CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX:

AN: Okay, I know technically since Sabretooth is a 'Cat' feral mutation he should have a 'pride' instead of a 'pack', but I'm taking artistic license here, besides I like the idea of a 'pack' more…..and all the research I did was on wolf packs soooo….yeah.

Also, this chapter isn't anywhere near done, however you guys have gone so long without an update I decided to post it anyways.

And, yeah, I named the chapter after the vocabulary word, so sue me... Actually, don't. I can't afford it.

I don't own any of the X-men characters. No money was made off of this fic. Bla bla bla bla bla.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

VICTOR CREED / SABRETOOTH

He was alpha.

They HAD to understand this.

True, they weren't technically part of his pack, but if they were on his territory and if they were going to help him they had to follow HIS rules. There was a pack hierarchy, one that he knew and understood instinctively and one that he was going to teach them…..by force.

He and his mate were the alpha pair. He was the one who would mainly fight off enemies, provide food and shelter and see to safety and general health. His mate would be the one to mainly care for the cubs (with a little help of course).

His brother and his mate would be beta. If he wasn't here, it would be Jimmy who would be in charge, whose orders were to be followed. His brothers mate (Rogue) would assist his mate in caring for the children.

After Jimmy would probably come Hank, being another feral, and his mate the weather witch (her name escaped him). Then the various other teachers and the cubs.

As the Avengers were here right now they were, in a way, a temporary addition to his pack, and he couldn't have them not following his orders. Instincts deeper than time ingrained in him that a pack who didn't have and follow a proper alpha would fall apart and die out, prey to starvation, squabbles, larger enemies and the elements.

…..Okay, so it wasn't like they were exactly in a tundra wasteland, but the same principle applied.

But then there was that ice-brat who needed dealing with and, the longer the trail went cold the less chance they had of catching him.

Victor flipped open his cell-phone and hit the speed dial. "Jimmy, get my mate, cub, your mate and cub and the others in there to the observation room above the Danger room. They should be safe there while I teach these Avengers a lesson"—and his mate would get another first-hand observation on how well he could take care of her and their cub—"then yer gonna do a little trackin', which I assume you remember how to do. Yer gonna start lookin' for the ice-brat, and take the blue furball with ya. His mate can stay above the observation room with the others."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

LOGAN / ROGUE/ CASSIE / CLARISSE / JUBILEE / JONESY / RODDY

Gentle Clarisse gave an annoyed sigh as she gathered up her pillow and blanket. Jubilee and Cassie were looking especially scowly.

"You do know none of us can be held responsible if we fall asleep in class, right?" Jubilee grumbled.

"This is ridiculous," Cassie added as she balanced Roddy on her hip. It was a little difficult—after all, the mutant child was older than a toddler—but she managed.

"Lead on, sugah." Rogue added sleepily, holding a disgruntled Jonesy by the hand.

The Wolverine looked as though he had his own headache going on as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger.

"You guys do understand what's gonna happen, right?" Logan asked.

Before anyone else could respond, Cassie rattled off; "We go to the observation room, Victor beats up the Avengers, you hunt this ice-brat kid then we all commit mutiny for being deprived of sleep. Did I miss anything?"

Logan actually smirked a little. "No, that's about it."

Cassie gestured frustratedly towards the door. "Great. Lead on."

Logan scowled again before he strode out of the dorm room, looking and scenting for any potential threats before he let the others come out.

"I don't see why Tooth has to fight the Avengers in the first place." Jubilee said grumpily, stomping after Logan with a pout on her pixie-like face.

"I bet it has something to do with those caveman-like instincts." Cassie grumbled, hefting Roddy a little higher on her hip. "He's got alotta those."

"What I tell ya earlier," Logan grumbled at her as he led the rag-tag group. "It's called bein' a feral."

"Nothin' wrong with ferals," Rogue said with a small, flirtatious smile, stepping forward to link one gloved hand with Logans. The Wolverine gave her a slight, happy purr as he squeezed her hand gently.

"Speaking of—" Jubilee said in a sing-song voice, making both Logan and Rogue eye her warily.

"Watch it, firecracker." Logan advised in a low, throaty growl.

Of course, Jubilee ignored him. "Now that you've found out you can touch Logan, what are ya going to do about it?" the pixie-like mutant wiggled her eyebrows at the pair.

Cassie, Clarisse, and Rogue groaned and Cassie laid her free hand over one of Roddys ears. "Watch what you say, please, little ears."

"That's none of your business, Jubilee." Rogue scolded, blushing slightly. She made to untangle her hand from Logans, but the Wolverine was having none of that! Infact, he growled a little under his breath and tugged her closer to his side.

"Can it Jubilee." The Wolverine growled and the pyrotechtonic teen huffed, but relented. Of course, this didn't mean she wasn't going to tease Rogue mercilessly when Logan wasn't around. After all, what were friends for?

Logan lead them down a stair case and around several turns so that Cassie was completely and utterly lost.

"Um, do any of you guys use a GPS to get around here?" the brunette tentatively asked as she hoisted Roddy higher up on her hip.

Jubilee giggled.

"You get used ta it eventually." Rogue reassured her, looking over her shoulder to Cassie.

"Not bloody likely….." Cassie muttered under her breath, smiling when Roddy giggled, his forked tongue flicking out to brush her cheek. "Hey, that tickles!"

Finally, Logan lead them up a very familiar flight of stairs to the steel door that slid open to the observation area that hung over the danger room. Almost immediately, everyone flocked to the viewing screen to observe what was going on down below.

The 'danger room' had taken on a woods scenario so life-like it was hard to believe it was a simulation. Green grass waved gently in a soft breeze and tall pine trees lorded over the area. The ground was like a valley, with raised sides and in the middle of that valley, tall and looking ever-so-dangerous was Victor Creed/ Sabretooth, his yellowed claws fully extended, hair bristling, and pulled up to his full height.

Cassie gave a slight shiver at the sight and one word came unwanted to her brain; `Mine. That's mine.`

Almost as if he heard her thought—was that possible?—the Sabretooth looked up to the observation screen and gave a cocky, completely self-confident smirk that she could swear was aimed at her. The man—excuse me, mutant—was just oozing masculinity and Cassie had to resist the urge to slap herself out of a stupor (and wouldn't that scare Roddy!)

It took her a couple of seconds to tear her eyes away from her mate and notice that he was surrounded in a circle by the Avengers who all looked very ready to do battle.

Cassie gulped. "Er, what's the point of all this again?" she asked Logan without tearing her eyes from the scenario before her.

"Vic's gotta prove who's alpha," Logan explained to all of them. "has to get'em to follow his lead. To do that he has to beat'em."

"Ah." Cassie commented curtly, eyes worried.

"Oh boy." Jubilee said, her ebony eyes also huge.

Logan shook his head, though, inwardly he wanted to watch the fight as well….okay, he really wanted to be IN the fight, but he had a job to do. "Allright, all you guys STAY HERE. There's a bathroom over there if you need it—" he motioned to a yellow door. "—I've got things to do. I'll tell ya again, STAY HERE."

Rogue managed to look away from the stand-off happening below and gave her mate a worried look. "Off so soon, sugah?"

Logan wrapped an arm around his mates waist and pulled her flush against his chest, starting up a purr and nuzzling her neck. He reached out his other arm to grab Jonesy and include him in the hug. "I'll be back before ya know it, Marie. Jonesy, you be good, okay?"

Jonesy nodded.

Logan began to let go then changed his mind, immediately crushing his lips down on his mates.

Marie made a surprised little yelp, but returned the quick bruising kiss with equal fervor before Logan broke it, nipping at her neck a little before he left.

He had work to do.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

VOCABULARY:

FERVOR: n. great warmth of feeling; ardor; zeal. 2 great heat.