Emerging from the blinding white snow storm came the werewolves, immune to the bitter wind that cut into the skin of their prey, blanching their skin and bluing their chattering lips. At first, they were little more than silhouettes and their growling was almost carried away in the howling wind. But as they neared their fur became discernible, thick and wintry in whatever hue their hair had been only hours before. A mixture of colors from black to white and everything in between. Leading the hunt was the alpha. They had the killer instinct of a wolf pack but the intelligence of a human. In barks and grunts, they communicated, spreading wide, sending some to circle around, cutting off any means of escape. A foolish doe broke from the terrified huddle and made for the woods, in an instant the pack bore down, gnashing and ripping. When the herd moved no more the feast began, crimson spreading garishly onto the otherwise pristine blanket of white.
Werewolves are not blood-thirsty beasts. Well not all of them. They are the protectors of people. They do not kill at random. They are not easy to spot unless you know what exactly to look for or if you are one of the many supernatural creatures. Some signs are: extremely protective of friends and family (like wolves of a pack), the alphas tend to be the most protective and try to care of their family/friends and usually are the ones to end the fights inside their group. Never mess with an alpha's pack or mate, if you do you will most likely be found with your throat ripped out, by your sweet old neighbor.
A pack is led by the alpha-sometimes the pair. When you think and talk of a werewolf pack, you are pretty much talking of a wolf pack. Minus the whole living in the woods and dens. No each member had a life, job, and family in and out of the pack. Now you might have read many stories and watched a lot of movies based on werewolves', but I assure you it is all pretty much lies. There are only alpha's, beta, delta, and omegas. They weren't ones to lose control on a full moon if they knew control. Unless you're an alpha, you couldn't make more of your breed. No one bite from a normal werewolf and you were dead.
Rafael licked his paws cleaned, as the others finished. On each side of him laid two wolves. A dark brown wolf on his right. A light brown one on his left. The two of them were his packmates. Enzo was his Delta and Ty was his brother. He still remembers the day he picked them up, not in the friendliest of ways.
Years Back:
Rafael had gone on a run after a rather long day in the court. As he reached the end of his territory, he caught a scent that did not belong to his pack. Rafael sniffed around the invisible edge line, he growled slowly.
"Who's there?" Rafael asked, but no one responded. "Show yourself!"
Slowly six wolves appeared behind a small bush. Two males were brown but in different shades. Both females were a color of gray. The last male was of white color. The two brown wolves stood before the small pack, protecting them, but held a certain respect for the alpha in front of them. Rafael picked up on the smell of fear coming from the females, which caused him to lower his head just a tad bit.
"Who are you?" Rafael asked.
The darkest of the brown came forward. "I am Enzo, this is what's left of my pack."
Rafael glanced at the wolves behind him. "Names."
"I am Ty, This is Enzo's mate Adhara, Sierra, and Jeremy." Ty replied.
"Alpha?"
"Pack mates. Our alpha is dead, along with the rest of our pack." Ty answered.
Rafael sighed, taking a seat. "Why come here? I would assume your alpha taught you better than to walk into another pack's territory." Now Rafael himself would never attack another wolf without cause. But it was rather strange for them to appear here of all places. His territory was far from any other known packs.
The lightest of the gray females stood beside Ty. "We are looking for a pack. Previous Alpha we ran into said Alpha Barba would take us in."
Rafael snorted. "I am Barba, but I am not taking in strays at the moment."
The white male snarled. "We are not strays!"
"It's is a nice way of calling you all pack less." Rafael smirked. "Rogue."
"We are a pack!" Jeremy growled.
"Then there is no need for my help." Rafael shook his head. Best not to let their rudeness get to him. "I have a full pack. One expecting pups, I cannot take in any more."
"Please." Enzo whimpered. "We have nowhere to go. Our land was taken, and we were given the option to leave or die."
Rafael groaned; his pack was already 17 strong. The last thing he needed was any more pack mates. Not counting the pups, Abby was having in a few months. Shaking his head, he stood to leave. "Look I have too many already, I cannot take any more in. Not now." He didn't have the time nor the patients for new members. "Sorry, but I will have to say no." As he turned and began walking, something suddenly jumped onto his back, tearing into his neck.
"Well, then I could just take over the pack!" Jeremy growled.
"'Damn it, Jeremy!" Ty snarled.
"Jer!" Adhara shouted.
Rafael growled as the teeth sunk into his neck. Feeling the blood drip from his neck to the ground, he became enraged. It had been years since anyone has drawn blood from him. Shaking the wolf off him, Rafael heard the small whimper as he hit the tree. Stalking towards the boy, he stood over him. Snapping at his neck. "You think attacking me will get you what you want!" Rafael snarled. "You made a huge mistake kid!"
"Don't!" Sierra yelped, squeezing her way in between her and the enraged alpha. She made sure to have her neck exposed to him, showing submission. "Please, he is my younger brother, the only family I have."
Rafael glanced from her to Jeremy. With an annoyed grumble, he stepped off the kid. "I want you off my land!"
Just then the thudding of paws was heard. Barba's pack was coming at full force having heard the snarls. But what had them riled was the smell of his blood.
"Rafael?" Angelous broke through the thick bushes. "You, okay?" The rest of the pack appeared seconds later. Creating a circle around him and the intruders.
Rafael glanced between his pack and the outsiders. Knowing very well that if he rejected them right then and there, his pack would kill them. Wasn't the first time happening and would probably not be the last, but he'd rather prevent it from happening if he could. With a heavy sigh, he nodded. "Just teaching our newest pack mates the rules. Take them to the pack house, I have to get home and finish some work." Just as he turned to leave, he felt something hit his chest. Looking down, he was surprised to see young Sierra nuzzling his chest. She was thanking him. Leaning down, Rafael gave her a quick nuzzle against her neck before shoving her back gently. "Run along now. Angelous make sure they get food and a good night's sleep."
His Beta nodded. "Of course, Rafael. Come along newbies."
Rafael watched them leave. The last thing he thought was how close those individuals would become to him. Especially in his time of need.
Present Date
Ty glanced over at his alpha, seeing the lost look in his eyes. "Thinking about tomorrow?"
"Yup."
"I still don't understand why you wanted to transfer." Enzo muttered. "You were doing just fine."
Rafael sighed. "I need a change of pace. Besides what's better than becoming New York Manhattan's ADA?"
"Why not just become a cop?" Enzo asked. "Pretty sure you'd be great at it."
"What he said!" Ty's voice came out muffled, due to the deer leg hanging out of his mouth. "It's not like a bullet can kill you."
"I rather not go around getting shot." Rafael growled. "Besides it's satisfying not being the ones in a cage for once."
"Well, let us know how it goes." Enzo yawned.
Rafael glanced up at the sky. It was going to be dawn soon. "I should get going. I have a case in the morning."
Ty shook himself. "And I need to make sure Rebekah didn't get into the dom. She and the girls were going to have a girl's night."
"You left them alone with a cabinet full of liquor?" Enzo asked.
"Yup, so chop-chop brother."
Courthouse
"Come on Barba." The defense attorney whined. "The vic was drunk, her memory spotty. Aggravated assault."
Rafael chuckled the smell of defeat was waving off him. "Your client—A jury takes one look at the simian carriage, the neanderthal jaw--I'll get him convicted for kidnapping the Lindbergh baby. So how ab-" He was stub by the sudden smell of the forest. Wild and untamed as his home. Looking around his eyes landed on Harrison and two females. Taking another whiff of the air it drove him directly to the brunette. 'Whoa.'
"Barba?" The attorney leaned to the side trying to regain his attention.
"Wh-what?" Breaking whatever trance, he was in he shook his head clear. "Right, He takes ten and spares us the humiliation?" Sneaking a glance towards the woman he failed to hear what the man answered, just barely taking notice of his leave. "Captain." He walked over to them, forcing himself to not give in to the urge of scenting the woman. "Take your daughters to work day?"
"Detectives Benson and Rollins, Rafael Barba." Harrison introduced them. "I lied and told them you know your way around a courtroom."
Taking her hand in his he bit back a growl. Her scent invaded his space causing a shiver to run up his spine. 'She smells amazing.' He hadn't realized he once more zoned out the room until a hand landed on his shoulder. "What?"
"I said they need help with a case." Harrison repeated.
Barba cleared his throat. "Uh-brief me on the way." He walked past them towards his office. He needed to put some distance between him and Benson. His wolf was getting riled up by the mere smell of her. He debated in walking them out for some fresh air, as opposed to being in a room with her. But decided against it when he realized it was raining. 'Just my luck.' Walking into his office he tossed his bag onto the table. Shrugging his jacket and tie off he walked around his desk. Regardless of how well he knew he looked in the suits, it didn't stop him from disliking them.
Due to what he was, Rafael's body temperature was twice as high as a human. So, imagine yourself with two layers of wolf fur and on top of that, a three-piece suit with a tie. You'd want to strip it off as soon as you could. Lucky, he learned long ago how to control his body heat, to the point he wouldn't have sweat stains. Taking a deep breath, he choked on the air. There it was again. His mouth watered at just imagining what she would taste like.
"Counselor?" Olivia waved her hand in his face. "You alright?"
"Hmm?" He cursed at his lack of control at the moment. "This girl, she appears credible?"
"She's concerned about perception." Olivia replied. "But she was raped twice."
"I didn't ask if she was raped. I asked if she appears credible." Rafael knew he was being short with her, but he really needed her out of his office. He needed to take a breath that wouldn't cause him to drool like some animal in heat. Seeing the glare, she tossed him was not helping matters.
Rollins decided to butt in. "Okay, I know you have to ask that-"
He dropped the file on the table a little too hard and sighed. "Reason being we had a case a month ago, Red Hook. Guy strangled a girl so hard, her eyes had petechial hemorrhaging. Punk tells the jury they met in a bar, she's into S . It's a complete lie. The jury deadlocks. Later we find out that half of them read your victim's book." A small growl slipped by his lips. 'Shit.'
Benson squinted her brows. "Wait I'm confused. Harrison told us that you win cases that everybody else ducks."
"Sometimes." Rafael paused for a moment. He needed to gather his wits and get control of his emotions. "Let me talk to the victim."
"She's had a rough couple of days." Rollin protested.
Barba resisted the eye roll itching to happen. "If we go forward, it's not going to get any easier."
At last, that did the trick. Both Rollins and Benson left on the quest to bring in their vic. It gave him enough time to relax and get ahold of himself. This wasn't the first time a smell would incite him to react, like some horny teenager. But this one was different. Usually, he was able to reel the wolf in and continue on with the day. Benson's smell was something he had never had the pleasure of enjoying.
Little did he know just how much control this woman would have over him.
In court
Feeling the belt tighten around his neck, Barba growled. The courtroom gasped at the loud snap. Gasping for air he stumbled forward. His wolf clawed at his chest wanting out at having been angered. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Looking up he noticed the worried and scared looks.
Playing it off with a chuckle, he opened his collar to show the room. "Not a mark." Grabbing the picture of their victim's neck, he showed the room the bruised neck. "Is this what excites you?"
Adam Cain stared at the belt in his hands. He had pulled hard on the belt, which should have caused some damage to the man. But instead, the belt snapped. He held the two pieces trying to make sense. "How did you do that?"
Barba frowned. "Excuse me?"
"It snapped." He muttered. "This belt shouldn't have snapped."
"My belt snapping is not the concern here Mr. Cain." Barba tried redirecting the man. "The concern here is the fact that you enjoy the pain. The hurt it caused on your victims. The power." To his annoyance, Cain refused to acknowledge him. Slamming the picture on the table, he stalked toward Cain. Grabbing the belt from his hands, he noticed the switch in his eyes. "This is your trigger isn't it?"
"What?"
"You can keep it in control, but the moment this falls into your hands all bets are off." Barba eyed the broken belt. "All it takes is a piece of leather and you turn into a woman's worst nightmare."
"She asked for it!" Cain scoffed. "She came on to me. Begged to be submitted."
"Submitted and raped are two very different things, Mr. Cain." He held the belt in front of him. "Submitting is done by will. Wanting to give control up and letting someone you trust to take it. What you did was rape." Pulling the belt out of reach, he walked back to his table. "No further questions." As he took a seat he glanced at the gallery to find Olivia staring back at him. The look is awe was a major ego booster for him.
'She likes us.' He smiled to himself.
Barba's Office
Barba laid on his couch with the cushion over his face. He had been restless waiting for the jury to return. They had been out for three hours now and it was making him anxious. As he took in another breath he nearly choked. The scent was forever embedded into his mind.
"Counselor?" Olivia stepped into the office, frowning at not seeing him at his desk.
"On the couch." His response was muffled by the pillow.
She refrained from laughing at the sight. "Jury still out."
He raised his phone. "I am well aware."
"How's the neck?" Olivia spotted the belt on the table.
"No harm." He could hear her walk across the room closer to him. Her scent drowned everything else in the room.
Grabbing both pieces of the belt, she examined the item. The belt was real leather and looked brand new. The thing had no crease from wearing. Yet, it managed to snap with little force? "Counselor?"
Barba removed the pillow with a huff. "You can call me Barba or Rafael, detective." He turned his head to the side, seeing the belt in her hand. "You're wondering how it snapped?" He got a nod in response. "Well, when I figure it out you will be the first the know." He wasn't trying to be rude to her, but it was becoming hard to control the animal in her presence. "Was there anything I could do for you?"
Olivia raised a brow, clicking her tongue. "No, I was just doing the courtesy of seeing how you were after that. But it seems you're doing well." Dropping the belt on the table, she walked out of the office.
"Detective-" The door closed just before he could reach her. Placing his forehead on the cold wood, Barba cursed. "That's going to cost me."
Court room
As he waited for the jury to walk in, he glanced over his shoulder. Olivia sat just behind him, yet she refused to look at him. His wolf whimpered at the notion that she was upset with them.
'Stop your whining.' Barba growled. 'This is for the better. Keeping her away is for the best.' As much as he wanted to believe that, it bugged him to a point. 'She's human. Mixing with us is a very bad idea.'
