimicked the wolf that until moments ago had been in front of him as he snarled, "What?"
"Erik," a smooth voice drawled on the other end of the line. "Is that any way to greet your pack master?"
Suddenly the fall breeze seemed to have a bite of winter to it and Erik felt cold. "Shaw," he croaked as his leader laughed into his ear.
"Yes, sorry I've been out of touch for so long." The man didn't sound sorry at all as he sighed into the phone. "Now, I believe we have business to discuss."