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Chapter 55
John's POV
The next several weeks go smoothly. Aunt Sandra takes over the birthday celebrations, but continues with his bondmates idea of getting gifts for all of the birthdays, not just the children. With her taking over that part of the new moon gathering she had found herself speaking with more of the pack than she had in years. It was a good thing, pulling her out of the depression she had fallen into after granddame's death. The military pack and some of the other members who had joined since his return to London were being further integrated together so it was not as obvious that it was two packs combined. Even the Devon pack was beginning to warm up to the rest of the pack. Though there was a lot of nervousness when any member of the Devon part of the pack comes in contract with Eric, Trace, Damian, Hyder, Scott, Daria, and Jace.

On December fifth everyone gathers for the new moon gathering at the Watson pack home. After the birthday celebrations the adults gather to have the normal meet and greet, though some of the mothers cannot help but stare at the yard and the scene unfolding within it.

Eric is in his half-half form. Instead of legs he has a long black tail that he has curved and somewhat flattened. Several of the smaller children are using him as a playground, their small bodies scampering around him. Some of the children are sliding down his tail, others are climbing all over another part of his tall that he has used for them to jump over. Two of the pups are alternating between human and wolf form, hopping over his tail before losing their concentration and shifting back into human form.

"Oh my, is that quite safe?" one of the wolf mothers who is not really familiar with the cobra inquires.

Before he has a chance to answer Melisa remarks, "Safest place in the world is with that cobra, I remember when I first meet him, scared the living hell out of me, but according to our alpha he loves children, and I saw him get hit by a car to keep a little one from being hit. John was not thrilled with having to patch him up again."

"Really? When did you meet him?" the wolf asks, glancing between the wolf-child and the cobra.

"Iota Symone's funeral, the cobra had come with John to ensure that everything went safely because it was during that two year period where hunters kept cropping up." the dark haired woman replies.

For a moment the mother wolf thinks about it before her eyes go wide, "The tall man in black. The one no one seemed to know who stayed close to the alpha family without being right next to them. I remember seeing him. I hadn't realized it was him."

He smiles remarking, "That was his point. He's rather protective of people he feels loyalty to."

"Oh," the wolf mother murmurs as she continues to watch.

Laying a hand on her shoulder, he mutters, "Shalia, stop worrying."

She nods, smiling at him before going to rejoin some of the other wolf mothers who are discussing what their holiday plans are.

Almost as soon as she vanishes from his side, Aidan appears next to him, I had not realized he likes children so much. I have very few memories of him when I was young.

That's because your dame was a bitch who would not allow him near you three during his grief. Had she had the choice, he never would have seen any of you. As it is, he has lost one daughter to that bitch. The second is an uncertainty at this point, and you had to give up your birth pack in order to get to know him. He replies to the young cobra as he continues to observe the older cobra.

Sighing, the younger man responds, Shuri is a big part of why I left, I could handle most of them hating me, but it was painful that my sister did as well. Zara is mildly afraid of me, but she does not hate. He pauses for a moment smiling as he watches him lift little Maria and toss her in the air before catching her. Zara is actually planning to come visit me once I get my own place. She is terrified of him.

Not surprising, though I hope she will get a chance to see him like this. Hard to feel pure terror when watching him with pups, he states as he turns from the scene to go join Sherlock over with the older pups.

The cobra nods, continuing to watch the other one with a thoughtful look on his face.

The rest of the pack gathering goes smoothly and at the end of the night he is not surprised when the older cobra raises an eyebrow at him, sarcastically remarking in his mind, You realize that I could hear the conversation you were having with both of them?

He smirks at the tall man, answering, "Of course, it's not like I was trying to hide it."

The cobra chuckles, giving a shake of his head before heading over to his low riding sports car that Aidan is already in.

He shifts and gives his bondmate a ride back to their flat where they spend the rest of the evening enjoying themselves and each other.

Several more days pass in a flurry, three minor cases occurring between when the new moon meeting took place and the December pack meeting. All three had been solved within several hours of Greg calling them. On two of the cases he had the pups with him and worked them with the pups, encouraging them to do most the deductions. Of all the pups working with him, Tobe seems to be the one to catch on the quickest. There had also been one more run in with Donovan though she had flinched away nearly as soon as Konrad had turned his icy blue eyes on her.

The first part of the December pack meeting had gone smoothly. Now he was preparing for the second half. While he had not held any of the other Sacred Days, this one happened to fall on pack meeting as well. Thankfully, he had learned all of the old ceremonies from his granddame when he was going though his training, because it was not something his uncle had ever covered or held.

Now as he stands within the old grove at the furthest point on the property he waits patiently, thinking. When he had first decided to hold the Calling, he had approached Eric about it, knowing that the cobra held all of the Old Ways, including the days that humans also saw as important but for a different sort of reasons. They had covered it extensively, then he had asked Sherlock if he wished to participate, mildly surprised when his human mate who disbelieve all forms of religion agreed. So the cobra had explained it all, for while he was the only one to speak during it, he felt it was best to let him know a head of time what it was he would happen.

As everyone gathers, he stands dead center between the two oldest oaks. To his left is his bondmate, to his right is the elder cobra, past that they all fanned out in a circle around the ring of trees.

At midnight he tilts his head back and looks at the sky before beginning to speak, "Verhaiya, Shadows Mistress, Ancient Goddess. Emberan, Dawn Son, Elder God. Iyora, Dusk Daughter, Elder Goddess. On this night of dawn and dusk we call you forth from you're slumber."

Above them the sky flared, an aura of colors and lights flared to life, reds and blues, greens and oranges, purples and yellows, all mixing in an unending swirl. Within those colors it seems that there is are forms of three in the shape of a triangle.

"As the new year approaches we beseech you, grant our Pack peace, understanding, and truth. Dusk Daughter withdraw, allow autumn and winter to fade. Dawn Son return, allow spring and summer to bloom."

Again he stops to look up at the sky as the dark colors flare and begin to fade to be replaced by the bright ones.

"Dusk Daughter to Dawn Son, winter to spring, we thank you," he finishes.

Many of the older members and nearly all of the military members repeat the last line, "Dusk Daughter to Dawn Son, winter to spring, we thank you."

One last time all of the sky lights up, vibrant colors flaring around, slowly it seems as if the colors drift to the ground, touching each person before vanishing into the night. The sky darkening to its normal coloring for a December night. For a long time after the colors fade, silence fills the air.

Then, surprisingly enough it is Jace who comments, "Amazing, simply amazing."

After that the silence is broken because many of the pups and younger shifters start to babble about the sky. They had never seen anything like it. For the longest time everyone chattered away before the meeting slowly broke up as they realized how late it was. Eventually they too left, though it was nearly four am before they got home. One shared quick shower later the two of them were collapsing into bed together.

The following day goes in a flurry as he prepares the flat for the small gathering they hosting that night. They go out for a walk when he is done, just to spend time together. While they are on the walk he is notified by Eric that a female had snuck in through their bedroom window and left after leaving a small gift in the house. Curious, the cobra inquires if he would like it checked out but he is fairly sure he knows who that is so he suggest he does not. It is a short while later when they get home and he smells the familiar scent of the human-child Irene. Ignoring it, he sets about warming the cider because their guests should be there shortly. His bondmate starts to play his violin, shifting between a collection of Christmas carols.

Not long after six their guests start to arrive, beginning with their landlady Mrs. Hudson, followed closely by Greg, then Molly. Mrs. Hudson takes his bondmates seat, while Greg leans against the wall, just as his mate finished up We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Molly arrives according to the scent coming up the stairs.

"Lovely! Sherlock, that was lovely!" the older human female exclaims happily, waving her hand by her head as she continues speaking, "I wish you could have worn the antlers!"

With a mildly sarcastic smile, he twists around a bit as he replies, "Some things are best left to the imagination, Mrs. Hudson."

"Marvelous," he murmurs with a smile to his mate as he hands their landlady a tea cup, "Mrs. H."

Moments later the pathologist comes walking in with two bags with gifts in them in her grasp, "Hello, everyone. Sorry, hello."

"Oh dear Lord," he hears his mate mutter at the same time.

Be nice, she is a friend. He tells the human, not sure he is going to be listened to. His mate was not all that fond of the holiday season despite the fact he knew all of the songs and most of the traditions.

If I must. He replies sarcastically, do I get a prize at the end of the night if I am?

"Er, it said on the door just to come up." she nervously stutters as she stares openly at his bondmate.

He glances over at his mate smiling mischievously even as he joins Greg and Mrs. Hudson in greeting Molly. I am sure I can make it worth both of our time.

Despite the attraction that the human female felt for his mate, he did not fret about it because his mate was not attracted to her, sometimes he barely realized she was a person. So he had taken the time to befriend her and if sometimes her scent annoyed him, he merely reminded himself that she was human and didn't know that he was already claimed.

Rolling his eyes his mate mutters, "Oh, everybody's saying hullo to each other. How wonderful."

Smiling nervously towards his mate, the human female begins to unfasten her over coat at which point he offers, "Let me," he begins before pausing, slightly startled if she was a wolf blood female and he wasn't bonded he would have been attracted to her with the fine outfit she had dug out, "holy Mary!"

Almost instantly he feels the jealousy coming through his bondlink with Sherlock.

"Wow!" the jackal-child appreciates as his eyes rake over the human female.

Still nervous smelling and sounding she queries, "Having a Christmas drinkies, then?" as she rubs her hands together before adjusting her dress straps a bit.

A bit monotone his mate replies, "No stopping them, apparently," as he sits down at the table to and starts typing. His scent is still full of jealousy though he is trying to mask it by playing with the computer instead and focusing on other things.

"It's the one day of the year where the boys have to be nice to me, so it's almost worth it." Mrs. Hudson exclaims as he grabs a chair for the younger human to sit in.

"Have a seat," he offers her just as his mate calls him over to the laptop.

"John?" the his tall human comments.

Turning to face him, he replies, "Hmmmm?" Behind him he can hear the jackal-child offering Molly a drink and her accepting.

As he leans over to look at the screen his dark-haired human continues, "The counter on your blog: still says one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five."

Acting mock annoyed he comments, "Ooh, no! Christmas is cancelled!" setting his hand down heavily on the desk.

His mate rolls his eyes at him but continues to look over the blog as he goes and sits in his chair, while the auburn-haired human turns to their landlady inquiring, "How's the hip?"

"Ooh, it's atrocious, but thanks for asking." The older human responds.

Smiling sympathetically, the younger human remarks, "I've seen much worse, but then I do post-mortems." Silence falls over the room as the jackal-child brings her a drink and their landlady stares at her open-mouthed for a moment, she immediately begins to apologize, "Oh, God, sorry." Her hands flutter nervously.

"Don't make jokes Molly," his bondmate remarks without looking away from the laptop.

She flickers a look at him before apologizing again and turning to accept the drink that the jackal-child has poured her. While accepting it she murmurs, "Thank you. I wasn't expecting to see you. I thought you were gonna be in Dorset for Christmas."

"That's first thing in the morning. I'm seeing the girls. It's all sorted." The silver-haired detective inspector replies.

From his spot his bondmate remarks, "Good thing too, she's sleeping with a P.E. teacher."

A tight smile pulls at the older shifter-child's face as he glances down in response. Since both men had joined the pack they had gotten along a lot better but there were still times that his mate said cutting things.

Turning to him, the auburn-haired female quires, "John, I hear you're off to your sister's, is that right?"

He nods once, answering "Yeah."

"Sherlock was complaining," she continues with a look towards Sherlock who gives her a look so she corrects herself, "saying."

He raises his bottle of beer a bit continuing to answer her when she is done speaking, "Going to meet her new wife, first Christmas we have spent together in years."

His mate snorts, as he tells him to shut it but continues to speak anyways as the taller human looks at her, "I see you've got a new boyfriend, Molly, and you're serious about him." While his mate is smiling, it is a sardonic one and his scent is still full of annoyance and a touch of jealousy.

"Sorry, what?" she blinks at him confused, eyes going wide and scent going worried.

"In fact, you're seeing him this very night and giving him a gift." His mate continues.

"Take a day off," he murmurs aloud, telepathically he states, Sherlock stop. Your getting into the A Bit Not Good area.

"Shut up and have a drink," Greg tells him as he sets a glass down next to him.

His mat flickers a glance at him but ignores him as he continues anyways, "Oh, come on. Surely you've all seen the present at the top of the bag – perfectly wrapped with a bow. All the others are slapdash at best." His bondmate stands, glancing at the gifts before stalking towards the nervous female, "It's for someone special then." Without asking, his mate picks it up and studies it as he continues to speak, "The shade of red echoes her lipstick – either an unconscious association or one that she's deliberately trying to encourage. Either way, Miss Hooper has luve on her mind. The fact that she's serious about him is clear from the fact she's giving him a gift at all."

Stop now! He snaps at his bondmate as he glances over at the obviously distressed auburn-haired female as she starts to dance in place.

Only his mate ignores him and continues to babble, "That would suggest long-term hopes, however forlorn; and that she's seeing him tonight is evident from her make-up and what she's wearing. Obviously trying to compensate for the size of her mouth and breasts..." his voice trails off as he reads the tag. Eyes going wide as he swallows back whatever else he was going to say.

The scent of sadness fills the air as Molly gasps, trying not to cry, her voice is just about broken as she remarks, "You always say such horrible things. Every time. Always. Always."

His mate turns to walk away but stops, looking back at her and sincerely apologizing, "I am sorry. Forgive me." John, how did I miss it? he asks telepathically as he steps closer to the smaller human, softly continuing aloud, "Merry Christmas, Molly Hooper," to the shock of all in the room he gently kisses her cheek.

Her eyes go wide as she stares at him, the sadness retreating from her scent.

All the guests gasp in shock when his mates phone goes off, the text alert from the dominatrix. His mate steps back as he fishes in his pocket for his phone while Molly quickly tries to stutters that it was not her. Dismissively, his mate agrees it was not and looks at his phone before turning to mantelpiece and grabbing the small red package there. He is aware that it is from the dominatrix but had said nothing about it.

"'Scuse me," his bondmate mutters as he walks to the other room.

"What, what's up, Sherlock?" he queries, fairly certain he knows what's going on. He knew that the cobra had been tracking the human dominatrix, finding it amusing to watch as she interacted with the annoyance as he called Jim Moriarty. If she had sent Sherlock her phone, she either thought she was about to die or had decided to go into hiding.

"I said excuse me," his mate snaps in response as he walks into through the kitchen and into his room.

"Do you ever reply?" he quires aloud, telepathically he inquiries, Is it her phone?

How did you? He begins but then states, Eric.

Indeed. You know how easily he gets bored. Do you want me to tell everyone to have a good night? he queries of his bondmate. If his mate had been showing jealousy towards Molly, he had felt it towards Irene since she was the only human that his mate seemed to find interesting or even slightly appealing.

If you would please. His mate replies before he hears him calling his brother.

Politely he bids everyone a goodnight, much to the confusion of Mrs. Hudson and Molly, to Greg he explains through the pack link that there is about to be a case for them to deal with and the detective inspector nods in understanding.

A few minutes later he walks to the bedroom, leaning on the door and querying, "Are you okay?"

His mate gives him a mildly confused look, as he answers shortly, "Yes," he can tell that the taller man wants to shut the door in his face but he does not, instead he paces the room for a few minutes, eyes narrow as he thinks. "I don't understand, why am I bothered by the idea of Irene Adler being killed?"

He gives a small shrug, replying, "Because she is a challenge and there are not many who have challenged you I bet. Do you want me to go with you when you identify her? After all, scent never lies."

For a moment the taller man thinks about it before he nods once, answering, "I would, though can you shield? That way if it is not her, I will not know until we get home and whatever reaction that is expected of me will be genuine?"

Smiling slightly, he nods before walking over to the taller man and hugging him.

Just a little over an hour passes in silence before a his mate receives a phone call from his brother asking that he meet him at Bart's. Several moments after that the two of them are off, racing through the streets using his wolf form to get there quicker because he did not wish to disturb one of the crows during Christmas for a cab. When they get there, he stops in a darkened side ally, allowing his mate off and shifting before shielding himself invisible. The two of them approach the door he makes sure to stay in his mates tracks even as he steps lightly to leave no real impression on the slightly snowy ground. Just inside the door awaits Mycroft and the two brothers silently make their way to the morgue.

He feels his mate tense up a bit when he spots Molly standing just beside the table with the body lying in front of her with a sheet over top.

His brother is speaking as they approach, "The only one that fitted the description. Had her brought here – your home from home."

Sherlock ignores him to comment to the auburn-haired female he had been mean to earlier, "You didn't need to come in, Molly."

She answers a bit quickly, sadness in her scent as she states, "That's okay. Everyone else was busy with Christmas." She had hesitated before saying Christmas. Glancing down, she motions towards where the head is, commenting, "The face is a bit, sort of, bashed up, so it might be a bit difficult." Without saying anything else, she pulls down the sheet showing her upper torso only.

"That's her isn't it?" the elder brother inquires.

Narrowing his eyes, his mate just about demands, "Show me the rest of her."

Slowly, the auburn-haired female does as directed, her scent confused when his mate confirms that is her and walks away. He steps a bit closer, sniffing the air silently, while this female is of the right build and coloring, scent says it is not her. However he listens as Mycroft thanks her and Molly questions how he could now. A moment later the older brother rejoins his mate and the two begin to speak after Mycroft gives his mate a cigarette and they banter about it for a moment.

"How did you know she was dead?" the elder brother inquires as he continues to watch.

Staring out the window his mate replies, "She had an item in her possession, one she said her life depended on. She chose to give it up."

Curiously, the taller of the two queries, "Where is this item now?"

The scent of sadness fills the air, as he glances towards the main doors he spots a family weeping together. The brothers had also looked at which point his bondmate asks, "Look at them. They all care so much. Do you ever wonder if there's something wrong with us?"

With a tone of knowing he answers, "All lives end. All hearts are broken." He pauses for a moment as he glances at his brother, "Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock."

Sarcastically, his mate remarks, "This is low tar."

Just as sarcastically the ginger-haired man remarks, "Well, you barely knew her."

Leave first, you know he will call you shortly, his mate tells him before he remarks aloud, "Huh!"

Silently, he leaves the hall, carefully going through the door so it barely moves and thanking his years doing special ops that require that kind of control. He has barely gotten to where they had agreed to meet up when his phone goes off, "He's on his way," the slightly older man remarks to him, worry evident in his voice. "Have you found anything?"

Frowning he replies, "No, did he take the cigarette?"

"Yes." the elder brother response, worry thickening his tone though he is certain he would not realize it.

"Shit." He replies, knowing it is the expected response, he had already discussed his worries with his mate, and knew that he would not do anything to harm himself but they still had not told his brother of their relationship and so he could not reassure the human. "Are you sure tonight is a danger night?" he inquires, curious to see what his answer will be.

"No, but then I never am. You have to stay with him, John." Comes the slightly stiff reply as if he realizes how much emotion he is showing.

"I've got plans." He replies thinking, with your brother of course, but that's not something you really need to know right now.

"No." the politician responds hanging up on him.

A few moments later his bondmate comes around the corner, lost in thought. "Was it her?" he queries without greeting.

"No, wrong scent to be her." he replies before shifting into his wolf form. Shall we go home or would you like to run for a bit?

Can we? I think I would enjoy the feeling. His mate response still lost in thought.

He dips his large head, lowering himself just a bit so his bondmate can climb on his back. As soon as he is situation, he shields and their off, racing through the city and out into the countryside where he can unshield and run even faster. Once he drops the shields he tells his bondmate, You realize that you do feel, just because it is not the same as everyone else does not make it any less real.

I know, it just seems, his mate pauses for a moment as if trying to figure out what he wants to say, that I do not feel things right.

Of course you do, no two people feel things the exact same way, Sherlock. Your perfect as is. he replies to his mate as they continue to run.

Thank you John, his mate replies leaning his body as close as he can to his back. He takes it as a sign to go home and the two of them do so, when they get home they spend the rest of evening curled in bed together doing nothing more than cuddling.