Chapter Text
A quintessential fall evening: you walked home from work wrapped in a warm coat and your favorite scarf, chewing on a fun size crunch bar you had snuck from the bowl labeled “save for Halloween!” On the back counter of your job. The overcast day had cleared some, and a full moon shone over the still rain wet ground.
As you paused to admire some Halloween decorations, the prickling sensation of eyes on you fell across your shoulder blades. You paused your music before continuing on, it was half a block before you could hear them. Because it was a them , not just one or two but four boys— men. Laughing and catcalling and whistling to you. You picked up your pace, fear rising in you. Panic making you quick to decide, you cut down a small alley between businesses, your familiarity with the area making you sure in your decision.
Except that you hadn’t taken this way in more than a month, and they had since installed a tall section of fence. You cursed and turned back, hoping you could be quick enough and beat them to the entrance to the alley. No such luck. Their laugher already echoing down the narrow walls.
“Stay back” you warned them, clutching the small pocket knife you dug from your purse.
Laughter, overlapping words, jokes about how ‘scary’ you were. They were getting close, their voices growing louder.
Their voices were nothing compared to the roar.
A sound so loud it shook the chain link fence behind you, one of them fell over, the other stumbling to turn or flatten themselves against the walls. The beast was enormous, standing on its hind legs and several feet taller than anyone around. It growled, breaking the tension and causing one of the men to scream. The animal— wolf your mind supplied, as the creature was distinctly lupine, swiped a massive clawed hand at one of them as they broke into a run in effort to get away. Blood ran down his arm and glinted in the moonlight as the man’s friends dragged him along.
You stood frozen, one hand clutching the chain link so hard your knuckles were white, as the creature advanced on you. The same large clawed hand that had maimed the man reached out to you, gently batting the the pocket knife you had forgotten you were holding from your grip.
“P-please..” you tried, shrinking away, “please don’t—“
Safe.
The voice was low, and smooth, and… only in your mind? Confusion flashed over you and you peeked up at him, his teeth were no longer bared, and warm brown eyes gazed down at you.
“What?”
Safe now. The voice came again
“Can— are you telepathic?” You were still terrified but now burning with curiosity. It shook its massive head and inched closer, noting how you tried to press further into the fence.
No. Only to other wolves.
“But I’m not—“
Other wolves. And mate.
Goosebumps rose on your arms as it moved ever closer, impossibly large muzzle lowering to nose aside your scarf and press his cool nose to the skin of your neck. You shivered, rattling the metal you clung to.
Safe the voice insisted. And you could almost believe him, letting your shoulders relax somewhat while your eyes remained tightly shut. He spent a moment or two scenting you, the insistent warmth of him around you giving you a mild sense of calm. You opened your eyes, he was so close now you couldn’t see his face. Only bits of his massive neck and shoulders remained visible, ripping muscles covered in long dark brown fur that looked nearly black and impossibly soft. Before you could stop yourself you reached out a hand, shaking knuckles lightly grazing his arm. He flinched and you froze, preparing for sharp teeth sinking into you, and rending claws. The large creature simply let out a small whine and nuzzled back into you.
Home. He stated simply, it was all the warning you got before you were hoisted bridal style into his arms. Your arms did their best to find purchase on his huge shoulders as he bounded easily and lightly onto the roof of the building and took off at a full sprint.
His long bounding steps made the journey quick, and soon you found him setting you gently down at your back door,
“How did you know?”
Followed scent. Very easy.
You smiled a little, not seeming to realize that you were already coming to trust him, to like him.
“Will I see you again?”
He nodded, and your smile widened
“Do I have to wait until the next moon?”
He whined a little, but nodded again.
“How will I find you?”
At that he seemed to smile, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight.
I find you. I’ll always find my mate.
Then he was gone, nothing more than a blurred shape in the darkness.