Authors Note: Wow another update in just a few days lol, yeah I know hard to believe. Anyway, this story is about to take off in a serious way, and will get a lot darker from here on out. Also to clear up what I mentioned at the bottom of the last chapter, some readers had PM'd me asking if this was going to be or lead to bestiality, and if not could it, and to answer that no, and hell no. I do not write those kinds of stories, if you're into that, then that's your opinion, but I will never write a story like that. I can write a Dante/Nero story without there being sex for crying out loud. Anyway rant over. Thank you for the reviews and all, you guys rock!

Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, its characters, or Capcom. I wish I did though…

~*I Cry Wolf: Chapter 8*~

Nero fidgeted as he tried in vein to get some sleep before sunrise. His mind just would not shut up, or slow down. He wanted to blame it on everything that had happened but, deep down he knew it was the werewolf inside of him that was keeping him awake. Dante had said that werewolves were more nocturnal, and he had no problem believing that now. Nero let out a snort as he shifted his position to lay on his side to stare up the stairs were the elder had disappeared to sleep hours before.

Dante…that man would be the death of him he was sure. Where did they stand, if they even had a standing at all. Dante had given him the brief run down of what had happened after he'd been bitten, and Nero had a sneaky suspicion that Dante had lost it a bit more than he let on. He wasn't one for over kill, and shooting one werewolf over 12 times certainly counted as over kill in Nero's book. The elder had also explained that he suspected the female and male had been a rare mated pair, which would account for the unusually large size of the pack, and why the female was still alive after the alpha had died.

Nero had been shocked to find that such mindless creatures would even form a mating bond in the first place, but Dante had explained that it was incredibly rare and only happened between first changed, or alphas. The pair would travel together and turn victims in their bloodlust as they went creating a pack that could grow to be very large in size. Even though they were alphas and somewhat kept a shaky hold on their sanity, or insanity, the ones they turned lost all traces of humanity to become mindless killing beasts rules by bloodlust and the most basic of needs.

So say that it was nothing short of a miracle that Nero had managed to somehow not only hold onto some form of sanity, but to actually seem unfazed by the change was no understatement. Dante didn't know why much less how it had happened, but he had promised to do all the research he could in the morning. However…Nero knew that he was hardly unfazed. He could feel the werewolf lurking in the very back of his mind, prowling, waiting it seemed for its chance to strike, to take over. Nero sat up and glanced at his Devil Bringer. While it had changed shape to match his new form, it still maintained its deep red scales and blue glow.

Nero knew it was his inner demon that was keeping the werewolf part of his mind at bay, but he didn't know how long it could keep it up. A day, a month, a year…forever, he didn't know, and he tried not to think about it. One thing was for sure however, he missed being able to talk…a lot. Especially when Dante had taken to teasing him mercilessly and he was powerless to fight back. The elder had already covered everything from him making 'piddle' in the shop, to making Nero replace anything that the elder caught him humping.

Nero had finally given up trying to keep his pride intact, and had finally just turned his back on the red clad hunter and lying down on the floor. Dante had poked and prodded a little more before Nero had heard him sigh and get up from his place at his desk. He had to fight more than he ever wanted to admit to keep his place on the floor and not follow the elder as he heard him ascend the stairs. Just when he was about to start shredding the couch as payback for the elder leaving him to sleep on the hard floor, he heard Dante start back down the stairs and something big and heavy hit the floor directly behind him.

Nero had turned his head to his mattress resting on the floor behind him and a pile of fluffy blankets resting in the center. He had turned he gaze up to the elder feeling shocked and slightly touched at the gesture.

"You wound me kid. Did you really think I would let you sleep on the hard floor all night?" Dante had asked in a mocking tone, though Nero could hear the genuine hurt shining through.

Nero had simply looked away, and felt the sting of self loathing as he felt his tail curl under his body against his will in response to his emotions. He had nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a strong hand brush through the think fur on his head to descend and gently brush against his fur covered cheek.

"I'm gonna fix this okay, one way or another. I'll get you back to your real self okay," Dante had stated looking directly into Nero's eyes.

Nero held the elders gaze for a minute before closing his eyes and turning his head into Dante's comforting touch. The elder slayer had chuckled quietly and slowly moved his calloused thumb in slow circles.

"You're still beautiful…"

It came out as a barely breathed whisper, but Nero's new hyper sensitive ears heard it all the same. Instantly he snapped his deep blue eyes open to stare directly into the pair of ice blue ones in front of him. Instantly, Dante dropped his hand and let out a nervous chuckle as he backed away rubbing the back of his neck as he went.

"Uh well, I'm gonna hit the sack, night kid!" Dante had shouted in a rush before turning and all but ran up the stairs before disappearing into his room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Nero had sat looking after him for a long time, his cheek still tingling and his mind raced into dangerous territory. Shaking his head, Nero crawled up onto his mattress and after shifting the blankets around a bit, curled up and tried to get some sleep…

Yet here he lay, still wide awake with only a few hours left till sunrise. Nero groaned to himself as he felt he would die of boredom before sleep ever arrived. He felt caged in, and he found the atmosphere of the shop to be almost stifling. He wanted to be outside, or at least someplace where he could see the sky. Growling low in his throat Nero stood and hopping off his makeshift bed began to pace the floor. He could feel the wolf inside of him prowling to match his pacing its snarls growing in volume threatening to block out all rational thought.

'NO!' he mentally screamed as he unleashed his inner demon giving it his will to over power and subdue the wolf once again. Nero grit his teeth as he felt them clash, but slowly the wolf's snarls subsided and after a brief struggle silence reigned once again leaving Nero a panting mess on the floor.

'It is starting.'

Nero jerked as three new voiced entered his mind. Christ, how many more could he fit in there before he truly did go insane.

'We are not a part of you, we belong to the master and the master alone,' the voices stated growling slightly as if in indignation.

'Who are you then?' Nero asked as he shakily got to his feet and made his way over to flop onto his mattress now wanting nothing more than to go just go to sleep.

'We are the ones that bind you, the ones that serve the master," the voiced chorused as if that would answer everything. Nero felt his brows crease as he tried to think through his fast approaching exhaustion.

'Cerberus, the ice chuck that Dante keeps on the wall?' he asked fighting desperately against sleep that pulled at the edges of his vision.

'Yes, now silence we are tired,' the voices stated and Nero had the distinct feeling of something fading from his mind.

'Wait…what did you mean by its starting? Cerberus?' Nero called but it was too late they were gone. Sighing in frustration Nero felt the last of his strength leave him and he finally gave up the fight and felt sleep claim him just as the first rays of light began to show in the sky.

~*To Be Continued*~

Author's Note: So Nero had figured out that it's his inner demon that is keeping the werewolf inside him at by, but how long can it last? Also things will start to progress pretty fast from here in Dante and Nero's relationship, and I promise Nero will not be mute forever. ;) Thanks you and see you soon!