Max stretched on the rock, letting the bare skin of her stomach chafe slightly against the rough stone. She'd been out hunting, when she happened across the sounds of the angry river.

Okay, so she'd been chasing that deer more than actually hunting it. She tailed it for maybe half a mile when she heard the roar of the water and went to investigate. Deciding to take a breather she'd scaled the boulder to lay in the sun. A moment of tranquility had led to sheading her clothes so she could feel the sun dance across her skin.

Victor had been gone four days and what had turned into a time of solace and relaxation had turned to boredom and restlessness and she passed the time with meaningless tasks to keep her mind off the odd loneliness that would plague her.

She sighed and folded her arms under her chin. The more she'd tried to piece together the puzzle that was Victor Creed, the more lost she became. He was almost gentle one minute and then alarmingly violent then next. He said he wanted her and then he was threatening to cause her bodily harm.

It was all so confusing… how the hell was she supposed to even do this… this... whatever the hell it was if she couldn't find some kind of even footing?

She sighed again.

Who'd have thought she would start to miss asshole?

Scalding water pounded his back and Victor rolled the powerful muscles in his shoulder as he watched the blood run down his legs and mix with the clear liquid at his feet.

The job had been annoyingly simple and easy but it'd slaked his blood lust for the time being. That squealing piece of shit he'd been sent to dismember had irritated him to much with to be truly enjoyable.

He turned off the water and walked into the main room of his suite toweling off his hair. For some high end casino they sure had shitty towels. The cheap fibers scratched his skin and the place stunk of stale sex and a mix of narcotics and cheap alcohol that clung to the materials of the room, no matter how often the maid came to clean.

He sat heavily on the bed and dragged a clawed hand through his hair. It was starting to piss him off that the pup got under his skin enough to where her face would come to him at times like these. He'd much rather be at home in his chair with her curled up on the sofa beside him, or better yet against him, in his lap.

He knew what he'd signed up for by claiming her… well he thought he had. She wasn't like any normal frail that he'd ever dealt with. Then again he'd never kept one either. Sure she'd piss him off from time to time but he preferred that to her cowering in the corner.

It pissed him off more that he liked it. He liked the way she watched him when she thought he wasn't looking, like the way she had settled into his space without crowding him or getting in the way. He liked the way her scent went all sweat and warm after she settled against him, and the food wasn't half bad either.

He liked the way he'd practically made her sing and arch against him before he left, and that the smell of her orgasm still clung to his pants and his coat. He imagined he'd really like the way she did it when he drove into her again and again as she begged him. Whether it was for more or to stop he didn't really give a fuck.

He wondered if she thought about him when she laid in that big bed, surrounded by the smell of him, and remembered how he made her feel. If she stroked herself and imagined it was him doing it. The thought of her slayed out on the sheets and trying to bring herself to completion and then growling in frustration made his dick twitch and he allowed himself to enjoy the image.

He heaved himself up to get dressed. There was still one more stop to make before he left town and he intended to make it quick.

He was ready to get home. There was a little wolf curled up in his den, and he'd make it a homecoming she'd never forget.

Her breath made cloud in the evening air when she jogged up the front steps of the house. She'd started patrolling on the second day, making a radius of half a mile to see if she could pick up on any… disturbances. And because she was bored. That's what she told herself.

The lack of Victor's brooding presence had left the house too quiet in the evenings, and her paranoia had mounted. She knew, if there were Russians in Canada it was unlikely they'd stumble across her in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere… but it didn't stop her from locking the doors and looking out the kitchen window as she cooked, looking for the shapes of shadowy figures moving through the trees.

The cabin was warm and inviting as she toed off her boots and hung up her coat, reaching behind her to twist the deadbolt of the front door.

She fixed a pot of coffee and settled herself on the couch tucking her legs under her and flipping through the channels on the t.v. She didn't care for anything that was on, but the muted voices helped dispel the silence that reminded her she was once again alone.

She scoffed. Alone was all she'd wanted at the school, and she'd had it in a way. Her lone nature made making friends difficult and all the distractions had nearly drive her insane when she first got there. Even being in the classrooms were strange, like she'd been an outsider looking in. She probably never would have even known Marie if they hadn't been stuck in the same room together.

The topic brought her to think about the Professor, and she wondered if he had looked for her with Cerebro. Every day since she left she waited for the tickle of someone trying to push into her mind, but knew that her feral side was ever on guard for any intruders.

She figured Rogue had told him about what had happened. Maybe he didn't want her back? The thought didn't cause her any distress, she hadn't even thought about going back. Looking back on it, she didn't even know why she stayed. The only hold she had there was Rogue, and she'd helped her more than Xavier's mind raping did.

Max often wondered about the man's true intentions many times. He was caring and truly wanted to help other mutants but something about him was… off to her in a way, but not necessarily in a bad way. Rogue had said she'd been on the road to long, and Logan had just kind of looked at her with a quiet understanding but didn't comment. She knew he felt it too.

Minutes rolled into hours, it was nearly midnight when Max drug herself to bed. She laid there in the dark and waited for the nightmares to come. Which would it be tonight? The night of her parents deaths? The night that Russian was going to put a bullet through her head? Maybe the time she had a scrape with the two in Atlanta? Or the one that pulled a switch blade on her in broad daylight in that shitty town she passed through a couple years back?

She hadn't noticed until Victor left that she didn't dream when he was laying behind her. Whether it was his heat or his scent she didn't know, but she did know that she hadn't slept so well before she came here. Like it or not he'd made her feel more secure than she had since her parents were alive.

He wouldn't let anyone get her because he either wouldn't rob himself of the pleasure or because he wouldn't tolerate other people touching his stuff.

"I take care of what's mine."

She sighed and rolled over to her side and dragged his pillow to her nose. She really did like the way he smelled.

Victor loped silently to the old warehouse by the docks. A movie stereotype of he saw one. The look outs in the front and the sentry snipers were easy enough to slip by and he made his way through the rickety building, sliding along the shadows and navigating his way up the floors to the center where he knew the main office would be.

Two men stood outside a door armed with automatic rifles and bored expressions quietly exchanging a bottle of vodka. He cleared his throat as he stepped into the light and grinned maliciously as they started and dropped the bottle.

"Halt!"

"V'at are you doing here!?" Victor chuckled.

"I'm here so see the boss. Tell 'im it's Creed."

The door suddenly opened and a short man with a scar that ran from cheek to chin pushed some stoned blond headed tart out of the room.

"Get the fuck out of here you whore! Before I cut you to pieces." Victor curled his lip at her as she fearfully met his gaze before scrambling upright and clicking down the hall on her ridiculous stripper heels.

"Artur! Kill her before she gets to the front floor and dump her. I don't want blood on my new carpet."

"Yes sir!" answered one of the men and strode off to do his work. The little man turned to Victor and regarded him with surprise that quickly turned to suspicion that melted behind a fake smile and an oily greeting.

"Ah Mr. Creed! It has been long my large friend. Here on business yes?" He asked.

"Something like that," Victor rumbled, still smirking. "Aren't ya gonna invite me in?"

"Ah yes of course," Dmitri smirked and opened the door wider before stepping back. Victor entered the office and made a show of looking around with his hands clasped behind his back. He heard Dmitri move over to his desk followed by the clank of glass on glass.

"So good of you to visit after these past years. You look well. Business is good?"

"As good as it gets," Victor answered. The little man leaned against his desk and watched him passively. He smell suspicion in the air, and an undercurrent of anxiety.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Dmitri finally asked. Victor shrugged and walked closer.

"I was in the neighborhood."

"A social visit then? Actually Father asked me about you, not too long ago." Dmitri said casually. Victor lifted an eyebrow.

"Did he? How is old Orlov these days?" Dmitri smirked again.

"He is well, and has been diagnosed with lung cancer, but he is well. He flies in in two days from mother Russia to visit my brother's grave."

"That right?" Victor asked casually. If the old man was set on having the pup's head as much as his son was, he was in for a bigger mess then he'd signed up for. The trouble this could bring was enough to give him the starts of a head ache.

"Ever catch the guy?" he asked. Dmitri nodded solemnly.

"Yes he's dead, along with his wife and family. There's still one less loose end to tie up after all these years. I regret not hiring you to take of it, that way it would be done and not give me anymore grief. However, Father is traditional and thought it should be handled ourselves." Victor's ribs tightened and he felt slightly sick. He tried to imagine the frail as a pup and his claws slicing her open. He would have done it too. Without as much as a pause or a blink, back then.

"But it is well, their time will come and I will stuff them out like one does a candle. For now, there are more pressing matters," Dmitri continued. Victor 'hmmed'. He'd heard enough.

"Well, if yer boys can't get it done, I'm sure you'll find a way to get in touch with me," Victor said casually. It was time to go… before he slit the little fucker's throat.

"Take care, Kozlov," Victor said as he made his way through the door. Dmitri watched him go with narrowed eyes.

"Same to you, comrade."

The flight was miserable. Victor slumped in the seat and stretched out his legs. Even though he had the luxury of flying in his own jet, the space was cramped and made him feel claustrophobic.

He tipped his chin and thought hard. The whole situation was a fucked up mess. Orlov wouldn't let the death of his son go until he felt his little tirade of revenge had been fully carried out. If the Russian's had more important things going on that meant the pup wasn't high up on the list of current priorities.

That meant Dimitri would only sick his lackeys on her when she'd been spotted. There was a chance of he hid her out long enough that she wouldn't be found until Kozlov got enough free time to organize a hunting party. He wouldn't elude himself with the possibility that she'd be forgotten if she dropped off the face of the earth for a while.

Victor decided he'd have to have a sit-down with the old man in the end… and probably kill him... if the pup didn't kill him first.

Victor grinned to himself. Nothing would please him more then to turn her loose on the lot of them. To sit back and watch her rip them apart and take what was rightfully owed to her. He understood her drive to get even, and he knew he wouldn't deny her the chance if she wanted it.

They'd cross that bridge when they got to it. If she wanted to accomplish anything she had a lot of work to do. Then again, who better to help along then The Butcher?

Max's mind snapped to awareness, dragging her into the conscious world. Something was… off. The air in the cabin had shifted, her spine tingled and she sat up.

What on earth? She strained her ears and through off the covers. Something was going on… this wasn't right… Oh God, someone was here! Fear coiled like an icy snake in her belly. She silently got up from the bed and stepped forward. What the hell did she do? Should she hide?

'What the fuck do you mean hide? Go get them! These assholes are trespassing!' Max froze. Fear ebbed into apprehension mixed with possessiveness. Who in the fuck did they think they were struttin' around her fuckin' house?! She squared her shoulders and crept out of the room with her back to the wall. Whoever it was, they were in for a nasty surprise.

Summoning all her courage, Max leapt around the corner with a snarl, intent on murder… Until she saw who it was.

Victor stood by the door, grinning like an ass and released the door to swing closed. Max froze. Her earlier unease vanished to be replaced with a warm tingle that spread through her chest and brought a smile to her face.

She was happy to see him, she realized. Really happy. So happy she could hug him. She jerked to her senses in mid step, realizing she just about did. Not so sure he would welcome such an embrace, she looked at her bare feet in embarrassment… the sight of her bare legs brought to realization her state of dress.

If she had known he'd been home, she would've worn actual clothes. Instead she was standing there in lacey purple panties and one of Victor's t-shirts. To make matters worse, she could feel her face heating up… well, this probably couldn't be any more embarrassing.

"Scare ya pup?" Victor smirked. Max's blush darkened.

"I- uh… I thought you… weren't you," she answered lamely.

Victor kept smirking as he stepped closer. Her warm scent enveloped him as he watched her fiddle with the hem of his t-shirt, avoiding his gaze. Her face was flushed and her ears were pinned back but… she was a lovely picture standing there with sleep-messed hair.

He smell she was glad to see him and it sent a jolt straight to his groin. Days of having nothing but her scent on his coat and the lewd conjuring's of his mind had him filled with tension and ready to burst. She smelt so sweet and… ripe.

He wanted her… now.

Max jumped when he stepped close to her and shed his coat, leaning past her to hang it on the wall. She gulped when her eyes caught his. The intensity of his look stole her breath and she closed her eyes to inhale him.

'Mmmm,' the spicy warmth that was him made her shiver. It was good to have him back.

Her eyes snapped open when his scent changed and she locked eyes with him.

'… The dressing room… This was the way he smelled when he… Oh, SHIT!'

Max gulped and stepped back. Oh dear…

Victor growled lowly and pressed himself against her. She was not getting away, she was his, and he was going to prove it to her right now.

"Pup…' he rumbled, leaning down to circle her waist and rubbing his face against her ears and then down to her neck. He didn't want her scared… not now.

Max began to tremble and she brought her hands up to grip his shoulders, anchoring herself so she wouldn't float away.

'Wha… what do I do?'

'There's not much we can do… it's gonna happen… soon.'

'I… I don't know if I can do this… Oh God!' Panic began to swell. He couldn't expect her to do this. She didn't know what she was doing!

'It's okay' her inner beast purred. 'I'm here. If it's too much I'll handle it.' Max blinked. Her animal had never been so sympathetic to her in a long time. It was tempting, to just hand over the reins… but she knew that if this was the first time, it certainly wouldn't be the last. She'd hang on for as long as she could.

Forcing herself to go lax against him, she melted into the hard planes of his body. She wasn't scared exactly… just unnerved. She sighed and tried to focus on just scent and his warmth and the feel of him.

Victor leaned back and gripped her chin, staring into liquid silver. No gold yet… good. He claimed her mouth and gripped her tighter. The taste if her pliant lips made him almost groan. He gripped her ass and lifted her into his arms, one hand going to one thy as it wrapped around his waist.

Max groaned into his mouth as the flavor of him exploded in her mouth. He felt so good… she liked the way she fit against him. The feel of his hands on her filled her with warmth and held her together. She pressed harder into him and wound her arms around his neck bringing her head slightly higher than his.

They separated for breath and Max barely noticed that they were on the move as they went down the hallway and into the bed room. Her feral was coming alive inside her, drawn to the male that had claimed them and panting to have her fun as well.

She closed her eyes tight and fought her heavy breathing. The animal in her paced and swished her tail in aggravation. She whimpered when she felt her back hit the bed and sink into the mattress. She gulped and hugged Victor tighter.

Victor ran his hands down her sides and slipped under the shirt. Her skin was like smooth satin and she arched under him. He raised himself above her and watched her inner struggle. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily with her hair all spread out around her head.

He sat up, letting his hands skim down her ribs to her stomach, and then down her legs as he got off the bed and quickly shed his clothing.

Max frowned when she felt his heat leave her. She distantly heard the jingle of a belt buckle before she was drawn back into trying to soothe her animal which was lurking closely under the surface, clawing to get out.

She heard fabric drop and then his mouth was there, on the inside of her knee, and his claws were drifting teasingly back up her side.

The sensations were over powering, almost too much… she was slipping. His breath skirted higher on her leg to the inside of her thigh, and a paw gripped her breast. She sucked in a breath when he blew on the wetness of her panties and thumbed her nipple.

It was… delicious, and terrifying. She was frustrated that she didn't know what he was doing, and she didn't know what she was supposed to do. What if she fucked this up? Was it going to hurt?

Victor was grasping at the dwindling straws of his control. He'd never been so tender with a female before, it was serving to be an interesting challenge not to just fuck her until she screamed. Some baser part of him, part of the animal, demanded he take his time.

Her whimpers and gasps hung between pleasure and uncertainty, and her body was tight with indecision on whether to give herself over to him completely or to maintain some kind of control over herself. He took pleasure in struggle.

He wanted to stretch her out and map her body. He wanted to drive her wild. He wanted her to beg.

"Smell good, baby girl," he rasped at the edge of her lace panties. "Smell like you want me to fuck you."

Max whined at his heated words.

'Oh God… 'It was too much. She was defenseless held down like this… Snippets of the times he'd rounded on her in fits of temper flickered before her eyes... and fear took hold again. He was everywhere, his heat and his touch had turned from welcomed to suffocating. The shadowy figure in her mind paced more quickly before turning and leaping to the front of her consciousness.

"Smell good enough to eat," Victor growled and nipped sharply at the smooth skin of her tummy and tweaked her nipple.

Victor blinked. Glittering gold filled his vision and he felt Max-s weight settle over his hips. He was on his back… looking up.

'What the fuck?' It took a full second for him to go from surprised to pissed. Victor Creed did not do bottom.

Max sat astride him in all her half-clothed glory fixating him with a curious look. It was Max… but it wasn't. Victor bared his teeth at her and fastened his hands to her hips ready to throw her off him, figuring she was going to attack.

He stopped himself when her eyes began to move over his face before quickly dropping to his mouth. She let out a soft whine and ran her hands down his forearms to his biceps. The air between them became charged as they sat there for a while.

Victor braced when she slowly leant forward and nuzzled one side of his mutton chops at his chin. He slowly let out a breath but didn't relax his bruising grip on her hips.

Max whimpered when he remained tense and trailed her lips to the underside if chin, giving him a series of small licks and nips and pressing herself more heavily atop him.

She didn't want to fight…

Victor kept his growl constant while she presented her submissive status above him. So it wasn't an attack… it was the she-wolf coming out to get a good look at him. She moved down his to chest, nuzzling the hair in her wake and rubbing her face against his powerful chest. She knew better then to go anywhere near his throat, or his stomach. She took in his scent deeply, committing it to memory.

'Mmm, mate.'

He jack- knifed into a sitting position and gripped her shoulders. Max let loose her own growl at being interrupted, before quickly stifling it and letting her head fall to begrudgingly to the side to expose her neck.

Victor studied her curiously. What a fascinating little wolf he'd caught. He thought the frail had enough sass on her own, but he liked this side of her. She was assertive in her own way and she watched him hawkishly from the corner of her eye with her lips turned down in the slightest way.

She was slightly put off that he'd put an end to her exploring. He sucked in the tendon of her neck and drew her arms up by her wrists. Max slightly huffed and went to deny him until he pulled sharply on her neck and scraped his fangs across her skin in warning.

Grasping his shirt, he swiftly pulled it off her letting out a chuckle of amusement when she all but burrowed into his chest to hide from him. Seems even her feral was on the shy side… no matter, he's brake her of it soon enough.

He snaked his hand into her hair to pull her back so he could look at her. Yellow eyes narrowed before she squared her shoulders and round her hips against him. Her eyes were bold, and almost challenging as she felt his chest and lightly raked her own nails down his stomach, following the trail of hair to between his legs.

Victor pressed back against her and growled again.

"Easy pup…' he warned. His other hand trailed her spine before hooking a claw under the sides of her underwear and ripping them free. Max shuddered and whimpered. He rolled over to pin her back under him.

Max's teeth flashed and a snarl crawled from her throat. Victor rubbed himself against her, letting her juices coat his length. She arched under him, still growling and he tightened hiss hand in her hair before wrapping his lips around a nipple, pulling sharply. She gasped and bucked against him, her growl becoming a moan.

He hadn't wanted to take her animal first, but apparently it couldn't be helped. And he'd be damned if he was going to stop, as worked up as he was. He was so hard he ached. His fingers found her opening and sunk into her heated flesh.

So wet. He groaned. This was going to be good.

He nipped and suckled her breast while he played with her, making her thrash under him. Wanton moans turned to desperate gasps and then demanding growls. Her nails dug into his shoulders and she arched sharply against him.

Victor leaned his face over hers and kissed her, his hand left her to circle under her knee and spread her more to accommodate him.

"Pup," he rumbled. Max stilled to look up at him. "Trust me?" he asked. She blinked and gave a huff before arching her hips under him. He took that as a yes.

He watched her as he pushed his way inside. Her expression was schooled not to give away her discomfort but her chest started to heave. With a growl he sheathed himself balls deep and released her hair and leg to grab her wrists when her nails began to strip the flesh from his shoulders. She whimpered and whined, twisting under him to rid herself of his intrusion.

Victor flattened against her to hold her down while he moved, not as hard as he wanted to, but enough to turn his blood to liquid fire. When her neck arched and her scent sweetened again he picked up the pace. She struggled to be free of his grip and he finally let her go so he could put his weight on his forearms next to her.

Max wound her arms behind his back, gripping him tightly I her passion. She instinctively brought her knees up to better absorb his thrusts and allow him deeper.

Her abdomen wound tighter and tighter and pleasure pounded against her temples. She moaned in Victor's ear and rubbed her face under his chin.

His clawed hand found her hair again pinned her head to the bed making her arch her neck and then her back.

Victor groaned and brought his other hand to her bruised hip to hold her down. She was so tight it was borderline painful. That made it all so much sweeter and the pleasure sharper. His eyes found her lust-filled gaze and he pounded harder against her.

She was almost there.

He trailed his tongue up her neck and watched her face.

"Wanna see it baby… come for me." His words proved to be her undoing and her eyes slammed shut when she let loose a moan tinged with a howl.

It was like music to his ears. He answered her with his only animalistic roar as she tightened mercilessly around him, not giving him much of a choice but to follow her into ecstasy.

When he finally caught his breath, he rolled off her onto his back, tucking her against his side. He noticed through half-lidded eyes that she was already asleep when she wound her leg around his.