Little by Little

Talon snarled and bared his teeth in challenge. "Keller, I'm telling you to calm the fuck down. We can talk after. Shift back," he commanded, crouching low to the ground preparing to shift if Keller launched another attack.

Keller's wolf whimpers as he perceived Talon taking a stance against him to choose the bitch over him. Batting away the grief, he launched himself at Talon. Talon shifted as soon as Keller attacked and the two meet in a crash of claws and teeth. Talon was careful to be on the defensive, keeping his claws mostly sheathed even when Keller sunk his teeth into Talon's side. Talon shook Keller off and pushed him across the room, momentarily stunning the Alpha as he hit the wall.

All that fighting and screaming soon brought Glenna and Kaylan to the door to see what had happened. A few of the guards posted near had come too and stood just beyond the alpha pair. In an instant, Kaylan saw his son and let forth his Alpha voice.

"Keller, shift back."

Keller shook his head against the need to comply with that voice. Being Kaylan's son and a barely presented Alpha, he was weak against it and Keller sound found himself on his hands and knees panting in his human form. There was a few bruises on his body from the scuffle but the blood on his mouth and arms were all from Talon and the bitch. At that reminder, he lifted his face and looked towards the bed and sneered the shifter with open disgust.

Glenna stepped forward in the testosterone filled room and looked at her son. "Why don't we all get dressed and meet in the mess hall," turning towards the still whimpering girl on the bed, she offered medical help from their pack healer. "One of the gammas will help take you to the healer. Talon, please follow your Alpha to the hall," she implored when she saw he was about to protest.

Talon nodded at the girl on the bed as one of gammas came and she nodded back, letting herself be carried out of the room. Talon spared one last look at Keller before following Kaylan out of the room, still in his were form. Finally only Keller and his mother were left in the room.

"Mom, I­" Keller began, finally feeling the gravity of what he'd done but she was quick to cut him off.

"It'll be alright love. Your father will explain all of this, okay sweetie?" She kneeled in front of her only son and kindly placed a kiss on his forehead.

The familiar scent of grass and bread soothed him. It was then that he felt all the aches in his joints and bones form the shift, it was much more tiring than a full shift. He almost fell on his mother's body, no longer able to keep himself up. Glenna cradled his smaller body. She smoothed down the wild strands of hair on his sweaty head and rocked him back and forth.

"Sweetie, we have to meet your father soon. Think you can get dressed and I'll help you go the hall?"

Keller nodded against her breast. She eased away from him and went across the room the get a pair of pants for him to wear. He was still feeling weak as he struggled to his feet and leaned against the closest wall. His mother came back with a worn pair of jeans and a shirt. Keller quickly shrugged them on and with his mother's help, he stumbled out of the room and cabin. Halfway to the mess hall, he gently pushed his mother away and weakly walked towards the hall on his own legs. He didn't want to seem weak in front of all the other wolves. He held his head high as he pushed open the door to the hall, his mother inched behind him in case he needed any help. He was grateful for her support but he needed to do this on his own.

There was a crowd gathered in the middle, growls of fighting were's permeating the tight circle. With a frown, Keller pushed through the werewolves who fell away from his touch in reverence. Word had quickly spread of his partial shift and many were proud that the Alpha's son was becoming an Alpha himself.

Keller growled where saw the sight before him. Talon was bloody and battered as his father circled the were in his were Alpha form. Kaylan wasn't unscathed himself, an attribute to Talon's prowess but he was no match for the older were. Kaylan was about to attack again when Keller threw himself in front of Talon. He felt the need to shift in order to protect Talon from any threat but he was just too tired.

Kaylan stopped his attack just in time to prevent himself from barreling into this son and growled at Keller in warning. He might be an Alpha but Kaylan was still the leader of the pack until he was successfully challenged.

"Keller, this doesn't concern you. Leave Talon's punishment to me."

Keller snarled a warning, not caring that it was his father and Alpha he was growling at. "Why are you attacking Talon?" Keller understood why he'd attacked the bitch, and he had good reason; his father on the other hand had no reason whatsoever to attack Talon.

Kaylan refused to answer as he shifted back to his human form. His beta, Thomas, quickly handed him a pair of pants and he put them on. The pack didn't care about nudity the way humans did but it was much easier to conduct business clothed.

"Keller, you may be Alpha but I am still the Alpha of this pack and your father. You will do well to follow my commands," Kaylan yelled with displeasure.

Keller averted his eyes and offered his neck in the tiniest fraction of submission. "I do and I will. But it refuse to stand by while you attack Talon for no reason."

Kaylan folded his arms in front of his chest and looked down at his son. "Why did you attack him, then?"

Keller looked away this time and not in respect. He flushed in embarrassment but he refused to voice aloud in front of his entire pack why he'd attacked Talon. Kaylan waited a few minutes for Keller to say anything, when it looked like he would stubbornly remain silent, he sighed.

"Why don't you explain what happened?"

Keller nodded. As long as he didn't have to talk about the reasoning behind his actions, he could talk all night.

"I woke up when I heard sounds and thought Talon was in trouble. So I went into this room, saw the girl there and thought she was an intruder," Keller lied. He looked down and let out a sniffle, playing the part of a repentant wolf. "I was thinking about that night when I was taken away from that pack when I was a baby and thought that was happening again."

Though he'd been but a baby at the time of the raid, he had still had dreams about that event. The night was only a hazy memory but it had been a ought to cause him nightmares for a few years. When he had those nightmares, Talon would stay up with him and talk him through the nightly sweats and his deep voice would eventually lull Keller back to sleep.

Keller looked back at Talon at the memory of all those late nights of Talon telling him stories to get his mind off his nightmares but Talon refused to look at him. He was panting low to the ground, ignoring the glares he was receiving.

Kaylan nodded, accepting the excuse.

"It is late. We will speak tomorrow about your changing duties as an Alpha in training. Talon, you will spend a week in the pits for your transgressions." The Alpha had spoken and there was no convincing him otherwise. Keller bit his lip against the need to protect his punishment but knew now was not the place.

"Keller." At his father's beckon Keller looked back at him. Kaylan smiled widely despite the tension still in the air. "I am very proud of you my son."

Keller nodded but did not smile back. He quickly turned to Talon. Talon slowly trotted back to the cabin. Keller watched with a pained heart as Talon limped back, his left leg severely damaged and much of his fur matted down with blood. The wolf held his head high and even snapped at a healer when they came forward to help him. Keller was about to follow him but the crowd of wolves swarmed around him to offer him their well wishes.

Percy, Raze, Gage, and Beth struggled to the forefront of the crowd smothering Keller and hugged him.

"Keller, oh my God you're gonna be Alpha! I knew this was going to happen, I told you so," Percy crowed.

"Oh, for the love of God you did not," Beth scowled and shoved Percy away to hug Keller herself.

Percy pushed back and Gage got in between them to stop them from another fight.

"I did too. When we were five and playing, Keller was being all bossy and I said word for word 'oh, we have a future Alpha on our hands'," Percy recalled with a smug grin.

Raze rolled his eyes at them and clapped Keller the back. "Nice going, Alpha. Now I can use all the shit I know about you to blackmail you into making me beta," he teased.

Gage snorted. "If anything, I should be beta and you should be the enforcer."

The pack laughed at the teens antics and Keller only just smiled through it, wanting only to get out of there and go to Talon. He hadn't looked at Keller and he was getting scared. Sure he'd tried to kind of kill Talon but that didn't mean he wanted Talon dead. In fact, he was now more convinced that Talon might just be his mate. When he'd shifted in his half form, he had almost felt Talon's soul call out for his own.

The pack wanted to celebrate and Kaylan allowed for them to bring out drinks and food. This was an occasion to celebrate and he was celebrating with them. Keller sneaked out of the celebration as soon as he could and crept towards the cabin, hoping to be unseen. The fates were on his side since he made it to this room without further incident.

The offending smell of that woman was still there, but it was lessened to a degree. That made Keller feel only marginally better. As the night had worn on, he'd been plagued with insecurity and wanting for Talon. This time he made sure to knock on Talon's door. When he heard neither permission or objection for his entrance, he carefully pushed the door open and saw Talon lashed out on the bed on his stomach.

"Talon," he whispered.

Talon grunted from the bed but otherwise remained still. "What do you want now? See another intruder for you to protect me against?" He sneered.

Keller felt like he'd been slapped at Talon's angry tone. "Talon, please look at me."

"Is that a command, Alpha?" Talon's voice lacked even an ounce of respect, imbued with disgust.

"Talon, please," Keller whimpered. His wolf needed some form of approval and acceptance from Talon after he'd attacked him earlier in the night.

"Fuck you. I got my ass handed to me by your dad just for upsetting you, the fucking prince of this goddamn pack. And now the whole pack thinks I need help from a little runt." Talon's hands fisted at his sides in anger and Keller looked down at himself in shame. He knew the importance of image in the highly competitive pack and the damage looking weak could do. All that Talon had said was true.

Talon shifted on the bed but groaned as he pulled his sore muscle. His were genes were helping with the healing but he wasn't completely healed. There were a few deep gouges that would take a few days to heal. Keller quickly hurried to Talon's side when he heard the older boy groan in pain and reached out a tentative hand to Talon's back. Never had he felt this need, no right to touch Talon. Almost as if his wolf was goading him into placing a lasting claim on Talon.

Talon stiffened when he felt the hovering warmth of Keller's hand on his back but didn't move he was in too much pain to move.

Keller took the opportunity to give into his desires and touched his hand to Talon's abused back. He gasped in dismay when he felt the sticky blood staining his back. He gingerly felt around for the open wounds and skirted them carefully to refrain from causing Talon even more pain. Keller leaned down and licked a trail across Talon's back. It wasn't in a sexual way; pack members licked each other's wounds when a healer wasn't available. Talon's back twitched for a moment but he stayed still under Keller's ministrations.

Keller licked up every bit of blood, both loving and hating the taste. It was salty sweet on his tongue but he wanted Talon's blood as he bit into him, not to feel it oozing out from a wound he was indirectly responsible for. With every swipe of his tongue, he said the apology that would not leave his lips. Keller's tears mixed in with Talon's blood oddly tasted even more delicious. Erotic almost.

He reluctantly pulled away when all of Talon's wounds knitted together. He'd need a days bed rest to fully recover but Keller's saliva had hastened the process greatly.

"Talon?" Keller whispered softly as his hand hovered over Talon's back.

He grunted. "What?"

Keller worried his lower lip between his teeth, then let it go in a soft pop. "I'm sorry I attacked you. And that I got you in trouble with dad."

Talon let out a mirthless chuckle. "Well, good for you then."

"Talon," Keller keened, getting frustrated with Talon's lack of response to his apology. "I'm sorry, I really am," he reiterated. "Tell me what I can do to make it up to you."

Keller shifted back when Talon made to get up. He winced at the painful pullings of his newly healed muscles and quickly slumped on his back, keeping his elbow propped under him. He leveled a hard stare at Keller; the newbie Alpha squirmed under his steady gaze.

"Stay. Away. From. Me." Talon spoke the simple words without a hint of anger but the lack of it disconcerted Keller. He could deal with anger but this cold nameless emotion was entirely new and mysterious to him. He didn't know how to fight against it.

"I­" but before Keller could say anything, Talon interrupted him.

"Your family took everything from me. They razed my pack and took me away from everyone I loved. As soon as I hit my maturity I'm out of here to join another pack. So until then stay away from me and I won't have to go through this shit again. And neither will any of my lovers, for that matter," he added.

Keller blinked, trying to take in this new revelation. Talon was going to leave him?

He knew all about the raid that had taken place years ago, his father had explained it all when he'd begun reliving the nightmares. Talon's pervious pack and father had stolen Glenna from her previous pack and the Alpha had mated her. She later met Keller's father Kaylan and they mated. But Kaylan at that time had been a rogue wolf who hung with a small band of outcast liners. Apparently, Kaylan had waited until he'd amassed a small army and took Glenna back. But the pack had come back and begun an all out war on Kaylan's pack; at one time they had set fire to their previously pack lands and that was what Kaylan had explain were the origins of Keller's nightmares. Fortunately the attacking pack had been defeated and Talon, and orphan of that pack had been kindly adopted into Kaylan's pack. Keller had always thought it was a romantic story, putting Talon's pack in the role of a villain in opposition to his mother as the distressed maiden and his father as the knight in shining armor. He'd never really thought of that pack as a family that Talon clearly loved.

"But your part of this pack, you can't leave," Keller was grasping at straws now. He had to make Talon stay.

Talon raised an eyebrow. "And who's going to stop me? Allegiance is voluntary once you hit your majority. Your father may have bit me but I only stay loyal until I hit twenty one. And I know exactly how much your father loves having me around," he said sarcastically.

"I want you here," Keller whispered back, looking down at his hands.

"Oh yeah, you showed me how much tonight. You and your father are exactly the same. But don't worry, those are the signs of a good Alpha," he mocked bitterly.

With horror, Keller realized how he'd come off to Talon tonight. He was right, Keller had acted like his father; acting out in violence and never even letting Talon speak for himself.

"Talon, oh God, I didn't realize. I was just...overcome. I didn't even realize I had shifted or what I was doing, my wolf was going off instinct." Keller pleaded with Talon to understand with his eyes. But the older wolf had turned his back to Keller so that he was on his side facing the wall.

"Goodnight, Alpha. I'm pretty fucked up right now and I'd like to rest before I'm called to the pits tomorrow." Talon's clear dismissal was like a slap in Keller's face. Though his wolf was telling him to make things better, to stay with Talon and make him forgive him Keller knew he'd done enough this night. The least he could do was for once listen to Talon and comply with his wishes.

He rose from the bed and let himself out of the room, closing the door softly after himself. He leaned his head against the door for a minute to gather his bearings.

He gasped when he heard the whispered words, thanks to his elevated senses. He swore he heard Talon whisper 'Be safe, killer.'

He ran to his room and kicked his door shut as he threw himself on the bed, finally letting the tears escape. He knew without a doubt now Talon was his mate. And he'd attacked and hurt his mate tonight, driving him away in the end. He had to do whatever Talon wanted to earn his forgiveness but the one thing he would not do was let him go. Even if he had to pull out his Alpha status, he'd keep Talon with him.

Keller's sleep was fitful that night, his copious tears leaving an itchy trail down his cheeks. He woke up with puffy eyes and a headache, not helped by the high beam of sunlight falling right on his face. He woke up with a groan. Keller stumbled out of the room, wanting to take a cold shower to wake him up. It was late afternoon so he knew that Talon was probably at the pits and cursed himself. He was going to use whatever pull he had and drag his mother into it if need be to get his father to rescind the punishment. He still didn't understand why Kaylan had gotten so angry at Talon. He'd expected to end punished himself, not Talon.

After a quick shower, he hurried towards the mess hall to see his father. He ignored many of the pack members who wanted to talk to him and bypassed his group of friends who were taking their lunch. If he had spared them a glance, he would have seen the pitting looks they sent his way. Kaylan looked up when he heard the murmurs of his pack and smiled when he saw his son.

Without preamble, Keller stared his father down without any need to submit like other wolves. They would usually avoid looking at the Alpha's eyes but Keller found he had no trouble. He'd always thought it was because Kaylan was his father but now he attributed that to his status as another fellow Alpha.

"Alpha, I need to talk to you about Talon." Keller purposefully used his father's title, which he rarely used to make a point. He was claiming his right as an Alpha, an Alpha that his father had to acknowledge and respect.

Kaylan lost his smile and nodded solemnly. "So you've heard. I say good riddance; he caused too much trouble in this pack. We don't need a weak wolf like that in our pack anymore."

Keller frowned. "Wait, what are you talking about?" He felt his heart pounding up his throat, until his tongue was almost vibrating at the force. His mouth went dry as he replayed Talon's words. He wouldn't leave, he couldn't leave! He wasn't twenty one yet. He had time, he had time!

"Talon left. He refused his punishment and I took back my bite," Kaylan explained clinically. Keller knew what that entailed. He'd seen it once when a young wolf had abused one of the pack members and Kaylan had publicly exiled him. The only way to take back an allegiance bite was to bite into the original mark then infuse it with silver and wolfsbane. It mixed with the saliva of the alpha and eradicated his claim and protection on that wolf. Keller could still remember the screams of pain of that wolf and he'd been past his majority. After, the wound was sealed with a brand, forever branding the wolf. Many lost their minds and became lone wolves; rarely did other packs accept a wolf that had defected or been exiled. If wolves from different packs wanted to mate, their mates would bite atop the allegiance bite and that by extension extended the Alpha's protection and claim on the bitten mate.