To Claim and Possess

by Xaphrin

A fight with Adonis forces Beast Boy to fully confront his primal nature and the beast living inside him. This encounter is not by chance, and the beast pursues Raven, claiming she is his mate. But Beast Boy and his beast are not the only ones fighting for Raven. Adonis will not let her go either, and he will stop at nothing to make sure Beast Boy loses. Primeval rewrite.

3. Chapter Two

To Claim and Possess
Chapter Two

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"Raven, this color is most agreeable with your skin tone."

Raven glared at her friend. It didn't matter how good of friends they were, or how long they had been friends, Raven would have just cause to kill her if she tried to put that thing on her. "Star, it's a dress and it's pink." She picked it up and shuddered. "And it has jewels and crinoline."

"But it is the most becoming shade of pink. And I believe the ruffles will add shape to your small hips." Starfire held the dress up to Raven's cheek, who just glared at her. Small hips? Raven knew she didn't mean it as an insult, but did she really have to point out to the entire store that she was shaped like a twelve-year-old just entering puberty?

"Starfire, I love you like a sister…" Raven pushed the dress away from her and shook her head, biting back any sour comments. "But if you don't stop trying to make me dress up in clothes I will never wear, further more clothes that are pink,I may actually hurt you."

Starfire gave a dramatic sigh and stared at her friend. "Raven, what is wrong?"

Raven really hated it when people asked her that question. There were a million things wrong in her life, how could she choose just one thing to explain? There was the beast, there was Robin, there was that awkward, emotional exchange between her and Beast Boy that she didn't fully understand, and there was life in general. It all pretty much sucked at this point. She turned away and started shuffling through racks of clothing, pretending to look for something. "Nothing is wrong. I just don't like that shade of pink. Couldn't you have found something in blue or black? And something I might actually wear?"

"That is not what I am asking, and you know it." Starfire put her hands on her hips and stared at her friend, her eyes glowing slightly brighter with her irritation. Not good.

"Nothing is wrong. I promise." Raven held up her hands, trying to put space between the two of them. If she wasn't careful she would end up pissing off Starfire, and the boutique would bear the brunt of her outburst. Furthermore, it would take Raven a whole week to apologize, and that week would be filled with shopping and ice cream and visits to the pet store. Things Raven wasn't really apt on doing ever.

"Raven, the whole point of coming out to this new store was to become better friends. We are here to bond and grow, but you do nothing but push me away. While I know you are not adept at the 'girl talk' you are usually more receptive to these moments of friendship." Starfire's face fell and Raven felt her heart twist painfully. It wasn't her fault that Raven was in a bad mood. The truth was that her conversation with Robin this morning had sat inside her and festered like an open wound, and even Raven would admit that she was distant. But she just couldn't accept what Robin had told her. It seemed too cruel, even for him.

"I just…" She tried to avoid the topic, but Starfire's large, bright eyes seemed to bore into her soul and Raven sighed. How did she always manage to get Raven to talk? She should be a torture expert. Raven moved deeper into the store, away from the group of girls at the front. "I got into a fight with Robin this morning."

Starfire blinked and put the dress back on the rack. "That has happened before, has it not?"

"Yes." Raven shrugged and wandered the racks of colorful clothing, watching the shop keep out of the corner of her eye. He looked bored, and was probably roped into watching the register while his coworker went on lunch. Luckily, he didn't seem aware enough to realize two of his patrons were Titans. That was at least something, and they wouldn't have worry about prying ears.

Raven looked back at Starfire and sighed. "I mean, you're right, we've gotten into fights before, but it was different this time." She hoped Starfire would drop the subject, but Starfire continued to stare at her, urging her on. "We got into an argument over… precautionary measures."

"Precautionary measures?" Starfire followed Raven further into the back and more out of earshot. "Towards you?"

Raven nodded. "And Beast Boy…"

"Oh." Starfire's face fell and she looked away, suddenly guilty. "I am sorry for not telling you earlier, but did not feel as though it was my place. Robin did relay me what transpired between you and Beast Boy last week on your mission. I too was concerned over your injury and Beast Boy's behavior… but I understand the fear Robin has."

Raven tried not to feel betrayed. Did everyone on the team think that Beast Boy was a ticking time-bomb? Did they all forget that he was their friend? Raven turned away from Starfire, hiding the anger she knew was apparent on her face. "So, you agree with him then? That we should be ready to just cage him up like an animal if he breaks free?"

"No. That I do not agree with. Robin always plans for the worst and sometimes he forgets that these 'worse case scenarios' include our friends. But, Raven, we cannot ignore the power he has hidden inside him. Beast Boy is sweet and fun-loving and kind, but underneath that exterior lies a beast. We have to accept that there is something inside him we should fear."

"Why do we have to fear him?" Raven moved even further away from the front, Starfire in tow. "Does everyone forget that he saved me last time? Adonis kidnapped me and Beast Boy was the only one strong enough to bring him down. Beast Boy can control it, he just needs some guidance and practice."

Starfire reached out and touched her friend's arm, and Raven could feel her reservation and concern pour into her life ice water. Even Starfire was worried about the outcome of the beast. "Raven, although the last time we encountered the beast things were moved in our favor, it does not mean that every time will end up so well. It is foolish for us to assume that the beast will stay dormant forever, and it is foolish for us to forget the beast is dangerous. I do not believe that the beast will want to be controlled by Beast Boy."

"I know…" Raven leaned against a wall and stared at a giant mural of the cityscape of Jump, with Titan Tower proudly displayed against the blue waters of the bay. Starfire was, unfortunately, right. The beast was dangerous, he had nearly attacked Raven when she forcefully stopped his fight last week. He had approached her, ready to strike without hesitation. But what made him stop? Was it Beast Boy, or was it something else? Raven wanted to believe that Beast Boy had taken control, but something in the pit of her stomach told her that wasn't the case. She sighed and looked back at Starfire. "I don't know what to do."

Starfire seemed confused for a moment. "Raven, you seem to have taken this burden on by yourself. Beast Boy is all of our friends, we all care greatly for him, and you should not have to be the only one who helps him through these troubling times. We are all here to help him."

"I…" Raven glanced around before looking back at Starfire. "Can I tell you something without it getting back to anyone else?"

"You wish to tell me a secret?" Starfire seemed honestly shocked. "I do not believe you have ever wanted to confide in me, Raven. I am not sure if I should be frightened or concerned."

Raven rolled her eyes. Everyone was a critic. Even Starfire. "I need to tell someone. I need a second opinion, and I don't trust Robin to be so levelheaded and understanding."

Starfire gave a sad, understanding smile. Even she knew her boyfriend could be impulsive and uncontrollable. "I am most honored by your decision to confide in me, and I promise that I will not tell a soul. Not even Silkie."

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Raven took a deep, calming breath before looking back at Starfire. "When I was out with Beast Boy, I wanted to calm him down. He was upset and anxious, and I didn't want to see him like that anymore. He wouldn't be any use to me in a fight anyway. So, I went into his psyche, but the beast was there." Raven shivered as she remembered the beast's perverted exploration of her mind. "He's always been there, lurking in the shadows, but this time it was different. This time, he attacked me. He ripped me apart piece by piece, invaded my memories and took one for his own keeping."

"Raven…"

Raven looked away, wrapping her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold. "I felt violated, Star. I can't remember what he took, but I know it was something important, and every time I get next to Beast Boy, there's a memory I know I should have but I can't find it. Only tattered threads of where the memory used to be. I didn't want to tell Robin because I knew he would see Beast Boy as an even greater threat, and that scares me more than losing the memory."

"Raven… I do not know what to say." Starfire reached out her hand, as if she were going to touch Raven, but pulled it away quickly. She knew better than to force physical contact on her friend. "This is something I cannot comprehend… how could he steal a memory from you, and why did he choose that particular memory?"

"That's what I keep asking myself." Raven sighed and shuffled her feet a little, feeling a bit like she had bared too much of her soul. Starfire could be considered her best friend, if Raven cared to title things like that, but it still felt strange sharing such a personal secret with her. "Why that memory?"

"Perhaps…" Starfire chewed on her lower lip as she thought. "You mentioned to Robin that the beast seemed more possessive and calculative, did you not?" Raven nodded, trying to follow Starfire's train of thought. "Perhaps the memory that you held so dear was some that the beast held dear too. He could not attain the memory by any other means than stealing it from you." She shook her head and gave Raven a sheepish look. "It is only a thought."

"But what memory would be that precious to someone other than me?"

"I do not know." Starfire shook her head. "Unfortunately, that is something only you would."

Raven sighed and leaned back against the wall behind her, grumbling under her breath. Of all the things that could have happened to her, this was not something she ever expected.

"Raven?" Starfire's voice jolted her out of her reverie.

"Yeah?"

"Your stomach?" Raven's shirt had ridden up just enough to show the scarring on her hip. Starfire leaned down to examine it, as if fascinated. "I do not wish to be rude, but I do not believe I have ever known you to scar. Is this the injury the beast caused you?"

"Oh. Yeah." Raven yanked the hem of her shirt down over her jeans and shrugged, feigning indifference. She didn't want Starfire to know that there was another serious injury she couldn't figure out. It would only worry her more. "I haven't figured out exactly why they haven't healed completely. I'm going to guess that he had poison or something in his claws." Raven shrugged and turned away to rifle through a clothes rack, anything to break eye-contact. "I'm fine though, I'm sure I'll heal in a few more days."

Behind her, Raven could feel the concern and fear push against her like wind. It spread over her skin and wrapped around her fingers until Raven started to tremble. She didn't need fear right now, she needed confidence. She turned around and gave a small, half-smile to Starfire. "I'm fine, Star. I promise."

"Raven…"

Her face fell and Raven was forced to take drastic measures to change the subject. She reached into the clothes rack and pulled out a modest, black dress, holding it up to her shoulders. "I think I might like this one, what about you?"

Starfire seemed to instantly forget their weighty conversation and brightened. "It is lovely! I think you should try it on and…" she rifled through the rack to pull out a navy blue dress. "This one! The color is much more suited to your fair complexion than the bright pink one. Perhaps you were right about pink not being an appropriate color for you."

That wasn't exactly what Raven had said, but she would take it. Two hours later Raven was coerced into buying the black dress and a few other pieces of clothing that she never thought she would wear. Ever. But, whatever made Starfire happy, and whatever kept her mind off of the heavy things Raven told her. She chattered alongside Raven as they made their way down the sidewalk. The tea shop was one more block over, and Raven could certainly use some after all the energy she'd exerted with Starfire this afternoon.

"Oh, look! It is Beast Boy!" Starfire waved down the street and ran to meet him, nearly bowling over innocent pedestrians in the process. Raven stood back and watched as she wasted no time in opening her bag and showing Beast Boy all her purchases. She even pulled out something that was meant specifically for Robin's eyes only. Beast Boy blushed, but offered a polite chuckle and let her continue to show everything to him. His eyes drifted upward and met with Raven's.

"Hey."

Raven tried to respond, but that sick, heavy feeling from this morning entered her chest and choked her lungs. She shuddered and took an unconscious step back, trying to keep some iota of sanity. Her mind became hazy as she remembered their conversation this morning, and then the hug. The way his skin felt against her cheek, the smell of his hair, and the thump of his pulse under her ear. Raven felt color flood her face and she unconsciously pulled the hood on her sweatshirt tighter around her face.

Starfire blinked and looked back at her. "Raven, are you not going to say hello to Beast Boy?"

She bit back the feeling and approached them both, still keeping distance between her and Beast Boy. "Hey." She shuffled a little and readjusted the bag on her arm. "How was the comic book shop?"

"Good." He shrugged. "The new Batman comic was so-so. A little too violent for me, but whatever, I'm not the one writing it." He smiled down at her. "I see you have a bag. I'm surprised you bought anything at all, considering how much you hate shopping." He turned to Starfire and patted her on the shoulder. "That's a great accomplishment, Star. Good job."

"She bought a dress."

Raven shrugged at Beast Boy's shocked expression. "I was coerced into buying a dress."

"Holy hell… Starfire, I'm pretty sure you've done the impossible." Without asking for permission, he reached into Raven's bag and pulled it out, giving a low whistle. A few passersby had stopped to watch the interaction and giggled at the impossible idea that Raven would wear a dress. He held it up to her shoulders and smiled. "Cute."

"Stop it!" Raven grabbed the dress back from him and shoved it in her bag, feeling strangely like he just aired her dirty laundry all over the busy street. "What are you, a child?" She pushed past him making her way towards the tea shop. "And stop calling me cute."

"Awe, you're no fun." He chased after her with Starfire in tow.

"Beast Boy, since you are done with your own adventures today, would you like to come to the tea shop with us? It will be most enjoyable to have some more company." Starfire flashed him a winning smile and Raven knew he wouldn't be able to resist. She had learned a few years ago that Beast Boy had a thing for Starfire's peppy attitude and shapely body. She was, according to him, "the perfect package" of beauty, brains, and brawn. Raven let a breathy curse fall from her lips. Of all the things to remember…

Raven stared at Starfire, frowning. "Are you serious?"

Starfire blinked at her, confused. "Well, he is our friend."

Beast Boy laughed. "Yeah. I'm your friend." He stuck his tongue out at her and followed the two girls down the street. "So, yes, Star. I'd love to tag along. I've never been to a tea shop, so I think this will be an interesting and enlightening experience."

"Whatever. Just don't annoy me. I've been looking forward to this all week." Raven rolled her eyes and pulled open the door to the tea shop, stepping inside. She was immediately assaulted by the fragrant smell of dried flowers and tea. The walls were painted sage green and well over a hundred glass containers lined the walls, casting lights and shadows over the walls like a million crystals.

"Good afternoon! Thank you for dropping in today!" A bright-faced, cheery older woman waved at them from behind the counter. "We have some lovely purple oolong that just came in this morning. Or, if you're more inclined, we have some green tea with rose. It's quite lovely."

Beast Boy laughed and leaned over Raven to whisper in her ear. "Hear that? It's quite lovely."

"Stop being such an ass." She turned back to the shop keep. "We'll take a pot of that. Thank you." Raven moved to say something to Starfire, but she had already taken a seat and struck up conversation with the table next to her. Some poor, helpless soul who was just trying to read a magazine. Although, he did seem taken aback by her beauty and managed a few, awkward responses.

Raven just shook her head and started wandering the rows of glass jars looking at the ingredients of each. She felt Beast Boy behind her, reading the names of the tea from over her shoulder. Raven reached back and elbowed him in the side. He winced and took a step back, giving her enough room to turn around and glare at him. "Is it necessary for you to invade my personal space?"

He laughed, as if amused. "Yeah. Always. I'm here simply to annoy you at all times. I thought you figured that out by now." He smiled down at her and Raven rolled her eyes, trying to move away from him. His scent of fresh earth and pine was starting to overpower the delicate fragrance of the tea. He really was going to drive her insane if he didn't give her at least a little space. There was a long pause as he moved to stand next to her, opening the jars and looking inside. "Weird. So what is all of this?"

"Tea." Raven kept her face blank and stared at him. "You know, you put it in hot water and brew it. And then you drink it. I can see how this might be a complicated process to you."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Beast Boy rolled his eyes and wandered alongside Raven, occasionally leaning over her to look at the teas. "I mean… I thought tea had two kinds, black and green. So, what's all of this?"

"Tea isn't just black and green, there are varieties of the plant, and you can mix it with whatever you want. Herbs. Flowers. Spices. You can create a million different flavors with just a little bit of thought." She pulled down a jar of chai tea and raised it to his nose. Beast Boy regarded her carefully before leaning down and taking a deep breath.

"That's really nice… what is that?"

"Ginger and Anise. A touch of cinnamon, depending on where the chai is from."

"It smells like you." He gave her a small smile and leaned closer. "A little spicy and exotic."

Raven had no idea how to respond to that and she took a step back, color flooding her face. Behind the counter she could hear a stack of coupons explode onto the floor, but Beast Boy just looked amused, as if this was all a very funny joke. Raven glared at him. "Exactly what do you mean by that?"

Beast Boy smiled and walked away, perusing the jars. "So, what are you looking for? Anything in particular?"

"No…" Raven swallowed the lump in her throat and moved in the opposite direction. "Just looking for a new tea to try."

He looked back at Starfire, who was still talking to the young man, and then nudged Raven's shoulder. She felt his guilt move through her slowly and turned to look at him. "I didn't really mean to tease about the whole dress thing. That was rude, and I'm sorry."

Raven raised an eyebrow, trying not to think about his comment on her "scent". She had to stay how she always was, stoic and pragmatic. "Well, you thoroughly embarrassed me on a crowded street, but apology accepted."

He laughed and leaned back on his heels, watching her. "It is actually a pretty cute dress, and I think it will look great on you."

"Stop trying to be nice." She gave him a sullen look and moved down the row of jars. "You just like teasing me."

"Well… yeah. But that's because you're so easy to tease." He smiled and reached out to touch her, but Raven stopped his hand. He looked a little sheepish and took a half-step back, giving her some room. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to push, I know you don't like that."

Raven rolled her eyes and looked away, running her hands down the jars. "I already told you that I accepted you apology, do you want it in writing?"

He laughed. "Sometimes." His hand reached to the top shelf and pulled down a jar. "Earl gray and lavender?" He raised his eyes to meet hers and smiled, brining the jar down to her nose. "That sounds like something you might like. Dark, heavy, and a little bit of floral?"

Raven felt her cheeks color at what she hoped was an unintentional innuendo. "It's beautiful."

Beast Boy caught her eyes and smiled. "I'll get you some and we can drink it together?"

"I…" Her words drifted off as the door to the shop opened, and the air turned cold and sharp, as if it were electrified. The world continued to move around her, the shop keep brewed tea, and Starfire still chatted with the table next to her, but Raven felt as though she was frozen in one spot. She looked up at Beast Boy, whose body had tensed and eyes had glazed over. Closing her eyes, she sent up a silent prayer to whatever god was listening that Beast Boy would find his control. Because, Raven knew without looking, who was standing at the entrance. She reached out with her powers, desperately searching for Beast Boy in his body. But he was gone. His psyche was overthrown by the dominate push of the beast.

This would not end well.

Raven turned and faced the thin, lanky form of Adonis. He didn't seem to notice them until he paused, taking a deep breath of the air in the shop. His mouth moved, as if he were tasting the air for a familiar scent, and he stopped. There was a long, slow moment as he stared at the two of them, his eyes darting from Raven to Beast Boy and back again.

Beast Boy growled and his fingers clenched.

"Not here." Raven's fingers found his arm and she felt another painful push from the beast against her psyche. Something inside her broke and she gave him a shove back with her own fierce determination. She would not be pushed around by him. "Beast Boy, remember what you told me this morning. You said you liked the fantasy because no one saw the beast. Don't let these people see the beast. Let them live in fantasy. You can control this."

"Live in fantasy, demon? This is no fantasy, this is the truth. This is my territory, and everyone here should know that I am alpha male." Eyes looked down at her, but they weren't filled with the emotional torment of Beast Boy, they were filled with anger and possession. They were cold and lifeless, like emeralds lying in the ground. Her heart stopped beating in her chest, and Raven couldn't find the appropriate swearwords fast enough.

"What? Are you going to start marking your territory?"

"I already have. As I said, I am alpha male." His eyes drifted over her petite frame before settling on her hip. "And you are my alpha female, and I will not lose you to a lesser male."

"Wait… what?" Raven felt blood rush to her face and she thought she had misheard him over the pounding of her pulse in her own ears. "I'm sorry… am I… your territory?" The beast flashed her something that sat between a predatory grin and snarl, and Raven had to fight to keep the curse from exploding from her lips. Exactly what was going on? Anger rushed through her body and she heard the crack of a few jars above her head. Not good.

Adonis approached them slowly, as if tracking a wild, feral animal. He looked strange, almost out of place surrounded by the delicate glass jars and soothing green paint. He moved closer to Raven, his thin, lean muscles coiling and uncoiling with each step. Finally, he gave her a small, polite smile. "Afternoon, Raven."

"Um… hello?" Raven wasn't quite sure what to say to him. Beast Boy bristled next to her, his growl getting louder. Raven tugged at his arm. Not here. They couldn't fight here. It didn't matter what was happening between them, there were innocent people around and they couldn't risk the chance of someone getting hurt.

"Lavender and earl gray?" He looked down at the jar in her hands and smiled. "That's a good choice of tea, Raven. You will probably enjoy it. It's very… you."

"Thank you?" Raven felt like an idiot. Couldn't she say anything that didn't sound like a question? She cleared her throat and gathered some small amount of courage, closing the space between them. "What are you doing here?"

"I was unaware that I wasn't allowed into polite society. I am not a criminal anymore. I can shop wherever I want." He gave a strange, scathing smile. "And I wanted to purchase tea. There is nothing wrong in that, is there?"

Raven's eyes narrowed. His cadence was off. It might have been four years since they battled together, but Raven remembered how he spoke. All contractions and boastfulness, dripping with egotism. This wasn't Adonis, this was his own beast. Bad. Bad. Bad. What in the nine levels of hell had she gotten herself into? She placed the jar back on the shelf and steeled herself. "I don't mean to be a bitch, but you do realize we're the reason you were put in jail. Remember?"

His eyebrow picked up, amused by a memory she didn't have. "I remember that stealing you away from that wretched tower and nearly claiming you as my alpha female was worth the four years of torture my host endured."

"What? I don't remember that." Raven felt bile rise into her throat and she took a step back.

Adonis laughed. "I'm going to guess that there are a few other memories you're missing too."

Beast Boy snarled, baring his teeth. "This conversation is pointless. Back down now."

Starfire came to stand next to them, smiling brightly as if nothing was wrong. She moved her body in just the right way to shield the other patrons from the show of dominance. "Oh! Look, Raven! It is most enjoyable outside! Perhaps we should take our tea to go?"

Adonis smiled slowly, but ignored Starfire's attempts to shelter the rest of the shop. "Don't believe for a moment that I will hurt you, Raven. I'm not upset about what you did. It gave me time to think, to develop in my host's body. And I have learned a few things about what I want."

"You do not get to have what you want." Beast Boy snarled and Raven could feel the hair start to emerge on his arm, the beast was reaching for full control, trying to break whatever chains Beast Boy kept him locked in. "This is my territory."

"The tea is done!" Starfire piped a bit louder and went scurrying to the counter to pay the shop keep, who was staring at them as if they all had two heads. She gave her a generous tip to keep her mouth shut, the last thing any of them needed was bad press. "Perhaps our tea will be enjoyed more thoroughly outside? Ah, and there is a park across the street!" Starfire threaded her hand through Raven's arm and tugged her along. She dropped her voice to a low whisper. "It is in our best interest to move both Beast Boy and Adonis as far away from people as possible."

Both Adonis and Beast Boy's ears pricked with the sound of her comment and they stared at her, frowning. Starfire stood strait up, meeting their gaze with her own. "I mean no disrespect. I am only concerned for the safety of others, and I know that either of you will not hesitate to destroy what is in your path. Please, I am begging you to be mindful of your surroundings."

"Alien." Beast Boy's voice sounded harsh and unforgiving to even Raven's ears, and Starfire seemed taken aback at the rude calling of her race. "I understand what you are attempting to do, but it will not matter if we fight here or if we fight outside. The outcome will be the same."

Adonis raised an eyebrow again and stared at him, bristling with power. "You only think you won last time, I will not lose again."

"Is that so?"

Neither one of them was going to back down from a fight. So, Raven did the only thing that made sense. She removed her hand from Beast Boy's arm and pushed through the door to the shop, racing across the street and dodging cars as they sped past her. Curses erupted around her, and she could feel the surge of their energies as they chased her, suddenly interested in the hunt. They snarled and howled, following her out of the shop and onto the pavement.

Starfire called out her name and flew next to her. "Raven, I am very confused, I have no idea what is transpiring here, but I have an idea that it is most terrible."

"I have no idea either… but I know for sure that is not Beast Boy."

"He is the beast?" Starfire put the pieces together and she breathed a sigh of relief. "That would explain his rude behavior to me."

"That would explain a lot of things that just happened." Raven took a sharp turn into the park and raced down a path, hearing the sound of them behind her. She whipped around to face them, only to find they had both transformed into their beasts. Adonis was keeping the lead, following her step-for-step through one of the gardens. Shit. Not good. There was going to be collateral damage if she didn't get this under control. Raven gave Starfire a push and threw her to the side of the path, just in time to keep her from behind hit by Adonis. He snarled and spat and clawed his way on top of Raven, releasing his beastly form for the human body.

"I smell him. I smell him! You let him touch you." Adonis howled and yanked the hem of Raven's shirt up over her breasts, staring down at her hip. His hands reached down and pressed against her wind pipe. Pain erupted from her body and Raven felt her powers lash out at anything to break free. Trees snapped like twigs, the cement beneath her cracked and split, and she felt more than one lightning bolt split the earth next to them. Her mind and body were trying to fight the attacker, but were failing. What was happening to her? Was she going to die?

"He's marked you! You whorish bitch! You rutting sow. You let him touch you. I will rip the memory from your body if I have to!" One hand reached back and yanked at her hair, nearly ripping it from her scalp. He buried his nose into the plum strands breathing in the scent. "No… no, he's marked you, but you are unclaimed. He hasn't put his filthy cock inside you." His hands tightened on her slender neck, thumbs tipping her chin up to look into his eyes.

She choked and begged for breath, her grip weak on his arms. Another bolt of black lightning struck next to her face, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"Fight all you want, it will not change your fate. I do not mind having an alpha with another male's mark. It will not stay there for long, I will claw it from your body only to prove that you are mine. I will be the one to claim your body. I will rut with you like the demon you are."

"Raven is mine!" Beast Boy flung himself into Adonis, throwing his thin frame from Raven's. His hands tightened around Adonis' wrists, pulling and yanking as if he were trying to dismember him. Adonis howled in pain, fighting his strength with his own. "You will not attack my female!"

"She is not yours yet! You haven't claimed her. She is only marked. I will claim her body and you will have nothing." Adonis swung his leg into Beast Boy's side, knocking the wind from him. He snarled and released the beast, contorting his form into thick, heavy muscles. Adonis followed suit, and charged his opposition with such force, that it knocked Beast Boy back fifteen feet. He pushed himself forward, claws digging into Adonis's shoulder blades, and ripped at the flesh there. His howl was loud enough to shake the windows of close buildings.

Raven tried to sit up, tried to call out to someone, but her body was broken and her spirit was in shambles. There was nothing left inside her but emptiness and fear. She couldn't even fly in she wanted to. She lay on the ground and gasped for breath, trying to find something to cling to.

"Raven!" Starfire flew to her side, gathering her small form in her arms. "Raven… you are all right." She breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her into the shelter of her body. Starfire's touch felt warm and comforting, filled with love and concern and friendship. Her emotions poured into Raven, bringing into light the dangerous situation she had just escaped. Without any warning, Raven's fingers tightened on Starfire's shirt, and she buried her face in her neck, feeling tears run down her face. She was crying? Raven didn't cry. She was strong, she was stoic, she was pragmatic, she was never emotional. What in the world was going on?

Beast Boy stilled at the sound of her tears, looking over at Starfire with fear and concern. It was a moment's hesitation, but it was enough. Adonis took the opening and slammed into Beast Boy's body, throwing him into a cement fountain, cracking heads off the fat, happy cherubs. Water erupted around them like a geyser, showering the two beasts. Adonis poised himself for a killing blow and Beast Boy raised his claws to protect himself, rolling to the side in just enough time to avoid serious injury.

"ENOUGH!" Starfire stepped in, eyes glowing a dangerous shade of green. She held Raven on her hip, the same way a mother would hold a toddler, and raised a glowing green hand. "I do not know what you are or what your plans are with Raven, but it would be most advisable to back off."

"She is my mate."

Beast Boy snarled. "She is not."

Starfire launched another bolt at Adonis. "You may leave at any point in this conversation."

Adonis stood there, sizing up the girl before turning and running in another direction. Starfire threw another bolt toward him, but it missed, and she did not have the desire to chase him. Not while her friend was broken like she was. Beast Boy stood up, returning to his human form and approached Starfire carefully, his eyes trying to decide if she was a friend or a foe.

"You are the beast."

"Yes." He took a step forward, his arms outstretched as if he were going to take Raven from her.

Starfire jumped back, putting more space between them. "I do not trust you. Not near my friends and certainly not with Raven. If you are the same as Adonis, you may choose to kill her."

"I will not." He moved again, still trying to get to Raven. Starfire could see something akin to fear and possession in his eyes. He did not want anyone else to comfort Raven in her time of need. He was her alpha male, and it was his duty to care for her. Beast Boy tilted his chin up, looking down at Starfire. "She is my alpha. My mate. I will protect her above all else."

Starfire regarded him with the utmost caution, but kept Raven close to her. She had gone limp with exhaustion, her powers had escaped, draining her of anything she had left. In that void, she had succumbed to the darkness. Starfire frowned as she watched him move closer. His eyes might be honest, but his violence exposed something far darker. "He said you marked her… is that what this is? This scar you gave her?"

"Yes. She is mine, and I will not let another claim her." He managed to gain a few more feet of space. "I am only just barely a match for you, alien. But if you do not give me Raven, I will not hesitate to fight you."

"What will you do if I give her to you?"

"What would you like me to do?"

"Return Beast Boy to us. In return, I will let you comfort your alpha female."
It was more than just a momentary truce, it was an indication of what she expected from both Beast Boy and the beast. He stared at her with dark eyes and nodded. "I accept your terms. For now."

Starfire bristled and held Raven close to her. "Forever."

He stared at her, eyes steely. "For now."

)O(

So… about that final chapter of Primeval… it's coming. I promise! Anyway, please let me know what you thought. Thanks again for reading!