Disclaimer: I don't own AMC's The Walking Dead. Everything belongs to whoever owns them, my wishful thinking aside.
Authors Note #1: This scenario is based vaguely off the end of 6x08 where we last see Denise and Alpha-wolf walking out of the door of the house and into the street. – Part three of my "WOLVES NOT FAR," series. Sequel to "Salt of the earth (type of dangerous)" & "Sow thy seeds (and learn thy lessons)."
Warnings: Spoilers for 6x08, kidnapping/hostage situation, Alpha-wolf is not a good person, Denise is a puff pastry of goodness. I think you guys know how this type of stuff works out, animal death, canon appropriate violence.
Have Patience (and embrace the horizon bleeding your future)
Chapter Three
The next morning after breakfast, when she held her hands to be re-tied, he surprised her by shaking his head. Having decided overnight that it was time. Sink or swim, the way the rest of this would play out was up to her and her alone.
"You've earned the right to walk free," he remarked simply, gnawing on a bit of leftover rabbit. Making no move to pick up the familiar coil of rope as she stood – stock still and disbelieving – above him.
He ignored her, posture slouched and imperfect as he took his time chewing. Stripping every scrap of the rangy meat right from the bone before he eventually squinted up at her through the high summer glare.
She blinked when he made no move to correct himself.
Then blinked again.
"I'm sorry- you're what? Letting me free?" she questioned, shoving her glasses a couple inches higher on her nose. A muscle in her jaw twitching like a nervous tick.
"You are free," he replied patiently, correcting her. "Now more than ever. I am just giving you back what was burrowed. Your captive attention."
She frowned, nose crinkling at the emphasis. Realizing after a beat that the entire thing had come dangerously close to a pun. His confusion didn't show, but the rest of his train of thought was predictable. Lingering on the last time he'd made a joke or even laughed – really laughed.
He couldn't remember.
She eyed him suspiciously after that.
Like she was waiting for the punchline - the catch.
But by mid-day, she finally broke.
Just like he knew she would.
No one could really resist freedom dangled on a string.
Himself included.
It was just one of the many lessons the old Alpha had taught him.
"I'm going to go check the traps," she said decisively, dusting off her hands as she dumped a load of kindling beside the fire.
He nodded, looking up to track the movement of the sun in the sky. If she hurried she might even make it back to the walls before dusk. Probably not. She was still too soft. Not used to having to run and fight on a moment's notice. But she'd surprised him before.
Who knows, she might even make it.
"Can I have a knife?" she asked, pushing her glasses up as one of her hands gravitated behind her back like a child with a secret. "Just in case?"
"Alright," he agreed, smiling into the upturn of his collar as he tossed her one of Swift's favourite switch-blades. Even going so far as telling her to bring back more kindling as she edged excitedly towards the treeline. Ready to make her break for it.
This part was all about choice.
It had to be.
But it was also the most dangerous part.
Letting her leave.
Letting her try.
It made his chest tighten without his consent as she marched confidently out of sight.
It shouldn't have.
But it did.
Still, he had to admit he was curious to see what would happen next.
She was gone for just over two hours before she stumbled back through the trees. A splattered mess of muddy clothes and bloody skin as she pointed back the way she'd come with an exhausted half-scream. Falling, then quavering to her feet again, eyes panic-wide and glasses askew.
"I'm guessing the traps were empty?" he remarked mildly, feigning disinterest despite every inch of him on point and singing. Feeling an odd burst of pleasure at seeing her again. Heart humming a frantic rhythm in his chest when he took her in, reassuring himself that she was fine. That she'd passed the test. That she'd come back. That-
He almost laughed when the line of walkers chasing her stumbled through the treeline and into camp. The last one was even sporting the decoration of her knife sunk deep in the base of its spine – evidence of a near miss.
He witnessed his own amusement evolve in real time however when she trotted nervously towards him. Putting herself behind him in spite of everything. Seeking shelter, protection – comfort.
It was an act that revealed far more than it expressed.
Primarily, trust.
Almost as if-
He shook the thought away, body sliding seamlessly into a fighting stance as she hiccupped through a breath behind him.
Ultimately he chose to reward that loyalty with reassurance.
He danced death back into them and watched the walkers drop, animally satisfied.
High on the pleasure of the kill and the warmth of her, barely there an quivering, against the narrow-lithe of his back.
"You weren't hugged enough as a child were you?" she complained afterwards, almost sulking now that the danger had worn off. Still breathing hard as she stabbed at the edge of the fire mutinously with the toe of her sneakers as he kicked the last walker into the pile.
The proper response was to laugh.
But he said nothing.
Because the truth was, he didn't know.
He'd never questioned what had come before.
Not until she came.
Instead, he bared his teeth at her in a savagely pleased grin. Letting the glint of her knife arc red through the air as he pulled it free from the walker's neck and handed it back to her. Refusing to unpack the complexities when she looked at him with an expression somewhere between anger and a gentle sort of exasperation. Hands on her hips as she took a step forward, willingly demanding his attention as he issued the only challenge he was willing to follow through on when it came to her these days.
"Would you like to learn?"
Authors Note #2: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. – Stay tuned for another part to this series coming soon.