Of Wolves and Men (Closed for Apollo Wilde and Ask For More)

The simple joy of unhurried exploration was what it was, really. She’d always thought of Wayne as cute. Not like it was anything that she could have dwelled on longer before - he was a suspect, and wanting to bang a suspect wasn’t the most professional attitude to take. But she was human, like anyone else, and could acknowledge these things.

The sheer power of him, though. Even as a human, this close, she could sense the vast differences in musculature. The thought of it alone was enough to make her wet; stir her body into wakefulness. And, apparently, she wasn’t the only one. His phallus twitched beneath her, before firming. Feeling him grow between her labia lips, she shifted her hips up him, running the full length of his shaft. She was damp enough so he slid easily beneath her, firm pressure against the mild throb of her clitoris. Slow, slow strokes against him, pulling herself back and forth, teasing herself, before she shifted just a little to the right….nestling the swelled head of his cock against her entrance, pushing just a little, feeling him begin to spread her….before she pulled off and away again, forcing herself to back down. Calm down a little. If he was attuned to her, he could feel her heart racing with anticipation. She wanted him, wanted him bad, but didn’t want to just…jump him. Warring desires - to mount him now, or to wait and take it slow. One more pass along his cock, and the burn to mount him blinded her senses.

She slid firmly onto him now, jostling the head of his cock against her, inside of her, bit by bit, lifting her hips accordingly. She seemed to find a compromise - she took her time, her fingernails biting lightly into his chest with the effort. A long sigh of relief escaped her as she settled firmly on top of him, his phallus buried deeply inside of her. A slight pulse from her inner walls as she grew accustomed to him again. Sitting still for a few moments, she rolled her hips forward, not wanting to feel him slip from her again. And buried this deep inside of her, if she twisted just right, she could rub him against that spot inside of her, the spot that caused a flash of color beneath her closed eyelids, enough to start her toes to curling.

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his, running her fingers through his silken hair, never stopping the slow rock of her hips against his, into his. Eager to have him inside of her, but far from sated, she took her time now, enjoying the slow boil that he was bringing her to. He’d arch beneath her, hands moving from her sides to settle on her hips. His grip tightened as she rolled deeper into her, an unspoken plea to move faster, more frantic. But she kept the calm, sedate pace, riding him as a boat in an untroubled sea, a gentle ebb and flow of one body into another. The slower pace heightened her arousal, and before too much longer, the motion of their bodies became audible, her slit dripping down onto him, flooding around him, so much so that even with that slow rock, the risk of slipping from her was a very real possibility.

Her pace picked up, slowly, steadily, until she lifted herself partially off of him, to allow a greater freedom of movement. She sat up now, the rocking not quite enough to bring her to the edge that she so desperately craved now. Planting her thighs firmly on either side of him, she used the leverage to pull herself halfway up the length of his cock, before slipping down him again, her head thrown back, hair a luminous halo around her face even in the darkness, a circle of faint stars. It was easier to truly ride him now, her hips slamming down into his, but not so hard to almost bruise. He grunted quietly beneath her, his hips rising to meet hers on each downward thrust. His fingertips dug into the soft flesh of her waist, pulling her down even as he rose to meet her. Her hands, once lightly resting on his chest, pressed down against his pectorals for further leverage. Faster and faster she went now, her mouth open in a soundless cry. Her body trembled around him, her inner walls pulsing, closing tighter around him as her movements grew more erratic. One last push, one last pulse, and she whimpered out her orgasm, her body shaking around his. A hard returning thrust into her, and she felt him pulsing inside of her, a grunt slipping through his clenched teeth. Perhaps it was the initially slower pace, or the fact that their lovemaking before had been so ferocious, but his orgasm this time was quieter, almost gentle. There was no trace of the animal there, no primal drive spurring him forward.

Flattening on top of him, she kissed the side of his mouth, enjoying the feeling of his fingers through her hair.

They didn't move for a long time. Or what felt like it. Ada on top of him, the two of them cuddling and sharing light kisses. Eventually his manhood subsided, and they realised that they should probably clean up.

Which they did, in the shower, together. It was the most intimate experience Wayne had ever had (apart from the obvious). They giggled and made terrible jokes while soaping each other's bodies, like two teenage lovers finding out that life can actually be better when there is someone to share it with. There was so much wrong out there, but those moments were for the two of them, and he didn't want it to end.

---

Wayne was resting on the bed, fully naked, watching Ada rubbing cream into her skin.

"Does that count as cheating? I thought your skin was natural?"

Her reply was afro comb aimed at his head - Wayne plucked it out of the air with ease and started to pick at his own hair with it.

"How do you even use this thing?"

This time he was rewarded with a laugh.

---

Creaming done, they settled on the bed again. Wayne lying on his back, Ada resting on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her.

They had to start strategising for the days ahead - what had started as a simple Lycan hunt had escalated into something far bigger, and they needed a plan to go forward.

"After the fight with Soloman I called in some backup," Wayne told her, filling her in on the phone call he had made yesterday.
"Three of my most trusted men should be arriving sometime tonight. They fought alongside me in the war against Remus, and they know what he's capable of. I wish I could get more, but Lycans still need to tread lightly in this city."

"There's still a lot I don't understand, but this is what I've figured out so far."
The sound of sirens passing by the window interrupted him. Both of them stiffened slightly as an automatic reaction. Sharing a look, the two smiled and relaxed.
"Firstly, we have to deal with Guardian," he continued. "It's illegal here, and has an unusual effect on Lycans."
Wayne shuddered as he recalled the fight with Solomon.
"I saw first hand it's effects. But something wasn't right. I fought Solomon many times - he wasn't the smartest of people, but his fighting style was always composed and efficient. With Guardian his strength was unreal, but he became wild, uncontrolled. Why would Remus let him take it? Unless....."

The realisation sent shivers down his spine.

"He's experimenting. That has to be it. He wants the strength that Guardian can give, without the crazy side effects. That's why he hasn't shown himself in this city yet."

As much fun, as much intimacy as they’d just shared, the real world was still there. Still had to be dealt with. And, at this rate, couldn’t be put off any further. For long minutes, she indulged in exchanging kisses. Some long, lingering: others short, playfully peppering his lips, the side of his face, his neck. She’d hide her face coyly, keeping him from returning her affection, and would dissolve into laughter once he wormed his way back in.

The “games” didn’t stop once they made their way to her shower. Like the rest of her apartment, her bathroom was small, but cozy. Potted plants sat in the small window above the toilet, and sheer scarves hung over the lone light fixture, giving the room a warm, diffused glow. A deep blue shag carpet sat on the hardwood floor in front of the tub. The tub itself was Ada’s pride and joy, even in the cramped quarters. An old fashioned thing, the claw foot tub sat close to the back wall of the bathroom, the shower rod curved and suspended from the ceiling. It was clearly meant for one person, but the two of them managed to squeeze in nonetheless. And, really, it wasn’t that the close quarters were cause for complaint from either one of them.

There was the occasional, “Oops, my hand slipped,” which was greeted by laughter from both of them, or the, “You still have soap here,” - a brushing across the shoulders, the back, occasionally the chest. While she didn’t have much in the way of bad jokes, she was more than amused to find out that Wayne was a champion of bad puns. And, somehow, in the middle of the warm rush of water, Ada realized that she hadn’t been that relaxed in….years. She’d never been so comfortable around any man - and she wondered how she’d ever thought that she’d been close to anyone before this.

Even when he got to witness her “secret” ritual of getting ready - from applying lotion to the eventual picking out of her full head of hair, she laughed at his questions, and went about answering them as best as she could. Fair was fair; she’d asked a bunch of questions about being a Lycan. Now, she got to return the favor by providing some “Black 101.” After explaining the afro pick to him, using it on herself, she then crept up to sit behind him to run it loosely through his own straight hair. It didn’t have much of an effect, with his hair being much thinner, but it was pleasant enough. And she took the extra opportunity to plant a kiss on the back of his neck.

______

And with all of that prep, they ended up back in the bed, her lazily tracing circles across his shoulder.

“Experimenting? On who? Why? If you’ve fought this Solomon before….what makes that guy so special?” Her gears were starting to turn now. If what Wayne thought was true, then what they’d need to figure out was why Remus was experimenting, and if they figured on who, it would fill in quite a few gaps. “I don’t think Wade has had anything to do with it…” she trailed off. Wade had healed from his gunshot wound quickly, but in the time that she’d spent with him, he hadn’t shown any additional aggression. Since he’d recovered, he had laid incredibly low. She hadn’t seen him more than maybe once or twice since he was well enough to go back to his own apartment. And even in those few times, he’d seemed nervous, didn’t want to talk, and didn’t want to be caught out in the open. Her abduction didn’t make the news; the force didn’t want to make something like that public. Made sense. Ada was now supposed to be their poster child, and to have something like that happen right under their noses didn’t make anyone look too particularly good.

“It’s been quiet down at the office…too quiet. And that kidnapping went off too smoothly. You got to me before anyone else did, but no one…” she paused, trying to figure out how to explain that sinking feeling in her stomach. “And I haven’t heard from Detective Rain. He was with me when we were ambushed. I mean…who does that? Who clears out the entire police department? The idea was that everyone was out, running security, but I really don’t buy it. I think I was set up.” She looked up at him now, her full lips flattened into a firm line. “Someone wanted me out of the way. But I still don’t know why. I don’t know of anyone that would know that you and I are working together. I had to call in Jackson to help me heal you guys-”

Cutting herself off, she sat up straight, nearly wrenching him away from her. “Shit.” Leaning forward now, she placed her head in her hands, rubbing at her brows. “I don’t even know where to start on who all might be in on this in the department.” Her entire world crumbled beneath her. Who could she trust at her own office? Who could have set her up, and again, with the ever pressing question of why - “Why would I be so important that I’d need to be out of the way….” Her voice was muffled behind her hands. Lifting them from her face, her gaze was determined. “I’m not a part of any major liberal parties here, and I’m not from a political family. Wayne, what would any Lycan want with me?”

Wayne settled back, deep in thought. The two of them had amassed so much information, and yet they were still struggling to find their way through what had turned into a massive beast. Conspiracy, intrigue - it was like the spy movies of old. He mentally reviewed what they had uncovered so far, going through the key points, and trying to find anything that they might have missed.

"So the department was empty?" That was weird - from what he'd observed the human police operated in a similar way to the Lycan police. Clearing out an office for a press conference from a mere detective was an unusual action, something that stood out despite all the strange things they'd both witnessed over the past week.

"That shouldn't happen. I would never empty out a precinct just for a press conference, unless it was the president." Wayne mused over this. Ada returned his look, her brown eyes doing their best to divert his contemplation.

"I don't think Remus had anything to do with your abduction." His voice was low, and thoughtful. "I hate to sound like a broken record, but that isn't his style. He has a penchant for grandstanding - if he wanted to take you out, he would have done in in full view of the cameras in the most dramatic way possible."

"It doesn't make sense for him to take you out now," he added. "Guardian obviously isn't ready, so neither is his army. As you said, you're just a detective. If he wanted to start a war, disposing of you in secret wouldn't be the way to do it. He'd do something big, something....visible."

"That doesn't mean he isn't plotting. Don't forget I smelt a Lycan on your clothes a few days ago. Someone in your department is hiding themselves in plain sight. He could be a runaway like Wade, or..." the idea sent shivers down his spine "....an undercover agent for Remus."

Ada's face betrayed her concern. Wayne pulled her towards him and kissed her full on the lips. Looking into her eyes, he said, "Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."

Then something else Ada said sparked another line of though.

"This Detective Rain - you said he was with you when you were taken?" She nodded, her afro gently vibrating with the movement.

"That is strange. Why wasn't he at the scene after I rescued you? Surely if he was close to you then he would have rushed out there as soon as it was called in. Unless he's missing too. But if he is, then why isn't the force tearing up the city trying to find him?"

God, she felt like such an idiot. This was stuff she’d covered back in school. Where had her head been that all of these glaring signs just slipped right by her? He had to think that she was some sort of moron.

“Yeah,” she said flatly, moving her hands from her temples to smooth the wild puff of her hair back. “And I was so focused on whatever speech I had to give that I didn’t think anything of it, other than it was weird. But on the same hand, it made sense. It was a big thing and there’s been a lot of anti-Lycan sentiment in the city lately. Rain told me that the reason why everyone was so scarce was to run extra security. It makes sense.” She looked at him, close to helpless. Something she hated being - and as much as she felt like an idiot for not noticing everything that had been going on around her, she couldn’t ignore that thread of insecurity that slipped through her. But as quickly as it had come, she’d batted it aside. She didn’t want to spend precious time wondering if Wayne thought she was a jackass. There were bigger things to be concerned about. Way bigger things. “Using that line of reasoning, it would make sense, at least on a surface level, to clear out the department. That first murder, from the club, has everyone spooked. There’s been rumors the last few years from all these crackpots that the Lycans are planning this massive uprising, that they have weapons of mass destruction, I mean just everything all across the board. And it doesn’t help that it’s an election year. Everything gets way more polarized. People are scared and they’re looking to politicians to reassure them. If I come out as the face of moderation, it wouldn’t be a far stretch to imagine that someone out there would be willing to kill me.”

Looking at him, her brown eyes were firm, calculating. Running through every possibility that the two of them had discussed so far. Maybe, between the two of them, they could start piecing together what in the world was going on.


“It’s possible that he may have wanted to.” She sat up, putting some distance between herself and Wayne. It was tempting to want to brainstorm at his side for as long as she could, but realistically, she needed to get up. And she needed some coffee. Food wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. “But someone, or some group, stopped him from doing it. It’s no secret that there’s a ton of cops on the take here. I wouldn’t be surprised if it went all the way up the political ladder. The real question is, who would have anything to gain from getting rid of me and having the police department on their side? There’s enough anti-Lycan sentiment in the Force that makes me think that whoever it is, they’re not looking for an all out war. At least, not in a war that requires soldiers and front lines.” Sliding her legs across the side of the bed, she leaned forward, gripping the edge of the mattress. Her back was to him now, and the faint gray of early dawn slipped coyly through the sheer curtains. At least, she was facing the curtain until he pulled her back, kissing her. Her thoughts slipped away, leaves on the wind, and he filled all of her senses. When, at long last, the kiss broke, she stayed close to him, pressing her forehead to his. Her hand rested on the side of his cheek, she kept her eyes closed.

“I know,” she sighed.” He would protect her. But she didn’t want to come to rely on that. Rather than tiptoeing around what might prove to be an awkward subject, she was glad when he asked about Rain. “I haven’t heard anything from him, or from the department in regards to where he went. I was knocked out pretty quickly; I don’t remember him being anywhere near me when it happened. It wouldn’t be a far stretch to think of him as a Lycan.” Her tone grew a little sheepish, but she steeled it. “I have to apologize for getting on your case about him a few days ago.” Apologies didn’t come easy to her, but she knew when she was wrong, and in this case, outclassed by a few degrees. She never had a clue that even silly Wade was a Lycan; it wouldn’t be pass the imagination to think of Rain as one, too. “Fucking Rain. He got close to me by acting like he had interest in me,” she stood, balling her fists. Despite her nude state, the threat of the gesture still carried weight. “And like some fucking desperate bitch in heat, I was distracted by it. Fuck.”

She didn’t bother to throw on a robe as she paced out of the bedroom to the small kitchen. As angry, or rather, annoyed as she was, she didn’t show it by banging pots and pans around as she went about starting up a fresh pot of coffee. Thanks to Wayne’s intervention a few days before, the little kitchen was still pretty clean (she’d been embarrassed enough by her own mess to put forth an effort to try and keep it clean), and it didn’t take long for the rich smell of coffee to fill the small space. Leaning against the kitchen sink, she looked down at her feet. Curling her toes against the slick wood, she dragged them back and forth, idly tracing the grain and whorls under her soles as she thought. “Rain’s a rogue agent right now. I haven’t heard anything from him, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the picture by any means of the word. For all I know, he’s going to pop up a few days from now, in the hospital, saying he was taken for ransom….”

_________

And, sure enough, he did.

The only reason why Ada went to visit him in the hospital was to be around him long enough for Wayne to pick up on his scent. Of course, there were the interoffice politics of visiting a wounded comrade - what a joke that had been. No one had offered her the same courtesy - although she wasn’t complaining. The time that she had off to “get her head together”, her and Wayne had spent it brainstorming, talking, and making serious love. It was so easy to get swept away with him, in him. As silly as a dime store romance novel, Wayne was so overwhelmingly masculine, but so emotional that at times, she felt completely overwhelmed by him. What was between the two of them.

Not that she was complaining, again.

But it was in her nature to be suspect. She didn’t consider (or even humor) the fact that he might be emotionally manipulating her. Her suspicions lay with the idea that it was all too good to be true; some dream. And when she’d wake up, he’d be gone. What was she really expecting from all of this? He couldn’t stay with her. It was illegal for Lycans to be in the city without a work visa, and the government was stingy with them. And, of course, she was too prideful to admit that the desire that she felt for him initially had turned into a deep, encompassing need. He was something that she never felt that she really actually needed to function in her life, and now that he was there, it was a tantalizing thought to think that they could continue together….

The elevator ding was louder than she expected to be, and she gave a small start when it went off. She was still on a “temporary” leave -one she suspected might grow longer if she visibly poked around the department-, and came to the hospital in casual dress. Jeans, a tight Rolling Stones shirt and beat up purple converse. Her hair was loose, and she was armed with a stupid teddy bear, a “Get Well Soon!” balloon, and a bright bouquet of daises.

She hated daises.

Stepping out of the elevator, she made a beeline to Rain’s room. Hopefully, she’d be convincing enough for her to get what she needed from him.

The time passed easily. Ada was on temporary leave, and the backup Wayne had called in ended up being delayed a few days, which gave them plenty of time to do important things that lovers do, like having inane conversations about the most pointless topics, lots of sex, and lots of playful flirting when they weren't having sex. Sure, there was some thought about the problems at hand, but neither of them were in the mood to take the initiative - on a subconscious level they were both aware that the time they were sharing was precious, and potentially fleeting. Really, they were waiting for something to happen, something that would force them to confront their enemies once again. It wasn't fear, just....apprehension.

Eventually the clock had to start ticking again, and for both of them, it did. Wayne received a call from his friends, warning of their imminent arrival, and, an hour later, Rain resurfaced, supposedly injured and in hospital. Both of them were sceptical of how "injured" Rain really was, but Ada visiting him was a necessity. Wayne wanted a better sample of his scent, and for Ada it was about confirming their suspicions. So she decided to drop in at the hospital unannounced, and Wayne would track her from the rooftops, as he was still concerned about her safety. To make things easier, he asked his contacts to meet him at the hospital.

-----

It was a calm day, which made traversing the rooftops a little more pleasurable. Wayne was dressed in his usual tracking clothes - dark navy blue pants which were easy to move around in, and a simple matching t-shirt. People often assumed that black was better for camouflage, but that was a misconception; Japanese ninjas wore the same blue in feudal Japan. The black had arisen from theatrical representations of ninjas, and had become ingrained in pop culture ever since.

After days of being stuck in Ada's apartment (willingly, he had to admit), to be outside was invigorating. Navigating the rooftops was an unexpected benefit for Wayne; the first time he did it, he discovered that he loved the feeling of free running across buildings. Having to react to his surroundings, vaulting between rooftops, rolling underneath stray electrical lines or water pipes, feeling the concrete beneath his hands and feet, and the wind and rain vainly battering his face, appealed to the primal urges of his wolf side. The human side dominated in the city, but those moments when he was hopping across buildings reminded him of who he truly was.

Ada's journey to the hospital had been uneventful. Wayne's senses were at their peak after the frequent bouts of lovemaking, and he didn't detect anything, neither at Ada's apartment, nor at the hospital. Remus was laying low, and he didn't like it.

---

Hospital rooftops were always spacious, and generally empty. Despite what happens in the movies, patients never sneak onto the roof - the majority of them can barely walk up a flight of stairs, and generally they were disappointing affairs. The roof borders were fenced off to stop people from inadvertent euthanasia, and there wasn't much to look at. Wayne was leaning against a whitewashed parapet, and keeping his senses tuned, when he felt their arrival.

The sterility of hospitals had always given Ada the creeps. Not that she was a stranger to them; several times she’d been to this exact one to take a statement. It didn’t make it any easier. As she walked to Rain’s room, she watched her reflection in the highly polished floor, tracked the path of the bars of overhead lights.

So far, so good; she hadn’t run into any other cops that she knew; just the occasional nurse and the harried looking doctor. And that felt…odd. The hospital felt understaffed. Not quite deserted, but it didn’t have the usual vibe. True, a certain level of muted motion was to be expected in the intensive care unit, but not this level. And what had happened to him that he’d ended up here? No one had given her any details; just that he’d turned up and that she needed to see him.

Shifting the daises in her arm, she took a deep breath, and turned the door knob to go into his room.

And nearly stepped back out.

The smell had been overwhelming. It wasn’t a conventional stench - it was the slow moldering of a room that had been long closed without fresh air. The blinds were drawn, the lights dimmed, and the room was nearly lost in darkness. If it wasn’t for the beeping monitors and the dull flickering light of the TV, she wouldn’t have been able to navigate the room at all. Taking another deep breath to calm herself (although she almost instantly regretted it), she moved further in, hoisting the flowers higher in her arms. Hiding behind their meager protection, she leaned over to see the bed. There was only one within the room which was clearly meant for two - the perks of being a well-liked cop.

She could barely recognize the figure in the bed. From the heartthrob of the detective force, Rain had withered away to hardly more than a gaunt skeleton, clearly held together by his thin stretched skin. His eyes were closed; his hair thinning and leaving clumps on his pillow as he feebly moved. As if sensing her presence, he opened his eyes. Pale glass green eyes landed on her, and, for a moment, she swore that the pupil and iris nearly took up the entire socket; closer to a dog’s eyes than a human’s.

“Ada,” his voice a cracking whisper, “It’s good to see you.”

“Rain, you look like hell,” she blurted, setting down the flowers on the night stand next to the bed. She moved a pitcher of water out of the way, feeling that it had long grown warm. Tying the balloon around the vase of flowers, she sat down in the chair next to the bed. His fingers, laced with tubes, were gnarled, and the nails yellow and thick. Standing up as quickly as she sat down, she walked over to the window. “At least you have a nice room, right?”

“Tactful as always,” and his voice went hoarse with the effort of a laugh. “Do I really look all that bad?”

“You look like something Death left behind.” Fidgeting with the blinds, she finally found the courage to crack them a bit, letting in long knife blades of daylight into the room. Rain snarled from the bed, turning his head and leaving more clumps of hair behind on his pillow. “Quit your fussing; some sunlight will help you. Help air out this gross room.” Slipping her fingers under the blinds, she tugged at the window, realized it was locked, and stopped. She’d hoped to at least get some air circulating, if not for him, than more for her. “What the hell happened?”
“I was kidnapped,” he said. As weak as he was, there was a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“By who? What did they do?” She stood with her back against the window, arms crossed, looking at the emaciated figure. “If you don’t tell me, I can’t bust the son of a bitch.”

Although you very well could be playing some sort of trick on me.

He laughed, dry leaves scattered across the ground. He turned his head on his spindly neck, looking up at the ceiling. “By the same people that took you, though that’ll do you no good. What do you expect to do, Ada? Go in guns blazing? Because you’re so righteous and you defend the law? And then what? Who will rescue you when you’re over your head again?” With a monumental amount of effort, he craned his neck to look at her. In the slits of light, he looked downright feral, burning pale eyes and a curled lip. “You think you can bring any sort of balance to this city? I used to think that naiveté was charming, and now I realize you’re just an idiot.”

“Yeah, I’m a lunatic for wanting to do my job.” Sick or not, she wasn’t going to take the lambasting sitting down - and it wasn’t the first time she’d been shouted down. “You don’t sign up to be a cop assuming that just by showing up and doing your job you’re going to make this world changing difference. It’s a good day if there’s one less murder out there. People are goddamned terrible. They lie, cheat, steal, murder each other over shoes. You think I don’t know that? Now, we can do this the easy way, where you talk to me and I get that much closer to figuring out who did this to both of us, or I can get the answers out of you another way.”

Ada was not the type of woman to play “bad cop.” Physical abuse and torture were no way to exact any kind of confession, and realistically, she had no idea how to get Rain to talk. All she could do was put up an Alpha front - and if he was a Lycan, he’d recognize that, if he wanted to or not. She was pulling rank now, and while she may only be a human, she was a healthy, whole one, and one that currently reeked of another Lycan in an intimate fashion. If this meant Wayne had marked her in a way she didn’t know, she’d have no idea.

As if on cue, Rain’s nose wrinkled, and he audibly snuffled, scenting the air. “My, my. No wonder you’ve become so brave. You’ve gotten someone to back you up. Well, then, my pretty little Ada, what will you do if I tell you anything?”

“My job,” she said, simply. “You’ve become awfully talkative for someone that looks like something Death coughed up.”

“I find your company invigorating,” he snapped, still focused on her. He was trying to map out her scent, who this other Lycan was, the nature of their relationship, any sort of particular detail that he could pull from her. “Intellectually stimulating and physically arousing,” he added, rasping out a harsh laugh.

“You know, I have feelings.” Walking back towards the bed from the window, she stood over Rain. Looming over him, it would be an unmistakable assertion of dominance. Rain looked panicked, looking up at her, then away, then back at her, and then away again. He seemed to shrink on the bed, inwardly curling in on himself. If he had a tail, it would be tucked - the acrid smell of old urine wafted from the bed, and she grimaced. “Are you going to tell me what I need to know, or do I have to become less pleasant?”

+++++++++

Walking out a few minutes later, Ada straightened her hair as she approached the front of the hospital. Rain had indeed given her information - but it was all cryptic. Hints at shadows and illusions. No names, just a description of what happened. A bare bones, by the book “standard kidnapping” and forced drugging. The Tox screens on him all showed a cocktail of human oriented drugs - heroin, in particular. And of such a strength that it was a miracle that he’d survived at all. He was dehydrated; his blood was nearly mud by the time he was discovered. They had to carefully hydrate him over the days, for fear of overtaxing his weakened system.

But what he hadn’t, clearly, told her, was that it was the effects of a massive dose of Guardian, the increments growing larger with each day. With his unique lycanothrophy, he hadn’t turned into a vicious rage monster - but his senses had grown sharper, as was expected. It, however, wasn’t expected that it would come at the cost of his body. Remus hadn’t known how to react, other than thoughtfully stroke his chin and send him to the hospital. And once he was well, he’d go back to Remus, for more experiments. His time as a human spy had ended - and soon, yes, soon, he would glory in Remus’s army.

Wayne didn't even need to turn around.

"About time you idiots showed up."
"Come on Guv, give us a chance. From the looks of you it I don't think you were having a terrible time without us."

The English accent stood out immediately. Mark was probably the only Lycan who was better with women than Wayne. White, with a rugged jawline, fair hair and blues eyes, Mark was not only the tallest of the group at roughly 6'3", he was also the loudest - in any conversation he was always the first to start joking, and he could keep a group entertained for hours with stories of his homeland and the things he got up to before he was outed and had to flee to America. Europe was a death trap for any Lycans, so much so that even the reservations were a relief to any European refugees. His skin was covered with tattoos, all with various themes of love, friendship, and like a typical Brit, his favourite soccer team. Even though he was a joker, he was a model Enforcer; Wayne had spotted his potential early and fast tracked him through the ranks. Mark was popular with both his peers and the staff he managed - he was well known for his fairness, regardless of rank, and for his expert management of critical situations.

Standing next to him was Ben, one of the most magnificent physical specimens one could ever hope to see. Standing at just under 6', he sported a squat, lean physique that was only possible for African Americans. His muscle definition was legendary on the reservations. However, unlike Mark, he wasn't the most jovial; he was the observational type, a man who was an expert at reading people. Even though Lycans could sense the more dominant emotions, like fear and sadness, Ben had decided to go further, and spent most of his spare time studying human psychology, which made him a highly prized asset to the reservation. His impassive nature was also a hinderance - Wayne hadn't realised his potential until the war against Remus was reaching it's peak. Ben had risen up the ranks by default as the casualties mounted, until he was attending high level strategy meetings. His contributions ended up shifting the balance in their favour, and Wayne had ensured that Ben secured a key position once the Enforcers had restored order.

The last of the trio was Jacob. The most skilled martial artist on the reservation. Jacob was only 5'7" at best, with dark skin that came from his mixed Indonesian and Philippine heritage. He was born in America and had trained in various martial arts from a young age, giving him a discipline and self control that was better than any Lycan, including Wayne. It was always a hot debate on the Force as to whether Wayne or Jacob was the better fighter. Jacob was also one of the youngest of the group - he'd joined the Enforcers three years ago once he had turned 18, saying that he wanted to train under his 'hero'. Wayne was glad to oblige, as Jacob had turned out to be a huge asset.

"At least you're here now. Follow me."

Wayne led the way back to Ada's apartment. First, he had to introduce the group the Ada. Secondly, they needed to form a plan.

Ada had made it back to her place with plenty of time to spare. As she walked through the door, she discarded her clothes on the way to the bathroom, hopping on one foot, then another, to take off her tennis shoes and toss them aside. Once in the bathroom, she turned on the water, twisted the dial to “H”, and waited until steam filled the room.

_______

It felt like hours later when she finally emerged, but she felt immeasurably better. Felt that she’d scrubbed the hospital off, the faded green of Rain’s eyes. Beneath it all, there was the dull sting of what felt similar to defeat. She hadn’t gotten that much information out of Rain; nothing that openly made sense to her. But, then again, not too much made sense anymore. The toxicology screens wouldn’t have picked up Guardian. Couldn’t find what you didn’t know you were looking for.

She flopped down on the couch, dressed in a loose gray tank top and very tiny navy blue running shorts, trimmed in white. Leaning over, she rested her head against her forearms, folded across the ridges of her knees. She wasn’t defeated. Not yet. No matter what kept licking at her heels. There had to be something she was overlooking. Something that could have been staring her right in the face.

Suddenly, her head snapped up. What if….What if Guardian could be consumed by humans? And what if it had a different effect on them? Human and Lycan physiology were different; it wouldn’t be impossible for one to take something that the other could render harmless by biology. But if Rain was a Lycan, as Wayne said, then why would Guardian have that effect on him? At least that would be a starting point for her questions.

Standing up, she walked over to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Looking over the candles of varying length in the small kitchen window, she debated lighting one, then decided against it. She had no idea how sensitive Wayne’s nose was, and if he was going to be checking her to confirm that Rain was a Lycan, the last thing she needed to do was throw him off. Ach. Maybe she should have thought about that before she took a shower. She raised an arm to her face; gave it a thoughtful sniff. All she could make out was the fragrance of her shower gel, now rapidly fading. At least there were still her clothes.

When she heard footsteps outside of her door, she bolted back to the bedroom - might as well put on some real pants. She came back out moments later in black yoga pants, as the smell of coffee bloomed in the tiny apartment.

Wayne decided not to take them into the apartment straight away. Ada was still learning to cope with the sudden increased Lycan presence in her life, and he didn't want to just bundle in with three of his lieutenants and take over her flat. Asking them to wait on the roof, he made his way through the ageing corridors to her abode.

Knowing she was there, he let himself in. As soon as he walked through the door, the smell was there. It was mixed in with coffee and shower gel, but he could feel it lingering. Ada had just come out of her bedroom, rocking a pair of yoga pants that made him contemplate a distraction, but he forced himself to focus on the clothes she had left lying around on the living room floor.

"He's Lycan," Wayne confirmed. "But the smell isn't strong. It's like he hasn't transformed in months. How is that even possible?"

While he was considering this, Ada sauntered over to him, threading her way between the garments strewn around the floor like a seasoned slob. The kiss that greeted him told a story of despair and disgust.

"You're a real slob, ya know that?" Wayne mumbled, in between kisses. The comment got him a playful dig in the ribs. Now disengaged, Ada recounted the events at the hospital - the sight of Rain's emaciated body had clearly left a pretty disturbing impression on her. As she talked, the facts started to come together in his head.

"He's a guinea pig," Wayne thought about it a little more, "That might explain why there's such a weak trace of Lycan on him. It's not that he hasn't transformed, it's that he can't."

Seeing Ada's puzzled look, he continued.

"There are some people out there who are mixed, half human and half Lycan, out there. There aren't many, but they do exist." He picked up her discarded shirt and focused on it for a moment. "They pick up traits from both races - the ability to transform, and clearer thought patterns, although, for reasons which we don't know, they have trouble controlling both. They're usually forced to let one side dominate the other, just so they can stay sane. It's a terrible choice, and most of the ones I've met are so confused that they can barely think straight."

"In even rarer cases, some mixed children lack the ability to transform. No one knows why, but it happens. It can be terrible - they have the primal instinct of Lycans, but are unable to let it out. Others believe that they are better off, as they don't need to transform, and are more mentally stable."

"Your man Rain, he might be one of those who can't transform. I can smell the Lycan on him, but it's....." He didn't know how to explain it in human terms. "I guess it's like a vegetable that doesn't get enough nutrients. It can grow, but it doesn't get very big, and it wouldn't taste good." It sounded lame, but metaphor wasn't his strong suit.

"Remus could be experimenting on Rain, trying to perfect Guardian. Rain must be hoping to gain the ability to transform. The poor bastard."

“Have you known any half-breeds?”

It was a simple question, but one loaded with immense intent. Realistically, it made sense to her - anytime any two creatures, of roughly the same genus were together, the possibility of interbreeding was a very real one. Not like she would have noticed any half-breeds in her office, or even in the town.

“What happens to them? I mean, it makes sense that they’re a thing, yeah, but I’ve never heard of any real cases of them near the city. Though I guess it wouldn’t be that big of an assumption to imagine that they exist.” She ran a hand through her airy hair; let out a long sigh. As much as she would have enjoyed forgetting about everything in lieu of fooling around for another few days -hell, why not make it a month-, it was time to start piecing all of the puzzle together. While Wayne had a better assumption to work on than she did, the whole still needed to be pieced together.

“If he’s experimenting, what’s the end goal? It seems like it’d be a lot of extra time and effort to, I dunno, ‘unlock’ half lycans and weaker lycans. If anything, it’d make more sense for him to figure out how to make this…Guardian stronger to make lycans as a whole stronger.” She flopped down on the couch, tangled her fingers together. “Lycans are already stronger than humans as it is. But if they’re too strong, too animalistic, won’t they not follow orders as well? Rain might be a lycan…or he could be a half-breed. If Remus is trying to unlock the potential of half-breeds, it still doesn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense….Unless…”

She paused.

“What if….he’s trying to turn people into temporary lycans? Think about it - the power, the ferocity - but none of the side effects. What if Rain isn’t a weak lycan, but a convert?”

Wayne thought about her question for a moment. The afternoon sun was starting to peak, and he heard Ada's stomach rumble gently.

"I think that's impossible. A human can't just become Lycan, it's part of your DNA. It may theoretically be possible if there is some Lycan in the ancestry, but to be able to turn Lycan at will? That seems like science fiction."

Although it wasn't long ago that being Lycan was a fantasy. But Wayne didn't add that.

"We do have some half breeds living on reservations. The ones who have issues with their transformations have to be with us, as humans would just see them at Lycans. Our doctors have been working on ways to help them manage their problems - their transformations are inconsistent and they often can't control them. As for the ones who can't transform, well, they could be anywhere. I'm willing to bet that some of them don't even know they're half Lycan."

He picked up a pair of jeans from the floor, and folded them up. Giving Ada another questioning eye, she cheerfully stuck her tongue out him. With a smirk, he continued.

"Remus is likely using Rain as a guinea pig just to test the effects of Guardian, so that he doesn't have to sacrifice any of his own people. He must have fed him some story that he can make Rain into a real Lycan."

"You forget that I've seen the effects of Guardian first hand. That damn Solomon almost killed me. Without drugs I could beat him with one arm tied behind my back. If Remus makes Guardian more potent....."

A chill ran down his spine as he recalled the brutal fight from just a few nights ago.

"This is too much for me to think about on my own. The reinforcements I called have arrived. Can they come in?"

“Any more science fiction than lycans existing in the first place?”

She gave him a playful wink, and moved closer to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. “What I’m saying is that we’re not in any position to rule anything out. Think of it this way - if we, essentially, came from a common ancestor, then there’s nothing that says that we don’t still have some DNA in common. It’s not like anyone has done a ton of research into the subject.”

She took her jeans from him, playfully indignant, and tossed them on the floor again, over her shoulder. She hadn’t honestly thought of herself as that much of a slob (after all, she did do laundry once she ran out of stuff to wear; not when stuff stunk so bad she had to open a window. That only happened once!), but with Wayne around, she was just…the slightest bit embarrassed about how disheveled her place usually was.

“You keep cleaning up like this,” she said, with a slight shrug of her shoulders, “I just might have to keep you around as a house keeper. Might be hard to find a French maid outfit that suits you, though.” It was a playful interlude, before her expression hardened, just a bit. The smile was still in her eyes and at the corners of her plush lips as she ran a hand through her hair. “So, Rain could potentially be half-Lycan. And if Remus is experimenting with Guardian, we have no idea what the potency, or even what formula, could’ve been used on Rain. Or maybe this was a punishment for failing him. After all, you’ve gotten away, I’ve gotten away. And it has to be know that there’s some sort of connection between us.”

She snuck past him, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around him and drag him off to the bedroom for one more tryst. When did she lose her sense of self-control? Surely he could sense the desire not neatly wafting from her, but issuing forth like a series of ever growing waves. Clearing her throat, she nodded. “Are they cute?”

She was, of course, teasing. But only a little. “That’s why I started the fresh pot of coffee. There might be some extra stuff in the fridge for you guys to eat on, but if I need to run out to grab something, let me know. Do you guys eat pizza?”

"Who doesn't like pizza? The undead?"

Terrible joke, he knew, but somehow he didn't mind saying it. Even when she rolled her eyes in response. Wayne could feel the lust emanating from her, but he didn't want to encourage it, especially when his underlings were about to enter the room. He didn't care that they knew, it would be obvious to them, but he knew that he'd be in for a serious ribbing from them afterwards. He already had a reputation as a ladies man, and this would only be more ammunition for them.

"Cute?"

The last word he would use to describe any of them would be cute. They looked more like soldiers, or cops. Bodies covered in scars (including his own), faces slightly worn from the various exertions of the job. The word would probably be rugged, rather than cute.

"Well, if you think I'm cute, then you'll probably say the same for them. Personally I'd go for ugly bastards, but I'm biased against them."

She pouted in response, and then turned towards the kitchen, giving him another view of her perfect ass. A part of him almost responded to the desire that was wafting out from her, but he didn't want to give the boys any more to talk about. If they walked into an apartment that smelt of fresh sex, he'd never hear the end of it.

-----

A few minutes later, they filed in. Wayne introduced them one by one, and it went better than he hoped. In a few short minutes, Ada had managed to tidy her place up, and even extricate some clean mugs from the kitchen, where she served up coffee for each of them, charming them with small talk and smiles. The Lycans appreciated being treated like normal people - the chances to fully relax amongst humans were rare.

When everyone was settled, Wayne called them together. Having five of them packed around the small dining table wasn't the most comfortable setting, but it was a little amusing. He exchanged a small smile with Ada as the Lycans jostled for room.

On the table were documents and maps which covered their investigation so far. Ada had managed to bring some of her files home, and Wayne had spent the last couple of days preparing materials so that he could fully brief his men.

"Firstly, thanks for getting here so soon. I know everyone had to move quickly, and it couldn't have been easy."

He then launched into a full explanation of everything that had happened in the city so far. Starting with the murders, then moving onto his investigation, and what he had uncovered. The mention of Remus immediately caused a tension amongst the group, especially with Mark and Ben, who had both been heavily involved in the war against Remus in the past. His recounting of the fight with Solomon, and the effects of Guardian, also caused a wave of concern.

Wayne then proceeded to map out the that he had discussed with Ada. Both of them agreed that finding Remus' base of operations was the priority for now - once they could locate it, it would make it a lot easier to formulate a proper strategy. To that end, they had decided to divide their resources. Mark would stake out the hospital in case Remus decided to pay Rain a visit. In the meantime, Ben would recon the locations that Wayne had discovered in his undercover work and see if he could get any information out the dealers - it would be risky for Wayne to return now that Remus knew him.

Wayne and Jacob would guard Ada when she returned to work. Despite their relationship, Wayne was especially concerned with Ada's safety. Remus had clearly marked her out as a target, and her press conference had obviously upset some very high up people in the human world. Considering she had almost been killed a few days ago, Wayne felt it was best to have two on her. Ada wasn't so enamoured by this, arguing that she was a cop and could take care of herself, but Wayne was adamant.

As he was outlining that part of the plan, the doorbell rang. The pizzas had arrived.