Undying Hearts Chapter 3: Never Alone, a x-men: evolution fanfic

(makes EXTREMELY sheepish face) Ah, yes, my updating has been VERY bad, to say the least. I should know what it's like and therefore not be so . . . okay, enough. Here's my update. YAAAY!!! I'll really really really really try to update more often. School is becoming more and more time consuming, which doesn't help much with my laziness. But I do have a day off on Tuesday so I'll have some time to do more work then. Well, enough chit chat. Lights, camera, READ!

Disclaimer: Most of the people in this story belong to Marvel, including a character that belongs to Marvel but not in the X-Men universe. - That'll come much later. There are a few OCs but if you feel compelled to use them then go ahead, even though they're probably not much use to anyone else. BUT THE STORY IS MIIIIINNNNEE!!!!!!!!!

So, here you go!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 – Never Alone

A chill ran up Logan's spine as he entered the warehouse. Despite its outward appearance, the B.O.W did an admirable job of fixing it up. Half of the building had been used as some recreation area. Cardboard boxes were arranged as steps so werewolves could practice leaping and climbing. There were also tires on the floor, metal rings hanging from the ceiling, benches with barbells of varying size to do press-ups, and large cushions for hand-to-hand combat practice and punching bags. Logan noticed that several of the cushions had been torn up and bits of stuffing lay everywhere.

The other half of the building was set up as a meeting area and sleeping quarters combo. In one section was a large circle of old car seats, ripped and broken down couches and stuffed chairs, giant cushions and pillows. The other section consisted mostly of used mattresses, old blankets, sheets, comforters, and even sleeping bags. They were arranged so that people could get up and walk around if necessary, but they still kept close quarters to show their family bond and compensate their living area.

Seeing this didn't really make Logan nervous. He had undergone harsher conditions many times in his life. He had often slept in alleys, large trash bins, cellars that hadn't been locked, and when he had some cash a cheap motel. He considered himself lucky when he was able to stay at a motel. So this should have been like heaven.

But it wasn't. It wasn't the appearance of the place that made him shiver in his boots and made the hairs on his neck raise up. It was something else. Something that remained hidden to his physical senses but he could still feel somehow. It was as if the warehouse was haunted by some sinister apparition that no one else was aware of but him. That last part scared him most of all.

"Welcome to our 'lair'," said Sabertooth in a partly joking manner. "This is where we rest, meet, discuss, and occasionally do light workouts and relaxing activities like wrestling."

Logan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that last remark. They think wrestling is relaxing?

"It's always for fun, of course," added Sabertooth, as if reading Logan's thoughts. "Our more serious fighting is with other predators out in the woods."

The newcomer nodded without much expression as he was urged forward. It felt so strange to him. He had been initiated with only one fight. And how did they even know anything about him? Ways that they might have found out ran through Logan's mind over and over again, making him all the more uneasy.

All the werewolves immediately gathered at the circle of seats, which Logan quickly concluded was their 'forum.' Sabertooth made sure that Logan sat to his right, which Logan was not particularly comfortable with. However, it didn't really surprise him all that much. The leader seemed to want to keep the newcomer close by, constantly making sure they walked and sat together. Being this close forced Logan to constantly and involuntarily smell more and more of Sabertooth's scent. He smelled of old rotten meat with a hint of fresh blood. And believe it, having that scent constantly in your nose is not one bit fun. Beside, Logan didn't really like being in such close proximity with anyone.

Logan took his seat beside Sabertooth, but the leader remained standing even as everyone else took their seats. "So, my brothers," said Sabertooth, "now that Wolverine here has joined our brotherhood, we shall feast and sleep here tonight in his honor. Dark Fang, bring out the feast!"

In a moment, Dark Fang was gone and back, now carrying a rack of freshly killed animals, ranging from rabbits to parts of deer. Dark Fang lay the kill at the feet of him and Sabertooth, then humbly backed away to his proper place. Sabertooth stood over the kill and looked at all his comrades. "To honor this occasion, Wolverine himself will divide the meat among us. Then . . . he will take the first taste." He then turned to Logan. "It is to symbolize your servitude to the brotherhood as well as our honor and loyalty to you. Now, rise and do your duty!"

Slowly, Logan stood up. He took a moment to look at the carcass laid before him. Usually it wouldn't have bothered him. But this . . . this was just too strange for him. They were making an entire ritual out of dead animals. After a moment of hesitation, Logan stepped forward and knelt down in front of the deer. He stared into the creature's dead eyes for a moment. Dark, gleaming eyes that were now glazed over. It reminded him of his original opinion about the curse. He hated it. He despised it. He only killed animals in this way because he had to. He had almost no control over it. These guys though . . . they were different from him. They almost took pride in what they were. They reveled in their savagery. While he had so many times wished he was rid of it they used it to the best of their ability. They had accepted what they were or had become. He tried to escape it, and in the meantime made himself miserable.

Maybe these guys are on to somethin', he thought. Here they are allowing their instincts to be their guide. And me? I've only made this curse harder to deal with by hating myself. Maybe I should give this whole 'acceptance' thing a try.

He finally pulled off a glove, revealing sharp nails that almost resembled the claws the other werewolves had. And after a moment, they grew even thicker, darker, longer, and sharper. They grew until they had covered almost the entire upper part of his fingers. Then he reached down to the deer's abdomen. In one, clean swipe, he a sliced through the flesh right into the meat.

The other werewolves began to howl as their means of applause. The more he sliced, the more they howled, until the warehouse nearly broken into a frenzy. Logan had finally finished slicing the deer before then and began to pass out the sections of tender venison. The howls changed to lusty growls and drools. Logan happened to glance over at Sabertooth after passing out the meat and he seemed somewhat disgusted. Logan couldn't help but agree, despite the tempting smell of the meat. He quickly went about slicing, dividing, and serving the rest of the meat, but there was no more howling.

At last, all the werewolves had been given their share. Logan in the meantime had also set aside a helping of meat for himself. He had intentionally given himself less than the rest of the group, supposedly out of humility and respect. Sabertooth took notice of this and although he admired Logan's actions, he thought them somewhat naive. After all, survival of the fittest was what counted for them.

Logan soon settled down in his seat with his helping of meat, noting that all eyes were on him now. None of them could start until he took the first bite. Logan was beginning to detest the attention, but decided he could at least get this over and done with. Using his still protruding claws, he tore through a smaller section of the deer meat he had and placed it in his mouth. The blood still in the meat squirted from the meat and moved around in his mouth until he at last swallowed it. The feeling of the rich liquid flowing down his throat was a sensation like no other, despite how morbid it should have seemed. After swallowing the remaining blood, he chewed the meat quickly and also forced it down. Wow, this stuff ain't half bad.

"He has found favor!" cried Sabertooth, standing up again. "Now all of you, feast upon this great kill and welcome Wolverine to our fellowship!"

"Here here!" they shouted before viciously diving into their food. It was as if they just couldn't help themselves. They needed the meat. They needed the blood. And they needed it now. Manners were cast aside without a second thought. Only Sabertooth managed to cling onto some sense of dignity. But then, Logan figured, they probably don't have much dignity left in the condition they're in. Still, I'm in it too. So why do I care and they don't?

The feast was soon completed, with every scrap of meat devoured and every drop of blood drained. It was time to retire for the night. Each werewolf was assigned to a mattress. Some had to share sheets that were large enough to cover more than one person, though this usually ended up with one having no cover at all. Logan and Sabertooth were some of the few individuals who had their very own comforters and sleeping bags.

However, Logan did not sleep there that night. He had had trouble getting to sleep. He was just almost able to drift off when he was alerted by a rough shaking. He quickly turned out of surprise, realizing it was Sabertooth. "I see you have not yet fallen asleep. Good. Now we can talk in private."

Logan was about to say he had had enough initiation for one night, but Sabertooth had already lifted Logan off his mattress and straightened him up. Figures, growled Logan in his thoughts as Sabertooth led him through the sleeping bodies towards the door. Before long, they were outside, the air still cool and calm. The pair of werewolves looked up in the sky, now seeing the crescent moon high above the trees.

"Why don't we walk and talk?" asked Sabertooth, although he phrased it as more of a command than a question.

"Whatever," Logan growled. Another time he might have retaliated in some way, but he was still too tired to do anything. Sabertooth led the way at first, taking an unmarked path in the woods. Logan first walked behind him, then was able to catch up with the bigger wolf man's strides. They began ascending a rather steep hill that at times had them crawling on all fours. For the longest time there was only silence, except perhaps the occasional chirp of the nightingale or the hoot of an owl. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Logan was able to asked, "So, why are you bringing me up here?"

"There is something that I must speak with you about," was the reply. "Something that I could not speak of in front of the others."

"Why?"

A pause. "It was not for them to hear."

Logan's expression was confused and somewhat surprised. Apparently this bub trusted a total strange (well, not a 'total' one) more than his own crew. Sabertooth could sense Logan's feelings and added, "There are certain things that even the closest of friends are not meant to know. Come, I will show you when we reach the top."

The more Logan was with Sabertooth, the more suspicious he found him. Despite his ability to communicate and order others with ease, he remained very much aloof. He seemed good at keeping secrets without anyone realizing he had any. So, why is this guy talkin' to me about anything?

After several minutes of silence they reached the top of the hill. As they looked below the two werewolves could see the ocean of wilderness swallowing up the earth. It was hard to believe there could be so much wilderness only 50 miles away from one of the busiest cities in the world.

After a few moments Logan couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, bub, what's your deal?! Why have you brought me up here? Why have you made me join your stupid little club anyway?"

For the first time Sabertooth turned on Logan and snarled right in his face. It was also the first time Logan saw Sabertooth's eyes glow. They gave off an eerie yellow light that seemed to come from deep within his soul. His eyes burned of the rage and savagery that he managed to keep under control for the longest time now.

"This is not a stupid little club with codenames and parties and nightly excursions! This is a way of life! This is how we survive in this world! A world of unforgiving, hypocritical beasts who can never accept those who are different. And you of all should understand that!" Sabertooth's eyes seemed to cool down a bit as he panted from his fiery lecture, and the large muscles in his body heaved up and down. He seemed so tired all of a sudden Logan was afraid he was going to collapse right there.

He didn't, however. He finally straightened himself up and looked over the valley once more. Logan hesitated to speak for some moments, then he finally said, "Is that why you took me in, and the others?"

The werewolf leader turned back to his new comrade. "I take everyone in for different reasons, which is something that you need to understand."

"Is that why you brought me up here?"

He nodded. "Then tell me."

A slight smirk came over Sabertooth's lips. "Your impatience is more evident every minute, Wolverine." He added jokingly, "Maybe you really have some wolf in you after all."

Logan growled. "Thanks for the compliment."

Sabertooth's smirk grew a little more before he turned back to the view. A moment passed before he spoke again.

"You must understand, Wolverine, about how the pack is structured. It consists of two kinds of werewolves: the Alpha wolf, and the Beta wolves. Do you know of the two ways werewolves get their powers?"

"Yeah, through birth or a bite from another werewolf. So what?"

"How you obtain your wolf powers is the difference between the two kinds. Alpha wolves are born with their wolf abilities. They usually inherit it from an ancestor who was originally cursed with the same abilities. Beta wolves are werewolves that receive their abilities from being bitten. There is usually one Alpha wolf in a pack who is accompanied by other Beta wolves."

"What type are you?"

A pause. "What do you think?"

Logan took a second to think about it. "Oh. I thought you were the leader because you were the smartest or something."

This was answered by a hearty laugh. "No, I do not credit myself that much, though in some ways I am the more aware one, if not necessarily the most intelligent."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Alpha wolves usually have a greater control over their killer instincts, although if they don't they can prove to be the most deadly. The Beta wolves always follow the Alpha. Even if they want to run away, they are always are drawn back. It's the blood line that they share. It's the gift of being in a pack."

"But why are some of them like Dark Fang so much bigger than you?"

"Your type does not determine what you strength or size is. Moreover, I purposefully selected Dark Fang to support the brawns of our operation. Most of the others I selected on a judgment of brains as well as brawns." It was then he turned back to Logan. "But never before have I met one such as you. You hide your strength and deadliness through your lack of stature and human appearance. It is a very good cover."

Logan did not answer for a moment, still confused about one more thing. "But I'm not one of your own. I'm not a Beta wolf, am I? I was born with these powers. So what makes you think I should stay here with you?"

Sabertooth's face was more serious than ever. "That is the main question I wanted to talk about. Wolverine, you know more about what the real world is like more than any of these characters who have always been under my leadership. You and I . . . we are already kin by our experience. I wish to offer you a chance to find a home with us. Then maybe one day you too with form your own pack. But you have not yet learned the beauty of living in a community. To hunt not alone, but with others at your side. That is what I want you to learn while you stay with us. I cannot force you to think the way we do, but I do think in time you will see things our way. So, what say you? Do you wish to know what it's like to 'run with the pack'?"

Logan hesitated again. He still wasn't completely sure about all of this. It felt strange. It felt new. But it didn't feel as wonderful as Sabertooth tried to make it. After a while, Logan finally answered, "I can give you my answer in the morning. That's the soonest."

"Very well," answered Sabertooth, almost certain he had won the Wolverine over.

"I'll need to be alone to think. I'd like to sleep here tonight, unless you've got some problem with that."

"No, not at all. Just be sure you don't take off before then." Sabertooth began his descent down the hill while Logan remained at the top. Just when he thought he was finally alone, he heard Sabertooth call up to him. "Remember Logan, you can go back into the world alone, or you can join our pack. And when you're with the pack, you're never alone."

Never alone.

The thought almost scared him. Never to wander the roads without a companion to help him out. Never to just have to take care of himself. Never to have to feel he was the only one feeling those terrifying things.

As the moon rose higher, he could feel his body undergoing the changes he always felt when the moon came out. Fortunately is was only a crescent moon, so his transformation was only partial. He looked down at the creature he truly was. Claws that could kill. Ugly fur that covered his body. Fangs that he could not completely hide behind his lips and ached to dig into the flesh of some creature. He looked back up at the moon. Despite how it was the one who caused the changes in him, it had been his only comfort. It was his only light, the only one who would look on him for what he was and not run away.

After long moments of looking at the moon, Logan laid down on the ground and curled himself up. Thoughts raced through his head as he tried to work everything out. What did he really want? Did he want to actually know more about himself? Did he really want to know why he was the way he was? Or was it something deeper? Something more than just an explanation? Hope? Compassion? Companionship?

He pondered throughout the night, and before the sun rose over the horizon he had finally come to a definite conclusion. Above all the other things that he wanted or felt uncertain about, one thing was for sure:

he didn't want to be alone anymore.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You like? Huh? You like? Well, whether you do or not, let me know by REVIEWING!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!! Okay, that's enough. The next chapter is coming soon, so stay tuned!