Disclaimer: I do not own the Fable universe. Characters you do not recognize were created by me for the purposes of this story. Balverine culture, beliefs and characteristics have mostly been made up by me, as there is not a lot of information out there. Most of what I describe are wolf characteristics, but not all as I have taken some creative liberties. Chapter contains scenes of a very mature nature, do not continue if anything of that nature could offend you (sex, violence, sub/dom, non-con, etc). Any and all feedback is always appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to read!

And sorry for the delay in updating, life has been a little crazy lately, but I assure you I am still very much eager to write more chapters for "Wolves" :) All the best! - Fallon.

Chapter Thirteen

Ezra sat in his chair and stared into the fire as it crackled wildly. The image of Von and Maya sitting together on the hill overlooking the cemetery kept replaying in his mind, and he could practically see their forms in the fire.

His grip on his wine glass became too much and a thin crack went up the side.

Vienna was playing with Shiloh in the corner of the room but she heard the glass crack and glanced up. She was no fool, she knew that her mate was looking elsewhere for one to provide him sons. It was well known that females of the Family were not the most fertile bunch, and she suspected he was looking outside of the Family for a potential mate. Whether or not he would admit it, she knew him well, knew what caught his eye. And she was fairly certain the Princess of Albion had captured his fancy.

Still, she could not help but want to try to save her union with Ezra. Mates were rarely abandoned, as pairs were expected to stay together for life. But if a mate was tossed aside...well, she did not want to consider her fate.

Ezra had changed much in the time they had been together. Fuelled by his desire to have a son, he seemed to love her less and less every time she had her monthly bleed. The times his seed had taken root, the child had been lost in the first few months. She knew he hated her for it, and she hated her body for not being strong enough to carry a child. But what disturbed her most of all was that a part of her still loved him.

Quietly, she asked Shiloh to leave the room, which the little girl did without question.

Vienna stood, pressed out the folds of her dress, and approached her mate.

Ezra heard her approaching him, "What do you want, Vienna?" He demanded before she even reached him.

She refused to be dissuaded though, "You, my love..." She purred once she was standing before him. Once upon a time, that was all it took to arouse him. A purr, a beg...little more. Now, much of the time, he looked at her as if he was looking at his mother.

"I haven't the time for this, leave." He growled, his eyes fixed on the fire.

Vienna grabbed the arms of the chair and leaned in, pressing her lips to his ear, "Don't you want me, Ezra? Do you not want to claim your mate?"

He looked up at her and was overcome by the desire to slap the smirk off her face, "I have claimed you, Vienna, many times."

Her lip began to tremble, "Ezra...please touch me, my love." She grabbed his hand and put it on her hip.

Ezra rubbed his thumb against her, but kept his eyes from her face.

Encouraged, Vienna hiked up her dress and sat on his lap, thankful for the long slits up either side of her skirt. She licked his neck and tugged at the neckline of his shirt, trying to get a rise out of him. He always did like desperate, eager hands.

He sighed and roughly grabbed her posterior, "Oh, Vienna," He said, as if disappointed in her, "what have I told you?"

She eyed him playfully and licked her lips, "Hmm, nothing comes to mind -"

He stood, taking her with him, and roughly tossed her down on a nearby lounge. He glared at her like she was a cornered prey, "Only I do the mounting, love."

She sat herself up, but he pushed her back down and clawed at the clasps of her dress. He hooked his fingers under the fabric, and tore it from her. She had lost many dresses to Ezra's impatient hands over the years, this was merely one of many.

Vienna's head rolled back as Ezra pinned her arms down and roughly sucked her nipples. He straddled her, keeping her squirming legs still as he sucked until she was red and sore. Ezra was not a gentle lover, never had been and, she suspected, ever would be. Even for her first time he had not been gentle, and as a result, she hadn't been able to sit comfortably for over a week.

He bit her hard and she snapped back into reality. In the past, she had enjoyed his rough love making, but she could sense something was off this time.

Ezra sliced the remaining fabric from her body, leaving her in only her panties and her stockings.

He produced a length of red satin from under the cushion and quickly bound her hands. As a balverine, she could get out of it if she really wanted to, but she feared backing out now. Instead, she allowed him to tie her hands over her head and to the leg of the lounge, deciding that defying him when he was in such a state was not a wise idea.

Satisfied with how vulnerable she looked, Ezra roughly spread her legs and nibbled his way up her thighs. Every other bite, he would suck hard enough to leave her with a large welt. His nails grazed her flesh and she grinned as she bucked her hips.

He hurried to free his erection with one hand, and used the other to rip off Vienna's panties.

Ezra was very to-the-point. There was no beating around the bush, he always went for exactly what he wanted. Sometimes though, just sometimes, she wished there was more love involved. But her union was at stake, so she would not frustrate him with her delusions.

She winced as he jammed two fingers into her and gave a loud whimper as he ran the sharp nail of his thumb over her clit, "E-Ezra!"

He lifted up her leg and bit her calf hard enough to draw blood. "Beg," he commanded simply, "now."

She pushed her hips into his hand, "P-Please..."

Ezra leaned forward and bit her nipple.

She winced, starting to get scared, "P-Please...take me..."

Still not satisfied, Ezra withdrew his fingers and dragged his long nails down her stomach, "Vienna..." He warned.

She lifted up her hips, "Please...I need to feel you inside of me..."

He pressed his lips to her ear, "When I am finished with you," he teased, "you won't be able to walk."

Vienna bit her lip and gasped as he jerked her legs apart, gripped her buttocks, and positioned himself at her opening.

He did not wait for her to ready herself. Instead, he forced himself into her with a single thrust, sighing in contentment as she clenched around him like a vice.

Vienna whimpered and tugged at the restraints that kept her hands back. The pain was sharp, and he didn't give her time to adjust once he was inside her.

"E-Ezra!" She gasped through clenched teeth as he mercilessly slammed into her, "P-P-Please!"

He loomed over her, panting into the curve of her neck as he ignored her pleas for him to slow down and pushed deep into her, stopping his motions so she could feel every inch.

It was enough to send her over the edge, "Ezra!" Her eyes were wide and full of unshed tears. She clawed at his back until her nails grew into talons, and then she dug into his flesh.

He grabbed her torn panties, balled them up, and shoved them in her mouth. He kiss her lips, and slipped out of her, only to pound in again.

She kept her legs as limp as she could as he continued, trying to keep her grunts and groans to a minimum. He was only ever this rough with her when he was angry, whether it was at her or at Von, she had no idea.

Ezra was pumping into her with little resistance now, and she could smell her blood in the air.

He could smell it too, and it put a crazed look in his eyes. His lips returned to her sore nipples and he lowered his entire body weight onto her as his thrusts became painfully desperate. She tried to close her legs, but it was doing little to slow him.

He licked her ear and groaned, "Maya..."

Vienna's heart shattered and she sobbed as he whispered the Princess's name into her ear again and again.

He pinched and twisted her nipple between his fingers, "So tight..."

She tried to speak, tried to tell him she wasn't Maya, but the gag and her own panic weren't making it easy.

Suddenly, he pulled out and flipped her over so her posterior was in the air. The restraints twisted around her wrists and she was even more restricted than before. Ezra seemed to notice, and like it. He pushed her down so her chest and head were pressed against the lounge, and spread her cheeks, "Von will never want you after I'm done with you..."

So that was it, she guessed, Von and Ezra wanted the same thing!

Damn him, she cursed, damn him to Skorm!

He didn't give her anymore time to consider it though, as he forced himself back into her...and not into her womanhood.

Vienna screamed into the gag and shook her hips, trying to get him out. Her muffled pleas went unheeded.

Ezra grinned and sighed as he slowly pushed into her rear entrance, "Much better..."

She sobbed and tried to tell him to stop, but he slammed the rest of his cock into her and a pained howl escaped the gag in her mouth.

He clenched her buttocks, his claws breaking skin, and began pounding into her as if he wasn't causing her such unbearable agony. She tried to fight him off of her, but he was strong, so much more than she was. His grip on her was iron-tight, both physically and emotionally.

She felt like she was going to pass out, but Ezra slapped her bottom and brought her back to reality, "Almost there, Princess..."

His fingers dug into her hips and he practically pulled her entire body into him as his thrusts became shorter. He lifted up her leg and slipped a hand around, smiling as he found her throbbing clit. He flicked it as he came.

"M-Maya!"

Vienna squealed as his seed pumped into her, and only went limp when he finally pulled out.

Ezra took a few deep breaths, then untied her arms like nothing had happened.

He went back to his chair and picked up his wine glass as he brushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

Vienna watched him from the lounge through watery eyes. She knew he had heard her telling him to stop and she knew he had said Maya's name on purpose, and that knowledge hurt her more than her backside.

Trembling, Vienna pushed herself up and cringed. She slipped a hand down between her legs and gently cupped herself. It felt like it had been her first time, but as he had said, Ezra had claimed her many times.

She pulled her hand back and choked on a sob - her hand was covered in her blood and his seed.

She looked back to him, and saw that he was glaring at her from the corner of his eye.

Her fangs sprouted as anger shook her sore, abused body. He had taken her only to prove a point, and she had heard his message loud and clear.

It was simple, but it cut her right to the bone - 'I don't need you anymore'.

Maya gasped as the trigger was pulled and a bullet tore through Major Swift's head. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud that churned her stomach and she fought the overwhelming desire to shot her brother then and there.

Ben stood wide-eyed beside her, his mouth hanging open in a silent cry, and she hurried to grab his arm and lead him far from the courtyard.

She grasped the sleeve of his shirt and he followed her through the crowd like an obedient child.

Maya did not stop until they passed into the sewers of Industrial.

Ben sat on a barrel and held his head in his hands and she paced, trying to think of something to say to the defeated Captain. She knew how close they were, and wished that she knew some sort of spell that would bring the Major back. But alas, spells did not work that way - at least not her's.

"Maya..." Ben finally said as tears fell down his dirty cheeks, "he...he's g-gone..."

She approached him and knelt, grasping his hands and pulling them from his face so she could look him in the eye, "There was nothing we could do..."

He nodded as he choked on a sob, "But we were right there! We failed -"

She squeezed his hands, aware her own tears were falling, "You and I didn't fail, Ben. Logan is to blame for this, no one else."

Ben roughly brushed aside his tears, "But he was my mate, he saved me for Avo's sake! And look at how I thanked him!"

Maya hugged him, resting her cheek on his shoulder, "Thank him by leading a good life, Ben. He loved you, and would have wanted as much."

"You hardly knew him..." He muttered into her hair.

She held him closer, needing the contact just as much as he did, "I knew him well enough to know he was a saint for putting up with you, Benjamin Finn. And I'll miss him both as an ally and a friend."

Ben tentatively touched her back, not sure if he was allowed to return the embrace, "I wish he had said no when you and Wally asked for our help..."

She nodded, "So do I, Ben."

His stubble rubbed against her neck and she swallowed a gasp as he kissed her neck. She looked over his shoulder, and saw nobody, but had a feeling someone was watching.

Ben placed kisses up her neck, along her jaw line and stopped just short of her lips. He searched her eyes, seeking her permission.

Maya knew he was acting only on his desire for comfort, that he was simply wrought with pain. So she did not stop him.

He kissed her, and she could taste his tears on his lips. It was simple and chaste, even though she found his lips to be surprisingly soft despite the roughness of his features.

Ben pulled away without deepening the kiss, and rested his head on her shoulder, "Sorry, Princess..."

"Don't apologize..." she smirked, "but don't tell anyone either."

He kissed her neck again, "Normally I'd brag, but I suppose it can be our secret." He smiled sadly, "Swift'd kill me if he knew I did that."

"So would Walter." Maya teased.

Ben inhaled sharply and straightened up, "I'd better tell Page and Walter the news...before they hear it from someone else." He looked stern, but his eyes were still cloudy with tears.

Maya squeezed his hand, "You're a good man, Ben Finn."

He shrugged, "I'm not so sure anymore...but thank you...for everything. You're a good friend."

"No problem," she let go of his hand, "we'll get through this, Ben, and be all the stronger for it."

He nodded, and she could tell from the look in his eyes that he did believe her, even though the hurt was still so fresh. She watched him walk down the sewer line towards Page's room, and once she was sure he was gone, sat on the barrel and hung her head.

Von watched her from the shadows of the sewer.

He had been following her since she left the Pines, and had witnessed Major Swift's execution...and her kiss with the Captain.

Though it seemed innocent enough, it enraged him. Ben Finn was a skirt-chasing pig as far as Von was concerned, and the fact Maya would allow him so close to her was revolting. If Finn was the type of male the Princess sought in a mate, then Von was sure she was out of her mind. In the Family, males like Finn were often run out for their Casanova ways and lack of respect for the Alpha.

Von saw him as just that, a male that needed to be run off.

Maya looked up and scanned the darkness around her, "Are you there, Von?"

He didn't respond. How could she have seen him?

"Von?" She asked again.

He sighed and stepped forward, "Yes, Princess."

She sniffled slightly, and he realized she was close to tears, "How long have you been there?"

He shrugged as he approached her, "Long enough. I'm surprised you noticed I was there though..." He waited for an explanation.

"Just had a feeling I guess," she stood, "the room always feels different when you're around."

"What does that mean?" Humans were so complicated. In the Pines, everything was understood. Outside of it though, people spoke in riddles and lied through their teeth.

She looked at him strangely, "I really don't know what you're asking, Von. Does it matter?"

He frowned, "Balverines are meant to blend into the shadows, and not be heard even if they're a foot away from their prey."

"Prey?" She raised an eyebrow, "Maybe you're just loosing your touch being outside the woods?"

He considered it for a moment, then shook his head, "Hardly." He returned to the subject that was eating at him, "I did not think you would allow one such as Finn to court you."

Maya crossed her arms, but didn't seem confrontational, "He's not...we just saw Major Swift killed and I guess...I guess he just needed closeness." She shrugged, not knowing how to explain it any better.

He knew he shouldn't push the matter, but his mouth was faster than his head, "And you think he'll not expect more?"

Her lips twitched as she thought about it, and she recalled what Page had told her earlier. She suddenly felt awful, as if she had played with him. And at such a vulnerable time too, "I don't know...maybe...I -" She shut her mouth before she dug her hole any deeper. Maya decided she'd speak to Ben about it...if he approached her that was. She felt better simply pretending it didn't happen.

She eyed Von, "Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"Can't I?" He shifted on his heels, "I recall we declared a truce, you and I."

"We did, but I hardly expected you to care whom I kiss." Maya said with a cocky smirk.

He cleared his throat, "I don't. But Ezra -"

"Told you to keep me safe," she smiled, "I know, you've reminded me often enough."

"You seem to forget it often enough," he countered, his lips curled into one of his rare grins, "now, shall we rejoin our fellow revolutionaries?"

The rug was ripped out from under her feet as she remembered why they were there, "Oh, well...I guess..." How could she forget - Swift wasn't going to be there to greet her in the map room. The tell-tale smell of pipe smoke wasn't going to be there, nor his cheerful banter and genuine concern.

Von noticed her smile fall, "I was there, Princess, there was nothing any of us could have done to save him."

She brushed aside a fallen tear, "I know, but..."

He cocked an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

"But he's just one more man to have died for me," she looked at the ground, "I don't want there to be any more."

"There will be," Von said as delicately as he could, "we are at war. People die, Princess, even good people."

"Well what if I don't want this anymore?"

"We are far past the point of no return -" Von's scar pulsed and he stopped to clutch it.

"Are you alright?" Maya asked in a panic.

It pulsed it time with her voice.

Von took a step back, but she matched it, "Please, speak to me!"

When he didn't answer, she quickly removed her gauntlet and reached out to touch the scar. Von winced, but allowed her to touch him once he noticed her gauntlet had been removed.

"It's warm..." She muttered, tracing her fingers up it.

Von tried not to shiver at her touch, "It flares up...sometimes to the point were I swear my skin is on fire."

She glanced at his eyes, then back to the scar, "I wish I had an answer for you." She had yet to meet with Theresa, "I wish I hadn't struck you."

A small growl bubbled in his throat, "I suppose I deserved it...the slap I mean, not the scar."

She chuckled softly, "Well -"

"Oi, you coming?" Ben said, poking his head around the bend in the sewers. He noticed Von, and that Maya's hand was on his cheek, "Oh...um...sorry for interrupting, Princess."

Maya quickly pulled her hand away and the tingling returned to the scar. Von's heart sunk as the familiar feeling returned, and touched the scar to will it away again.

She turned to Ben, "We'll be right there, Ben."

He nodded, glancing between the two, and hurried off.

She turned back to Von and saw that he was touching the scar, "I thought it didn't hurt anymore..."

"It didn't," he admitted, "but the feeling returned once...once you removed your hand." The more he thought about it, the more he realized the scar either acted up when he was far from her, or when he was close to her. Being on the other side of a room from her didn't cause it to flare, but if he left the region, like he did upon returning to Silverpines without her, it became almost unbearable. But this was the first time she had touched his skin, and it had silenced the burn. It was certainly interesting, if not mildly disconcerting.

She looked down at her hand, "Hmm," she made a fist, "maybe it will go away if I punch you?"

"No," Von said quickly, "I doubt that will work."

"Are you sure? I could try..." She pulled back her hand.

Von grabbed her fist, "No thank you, Princess."

She sauntered ahead to follow Ben, "You try to help a guy out..."

Von watched her for a moment, the sway of her hips and the bounce of her hair, and wondered what would come of her after she took the throne. Logan was her flesh and blood, perhaps she would turn out just like him?

Well Von doubted that, he wondered what would happen between them after she took the throne. They had made good progress, had become civil and almost friendly, but he doubted she would want a balverine in her castle.

"Coming, Von?" She asked over her shoulder.

He followed her, and decided to put his trust in her becoming a good queen, whether or not she allowed him into the castle didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Von watched her hips shake, but tried to keep his eyes down so as not to offend her should she turn.

His chest tightened.

She was a princess, and was soon going to be a queen (and a good one, hopefully). He was a balverine with no title and no land of worth. Surely she would forget about him as soon as the crown touched her brow. Their paths would not cross again, and he would never have the chance to know what her hair running through his fingers would feel like.