A few days after he told Randy about the imprint, Cody still had not forgotten the man's odd reaction. He barely spelt at night thinking about that, getting further intrigued to know how it worked this part of life with the Lycans.

After they had fucked and lay soaking up in the sun, Cody decided to ask it to him.

"Why're you so startled when I told you about the imprint? It's different for your kind?" Cody asked nestled on Randy's chest, who took the chance to stroke his thick, dark hair.

"A little. What you call imprinting we just call mate. A mate for life," Randy said 'imprinting' with disdain, but Cody decided to ignore it.

"It's the same thing, isn't it?"

"It's not. You can find a mate with a look, and we don't. We need interaction and learn more about the person to know for sure."

Cody got alerted; he didn't know that! Suddenly a chill ran up his spine because Randy could think he wasn't his mate and leave him. Damn it, he could already have other people in mind! But that whole alpha thing had to count for something, right?

Cody held on to that to calm his nerves and ease his heart enough to relax and enjoy the caresses. He sighed, snuggling into the strong chest again and closing his eyes.

But their happiness was short lived.

Suddenly two Lycans descended from a tree and stopped right in front of them.

Randy jumped with the sudden and unwelcome presence of Shawn and Hunter, startled and he cursed himself for being distracted enough to not to sense their presence in the area.

Now they had two Lycans salivating for a piece of Cody, who was even more frightened than him and controlling the wolf inside him. Randy stood in front of him like a shield and talked with friends, out loud.

"I know what you want, but I will not let you do that, understand?"

Like Cody, Randy could not read his fellow packmates' thoughts as a human. He could only read their body language, and noticed that they're not willing to retreat.

Cody seemed to have noticed it too because he approached Randy's back to whisper his name nervously in his ear, "Randy..."

"Shhh Cody. I have everything under control, okay? Calm down"

Once they heard Randy chatting amiably with the enemy, Hunter growled and advanced towards them, catching Randy off guard. The older man only had time to push Cody aside, avoiding Hunter's huge paw to hurt him by inches.

While Cody was lying on the ground, Randy took the chance to focus and release the werewolf inside him, letting him come to the surface with open arms. Once transformed, he stood in front of Cody again to protect him with his massive and imposing form which covered the younger man's whole vision, making it impossible for him to see what was happening.

'Randy you knowwho he is why are you protectinghim?' asked Shawn through the link that was no longer silent.

'I'll explain later. Now leave'

'No need to explain anything; I already figured it out.You'refucking the bitch,Orton! We sawthe two of yourollingin the grass. Itwasso beautiful,but nowwe need to take him.'

'You will not take him!'

'He broke the rules,Randy.He's inour territory and you know what we have to do.'

Of course he fucking knew, at other times he would do this himself; he'd take an invader to let Mark decide the proper punishment. But not Cody. Not his sweet, beautiful boy. He is not going anywhere.

With a loud growl, Randy assumed the attack pose and prepared to face his friends.

'Dont do it, man. He's not worth it! He's just astinkydog!'

'Yeah... Buthe's mystinkydog!'

Randy advanced on Hunter managing to catch him by surprise and biting his shoulder. Shawn too was surprised by the attack, but was soon assisting Hunter. He bit Randy's hind paw, and with that Hunter recovered enough to deliver an attack of his own and managed to scratch Randy's front paw, making him scream in pain. He kicked Shawn's face so hard that it sent him flying, and then turned his attention back to Hunter. He kicked his stomach making him double over in pain and took advantage of the gap to quickly shift back to human to order, "Go away, Cody! Get the hell out of here!"

Cody was watching the fight with big, fearful eyes. Their struggle was violent and bloody, they attacked to maim, to kill, leaving him shocked by what he saw and without reaction. When Randy got an advantage and returned to human, Cody feared that this was a mistake. When he was about to meet his request, Cody saw him being dominated by the two Lycans and froze before taking the first step. Seeing his hesitation, Randy again ordered him to run, but he was frozen in the spot.

The sight of blood streaming down Randy's face left Cody paralyzed with fear for him; all of this was his fault! He was hurt because of him! With eyes burning with pain and guilt, Cody began to approach the older man, much to his despair.

"Cody what the hell! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"

Cody jumped with the strident shout, half of him wanting to obey the man and run and the other half wanting to stay with him. "Randy ..."

"RUN!"

Randy screamed until his lungs burned, making Cody flinch. The desperate plea of his imprint and his look of fear—fear for him—finally made Cody obey him even against his will.

Cody started to run even when what he wanted was to stay there and give himself up to them to avoid further damage on Randy, even if it meant his death. Feeling his eyes sting, Cody wolfed to run faster back to his tribe.

When Cody came close to Wade's house he was met by him and Riley, his right arm. At this point his thoughts and feelings for the enemy were exposed to anyone, because Cody was worried sick to remember to lock his emotions from the rest of the pack. The revelation would occur sooner or later, but Cody wanted it to be later because now he wasn't ready to explain to them that he was loving theenemy. The only thing he wanted was to go back from where he came from and help Randy, and see from himself that he was in one piece.

Stopping in front of the wolf leaders, Cody faced them ready for a confrontation, just waiting for the questions to begin. He didn't have to wait long...

'So yourproblems withimprintingwerewith him...And yousaying it wasa girl. You managedto hideit well. It'sremarkablewhat you did actually; it must havebeen difficult toconcealthis from us, must haverequired a lot ofmental effort,'

Wade said calmly as he approached the black wolf, and Cody could not help thinking that he preferred him screaming than talking down like this.

'I was surprised y'know...I didn't knowyou hadall that talent. I think Iunderestimated you. Yousurprised mein allways, good and bad.Goodbecause you'rea werewolfbetter thanI gave youcredit for being, and bad becauseyou've chosen exactlythe enemyas a matefor life'

Chosen-? As if they could control this!
'It wasn't my choice asyou well know.If I could choose I'd not have chosen him. But we can't controlthese thingsand you should knowthis betterthan anyone,' Cody said finally finding his voice.

'Don't you dare compare mystory with yours, boy! They aretotally different thingsand you know it!' Wade exploded, breaking his serious façade. He approached to come face to face with the smaller wolf. Wade also had problems with his imprint, because at the time he met Justin he was in a relationship and his life turned upside down, causing much pain and suffering to him and his girlfriend when he had to dump her to stay with Justin.

'Whatever.The factis that...is thatI can't doanything to change it!'

'That's notentirely true.'

Cody paused; he had no idea that such a thing was possible. 'What?'

'There is aritual.I'm not surethe detailsbecause itwas rarelyused byus, butit exists. Ifyou really didn'twant that,as you just said, you have the chance toreverse this,'

'There's no reversing animprinting! It's impossible'

'I know that! Butthe ritualwould make yourfeelings for that thing to become dormant,anesthetized. You can get ridof it without suffering,'

Cody gasped, shocked; Wade was suggesting that he buried his feelings for Randy as if they were something dirty, shameful and not worthy to be lived?

'He still has doubts, Wade. Maybe heliked to befucked bythat beast after all,' Riley mocked, getting into the conversation for the first time.

Cody turned to him and snarled, 'Mind your own business, Alex! I just ... Idon't know ifthiswill work,'

'It'll not hurt to try! What can't happen is oneof us attached tooneof them for good'

This was irrational. It seemed they had forgotten that behind the Lycans resided human beings, like them. 'Why not? Why would it beso bad?'

'I told you he liked itWade.'

Wade ignored Alex and approached, invading Cody's personal space. 'I really need to explain this to you, Cody? Vampires, Lycans they're all our enemies and are so for centuries. You really want to discuss decades of enmity? We hate each other, we hunt and kill each other. This is how things are.'

'But it didn't have to' Cody thought softly.

With that Wade knew he was lost to his forbidden feelings. If talking doesn't work, then would have to be by force. Wade would not let his wolfpack be ruined because of one single member.

Moving away, Wade got in position to attack and Alex followed his example. Cody was shaken and trembling, and it would be easy to subdue him and take him inside to do the ritual even against his will. Cody did not know, but he would thank him for it later.

~8~

Randy's wounds were already closing by the time they arrived in his house. Shawn and Hunter dragged him back to the village and dropped him like a sack of cement on the sofa.

Grunting with the discomfort of his skin is remaking itself, Randy slowly sat on the couch to stare hard at his friends. "What the hell were you doing there?"

"You dare ask? We noticed that you're different, even at work,"

"Work is going very well, Shawn. And since when what I do is any of your business?"

"It's our business when you're making friends with the enemy, Randy! What the fuck was that about man? Huh? You roll on the grass with a bloody flea-bitten dog?"

Randy groaned and painfully rose to face them. He approached Hunter, standing nose to nose with the older man. "Sit down and I'll explain everything," Hunter remained standing so Randy repeated, harsher, "Sit. Down."

After an eternity Hunter did sit, so Randy turned to the other person in the room, "You too, Shawn."

When both were seating and facing him impatiently wanting for answers, Randy sighed resignedly; he wasn't pleased about any of this because it was not their fucking business what he did. He didn't want to tell details about his relationship with his sweet Cody, but there was no escaping that now. Randy took a deep breath and began to speak.

Randy talked about Cody's imprinting and how it all happened between them. He also told that he felt that Cody was his beta, because every time he saw his beautiful face he felt his blood boil with passion. And that's why he'd not abandon him. Upon hearing it, Shawn and Hunter were stunned and incredulous. Randy reminded them that it's not so unusual people of enemy clans to stay together.

"This happened with one of us already; think a little further back, when Lucian and Sonya fell in love. Reminded of something? Uh? And their case was even worse because she was a fucking leech. This is not so unusual and bizarre as you think. This enmity between us and them is ridiculous and pointless. It lead us nowhere and it's about time to end."

"And since when do you think is pointless? Since you fucked the boy and tasted his flesh in a different way?"

"Watch it Hunter."

"I know you felt the urge to hunt them, Randy! You know I'm right!"

"Maybe, but that's past now."

"The past! The past he says! You wanted it like yesterday, boy." Hunter emphasized 'boy' knowing how much Randy hated to be called like that. And he saw that he'd hit a nerve when Randy clenched his teeth.

"Not to mention that the example you just gave us ended in a fucking tragedy, as we all know. And you want to use their story as a parameter? What makes you think the same won't happen to you?"

"It won't. I won't let it."

"It won't? And what your gonna do if Mark doesn't accept it? Have you thought about it? And if he declares war and ends this fragile truce once and for all?" Shawn rationalized and Randy began to feel the beginning of a headache.

"I-I…"

"You don't have a clue, don't you? Not even a goddamn plan? You're getting sloppy, Randy. Not even felt that we were close by. We almost got your fucking puppy."

Randy exploded, finally having enough of Hunter's mocking. He went to him like a beast, snarling and saliva flying between his clenched teeth. "Stay away from him!"

"I have every right to get him and anyone else who invades our land, and you know it. Save yourself the trouble of trying to scare me, brat." He snarled, unfazed, and stood to leave. "And Randy ...", he paused before leaving trough the door, turning to look at Randy, "I don't blame you for fucking the little puppy. He has a hot ass!"

Randy closed his eyes, disgusted with Hunter and hearing his laughter it the distance. Shawn stayed and sat beside him.

"Are you okay?"

Randy huffed, humorless. "Just peachy"

"Look ... I'm not saying that I agree with this, but I'll not turn my back on you. You're one of my best mechanics and I'd not want to lose your services."

That was Shawn's way to say that he liked him, and Randy knew it. It was better than he hoped for, really. Shawn seemed more understanding because he had his own beta-John Morrison—and he knew what Randy was going trough. Hunter on the other hand didn't have anyone. But Shawn had, and perhaps he understood Randy better because of that.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't tear my head off—and neither Cody's—when the time comes. I'll need every help I can get if things get ugly ..." Damn and how ugly they could get!

"If you really want to take this forward, be sure it'll be hard. What you need is a plan, Randy. You need to think of something."

"I know."

Shawn put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed the tense muscles, "You can count on me."

Randy thanked him again; he knew he was right. Now he was just going with the flow, aimless and purposeless. But things have reached a point where he needed to consider all options, however bad they might be, like having to fight his brothers to the death to be with Cody. Cody… his beautiful, sweet puppy... With full lips, vibrant blue eyes, cute nose ... He sighed. He got it bad for the boy, and he knew it. It would be terrible and would kill Randy a little inside to reach such drastic measures, but he would do it for him if he had to do.

-tbc-