"Where's Steve?" Danny asked coldly, doing his best to keep as calm as possible. The details of the situation ran automatically through the detective's brain to assist in analyzing the risk.

Nick was probably one of the bad guys, but it wasn't decisive. He was standing at his door alone. Steve was nowhere to be found. Nick probably had his phone. If so, Nick read the message. Did he understand the warning?

"Busy," Nick answered and invited himself in, pushing himself between Danny and the door frame. "I thought we could talk."

Danny shoved his phone into his pocket as naturally as possible, pressing buttons blindly. Kono was his last call. He just needed to hit the redial. "You and I? What do we have to talk about?"

The tall redhead stepped into the middle of the room, looking around, just like Steve did several nights ago. Danny was intrigued and slightly annoyed then. Now he felt cold fear.

"Steve must trust you a lot if he let you in on his… true self, and told you about Hesse. Yet you only met him...about a week ago?"

"He does, yes." Danny affirmed. His gun was in a drawer next to the couch. He didn't lock it yet, he rarely did when grace was not around. "We may have met officially only few days ago, but I'm pretty sure he did a thorough background check on me before that. You probably know how he is."

"Yes, I do." Nick set himself on one of the kitchen chairs. Danny sat on the couch, close to the nightstand which held the gun.

"What do you want, Taylor?" Danny asked impatiently. He emphasized the name, saying it loud enough so if Kono was indeed on the line she would hear it. Nick eyed him intently. Danny really hoped she heard it.

"I told you. To talk. As you said, I know Steve. He is an honorable man...and wolf. Too stubborn at times. So much so that it interferes with his foresight at times."

"Does it?" Danny asked. He was only half listening to the man, trying to pick up any sound that might indicate someone was on the other side of his phone.

"Yes. Like the way he dropped everything and took over being Alpha the minute his father was killed."

"Murdered" Danny corrected

"I'm sure he thought that he was helping the pack. A pack that he hardly knows, and he dropped his naval career for this."

"I really think you should discuss this with Steve." Danny suggested. He laid his arm casually on top of the nightstand, hand slumped over the drawer. He was calculating how long it would take him to pull out his gun.

"I did. He insists on the old ways, on commitment to his old pack. Sentimental crap."

"I'm sure you were happy that he is that committed and loyal when you served together."

Nick nodded his agreement. He stood up again, placing his hands on his hips. "That's just it. It was a greater cause, and he abandoned it for a bunch of lazy, ungrateful wolves."

"What do you want with me, Nick?" Danny asked again. The tension was choking, he wished the guy would reach the point. He also knew he had to stall for time.

"Look, I know Steve is somewhat taken by you. And I know you...found something about me." Nick admitted. Danny tensed even more, he didn't realize that was possible. "But it's not what you think."

"It's not?" Danny repeated his words "You are not...experimenting on wolves' blood?"

Nick blinked. "It's... for the greater good."

"Murdering for the greater good?" Danny said incredulously. His fingers were already playing seemingly absent mindedly with the drawer handle. Nick was eyeing him, taking a step closer, moving between Danny and the door.

"The killing is unfortunate. It doesn't have to be like this. If there was any chance that Steve would cooperate... "

"So what, you think I can talk Steve into cooperating with it? With experimenting on his pack?"

"I hoped, maybe. I knew it was a long shot." Nick now held his hands tense to the side of his body. "I'm sorry, I can't let you interfere with this."

"Steve's wolves are just outside, watching the house."

"I sent them back. Told them Steve ordered me to watch you."

"Steve will know what you did!" Danny didn't think his heart could race that fast with him still being able to talk.

"I'll be long gone with Hesse by the time he figures this out."

Danny threw the drawer open and pulled the gun out, his eyes were still trained on Nick as the man started to shift, ripping his clothes in the process. He wasn't very far, but the change in his shape and mass made it hard to aim. Danny shot anyway, he was sure he got a few hits because the large ginger wolf stumbled back, but he didn't stay to check. He remembered all too well how little the bullets did to slow Steve down in the jungle. He jumped over the couch, darted into Grace's room, slammed the door behind him and pulled the small desk over to block it.

He pulled out his phone, somewhat relieved to see Kono was indeed online.

"Kono!" he breathed into the phone, taking position at the far side of the room, pointing his gun toward the door.

"Hang on, Danny, I've alerted HPD and I'm almost there, just hold on!" she shouted back.

Something large slammed into the door, and it flew open, throwing the desk to the side as if it were nothing.

Danny dropped the phone in favor of holding the gun with both hands and fired. The wolf bounced forward, sinking teeth into his right arm, throwing him onto the floor. His head connected with the hard surface, and that, together with the wolf's weight on his chest and the immense pain of the bite caused his vision to darken. Danny yelled out in agony as the wolf shook his arm violently, the gun was released from his grip. His left hand was searching the floor in its reach, desperate for something, anything that could help. His bones were crushing under the pressure of the strong jaws. The pain was blinding.

His hand found something. A delicate string, cold against his fingers, a small smooth surface...he laughed inwardly. Gracie was looking for her lost dolphin pendant for ages. And here he found it, under her bed.

The mangled arm fell uselessly to his chest once the wolf finally released it. The tiny relief was short lived, as he watched the sharp teeth dripping with blood, his blood, aimed for his throat. He was going to die. He would never see his beautiful daughter again. Never see her wearing that pendant.

The realization hit him, bringing him back to his senses like an adrenaline shot. He didn't think about how small the necklace was, just that it was silver. He curled his head, lifted his shoulder in an attempt to protect his neck, and brought his left hand, silver chain entangled in his fingers, forcefully against the wolf's open jaw.

The wolf emitted a painful yelp, throwing its head to the side, and Danny dug his fingers into the side of his head, clinging to the fur. The wolf pulled forcefully, trying to get away from the painful touch, and for a fracture of a second his eyes turned human. Danny kicked as hard as he could, throwing the large animal away from him, he even managed to sit up then got his feet under him, stumbling on his one good arm and knees towards the room door. But then again, claws dug into his back pinning him down, and a sharp set of teeth found his left shoulder.

He heard glass shatter, and an angry growl, then suddenly a shadow flew above him and the weight of the wolf vanished. He didn't waste any time. Dazed and nauseous, pain coursing through his body, blood rushing in his ears, he crawled away, out of the Gracie's room.

An urgent notion passed through his half conscious brain- he didn't want his blood all over Grace's room. He couldn't make it far, the pain was overwhelming, and he was tired. He decided to rest where he was, just for a minute, cheek pressed against the cold floor. He found it hard to focus beyond the hand. His hand, he realized, fingers still tangled in Gracie's chain, the dolphin settled on his thumb. From somewhere behind him there were sounds of scuffling. Growls, howls, choked barks. Two wild animals fighting. But that happened yesterday, didn't it?

"Danny!" He heard an urgent voice from above him "Danny, come on, you need to get up!"

"'M tired, Kono."

She was pushing him, trying to to shove her hands under him. It hurt. "I know, but I can't carry you, and we need to get out of here."

It made sense. He felt exactly the same a few seconds ago. "Where's Steve?" he asked blearily, but made an effort to straighten himself

"I think he is here. Come on," she urged him "Help me, you need to get up"

"We need to warn him, Taylor, he's...bad wolf…" Danny chuckled, then groaned.

"You said Steve has a black pelt? Oh, my god, your hand, shit."

"Yeah, black."

"Then he is doing OK, don't worry. Let's try getting up. On three. One, two..."

"Can't... Kono. Rest… second…" he closed his eyes. The sound faded around him. But then a warm hand was placed against his jaw line. He knew that warmth. He blinked. Steve was talking to him. He looked pale, too pale, there was a strange look in his eyes. Was he panicking? "Steve?"

"Danny, are you with me?"

Steve's voice was tinged with fear. It was disconcerting. Something had to be done. "You...can't keep...clothes on...around me...can you?"

Steve chuckled. It was a short, strained gesture, but Danny marked it as a success. "You need to stay with me, buddy, OK?" Steve said "You're going to be fine."

"Steve," Kono was speaking now "you need to go. HPD would be here any second"

"No, Danny…"

"I'll make sure he is taken care of. You need to go, they can't find you here, not like this."

Danny agreed, "She...right... go."

"No, you need…"

"He needs a hospital right now." Kono declared adamantly

"He's been bitten, what if…?"

"We'll figure it out! go! Can you take the...thing with you?"

Danny could hear sirens. They were close. Just outside. Both of Steve's hand were on him now, caressing his face. "Hang on, Danny. I'll come get you, you just need to hold on."

Danny wanted to put his hand on Steve's to reassure him that he's going to be fine. It took an effort, the pain in his shoulder made him groan, but when he finally made it, finally felt Steve's hand beneath his, the man hissed and pulled his hand away in surprise.

"What…?"

"Sorry...Gracie's...silver... forgot."

"It's fine." Steve smiled at him, it did nothing to relieve the stress etched on his face "Probably saved your life. Just, don't move. I'll come get you at the first possible chance. OK?"

Danny nodded slightly.

"Kono," Steve spoke quietly now, Danny frowned trying to figure out what he was saying "...off his hand, it's…" Then he was gone.

"Stay awake, Danny!" Kono ordered him, he didn't even noticed his eyes were closing. "Help is here."

A/N: A message from Beta Yul: When we came up with the idea for the story, I realized there would be Danny whump. I'm usually the one asking "why so much whump?" and here I was suggesting it. It was difficult reading it, and difficult for Geshem to write it, but here it is.

As Always, reviews would be appreciated