A/N: Haha, yes, some very interesting things come to light in this chapter...be prepared to have your minds blown. I still can't even believe I'm writing this into reality, so yeah.

Disclaimer: Do I even have to put this anymore? Marvel/Disney's. Not mine.

16. Although I See You're Not Running

"You did what now?"

"You heard me, Обманщик," Tasha said, leaning against the doorframe as Loki sat up, all weariness forgotten. "I told the team that I'm a werewolf."

"You didn't -"

"I didn't tell them about you, if that's what you're worried about."

Loki sighed in relief. "Thank the gods."

"Aren't you a god?" Tasha pointed out.

Loki gave a humorless laugh. "Maybe to you, but as Odin so harshly pointed out when he sentenced me to prison -" He glamoured himself as Odin for effect - "'we are not gods. We're born, we live, we die, just as humans do.'" Loki turned back into himself and scowled.

"Please tell me you came up with a good line as a reply to that," Tasha said. "The more you talk about him, the less I like the King of Asgard."

Loki smirked. "As a matter of fact, I did," Loki told her. "My reply was 'Give or take five thousand years.' He didn't quite know what to say to that."

Tasha laughed. "Your life expectancy is five thousand years?"

"On average, yes," Loki confirmed.

"And how old are you?" Tasha asked.

Loki thought for a moment - how old was he? "I'm about 1048 as of this year," Loki told her.

Tasha looked impressed. "How old is that in human terms?"

Loki ran through the math in his head, then said, "Seventeen-ish."

"Seventeen-ish?" Tasha repeated.

Loki glared at her. "If you want to get technical, I'm sixteen, but seventeen whenever my birthday rolls around."

"You don't know when your birthday is?" Tasha asked.

Loki waved a hand. "I have a loose idea, but we never celebrated birthdays on Asgard, not even Thor's. It was one thing that I never got that Thor didn't either."

They fell silent for a moment while Tasha absorbed this. Loki changed the subject, uncomfortable with bringing up his past. Tasha noticed, but didn't say anything.

"How did they take it?" Loki asked. "When you told them?"

"Surprisingly?" Tasha said. "Not as badly as I thought they would. Tony was instantly questioning everything about how I became a werewolf and all that; Cap looked a little lost, but then that's not exactly surprising; Bruce just sort of smiled all shy-like; Coulson was ecstatic that werewolves even exist and joined Tony's relentless stream of questions; and Clint...I think he was just surprised that I hadn't told him before."

Loki nodded. "Are you going to tell Thor?"

"Yeah, probably tomorrow," Tasha said. "After he's gotten some sleep. We all heard about the showdown in Greenwich."

"Watch, Coulson's team is going to have to clean it all up," Loki chuckled. "Much to their dismay, I'm sure."

Tasha laughed with him, then stood straight. "I'll let you rest now," she said. "I just wanted to let you know."

Loki nodded, grateful, and Tasha disappeared out the door.

They raced to their clearing. After the incident with Remiend and the confrontation with Brock, both Loki and Tasha agreed that their little clearing was a much better place to be as wolves. So that's where they went.

Loki won. Tasha growled at him playfully.

No fair, she protested. You're the Alpha here!

Who ever told you that life was fair? Loki nudged her with his muzzle.

Shut up, Обманщик, Tasha grumbled.

She pounced on him, and he rolled with her, throwing her off. She sprang back to her paws and jumped at him again, this time to be met with a paw to the nose as Loki swatted her away. She changed tactics, keeping him wary.

Their play-fight was interrupted by another mind-voice.

As amusing as this is to watch, Ice Alpha, said Valkyrie, I don't think we ever got to finish our conversation from last time.

Loki and Tasha stopped their play-fight. Loki stood, tail flicking warily.

I'm not going to fight you, Valkyrie said, and she sounded exasperated. I just want to talk.

Loki studied her for a moment, then flicked his tail at Tasha to tell her to stand down. He sat, paws stretched out in front of him, and the two she-wolves did the same, with Tasha taking up her position beside her alpha and Valkyrie across from them.

I believe we were cut off after I asked why you couldn't move on from what Amora did, Loki said.

Yes, Valkyrie said. And that's the thing - I have.

Loki tilted his head curiously. Oh?

After watching you de-escalate the situation with that Jotunwolf last month, I realized I couldn't hold a grudge forever, Valkyrie explained. Well, I could, but it would have been a lonely and bitter existence. So I finally let her go, and I moved on. Valkyrie's ear twitched. I came to apologize for Central Park.

Apology accepted, Loki decided.

And, Valkyrie added, apparently steeling herself, I was wondering if I could join your pack.

That caught Loki off guard. Apparently it had the same effect on Tasha.

You what? Tasha asked, mind-voice dripping incredulousness.

I want to join your pack, Valkyrie repeated. If you'll have me. I know I was a total bitch -

Yes, Loki said, cutting her off.

She blinked at him. What?

Yes, you can join the pack, Loki repeated.

Tasha glanced at him. Are you sure?

Yes, Loki said again, slightly exasperatedly. Welcome to the pack, Valkyrie.

The she-wolf most likely would have smiled had she been in her usual form, but as it was Loki could still tell she was intensely happy and relieved that he'd said yes. Thanks, she said.

Loki dipped his head at her, welcoming her. Beside him, Tasha did the same.

The conversation from then on was rather light for a while. They mostly learned about Valkyrie. Loki shared pieces of the Dark Elf ordeal, steering clear of the topic of Frigga's death, and in turn Valkyrie told them of how she'd come to Earth, though she was vague on the details. She wasn't that much older than Thor, apparently, maybe a few years humanwise.

At one point, Loki rose and stretched, then leaped onto the rock while the women watched.

Watch, he's going to start a Howling, he heard Tasha tell Valkyrie. He does this a lot.

Loki twitched an ear, then did precisely that: he threw his head back, ears flat, and howled, long and loud. He heard Tasha and Valkyrie join in, as well as the answering howls of other wolves in the vicinity, and one that sounded distinctly far away.

Abruptly, he heard Tasha's howl cut off, followed by Valkyrie's. He ceased his own howl, though the others carried on, and looked back to them.

What? he asked. The two she-wolves were both watching him curiously.

You're glowing, Valkyrie noted.

Silver, Tasha added. A very vibrant silver.

Loki glanced as best he could at his own fur, to find that he was indeed glowing silver. As he noticed this, a rush of sudden, cold power flowed through him, startling out a bark of surprise. Instantly, Tasha jumped to her paws, bounding onto the rock and pressing against his side as she directed him back down to level ground.

Loki sat back down, head still buzzing from the cold power, power that he'd never felt before. Valkyrie watched him, eyes concerned, and Tasha demanded, What was that?!

Are you okay, Ice Alpha? asked Valkyrie.

I am now, Loki said. He shook his head to clear it, ears twitching as he did so. I don't know what the hell that was. I've never felt power like that before. Not even the Norn Stones were that strong.

That's not good, Valkyrie said.

What did it feel like? asked Tasha.

Cold, Loki said. Strong. Colder than I've ever been, more powerful than I've ever felt. Almost like my blood had literally frozen over and the cold was rapidly encasing the rest of me. He shook his head in bewilderment. Strangest part is, I liked the feeling.

Loki, Tasha said, after exchanging a look with Valkyrie, what was it like on Asgard, growing up as a werewolf?

Loki had dreaded this question since the beginning, but they had a right to know. Besides, recounting his past may give them some clue as to what the cold power was.

It's not a fun story, Loki warned them. Nor is it an easy one to get through.

We're here for you, Loki, Tasha said, burying her nose in his fur for a moment before giving his ear a comforting lick.

Loki dipped his head at her, then began his tale.

I discovered what I was by accident, Loki explained. I was about eight in human terms, though I'm not entirely sure how old I was by Asgardian standards. Double digits at least, I'm not certain. Anyway, I was eight and at a bit more of a rebellious streak than usual. Odin had just sent me to my room after I pulled a particularly destructive prank that nearly got a group of training Einherjar killed. I wasn't too upset at the near-outcome; they were bullies to everyone except Thor, and I figured I was doing everyone a favor. Odin didn't find it nearly as funny, and had ordered me to my room with the punishment of no meals for the rest of the day.

I didn't complain. I knew better than that by now. Loki wasn't willing to go into the specifics of that just yet. But I was frustrated. I couldn't understand why Odin was so upset about it. In my mind, I had clearly justified the prank. To this day I'm still not entirely sure it was wrong. I was pacing, restless, all night. Thor stopped by once, though whatever he was going to say died on his lips at my glare. I considered just conjuring some food from the kitchens, but my magic wasn't strong enough yet.

And then, inexplicably, I transformed.

It was the first time I'd transformed and been aware of it. I was intensely confused, but the only thing the wolf wanted was to hunt. I'd conveniently opened my window earlier to let in the night air, and it was a simple matter to squeeze out onto the narrow ledge that runs between every few floors of the Asgardian palace. From there it got tricky, as I had to make my way to the ground and then find somewhere to hunt.

I settled on the palace gardens, since it was closer and I'd never done this before. I found a few small things - I'm not entirely sure what they were, honestly - and, slightly sickened, I let the wolf take over for the meal.

Once that was satisfied, I all but forced the wolf back into my room and transformed again. I immediately closed the window and drew the curtain, then sat back against the wall, with the wolf howling at me about cutting the night short. I sat there, and tried to figure out what had just happened.

I knew I was in more danger than ever. In addition to being the lesser prince that no one trusted, I was also a werewolf - which, on Asgard, is an extremely dangerous thing to be.

You see, Odin's father Bor was terrified of anything he couldn't understand, and werewolves were one of those things. So he outlawed them, and gave Einherjar permission to kill if they could prove the wolf or Asgardian they captured was in fact both. Odin never saw any reason to remove this rule. So now, if I was discovered, I knew I'd be killed on sight. No one would miss the younger prince, their reasoning would be. No one would miss the God of Mischief.

So I knew I had to be careful. From then on, I was living in a state of constant fear that Odin and his Einherjar would find out about me. I learned to hide it as I grew older, as I became a liar, a thief, chaos incarnate. The God of Mischief. The Liesmith. The Trickster. I became known for my sharp wit and silver tongue, as well as my penchant for causing trouble and my uncanny ability to do magic.

But no one knew what I did by night.

Once the palace was asleep, I'd spend hours training myself to climb. After a while I started spending longer as a wolf as well, learning how to master the terrain on four paws just as well as I was beginning to be able to on two feet.

By the time I was ten, I had mastered climbing the relatively smooth castle walls in both directions, as well as trees, the towers and turrets of the city, and the mountains behind the castle. It was the one thing no one could beat me at during Einherjar training, and a great way to escape the bullies, since most of them were abysmal climbers and the few who could climb were actually somewhat nice to me. It wasn't uncommon during the day anymore to find that I'd scaled a wall or a tree and was merely lounging there with a book.

By night, I continued to grow more confident as a wolf. It became apparent quite quickly the cycle Jotunwolves go through, and I was prepared. I went hunting once a month. By age eleven, I was hunting in the mountains. By twelve, I was able to take down a Bilgesnipe. I became faster and stronger from my constant climbing and could usually hunt through the mountains and be back in my room before dawn, which was impressive considering how late the palace went to sleep. The night watch of Einherjar never found me.

But the fear was still there.

There was only one instance that they almost discovered me, and it left me scarred in yet another way. Loki didn't elaborate on that either. I was fourteen, and becoming more annoyed by the populace than usual. I was out hunting and lost track of time; by the time I'd finished, it was nearly dawn and I knew I had to get back to the palace quickly.

On my way there, I was met by a party of Einherjar. Thor's friend Hogun led them. They captured me, noticing the strangeness of my fur, and dragged me back to the palace. They took me to the steepest part of the castle and Hogun left to wake someone. While he was gone, I managed to get over my fear and slink away from the Einherjar unnoticed due to the abrupt arrival of Frigga. I had no time to wonder what she was doing awake so early, but she took one look at me and promptly distracted the guards. I slunk away and transformed in the shadows of the palace.

It was the hardest climb of my life. Somehow, against all odds, I managed to get back to my room just in time for Frigga to come knocking. Bleary-eyed, I opened it, and after declaring I looked dreadful, she sent me back to bed.

At the time, I wasn't aware that she knew exactly what had just happened, knew that the wolf she helped rescue was me. Looking back on it now, it's probably one of the bravest things she ever did.

After that my life was abruptly turned upside down with the revelation about my heritage, and then New York. I've never lost that fear, though, that fear that I'm the one being hunted. And I don't think I ever will.

That was the end of Loki's tale. The three wolves sat in silence for a minute as Tasha and Valkyrie absorbed the information. Tasha licked his ear again once he'd finished.

Thank you for telling us, Tasha said.

Loki buried his nose in her fur. Thank you for listening.

You look exhausted, Valkyrie noted. We can figure this out tomorrow. Go home, guys.

Come with us, Loki offered.

Really? Valkyrie sounded surprised.

Sure. The Tower has plenty of guest rooms, Tasha shrugged.

How are you going to explain me to the others, though? Valkyrie asked doubtfully.

I'll think of something, Loki said. Silver tongue, remember?

The three wolves stood, and raced back to the Tower. The minute Loki was back in his room, he fell asleep.

Loki blinked; it was white again. Where am I? he thought, looking around. It looked much the same as the white he'd been enveloped in when he died on Svartalfheim, maybe a little less bright.

As his eyes adjusted, he made out the shape of a wolf prowling toward him. He wondered if this was the same wolf that had brought him back to life.

He was proven wrong, however, when the wolf stopped in front of him, and Loki got a good look at it.

Loki had never seen himself in wolf form before, at least not clearly, but he recognized the white fur tipped with ice and the regal way the wolf sat. The eyes were different, though; a pale, icy blue, like the eyes of a normal Jotunwolf.

"What the Helheim?" Loki said aloud.

Good question. The wolf spoke the same way Loki did during his nights out in the forest. It - he - sounded faintly like Loki himself, probably from spending a thousand and forty-eight years bound to Loki's soul.

"You're the wolf that lives in me?" Loki asked, just to be sure.

Yes, the wolf said. Though I don't know how I'm speaking English.

"Probably because I'm dreaming," Loki shrugged.

The wolf tilted its head. You're dreaming? That makes sense, actually.

"Do you have a name?" Loki asked. "I need to call you something. Unless you prefer one of the 'alpha' titles other wolves keep giving me."

I don't think so, the wolf said. I've been bound to you for my entire existence, so...

"Well, I've got to call you something," Loki said. "How about Frost?"

The wolf gave him what Loki could only describe as an inquisitive look. That's okay. I suppose.

"Right then." Loki looked around at the bright surroundings once more. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

This is a world between worlds, Frost said tentatively after sniffing the air. A place where time does not exist, and where death isn't permanent.

"Was it you that brought me back?" Loki asked. "On Svartalfheim, when the Kursed impaled me," he clarified at the wolf's tilted head.

No, Frost replied. It wasn't me. At least, not me alone.

"Whatever do you mean?" Loki inquired.

Frost may have sighed. How to explain this? he mused. Then he said, I'm bound to you because you're a werewolf, right? When Loki nodded, he continued, So our souls are entwined. Yours was the first to die when you were stabbed, and I would have followed shortly after if I hadn't felt something cold creep through, obliterating everything and apparently healing the wound.

"Something cold..." Loki mused. He remembered the rush of power from earlier and asked, "Did you by any chance feel something similar earlier, after the Howling?"

Frost considered, then said slowly, Yes, actually. You - I - whichever, stumbled from the force of it. Your Natasha reacted immediately.

Loki was a little amused by the falter, and the way he'd said "your Natasha," as if she belonged to Loki. He supposed in a way she did: she was his friend, not Frost's.

"We were wondering what it was," Loki said. "I've never felt anything like it before."

I can't help you with that, Frost sympathized. I don't know what it is either.

"But I do."

The voice came out of nowhere, and both Loki and the wolf looked over to see the form of another wolf stalking forward. This time Loki recognized it instantly: this was the wolf - the she-wolf - that had saved his life.

"Hello," Loki said. "Who are you?"

"I am Lupa," said the she-wolf, and she spoke with a sort of mirrored voice, sounding at once human and not due to the mind-speak. "Roman wolf goddess charged with protecting and training demigods."

"I'm not a demigod, much less a Roman one," Loki pointed out, scowling a bit at the mention of Rome. Roman gods were jerks, at least from the little Loki had seen of them as a child when gods from other cultures convened in the Asgardian Palace for their once-a-millenium Council of Gods, spearheaded by Odin.

"I'm aware," Lupa said. "But I have also taken to watching over those whose souls are bound to wolves. I believe you call them werewolves."

"Like me," Loki realized, glancing at Frost.

"Yes," Lupa confirmed, bowing her head. "Like you." She sounded somewhat familiar, and Loki doubted it was from Svartalfheim, as he hadn't exactly been fully conscious then. Before he could call her on it, however, Frost spoke up.

Did you arrange this...meeting? he asked, for lack of a better word.

"Yes," Lupa replied. "You both deserve answers."

"Answers about what?" Loki asked, though he had a feeling he knew.

"About the powers that brought you back to life," Lupa said, confirming Loki's suspicion.

"What was that?" Loki asked.

Lupa sat down; Loki and Frost remained as they were. "What did it feel like?" she asked.

"Cold," Loki said. "Colder than I've ever been. I could actually feel the cold, like ice in my blood. And it - I - felt powerful. Stronger than ever. Stronger even than the eihwaz I wear around my neck."

"So it has begun," Lupa said cryptically.

Loki exchanged a glance with his wolf. What has begun? asked Frost.

"Your power is unique," Lupa explained. "Loki, you described it as feeling like ice in your blood." Loki nodded, unsure where this was going. "Because, in a way, it was."

Loki and Frost looked at each other again.

What? asked Frost.

"I have to agree with him," Loki added. "What?"

"When you were bitten, your advanced healing kicked in to mend the wound," Lupa attempted to explain. "Before it could, some of Jotunheim's environment somehow made it into your bloodstream. Even I am not entirely sure how. But that formed itself into a sort of reserve power well. As your seidhr developed and you learned how to use it, the ice reserve grew as well. But it was buried beneath the surface, needing some sort of catalyst to set it off."

"So what was the catalyst?" Loki questioned, his head spinning from this information.

"I believe it was when your Asgardian kissed you," Lupa estimated. "His power over lightning may have been the jolt the ice reserve needed to make itself known."

But what can it do? Frost inquired, just as curious as Loki.

"You'll instinctively know how to use it, but I believe it gives you more control over ice than the usual Frost Giant. You won't need a cold environment or the Casket to unleash your power, rather just calling on it from within. That's about all I can tell you," Lupa detailed.

Loki nodded, still unable to quite believe this. And he couldn't place Lupa's voice either...

"Loki," Lupa said, and it clicked.

"Why - why do you sound like - like my mother?" Loki asked shakily.

Lupa blinked at him. "She wanted to speak to you. I offered to let her."

"So?" Loki said. "Where is she?"

Lupa closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and gently nosed Loki to the right. He glanced at Frost, who said, Just go. Then he steeled himself and walked forward.

He saw her before she saw him. He stopped short, heart clenching painfully. She looked the same as she had the day she died. The last words he'd said to her were still fresh in Loki's mind - "You're not" - and he swallowed, suddenly unsure if this was a good idea.

But then Frigga's spirit turned and saw him, and Loki knew it was too late to backtrack, so he stepped forward.

"Loki?" Frigga asked.

"Mother," Loki replied.

"I thought I wasn't your mother," Frigga said, and she didn't sound angry; just sad, which was worse.

"I lied," Loki said simply.

"You and your silver tongue," Frigga said, somewhat fondly.

They fell silent, Frigga studying her son and Loki averting his eyes, trying not to look at her. It was already painful enough.

"Why won't you look at me?" Frigga asked after a moment.

"It's easier," Loki said evasively.

"Easier than what?" Frigga pressed.

"Easier than looking at you and knowing I was the one who doomed you with the Kursed, remembering the last conversation we had and the last time I ever saw your face. Remembering the pain I'd caused you, and then having been the one to bring about your death." Now Loki looked at her. "Would you like me to go on?"

"Loki," sighed Frigga, but Loki wasn't done.

"Why do you care, anyway?" Loki asked. "I never understood that. Why do you care about me when you know what I am?"

"You're my son," Frigga tried to interject.

"So is Thor," Loki countered, and spread his arms in a gesture of confusion. "So why me? You know who I am. You know what I've done. You know how many people have died because of me."

"Loki, stop." Frigga approached; Loki wanted to move, to flinch away, but he couldn't force his feet to work. She took his hands, and she was surprisingly solid and warm. Loki had half expected her to be an illusion, just as she had been in his cell.

"You're not perfect," Frigga said. "But you're not evil either, Loki. You're strong and smart and witty, and you're clear and level-headed in a fight regardless of whose side you're on. Yes, you've made mistakes and bad choices that got people killed, but the fact that your Avengers have more or less accepted and befriended you shows that you've changed. You're better now, and continuing to grow and change. Even your relationship with your wolf is evolving." Frigga met his eyes, and Loki saw nothing but love in hers. "You're a good person, Loki. I have always seen that. And what's more - you are, and will always be, my son."

Loki said nothing, too overwhelmed with emotion to speak. Frigga seemed to sense this, because she smiled.

"You have to go back to your wolf," she said softly.

She started to walk away, and Loki remembered how to speak. "Mother," Loki called. Frigga stopped and turned. Loki offered her a small smile. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, my son," Frigga said, and disappeared.

Loki walked back to where Frost now sat alone. Lupa had gone.

How'd it go? asked Frost.

"Well, I think," Loki replied, looking in the direction Frigga had disappeared.

That's good, Frost said, and he sounded a little sad.

"What's wrong?" Loki asked.

I've never had a family, Frost said. I came into existence because of Remiend.

"Oh," Loki realized. "You're only alive because..."

Frost nodded his head once. Yeah.

Loki considered for a moment, then said, "But you do have a family." When Frost looked at him quizzically, Loki smiled and elaborated, "The pack. Tasha's wolf. Valkyrie's wolf. And me."

Frost sounded amused when he replied, Well, we are kind of inseparable.

Loki smiled.

Frost's head perked up, ears twitching forward. Someone's approaching.

"In here, or in reality?" Loki asked, unsure if Frost could really sense that.

Reality, Frost said. So...see you when you - I -?

"We," Loki corrected. "It's we."

Frost nodded, and Loki could have sworn the wolf smiled.

When we transform tomorrow, finished Frost. Loki nodded.

"That I shall," he said, and walked with the wolf straight into the blinding nothingness of the world between worlds.

The sound of his door opening brought Loki back to reality. He rolled over sleepily and made out Thor's form creeping into his room.

"Thor?" Loki asked, voice rough from sleep.

"Did I wake you?" Thor asked.

"No, but..." Loki glanced blearily at his clock. "Thor, it's three in the morning."

"I know," Thor sighed, closing the door and stepping forward so the moonlight hit his troubled features. "But I haven't been sleeping well recently. I thought maybe being near you would help."

Loki smiled drowsily and shifted so there was more room for Thor. "Come here, you."

He heard Thor approach more than saw him, and a few moments later Thor had slipped into bed beside him. Loki rolled over again to face him.

"Thank you," Thor murmured.

"Anytime," Loki said, and meant it. He kissed Thor lightly, then added, "Now go to sleep. I'm tired."

Thor pulled him closer; Loki let him, tucking his head into the crook of Thor's neck. He felt Thor reach up a hand to stroke his hair and smiled again, already falling back to sleep, with Frigga's words still echoing in his head.

You are, and will always be, my son.

I really didn't know how this was going to turn out, I just knew what would be revealed. I hope you liked what all came to light, and I do plan on exploring the ice reserve a lot further, so that should be fun. As always, please leave reviews telling me what you thought!