Love Sees More 3: Greyback's Pack

Chapter 10 - The Silent Predator

As soon as Remus got to his feet, he immediately found the wall of Greyback's shack. He leaned into it heavily with his shoulder, then rested his forehead against the wood as well. He really wasn't ready for this. Nor, he was certain, was the rest of the pack. He knew many of them had ill feelings towards him, and he really didn't blame them.

Remus had only been a member of the pack for about a month. Everyone else had been there for at least two years, and Remus already outranked them all - except for Greyback, of course. They wouldn't be ready to accept him as Greyback's second-in-command. There was no way. They might lie and put on a good show for Greyback - except for maybe Talon - but Remus was rather concerned about how they might treat him behind their alpha's back.

Remus wondered if his encounter with Talon and the fact that he had been called to Greyback's shack afterwards had gotten around to the rest of the pack yet. Talon would have certainly spread it around to at least his friends by now; he probably felt pretty proud that he had finally gotten Remus into trouble (even though he hadn't). If Talon had spread it around, Remus decided that that was not a good thing. When they found out that Remus was now the pack's beta wolf instead, he was certain that they would distrust him more than ever.

Despite what he had told Greyback, there was no way that Remus could take his hands to the others just because they showed him disrespect. He had with Talon, but that was because he had lost his temper. Talon had a way of pushing his buttons, which Remus was going to try and prevent in the future. He very much doubted that he'd ever feel like beating someone up simply because they were rude. At least, he hoped not.

Then again, if Remus wasn't able to exercise control over the rest of the pack, they'd have absolutely no respect for him. In that case, it would only be a matter of time before Greyback figured out that Remus really wasn't cut out for this position. Remus didn't want to think about what would happen then. Would Greyback mercifully return him to a lower a position? Or would Greyback perhaps be greatly offended that Remus had blatantly lied in order to obtain the position? The latter, he was sure, the prospect of which terrified him.

Remus felt backed into a corner. He had to make this position work for him. In all the time he had been there, he hadn't learned a damn thing to help them in the war. If Greyback figured out that Remus really wasn't trying as his beta wolf, then the chances that he'd gain any information at all would be pretty nonexistent.

Remus wondered if he would have been better off simply turning down Greyback's offer. Greyback had said that he wouldn't force Remus into the position, but Remus wasn't entirely sure how Greyback would have reacted to a negative response, especially when everyone else would have jumped at the chance. Perhaps that would have been a sign that Remus really wasn't suited to this pack at all, in which case, he wouldn't have been allowed to stay.

Letting out a heavy breath, Remus shook his head back and forth against the wood. He felt tiny splinters prickling into his forehead here and there, but he barely even noticed. He had the sensation that he was standing in the middle of a gigantic jigsaw puzzle, all of the pieces around him shifting constantly. They only went together one way, and if Remus moved the wrong one into place, then the entire thing might be beyond repair.

As much as he hated it in there, he sort of wanted to stay in Greyback's shack all day long, even though he knew he couldn't. Lunch was in just a few minutes, and Greyback was expecting him in the mess hall to announce Remus's new position. Very reluctantly, Remus pushed himself away from the wall and pulled the door open. He stood at the top of the three wooden steps for a very long time, trying to prepare himself for what might lie ahead of him.

He was more certain than ever that this was not going to turn out well, but he finally forced himself to descend the stairs. He paid extra attention to how he carried himself, forcing his shoulders back and standing up straighter than he normally did. It wasn't him at all; he wasn't one to go around with his chest puffed out like he was important, and it felt utterly awkward. But if he tried to look the part, if he looked like he was indeed Greyback's second-in-command, perhaps that would garner some sort of respect on its own.

The entire compound seemed deserted. Everyone was probably already in the mess hall, waiting for the before-lunch meeting to begin. Remus really didn't want to go in there, but if he was indeed the last one to arrive, it really wouldn't do for him to keep them waiting. Especially now that he was Greyback's second-in-command, he was probably expected to be punctual, even more so than the others.

Squaring his shoulders even more and drawing a deep breath, Remus ascended the three steps to the door of the mess hall. When he reached out for the door handle, that was when he realized his hand was shaking terribly. This was bad. It really wasn't appropriate for Greyback's beta to be shaking from fear, and Greyback would know it was fear. It was one of those things that he insisted he could smell on people.

When Remus was certain that he was getting precariously close to being late, it was only then that he pushed the door open. Just as he had suspected, it looked like the hall was full. They all looked up expectantly when he entered, like they had been waiting for him.

A wave of whispers went through the crowd, but the werewolf that immediately caught Remus's eye was Talon. He was staring at Remus wide-eyed (as wide-eyed as possible anyway with one eye still partially swollen shut from his last beating from Greyback). He looked genuinely shocked, almost as if he hadn't been expecting Remus to return at all. Or perhaps he had been expecting Remus to be in even worse shape than Talon himself.

"Wonderful!" Greyback exclaimed. "Everyone is here then."

"Sir," Talon said quietly, looking at Greyback, "I believe Lupin is late."

"I'm well aware of the time!" Greyback roared. "I don't need you to remind me!" When Talon glared down at the floor, Greyback turned his attention to Remus. "I suspect you were simply preparing yourself for this important occasion."

"Yes, sir," Remus said, trying to sound as confident as possible. He looked at Talon then, giving him the most complacent stare that he could. If Remus knew Talon at all, then he was going to go out of his way to cause even more trouble for Remus now. Remus just wanted Talon to know that he now in very good standing with Greyback. Apparently it worked; Talon looked rattled.

Greyback hummed in response, then he also gazed at Talon. "Yes, you see, Talon?" Greyback asked. "As I'm sure you're aware, Remus and I were just speaking. I was well aware of where he was and that he was, in fact, on his way. So don't you dare presume to tell me who is and is not breaking a rule when it's happened in my very presence! I have eyes, and this tattling is getting rather old, you know," he said tiredly and rolled his eyes.

Talon looked positively livid now, but for once, he seemed to know better than to anger Greyback further. "Yes, sir," he grumbled in between clenched teeth.

Greyback glared at Talon for a very long time. Remus almost thought Greyback might attack him again, but then Greyback seemed to let it go. Remus assumed that he was simply much more anxious to make the new announcement than to bother with disciplining anyone at the moment.

"Now that that's all settled," Greyback said, beginning to pace in between the lines of werewolves as he had a habit of doing during meetings. "As I told you, I've been thinking very carefully about which one of you is the most deserving of the title of my second-in-command. I've come to a decision, and to be honest, it's actually quite sad that it has come to this. Not that I don't have confidence in my choice. I wouldn't have picked him otherwise." He paused with his back to Remus, his eyes narrowed at the others. "But it is very sad that I feel the one most capable of holding the second most important position here…is also our newest member."

Those were the words Remus had been fearing the most. Somehow, the prospect of being Greyback's beta wolf didn't seem half as terrifying when it had just been him and Greyback that had known. Now that the rest of the pack had been informed of it, it felt so much more real to him. So much more of a responsibility that he knew he was going to have to live up to.

Whispers broke out at once. Those who were standing close around Talon turned to him, covering their mouths with their hands as they spoke to him. Talon, predictably, looked angrier than Remus could ever remember seeing him, his eyes narrowed in hatred and his face turning beet red. Others stood on their tiptoes to get a look at Remus over the crowd. Remus hated that feeling - that he was being watched, surveyed.

"I did not ask for anyone's opinion on the matter, DID I?" Greyback asked, his voice rising to a shout at the end.

Silence fell immediately, but Remus always wondered why Greyback needed to raise his voice at all. They all knew very well that Greyback detested such whispering, and even more, he despised being interrupted in any way during a speech. It was an obvious shock, of course, that Greyback had chosen Remus at all, but it was rather moronic to do anything that would anger Greyback further.

But as Greyback had said, it was exactly that sort of thinking that had led to Greyback choosing him at all. Greyback wanted someone who could stand up for himself, but also someone who would listen to him without question. Remus was never one to talk back to people, or to deliberately do something that he knew others wouldn't like, even if it was Greyback. Remus supposed that that was a difficult thing for some people - to keep their feelings quiet - even when they were supposed to.

Remus hated that. He hated the idea that he did anything at all that pleased Greyback. He hated that he seemed to fit Greyback's "mold" even when he kept telling himself that he wouldn't. The very idea made his skin crawl and made his stomach tie itself into knots. But he'd been feeling those things off and on ever since he had arrived in this place, so what else was new?

Greyback took several steps closer to the other werewolves, staring down at them menacingly. "But maybe I should ask for your opinions, hm? It seems that many of you disagree with my decision since you were all so quick to talk a moment ago. Please, if you feel that I have made an error in judgment, do speak up. I would hate for there to be dissention in my pack, after all." Greyback's tone, however, was dangerously close to a growl, which made it very clear that no one was to speak unless they had a death wish.

No one did. No one even moved, except for their eyes, which were all darting around the room at various places, trying to look at anything but Greyback himself.

"No one?" Greyback asked, then he snorted. "It's funny. You're all keen to talk when you don't have permission to do so, but when I ask you to, no one says a word." He started stalking back and forth again. "There's nothing anyone wants to say about the appointment of Remus as my beta?" He looked back and forth across them, almost like he was daring them to speak; still, no one moved. "Well, just remember that you had your chance. If I hear one word from any of you outside of this room about how Remus is wrong for this position, you will pay dearly."

Remus struggled against the urge to close his eyes and lean into the wall; it wouldn't be very appropriate for Greyback's second-in-command to look ill at such words. Just like Remus had hated the idea of Talon getting into trouble with Greyback because of him, he certainly didn't want anyone else here to be put into that position. He didn't really care one way or the other for any of them - except for Althea - but the last thing he wanted was to cause them pain of any sort.

"Yes," Greyback hummed happily, causing Remus to wonder if he had bipolar disorder. Then he felt like laughing, and it was all he could do to hold it in. There was a hell of a lot wrong with Greyback, so much so that something like being bipolar would be the least of his problems.

"As I was saying," Greyback when on, "Remus is now my second-in-command. I expect you all to show him the exact same respect and consideration that you show me. If you feel uncomfortable with him being above you, or with taking orders from him - and I know that some of you do despite your cowardly attempts to prove otherwise - I couldn't care less. You better learn to suck it up and damn quick. I will not tolerate my pack questioning me anymore. If you do, then you certainly don't belong here." Greyback paused, that sneering expression taking over his face. "Is that in any way unclear?"

A small murmur of "no sir"s went through the crowd. Many of them still seemed too afraid to speak.

"Very good. Not that I need to explain myself to any of you, but just so you know, I chose Remus, because I feel he's the most suited to the position right now. Curiously enough, he's the only one in this room to never show me the least bit of disrespect. To never talk back to me. To never QUESTION me and my decisions." He regarded the pack thoughtfully, tilting his to the side the tiniest bit. "If you really want to know how to become the second most important wolf here, then I suggest you keep an eye on him. He sets a good example. One that you should all be following already, without me needing to remind you every time I turn around. Just…don't follow him around like a sick pup, copying his every move. That only succeeds in making you look desperate." Greyback threw Canin a pointed look, causing him to turn bright red, a color which clashed with his straw-colored hair.

"I believe that's everything," Greyback said. "Everyone may go to lunch now." Everyone started to file towards the exit, but then Greyback added, "Oh, except for Remus and Talon. I'd like you two to stay."

Remus froze in his tracks, wondering what Greyback could possibly want from him now. He had been looking forward to some time away from the alpha wolf for a while. Remus had been around him so much today that he almost thought he was getting used to the smell, which was something that he definitely did not want - to be the least bit comfortable around Greyback.

Talon had stopped as well, retreating into the corner that was furthest from Remus. He kept giving Remus dirty looks, his eyes furtively going to Greyback every once in a while and then quickly looking away before Greyback could notice. For the first time since Remus had arrived, he thought Talon truly looked scared.

When everyone else was gone, Greyback turned to Remus and said, "Your first test as my beta will come immediately after lunch. I have a guest coming to the compound, and we will be having a meeting in my shack. I expect complete privacy during that time, and we will not be interrupted for any reason. If any problems arise within the pack, you will deal with them as you see fit. Understand?"

Remus nodded quickly. "Yes, sir." All the while, he was wondering why Greyback would make such an announcement in front of Talon. It was almost like he was inviting Talon to cause some sort of trouble during said meeting just to make Remus look bad. Then again, perhaps that was what Greyback was counting on; Remus would truly be tested in that case.

"Very good. Then you may go."

Remus hesitated for the briefest moment. He was partially curious about would transpire between Talon and Greyback when he was gone, even though he thought he probably knew. Without another word, Remus turned and left the hall.

Once he descended the steps, he stopped and pressed himself up against the wall of the building, listening carefully. Remus almost got the feeling that Greyback had wanted him to.

Remus could hear Greyback's heavy boots noisily making their way across the floor of the shack. Greyback laughed. "Oh, don't worry, I'm through beating the living shite out of you. I've been doing nothing but for the last month since Remus arrived, and it's obviously done nothing to change your frame of mind. Nor do I have the time at the moment. I have much more important things to attend to, but suffice it to say that you gambled away your position in this pack," he said, his voice dripping with pity and disappointment. "You handed it to Remus like it meant nothing to you. You have no one to blame for that but yourself. Perhaps Remus now holding that position will get through that thick skull of yours. I am TIRED of you! If you wish to remain a member of this pack, I will not tolerate your antics any further! No more this of tattling, no more showing disrespect to your superiors. I expect it to stop right this minute. You've used up all your chances. You won't get another."

Apparently, without waiting for a response of any sort, Remus could hear Greyback making his way towards the door. Remus hurried away around the corner of the building before he emerged. Even though he had a feeling that Greyback wanted him to hear all that, he certainly didn't want to take the chance of sticking around in case he was wrong.

Althea was waiting for him, leaning up against a tree not far from the shack. She had her arms crossed over her chest, and she smiling at him. "I'm impressed," she said. "I thought for sure you were going to come out of Greyback's shack looking worse than Talon. What on earth did you say to him?"

Remus stood blinking at her for several seconds. "You mean you're not angry with me?"

"Why would I be angry?"

Remus thought that much was obvious. "Because aside from Greyback, I outrank everyone now and I've only been here for a little over a month. I'd wager to guess a lot of them aren't very happy with me right now."

Althea shrugged. "I'm relieved he didn't see fit to hurt you. I was worried there for a moment. I told you, if something happened to you, then who would I talk to? But, erm…you're not suddenly going to stop talking to me, are you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm just a lowly epsilon," Althea said quietly. "When Talon was the second-in-command, he wouldn't be caught dead talking to one of us unless it was to yell at us for something."

"Don't be silly." Remus smiled warmly. "I told you that you're the only sane person here to talk to. If I didn't hang around you, I'd likely go as nutters as the rest of them."

"Well, it's better you than me anyway," Althea giggled. "I could never be suited to a job like that."

Remus wanted to tell her that he wasn't either, that this was the last thing he'd ever wanted to do when he came here, but he couldn't.

"Actually," Althea continued, "better you than a lot of people here. You're way better than Talon ever was, and better than someone like Canin could ever hope to be."

Remus knew she meant it to be a compliment, but it made him feel rather uncomfortable being referred to as a "better" beta wolf than the others. He wasn't entirely sure whether that was a good or bad thing. Attempting to shrug it off, he said, "I didn't say anything to Greyback. He wasn't angry with me in the least…just with Talon."

"How much do you want to bet that he's going to get killed before the next full moon?"

"Nothing," Remus said seriously. When Althea gave him a funny look, he added, "Well, we've nothing to bet with in the first place."

She smiled at him again, leading the way into the woods for their lunch. Remus followed along behind her quietly. Althea probably wouldn't mind seeing Talon gone from this pack entirely. Truthfully, neither would Remus, but not at the price of Talon's life. Remus hadn't come here to bring such dreadful consequences into their lives, especially not for things they didn't even do. He'd come here for information, none of which he had gotten yet. Damn it, but it was frustrating!

While they were eating, Remus had almost forgotten that he had just been put in charge of the rest of the pack. They ended up "joking" around again about a better place where they would be accepted. If only everyone else in the pack was like Althea, this whole thing would have been so much easier. It would have been a much nicer atmosphere for one, and it would be a hell of a lot easier to change their minds about remaining with Greyback.

When they were returning to the main part of the compound afterwards, Remus saw Greyback walking with someone - the man that he had planned a meeting with. He was a short, heavy man wearing black robes. Both he and Greyback were walking towards the latter's shack from the front of the colony. Up until that moment, Remus had completely forgotten that someone was even coming to see Greyback. Remus had been concerned with so many other things, and it hadn't even occurred to him that this could be his chance to finally get some useful information. His heart began pounding with excitement.

"It's Carrow," Remus gasped in surprise. He hadn't even meant to say anything out loud.

Althea looked confused. "Who?"

Remus threw a sideways glance at Althea, then quickly back at Carrow and Greyback. Briefly hoping that she wouldn't make this difficult, Remus explained, "Amycus Carrow. He's a Death Eater. Much higher up than Greyback. I wonder what he's doing here."

"Planning some attack."

Remus looked at her sharply. "Do Death Eaters come here a lot?"

"No idea. Not the ones that I know anyway, but that's not very many. The only ones I know are Malfoy and that crazy lady with the wild hair - what's her face?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange?"

"That's her. And I've never seen them in person. I just saw them in the paper a lot before I came here."

"No, they're way too high up to be sent to relay information to the likes of Greyback."

Remus watched them until they entered Greyback's shack, the door closing behind. Merlin, how Remus wished he was a fly on the wall inside that building. The chance to obtain some information was finally staring him right in the face for the first time since he had arrived, and he was missing it!

He looked closely at Althea, not quite sure how to put his thoughts. He thought he was making some real progress with her, but if she learned that he was a spy so early on, it could put his entire mission in jeopardy. "Althea…" he began. He battled with himself for several moments before deciding to throw caution to the wind. "Fancy doing a little spying?" If she took it the wrong way, at least he'd still have a chance to play it off as a joke.

Althea looked utterly shocked, her eyes and mouth both going wide. "Remus! I'm surprised at you!" Remus had been about to backpedal, but then Althea's expression faded. "Okay," she said simply, shrugging and immediately heading towards Greyback's shack.

Remus stared after her, dumbstruck. "Wait, what?" he cried, getting his legs moving again.

"So I'm curious!"

"You're curious and you're surprised at me?"

"Yes!" She kept walking as Remus fell into step next to her. She looked around and lowered her voice in case anyone was listening. "You've just been appointed Greyback's beta. You shouldn't be doing things like this, especially not so soon."

"So it'd be okay if I waited a couple months?"

"Well, no, but still! You're not even going to wait? If Greyback finds out that you just turned around and betrayed him..." She trailed off, shivering.

"I won't tell anyone if you won't."

"Same goes for you," Althea whispered. "I'm just a lowly epsilon. If Greyback finds out I'm spying, I'd probably be killed. If you were found out, you'd probably just be beaten and demoted."

"I don't know," Remus mused. "Sometimes I get the feeling that Greyback wants me to hear things. Like after the last meeting, I hung around outside for a while and listened to him give Talon what was supposed to be his final warning."

"I'm telling you, he's not going to make it much longer."

Remus shook his head. "He looked scared - I mean truly scared for the first time since I met him." He sighed heavily. "Then again, I'm not sure if he'll ever learn his lesson."

They fell into silence as they drew closer to Greyback's shack. Remus could hear the voices from inside, but they were too muffled to make out. He and Althea looked around, checking to make sure that no one was watching. Remus led the way around to the back of the shack, figuring that it would be safer there, away from the prying eyes of the others, and away from the door if Greyback and Carrow suddenly decided to exit.

Remus and Althea both leaned up against the wall and stood on their tiptoes, trying to get as close to the high, tiny window as possible, but their effort was futile. The voices inside were still much too low to make out anything clearly. Remus frowned in frustration, wondering her perhaps Greyback had allowed Carrow to use magic to safeguard their conversation. "I can't hear a thing," he whispered.

Just then, Althea looked up at the window and pointed to it. "Lift me up."

Remus's heart thumped again in his chest. Could he really be about to find out something useful for once? Could Remus even trust Althea to be honest with him about what she heard? Remus, however, was out of options. He threaded his fingers together and crouched down, providing Althea with a step. She placed one of her shoes in his hands, boosting herself up and clinging desperately to the wooden wall to stay upright. She finally caught her balance, and they both stilled.

The window was much too high for her to see inside, but perhaps now she was close enough to at least hear what they were saying. Remus waited for what hopefully would be something that would help Dumbledore.

Althea listened for a long time, then looked down at Remus. "Carrow wants to know if Greyback wants in," she whispered down to him.

"In on what?"

Althea listened again, then shook her head. "Not sure. He just promised that Greyback'll get kids to eat." She looked disgusted. "That's gross. During a transformation is one thing, but to eat them otherwise…"

According to Remus, it was never okay to eat children at all, but he didn't say anything.

"Greyback said yes," Althea went on.

"Of course he did. Are they saying anything about where or when?"

"Not yet. Oh! Greyback wants to know if he can bring you along. Test you out further, he said."

Remus grimaced. "Wonderful," he muttered. He wasn't sure if that was a bad thing or a good thing. Surely, if it involved children, then Remus would try his hardest to prevent harm from coming to any of them, but then his cover would likely be blown. Greyback would never trust him again if he didn't cooperate.

The men in the shack both raised their voices just then, because for the first time, Remus could hear them clearly.

"How dare you!" Greyback roared. "I can't go a moment without being questioned round here, now you think I've gone loopy, too?!"

"In case you've forgotten," Carrow shouted back, "I'm much higher up than you! Don't take that sort of tone with me! You're worried about eating children, but my priority is the Dark Lord! I have every right to question the loyalty of any outside parties you choose to bring into this!"

"They're arguing about whether or not you're trustworthy," Althea said.

"Yeah, I can hear them now," Remus said in amusement. He found it oddly funny that for once, Greyback was the one being shouted at and put in his place by a superior. Perhaps that was why he went out of his way to exercise control over his pack, because he certainly wasn't worth much to the Death Eaters.

The voices seemed to fade again after that, and even Althea shook her head, straining to get closer to the window. "I think they're moving towards the front of the shack. I can't hear them now."

They waited for a while, but only silence met their ears. Remus was about to let Althea back down to the ground, but then Greyback's voice rose once more. "JUST GET OUT! You saw fit to invite me, and I'll bring whomever I deem worthy. If the Dark Lord has a problem with it, he can come tell me himself instead of sending his little messengers."

Carrow laughed loudly. "Like the Dark Lord would ever address you directly, but do as you wish."

The front door of the shack slammed a few seconds later, and Althea jumped at the sound. She lost her balance and toppled out of Remus's hands. She let out a yelp and managed to catch herself on the edge of the wall before she fell to the ground.

Remus frowned deeply. Surely her yell would alert someone to their presence, so he grabbed Althea's hand. "We better go," he said, pulling her for the safety of the woods.

They quickly picked their way through some bushes until they reached a clearing not far from the mouth of the cave at the back of the compound. Remus leaned up against a tree, pressing his head back against it and looking up at the clear blue sky peeking through the leaves.

His first instinct was to inform Dumbledore at once, but honestly, what did he have to tell him? That Greyback had something planned with the Death Eaters and Voldemort, something that he wanted Remus to join in on. Remus had no idea of the details, or of how or when this would happen. He didn't know which was worse - not knowing anything at all, or having such useless information dangled in front of his face.

"What in the bloody hell could Greyback want me to do now?" he asked.

Althea was silent for a moment, watching him, but then she asked, "Remus?" Her tone was uncertain, cautious.

"What?"

Althea opened her mouth, but then she closed it again, apparently reconsidering her words. "It's nothing." She looked down at her hands, rubbing at some dirt on the back of one palm. "Never mind."

Remus tilted his head. "It's not nothing. Tell me what you were going to say."

"No, really, don't worry about it."

Remus smirked. "Not that I'll do anything if you still say no, but your beta wolf commands you to answer."

Althea snickered loudly. "That's exactly what I was going to say! You're not-"

Suddenly, Althea was cut off. Through the woods, near the outside wall of the cave, Talon's loud voice carried to them on the wind. "I'm telling you, he has lost it! Greyback has finally lost it! Making someone like Lupin his beta wolf…! It boggles the mind!"

There were several soft murmurs from the crowd that had gathered around Talon. It was too far away to hear them clearly, but this was exactly what Remus didn't want to deal with at the moment - an upstart Talon. Again. And possibly those who were listening to him getting out of hand themselves.

Althea gave Remus a look of complete disbelief. "Er…well, you know," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "ranting in the middle of the woods about how crazy Greyback is isn't exactly the sign of a sane mind, either."

Remus bit at his bottom lip in nervousness, but didn't reply. He was silently hoping that the situation would pass. He knew Greyback would want him to do something about such blatant disrespect, but hopefully Greyback was still busy with seeing Carrow out of the compound. Remus would just pretend that he hadn't heard anything, and hopefully, Greyback wouldn't to be the wiser.

That, however, wasn't the case. Remus wasn't even sure where he had come from, but Greyback was suddenly standing just to Remus's right, at the edge of the clearing. No one said anything for a long time, but it vaguely occurred to Remus just how much like an animal Greyback could be, stalking his prey like the silent predator that he was.

The expression on Greyback's face was somewhere between anger, curiosity, and excitement. Remus wasn't even sure how anyone could display that many emotions at once, but Greyback somehow did. It was very unsettling when he looked at Remus like that, almost like Greyback knew something that he didn't.

"Remus," Greyback said calmly, gesturing in the direction of the cave, "are you going to let them talk about me like that?"

Remus's first instinct was to tell Greyback that if he had a problem with it, then she should deal with it himself. Not that Remus wanted to see Talon hurt any further than he was, but the thought of Greyback deliberately forcing Remus to take care of it rubbed him the wrong way. For detesting the tattling so much, Greyback wasn't much better with sending his minions to deal with things that he didn't want to be bothered with.

And what could Remus do? He certainly couldn't ignore it now, even though he desperately wanted to. If Remus said yes, that he was going to let Talon and the others speak like that, that wouldn't go over well with Greyback at all. Just as Greyback had told him that very morning, a time would come when he would order Remus to do something that he probably found uncomfortable, but he was expected to comply anyway. Remus just hadn't been expecting that time to come so soon.

To be continued…