Scars and the Claws That Leave Them

by HakuroNoKage

William Grimm newly transferred to the ZPD from the Ulfhaven Sheriff's Dept. tries to move forward with his life as his past remains a burden that seems to haunt him at every turn. Rated M for everything under the sun, and Nihil Nove Sub Sole. Much love, and many thanks to Darkwolfslayer21 for a cover image for this story, and for so much more besides. It's Nodachi Time.

5. Rebel Yell

Friday [Week One, Day Five]

She awoke with a start jolting upright adrenaline pounding in her veins. At first it took her a second to realize she'd woken up so fresh in her mind were the images of her dream. As she relived it again, this time conscious, tears flooded down her face. In her dream he'd given her his heart still beating from his paws into hers, "This belongs to you" he'd said "Keep it with you safe, always. It's time for me to go", and after he'd walked away barely three steps his body dropped. Then it was gone, and standing facing her was what looked like a female version of him who spoke to her "What you hold in your paws in the greatest blessing any mammal can be bestowed. Even if you crush it, and throw it to the ground it will remain yours. I know it hurts you my daughter to see him go again, and hurts all the more that he is returning to me, but when you come home we'll be waiting with arms wide open". When the images finally left her she cried all the harder in knowing their full meaning. His heart was hers as it had been since she saw him for what he really was as no other had, and it would belong to her so long as he lived; so too would he until he returned to her, the one who had true claim to him all along. Getting up from her bed unable to control her sobs she made her way to her cousin's room where the sound of her awoke the arctic vixen.

"Layla what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream? I haven't seen you like this since we were kits." Alice said rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It wasn't a nightmare. It just fucking hurts" Layla answered "I wish I could talk to him about it. In it he made sure I knew his heart was mine before he was gone, and then the Wolf Mother spoke to me. She told me just how blessed I am to be able to say his heart belongs to me, and so does he along with it so long as he lives, but when the time comes he will return to her. She is the one who has claim to him above me."

"But all of us canidae belong to Her, and Her Mate." Alice responded stating a fact she didn't really believe in like her cousin

"You don't understand" Layla said fresh tears wrung from her eyes "You don't understand, and I can't tell you. You'd have to see him as I know him to understand"

With that Layla crawled in bed with Alice, and wrapping her arms around her cousin settled down to try, and sleep again. Alice simply stroked her cousin's head reassuringly before she herself fell back asleep.

---

05:30

"That fucking alarm! I am going to kill your phone!" Jade groaned awakened by the infernal "Dawn"

"Hey, it scares the fuck out of me into being awake. It works, but yeah I'll change it; been actually thinking of changing it to "Walk Don't Run" by The Ventures" Will answered with his own groan out of sleepfulness.

After he'd silenced the torturous alarm they both managed to get themselves out of bed, and into the shower. While waiting for the water to heat they brushed their teeth with Will borrowing a spare toothbrush Jade had; he would've used hers, but when he said so she'd just looked at him as if he had two heads. When they'd gotten in the shower, and had a moment to savor the rejuvenating water they began to scrub the fur soap into each other. As Will enjoyed her paws in his fur he couldn't control his morning wood which she only stroked idly in her paws when he turned to scrub her fur as she wanted to talk.

"You know this is the second time we've done 'dinner together, and chill'. I'm starting to wonder are we just friends who are easily intimate with each other, or are we heading towards something a little more involved?" she asked him looking into his eyes

Looking back at her in the eyes he couldn't hide the emotions in his own as he answered carefully "I had to give up the mammal with my heart, the mammal I want to spend the rest of my life with, just to keep her safe from the ZIA I still expect to come gunning for me. I don't think I have it in me to be with anyone anymore, and to even try would feel too much like a betrayal of her love. That said I really like you, and find it easy to be myself around you"

"I'm not going to say I even begin to understand the pain I see in your eyes, or the kind of strength it took to do that. Intimate friends it is" she said before reaching up to pull his head down into a kiss before wrapping her legs around him to position herself over his still standing limb. Sliding it into herself she continued "You know there were always wolves I thought were cute, but never tried to do anything with because what chance did I really have? I'm thankful to you for showing me what I was missing out on"

While they had their morning quickie the water rinsed the soap from their fur leaving them only needing to get dry when they finished. After they'd gotten dry, and dressed in their uniforms Will gathered his duffle bag before they made it downstairs. When they passed Katie in the lobby Jade teased her saying "You know if you ever get lonely, and need some satisfaction this wolf delivers". Will added in "Just consider me your friendly neighborhood scratching post. I also cook, and am good at giving massages" wagging his tail. Katie just reddened under her fur while they made their way out of the building to his Shelby where Will got in the trunk for his belt, and weapons while Jade sat in the passenger seat.

When Will got in the driver's seat he wasted no time getting the engine, and then the music started with "Make Friends With Your Nightmares" by Wolf. When Jade commented that of course he listened to a band called 'Wolf' Will only laughed as he drove them to that nearby bakery he'd promised to frequent. When she asked him where this band was from he told her Sweden adding that scandinavians really knew how to fucking rock, and roll. After they'd given the bakery their patronage, and Will hungrily wolfed down two bao before starting a third out of the dozen he'd bought plus the one the proprietor added free of charge the song that played while they drove off was "Black Magic" by Wolf. Stowing the baker's dozen of manju he'd also gotten in the back seat for later he switched up the artist to Wintersun starting the shuffle through their first album with "Death and the Healing" while they were stopped at a red light.

In the time it took them to get the rest of the way to the station the track "Sleeping Stars" by Wintersun played ending just as they parked in the motor pool. When they got out Joe just looked at them a little bewildered, and said "I thought that crazy coroner coyote had her fangs in you buddy?"

Caldera responded before Will could "Despite yesterday's rumors she's his pack sister"

"That almost seems just as strange" Joe said with a shrug adding "So you're his girl then?"

Will could only stand there mouth shut as he listened to the two.

"Nah, Joe. We're just friends, really. Though I do appreciate the places his tongue can reach" She told Joe with a wink.

Will just shook his head, and made his way to the lift saying "I'm heading to work, later Joe" lifting a paw in a wave as he went.

He held the doors for Jade as she caught up, and once the doors were closed he thanked her for answering Joe on his behalf though he added he was capable of answering the cat just the same. She only responded that they'd both probably have to field their share of questions since it surely hadn't gone unnoticed that they left the station last night together, and it wouldn't go unnoticed that they'd leave this lift the same either. Will simply added that it was to their advantage that they didn't smell like eachother not that he'd mind giving her a good scent roll. She just laughed at his comment as the doors opened saying "You're too funny wolfie" before leaving towards her office while Will headed for the bullpen. Sure enough those who'd noticed the pair leave together the previous night took notice of the pair showing up to work at the same time, and the rumor mill was fired up especially after someone made the joking observation that "The Beast seemed to have a way with the Beauties".

When Will got to the bullpen he expected everyone to look at him some shade of funny after his outburst, and admission yesterday. He entered deciding to play it cool his expression his usual friendly smile though it shifted into surprise when he saw Delgato who quickly rose to shake his paw, and thank him for having his back. Will's response was simply that as mammals they were already brothers in the eyes of the gods, and as officers they were brothers in blue. When Will added that he'd expected Delgato to be out on leave recovering the tiger simply laughed it off that though the Chief insisted on just that he'd insisted harder that like hell was he going to let a few bruised ribs keep him from keeping the city safe for his family, and all the other families in it. At this statement Will couldn't help but tear up, and wrap his arms around the tiger though he didn't hug him in deference to his injuries.

After they'd both taken their seats with Will as usual next to Wolford it wasn't long before the Chief walked in briskly something clearly on his mind. As he looked pointedly at both wolves his first order of business was to give them their case.

"Wolford, Grimm" the Chief said seriously "We have a kidnapping case of a female gray wolf, and her daughter. The eyewitness report is that it was the ex-boyfriend, and that it appeared he was armed. I want these mammals found safe, and alive as swiftly as possible. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir" both wolves responded as soon as the Chief was finished with Will jumping over the table to make his way to the buffalo for the case file while Wolford went around more normally though with no less haste. File in paw Will handed it to John while both mammals ran out of the bullpen towards the motor pool with Will reaching the lift first as he had unhesitatingly shifted to running on all fours. In the elevator they quickly decided on taking a cruiser over the Shelby since they'd need the onboard computer though the Shelby was faster. Once in the motor pool Will only requested time to grab his bao from his car while John chose a cruiser, and pulled around to where Will had parked. Will wasted no time getting in, and didn't bother buckling his seatbelt as he opened the file to find the address of the crime scene telling John where it was the wolf swiftly turned on the emergency lights not giving a damn about protocol.

For both wolves this was personal not that they knew the wolves in question, but John had a sister who had a daughter, and a son on the way. Will on the other paw simply saw the threat to the cub as if it were a threat to his own though he was not a father, and reacted accordingly. Once they made it to the she-wolf's home they quickly decided on a plan; they'd enter the place to get the scents they needed to track then check the traffic cameras with the cruiser's onboard computer. While inside they both took notice of the family photos of the she-wolf, and her daughter who both wolves recognized as little Rosa's friend from pictures of Delgato's which caused them to redouble their efforts with fervor. Once they had the scents they needed they left with Will tapping away on his phone downloading a certain algorithm from his cloud that he knew would come in handy.

It didn't take long for John to find the footage the pair needed of the car the offending wolf had coerced the mother, and daughter into, and indeed he had a gun. When John voiced his concern at how long it would take to successfully track the vehicle through all the myriad cameras Will simply told him that he'd already been on it as he plugged his phone into the onboard computer and began running the algorithm which was a combination he'd made of the two he'd written with Whisper for tracking ZIA targets through surveillance systems. While the pair waited for the program to do it's work they both ate a few of the bao Will had had the sense to bring more out of nervous restlessness than hunger.

Once the results dinged they quickly watched through the resulting feed, and finding the abandoned warehouse where their quarry had been taken they were off sirens blaring as fast as they could safely go. When they reached the building they agreed to split up to cover more ground with John calling in for backup while Will took off on all fours into the building hunting a wolf he was ready to kill, and the mother, and daughter he was dead set on saving. The scents in the building were still fresh enough that Will's nose led him straight where he needed to go, as he neared the room where he could hear the wolves were with the male shouting, and the girls crying he debated on drawing his tranq pistol, or his M1911; should he leave this bastard alive to get out of jail later, or end the threat he was permanently. In the end he drew his .45, and made ready to shoot first asking questions later. While he moved towards the room now on only his hindpaws as stealthily as he could either the male heard him approaching, or simply made up his mind, and shot his ex-girlfriend right in the chest before turning the gun on her daughter.

He never got the chance to pull the trigger. As soon as Will heard the first shot he was through the door into the room, and as soon as he saw the gun arm move towards the cub he aimed, and opened fire loosing a single round into the back of the male wolf's head. Holstering his pistol he fell back onto all fours, and made his way to the cub to comfort her wrapping her in his forearms, and licking her all over both to make sure she was alright, and to reassure her. His fatherly instincts in full force when he heard the approaching paw steps he stood over the cub on all fours in a defensive stance, and growled with all the viciousness he could muster warning whoever approached that should they threaten what he was protecting they'd get eaten.

As Wolford, Hopps, and Wilde neared the place they'd heard the gunshots come from they heard the vicious snarling of what sounded like some wolf from hell itself. Judy was filled with instinctual terror she fought until she was just at the doorway where she couldn't help but freeze. John got about as far as Judy before his instincts likewise brought him up short instilling him with the urge to submit to whatever was making that unending sound, and prove himself not a threat. Nick seemed unfazed as he holstered his tranq pistol, and raised his paws non threateningly. When Judy managed to hiss at him "What are you doing?" he simply ignored her as he crossed the threshold his own instincts telling him all he had to do was confirm to the savagely growling wolf that he wasn't a threat. Seeing that the snarling was coming from none other than Will, and that he was on all fours over the cub in a defensive stance Nick made sure he was standing in Will's line of sight before saying "Easy brother it's just us. Everything is okay." This seemed to mollify the wolf who stopped his defensive snarling, and layed back down with the cub in his forearms while he went back to reassuringly licking her. When the sound of the hell wolf stopped it took a couple moments before Judy, and John managed to unfreeze themselves entering the room to witness the carnage, and Nick getting a short video of Will, and the cub in his arms.

At seeing Will's actions John's heart was warmed as he felt the wolf before him would make quite the father someday, and he felt his own sense of pride swell that this wolf was a mammal he served with though he was still shocked that the sounds he'd heard had come from this wolf, and not the hell beast they'd sounded like they were emanating from. He was also confused at how strongly his instincts had urged him to submit to this wolf as if this wolf were his alpha. Judy for her part was too civilized to understand the instinctual, and primitive actions of the wolf before her. When she asked him what had happened, and told him to stop licking the poor girl he simply growled at her evenly his eyes still possessing a certain feral gleam which caused Judy to draw her tranq pistol which she was about to fire into the wolf she thought was savage though she couldn't fathom how he'd gotten that way before he spoke.

"Go ahead, and empty that thing into me rabbit. I will not go down" Will said his voice almost as deep as Finnick's.

"You're not savage?" Judy asked utterly shocked

"Not even close though I am closer to my more feral instincts than most mammals" Will answered his voice returning to normal "Why do you think I run on all fours so easily?"

"So what exactly happened here" Judy asked again

"Isn't it obvious?" was Will's response before he elaborated "The first shot you heard was this poor girl's mother being murdered, and the second was me executing the bastard responsible"

Once he'd finished speaking he returned his attention to the cub in his arms still in father mode he began scent rolling into her as any father would to reassure his cub they were protected, and safe. Eventually she was calm enough from her ordeal to process what had happened; how her mother had been killed, and how she had nearly been killed herself before the wolf in whose neck fur she nestled had saved her. She left him to go see her mother for herself though he whined at her when she did so; after sniffing at, and licking her mother's muzzle that would never again smile at her she couldn't stop her tears, and ran back to her rescuer for comfort he gladly gave letting her hug his neck as fiercely as she could as she cried into him.

Eventually she'd wore herself out from crying, and fell asleep in his arms to rest from the stress of her morning. Will simply scooped her up in his arms, and used his elbows, and knees to return to standing on his hindpaws after which he carried her outside followed by his fellow officers with John reporting into the Chief, and Nick calling in the ambulances. When the busses had arrived, and the bodies were loaded into two separate ones to be taken to Sage the medics from the third who had come to look over the cub tried to get her from Will so they could do so.

"Over My Cold Dead Paws Is This One Leaving My Arms" Will growled at the medics, and they backed away slowly.

"It's okay Angel, you can let me go I'm fine" the little girl said having been woken by Will's protective growl

She simply giggled, and patted his muzzle when he whined in response telling him "They just want to make sure I'm okay. When they're done right back here is where I want to return"

While the pair of medics looked her over, one a coyote, and the other a deer the coyote asked her what her name was.

"Sarah" the little cub replied

"Well, Sarah you're really tough. Most kids wouldn't be able to stop crying, or speak so clearly after what you've been through" the coyote was saying to distract the cub from the poking, and prodding of the deer.

"The Angel who rescued me gave me strength."

"You mean that overprotective cop who looked like he was going to eat us" the deer spoke

"I don't think he was going to eat us. Why are you calling him an angel sweetie? Because he saved you from that bad wolf?"

"You don't see his wings?" Sarah asked quizzically

"Well she seems fine though the stress is causing her to see things" the deer said earning a look from the coyote to which the deer responded "don't you threaten to eat me too, I'm your senior"

"I'm not going to do that no matter how you irritate me. I can tell you this much, as certain as little Sarah is about it, if she says that wolf has wings then surely he does" the coyote responded

"You can't see them, but at least you believe me" Sarah said to the coyote before calling out to Will "Angel come back to me"

Judy was first to turn towards the cub as she heard her call out before Nick, and John did all three surprised at the cubs words, and moreover surprised again when Will responded to them by going over to her, and picking her up when she held out her arms from him to do so. Then she said something to him which only Judy heard "Angel will you lend me your strength?". Nick just watched unfazed though a voice in him seemed to niggle him with something he couldn't understand. John did not hear quite what the cub said to Will, but he felt the sense that respondingly emanated from the wolf which his instincts told him to bow to, and he couldn't help but obey. As the cub reached out to the coyote Will walked closer so the cub in his arms could touch her with Judy hearing what the cub said "Angel I want her to see your wings"

At this Will reached out his own paw to touch the coyote oblivious to his three colleagues observing him. When he touched the coyote he sent a jolt of his own chi through her, and it opened her eyes to what the cub saw. Her eyes widened, and she bowed before him reverently before Will ordered her to rise not seeing John also rise at the command. After this the medics left, and Will returned to his fellow officers with Sarah in his arms. Introducing everyone he said "Sarah this is Officer Judy Hopps the ZPD's first bunny, Officer Nick Wilde the ZPD's first fox, and Officer John Wolford. Officers this adorable little cub is Sarah who by the way is best friends with little Rosa Officer Delgato's daughter. By the way Sarah do you know what your name means"

"No, Angel I don't" Sarah answered to which Will replied with a smile "It means princess in the language it comes from. Also Hime-Sama which is how you say princess in Japanese I am Officer William Grimm, but if you want to call me Angel I don't mind. You're not the only one who calls me that"

"But Angel you're not grim at all" Sarah told him sweetly

"Tell that to these officers who heard me growling ready to hurt whoever next came through that door" Will replied with a laugh

"But you were only protecting me, Angel" Sarah asserted.

"That I was, Sarah, that I was" Will agreed before adding "Alright guys we've got to head back to the station"

They got back in their cruisers with Judy, and Nick in the lead while John followed with Will in the back, and Sarah in his arms. When Will asked Sarah if she had any family she knew of in the city she mentioned her mother's sister Auntie Luna, and that sister's son who was her cousin Tommy. When they made it back to the station they all parked in the motor pool, and went into the station together though Will, and Sarah both had to duck getting into, and out of the elevator since he'd moved her from her position in his arms to onto his shoulders where she swore she felt like she was flying she was so high up. Most of the precinct had heard of the case John, and Will left on in a rush that had been the talk of the station for a bit especially with Will running on all fours faster than they'd seen any wolf ever move even the other wolves of the precinct.

When they stepped through the elevator doors it didn't take long for them to get noticed what with Will seeming to have sprouted a smaller wolf from his shoulders, and a cheer went up resoundingly at seeing the cub safe. The loudest cheer came from Officer Frost who as a mother felt even more proud to work with both him, and John though she was also first to notice the absent cub's mother as word of the situation had only passed from the officers involved to the Chief directly. As their fellow officers likewise noticed the mother's absence a hush fell over the precinct broken only by Sarah's giggle, and affirmation when Will asked if she wanted to ride on his back while he ran on all fours around the first floor. Once he'd set her down so he could get on all fours without her falling from his shoulders he lowered himself so she could clamber on, and after telling her to hang on tight he took off causing her to laugh wildly in excitement Nick filming the whole thing with his phone.

The Chief had come out of his office when he heard the cheer welcoming back Officer Grimm, and his fellows. From his vantage point he watched as Grimm gave the little cub a ride around the ground floor, and when he heard her yell in her excitement for him to go around again faster a smile graced his muzzle when Grimm obliged her, and he was surprised at just how fast Grimm was almost becoming a blue, and white horizontal blur with a gray blur on his back.

As Will neared the end of his second loop around the ground floor he slowed down easily loping to a stop back where he started eying Nick recording his antics he promptly laid down to rest, and catch his breath. Sarah just laid forward on his back her arms around his neck as she nuzzled into his fur adorably scent rolling into him. Frost couldn't help loosing a tear as she thought to herself how one day he'd make an excellent father before she knelt next to the two, and introduced herself to little Sarah.

"Well hello there little one I'm Officer Carol, and you could say I'm something of the precinct mom" Frost said offering the little one a paw.

"Hi miss Carol. I'm Sarah, and this is the angel who saved me" Sarah said for some reason feeling the need to introduce Will as such

"How sweet Sarah of you to call him that" Frost replied with a smile

"Angel how come no one sees your wings, they're so huge?" Sarah asked the wolf underneath her looking down at his head curiously.

"They are huge, but only special ones can see them like you, and I. And I always see them whenever he's around cubs like you, little ones always bring them out" Sage said from behind everyone having just come up through the lift.

"That I can see them makes me special? But he showed them to the nice paramedic who made sure I was okay" Sarah said turning towards the coyote garbed in black

"I only showed her because you asked dear princess, and it takes a lot out of me" Will said before closing his eyes, and appearing to nap though the movement of his ears indicated he was awake, and simply listening to his surroundings

"Yes it makes you special little one. I'm sure the Wolf Mother blessed you so, so that you'd know just who came to your rescue" Sage answered the cub as she kneeled down next to them across from Frost. "I'm his pack sister Sage by the way nice to meet you Sarah"

"Nice to meet you sister Sage" Sarah said before looking back down at Will, and asking "Say Angel what is the Wolf Mother like? Momma would always tell me she was mother to us all, and loved everyone of her children no matter what."

"Out of the mouths of babes" Sage said placing a paw in front of her muzzle.

Will simply wrapped his paws over the top of his muzzle, and cried like no one there had ever seen before not the Chief, or Nick, and not even Sage.

"I'm sorry Angel. I didn't mean to make you cry" Sarah said laying down to hug him tightly her own eyes tearing at seeing his display.

"Not . . . *sniffle* your . . . *sob* fault . . ." Will managed before crying all the harder causing Sage, and Frost to wrap their arms around the seemingly inconsolable wolf such that they could from how they were positioned next to him. Eventually he managed to regain his ability to speak clearly though tears still streamed from his eyes, and he didn't remove his paws from his muzzle.

"She's the most beautiful she-wolf you'll ever see with fur as white as mine. She's the most loving of us all, and if you think my wings are a sight to see, hers will take your breath away. But if you ask me what stands out about her the most it's her eyes, they are a honey, and amber shade of golden yellow these words do not do justice, and the love in her radiates from them like light from the moon. I miss her . . . I miss her so very much . . . and I won't get to see her again until she comes to take me home . . ."

At his words in answer of little Sarah's innocent question Sage shed her own tears into him, and said "I know one day you must leave us brother, but I so hate to hear you speak of it. I don't ever want to think of living in a world where you aren't there for me to call on when I need you, even if I'll see you again when I too go home to Ulfheim"

"You're not leaving for a very, very long time" Sarah said as she too cried hearing the love, and longing in his words as if her stating it so would make it so, but to her surprise Will agreed

"I have not even come close to fulfilling my purpose here. Though I do not know when it will be my time I do know I'm not even halfway through this life, and even after I'm gone I will come again, and again. There is always work that needs doing" Will admitted.

The officers around the small group were at a loss to the sight before them, and conversation they overheard. The wolves in particular were moved in ways they couldn't describe to hear him speak of the Wolf Mother as one who intimately knew her countenance, and most would later agree that at his words they could almost see her in their mind's eyes. Caldera who had come down the hall after she'd heard the commotion of him running around was there to overhear their talk at the point Sage joined in. She was the reason Sage had come up from the morgue as she'd wanted to speak to Will's pack mate about what she'd learned from the internet concerning Will's nature. After her experiences with him with pieces of his own chi in her when he broke down she felt those pieces of him in her react to it, and she was likewise brought to tears. At his words describing the Wolf Mother she too could almost see the she-wolf he spoke of, and felt inside that she meant more to him than he let on. As she reflected on what she'd seen, and heard in these past moments his words to her, and Delgato yesterday of the nature of heaven took on new depth, and resonance, and she could not help the prayer of thanks she offered to El Angel De Los Gatos that she was fortunate enough to know this wolf as she had come to. Her ever strident curiosity was confused as his apparent angelic nature, and fanged nature seemed at odds, but she stowed those questions for later hoping that maybe he would be open enough with her to answer them eventually.

As the scene in the precinct slowly returned to normal Frost asked Sarah if she would mind spending some time with her while Will reported in to the Chief about the morning's events which the little cub agreed to willingly going into the arms of the she-wolf she felt was openly motherly. While Frost took Sarah to go see if the pair could get ahold of the little cub's family Will slowly managed to get to his feet leaning heavily on Sage who at this time was his closest pillar of strength. As she helped him up, and towards the elevator Sage caught sight of Jade, and gave the cat a look that said 'Wait for me, and we'll talk'. When they'd made it out of the lift, and Sage escorted him towards the Chief's office that the buffalo was still waiting outside of the buffalo noted the wolf had seemed to visibly age as if the weight of his life's experiences had been brought out by the events that transpired below, and wore on him like rain weathering a mountainside. The Chief held the door open for the two as Sage led Will to one of the chairs in front of the Chief's desk while the Chief sat in his own chair. Before Will would let Sage leave he pressed her paw into his muzzle, and breathed deeply of her scent for strength, but Sage did him one better embracing him tightly where he sat, and told him "I love you brother, I always have, and I always will"

After she'd left Will wasted no time explaining to the Chief all that had happened, and how thanks to the search algorithm he'd developed from the ones he'd developed with Whisper back when they were active ZIA agents He, and John had found, and reached Sarah, and her mother so quickly. When he got to the point where he'd intervened, and killed the murderous ex-boyfriend he started to voice regret he hadn't acted sooner, and saved the mother, but the Chief stopped him there having heard enough, and being well pleased with how well his newest officer had risen to the call of duty, and performed admirably told him in no uncertain terms to not regret his actions as he'd saved the life of a cub who would live on, and still had a future to grow into.

"Now after some twenty years we have to dust off procedure for officer involved shootings" the Chief said.

"I'm sorry, Sir" Will replied.

"Don't fucking be, You performed Admirably in a Fucked up situation. Now don't make me repeat myself" the Chief responded sternly before continuing.

"Procedure dictates you go on paid leave until Internal Affairs has investigated whether you acted rightly, or not. As you are cleared for use of lethal force, and you used it in defense of a child I don't think they'll see it any other way than how I do. Now I will do what I can as Chief of this precinct to speed along this process because if it were up to me you'd be back here promptly monday morning. As per procedure I'm going to have to take your gun as it is now evidence until the IA investigation is closed. Procedure also says I am to take your badge, but that I'm not going to do because every day this week in one way, or another you've proven you are more than worthy of it. If anything I'd see that badge fused to your body that your right to wear it with the pride, and honor you've shown thus far never be questioned. I feel it pertinent to mention that your ZIA file is, and will remain locked in my safe at home, and IA will not hear of it from me. When they ask for your file they'll get the one from the Ulfhaven Sheriff's Department as well as your file from this precinct. My officers will be under orders not to mention your little admission yesterday to IA under penalty of their forced resignation, and this will go double for Officer Brushfire because if he even whispers mention of your unsavory nickname to IA not only will I have his badge I will personally ignore it when his body is found victim of being another officer iced by Mr. Big. I intend to make it clear to him that I will personally deliver him to that damnable shrew if he slips up even slightly."

"Chief, Sir please go easy on him. I kind of like him, and still look forward to watching his six" Will said placing his M1911 on the buffalo's desk.

"Very well, one week paid leave for Brushfire it is. Also paid leave for any officer who feels they will not be able to keep yesterday's admission to themselves"

While Will had his talk with the Chief, Sage met up with Jade, and the two females adjourned to Caldera's office. Once they'd entered into the room Jade shut, and locked the door so that they'd have the privacy they needed to discuss the sensitive topic on Jade's mind.

"So you wanted to speak to me regarding my pack alpha's nature, yes? I take it you are not referring to his wings, but to his fangs?" Sage asked.

"I don't know where to really begin" Jade answered running a paw over her muzzle.

"Start from the beginning. What do you want to know most?" Sage encouraged.

"He mentioned it last night his hunger food doesn't sate. I was so curious what he meant, but he avoided answering me directly. He said the preds like him prefer to keep their nature "in the coffin" as he put it. He said his nature is why he is as prowessed between the sheets, and that was all I really needed to know. When we were between said sheets last night I . . . I didn't fully realize what I felt him doing was what I felt him doing. I made the decision before I fell asleep to try, and research what I could on the net. His use of that phrase "in the coffin" was the key to me finding out what I did, but I figured you as his pack mate could help me put what I found in perspective"

"And what did you find?" Sage asked.

"Thanks to mammals who feel openness about what they are would reassure the mundane, and unaware that what they are doesn't make them more threatening as mammals, or unnatural for that matter as opposed to the secrecy they feel hinders their open acceptance in society at large I learned that most mundanes as they call us make up most of the mammals on this planet insofar as we are unaware of the energy around us, and in us. We mammals in the middle don't need to bother with our chi unless we choose to, and most of us that do are either martial artists, or into yoga, or other similar disciplines. Some mammals however are well springs of chi constantly flooding their environment, and as nature always seeks harmony, and balance despite how much we mammals sometimes cause nothing, but imbalance there exist mammals whose nature is counterpoint, and counterbalance to those mammals constantly outflowing with chi. Mammals that to even function healthily like us mammals in the middle must intake chi either from their environment, or other mammals both indirectly, and/or directly. Will is one such mammal who must intake chi." Jade explained.

"That is quite correct, and very well put for not mentioning the word commonly associated with such a nature." Sage complimented the jaguaress.

"Now that I know, it seems so at odds with his angelic status I know many who witnessed what happened earlier will be skeptical of, but I am not. I heard his words of the Wolf Mother and something in me said she means more to him than even he dared to say." Jade said.

"Will is a very unique case to say the least; the story of how he as the angel he is came to have his fanged nature I am not at liberty to tell. What you haven't said is how his nature that requires him to intake chi does make him a threat. If he went too far he could stop your heart. Most others like him would tell you going that far is not easy, and they avoid even coming close to going that far like the plague. They as a group cultivate stringent ethics, and moral guidelines amongst themselves because to them more than any other mammals life is precious. They require the life force of others to even maintain their own, and to take the life of another out of need is the most heinously abhorrible, and reprehensible thing one such as them could possibly do. It is no different than how most of us civilized mammals view the use of one's fangs, and claws to take a life especially to take that life for food." Sage said taking a pause before continuing.

"Now as we both know, and thanks to yesterday's events most of the precinct knows when Will was in the ZIA he was no stranger to killing with his fangs, and is not unfamiliar with the taste of other mammals though he did not consume them out of hunger. He has not admitted it to me, but the way he sometimes speaks of himself with a good deal of disdain, and loathing I get the feeling that in the heat of battle he didn't just use his fangs to literally kill his enemies he also used his fanged nature. There are other ways in which he is a taboo breaker, but I will not utter them even upon pain of death. Needless to say that for all the wrong he's done even if for the right reasons he is still the honorable, and compassionate mammal that we know him to be. The question becomes who is he really? The mammal that loves with the heart of an angel, or the mammal that kills with the ease of a devil?" Sage finished.

"Now so many things he's said to me make sense. When I first met him Sunday, and he took me out to dinner I said it looked like the better angels of his nature were winning, and he said it was more likely his lesser angels were emulating those better angels really well. Yesterday when I asked him who he really was he told me he was just a monster trying to be better than his worst tendencies." Jade said in epiphany.

"I think we have our answer, then don't we? He's both, and he still endeavors to be his best possible self" Sage said with a smile.

"Once you get to know him it's hard not to fall for him isn't it? Thank you for talking about this with me though now what I'm curious about is wolf pack dynamics. I understand how wolf blood families are packs, but how does a wolf develop a pack with other canid species as members, and even non canids as pack members?" Jade asked.

"Whoa, thinking of trying to join our little family?" Sage asked chuckling a little

"No, I don't think so anyway. I am if nothing else the definition of a curious cat, and it may one day be the death of me El Angel De Los Gatos forbid" Jade responded with her own chuckle.

"Well I see no reason not to explain this one. What makes a wolf pack a pack is the alpha, or alpha pair being recognized as such. The pack mates under the alpha submit to their alpha, and the alpha in turn looks out for his, or her pack. In Will's case as one of the angels of wolves his status as an alpha is something a coyote like myself, or the vixen in his pack recognize instinctively. As for the jaguaress in his pack he considers her his pack sister therefore she is, and from what he's told me she sees him as something of an older brother, and her only real family in this world so as far as submitting to him goes well as far as submission is called for I'd say she does though I don't know her. That's another way he's unique as a pack alpha, he absolutely loathes having any of us submit to him for any reason unless it is of utmost importance, or seriousness which engenders in us a level of respect such that we just defer to him out of that respect plus we all know how without hesitation he won't hesitate to kill, or die for us as needed. And we both know how capable a killer he his. The other thing about our pack that makes us different than most is that there is no alpha female who would be mated to him. Instead our surrogate alpha female is his sister Lola. It would be kind of strange if they were mates don't you think." Sage explained smiling a bit at the end.

"He mentioned this morning in fact how he had to give up his mate to protect her" Jade exclaimed her curiosity fired anew.

"Hmm... Lola is the only one who really has that full story, all I know is she's the elusive Whisper of whom he speaks to no one. For a pack alpha there is so much he doesn't trust us with though that is his prerogative, and as an angel of wolves we don't really question him on it." Sage said.

"I've only heard him mention that name once, it was yesterday after I called him wolfie baby. He said "may Whisper never hear you say that" now I'm curious as to what he meant" Jade responded.

"I may be able to shed a little light on that. You know women are one of his weaknesses, and there are different ways a woman may exploit that weakness. Some of the women in his life can just with a few words said properly get him to do nearly whatever they want within reason. I don't because I know better than anyone else how for every weakness he has he also has a way to resist it; after all I am the one woman he resists the most because I want him to be father to at least one of my cubs though out of respect for his desire not to have kids, and my own love of my job that having a cub would certainly put a damper on I haven't let myself become pregnant by him" Sage replied.

"Yeah I remember you mentioning how he tied you up the other day, and with a corpse in the room no less" Jade commented.

"Not gonna lie we are both that kind of kinky. Life, and death do go hand in hand after all." Sage said with a laugh.

After their long conversation the pair left Caldera's office with Sage heading back down to the morgue to autopsy the sadly deceased mother, and her thankfully dead murderer while Jade went to see how Will was faring wherever he was. When Sage was back in the morgue, and face to face with the mother she said to the body "Sadly the angel of wolves we have amongst us didn't make it in time to save you, but I hope you know up in Ulfheim he saved your daughter, and I can guarantee he'll keep an eye on her as often as he can spare it plus from what I hear our pack mate, and his cousin is her teacher so she's in good paws." When she got to the murderer Will executed all she told the pathetic corpse was "I hope the Wolf Mother cast you into hell herself."

Jade found Will just as he was greeting little Sarah's Aunt Luna who had her son Tommy with her. Sarah was on her perch upon Will's shoulders while Frost was next to him for emotional support as he did the explaining of the mornings tragic events little Sarah all the while playing with his ears. When Sarah's aunt started crying Jade was near enough to hear Sarah reassure her aunt "Don't cry Auntie Luna mom's with the Wolf Mother now, and after hearing the angel of hers I'm sitting on speak of her I know my mommy is in loving paws"

The child's words brought the she-wolf up short, and she asked "How are you so certain?"

To which Sarah replied without hesitation, or second thought "Because this is the guardian angel she sent me when I needed him. I know you can't see his wings, but trust me they're there. I think when I'm older I'm gonna become a cop just like him so I can be someone else's guardian angel"

This brought a fresh wave of tears from Will who said to Sarah "Damn it sweet child haven't I cried enough today. May our beloved Mother bless you with saving more lives than I ever have"

As he started crying Jade was near enough to take his paw in hers while Frost on his other side did the same, and he was grateful to the both of them for it as he got on one knee, and leaned forward so Sarah's aunt could take the child in her arms.

As she was handed off to her aunt Sarah simply said "You wouldn't cry so much Angel if you weren't so full of love"

After that they said their goodbyes with Will assuring Sarah that as often as he could spare them he'd keep both his eyes on her to make sure she was safe to which the sweet cub simply said "Don't worry so much about me, you use those eyes to watch over those mammals who need you more. I'll be alright; right mommy Luna?"

Sarah's words brought tears to her aunt's eyes, and she set the girl down so she could embrace the still crying Will as fiercely as she could thanking him from the bottom of her heart for saving her dear niece, and putting the bastard who killed her sister in a fucking hole before telling the children not to use such words until they were older. After the family had left Jade turned Will towards her, and said "Sarah is right. You wouldn't cry so much if you weren't so full of love, and you still think of yourself as a monster?"

"Is this true, Will? You think of yourself as a monster?" Frost asked him turning him around to face her.

"But I am a mon . . ." Will began to respond, but Frost didn't let him finish the word as she slapped him as hard as she could.

"No mammal like you could ever be a monster no matter what things you've done for whatever reasons you did them" Frost told him sternly using all her motherly authority.

Will simply rubbed a paw over his sore muzzle, and did not bother uttering the retort he thought. After Frost left Jade turned Will back again towards her to ask "So you want to spend tonight with me, or do you need some time alone?"

"Actually, now that I'm on paid leave until IA have had their investigation into me, and this mess there is a pack mate of mine who I owe a visit long over due. Though I will probably want to go out with you Sunday, or Monday." Will replied.

"Let me guess, Maria? Well you have my number so don't be afraid to call me, and you tell your pack sister from me that she has every reason to be proud of her older brother, and has a sister in me who would very much like to meet her." Jade told him with a smile.

"You've been talking with Sage" Will deduced.

"She's one of my closest friends here, next to Clawhauser. By the way have you had your daily dose of cheetah?" Jade responded.

"You know? I have not. Let me go remedy that, and I will see you sometime this weekend" Will said to her with a smile before heading towards Benji at his usual post.

When Will reached the cheetah he wasted no time embracing his favored feline, and shamelessly scent rolling into him saying his day was not complete without making up for his lost dose of cheetah, and then he rubbed the other side of his neck into Ben adding that this was for good luck, and because he wouldn't see Ben for a while so he was "Dosing up"

"What do you mean you're not gonna see me for a while? And I'm not gonna see you for a while my favorite wolf, what the fuck?" Ben asked uncharacteristically cursing.

"I'm on paid leave pending the IA investigation into this mess. First time in twenty years this has happened from what the Chief said" Will explained.

"If they get you fired for being the hero you were today I'll quit. I won't want to be a cop anymore" Ben said resolutely.

"Don't go that far, buddy. I doubt they'll have me fired especially with the Chief on my side. Hell I imagine if they even suggested it he'd threaten to resign" Will reassured his friend adding "You should ask the Chief what he told me about fusing my badge to me. I'll see you when I get to come back in to work, if I don't hit you up to go bar hopping this weekend"

After they'd said goodbye, and Will had made his way to the motor pool to his car Ben went to the Chief's office, and asked him "So what did you tell Will about fusing his badge to him?"

The Chief proudly repeated his words to one of his favorite officers, not that he would ever admit to favoring anyone "I told him that though procedure was that I should take his badge that I wouldn't, and that if I had my way I'd get his badge fused to him so that his right to wear it with the pride, and honor he's shown thus far would never be questioned"

At the Chief's words Benji bawled, and bodily embraced his boss without hesitation, or care.

Once Will made it to his Shelby after getting embraced by Joe who congratulated him warmly, and told him "I knew when I first met you that you were a good mammal, and damn if you aren't one of the finest officers in this precinct" he started his beloved beast of a car, and got the music started though not before he'd placed a call to Maria.

"Angel mi hermano" Maria answered after the first ring "are you finally going to come see me?"

"You bet your furry nalgas gatito" Will replied

"Well I'm home, and I'll be waiting" she said before hanging up.

As Will drove out of the motor pool he started his drive listening to "The Armour" by Slain. He made his way to Maria's apartment building feeling upbeat despite the day he'd had as eventful as it had been. Those bao he'd quite forgotten about much to the gratitude of Joe. He grabbed himself one of the adzuki manju he'd moved to his passenger seat enjoying the weight of it hitting his very empty stomach. Then the shuffle setting on his phone played "Monster" by Skillet, and he couldn't help but rub a paw over where Frost had struck him loathe to admit he had needed it, and her words he would surely mention to his mom when he called her to let her know how his first week as a ZPD officer had gone. His sister Lola would as usual get more out of him than anyone else. The track that played next was "Elegiac" by The Human Abstract, and he appreciated the instrumental piece though he still wondered what the hell a human was, probably some creature from some fiction about an alternate world. After that his ears where happy to hearken to the beautiful cello of "Lost" by Zoe Keating his favorite cellist though probably the only cellist he really knew. As it played, and he passed the halfway point to Maria's he looked forward to catching up with the jaguaress he hadn't seen in two years.

By the songs end he was finally there, and had eaten another three manju. After he'd found a place to park he got out, and locked his tranq pistol, and taser in his trunk before retrieving his box of manju from the passenger seat, and locking his prized car. As he entered the apartment building's lobby the proprietor a former security guard named Max ever observant asked "Can I help you officer?"

"Well hey there Max long time no see" Will responded jovially.

"Do I know you officer?" Max asked before Will got close enough, and the steel trap minded lion recognized him "Well if it isn't Will the Grimm soldier. I see you've had a job change. Just like you asked I've kept an eye on Maria not that she's ever been trouble. She really is such a sweet girl. Say how's that vixen you were always with doing?"

"That's a long story, buddy. I hope she's doing well. I haven't seen her in a year." Will answered saying as little as possible on the subject.

"I find that hard to believe. You two were attached at the hip, but I can tell you'd rather not get into it. Hey, I knew the wolf in that zootube video I saw monday was familiar; that was you wasn't it? That was quite the fall you took getting that cub out of that tree" Max said.

"It hurt alot less than the boy's father embracing me when I got back to the station. Turns out the boy's father is one of my colleagues a one Officer Jason Fangmeyer. You know I think you lions give stronger hugs than polar bears" Will replied with a laugh.

"No way you're the wolf my cousin Jason was saying saved little Willie. You know the other day he said he was proud to consider you his pride brother, about floored me too when he said it I mean a wolf that'd earned that kind of honor must've been one hell of a mammal. Now I'm about floored I knew the wolf in question before he did, and find it not one bit surprising you'd be the one to earn that honor." Max responded.

"Well fuck it's a small world ain't it. You know I cried so hard when he told me he considered me his pride brother. Honored does not begin to describe how I feel on that matter" Will said his eyes tearing up slightly.

Just then the two were interrupted by the voice of Maria "I come down here to greet mi Angel hermano when he got here, and what do I find, but he's already here, and my landlord is talking his ear off" the jaguaress said before rushing the tall example of a wolf in a flying leap of an embrace nearly causing Will to drop the box he was holding.

"Well sure as shit she's missed you" Max said with a laugh.

"Damn right I have. Do you know what I'd be if it weren't for this Angel de Los Lobos?" Maria said to Max

"I'm sure I don't want to know the way you say that" Max replied.

"I would be a drug addicted cartel whore, or dead. Just like my mother" Maria said flatly.

"And now I'm even less surprised my cousin would consider him a pride brother" Max responded.

"Okay, catch you later Max" Maria said as she drug Will by the arm towards the stairs up to the apartment he, and Whisper had bought for her from Max those three years ago so she'd never have to worry about rent.

When she'd drug him into her apartment that she hadn't bothered locking Will chided her for leaving it unlocked even if it was just to head downstairs to wait for him. She of course didn't really care she was just too happy to finally see him again, and be able to actually touch him instead of communicating with him via email. When she asked him if he wanted her to make him anything for dinner he just offered her the box in his paw, and it was her turn to chide him because the much appreciated manju were not dinner material.

"Well they are filling though why don't we just raid your fridge, and cook together just like old times" Will suggested.

"No mi hermano I cook for you. I already have what I need, and know just what to fix. You who speak of old times talk. You have a lot of that to do" Maria told him simply as she took the box of manju, and went to her kitchen where she set them on the counter, and started to prepare the meal she had in mind.

"Where do I even begin hermana gatito" Will said as he followed her into her kitchen, and sat at her table.

"You start with why Whisper isn't with you, and you start from the beginning" Maria told him as she pulled out the pots, and pans she required.

"The beginning is with the Montana cartel, and our last mission which was to raid their compound, and take out their leaders" Will said with a sigh

"I remember those putas madres" Maria said with disdain as she put water, and spices in a pot, and browned imitation meat in a pan.

"Well the plan was Whisper, and I would sneak in do our deeds, and sneak out. That much went off like clockwork without a hitch." Will went on.

"Let me guess. Then came the hitch, and then some." Maria interrupted as she put the browned imitation meat in the pot of spices just starting to bubble placing a lid on the pot to let it simmer before setting her microwave timer, and using the pan still on the burner to start frijoles.

"You got that right hermana. So we make it out of there hooking back up with the rest of the guys, and make our way to where the extraction point was supposed to be. But the helo. never came, and wasn't fucking going to either. Sky even broke radio silence to tell us as much. So there we were hidden in the jungle weighing our options which weren't fucking good at all. What we decided was to try, and sneak back into the compound so we could steal one of their choppers, and make our getaway that way. Well we make it back into the place just fine a regular stroll in the park, and we make it maybe a third of the way to the makeshift helipad they'd set up before all hell breaks loose. They must've found the bodies Whisper, and I had stashed as best we could. We held our position while they sent out a team maybe a dozen strong into the jungle. The rest swarmed the place, and we had to cut loose through the bastards no other way around it. Thanks to good old Rambo, and Dagger we had the opening we needed, and we pushed through it like the bosses we were. But we were maybe a third of the way from our target, and down they went. Dagger fucking fragged himself with the c4 he had on him taking out another ten guys while Revolver, Whisper, and I tried to bust through. We had enough cover to rest a bit with Revolver covering us, and Whisper trading off while he reloaded, and I took every battle drug I had, and waited for them to kick in. Then Whisper got peppered to hell, and dropped right in front of me. You know Revolver still has nightmares from how bad I lost it."

"You're sparing me the gory details. Don't" Maria interrupted again as she took the frijoles off the stove, and started the rice.

"Fine, have it your way. I started fucking tearing into the bastards nearest to us since I was out of ammo. Then I let loose a howl full of all my pain, and rage because I thought Whisper was dead. That brought our attackers up short big time. I mean shit got quiet I'd sent such fear into the bastards they pissed themselves, and forgot to shoot so I did what I do worst I stretched out with all the chi I could, and drug the life from every fucking one of those mammals I could. Pretty easy to suck the life out of mammals you've struck dumb with a simple howl. Not one of those bastards was left standing if they were left alive at all. So I scooped up Revolver, and Whisper's body, and ran to the nearest chopper loaded them in the back, and hopped in the pilot's seat to get us the fuck out of there while that dozen from the forest came back. They managed to get close enough to pepper the bird once we were in the air, but like hell were they gonna take us down. Then Revolver yells to me after we're good, and away that Whisper wasn't dead, and he'd managed to stop the bleeding. If I hadn't been occupied flying I'd have fucking shoved my tongue down his throat."

"What a way to kill an ocelot" Maria interrupted yet again as the rice bubbled away, and the pot of imitation meat filled the kitchen with smells Will didn't know he missed until they caressed his nose.

"You keep interrupting. Do you want to hear, or not? So I fly us to the nearest hospital full tilt, and land on the roof real unsubtle like getting the attention of whoever was on call. Security, and nurses come out the roof access surprised as shit with Revolver aiming at the security while I rush Whisper to the medics who rush her to the O.R. with me still covered in blood hot on their heels. Well I'm waiting outside while they do what they do to save my best girl, and Revolver catches up to me after explaining things to the security guys. When the doc comes out of the O.R. the look on his face had me ready to cut off his head with my knife, and when he starts talking Revolver has to explain to me before I kill the guy that Whisper's still kicking, but barely. She'd lost too much blood, and like hell would there be fox blood in that shithole country, but I'm a walking canid blood bag universally accepted thank the Mother, and make it quite clear to the doc I got all the blood she needs. Damn doc was still so scared from when he thought I was gonna take his head I had to plug me into Whisper myself. So I get her refueled, and at knife point order the doc to take more for later only telling him to stop when I know I'm gonna be walking drunk for a minute. Then Revolver, and I hash out what to do next. We figure I'm the real reason the ZIA left us to die since they can't have the death I'm capable of dealing getting found out by anyone, or how they let me deal that kind of death like cards at a casino as needed. I left Revolver to watch over Whisper with a note I wrote for her, and my knife while I took the chopper from the roof to crash it somewhere, and make it look like the three of us died there."

"Dinner is almost ready, we're just waiting on the rice" Maria tells him ignoring the look he gave her.

"Are you even listening? Well now I get to change the scenery. I make it back home under an alias, and all I want to do is have a long talk with my sister, and a longer drink of whatever I have left in my bar back in my den. That first week where it really set in that even though we were alive I couldn't be with the mammal that was my air . . . not gonna lie I howled myself to sleep out in the woods every night that first week before Lola had enough of the story out of me to help me heal, and deal. It's good we don't really have neighbors back home, but bad when you keep your family up half the night from over a mile away. I must've burned through half my drug stash in the first two months easy before I started to cut back. I can't tell you how much I cried when Sophie staged her lone fox intervention. There I was the very mammal that saved her life all those years ago with the very heat of my body trying to drown in drugs. If you can imagine the sweetest vixen to walk this earth ever mad at you enough to beat you so you look black even with white fur, well that was Sophie, and me too after she was done. She couldn't get into my stash vault, but she made sure Lola locked the key in her office safe while she nursed me passed the withdrawal that sucked to say the least, and eventually I healed from just how bad she'd tore into me. Every day after she'd come home from work Lola was both my grief counselor since she was the only one I'd talk to about everything, and physical therapist in more ways than one. By month four back home I was starting to come back into myself, but I was going stir crazy with nothing to really occupy me. By month six Lola had given me enough of a lone wolf sheriff academy that I was fit to become one of her deputies which I did, and she kept me as her direct second in command for no other reason than to watch me like a hawk. Three months into being her deputy she started to loosen the reigns a bit, and I didn't even notice cause I actually enjoyed the work. It took another three months though before I grew too tired of not even a murder case to solve, and about all the good I ever did was stop bar brawls, and bust heads of specieist tourist fucks. Which leads us to now roughly two weeks into my time in this city, and at the very end of my first week as a ZPD officer."

"I didn't know you were so full of wind. Come help me set the table, and you can tell me about your first week while I try to cut a word in edgewise" Maria said as a way to explain dinner was done. After they'd filled their plates in the kitchen, and sat themselves down at the table Will's first words were "You made chile colorado con frijoles y arroz. I think I'm gonna cry, I haven't really had this since the last time you, and I made it with Whisper that lifetime ago."

"Taste it first, then you can cry. I make it for myself sometimes when I miss those days. That was the first year in this life I was really happy, and felt like I had a family." Maria told him taking her first bite of beans, and rice.

Will simply mixed the beans, and rice together before getting a healthy forkful of both, and the chile colorado into his mouth closing his eyes as he savored the flavors on his tongue. After he swallowed without bothering to chew he said "Yep this is me crying again today for the umpteenth time, and all because mi hermana cooked me my favorite dinner then told me how much a pendejo I've been for not visiting her sooner" with tears in his eyes.

"So you decided to transfer from the Ulfhaven Sheriff's department to the ZPD because your desire to do good was too strong. I know you well enough to not need you to explain that much. Now you already know I have a good idea how your monday went, and I've seen what you added to your zootube account on tuesday. So tell me about your wednesday, and your co workers. I know how easy you make some friends" Maria encouraged more positive conversation.

"Nope. I'm telling you about my Sunday first. I showed up to the precinct around nine in the morning intent on introducing myself to the Chief, and going over my whole ZIA issue with him among other things. First officer I met, and first officer anyone usually meets when they enter precinct one, was Benji who has got to be the world's best cheetah. He is almost as friendly as Sophie herself, and he gives the best hugs. I had my talk with the Chief, and he really is a good mammal. He acts tough, and is tough, but he cares about his officers every one of them. Then I met this guy I found out was a one Officer Brushfire, really scared him good first time I spoke to him cause he recognized the CLAWS patch on my shoulder, and was blabbing to Jade that is Officer Caldera about us a little, and I may have given him the idea he should keep what he'd heard of us to himself, or else. Jade happens to be the station quartermaster, and from her I got my uniforms as well as a rather nice date after she got off work that went well to say the least. I still owe John a drink; Officer Wolford saved me from doing some untoward things with Jade after she, well, scratched my back the right way. My back is still healing from my night with her though."

"I take it she's a cat then?" Maria asked.

"In fact she's a jaguaress just like you gatito" Will answered.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that" Maria replied

"You'd like her, and she wants to meet you" Will responded.

"Okay so monday you were working with that fox. Officer Wilde if I remember the newspaper article I read. They paired the first fox on the force with the first bunny Officer Hopps. That turned a few heads." Maria said.

"Yes the handsome fox, and the sexy bunny as I think of them. There is something about Nick, I already kind of see him as a pack brother. Tuesday I got paired with Judy, and that went okay though she kind of didn't like me at first. I think after I mentioned how I eat vegetarian when I can it helped smooth things over." Will explained.

"Okay, on to wednesday, yes?" Maria asked.

"Yep, and boy did it have it's events. I spent the day working with Clawhauser which is Benji's last name. The Chief's idea of hazing new officers is sending them down to the morgue to meet Sage Wormrider. Little did he know she's my pack sister, and yours too. I ended up spending the night with her, and we caught up over some baked salmon she made, and a couple bowls of weed." Will replied.

"Kinda sounds like us right now doesn't it?" Maria said with a grin.

"Yeah, and you both are excellent cooks. Now these past two days have been the more eventful. I'm sure you've heard about the shooting with Officer Delgato thursday?" Will asked.

"I do watch the news" Maria responded.

"Well I was with him that day. We had lunch with Nick, and Judy. You know those two are this close to going out, but neither has made the first move? Well, on to the shooting. Delgato, and I were responding to a domestic disturbance. He busted down the door, and took three rounds to the vest, while I took two, and ripped into the cabron with the gun. I got to meet Delgato's wife, and daughter who is just as adorable as could be when I picked them up to take them to the hospital since I'd promised Delgato I'd do that for him. Turns out his daughter's teacher is my cousin Holly who you already know of. She's also the teacher of the she-wolf cub I rescued today." Will went on.

"Yeah I do know of your cousin. I assume she's another pack sister of mine?" Maria asked.

"Yep, and maybe you should introduce yourself to her. If you want. So where were we?" Will said.

"I get to hear today's news from you first instead of ZNN" Maria joked.

"Well the Chief partnered me with Wolford this morning, and got us started right off the bat on a kidnapping case. A she-wolf, and her daughter were taken by her ex at gunpoint. We checked out the scene at her place, and found her daughter is best friends with Delgato's daughter which made it personal. We found them at this abandoned warehouse. I rushed in while Wolford called for backup. I made it in time to save the cub, but was too late to save her mom. Shot the ex in the back of the head just as he was turning his gun on the little girl, Sarah. My father instincts kicked in, and I was ready to eat my back up officers till Nick calmed me down. When we got back to the station I made my report to the Chief while Officer Frost who's the precinct mom tracked down Sarah's aunt. You know Sarah's taken to calling me angel just like you do, and for much the same reason. She just about broke me down when she said she wanted to become a cop so she could be someone else's guardian angel just like I'd been hers." Will said tears coming back to his eyes he could not stop from falling.

When he started to cry Maria got up, and came around the table to embrace, and console him. After a minute he was able to conclude his story, abbreviated though it was.

"So when I'd made my report to the Chief he told me as per procedure in officer involved shootings which haven't happened in two decades I was on paid leave pending the customary Internal Affairs investigation, had me turn in my pistol which he'd cleared me for use of back on monday. When he got to the part where I was also supposed to turn in my badge he said he wasn't going to do it. Said he'd rather see the thing fused to my chest so no one would doubt my worthiness to wear it" Will finally finished all he had to tell her almost crying again.

"Sounds to me like you've made quite the impression on him" Maria said rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Before this food gets any colder I'd like to finish it" Will said noticing they'd barely gotten through half their meal before adding "It's really good"

As they both finished their dinner they didn't talk much, both of them recovering from just how verbose Will had been. When they were done Will insisted on doing the dishes alone since Maria had cooked, but she heard none of it, and insisted on drying, and putting away what he cleaned. While his paws were in the sinkful of hot water he couldn't resist splashing her a little which earned him a couple swats with the towel in her paws to his backside while they both laughed. After they were done they retired to the couch in the living room where Will reclined lazily with Maria leaning against him bodily while she rested her head on his shoulder. With the television remote in her paw Maria started them off watching ZNN because she wanted to hear the report on the kidnapping, and shooting Will had been involved in.

The report didn't say much Will hadn't already told her, but the Chief had made a statement about how though one of his officers had broken the twenty year streak without such an incident of which he was proud he was no less proud of said officer's judgement in discharging his weapon, and assured the public that not only would he stand behind said officer who would remain unnamed, he was proud to call the officer one of his own saying "Let no one question that he wears his badge with honor, and courage", and went on to quote the officer as proudly saying "If I give my life saving that of a cub I will go to heaven a happy mammal". Reporters had also gotten sound bites from a few of his fellow officers with Officer Fangmeyer saying "Though he is not a lion I am proud to call him pride brother", Officer Frost saying "As I've told this officer in person I hope my sons grow up to be no less fine examples of what a mammal should be", Clawhauser saying "Every day since he first started at the precinct he has given me hugs saying he doesn't start his day right without as he puts it 'his daily dose of friendly cheetah'", Caldera saying in her dress blues "I can think of no mammal more noble, and if ever a mammal deserved to be called an angel walking amongst us he is such a one" before offering him a crisp salute, and somehow someone had managed to ask little Sarah how she felt about the officer who saved her to which she responded "I want to be a police officer when I grow up so I can be someone else's guardian angel as he was mine" with her head held high, and a tear falling down her cheek. This last sound bite carried the day played in tandem with Caldera's statement, and caused mammals all over to clamor for knowledge of just who this officer was.

At the outpouring of support from his superior, and fellow officers, and hearing Sarah's words all over again Will could not stop the outflowing of his tears, and cried into Maria's arms even after she changed the channel having found a Mad Max marathon which they watched after he'd recovered. Eventually Maria brought up how Will had said his back was healing, and asked to see though this was just an excuse to get his shirt off when he obliged her she couldn't help but run her paw over the fading stitches in shock.

"These are healing quite well. I take it Jade was the one who stitched up her own handiwork?" Maria asked him.

"She did though I didn't want her to" Will answered.

"After hearing what she said about you, and seeing these I think you're right I will like her, and would gladly meet her" she told him.

"I'm glad to hear that" he replied.

"So are you going to keep your promise, and let me finally thank you for saving me in the way I've wanted to these past three years?" she asked him evenly.

His only response was to put his paw against her muzzle, and look her in the eyes with a tortured look in his own behind which she thought she saw aquiescence at which she leaned her muzzle towards him and kissed him tenderly at first before her hormones kicked in, and she got more passionate which passion he reciprocated. As her paws explored his bare chest his own lowered along her sides to her waist before he picked her up, and carried her towards her room saying to her "I've wanted to do this since you first tried to thank me in this way, but I try so hard to be better than these desires in me. I'm glad I waited till you were older, but now you are older, and I'm still the weak monster I've always been."

"But you never were a monster, and you've resisted me this long. You couldn't resist me forever. I'm just glad you aren't trying to wait two more years" she told him.

"Don't tempt me" he replied.

When they reached her room he set her down, and lifted her shirt while she raised her arms to assist. When her shirt was off he buried his muzzle in her neck fur inhaling her scent while she took the opportunity to rub her chin across the top of his head instinctively marking him. When his paws reached the waistline of her pants, and he began to undo the button, and zipper there her paws did the same to his uniform trousers, and she rubbed her paw across his growing member encouraging him causing him to breath in deeply before growling deeply more at himself than her as he succumbed to her temptation. They fell onto the bed only in their underwear, and when she kissed him passionately as she got on top of him his paws slid down to her furry rear, and slipped into her panties where he grasped her firmly causing her to rock her hips against him his member throbbing, and twitching.

In the same way he seemed usually rough with Jade he was gentle with Maria, and while she seemed insistent on simply jumping into the act he forced her to be patient as he slowly dipped a paw into the front of her underwear caressing her with smooth gentle motion as she grew wet under his touch. As she rocked against his paw furthering her own stimulation he closed his eyes, and focused on the energy radiating from her tasting it like he tasted the scent of her arousal. When he slipped a padded finger into her she inhaled sharply before moaning viscerally, and he savored the sound before beginning to move the finger in, and out. As she lost herself in the sensations he gave her she leaned down biting into his neck while she raked her claws over his chest causing him to gasp in pleasure thinking 'how could something so wrong feel so natural, and right?'

As she began to gyrate her hips against his paw he removed it causing her to moan longingly before he flipped their positions, and removed her undergarment. She grinned widely at him with her fangs bared, and pushed his head towards where it was already going where he inhaled deeply of her sex his mind heady with her pheromones. He could not resist it when his fangs bared aching with the sensation of his nature's hunger, but he resisted it forcefully as he slowly licked across her sex savoring the tang he loved no matter the mammal he did this to like the nectar of the gods that it was to him. As he continued to slowly lick across her hot folds both stimulating her, and teasing her she growled at him to put her out of her misery, and when he finally obliged her she gasped, and moaned wildly grasping at the sheets unable to keep her claws from shredding into her mattress.

He started his caressing of her insides with his tongue slowly, and evenly, but she wrapped her legs around his head, and drove him onward. When he increased his pace she writhed against him tightening the grip of her thighs against his head, and he thanked the gods he could breath through his nose though the ache in his fangs worsened making him want to cry; he would not do that to her he swore in his being. He knew he was the first to take her in this way, and would not leave her so satisfied by his capabilities that no one else would ever compare even if they learned his same skills. When she finally came she shredded her bed further, and he was grateful to remove his muzzle from her though he couldn't help howling out from the ache in his fangs cursing his own nature.

As he panted over her his still present arousal mere inches from her he gave her a chance to come down, and rest though she didn't want him to endeavoring futilely to pull him into her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He had already come this far with her his resistances shattered like bullet resistant glass struck by rifle rounds. Against her wild machinations the turmoil within him broke, and he slowly entered her inch by inch, and she was too lost in her own pleasure to force him further faster. When he had gone as deep as he dared, and started to withdraw to begin his thrusts she clutched at him wildly her claws shredding into him wherever they reached across his arms, chest, and back, and he welcomed the pain as penance for the pleasure he gave her.

She relaxed her muscles against him allowing more of him in before tightening again causing him to gasp out. As his thrusts continued she went over the edge, and pulled him passed it with her. When they were done she fell deeply asleep from the exertions she was not used to, and he used the opportunity to redress himself in his uniform leaving her apartment, and heading down to his car. Once there he opened the trunk, and got into the hidden built in gun cabinet to retrieve his other M1911. When he returned to her apartment he sat on her couch, and stared long, and hard at the gun in his paws so disgusted with himself for feeling so satisfied with pleasing her. He stayed like that the entire night unable to sleep the pain from the wounds she'd inflicted into him that he savored keeping him from fully gaining the courage to put the barrel against his temple, and pull the trigger.

When she awoke in the morning, and found herself alone in her mangled bed she almost panicked that he'd left her, but she could still smell him in her apartment. As she made her way into her living room where she smelled him strongest she yawned a mumbled good morning before she opened her eyes, and saw him as he finally found the courage to put the barrel against his head. She was horrified at the sight of what he was about to do, and did not make it in time to him before he pulled the trigger, but nothing happened, and she swiftly tore the pistol from his hands ejecting the magazine thankful to the Wolf Mother, and El Angel De Los Gatos both he'd been too out of sorts to take off the safety.

She couldn't bring herself to yell at him, or be angry with him for she understood he'd had this inner turmoil when she first tried to seduce him in thanks for saving her when she was thirteen. Now she was sixteen, and had succeeded though this brought back his turmoil like a knife stuck back into him that she'd so unthinkingly twisted. All she could do was speak to him calmly, and try to reach him, to try to get him to see this from her perspective.

"I'm not sorry we did that. I'm not sorry you were my first. I wanted you to be my first like no other, and now that our promise is fulfilled I can move on" she said evenly.

"Well I am, and I hate myself because I enjoyed that. How could I be so stupid to leave the safety on . . ." his voice came out of him as if he were a rattling husk.

"Because you didn't really want to do that. You didn't really want to end it here. How many times have I heard you say you don't know when your time will come, and that no matter how much the suicidal tendencies in you flare you could never follow through leaving things unfinished?" she asked

"Give me back my pistol" he stated picking up the magazine where it fell.

"Never" she told him flatly

"As your Alpha I order you. Give it to me." he stated unable to muster any authority in his voice.

"As your pack sister I refuse, as if you even call that a command. Do I need to call Lola?" she asked.

"You wouldn't dare" he said coldly.

"Wouldn't I? Look at me" she ordered, and when he obeyed she continued "I love you. Every girl in your pack loves you. And you love us with all the life in you. Just as there isn't a life you wouldn't take to protect us there isn't a life we wouldn't take to protect you. Do you deny our love? Do you deny your own love for us?"

"Never" he answered his voice quavering.

"Then quit your fucking shit. Shower with me, and get yourself dressed. I still have some of the clothes you left here. Take me out as the sister of yours that I am" She demanded.

There they were a naked teenage jaguaress standing with an empty pistol in her paw, and an in uniform wolf a decade her senior sitting on her sofa with a full magazine in his paw; and the wolf obeyed rising, and heading towards the bathroom disrobing as he went. Her words had reminded him that whenever all seemed lost it was love that kept him going. When he naked reached the bathroom door he simply held out his paw that contained the magazine, and gave it to her. She took it, and ordered him to get the shower started. While he did so she stashed the pistol where he would not easily reach it all the while making sure he didn't come, and try to take it back. When she herself entered the bathroom he had a paw in the falling water gauging it's temperature.

Not caring if it was still cold, or too hot she pushed him into it, and followed after. Once they were under the spray that was comfortably hot he closed his eyes, and savored the pain from his wounds as it washed over him as cleansing as the water while she took stock of what she'd done to him.

"You're as shredded as my bed mi hermano" she said to him grabbing the fur soap.

"I deserve, and love every one of them" he said referring to the gashes he was covered in before taking the soap from her to put some in his paw, and began scrubbing her.

"Have you truly snapped out of it?" she asked enjoying his touch.

"For now. You reminded me that whenever all seems lost it is love what keeps me going" he responded not hesitating to scrub every part of her fur he could reach.

"Good. Now let me wash you" she said putting soap in her paws to scrub him not caring that most of what she did got soap in his wounds for at least they'd be cleaned. When the expression on his muzzle showed he savored the pain she did not fail to notice his member twitch.

"Are you really such a masochist?" she asked incredulously.

"Maybe" he answered matter-of-factly "So where do you want to go?"

"The mall of course. You dummy" she answered as if this should've been obvious.

After they'd bathed, and dressed with him wearing an old pair of camouflage trousers, and a black t-shirt while she wore a pair of camouflage trousers that were her size, and the Gojira t-shirt he'd left her as a scent reminder she retrieved his loaded pistol from where she'd stashed it. When she attempted to give it back to him he told her to hang onto it so she did, and carried it with her as they left her apartment which this time she made sure to lock. When they reached his Shelby he unlocked the trunk, and had her put the gun where it went before shutting the trunk, and unlocking the car with the key fob.

When they got to the mall it was only moderately crowded, and she was thankful for that because it was empty enough she wouldn't lose him, and crowded enough he was less likely to try something stupid. She couldn't help her worry for him, and fully expected him to eventually try something though she didn't know what to expect. They eventually made their way to the center of the mall where the food court was after browsing through some of the shops though neither had bought anything yet. When the wall of food smells hit them she saw how ravenously his nose lifted into it, and encouraging him to follow it wherever it led she in turn followed him to whatever he thought smelled best to eat. They made quite the sight the tall wolf with his nose hungrily in the air as hyperactive as a bunny being trailed by the teenage jaguaress not that either cared. Eventually his nose led them to a vendor catering to predators selling brazilian style roasted imitation meats, and though her mouth watered the same as his she could not help her laughter that his mouth couldn't contain his drool though she remembered the last thing they'd eaten was the dinner she made last night, and it was now between ten, and eleven.

After they'd eaten food for which he'd paid as a matter of course they made their way down the end of the mall they hadn't yet walked. When the voices of her best friends from school called out to her she met up with them, and introduced them to Will as Joy, and David who were brother, and sister gray wolves though David was white with striking blue-grey eyes. She introduced the siblings to Will as her wolf brother, and pack alpha, and he greeted them kindly not failing to notice the way Maria, and David looked at each other, or how Joy noticed this as well.

"So this is the brother you tell us so much about, and he looks so familiar where have I seen him before?" Joy said.

"The zootube video Miss Luna, and Miss Holly showed everyone bragging that they knew the wolf who rescued that cub" David answered his sister.

"Oh, yeah. Miss Holly's cousin, and Miss Luna's room mate" Joy said in recognition.

"Say doesn't that mean you, and Miss Holly are pack mates?" David asked Maria.

"Yes it does" Will answered happily while Maria simply looked at him suspiciously due to his tone.

She didn't get to say what she was thinking however because at that moment another voice called out to Will.

"Wolfie baby! Go figure meeting you here, and with Maria no less" Jade had half shouted as she walked up on the small group wearing low cut black jeans, and the Gojira t-shirt she'd nicked from Will unbeknownst to him.

"Hey! That's my shirt dorobo-neko" Will exclaimed, but when she got close enough his expression changed which confused her, and horrified Maria.

When she was mere feet from him he closed the distance between them, and dropped to his knees saying to her "Kill me"

Jade took one look at him, and one look at the way Maria was standing her legs slightly apart, and she put two, and two together saying as she lifted a paw to strike him "Is this what Sage meant when she said you were a taboo breaker?"

But her blow never fell as Maria was already on him slashing his muzzle, and pummeling him yelling "Not again you son of a bitch. We went over this. You're not doing this again!"

While Maria tried to beat some sense into Will, her friends were stunned by her actions. They had never seen her angry, and the normally straight edge to outside eyes jaguaress would never be expected to even curse like she was at the wolf she called brother. Jade was likewise stunned, but after she saw Maria land a clawed swipe that put slashes over the left side of his head luckily not deep enough to take his eye with it while the claws of her other paw dug into his throat, her training as an officer took over, and she grabbed the slightly smaller cat who could've passed for her little sister under her arms, and pulled her off of Will who recovered wordlessly. At this point the small group had gathered quite the crowd, and a few bystanders were recording the scene with their phones.

Feeling herself pulled off the wolf she intended to beat back into his normal herself, the anger she had failed to feel this morning flooding her with a vengeance, she roared at Will ferally before growling her yell at the cat who had removed her from him "You don't understand. If he hadn't forgotten to take off the safety he wouldn't be here right now. He fucking pulled the trigger right as I walked into my living room this morning."

"What do you mean?" Jade asked the younger cat she refused to release.

"Even with Whisper he had suicidal tendencies. It's why he doesn't drink heavily like he used to, and why Whisper was always the keeper of the drugs he could O.D. on if he wanted to. She was his biggest reason to never even consider it even when he was so covered in blood surely the Wolf Mother looked upon him with disappointment. Without her . . . If he's going to be like this despite our efforts then we need Lola, and maybe even Sophie" Maria answered her anger breaking into sadness that she hadn't been able to bring her brother to his senses.

"If I set you down will you attack him again?" Jade demanded answer to

"No. Maybe you can reach him where I haven't." Maria answered with only half a glimmer of hope.

After she set Maria down Jade wasted no time striding over to Will, and grabbing him under the shirt collar drug him up to her eye level.

"I asked you a question wolfie baby. Is the way I see your sister move the reason Sage called you taboo breaker?" Jade interrogated him

"No. He did not. He's not the wolf I want pushing my tail" Maria answered stealing a glance at David that did not go unnoticed by him, or his sister who were still speechless spectators to the scene before them.

"I didn't ask you hermana. I asked this pendejo" Jade responded while Will's only response was to take her free paw in his own, and putting pressure on it forced her claws to come out which he presently licked causing Jade to recoil in horror nearly dropping her grasp on him.

"Why would I spend a night with her that way when I could spend a night with you?" Will answered with a question his voice a mask before continuing "Besides I know how well you can handle me, and she is too young. I am an officer of the law just like you."

"Then my next question Will is why now after the week full of lives you've protected, and saved would you try, and end your valuable life?" Jade asked her worry, and concern dripping from her voice like Will's drool at the food he'd found.

"We wolves do not take losing our mates well, but life goes on, and we do recover, but to willingly abandon your mate? even to keep her safe? I'm never going to see her again, and if my continued life is a threat to hers . . . I don't want to live anymore." Will lied with a different truth, the answer to why he tried drowning in drugs back home before Sophie reached him.

"Did Sarah's words mean nothing to you?" Jade spoke the words that reached him, and broke him. Will only broke down in tears in response.

When Will had mentioned being a cop the bystanders had begun recognizing him from that zootube video on monday, and they easily recognized Jade from the news yesterday. When Jade mentioned Sarah to him the bystanders began to mutter to themselves was this the officer who saved the cub? No one had named the mammal in question, or his species for that matter; all anyone knew was that it had been a male police officer, and not a female one from the statements made about him. The way however, Jade asked that question, and the way Will responded lended credence to the suspicion he was yesterday's hero which made the scene before them all the more intriguing.

After he regained himself Will rose to his feet, and wiping the tears from his eyes said to Jade "You're right. If the Wolf Mother meant for me to come home she'd come for me herself. If I ended it now I'd just be letting down that little angel, and all the other mammals I have yet to save, or die trying" which earned him a back handed smack to the shoulder from Maria who commented "You always try to die saving someone, and the Wolf Mother keeps her wings around you preventing you from succeeding. That cub in the tree monday was just a walk on the beach for you."

While the smaller group managed to return from their little bubble the crowd around them began peppering them with questions causing Will to react defensively to gather the mammals behind him, and put himself between them, and the largest section of the crowd around them. His defensive posture was not lost on many of the mammals around them, and many began to disperse not wanting to cross such a large wolf, and a cop no less being pushed into a "Protect the Pack" mode. Especially the ones that were behind the small group so the clearly threatened wolf would not react against them. Eventually Will realized the mammals gathered were not a real threat, and were simply curious since it's not every day you see the kind of scene they'd witnessed especially with off-duty cops involved, and no one arrested. When mall security started to approach them Jade, and Will simply waved them off with their badges.

"You all heard what Officer Caldera asked me, and want to know if I'm the mammal who saved little Sarah. I'm sure most of you are also at quite the loss at what happened between me, and my pack sister" Will addressed them with a laugh "The reason the mammal who saved that sweet little cub has not been named, nor his species even mentioned is because the Chief values his officers privacy that the media will never respect. I'm not the mammal in question, I'm just the wolf who wrapped his arms around her, and told her things were going to be okay even if right now they were like hell. As far as what you all witnessed between me, and my little sister here all I can say is that without my mate I have a hard time continuing to draw breath, and it takes every single mammal in my life both old, and new" Will paused to grasp Maria's paw in one of his, and Jade's in the other before finishing his statement "to remind me of all I have to live for"

After the crowd around them seemed satisfied by Will's words, and began to disperse Will suggested they all get some frozen yogurt, or something likewise cold, soft, and sweet.

"Fresh snow, and powdered sugar in a cup, and you'd be satisfied, eh hermano?" Maria joked as she led the way to the mall's resident frozen yogurt shop, towing her friends in each of her paws.

"That would leave something to be desired" Will responded seriously.

"How are you not mad at her for fucking up your face? If my sister did that to me I wouldn't even be able to speak to her for I don't know how long" David asked Will

"Because I deserved it, and she had my best interests at heart" Will answered with a smile.

"Also I'm pretty sure he's something of a masochist" Jade added with a laugh at how Joy, and David both turned to look at her, and Will who were paw in paw.

"Not gonna lie nothing makes me feel more alive than being covered in scratches, bites, and bruises at least after sex anyway" Will said with a laugh as they entered the shop earning himself quite the incredulous looks from the younger wolves.

After they'd gotten their frozen soft serve treats, and sat at a table with Will savoring green tea frozen yogurt with little mochi bits, and Jade enjoying a peach frozen yogurt on one side of the table while Joy sat across from Will with her yogurt buried under strawberries, her brother David sat across from Jade enjoying a peanut butter yogurt concoction, and Maria was slowly eating the same thing David had gotten while sitting in between her friends.

"From the way you looked ready to slash his face yourself Officer Caldera when you thought he'd slept with Maria, and how you two were holding paws I got to ask if you two are going out?" Joy asked which brought Will up short, and Jade to pause mid bite of peachy goodness.

"I'm off duty please call me Jade, and though we are definitely really good friends no we're not going out. Like he said he hasn't taken life without his mate well" Jade answered about to go on.

"He's barely the Angel hermano I know anymore" Maria interrupted.

"You know Interrupcion should be your middle name, hermana gatito" Will laughed

"As I was going to say. I'm still not entirely convinced you two didn't sleep together since I know full well how he can leave a girl walking like that." Jade finished her thought causing Will to facepaw, and Maria to look like she wanted to run away.

"Like I said I didn't sleep with him. He's mi hermano." Maria said looking as if she were hiding something.

"If you two didn't do it then you must have quite the toy at home Maria; and you did say he wasn't the wolf you wanted pushing your tail" Joy added in.

"Which means there is a wolf you want giving you the business. Who. Is. He?" Will said taking his paws from his muzzle to look directly at David his nose bringing him the scents that told him what he wanted to know.

"Joy I cannot believe you" Maria said embarrassed before admonishing Will "No, hermano. I won't tell you. You'll just scare him off."

"Aha! So you do have one! I was right." Joy said triumphantly.

"Maybe I'd just tell him I see something of myself in him, and that if he breaks your heart like I've broken hearts I'll send him to the Wolf Mother for a scolding. And I didn't buy it for you, so who do you know would get you something like that? or did you just pick up a few tricks from Whisper?" Will told Maria

"Wait. You'd buy your little sister something like that?" Jade asked Will smacking him on the shoulder.

"Now you know part of why Sage called me taboo breaker" Will answered with a smile earning himself more abuse he ate up.

"So how did you get it? I want one." Joy asked Maria.

"I'll buy you one, there's a shop under the mall" Will answered before Maria could respond.

"You will not!" Jade, and Maria exclaimed adamantly at the same time which turned a few heads before Jade added threateningly "You do it, and I'll tell the Chief."

"You wouldn't dare! Besides I was in the ZIA you think I couldn't do it without you noticing?" Will responded.

"And this is why I interrupt people. Whisper bought it for me since there's no way I could use the mold of Will that I found in her stash when I found her stash. Joy I can just give you one, I have like three." Maria finally managed to get out bringing silence to the table.

"You've seen Whisper? When? I thought you didn't know about me, and her being split?" Will asked first.

"That's gotta be so weird having a mold of your brother; no way would I want one of mine, and thank you Maria I'll put it to good use" Joy said to her.

"I so don't want to be part of this conversation, and I can't scrub my brain through my ears" David whimpered embarrassed.

"Didn't realize I'd be jealous of a mammal I've never met of her hold over a mammal that isn't even mine" Jade thought aloud not realizing herself.

"Jeez, one at a time guys" Maria said before she began to answer each of them. "Hermano, I haven't seen her. She mailed one to me when I emailed her about her stash which I found at the beginning of the year. You email me more than she does, and say more too. All I know is the last place she was, was in Germany. I'll admit it's weird to me too Joy, but only because I expected a wolf taller than any other to be equally bigger than any other; I guess Whisper's lucky he's only average. If you require consolation David I'll hold you, you can trust me. And Jade any mammal would be jealous of what he, and Whisper have between them, and the power she has over him . . . I'm one of the few living mammals to have seen what he can do when Whisper gives him the signal that he's free to use all his force. It's how he saved me, and I'd be scared of him if I didn't know he only does what he does to protect others" Maria finished before she whispered something to David so Will wouldn't hear causing the wolf to blush visibly beneath his white fur.

"You go get him, hermana" Will encouraged Maria who at that placed a paw on David's thigh causing him to yelp much to Will's laughter.

"We both know you like her, brother don't be a chicken. Besides if it looks like he really will eat you I'll offer him me instead. I'm sure he'll find me much tastier" Joy said with a giggle winking at Will.

"I hope you're just saying that to give your brother confidence. Will here is an officer of the law, and so am I." Jade said noting the expressionless look on Will's muzzle.

When Joy's only response was to stick her tongue out at Jade ignoring her brother's horrified look at her Will spoke "The last thing you want kid is me sinking my fangs in you. You can ask Jade, I can do things few other mammals can like no other mammal can. If I took you you'd spend the rest of your life never really satisfied by any other mammal."

Seeing the look of pain on his muzzle Maria immediately got up, and came around the table to wrap her arms around him saying "Hermano, no. We've gone over this twice today. I am going to call Lola if you don't choose your next words carefully"

As her arms were around him he looked at Maria, and told her "We don't have to go over this again; it's not what you think. I need to call Sage, and Summer. Jade I hope we make it to my car, and it's crowded enough out there."

When his eyes fell on the wolves in front of him as Maria let him go they were paralyzed in fear by the feral look in eyes they'd been taught meant a canid had gone savage. Jade reached for a tranq pistol that wasn't there when Will finished turning towards her to say "I haven't been like this since I . . . was in a field of battle. We need to make it to my car, and you may need what's in my trunk"

"Angel Mi Hermano, remember Sarah" Maria said from behind him as he gave his car keys to Jade, and pulled out his phone.

"Where? Who Dares Threaten A Daughter Of Mine?" Will responded to her words standing in a blur of motion and reaching for first his hip, and then his back for swords that weren't there "Without my swords I will show them how dangerous I am"

"Angel She is Safe. No one threatens her" Maria said to him reassuringly "you saved her already"

"Thank you for your words gatito, but I am still like this" Will managed calmly unnerving the three mammals who watched the look Maria had locking Will's eyes with her own.

"That got your attention didn't it? You are still listening to me aren't you?" Maria asked him.

"I am" Will answered.

"Who do you belong to Angel? What are you, and Who do I belong to Angel?" Maria asked Will flatly

"I Belong to the Mother of Wolves, and I am her Sword, and her Shield. You, and your sister behind me belong to El Angel De Los Gatos" Will answered pointedly as if this were well known fact.

"What keeps you going Angel when all seems lost?" Mari asked urging him on.

"The Love of My Family, and That In Me" Will admitted unhesitatingly.

"Are You Lost Angel?" Maria asked finally

"No. I'm with Family, and Children."

"Then by my rights as your Niece I command you to keep your promise to me. Will you break your word." She commanded him like a subject with tears in her eyes.

"Never gatito" Will answered her.

"As your Niece, and lover I ask you do you trust me?" Jade asked him likewise tears fell from her eyes as she witnessed his wings.

He turned towards her, and answered as if her words hurt him "I trust you as a pack sister. You do not need to call me alpha."

"May I call you Brother?" she asked him.

"Of course you may" he answered her.

"If only you two knew the words, or saw his wings" Maria told her friends utterly surprised, and thankful to the Mother for Joy's response.

"Angel of the Mother, my brother, and I are Children. Do you pose a threat to us?" Joy said not knowing herself how the words came to her before she bared her throat to Will.

"Don't you dare bow to me child" Will said as she did just that, and he kowtowed lower in response saying with tears in his eyes "You do not bow to me. It is I who bow to you."

Will only rose after she had straightened herself. Maria led the way out dragging Will by his paw after the group had finished their frozen treats. As they crossed the threshold Will operated his phone trusting Maria to not lead him into a column. Initiating the call he needed to make he put his phone to his ear, and turned his gaze to where Maria was leading him after he checked that Jade, Joy, and David flanked him.

"Sage it's me. I need you to bring me to the desert for a cleansing. I'm at the Savannah Central Mall how soon can you get here?" Will said to Sage when she answered on the first ring.

"When I get there how will I find you?" Sage asked him understanding the meaning he hid in his words.

"Call me, and if I don't answer call Jade I'm with her, Maria, and Maria's pack mates. I'll make it until you get here." Will told her comfortably his voice surprisingly normal as his eyes retained their savage set.

Maria led them to a clothing shop that interested her. When Maria left to try on clothes Will had willingly helped her pick with Joy who had picked out her own selection of clothes one of the girls working in the shop a leopardess couldn't help but speak to Will while he waited with Jade, and David.

"I'm sorry, sir I couldn't help but see how that kid was hanging on you. You're not dating her are you?" the leopardess asked Will looking ready to call the cops.

"I promised my little sister a date, and I am a brother of his word. If I'm dating anyone it's the fine officer right here." Will answered with a laugh as he slid an arm around Jade who just pulled out her badge, and slipped it onto her hip. It was then that the leopardess saw the savage look in his eyes, and turned to Jade looking at her as if to ask 'Do I need to call help?'

"He's an officer just like me, and yes his eyes look quite scary don't they? but is he walking around like he's some primitive on the hunt?" Jade asked her reassuringly.

"No officer he's talking, and on both feet. Can I help you pick out anything?" the leopardess answered.

"No, but I'm sure those girls would love your advice." Jade told her, and she left towards the dressing rooms.

Will meanwhile walked over to where David was sitting, and sniffed the lad. When this caused the boy to react nervously in fear Will asked him "Do you look at me fearfully because I am brother to the girl you like, or because of the look in my eyes?"

"Both, Sir." David answered afraid to lie.

"I have your scent now child. You can call me Will. Do you know what your name means?" Will asked conversationally.

"No I don't, Will" David answered.

"As Sarah means princess your name means beloved, and indeed you are beloved by the Mother. As her child you have no need to fear me even as my eyes are like this. As Maria's brother I tell you that I indeed see something of myself in you, and if you break her heart like I've broken hearts I will take you to the Wolf Mother myself for a good scolding from her then bring you back home in one piece for your parents to chew into." Will said to David offering the teenager his paw.

"If I break her heart I will deserve it, and take it gladly" David said to Will taking the outstretched paw nervously, but firmly.

When the girls came back to show off their first set of outfits both males profusely stated the girls looked good in what they'd chosen.

"You look stunning Maria" David said to her his eyes savoring her figure.

"Gods above. You make me wish I was your age again." Will said to Joy earning himself a shocked look from the leopardess, and a backpawed smack from Jade.

"Oops. Did I say that out loud, babe?" Will asked Jade when she smacked him.

"Yes, wolfie baby you did" Jade responded unhappily acting the wounded girlfriend.

"I'm sorry. How bout you pick out something, and floor me? My treat" Will said trying to win back her good graces.

"Not here, I'll lead us to where I want to go next. It's a store I know you'll like." Jade said with an easy smile.

Maria, Joy, and the leopardess went back towards the dressing rooms before coming out of their conclave with the girls each ready to make their purchases which Will promptly paid for much to the gratitude of the girls, and shock of Jade.

"You just dropped hundreds like tens" Jade said incredulously as she lead them to a glass shop the kids shocked to enter the quasi-taboo store.

"I have good investments, and made good money. Walking around with a grand in petty cash is no problem." Will told her nonchalantly as his phone rang with the song "Ride the Lightning" by Metallica.

"You're here Sage my desert wind? I'm in this really chill head shop they're playing some killer surf rock in. I'm picking up a new piece for us to christen, and joining LEAP when I'm back on duty" Will said as he answered mid ring.

"Yes I'll stay put, I'm gonna tell this yak behind the counter to blast the system police orders." Will answered a question of Sage's while giving the yak behind the counter a look to say 'you heard me buddy, get to it'.

"I'm serious dude turn up the jams" Will told the Yak an old dude named Tommy pulling out his badge after hanging up with Sage.

"This stuff is for tobacco use only officer" Tommy said to him scared to move.

"And I want to buy it for that purpose not that the sticker that says so is gonna stay long. Now please turn up the jams I dig 'em" Will said to him finally getting him to do so.

Will was rocking out to the music like an idiot with Joy shamelessly joining him much to the horror of Maria, and David who were holding hands not that either of the two seemed to notice. They, and Jade were first to notice the coyote enter the store with a bluetooth earpiece in one ear, and aviators on her muzzle. She was wearing just a tactical vest over a sports bra, and olive drab fatigue trousers. She wasted no time with the tranq pistol in her paws, and promptly shot Will.

"Ow. Thank you for the counter high" Will said pulling out the dart turning to Sage.

"When we leave here he's coming home with me alright Jade? I'm the only one who hasn't recently known his fangs. I'm too much like a bunny" Sage said to Jade ignoring him.

"That's fine with me. Oh, and he gave me his keys." Jade answered her.

"You will need them. Maria has he kept his promise to you?" Sage asked shifting her attention to her.

"He has, and he is." Maria answered.

"Do you release him of it?" Sage asked seriously.

"Not yet" Maria answered

"Hey where to next?" Will asked Maria the feral look in his eyes visibly fading.

"I was thinking the record shop" Maria answered happily.

"Totally groovy" Will said taking the pistol from Sage casually, and releasing the mag to retrieve two of the remaining dart rounds in it. One he promptly stuck in his thigh, and the other he gave to Tommy telling the guy only to use it in self defense, not to get high. When they left the glass shop Sage carrying Will's purchase as he exuberantly lead the way to the record store with Maria in paw. After they'd gotten inside Will simply stood back, and waited to see who went where out of general curiosity for what others listened to. He wasn't allowed to as Maria pulled him towards the section she always browsed first, the metal section which in this place was pretty well stocked with a wide variety of everything. Even Sage managed to get a few CD's into the small stack Will piled in Jade's paws while Jade told him which ones she wanted for herself. David pulled double duty in service to his sister, and Maria who kindly carried the CD's he'd wanted when they'd reached the section of rock, and roll he usually frequented. Will had seemed to have a nose for the metal, but showed keen interest when he noted Joy go for more symphonic bands while David went for traditional, and power metal.

When Will saw the bands David was getting when he was paying for everything at his own insistence his tail wagged happily prompting Sage to grab it.

"Keep this thing under control. You're going to scare somebody with it" She said playfully.

Will simply laughed as he picked up their bags to carry himself before leading the way out of the shop, and out a nearby entrance intent on reaching the smoking section. When he got there he wasted no time lighting a cigarette, and was joined by Jade, and Sage. David, and Joy stood clear of the smoke while Maria tried to bum a smoke from Will, and Sage.

"In another two years sister I'll give you one no problem, but until then nada." Sage told her flatly.

"Here, you go. You've had a rough day" Will said giving her one causing Sage to roll her eyes while Jade was shocked temporarily speechless.

"You had better have had a good reason for doing that in front of me" Jade said angrily to Will when she found her voice.

"She managed to talk me down this morning when she entered her living room just as I'd worked up the courage to put my back up M1911 to my temple. I just barely noticed her as I finally managed to pull the trigger, but nothing happened, and before I knew it she had it out of my paw, and the magazine out of it." Will answered her calmly.

"What the Fuck is Wrong with You?" Jade said unable to hold back her flood of tears so hurt was she to hear him so blithely admit that.

"When I get you home you're calling Lola, but not before I deal with you first" was all Sage said, stating facts.

"You're Fucking shitting me" Joy said surprising her brother, and Maria when she rushed Will, and slapped his muzzle with all her force not nearly enough to cause him to stumble, yet he crumpled to the floor as if touched by lightning.

"Do you know how fucked up I'd be if my brother did that? And you almost did that to Maria mi hermana. And you have how many sisters?" Joy continued to the surprise of everyone, but Sage.

"You deserve this" Sage laughed at him "Do you deny it?"

"No, I deserved it alright, but fuck that's never happened . . . I'd swear the Mother touched me . . ." Will said as he got up enough to kneel before Joy, and say "child, I have let you down, and my pack. Thank you for that." with tears falling from his eyes.

"Joy what was that? You were glowing" David said to his sister joining them.

"She is special David, and so are you. It is not without reason why my brother Angel sees something of himself in you." Maria answered him taking his paw in hers.

"The Mother has blessed you both greatly, and I would not know why only able to say you are truly Children of Hers" Will said as he rose only to formally bow to both of them.

After the smokers were done with Will smoking two in the time it took the others to finish one as the sun was beginning to set Joy called her parents to come pick up herself, her brother, and her sister Maria. When they arrived shortly thereafter having been already nearby doing their own errands they were shocked at the sight of their children, and Maria surrounded by the officers, and the SWAT ready looking Sage. Their expressions relaxed when they recognized Caldera from the news, and they both got out of their car to meet her when they'd parked it as the whole group approached the car to see the kids off.

"You're that jaguaress from the news" Joy, and David's father said to Jade shaking her paw.

"If only you could tell us who that officer you were talking about was. I'd surely like to meet such a mammal." their mother said.

"Actually that would be me, but please keep it to yourselves. I'm only telling you because I like your kids; David has a bit of me in him, and Joy is touched by the Mother. Also Maria is my little hermana gatito." Will said to them raising a paw in half wave.

"Yes. Mom, Dad I'd like to introduce you to my brother Will who I now have new stories to tell about" Maria said to them proudly the paw she held with David's swinging back, and forth slightly.

After they got over their initial shock at his easy admission they both eagerly shook his paw, and promised they'd keep his secret. When they'd all gotten in the car, and on the road his parents didn't fail to notice how Maria sat between David, and his sister to cling to him.

"I'm glad you found some courage my son, but if you hurt that sweet girl I'll make you wish it was the Mother tearing into you" his mother turned in the front passenger seat to tell him.

"I haven't even asked her, yet. Thanks for making me feel like shit mom" he replied to her dejectedly.

"Don't talk to your mother that way, and mom my brother told him he'd take him to her himself" Maria laughed at him.

"How do you know that?" David asked.

"He told us all what he was going to tell you. I wonder what you told him. It must've been good because you're still alive." Maria answered.

"I like this William Grimm even more. I can see why that little cub would call him an angel." his mom said warmly.

"So what did you tell him, son?" his father asked the pertinent question to further embarrass his son, but to his pride his son answered him assertively.

"That I'd deserve it, and go willingly" David said proudly.

After they'd watched the family drive away Jade turned to Sage to inquire as to the next plan of action.

"So how are we getting him back to your place?" Jade asked her.

"I'm already on it" Will answered heading for his car where they found Sage's motorcycle parked alongside.

"But I have your keys" Jade said to him when they reached it.

"And you should open the door we're driving it" Will told her evenly.

"You're not fit to drive after being tranqed twice" Jade said to him with a death grip on his keys.

"Relax. I didn't say I'd be driving alone" Will reassured her taking the keys despite her grip only to press the unlock button on the key fob before he opened the driver's door, and got in the seat. After he'd pulled her in on top of him he told her to put the key in the ignition, and start her up which she did.

"We'll meet you at your place, lead the way" Will said to Sage after he'd shut his door, and rolled the window down.

"Affirmative" Sage replied.

"Okay Jade here's how were going to do this. I'm gonna handle the pedals while you help me steer. I'm wide awake, and you'll help keep me that way" Will instructed her before shifting into reverse. After he'd backed out of the parking stall he followed Sage to her place.

"This is how I'm going to keep you up, taking blood from your brain?" Jade asked him when she felt her rise in her position on his lap.

"That's why you're helping me steer" Will answered her the only response she made was an adorable mew when he twitched.

When they'd parked near Sage's place Will could not help, but instinctively groom Jade's neck, and head that he could reach. She lost herself in his action until he started nibbling on one of her ears after muttering "Neko-mimi', and was grateful when Sage rescued her by opening the driver's door.

"Save yourself for the cool down" Sage said to Jade as she pulled her out of the car "You're spending the night sister"

When they got in her apartment Sage told Jade to make herself at home per usual while she wasted no time leading Will to her room where she turned on her stereo as loud as she needed to. Before she started the first track she told Jade to wait for when she released him. It wasn't long before Jade was glad for the music drowning out the two, but she could still hear the odd growl from under it, and her heart was truly struck by the pained restrained howl she heard knowing it was him before she heard Sage growling shout "Yes!". It wasn't long thereafter when the music stopped, and Will opened the door to join her in the living room where he promptly lit a cigarette.

"Give me a moment to calm down before you say anything, please. Sage is still breathing, just asleep. I know you heard that howl of mine, forget it it's not from anything you could imagine, and wasn't out of pain" Will said to her already halfway through his first cigarette of the three he intended to smoke.

"You were that quick with her I don't believe it" Jade said to him.

"You know what I am?" he asked her.

"Yes I do Fangs" she replied.

At this he put out his second cigarette barely halfway gone, and pulled her off the couch where she sat into a kiss that shocked her. As his mouth was on hers, and his tongue filled her mouth she could not scream in her primal fear when she felt the chi he was taking leave her only clutch at him her claws sinking into his back. He fear faded as he went on, and she realized she wasn't dying. When he released her she felt slightly euphoric.

"Now you know them for true. Do you still accept me?" he asked her returning to his cigarette fully expecting to hate him, and leave in a fury.

"I've spoken with Sage. You've only ever done what you've done to protect others. How could I ever not accept you?" she asked him in response adding "rough edges, and all"

"That earns you a good fuck koneko-chan, and you can keep my shirt dorobo-neko, but you are taking it off" Will responded seductively.

While she obliged him he wasted no time seeing to her pants which he deftly removed before pushing her back onto the couch, and proceeded to completely disrobe her. He dove his muzzle into her, and despite her protests that he simply fuck her he made her come twice this way before he obliged her.

---

While she avidly watched what happened in the mall that day after crying at his actions yesterday she found herself loosing much of her jealousy for Jade. The feeling was replaced with thankfulness, and she found herself liking the cat. When she saw Maria attack him it only confirmed her suspicions that had been aroused when she saw the footage of him retrieving his pistol, and then later how he had Maria put it back in the trunk of his Shelby. She didn't get clear visual, but she got good audio of what happened in the yogurt shop, and was proud of Maria for handling the situation giving Sage the time she needed. Once she'd heard the story out of him from an outside camera mic. she knew what she had to do. What she should have done before he had.

When Joy, and David's parents opened their front door they were more than confused by the tallest vixen they'd ever seen. When she asked to see Maria her voice carried into the house, and Maria herself was summoned as if in a flash. The confused older wolves thought that Maria was going to crush the vixen she leapt onto, but were surprised when the vixen stood her ground even with the full weight of the teenage cat against her. Maria introduced the vixen as her older sister adding that now she got to introduce them to her full family, and called for Joy, and David to come say hello.

So many words the vixen had for the three youngers she nearly could not contain herself as she was welcomed inside having seen, and clearly heard what had happened. She kindly asked to speak to the three of them in the back yard to which the parents assented as they went to finish making dinner. When they were outside she hugged Maria leaping around the jaguaress' shoulders.

"I should have done this much sooner. I am so sorry" she said to Maria.

"I am just happy to see you now" she was told as she was set down. Once she was on her feet she turned to address Maria's friends for a more proper introduction.

"You guys can call me Whisper, I'm glad to finally meet you two. I can't tell you how grateful I am for the family you are, and have been since her older brother, and I have been gone. I can see the same bits of him in you that he does David, and Joy you wonder, you. I swear you are a Voice of the Mother. Not even I could have struck him as you did, and I have his heart."

"You guys are making me nervous the way you keep going on about me being special. I'm not special." David said to her unable to hide his feelings.

"Listen to 'Humble, and Kind' and you'll understand Beloved" the vixen told him.

"What do you mean 'a voice of the mother'?" Joy asked her.

"It means child that through you Our Mother will speak if she so chooses, and today she had occasion to speak" the vixen answered before musing to herself "You know it wouldn't surprise me much if your brother had the same gift, but the Father is out here, and can speak for himself so he'd never use him."

"The who?" David asked.

"El Angeles de Los Lobos are called an Alpha Pair are they not? Everyone speaks of the Mother because right now She's the only one home. The Wolf Father, and Her trade places walking amongst us for their reasons" Maria answered clutching an amulet around her neck that the vixen now noticed.

"And where did you get what you hold in your paw? I haven't seen that in a year if it is what I think it is" the vixen asked her.

"He gave it to me this morning. He said it was a powerful talisman." Maria answered.

"Do you know what it means that he has left his most powerful artifacts with us?" the vixen asked drawing the massive knife at her hip causing everyone's eyes to widen though Maria's did so in understanding.

"I do now. I hope we never have to use them." Maria answered solemnly as the vixen sheathed the knife.

"What is this necklace your brother gave you, and why do I get the sense your brother, and sister have some fucked up history." Joy asked.

"Mother quit whispering in your voice's ear. I'm still processing what you told me the other morning." the vixen answered while Maria simply showed her friend the ankh in her paw.

"Dear little sister I remember you saying you found my stash. Is the vial I asked you not to touch still in there?" the vixen asked Maria.

"That clear stuff you said was poison to wolves? How could I? And why do you have it?" Maria asked back.

"It's not really a poison I just didn't want you using it if I ever needed it. A single hundred millilitre dose would make your boyfriend unable to tell you no. I need it is it still where I left it?" the vixen answered her.

"It is. Are you going to take the mold with you too?" Maria asked.

"No, because soon enough I won't need it. You can leave it gathering dust" the vixen told her with her eyes full of purpose.

After they came inside the vixen accepted their invitation to join them for dinner though she didn't eat anything telling them she'd heard things from Maria about her brother whom they'd met, and was too emotional to eat. Though this worried Joy, and David's mother Joy reassured her mom that the vixen would be fine, and that the wolf would forgive her with a glow in her fur no one failed to notice. The vixen only responded that she was still going to go forward with her plan.

When she'd made to leave Maria had insisted she stay the night since it had been years since she'd last seen her. Joy, and David's mother insisted the vixen feel welcome to stay, and her husband wisely agreed. When the vixen relented Maria was overjoyed. After everyone had gone to sleep it didn't take Maria long to sneak off to David's room while the vixen was wrapped around Joy. When the kids' father went to wake up his son he was pleasantly surprised to find Maria with him, and they still had their clothes on. Their mother meanwhile went to wake up her daughter, and yelped in shock at the sight of her daughter, and the vixen. When her husband followed by Maria, and David managed to get sight of the scene Maria broke the silence with her laughter that finally roused the vixen from slumber. With a yawn she rose from where she'd lain naked curled on the chest of the likewise nude Joy who simply said "Whoever said bunnies are emotional clearly knows nothing of foxes"

After she'd left, and made it to Maria's apartment she slipped past Max, and once inside the apartment she retrieved the vial she sought before she noticed Maria's bed. Vial in her paw, and phone in the other she called to have a new bed brought in, and the old one removed by mammals who knew better than to ask questions, and be thankful they didn't have to clean up blood.