No one noticed the small kid sat in the garden, just watching, waiting for someone to pay attention. Someone to notice the dark rings under the brilliant blue eyes that looked like sea ice but there were so many others just as needy, just as alone here in the orphanage. His name was his own, Lupa. He couldn’t remember his real one the one he’d heard only a few times before the world had come crashing down on him.

Now he spent his time watching the other kids, just watching as they played, ran around, jumped and had fun. He couldn’t let himself do that, bad things had happened when he did before so they didn’t play with him anymore. Lupa always played alone, always sat alone, always ate alone, and even slept alone in a dorm all to himself with only the spiders to keep him company. The teachers were nice to him, he was treated well but when the people came to look at children, he was pushed outside into the garden as he was now.

His eyes caught the two figures walking toward him but he didn’t pay any attention to them, they weren’t here for him they’d come for someone else.
“Here he is, Lupa, Lupa lift your head up there’s someone here to see you.” Lifting his eyes from the ants he’d been studying his eyes met a face that made him wonder if he was still alive. Her hair was deep chestnut and had a white streak straight through, her eyes were bright green and looked right through him. When she spoke her voice was soft, smooth like honey.
“Lupa? Your name is Lupa, do you have another name, a last name?” Lupa just shook his small head as he took in everything about her, her hair, her clothes, and the smile that warmed her eyes. “Well Lupa, we’ve come to give you a home with us. That is if you want to.” Her hand was held out to him, he could see the whorls and patterns on her skin as if he was burning every single image to his mind, hoping that it wasn't a dream. Slowly he raised his hand to hers and felt her skin tingle against his as she gripped his hand tightly. Turning to the woman who held his hand tightly he watched her speak to the headmaster.

“How old is Lupa?” Watching as she listened and carefully weighed up everything he told her.
“As far as we know he’s just around twelve now, the family were killed in a fire and as far as we know he has no other relatives. He’s been with us for around six years now.” He felt her stiffen as the amount of time sank in and he almost let go of the hand in his when she gripped him even tighter.
“Six years. Any reason why he’s been here this long?” He could see the headmaster struggling with the hope of getting him a home and telling the truth about him.
“Lupa has some special problems, we can talk about them inside if you’d like to,” he looked at Lupa in the eye and he saw the shame burn in them. He hung his head down as they walked over to the orphanage; he pulled his hand out of hers and just stood outside the front doors. She turned and looked at him for a moment, her face unreadable from where he stood. Filled with grief he just stood and cried silently making his way back to his seat in the garden.

Marie watched Lupa walk away, the tears already flowing down his thin face; the brilliant blue clouded by their tracks. Turning to the headmaster in front of her, she followed him to his small office.
Looking around the small crowded space, her eyes met several pictures of children with new families but none held Lupa’s face smiling back out of the frame.
“Lupa has a condition that makes it difficult for him to live with other people, we have had to give him a dorm to himself. He gets rather agitated you see and he can have temper tantrums that are quite destructive.” Marie calmly listened to the headmaster thoroughly expecting her to give up on Lupa, he explained that once the adoption papers had been processed that she would be his guardian and as such, she had the responsibility for him. Calmly she levelled her gaze at him and saw his nerves twitch.

“Mr. Greenock, I understand fully what your saying but there’s nothing to stop Lupa from coming to live with me.” Playing with her wedding ring watching as it caught the light, sparkling in the drab room, a point of light in darkness. “I have my papers all ready for you to sign, everything is in order, all you need to do Mr Greenock is to allow me to take him with me.” She held his gaze and smiled inwardly as he dropped his eyes first, looking at the papers on his desk. Picking up his pen he quickly signed them, checking everything over he stood up and held out his hand to her. “I hope you’ll be happy with Lupa, your husband is he around? Wouldn’t he like to meet Lupa?” Smiling Marie answered.
“He’s meeting him right now Mr. Greenock. Now lets go get him packed yes?” Smiling and reassuring him that he was actually leaving with them, that Lupa was leaving his care at last. As they passed the front door, she caught the sight of Logan’s bike parked next to her car; she could still smell the heat from it from here. Smiling she allowed herself to be led up to the attic where Lupa’s possessions were. Wishing she could be outside to witness their first meeting, wondering which one would freak first. Smiling inside she hoped it would be Logan.

He’d rounded the corner, head down not looking where he was going and ran right into someone. Someone solid and he landed on his backside, tears making his eyes blurry he saw the bulk of someone standing over him, tall and threatening. Instinctually he cowered a little to the ground, hiding his eyes as he mumbled his apology. Shuffling backward he tried to move out of reach but didn’t make it, strong hands picked him up and moved him round into the light. Lifting his head upto the light and scrutinising him, his own eyes catching a leather jacket and a red plaid shirt but his nose catching a scent that pulled deep down into his depths. Snapping his eyes upward he met the mans gaze, his own ice blue meeting the warm hazel looking back at him, searching and understanding everything in one glance. Lupa felt his muscles relax as he stood there locked into the gaze that was weighing him up, evaluating him. The large hand brushed him down and moved over his head, cradling it feeling the weight of it through the skin.

Breaking the gaze Lupa felt drawn to the hand, the fingers or rather the knuckles and just stared at the skin in between. There was something he knew, he understood something but it was just out of reach. His own skin itching, prickling, the knawing pain beginning to burn through his body. Lupa’s eyes shot wide as he realised what was happening, pushing away from the comforting hand he ran. Ran into the gardens and away from the man who smelled like him, away from the home he’d known for most of his life. Feeling the tears fall from his eyes as the pain became too much for him to keep silent anymore, just running. Away from the others, from the eyes of the headmaster who hated him for being different, from everyone but what hurt the most was that the lady with the green eyes wouldn’t want him, not now. Not like this.

He’d been late, Marie would have some words to say to him later but he’d been going over some stuff with Bobby about the kid. He’d found him after a few months of research, a relative, distant but a relative. Pulling the bike over next to Marie’s car, he saw the looks of disapproval as he climbed off the bike and stretched himself. The clean-cut personalities were showing downright hostility to him and his world; little did they know that his world was what kept them safe at night. Not seeing Marie he went for a walk round the grounds, she’d find him eventually and they’d all go home together.
He’d just been about to try and find her when he’d been walked into, the kid fell awkwardly, his attention having been on his feet and not where he’d been going. Reaching out to the kid, he caught a glimpse of him. The shock of seeing ice blue eyes and dark hair ripping through him. The kid backed away from him, the scent of fear blooming, making the air rank. Grabbing hold of the kid before he could shuffle away he helped him up, thin scrawny almost not much more than 4ft in height the kid just stood there. Eyes downcast, tear tracks visible across his face, without even having to ask he knew this was Lupa.

Lupa.

When he’d heard the name of the kid had something had rung inside, a piece of understanding that he didn’t know he’d learned, something deep inside himself, something he knew with his blood. And here he was stood in front of him, slight, small but muscular, dark hair cut short but thick across his head. Lifting his face upto the sunlight his eyes caught Lupa’s and held them. Bright blues, like icebergs in the arctic and just as deep. Breathing in the boys scent he found an undertone, something else, something hidden. Finding his eyes telling him all he needed to know, what he was, who he was, and knowing who he was too.
The boys eyes left his and focussed on the hand he’d put on him, that had brushed him down and lifted his head up. Watching as his eyes had settled on his knuckles and knowing that he knew what was under there, could feel the metal waiting just under the skin.
Lupa’s scent spiked and he could feel the pain coursing through him, and then he was away running as fast as his legs could carry him. Out into the gardens and beyond, away from him, away from the only person who could help him understand what he was. Snarling at the thought of the kid being here for so long, so unwanted, so hurt, he took off after him, not understanding what he was doing but knowing he couldn’t leave him to face life alone, not anymore.

Feeling a little breathless after the long climb up to Lupa’s room the headmaster just unlocked the door and swung it open. The room was destroyed, the bed was shredded, the solid wooden frame broken into splinters, the walls scored with claw marks. Marie felt the breath halt in her throat as she took in the damage, walking into the room she could feel the rage in the air, the suffering the pain. Turning to the headmaster, who was just stood there looking at the walls his fingers touching the deep grooves in the plaster. “Was it like this last time you were up here?” Her voice had a cold edge to it, which he didn’t notice.
“The bed had been replaced last month, we really don’t have the budget to replace it again.” Looking around the room, she could see the damage everywhere everything destroyed, everything but a small area of space. Walking over she bent down and sifted through the curled mass of blankets, looking at the small bed he’d made for himself. A few pieces of food, a book with pictures of animals in, open at a picture of pack of wolves hunting across snow.

Snapping the book shut Marie stood up and tried to keep her composure, tried to push the feelings down that were bubbling to the surface. That they’d locked him in up here, away from everyone else because he was a mutant, because he couldn’t control his powers yet. Well he was coming with them, somewhere safe, somewhere where they wouldn’t mind what he did, wouldn’t care if he smashed up a few things. Picking out his clothes from a pile of ripped cloth she stuffed them into a blanket and handed them to the headmaster. His face almost white as they left the room, mentally replacing the word with ‘cell’ as she went down stairs and watched the other prospective families looking over the assorted children. Picking out their new addition to the family, something that would compliment their lifestyle, just like a new car. Trying to keep the bitterness out of her tone she spoke, “Could we have his medical records please? We’ll need them for our doctor, I was told you keep them here?”

He couldn’t get away fast enough, leaving her with the small bundle in her hands, her fingers already going through the thin blanket. Keeping her breathing steady as he returned with the files, smiling as she took them and walked out of the front door. Feeling clean only when she was out of the shadow of the place, opening the car and putting the blanket inside she looked around for them both. Not seeing them she reached out with her mind for Logan, using the link she had with him, the shared piece of self they both carried within themselves. What she saw made her pale and grabbing the blanket again quickly ran toward the back of the gardens.

The pain was too much to bear, everything was hurting, his nerves were on fire, skin stretched and tore, bones moved and reformed. Hair grew and prickled his skin, making it ripple as the fibres grew quickly. Snarling in the clear air hearing the movements of someone the thinking part of his mind gone, he lunged out at the sound. Feeling the solid thump of a body falling with him, his hands raking the body he held under him, feeling the flesh tear open and blood filling the air around him. Frustrated and confused he just screamed out into the body under him and fell into a world of pain.

He’d followed him as good as he could, the kid knew the territory and he didn’t but his scent lit the path like a beacon. It changed as it moved across the ground, from a child’s to a deeper note, musky, animal, not that different from his own. Letting his own animal free he followed the sounds of the boy to a small copse, searching the undergrowth for him Lupa found him first. A blur of black and pink flew out of the brush and slammed into him, the weight of it knocking some of the air out of him. Feeling the tear of claws across his stomach and the sight of Lupa’s face half formed into something else. Knowing instinctually just to hold onto him as he tried to rake him again, pulling the boy closer into him as he screamed out in pain and was still. The body losing all fight, the muscle sliding back to normal as he watched the bones reknit into their original shapes, seeing the small form twitch and be pulled around by the struggle going on under his skin. Wiping the blood away from his own midriff as the wounds healed up, the ragged edges reminding him of the wounds he’d received fighting Sabretooth. Feeling Marie coming, he pulled the boy upright, the weight easily carried. Meeting her eyes as they met and wrapped the blanket around Lupa, she looked at the blood on his shirt and he just shook his head. Smiling a tight smile, her fingers touched his face as he carried him back to the car.

As they reached the car, a small group stood near the front doors, prospective parents and young children all quietly watching the strange group in front of them. The headmaster half hidden behind others he spoke his voice echoing out over the stillness of the afternoon. “He’s your responsibility now. You’ve signed the papers and he’s yours legally, there’s no longer a place for him here.” Marie saw Logan’s stance freeze and the air around him grew dark with unresolved violence. He wanted to hurt them, wanted to show them the depth of his contempt for them and their perfect little world where children were perfect little angels. Where they didn’t have problems, didn’t have gifts that made them different, didn’t have eyes that could read your heart with a glance and make you understand why you weren’t worth the effort. Marie touched his shoulder and his head snapped round, eyes burning with anger. She just shook her head and opened the car door for him. Putting Lupa in the back of the car and making him comfortable she left Logan and walked upto the headmaster.

Calmly and coolly the crowd dispersing naturally as she approached him, her eyes piercing him through as he became open to her. “You’d better hope that I never tell my husband where you had him locked up for most of the day Mr Greenock. You really wouldn’t like to see my husband, alone.” She let the information slide into the man in front of her and looked back at Logan knowing that he could hear every word she was saying. “Believe me Mr Greenock we know what we’re doing and what we’re getting into with Lupa. Where he’s going he’ll be able to be himself without the fear you’ve bred and beaten into him.” She noticed the guilt as it ran across his face, how had she known? The smile she showed him never reached her eyes but the threat implied in her words was clear.

“If I ever hear of it again Mr Greenock and believe me I will if it happens I’ll just tell my husband to come visit. Catch up with you and give you an update on how Lupa is doing.” She moved out of the way so he could see Logan stood against his bike, eyes watching every move he made, knowing that he could cover the distance between them in a heartbeat. Moving in a little closer, she decided to leave him something to make him sweat at night. “You know when you said Lupa didn’t have any relatives? You were wrong.” She moved out of his sight line and Logan was about five feet away, all barely restrained violence and threat. His eyes burning holes in the man’s soul, imprinting him as prey into his mind. “Sleep well Mr Greenock. I know Lupa will.” Logan took her hand as they walked away to their vehicles, squeezing her hand tightly he just growled. “I know honey I know, but we have to get him home and settled in. Besides, it’s not as if we don’t already have someone waiting back at home to be fed. I’m sure Ro’ must be bored of babysitting duty by now.”

Looking at Marie he pulled her close and hugged her tightly, she hadn’t complained when he’d found out about Lupa. That he’d wanted to bring him to the cabin their home, live with their child, be part of their family. She knew how much it meant to him, to have this link, to the family he knew he had to have somewhere. Wiping away a little tear from his eye, she hugged him and climbed into the car, turning the engine over into life she pulled away. Leaving him with the bike and the headmaster trying to avoid his gaze trying to regain his composure but he knew he’d be back. Not this year, maybe not next but he’d be back with Lupa when he was ready. Starting the engine and feeling the vibration soothe his nerves; he sped away from the orphanage, leaving the taste of death behind him.

The journey toward home was quiet, Lupa woke after a couple of hours, his skin sheened in sweat and a dazed look in his eyes. Taking a quick look in her mirror, she saw Logan following not far behind, sending a thought of food out to him she saw his hand raise in acknowledgement. They’d stop at the next restaurant they could. Ten minutes later they were pulling into an old roadside diner, its paint scuffed and weathered, the trucks in the car park mixed with family cars. As she got out of the car, a sign almost made her get back into the car and find somewhere else. ‘NO MUTANTS WELCOME’ shone out from a white and blue placard. They’d been cropping up increasingly but they needed to eat and she wouldn’t be put off by someone’s view. Lupa just looked out of the window of the car and didn’t move, he made no effort to look at the building, his eyes were drawn to the fields either side of it. Hunched and small he’d managed to dress himself in a hooded sweatshirt with a faded band logo on it. Opening the door for him, Marie just stood to one side waiting for him to notice her.

Hearing Logan’s bike pull up she turned to see him switch off the engine and stretch his back. Leaving the door open she went over and gave him a hug, still feeling the rage burning through him she decided to warn him first. “The F.O.H have been here hon, one of their signs is next to the front door. Just thought I’d warn ya.” She kissed him quickly and turned back to the car door. Lupa was still sat in there, curled up in a ball, knees tucked under his chin. Reaching inside she touched his shoulder. His eyes met hers, the fear evident in them, he was alone, away from where he was used to and now they were going inside somewhere where he wasn’t welcome. “Lupa, come on honey we have to get something to eat or we’re not going to make it home.” His eyes swung to the sign and back to her own, she turned and looked at the placard. “Ignore it Lupa, it’s for stupid people who don’t understand that everyone is a mutant, we’re all different and that makes us a mutant from the next person. Besides we have Logan.”

She moved a little so he could see him behind her, watching him as his eyes were scanning the car park looking for threats weighing up the possibilities. Gaining confidence he shuffled out of the seat and held out his hand to her to hold. Smiling Marie gripped it and shut the car door, central locking the whole thing with a beep. Slapping Logan on the rear as she passed him, “Come on lets get you guys some food before you start hunting for your own. I wonder if they have pie?” Hearing a slight chuff from Logan she just laughed and looked down at Lupa, a nervous smile was etched on his lips as they entered the diner.

Half an hour later there were plates stacked on their small table. Lupa managing to eat everything that was put in front of him even managing to swipe a piece of food from Logan’s own plate. Marie having to hold in her giggles as Logan noticed and watched as Lupa stuffed the food in quickly, in an attempt to hide the crime. Growling softly, he guarded the rest of his dinner, Lupa copying him. Darkness was softening the sky and Lupa seemed to relax a little, dropping his shoulders, opening up a little more he met their gazes with his own. Marie broke the silence first. “Well we should get home around 10 if we just drive, if we have to stop it’ll be about 12 before we get in. So I think we’d better just fuel up, get rested and go. I’ve got to get that training program started tomorrow Logan and Amber needs that new playpen building, the last one wasn’t strong enough, she kicked her way out of it.” Logan smiled at the image of his baby daughter kicking her way out of her playpen, the one he’d built from solid lumber. He met Marie’s gaze and smiled. “I’ll make something more substantial this time, something she can’t destroy so easily.”
“You said that about the cradle and look what she ended up sleeping in.” They both remembered the sight of their daughter sleeping in an old metal munitions box, her feet would dent the end but at least she couldn’t destroy it. Her powers tended to be erratic, one moment she seemed a very normal toddler, the next she was crushing something in her hands. It had made life very interesting for them.

Lupa put down his fork and just sat there, his eyes downcast, it took a second for him to realise that they had a child already. So why did they want him? Why was he going with them? If they already had a family why was he around? Tears began to flow from his eyes and landed on the now empty plate in front of him, his stomach churning the food in there. Keeping his head lowered as they moved and paid for the food, he wasn’t going to make it any worse. He was just going to sit in the car and see what happened. Logan looked at him and his gaze went right through him, Lupa knew he could tell what he was thinking, what he was feeling and he saw his face tighten as they walked out of the diner. He felt Logan’s hand on his shoulder hold him still as they left. Turning to him in the light from the diner Logan could see the whole of Lupa there in his eyes.
“You’re MY family too Lupa. It took us a while to find you but you’re part of it and we’re not going to leave you behind. Amber is our daughter and we love her dearly but you are part of that family now. No-one is above anyone else Lupa, remember that.” Feeling the food in his stomach settle again he turned to see the lady stood there with her arms open just waiting for him. Looking once at Logan, he ran over and was held for the first time in years. Tears running freely from him, washing the pain from his insides. Listening to her voice as she soothed him and spoke to him.

“Oh Lupa honey, you’re part of our family now. Yes we have Amber but you’re just as important to us. I’m just sorry it took us so long to find you, life wasn’t so good there was it?” He looked up into her open eyes and the tears that glittered in the corners of them. He just shook his head and buried his face in her side, feeling the warmth coming from her just relaxing into it. Scenting Logan as he wrapped himself around them both, his solidity making them both feel safe. Standing under the darkening sky, watching as the stars came out, all of them silently giving thanks that they were together.


It was 11.30pm by the time they got home, the lights were on in the kitchen and they walked up the path toward it. Lupa being held close to Marie’s side as they walked, Logan bringing up the rear carrying the few possessions that Lupa had. Looking through them, he found a small photograph of Lupa as a baby being held by his parents. Studying the picture, he couldn’t find any clues from it, but maybe Lupa could tell him something about them. Looking at the pair of them in front of him he felt his heart pull, his past and future together wrapped up neatly in a little family. Hoping that they all could cope with what he’d seen back at the orphanage.

A piercing shriek met their ears as they entered the kitchen and a very stressed out Ororo met them with a very active and wriggling Amber. Almost flinging herself out of her arms and into Marie’s, the young toddler grabbing Marie’s hair and playfully pulling. “Hey Amber, yes I know honey we’re home. Look here’s your brother Lupa, you remember Lupa? When we talked about a new brother?” The little girls eyes focussed on the boy who was holding onto her mother, a huge grin erupted from her face and she flung herself into him. Her arms and legs wrapping round the small boy, “LUPA!” her voice almost shrill as she clung to the small frame. Her hands exploring his hair, her eyes met his and she stopped.

Calming down completely and just looking at him, looking through and into him her little face smiling as she processed the information about him she was picking up from her senses. About to form the words she wanted to say when they were forgotten as Logan walked in through the door. Struggling to be free, she was lowered to the floor and toddled over as fast as she could to him. “Daddy!” putting the meagre possessions down on the kitchen surface he turned to Amber, looking at her dark hair and eyes. A blend of her parents, her mothers eyes and mouth, his stocky frame and dark hair. Watching as her fingers dug into his trousers begging to be picked up, bending down to her level he just growled at her. Making the rumble go through her small frame, listening to the laugh it always elicited from her. Holding his arms out to her, she buried herself in their comfort, snuggling down into his shirt and smelling blood. Her head snapped up to meet his face, “Daddy have a boo-boo?” Smiling at her concern he picked her up and held her close to him as he answered. “No Amber, Daddy’s fine.” Looking across the room to Lupa, he noticed the young boy hung his head down at the mention of the incident. Looking over to Marie, he caught her talking to Ororo about the sleeping arrangements for the night. They were planning to leave Lupa in the school tonight. Not a good idea in his book, he knew what Lupa would think and decided to put his opinion forward.

“It’s not a good idea Marie, Lupa’s going to be staying with us tonight.” Juggling Amber in one arm he looked at her sleepy face and turned back to them. “Amber can bed down here for the night, you know she gets cranky when we move her around too much. She’s been here for a night already and it won’t hurt her.” He could see the sense of his words sinking in and Marie nodded.
“Okay but your going to come and get her tomorrow. I can’t I’ve too much to do already.” Turning to Ororo Marie spoke, “Is that okay with you? Can she stay in the nursery again?” Ororo walked over to Amber, pulled the sleepy child from her father’s arms and heard the shirt tear. Amber was holding the button side of the shirt like a comforter, rubbing it against her face and falling asleep. Stifling a laugh, she just walked away with her out of the kitchen and up to bed. “See you in the morning Ro’.” Marie was openly laughing now as Logan tried to salvage something of the shirt; even Lupa found the sight amusing. His eyes met his and he spoke, “Yeah she can be a little hard on clothing, so if you want to keep it, keep her hands off it.” Sighing he just pulled his jacket closed and made for the door, “You coming?”
“Yeah Logan I’ll be along in bit I’ve just got to go talk to Xavier for a while. Something I want him to be aware of.” Her eyes swept over Lupa and back to his, he understood her meaning, walking over to Lupa putting his hands on his shoulders. “Come on Lupa, let’s go home.”

The cabin was set back in the trees, although it was hidden from the path the people in the cabin could see anyone on the path from any point. Climbing through the underbrush Logan took the short cut upto his front door, noting that Lupa was following his every footstep. He was moving easily through the terrain, breathing steadily, his scent calm and even. A breeze brought a familiar scent to his nose and he froze on the slope, his hand reaching out behind him and catching Lupa mid step. Lupa didn’t make a sound as they both stood still, senses open and scanning the underbrush. The summer foliage hiding lots of noises and forms from their gaze. Then it appeared in front of them, standing upwind of them, a deer. Looking so fragile on its small feet it crossed their path slowly and sure footed on the slope. Turning his head to look at Lupa he saw the boy follow every movement it made, nose held out scenting the air around it. He made no sound, his body relaxed and his eyes wide in the almost darkness. Knowing he could see the deer, smell it, sense it as completely as he could. Then it was gone, eaten up again by the darkness of the forest that surrounded them. Tapping Lupa lightly, they resumed their journey to the cabin.

Opening the door with a swipe card, he quickly punched the alarm code into the wall and the little red light next to the door stopped flashing. Flicking on the lights the room was revealed, comfortable old sofa’s sat across from each other a skin rug in between. The walls were decorated with simple art pieces, some native some foreign, the fireplace yawned emptily, a few photographs stood on top of the rugged mantle. Lupa stood just inside the door, holding his bundle close to his chest, his breath a little quick, eyes scanning everywhere, unsure what to do. Logan picked up his unease.
“Sit down Lupa, it’s okay I’m not going to bite you. This is your home now, relax a little.” He moved to the fireplace and began pulling out kindling and paper from the bin next to the fireplace. He could feel Lupa’s eyes watching his every movement. “Nights get cold up here even in summer. We always have a fire here, you're going to need to know how to do this so why don’t you come and help?”

The house was warm. It felt lived in, welcoming; their smells were everywhere. He could feel the air in the house moving through him, calming his nerves, soothing them. The beams above his head reminding him of his old home in the orphanage, but here they were painted golden with light, not dark and forbidding, not bars to hold him in. Making his way slowly to the sofa nearest the fireplace he watched as Logan tore paper, twisted it and piled it in the fireplace, building a small pyramid of kindling around it. Logan watched him as he built the fire; “This will be one of your jobs Lupa, to keep the fireplace going. It’s a responsible job, if there’s no fire there’s no hot water. No hot water means cold showers and that makes for a very cranky Marie. So it’s best to keep the fire banked up.” As the flames took, hold he put more kindling on the pile, making sure it got enough air. Only putting the larger pieces on when he was sure that the fire had taken. Brushing his hands clean he turned to Lupa, who was watching him and the smoke coming from the fire. “So how long were you there Lupa?” His tone soft and questioning. Licking his lips Lupa opened his mouth, willing the words to come out.

“Since I was small. I don’t know exactly from when.” His voice was small, quiet, almost a whisper; his eyes were locked on the smoke pouring out of the green wood. Logan didn’t reply he just sat there looking at him. The silence building until he felt it become unbearable. “I heard her say you’re my relative. Why didn’t you come before now?” The pain in the boys voice filled the air, cutting him to the bone, flaying the skin from him. Logan looked into the cool blue eyes that were filled with hurt.
“I didn’t know I was a relative until two weeks ago Lupa. I’ve been looking for family a long time and we found you.” Logan moved his gaze to the fire and his features darkened a little. “I’m just sorry I didn’t find you sooner.” Lupa could feel the guilt under his hatred for the place he’d come from, he understood the feelings that were pouring off this man who’d come to welcome him into his home, his life. A stranger related to him in some way but the same as he was inside. He still felt cautious, still a little afraid of the man in front of him but deep inside he knew he’d never hurt him intentionally. Turning his own gaze to the fire he just watched the flames lick and devour the wood, the hypnotic sound and smell lulling him to sleep. Filling his dreams full of autumn bonfires at the orphanage, the smell of the winter coming across the garden where he loved to play, only this time he wasn’t alone there he had family.

Logan watched Lupa fall asleep on the sofa, his small body unknotting and relaxing into the old beat up sofa. His hands still clutching his small bundle as if it was his anchor in this strange new world. He was still watching him sleep when Marie came in, looking tired and worn. He heard her punch in her code and lock the door tightly behind her, stifling a yawn she made her way over to the fire. Looking over the back of the sofa Lupa was curled up on she caught his attention and nodded to the kitchen. Watching her walk away through to the small kitchen he pushed off the floor and followed her.
Finding her in the fridge with her rear stuck out he smiled and slapped it, hard. Seeing her head shoot up and a frown covering her face he just laughed and said ‘Diner’.

Pulling out the plate she’d been searching for, she brought it over to the central table in the small kitchen. Sitting across from him, she spoke. “Well the thing is Xavier was waiting for us to arrive and he was already scanning us when were driving up here.” Logan grunted his disapproval as he helped himself to the plates contents. Maries eyes hit his and she continued. “Yes I know you don’t like it but it’s part of the security Logan, something you yourself advised if I’m not mistaken. Anyway there’s not much to tell really, what he could glean from Lupa was a miserable existence. Separated from the rest of the children, beaten, locked up most of the day, basically what we expected.” Marie paused and Logan picked up her scent of hesitation and looked straight through her.
“What?” Marie sighed and picked up a piece of salad from the plate. Chewing the piece thoughtfully, she answered.
“Xavier told me Lupa isn’t a mutant. Not in the conventional sense, he does have the mutant gene his records showed that. It’s how his mutation shows itself.” She took a breath and looked him in the eyes. “He’s a shapechanger.” Logan stopped chewing and swallowed the information along with his food. She could see him weighing the information up in his head.
“Like Mystique?”
“No. Not like Mystique, she had scales that change her outward appearance, but underneath she’s still there. Lupa changes completely, there’s a small file in his notes that Jean read to me, his changes were small at first. The first one occurred when he was eight.”

The day had been long and Marie looked totally worn and tired but she had to tell him what she’d found out. He needed to know this, especially after Lupa’s reaction to him earlier that day. “He slashed a boy across the chest. He was reacting to a taunt apparently, he just got angry lashed out and ran away. He never even saw the damage he did to the other boy. Luckily it was only grazing but the orphanage then decided to remove his contact from the other students. That’s when he got his own ‘dorm’.” She knew Logan was listening to every single word and she could see his mind going through the days he’d been left in that room away from everyone. Reaching out she touched his arm and saw the hatred burning in him, the desire to tear the people apart for doing harm to Lupa, to his family. Walking round the table Marie pulled his hands round her waist and lifted his head to meet her gaze.

“Hey, he’s safe here. He’s with us now, that’s all that matters right now.” She could see the sense of her words sinking into him but she could still feel the aggression just under the surface of his skin, primed and ready. “Fancy burning off a little energy?” Her smile caught his eye and he looked up into her tired face, knowing she wasn’t really upto it but she’d offered him the only comfort she could right at that moment.
Standing up, his arms still wrapped around her waist he kissed her long and hard, feeling her melt into him, forming herself around his body. Sending his senses reeling with her touch but knowing she was tired and it wouldn’t be fair on either of them. Breaking the kiss and releasing her a little from his grasp, he just smiled. “Maybe you ought to get to bed now. You’re up in about five hours. I’ll sleep down here tonight, I’ve a feeling Lupa might need to be calmed when he wakes up. Leave us asleep if you find us like that when you come down.” Kissing him quickly she unwrapped herself and made her way to the back stairs, “Okay as long as you remember to pick up Amber tomorrow morning as soon as your ready. You know how she gets when your not there first thing.”

Disappearing up the stairs to bed, he remembered the first day he hadn’t been there to greet Amber, she’d screamed the house down and it took Marie almost two hours to calm her down. Amber had been better about it recently but she still had days when she needed to see him as soon as she woke. He found it calming to know that she needed him, that Amber wanted him just as much as her mother did.
Switching off the kitchen light and sitting in the sofa across from Lupa’s sleeping form he wondered what his face would have been like if he’d changed completely. What would he have looked like? Would he have been human or something else, whatever he was he needed to go slowly, try to get him to talk about it. This was going to be difficult, even harder than trying to keep Amber penned in. Looking at the fire and adding another log to the embers, he prepared to wait the night out, listening to the sounds of the fire and the steady soft breathing of Lupa. Looking at the small boy’s form he went and brought out a blanket he used when he slept downstairs, it was a relic. The weave was worn and the design was Indian but it had a comforting presence for him maybe it would for Lupa too. Wrapping the blanket round Lupa his eyes were drawn to the small scars round the back of Lupa’s neck. Pushing his head forward a little his eyes saw a pattern he recognised, shifting Lupa’s head back onto the sofa he reconsidered visiting the orphanage sooner rather than later. Settling in his chair across from the boy, Logan scowled as he thought of the things the boy had been put through.

His eyes never left him through the long night, watching each twitch and dream, seeing the changes ripple through him as he dreamed. He watched as Lupa’s feet twisted into paws and back again, the long nails shredding the sofa cushions. Logan watched the process, absorbing it all in the half-light the fire gave to the room. Six am rolled around and he heard Marie getting herself ready for her day. He hadn’t slept but he didn’t feel any worse for wear, in fact, he felt more awake than ever. Sensing that Lupa was starting to wake up he closed his own eyes for a while, deciding to play possum. Eyes closed relying on his senses to tell him what was happening, he heard Marie’s footsteps as she came down stairs and walked over to him and Lupa. He could smell her warmth from here and he suppressed a growl in his throat, mornings had been their usual time to be together. Last nights late arrival had scuppered that plan, it was nice to know that Marie’s body still knew the score. He heard her fuss over Lupa, her hands brushing the old blanket knowing the half smile she would have on her face after she knew he’d rescued his old blanket from one of her cleaning raids.

Periodically Marie tried to throw it away but it would always end up back in the cupboard. Sighing he heard her turn and knew she was watching him, she bent closer to him and he heard her whisper. “I know your not asleep Logan, I know when you’re faking you old possum you.” Her hand pulled his whiskers playfully. “Don’t forget to pick up Amber and take Lupa for his medical. Jean’s expecting him around 9am.” Kissing the side of his face she just chuckled and made her way out of the cabin.

He waited until he heard her car pull away to open his eyes again, as he did his gaze met the blurry one of Lupa’s. Seeing the confusion settle and then melt away as he remembered where he was. His eyes wide as he looked at the room in the coming dawn light, burning it in to his memory. Moving his feet, he felt the tears and his eyes filled with fear, instantly finding Logan’s and waiting for his reaction. Pushing himself out of his chair, he cracked his back, neck and shoulders, seeing Lupa shrink into the sofa as his body moved. Comfortable again he stretched, yawned and looked at the frightened face of Lupa. He was expecting something, a punishment, a physical blow not an invite to breakfast. “You hungry? I’m starving, lets see if Marie left us anything.”

Lupa watched Logan walk to the kitchen, his toes feeling the rips he’d put in the fabric, the long deep tears in the foam. He couldn’t not know about them, the blanket had moved and he’d been able to see them. So why hadn’t he said something? His stomach growled and he felt the bone gnawing emptiness that always followed a night of changes. It was as if his whole system was starving, he’d always kept a few pieces of candy next to his bed, and it sometimes took a few bars to get him out of bed some days.

Unwrapping himself from the warm blanket he padded to the kitchen, his nose already telling him that bacon was cooking. As he entered the small compact kitchen, he saw the two plates already stacked with eggs and toast. Sensing his presence Logan spoke. “You planning on leaving us so soon?” Lupa looked confused as Logan turned round forking bacon onto the plates. His eyes drifted down to Lupa’s own hands, his blanket was still clutched in his hand. Almost apologetically, he looked for somewhere to put it down. Noticing his discomfort Logan just sat down at the table and started on his breakfast. Lupa placed his bundle on a spare chair and sat down in front of the plate, his eyes watching Logan’s every movement. Not touching the food in front of him although he knew he was starving.

Noticing that he wasn’t eating Logan swiped a piece of bacon back from his plate. “If you don’t want it just say so. I’m not a cereal type of guy I’m afraid.” Waving the piece of bacon in front of Lupa’s nose, “Besides I’m owed a piece from yesterday,” smiling as he spoke. Breaking through the quiet exterior into the smile, he’d seen yesterday covering Lupa’s face. Picking up his bacon Lupa stuffed in the still warm slices, drooling as the taste filled his mouth. Lupa powered through the breakfast, cleaning his plate completely licking off the bacon juices.

Smiling as he watched Logan hoped that Lupa did that later when Marie was around, he could just see her face trying not to laugh while trying to stop Amber from copying Lupa. Putting his plate down on the table, Lupa pushed away from the table and taking the now empty plate to the sink placing it in carefully. “Feeling better?” Lupa nodded and smiled. “Come on time to get you cleaned up and into some new clothes.” Lupa picked up his bundle and followed Logan up the back staircase. The stairs were small but light, picked out with small pieces of carved artwork in the panelling. A butterfly on the turn of the stairs, a moth on the return wall, an owl on the top of the stairs. Lupa’s eyes took it all in, drinking in the details of the cabin, even the feel of the boards under his feet.
Walking down the long top corridor they stopped outside a room, watching as Logan opened the door Lupa just stood there, unsure of what he’d find behind the door. Lifting his eyes from the floor and into the room, he saw a large solid bed, a wardrobe, a small desk and computer terminal, shelves with an assortment of books. A door was ajar and looked to be the bathroom, a private bathroom. Looking at Logan he just gulped and desperately wanted to know if it was real, that this was his. Putting his hand on his shoulder Logan’s eyes met his and he squeezed his shoulder, nodding ever so slightly as he did so.

Letting go of Lupa Logan watched the boy take in everything, the bed, the carpet, and the books. “We’ll be going to the big house soon Lupa, there’s people you need to meet and I’ve got to pick up Amber. So I’ll be back in half an hour, there’s clothes in the wardrobe for you and socks and stuff in the drawers.” With that, he left him in the room, gently closing the door on him, hoping he’d cope with it all. Coming from nothing to this, from a place where he was treated like an animal to where he was a member of a family and wanted. Diving into the bathroom for his shower, he hoped the fire had heated enough water for them both after Marie’s shower this morning.

After a tepid shower he knocked on the door of Lupa’s room, his hair stuck up in its usual unruly mess and a new shirt on that looked almost the same as the one he’d had to trash. “Lupa?” There wasn’t any answer from the room, the air had changed and he breathed in deeply. There was a heavy scent of fear in the air, trying to keep the concern out of his voice, he asked again. “Lupa you ready to go?” Trying the door the handle turned and he found Lupa sat on the bed quietly crying. His face red and the remains of a shirt in his hands, the long strips moving gently in the movement of his hands. The shape of his claws visible through the material, his hands splayed wide, fingers distended and covered in downy fur. Lupa didn’t raise his head as Logan walked in the room, he didn’t speak to him he just walked to the drawers, pulled out another shirt and handed it to him. After a few moments, Lupa took the shirt and he could see the full changes to his hands. The fingers were strong, thick, the nails hardened into claws slightly curving at the ends.

Logan watched as Lupa pulled on the shirt, noticing the scars that covered his skin and suppressing the rage, he felt underneath. He didn’t know how he’d gotten those and he’d wait until Jean had done her exam before he asked any questions. Looking at him sat in shame, the ruined shirt laid by his side. Lupa’s eyes found his “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, it’s just that I was in a hurry and I….” He trailed off into silence, expecting a reprimand, something to happen that he didn’t deserve. Logan could see the fear in him, it filled the air and he sat next to Lupa the ruined shirt between them both.
“It’s okay, accidents happen. It’s expected. Just don’t rush next time, take as much time as you need.” He could feel his heartbeat slow as the time of punishment left and Lupa began to trust that he wasn’t going to be hurt. “Does this happen often? Your changes?” Lupa didn’t speak for a while, when he did it was quietly.
“Not as often as they are now. It was once or twice a month, now it’s nearly everyday.” Lupa’s eyes met his and the emotions poured out afterward. “You’re not going to take me back are you? I mean your not mad at me for the shirt and…” he paused unsure he should tell about the sofa. Logan filled the blanks for him.
“The sofa?” Lupa nodded and hung his head down pulling his eyes away from his. Sighing Logan put his hand on Lupa’s back and could feel the involuntary move away from his touch. “It’s alright. You should’ve seen the mess I’ve made of places.” The moment of uncertainty resolved for the present Logan got up and held out his hand for Lupa to follow him. Lupa got up his bare feet brushing against the carpet, shuffling forward Logan noticed that they were bare and slightly furred, the toes elongated and hooked over. The shredded pair of shoes tucked under the towel on his desk chair, raising his eyebrow at the sight Logan just sighed. “Looks like we’ll be borrowing some of Hanks old shoes for a while. That is until we can find you something that won’t hurt you everytime you change.” Lupa’s face was bright red. “Come on, we’ll take the soft route to the school.”

As they left the front door, making sure the locks were engaged he took another look at Lupa’s feet. They were broader, stronger and looked more than capable of walking or running down to the school. Looking at his own boots, the worn leather and the almost second skin feel they had to them. Lupa was looking out over the valley, taking in everything the night had hidden from him. The trees, the birds singing, the scent of the world around him, everything a huge garden for him to explore. Smiling he turned to see Logan with his boots hung round his neck, his own feet brown skinned and strong under him. “Ready?” Lupa smiled and set out down the hill, the feel of the dew-moistened grass under their feet making them both smile and slip.

The kitchen was in full swing when they got there, food was being taken out to the dining hall and Jubilee was doing her best to organise several younger pupils to eat their breakfasts without throwing it around the room. Amber was sat in a small chair at the table edge; her concentration fixed on a piece of toast. Kids and teachers were trying to get children organised and food eaten; ensuring a mess was being made everywhere there was space.
Both of them crept in and just watched the melee around them, it took Amber 30 seconds to recognise her fathers scent in the crowded room. “DADDY!” The ear-piercing cry rang out over the noise and the silence that followed it was filled by a very proud Logan making a fuss of his now wide-awake, squeaking daughter. Lupa hung back near to the door, his eyes not meeting anyone’s gaze. Plucking Amber from her seat Logan hefted her easily and scanned the room, Jubilee was still trying to fend off food from the other toddlers that were sat at the table.

Ororo was ferrying food backwards and forwards, Kurt’s tail could be seen lashing around as he was on breakfast duty and it annoyed him. Lupa just stood with his head lowered and tried to make himself part of the wall, turning to him with Amber in his arms Logan lifted his head. "You keep your head up here Lupa.” The words were spoken in a tone that reverberated through him, like a soft growl, all feeling and sensation. Amber giggled as she pulled on his whiskers, seeing her father wince with each tug until he growled into her stomach making her laugh. Happy with the attention she diverted her attention to his shirt buttons, playing with the round shapes and testing her strength on them. Luckily she was normal today and they stayed where they were meant to.

“Come on Lupa we’ve got to go see the doc.” Logan felt Lupa’s resistance “Believe me you’ll like her, besides Amber has to go for her tests too today. Maybe we’ll find out exactly why her powers keep coming and going.” As they passed Jubilee she held up a remote control for Logan to see and just smiled. Logan nodded and understood another piece of nursery equipment had bitten the dust, last time it had been the Tv. Amber wanted to change the channel and unfortunately pushed the whole control panel in. That wasn’t the problem, the channel had been stuck on Barney for the whole day driving Jubilee crazy. Although she’d had her revenge when she’d caught him humming a tune from the ‘Barney Goes Camping’ video. She whistled a bar from it as he left the room laughing as she heard the growl come from the corridor.

The medical bay was like a second home; he’d spent so much time in here over the last few years. Jean was waiting with her equipment set out and ready as they walked in. Lupa was scared and Logan knew it. Quickly handing Amber over to her godmother he went over to the raised table and patted it, “Up.” Lupa just did it without thinking, climbing up on the table he shivered looking around the strange room, at the equipment, at the strange woman with red hair and stranger eyes. Her smell unnerved him, there was something wrong with her, something hidden he didn’t trust.

Reaching out to Logan his fingers gripped his arm and the claws dug in lightly, just pricking the skin. Wide eyed he pulled Logan nearer, “Please don’t leave me alone.” His tone was full of fear, his eyes kept glancing at Jean and Amber, his eyes watching Jeans every movement. He was terrified of Jean, or was it the medical coat? He wondered if they could do this another time, he could feel Lupa’s heartbeat speeding up, his scent was deepening again. Then Amber was seated next to him and Lupa calmed, his arm reflexly wrapping protectively around her, hugging her close to him. Hearing her laugh as she snuggled into his shirt, her voice muffled by the material. “Lupa, Lupa, doggie Lupa. Lupa smell like Daddy.” Her dark eyes met his and she was quiet as Jean prepared to draw blood from them both. Coming over with the needle, she prepared Amber first.
“Seeing as she’s quiet we’ll do you first Amber, now hold still.” Amber calmly watched the needle enter her arm and the blood flow out into the tube.
“Red!”
“That’s right Amber it’s red, blood is red.” She looked up into Lupa’s eyes and winked “Well almost all the time.” The sample taken she wiped the area clean again and put a small plaster over the mark. “There all done. You want to see Lupa’s blood now?” At the mention of his blood, Lupa jumped and his grip on Logan’s arm deepened, the claws sinking in a little. Moving his arm around Lupa, he gently stroked the back of his shoulders, easing the tension there. His eyes finding his, the calmness he felt here moving through him and into Lupa. “I’m here, she won’t hurt you. I won’t let her.” Jeans eyes flicked up from the tray and met Logan’s, his gaze was all steel, he meant every word he’d said.

Jean quickly scanned the surface of Lupa’s mind, there was a figure stood over Lupa, white coated, needle in hand, a chain round Lupa’s own throat holding him tight. Straps covering his arms, fear, pain, anger and blood. Feeling the wash leave her she smiled and walked away to the drawers. Shrugging off her whites she pulled out a green surgeon disposable, putting everything on a tray she went back and held it in front of Lupa. Her every movement was watched by Logan and she threw a thought his way,

“Right Lupa, everything on here is what we’re going to use this morning. I need to take some blood from you so we can see what mutant genes you have and if you have anything wrong with you. I’ll be testing your heartbeat, your breathing and your fitness today. I’ll explain everything to you before you do it so if you don’t want to you don’t have to. Is that okay? Do you want to ask me anything?” Lupa glanced quickly from Jean to Logan.
“Your not going to hurt me are you?” Jean smiled and reached out for him but Lupa pulled away from her hand. The hurt that he moved away from her visible on her face as she replied.
“No Lupa I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to do and Logan is going to be here with you while we do this.” Lupa turned to look at Logan, feeling the rumble of the purr that came from him, soothing his nerves settling him. Amber was playing with Lupa’s hand touching the claws, feeling them, and testing them with her own fingers. Lupa looked at her, her small face trying to work out how they did what they did, her little voice bright and cheery in the sterile surroundings.
“Lupa has Hank hands.”
Logan answered her.“Yeah honey, Hank hands and Hank feet.” He pointed to the bare feet swinging off the edge of the table. Amber’s face screwed up and thought a while as Jean took her blood sample from Lupa.
“Why don’t I have Hank feet?” Her small face full of questions as she looked at the clawed feet.
“Because your not me Amber.” The voice was rich and deep and filled the room with its tone. Amber squeaked wriggling out of Lupa’s arm she dropped to the floor and ran to meet the stranger who’d just entered the room.
“Morning Hank.” Logan didn’t even turn his attention away from Jean or Lupa he knew Hank would come over and introduce himself.

Lupa was just watching Jean wrap the arm cuff around his arm when he heard his name being called. Turning his head his eyes met the amber gaze of Dr Hank McCoy and he felt his blood turn into fire. A strangled gasp released itself from his lips as the change took him, twisting his body across the table. Logan barked, “Get Amber out of here Hank, NOW!” Quickly picking up Amber Hank left the room.
Lupa’s face was twisted in fear, his bones reforming, twisting, breaking with audible snaps, his skin furring up, the hand gripping his arm digging in deeply, the nails gouging deep almost scoring the metal that covered his bones. Holding him tightly down to the table they both watched as his body reformed under their gaze, muscles moved, formed, tightened. The pain making Lupa cry out with it until he could no longer face it and blacked out.
His body still moving, still changing as nerves and skin moved. Finally finishing with a shape that both of them knew, but had only thought was legend. His face completely changed the fur still soft and downy on his skin, a dark soft covering slowly rising and falling with his breath. Jean caught Logan’s eye and held it.
“Well at least we know what he is now.” Her face was pale as she ran her hand over the dark fur. “We’ll need to run more tests Logan, better that he’s asleep while we do them. Any idea why he turned so quickly?” Logan looked right through her, his voice low and serious as he answered.
“Yeah I do but I’m going to have to talk to Hank first.” His face softened as he saw the muscles twitch on Lupa, the pain he knew he’d gone through and would go through again when he changed back. “Get the tests started Jean, be quick. He can’t take much more.” His hands rested on the now barrel chest of the boy he knew to be his family, if this was his family what did that make him?

The ground was flying under his feet, everything was alive with new scents, trees shone like never before. The sky was so bright it hurt to look on it, even the ground was alive, it buzzed under his feet, all four of them. The thought of him having four feet seemed wrong but the monumental overload of stimuli blocked the thought out, drowning it with the flow of information that was surging through him. Nerves fired and he could feel his tail moving as he ran, steadying him as he ran over the rough ground. Running for the sheer joy of it, feeling the air slide past him like water, knowing that animals were scattering because of him. Scenting their fear trails that lit up the air in front of him like beacons in the dark. Laughing as he ran, his tongue lolling to one side, his feet eating up the forest floor not wanting to stop, to think, just to ‘be’.
The voice interrupted him, making him skid into a pile of leaves. Shaking his ears clear he just sat and listened, raising his nose he sniffed the air and found nothing but the woods. About to move off again he found himself rooted to the ground. Fear sounded out of him his whines being lost in the trees as he struggled to be free.
Blinking he found it hard to keep his eyes open, the sunlight was so warm and he’d been running for ages. Tiredness worked through his body, making him slump forward onto his forepaws. Curling his tail round his nose Lupa let sleep take him, as the sun warmed the dark fur on his back, blending him into the forest floor.

Xavier’s hands were wrapped around Lupa’s head, the delicate fingers lost within the dark fur of his skull. Jean was getting the results from the tests she’d run on the samples she’d taken from him earlier. Lupa’s body was stretched out on the table, his form almost hanging off the end of it. Sleek fur covered his entire body; thin strong muscles twitched in sleep, his muzzle was open slightly, breath even and deep. Logan watched as Xavier released his hands from Lupa’s deep black fur, his face failing to hide the pain he’d felt from the child in front of him. Clearing his throat, he began.
“Lupa’s calm now, his mind is asleep. There’s so much inside him that’s alien to me; it’s as if his mind is split in two. There’s the human Lupa and there’s the other, this Lupa.” His hands waved to the sleeping form on the table. “He’s a mutant yes, but one that’s been around for many hundreds of years. Something we all thought were legend or medical curiosities, he is what he seems to be. It does make you wonder how the legends first started though and how long they’ve been hiding in the main population.”
Xavier’s cool grey eyes met Logan’s own. “It could account for why you have such abilities Logan, your ageing, your strength, your ability to heal, your rages.”

The statements rang home to him it did fit a few questions he’d asked himself over the years. Maybe the Adamantium on his bones had stopped him from changing, the damn stuff was unbreakable, maybe he’d been meant to change too or had he in the past before the metal had been put on his bones? There were still parts of his memory that were locked away from him, maybe Lupa would be able to help him unlock them. His eyes scanned the body in front of him, long lean legs, feet splayed and paw like, knees bent forward. Barrel chested, strong arms and hands, the power in his body obvious but his size was the main thing, he’d grown two feet in the change. He was six feet tall like this, normally Lupa was just over 4ft tall and he still had growing to do. What would he be like when he was a fully-grown adult?

Jean came over with her printout and stepped between the two of them her hands a little shaky and her voice a little shaky too. “I think you should see this.” Handing the results to them both Logan just saw the graphs and charts as nonsense but Xavier’s face paled a little and his lips tightened.
“What?” Logan’s tone was harsher than he’d wanted it to be but he felt frustrated at not knowing what to do. Xavier brought his gaze up from the paper and met his face.
“Lupa is older than 12 Logan, he’s twenty at least compared to a normal human child. His gene markers are very close to your own Logan, he’s a blood relative at least a child of a brother or sister. You share twenty markers in your blood including the mutant one, although Lupa has a set you don’t have. I’m betting that those are the ones that enable his changes.”

Jean interrupted. “The problem is this, every time he changes his body basically eats itself to reform itself into the new shape. That’s why he’s so small and his age hasn’t changed, the body can’t keep doing it on the diet he was getting. He’s showing at least three major vitamin deficiencies and his protein intake was nearly none existent. I think we should get someone else to go and see this place where he came from, someone with some authority.” Logan’s voice cut through the air like a heavy weight.
“It’s State run Jean.” The look he gave her said all he needed to say.
“Well, that being the case all we can do is support Lupa now, I can treat his deficiencies with some injections but he’s going to need regular meals Logan and I mean big regular meals. His body has a hell of a lot of needs and if they aren’t met, he’s only going to end up in the same cycle as before. Besides having a teenager usually means having to stock up the cupboards for world war three anyway. You should have seen the last grocery bill for the school.”

Looking at Xavier Logan spoke.
“You said his mind is split? Is he able to speak when he’s in this shape? Is his mind able to communicate?” Xavier caught his thoughts and where they were heading.
“We can try Logan, if we allow him to wake up slowly he may keep his rational mind enough to talk. Are you willing to let me try?” Logan nodded quickly; he had to know if Lupa was aware when he was like this, that he had something of himself inside like he had when he allowed the animal free.
Xavier gave the notes back to Jean wheeling himself around to Lupa’s head again and placed his hands into the depths of Lupa’s fur. Keeping the room silent they watched as Xavier brought Lupa back to the surface, back to reality and the people who were trying to help him.

Pain was the first thing that met him as he resurfaced from the floating sleep he’d been in, muscles were strained and painful, joints were screaming out and his skin itched fiercely. Concentrating on the voice that was calling to him, the one that rumbled across his ears, understanding the undertone of concern that was riding with each word. Sensing the concern and sharp tang of fear that was pervading the air, opening his eyes to the room he remembered.

Logan looked into his eyes, saw his gaze drop to his hand holding his own changed one. Moving slowly he watched Lupa lift his arm and see the extent of the change he’d undergone. Pulling aside the sheet, they’d laid over him, his whimper echoing around the sterile room as he saw the truth of himself. The sound almost snapping Logan’s heart in two as he saw Lupa’s mind try to grasp what had happened to him.

Tensing, ready for Lupa to react, he readied himself for the rage, the anger but it never came. Lupa curled up into a ball on the table, pulling his long legs under him trying to hide himself. Pulling his head down and away from Logan, his whimpering becoming almost like a cry. Tearing his hand away from Logan’s he turned his back to him, telling him to leave him alone, his scent even showing his hatred of himself. Logan was glad he’d asked Jean and Xavier to leave the room, what he was going to do could go wrong and if it did he was the only one who’d be able to walk out of the room afterward.
Forcefully he grabbed the sheet and ripped it away from Lupa, balling it up he threw it into the dark of the medical bay.
“Get up Lupa.” His voice was calm and quiet but he knew the tone would elicit some response from him. He caught the movement of his short dark muzzle, saw as his blue eyes met his, the challenge evident in their depths. “I said GET UP!” Lupa felt the tone of the air change that he meant what he said and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Slowly he uncurled himself, stretching the tendons and stiff muscles, feeling himself unknot as he did so. Shuffling off the end of the table he landed on his feet, a little unsteady and wobbly but he could match Logan’s gaze, eye to eye.

Keeping his breath even and controlled Logan put out his hand to Lupa, the palm open the fingers loose. Without knowing why Lupa just bent his head to the hand and breathed, the scent filling his world, throwing up pictures of the cabin, the room with the fireplace, the blanket and a bike. Lost in this internal world he didn’t feel Logan’s other hand on his head stroking his fur, smoothing out the kinks in it. Fingers brushing the old scars around his neck and hearing the low growl emit from Lupa’s chest. The reaction was pure instinct, and was followed by a whine and a dip in his stance; Lupa’s tongue darted out and quickly licked the skin of his hand. “I know.” His voice quiet and even, using his hands he lifted Lupa by the shoulders up to his full height. Lifting his head by his chin until his eyes were level with his. “Lupa, this is who you are. This is who ‘we’ are, who ‘I’ am. There’s nothing wrong with this, I know its frightening Lupa but we can learn together if you let us.”

Lupa looked straight through him, as if he could see inside his mind, into his heart and soul. After a few moments he nodded in response, smiling Logan touched his face. “Think you can try to talk to me Lupa?” A puzzled look crossed his face as he thought about it, as if he was re-arranging something in his throat, the muscles there shifted under his fur. When he spoke it was a little croaky but it was Lupa’s voice.
“Yes, I think so.”
“You upto seeing people? I can feel Marie coming and she’s been busting the speed limit to get here so she’s not in the mood to hear no. Your choice though.” Logan watched as the emotions flooded through him, the fear of Marie’s reaction to him to what he looked like. Looking down at his naked body he just whimpered a little and spoke.
“I wouldn’t mind if I could have something to cover myself up with though.” It almost seemed surreal to him; a body that was covered entirely with fur still wanted to be modest. Although he knew from experience that Hank didn’t always like to be ‘naked’, he’d wear what he could to hide his own modesty. Although it looked like they’d be sharing the same tailor for a while.

“Sure, give me a second.” Walking to the cabinet on the far wall he reached in and pulled out a surgical gown. Throwing it over to him he watched as Lupa struggled with it until he managed to get it on the right way round. It still looked odd but Lupa’s face registered a little more calm. Lupa’s stomach growled in the still air and he clutched his midsection. Logan was over to him in a second.
“What? What’s wrong?” He held Lupa up as the waves of hunger passed through him.
“It hurts.” Almost bending over with the cramps that wracked through his body he helped Lupa back up onto the table.
“Hang on I’ll go get you something to eat, something good.” His last vision was Lupa’s hands gripping the side of the table and hearing his nails scratching the surface.

Jean and Xavier were in the kitchen when Logan ran in, went straight to the large fridge opened it took out three quarts of ice cream and a joint of beef. He didn’t even wait to talk he just left juggling the raided contents as he ran back to the medical bay. Xavier turned to Jean and smiled, “Well at least we know they’re both still alive. Shall we go down and see them or shall we let them eat first?” Jean was still in half shock as she remembered that the joint had been tonight’s dinner for them all.
“I think we’ll let them finish eating,” out of the window she caught the flash of Marie’s white streak running past toward the main doors. “Although I think they’re not going to be alone for long, Marie’s home.” Xavier scanned the school lightly and could feel the apprehension filling her mind, the worry; the pain and he sent her a calming thought.
Xavier felt her reply as the warmth flooded his mind, now she was a determined spark racing to her destination, to see what had happened to her family.

Marie flew through the medical bay doors and the sight that met her eyes was something she’d remember for the rest of her born days. Logan was sat on the medical bay floor holding a joint of meat in both hands while Lupa was trying to tear pieces off with his mouth. The whole scene reminded her of the days when she’d had a dog at home, Lupa was lost in the game of ‘food’ and Logan was straining to keep a grip on the joint they were fighting over. Two empty containers of ice cream were rolling around their legs, the contents obviously eaten as she could see the streaks of white in Lupa’s fur. She just stopped her mental processes enough to take in the form of Lupa, Xavier had warned her about the change but she hadn’t expected this. Looking at his body what she could see of it, he was huge. Muscular, in a rangy type of way his fur was almost black and it covered all of him, his hands were like Hank’s but his feet were entirely different. Like a dog’s but bigger, then the image her brain had been searching for popped into her mind and she just blurted it out into the room.

“Jesus H Christ, Lupa’s a Werewolf!” At the sound of her voice both of them turned to her, Lupa had the beef joint in his mouth and Logan just had the sense enough to let go. The look in Lupa’s eyes was one of triumph as he set to devouring the rest of the joint. Logan just looked a little hurt at the statement her brain had come out with and he decided let her know about it.
“Yeah and an animal for a husband, not to mention a freak for a daughter.” She caught the undertone and she felt herself blush, as she understood what she’d said. Coming over slowly she bent down and touched Logan’s shoulder her face marvelling at the sight of Lupa.
“I’m sorry honey, I’ve just been across the town and broken every single speed limit to get back. I didn’t mean to hurt you, either of you.” Her hand went out to Lupa to touch him but a small growl left Lupa’s mouth as he was just finishing the meat in his hands. She paused in her approach for a second, allowing him to see it was her and then she touched his fur. Her fingers lost themselves in the soft fur, tracing the changes that had gone on under his skin. Tracing her fingers over his ears, feeling the new channels, touching the very points of them making Lupa pull away with her soft touch.

“Stop that it tickles.” Her eyes flew wider as she realised Lupa could speak, her eyes met his and he licked his lips clean as he’d finished the meat. She saw the doubt in there that she was afraid of him that she wouldn’t want to be near him. Her hand still near his head she flattened her palm against his face and smiled her face full of concern for him, for the pain he’d been through. She didn’t speak she just pulled him closer to her, holding him in her embrace, feeling his hands come round her back and grip her tightly. “I’m sorry, I just don’t know what happened. There was a smell and I just lost control of it, I couldn’t help it. Please don’t hate me.” His words were full of tears and they trailed down his muzzle, his mouth could form the words he wanted but he knew that he couldn’t explain everything to her. Only Logan could understand the whole of it, he knew that he could pick up everything he felt and he could explain it to her later.
But he just held onto her and cried, cried for the shape he was, for the pain, for being different in a world of normal people. For the rush of information that was clouding his brain, for the drives he could feel inside himself. As he held Marie close to him Lupa felt the first stir in his groin, pushing her away from him a little she saw the look in is eye and just smiled.
“It’s okay Lupa, I understand. It’s going to be difficult to come to terms with, I can say it was a little bit of a shock seeing you and Logan fighting over the joint. I can think of better ways of eating than that, can you tell me what happened?” Logan shuffled round to sit next to Lupa and put his arm round his broad shoulders.
“I can.”

He described the whole morning to her, the walk across to the school, the tests done by Jean, Amber’s reaction to him and the appearance of Hank, which seemed to trigger the change. Marie went back through what Logan relayed to her and found something that stood out.
“You said Amber called Lupa ‘Doggie’?” Logan nodded and Lupa answered.
“She called me it last night too.” Marie’s mind latched onto the fact that her daughter had known without being told what Lupa really was underneath the human body he wore.
“She didn’t upset you did she?” Marie’s face looked concerned as Lupa spoke. He grinned as he answered.
“No, she didn’t. I like Amber she’s nice. Besides she didn’t mean it, she only says what she’s thinking out loud like any baby does.” Logan touched Lupa’s back and Lupa turned his head and smiled at him, feeling secure and happy. The whole incident had brought up a question in Maries mind, if Amber had known what Lupa was how could she have known? Did she have her fathers sense of smell and just put the name to what she’d experienced before? Or was there something else to it?

“Did Jean get the blood sample from Amber today?” Logan nodded and continued to touch Lupa’s back, rubbing the fur gently settling Lupa into a quiet state. Taking a long look at them both she smiled, Logan was quiet and concerned showing his softer side. Something that no one else usually saw except around Amber, his body relaxed and his eyes sparkling.
“Jean’s outside the door.” His face turned from calm to concerned in a second, removing his hand from Lupa’s back he helped the young boy up from the floor. Marie got a full look at him now, his full height impressing her with his power. He was thin but he had a presence that she’d only ever seen in Logan, he was more confident with them both there. Now that he knew that she wasn’t upset by his new body or by his new face.

Getting up she put her hand on the table Lupa had been sat on, the heat of the room making the surface a little sticky. Jean walked into the medical bay still wearing her green’s, she looked at them all and smiled. Marie felt Lupa shudder a little at the sight of Jean and he reflexly moved a little closer to her for support. Reaching out to Lupa she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. He looked at her quickly and lowered his gaze to the floor.
“Are you ready for me to continue our tests Lupa? Do you want to do them today or would you rather wait till tomorrow?” Logan had his arms crossed and was watching her every move; there was something there in the way he was just watching her, as if he didn’t trust her. But she’d always been nothing but kind to Logan, patching him up when he needed it. Maybe it was because it was Lupa’s first time here, feeling a little over protective. Watching as Lupa spoke to Jean, telling her he’d come back later today and have the rest of the tests done then. He just wanted a few hours to get used to his new body, a chance to see Amber and see if she was okay.

Logan was almost hostile to Jean when she came near them both and just checked Lupa’s eyes, asking him if he could see colour. She caught the quiet growl that reverberated through the quiet of the room and she snapped her head round to see Logan’s eyes narrowed and his stance tight. This was getting dangerous and she needed to know why Logan was reacting to Jean like this.
“Come on Lupa, lets get you something else apart from ice-cream and beef. Logan can you pick up the other carton please? We’ll replace the joint Jean for tonight, there’s some deer left in the larder at the cabin I’ll bring it down later.” With that, she moved Lupa out of the medical bay, helping him support his weight and gain confidence with each new step he took. Quickly looking back for Logan, she saw him snatch the last ice-cream container from the floor and give Jean the cold shoulder. He didn’t look back as Jean spoke to him about getting the results for Amber later that day. The look on his face was one of disdain as he left the room and caught up with them both. Turning the carton in his hands, he met her gaze and she knew he’d tell her later, at the moment they had enough to deal with.

Amber was playing horsey with Hank when she walked into the small lab; Lupa was outside not trusting himself yet to see the man who’d caused his change. Marie left Logan with him, knowing that he could cope with anything that might kick off in the hallways. Amber was engrossed in Hank so she didn’t see her mother until her hands came around her little face and went over her eyes. “Guess who?” Amber squeaked and turned round fully throwing her arms wide to her mother. Marie picked her up and squeezed her tightly to her, her eyes watching Hanks face split open with a huge smile. “Thanks Hank,” the unspoken trust evident in her tone.
“How is Lupa?” Moving Amber to her hip, she answered him.
“He’s outside with Logan, there’s something we need to ask you later Hank so if you could come up to the cabin later, around 8?” She noticed the curiosity lodge itself in his eyes. “We’ll feed you too and you’ll get the chance to meet Lupa.” She started to move back toward the door of the lab before she remembered something. “Oh yes, Hank do you have any spare shoes? The trainer type? We need to find something for Lupa to wear and seeing as you’re the only other man we know with claws could you see your way clear to letting him borrow a pair till I can get to the city?” Hank just smiled.
“Of course, is there anything else I should bring?”
“How about a decent cheesecake for dessert?” At the mention of cheesecake Hank’s pupils dilated and he grinned widely, he had a soft spot for the dessert; it had become one of his passions to find the best he possibly could. “See you at 8 Hank and thanks for looking after Amber.” Leaving Hank mumbling to himself as he flicked open his rolodex looking for a bakery number. Turning her gaze to Amber who was happily quiet in her mothers arms she wondered how she’d take to Lupa.

Lupa could smell Hank in the room and it made him angry and horny at the same time, the scent was mixed with Amber’s and it sent his body into tremors. Logan watched his every movement, concern evident in his body language and Lupa knew Logan would do anything he could to help him feel better. But when Marie had gone inside he couldn’t help but feel afraid for her and Amber. “They’re coming back.” His tone was awash with joy as the door opened and they both stepped out safely. Marie was speaking to Amber keeping her attention diverted to her until they were out of the room. He could see Logan tense up, he was torn between the two of them, of keeping his baby safe and making sure that he was okay too. Amber’s gaze flew round them all and locked onto Lupa’s own. She didn’t make a sound, didn’t move, didn’t do anything but put out her hand and reach for his face. Slowly, ever so slowly he moved forward, his nose filling with her scent, feeling it relax him as he knew she was safe. That nothing had happened to her while she’d been with Hank, Logan had his eyes trained on them both, watching every move and ready to step in if either of them made a wrong move. Amber’s little hand made contact with his fur and she giggled at the sensation, a low rumbling came from Lupa as he leaned into the touch. Feeling happy that she was okay with him, with his new shape. Amber giggled as she ran her fingers through the soft fur, “Doggy Lupa, nice doggy.”
Squirming she began to push her way out of her mothers grip until she had to put her down on the floor. The contact broken between them Lupa stopped the gentle rumble in his throat and looked at Logan. His eyes were cautious but he was allowing him to touch her to hold her. He looked at Marie who was still trying to hold Amber away from Lupa, her face was uncertain but she knew how much this needed to be done.

She let her go and Amber ran into Lupa’s bent form, his arms wrapping round her holding her solidly, listening to her laughter as she played with the fur on his head and neck. Her little fingers strayed to the scar line on his neck and he froze up for a second, Logan almost plucked her out of his arms. Amber’s fingers traced the line and she looked into Lupa’s face, “Lupa got a boo-boo? Poor Lupa, mummy will make it better, won't you?” Her little face found her mother’s and she held out her hand to her, “Mummy will make it better won’t you?” Marie found her voice finding it difficult to speak through the emotion crowding her throat.
“Yes honey Mummy will make it better.” She held her arms open for Amber to climb into and she let go of Lupa. Logan just watched the emotions run across Lupa, the pleasure at the simple acceptance of his pain and his new shape. As if it didn’t matter, as if he was the most normal thing in the world. Putting his hand on Lupa’s shoulder he squeezed it gently and brought him back up to his level.

“Come on lets go home, I think we’ve all had enough for one day.” His eyes caught Marie’s and he answered her before she could start to argue. “What’s more important Marie? Our family or a damn instructional course? They can do without you today.” Wiping a small tear away from her eye she just smiled and wrapped her spare arm around Lupa’s middle.
“Yeah you’re right.” Looking at Lupa just dressed in a medical robe her mind worked things over. “Perhaps we should drop by the gym as we go, we can pick up some sweats for you Lupa. I know the gown isn’t that bad but I don’t think you’d appreciate the whole school watching your furry butt walk home naked.” The realisation flitted across his features as he realised the back of the gown was wide open and his ears dropped a little. Logan chimed in and ruffled his fur.
“That’s nothing kid, I once walked to Rosie’s just wearing one of those.” Lupa turned to look at him and saw the smile in his eyes.
“Where’s Rosie’s?”
“It’s a bar in town, about seven miles away.” Lupa just gaped at the distance, that Logan had walked semi-naked all the way from the school through the crowded streets to a bar. Deciding to defend his actions, he answered.
“Well I was thirsty and no-one would drive me.” Marie chimed in.
“Yes that’s true but you were recovering from a concussion Logan, that’s why no-one would drive you.” A smirk covered her face as she remembered the fuss that had been made going to collect him from the bar. She’d never forget the look Peiter had given her when he’d dropped him off in their bedroom before the cabin had been finished. He’d grinned drunkenly and told her to remind him about the bar tab he’d left up at Rosie’s when he woke up. Then he’d wobbled out of the door and fallen against the wall only to be rescued by Damask who’d led her fiancée to bed.

Lupa’s steps were a little wobbly at first, his feet splaying wide to balance himself properly as they climbed the slope back home. The lunch crowd was just coming out as they were crossing the field and Logan hung back a little giving Lupa and Marie a little space. Amber was running ahead and around his feet playing at running through his legs as he walked. He loved her little ways of making him smile, she was nearly three and her personality was starting to solidify. She was a curious child, almost too curious, more than once Jubilee had had to rescue her from the classrooms near the nursery. He suspected that she was trying to find him he often went past the nursery during the day just to check on her. He hadn’t let her out of his sight the first nine months, every cough, every sneeze he’d been there checking on her. No one had wanted to tell him he was being overprotective until Scott had found him trying to fix a hole in the drywall with her strapped to his back. The drywall hadn’t been fixed but a few more holes had been made that afternoon. After the small ‘discussion’ he’d looked at Amber’s little face all screwed up covered in plaster and had admitted defeat. He couldn’t care for her and work at the same time, so he’d taken her to the nursery.

Watching as she ran in front of him, measuring the distance between Marie and him with her steps he remembered the first day he’d left her there. The nursery wasn’t somewhere he’d ever been into before, Marie had checked it out but he’d just figured he’d take care of her. He wasn’t going to leave his child in the hands of just anyone, not even here. Jubilee had almost died of shock when she saw him walk in with Amber. The rest of the kids were asleep having their morning nap after having their feeds and Jubilee was mixing up some kind of play dough for them for when they woke up. She hadn’t made a fuss; she’d just smiled and said, “Come to your senses at last then?” She’d taken Amber quickly and deftly and had had her settled in a crib before he’d even had the chance to speak, seeing him suddenly lost and without purpose, Jubilee had reeled off the new storage needs.
The shelves the nursery needed the new non-toxic paint job she’d been waiting for help with and a thousand other things. He’d spent the first month in the nursery with Amber as she’d begun to crawl around the soft carpeted room. No one had the nerve to say that he was tamed, at the beck and call of a baby, he’d have killed anyone who’d even whispered it. Although at the time he was, the strange thing was he loved every minute of it. Seeing Amber walk for the first time holding out a small teddy bear for Marie as she’d come to pick them both up. She’d just done it, just got up and walked, Jubilee was beside herself as they watched her toddle across the room. He hadn’t put her down the rest of that day except for her to show off to the rest of the school, which he must have done because by the afternoon everyone who mattered to him had known.

He saw Amber catch up with Marie and Lupa, Lupa was crouching down on his new legs turned toward her to catch hold of her small form. Amber ran without fear straight into him, her clear laughter audible over the field. Lupa’s gaze caught his and he stopped dead in his tracks, a scent drifted toward him from the wooded slope. Lupa had caught it too and his face was full of excitement, Lupa pushed Amber into Marie’s arms and took off into the woods. His feet barely touching the ground, his hands being used to pull him along in a graceful lope.

Logan’s eyes narrowed as the scent drifted closer to him, the rich spike and undertone telling him exactly what it was. Marie looking a little surprised held onto Amber as she tried to follow Lupa; Logan caught up with them quickly. “Get home, our visitor’s decided to come back.” Marie glanced out at the kids on the field enjoying the sunshine of the afternoon he caught her meaning. “They’ll be fine as long as their in groups, you know he likes things on their own.” He touched Maries face and kissed the top of Amber’s head, “See you in a while.” With that he went after Lupa.

The scent was intoxicating, it filled his senses entirely, making him lose all thought but to find where it was coming from. Where the source of this scent was hidden, it’s rich undertone and spice almost made him drool as he followed it over a rise. Using his hands to pull him along easily over the terrain he topped the rise and came face to face with the owner, a large male mountain lion. His coat sleek and shiny, his head already facing the noise that had been getting his attention, the large tail waving dangerously in the bright light. He took everything in as the cat bunched it’s muscles ready to jump toward him when he felt arms wrap around his middle and pull him off the top of the rise. Pulling him under the horizon line of the cats vision, there was a blur of golden fur as it passed over them both and he heard the cat bound away into the forest below. A near miss but a miss, the fear hit him as he realised how stupid he’d been, that he’d followed something so blindly that he’d almost gotten himself killed.

The strong arms wrapped around him shifted and he found Logan’s concerned face looking at him, his hands checking the grey top and trousers he wore for damage. “You okay?” Dumb Lupa just nodded. Sitting on his haunches Logan looked at the fear showing in his eyes and just patted him on the shoulder. “You’re lucky you had the sun behind you, god knows what he’d have made of you if you hadn’t. Cougars don’t usually attack what they’re afraid of but that one, I don’t know Lupa, he’s old and he’s even tried to sneak up on me once or twice.” Getting up he brushed the leaf mold from his jeans and held out his hand to Lupa. “Come on lets get home I could do with a drink. It’s been a looooong day.” Smiling he helped Lupa up from the forest floor and brushed the worst of the forest off him. Meeting his gaze, he just patted his shoulder, “Next time just wait for me to catch up with you before you take off after something okay?” Hanging his head down a little his ears displaying his own feelings of regret openly.
“Yes I’m sorry Logan but I couldn’t help it, I just had to follow it. As if I had a hook in my nose and he held the other end. Like with Hank.” Lupa had been pondering the whole reason why he’d changed so quickly when Hank had come into the room and the only thing he could remember was his smell. Logan just let Lupa think he could see he was tying to work something out and he wanted to know just as much as he did.

“What happened in the medical Lupa?” Lupa loped easily down the slope, his legs getting used to the strange gait he used. Holding onto a tree Lupa stopped and answered.
“I remember the smell of him from somewhere,” his hand went unconsciously to his neck where the scars were. “He has something to do with these, I don’t know why but he does Logan. I don’t trust him, he wants something from Amber too I can just ‘feel’ it.” Lupa’s voice was full of emotion and his body was beginning to tense up. Logan walked toward him and put his hands on his shoulders.
“It’s okay Lupa, we won’t let him hurt you but Hank has been here for nearly four years now. I don’t know how he could have done what you say he could’ve but there is way for us to find out if you want to.” Lupa’s face caught the line and pulled.
“How?”
“The Professor. He can open up the memories for you, have a look inside here,” he touched his skull. “But Lupa if you do you might remember other things too, like how you got this,” he touched the scar line that ran round his neck. Lupa shuddered as he touched it. “When did they chain you up Lupa? How long?” Lupa collapsed against the tree, it’s dappled light almost mingling him into the forest floor. Sitting down next to him Logan just waited.

The memory laid in his head like a canker, the first time he’d seen the chain wrapped around the janitors hand, the padlock swinging in the other. A rush of bile made him swallow hard.
“I was eight, after I hurt Mark. They took me upstairs to my ‘dorm’ and chained me to the beam. They left me there, just hanging for a day to see if I’d calm down, I don’t remember much of it, just waking up in the infirmary with this. The janitor had the chain made for the gates, to keep the kids in. He left last year, he got sacked for something that was hushed up at the orphanage.” Lupa’s voice had become almost a whisper. “I hated him.”

Logan was trying to keep himself calm; he was trying to understand the pain Lupa had gone through, to keep quiet until he had finished pouring the sourness out of him. Lupa caught his scent and he noticed the way he was clenching and unclenching his hands trying to keep the blades inside his arms.
“Lupa, I’m not angry at you, just at those that did this to you. Can you try to remember where you smelled Hank? Was it in the infirmary? When you were at the orphanage?” Lupa thought back, his mind sorting through the assorted images and memories. Finally shaking his head expelling a huge sigh with it.
“The orphanage didn’t have an infirmary, I was at the small cottage hospital. In a ward by myself, with padded walls.” That did it, Logan snapped and the blades snapped out of his hands, firing into the forest floor. He could feel them slice through the roots of the tree they were sat under and his body reacted to the stimulus making him growl deeply. Clenching his teeth Logan fought for control, allowing pictures of Amber’s smiling face to fill his mind, her scent, the memory of her laughter soothing the animal within which threatened to consume him. Snapping his eyes open when he felt fingers touching the blades as they came from his hand. Lupa was fascinated by them; he just ran his fingers up the small amount of blade that was sticking out. Logan carefully pulled the whole of the blades out of the ground, soil still clinging to parts. Watching his face for his reaction, for the revulsion to show on him. It never came but tears did, as well as a single word, ‘Mother’. Collapsing around Logan’s hand Lupa was lost to grief as memories flooded his mind.

Fire, there was fire everywhere. Thick smoke was pouring out of home; his mother had thrown him clear out of the vardo, making sure he landed on a bender tent outside. Feeling the wrecked mess under him and knowing that his back was injured he just lay there for a while, whimpering as he saw the shadows move around him. Feet passed by his head and he kept quiet and still hoping the darkness would hide him, the scent of cattle swamping him as they passed. Playing possum, he heard the catcalls and hoots as his home burned. Hearing the wood splinter, he caught the men’s surprise and then their anger, he knew who it was, it was his mother. Dark haired and dark eyed, brown skinned and beautiful she’d had enough of waiting for them to come and get her. He remembered her legs standing over him, the scent of burnt flesh in his nostrils slowly fading as she stood there over him. Hearing the words “Mutant Bitch!” enter his head, the venom dripping from each word as they approached her. His small hand reaching out to her boot but she moved away from him and into her attackers. He didn’t see the fight but heard it, the cries of men and the slow deliberate movements of his mother. Then the shot rang out, louder than anything he’d ever heard before, it had covered his world for a moment and he heard her fall. The darkness covering most of her but her hand was reaching toward him, her hand with three bone blades sticking through. Red with blood he watched as they retracted slowly back into her, his eyes not even registering the boots anymore that gathered around him. Losing himself to the pain in his body, he drifted away into darkness, the scent of wood smoke still in his nose.

The next connected memory was all steel, the stink of chemicals and the harsh light that burned into his eyes. Strapped down to a bed he recalled the harsh world he lived in, a needle in one arm drawing blood whenever they wanted it. A double catheter connected to him at all times, so he didn’t have to move. Head strapped solidly so he could only see something or someone who looked directly down on him. The fear radiated off him in waves and he felt his bladder release time after time as they came to him. Pulling his limbs, testing his skin, cutting the surface to watch it heal back up, checking his hands and arms constantly, x-raying his body with a portable machine that made his skin itch and burn. Being pinched, torn, pulled apart by hands covered in a latex skin that made his nose burn. He’d cried the first few times and they’d gagged him, the rubber making it hard to swallow or breathe. So the next time he’d been quiet as they’d sliced his bare feet open to look at the bones in there. Feeling the instruments slide into his feet and pull the tendons taught, listening to their voices as they discussed the implications of his anatomy.

The scent of men wasn’t something he’d grown to recognise there but a smell reached him in his steel room. Deep heady and rich, a spicy smell reminding him of his father, making his heart leap in anticipation but it wasn’t his father. He was on a small gurney being moved, the person moving him was the source of the smell, trying to move his head to see the man he didn’t succeed. The muscles too wasted to respond, all he could do was lay there and watch the ceiling go by. Retreating slowly into his mind again, back to the place they couldn’t reach with knives or machines. The memory of a pair of arms with bone claws holding him tightly and the scent of roses and rosemary.

Xavier lifted his hand from Lupa’s head and touched his own face as the tears ran down. Logan had seen everything; he’d broadcast it to him as he found it, no filter no softening of the memories just the truth. They were in Lupa’s room at the cabin, the boy being withdrawn and almost catatonic when Logan had carried him inside. Marie had called for Xavier immediately and he’d come at once, now she waited downstairs with Amber preparing dinner. Xavier’s grey eyes met Logan’s own and they left the sleeping boy wrapped up in his own bed, Logan’s old blanket wrapped around him for comfort. Making their way down the broad stairs they met the gaze of Marie who was sat with Amber playing with her toys in front of the fire. Moving with restraint, she’d often seen before Logan put Xavier back into his chair and moved him over to Marie. If the combined looks were anything to go by it was bad news. Xavier started first, his grey eyes finding hers and the depth of sorrow she found in them was almost too much for her to look at directly. “It’s as we thought, he was taken to a medical centre of some kind and ‘explored’.”

Marie knew the terminology that the school had for the horrors that the rest of the world meted out for mutants who were ‘interesting’ to the medical community and she felt her stomach turn as she looked at Amber. Knowing that it could have been her own child. Turning back, she reached out to Logan and he grabbed her hand quickly, his grim expression never changing. “By the looks of things his parents were travellers, what I could glean from his memories he was only three when he was taken from them. Kept somewhere for around four years and then given over to the state system at the end of it.” Marie could feel Logan’s grip tightening on hers and his body language had stepped up a gear his eyes riveted on Amber. Xavier caught his build up and reached a hand out to him, saying nothing Logan just looked at him and left the room. Slamming the back door as he left, Amber snapped her head up and looked at her mother. Smiling back to her as she continued to play with the wooden blocks and animals her father had made her.

The summer evening had nothing but calm to show him, inside he was seething the animal baying for blood. To lose himself in its purity of will, to rend the life out of something at the end of his hands, to quell this anger that was building with each thing he learned about Lupa. Seeing the memory in his mind of the fire and the boots, the lab where they held him it became too close to his own pain. Over the last few years he’d managed to get the dreams to stop, not to react the same way as he’d done for years. Now the scabs were being torn off and the wounds were fresh again, but this time they were done to a child.
His claws fired and Logan just ran into the forest, letting the anger and pain take him away from the house, away from the ones he loved in case he couldn’t control the anger anymore. As he ran, the animal settled in his eyes, it’s intent clear to the residents of the forest who began to scatter out of his way. His scent deepening as he ran, freeing himself of his shirt he let the warm air run across his body. His scent carrying further, allowing the animals to scent him and run for cover. Anything that crossed his path had a chance to get away if it scented him coming. Inside he hoped something wouldn’t.

Xavier watched him leave and heard the footsteps running away from the cabin. Turning his attention back to Marie he just smiled, “ It looks like we’ll be having deer again at the school.” The comment reminding Marie about her promise to Jean she quickly telephone the school and made arrangements for someone to come and pick up the joint she’d promised them. Sitting down again after the call she found Amber sitting in Xavier’s lap holding out a little carved wolf figurine, “That’s Lupa.”
“Yes Amber it is,” his eyes searching her face for any sign of fear or upset and finding nothing as he quickly scanned her mind except her curiosity at the new shape Lupa could do. Marie plucked her out of his lap and put her back down on the floor and she went back to playing with her animals.
“Lupa has a lot of problems doesn’t he?” Marie was concerned at the turn of events, at whether Amber would be safe with him after this. Xavier caught her concern and reached over to her hand.
“She’s safe with him Marie, he’d never let anything hurt her. Inside he’s been battered and abused but he’s strong and has made it this far. He is a Logan after all,” the small smirk playing on his lips meant to lighten the mood which it did. “Let him come to the house tomorrow and we’ll start some basic counselling with him. He’s had a lot to take in today. Let him rest and he’ll be down for food later I’m sure.” Looking at the small mantle clock it read 6.30pm. “I should be getting back, there’s still calls I have to return.” Marie found the clock and her face almost paled with shock. “Don’t worry about the course, I’m sure we can re-arrange things. You’re needed here at the moment and I’m sure Amber won’t mind the extra attention.” At the mention of her name she looked up and smiled her voice clear when she squeaked out, “Kurt!”
There was a soft thump behind them and Kurt walked over to them smiling, his hands already open to Amber who was pushing off the floor to meet him. Laughing she threw herself into his arms and lost herself in the patterns that covered his face. Smiling past her hands he nodded to Marie and caught Xavier’s attention.
“There’s a man in your office who needs to speak with you Professor, Jean sent me to collect you and tonight’s dinner.” His bright eyes catching Xavier’s and the meaning of the expectant man wasn’t lost on Marie. Walking over to Amber she plucked her off Kurt and sent her back to her toys asking her to put them away in their box. She did so obediently and quietly as they talked.

“How do you get her to do that?” Kurt asked, the look of almost disbelief as Amber worked quietly at stacking the animals up. Marie smiled as she answered.
“Logan made the animals so they’d fit in the box only one way, so she had to learn how to put them all back in the right order. He wouldn’t let her play with them until she could put the lid on properly and lock it.” Smiling proudly to herself as she remembered the day, she’d worked it out.
“But how did she learn if she wasn’t allowed to play with them?” Xavier smiled as he knew the answer and spoke first.
“Logan played with them,” the conspiratory smile meeting the one in his eyes. “But I’m sure he’ll deny everything if you ask him Kurt and it may be bad for your health if you do.”
“Understood but the image is one I will keep for a long time, even if it’s only to myself.” Smiling Marie went to the large larder and pulled out the joint she had promised, her mind replaying the days Logan had spent showing Amber the carved wooden toys and putting each one back in the box in turn. Letting her touch them, see them but not play with them until she could recite each ones name and know their shapes with her eyes closed. Bringing back the meat, she handed it to Kurt still in its waxed paper wrapping. Seeing Amber had finished her packing she watched her as she sat in front of the fire and just watched the flames. Xavier broke the silence.
“We’d better get going Marie, don’t worry about Lupa. He’s stronger than you think; all he needs is time and a little bit of love. You have plenty of both I know, all of you.” She knew he was talking about Logan but he wouldn’t mention it in front of Kurt. He knew more than most what lay underneath his gruff exterior and snappy remarks and he wasn’t going to spoil the image that had kept them safe for the last few months now. “Kurt if you don’t mind?”
“Of course Professor.” Handing Xavier the joint he gripped the chair and they both bamfed away leaving a slight tang of sulphur in the air. The inrush of air making Amber turn round seeing them gone she walked over to her mother and yawned.
“You tired honey?”
“Yeah but I’m hungry first.” Laughing at her words that echoed her fathers own she went to the kitchen and sat her at the table. Her own eyes drifting to the woods and wondering how he was doing.

The forest was still as he was, settled in a bole he watched the boar below him, its bristling hide sleek in the evening light. Two long tusks jutted out of the sides of its mouth as it swung its head from side to side searching the undergrowth for food. Letting the blades slip free from his hands slowly, the flash of pain sharpening his instincts momentarily, catching the scent of another predator on the breeze. The boar stiffened as it too caught the scent, turning toward it; it lowered its vast head and waited. A sleek golden shape emerged from the undergrowth; muscles twitching as it sized up the boar in front of it. A low growl emerged from the cougars throat, so far it hadn’t sensed him at all so concentrated it was on stalking the boar. The boar lowered its head and charged straight on, catching the cougar under the belly with a tusk, it ripped savagely upwards. The scent of blood filled the small area, gritting his teeth he watched as the cougar flew upwards with the force of the throw.

Suppressing his own growl Logan moved into a better position, pulling his legs up under him, tensing the muscle, getting ready to leap down into the fray. The cougar injured now was panting slightly as it leapt onto the boar’s wide back, swinging round the boar caught the elderly cougars wounded side and bit down hard. The scream that echoed through the forest sent birds scattering into the sky and Logan leapt down from his hiding place. One set of blades slicing through the skull of the boar, killing him instantly, his jaws set firm in the cougars side. The other set buried in the cougars chest, he could feel the blades slice the heart in two felt the muscle try to beat once again then just stop. His own cry had been smothered by the need for silence but now he could free it, all the anger, pain, hurt and hatred flowed out of him into the carcasses at his hands.

Screaming loud he shook them away from each other, the boar landing a few feet away, the cougar going further and hitting a tree with an audible crack as it’s spine snapped against it. Feeling the hatred flow away from him, dripping out of him into the earth, the blood covering his hands becoming sticky as he pulled the blades back into himself. Reaching down to the boar hands feeling the great muscle underneath the shoulders and head, he hefted the carcass onto his shoulder, the bristles tickling his skin. Looking over at the cougar smashed and broken against the tree he hoped the wolves would come and finish what he’d started. Looking at the broken body, he could only wish it had been Sabretooth lying there waiting for the wolves to come and eat what remained. Remembering the day that had been sorted out once and for all, the pain of remembering the loss that had come with the death of one of his oldest enemies.

Shrugging off the animal inside he put his head toward home, back to the child who’d caused this anger to rise inside of him. He’d known him all of two days but he was his family, or what was left of his family and he’d do everything he could to help him. A fierce protective streak had been fired in him the day he’d seen the place he’d been in, the orphanage. With it’s sense of propriety, the human want to shut anything away that was different, the abuse at the hands of his carers. He quickly shoved the thoughts away, they wouldn’t help calm him and he didn’t want to come home in worse mood than he’d left. Shifting the weight a little he carried on home, knowing that tonight he’d be asking Hank a few questions he really didn’t want the answers to. But if he was going to have any kind of relationship with him he needed to know the truth.

As he climbed the last ridge he could see into the small kitchen and Amber was sat at the table, her fingers picking at the food in front of her. He just stood and watched her, wondering how long it would take her to realise. It didn’t take long, she smiled and pointed out at him, Marie turned her head and waved. Seeing her father coming home, Amber ate with gusto, shovelling it away as fast as possible. Marie was trying to slow her down but not succeeding very well at all. Tying the carcass to the skinning poles he pulled out the old tarpaulin and popped a claw, the kitchen door opening as he’d just started to slice the belly open. Amber was at his legs before he could even finish the first cut. Her smiling face looking tired and sleepy, reflecting the last light of the day. Marie came over and picked her up so she could watch as he gutted and skinned the boar. The innards were the first to come out and be put on the tarp; Marie spoke up as he was handling the liver. “Hang on I’ll get a bowl, we can have that for dinner,” her voice carrying as she went into the kitchen with Amber. “Keep the kidneys too and the heart.” His eyebrow raised at her as she came back out with a bowl, she was telling him things he already knew. She caught his look and just smiled at him, they stayed together as he finished skinning the carcass and jointing it. The head he left in the undergrowth, looking at the two sharp tusks he pulled the sharp teeth out of the skull and took them indoors with rest of the joints. He’d do something with them, something special. His fingers found the one that had injured the cougar, the blood still in the groove of the tusk, that one was Lupa’s. Why he couldn’t say but it was his.

Seeing Marie put the bowl of offal down in the sink she turned to Amber kissing the top of her head and brought her over to him. “Come on dad, time to put our little angel to bed. She’s already past her bedtime.” Plucking Amber off the floor hands still a little sticky and messy her face wrinkled as she caught the scent of the blood.
“Phew daddy, it smells like kitty.” Her comment almost floored him; she’d smelled the difference between the two animals and the different blood on his hands. Smiling through his shock, he just snuggled her closer to him.
“Yes honey, the boar got bitten by an old cougar.” At the mention of the animal, Marie turned to them both, her eyes full of concern. “But he died in the forest, the boar killed him and I killed the boar for us.” She could see the truth he was hiding from Amber and he’d tell her later. Amber just rested her small head against her father’s chest and sighed, snuggling against him as she gave up her fight to stay awake.

Carrying her to her room, heart overflowing with pride that he had such a child as this, smart, confident, mouthy and too intelligent sometimes for her own good. Opening her door with his spare hand he put her straight into bed, her clothes a little dirty from his hands but it didn’t matter. Wrapping her up in her sheets, he took one last look before he closed the door, his thoughts going out to the other child across from her room. Looking at the door he decided to check on him before going downstairs, opening the door quietly he could see Lupa’s form under the blanket. His breathing slow and steady, he was still asleep and he didn’t have the heart to disturb him yet. “Sleep well kid.”

Slowly shutting the door, he wondered what he’d done to deserve all this, a home, a family that loved him, and friends that cared about him and his family. He’d do everything he could to help Lupa, to help him be the person he was supposed to be not what they’d made him. Marie had managed to do it with him if she could do it alone, then as a family they’d do even better. Looking at his hand as it closed the door quietly, he decided he’d better wash up before dinner, especially as they were having a guest. One who he’d be asking a few questions of afterward and he hoped that it wouldn’t change anything between them but the truth often did. Sighing he went into their bedroom and started the shower in their room, finally letting the day’s events flow away with the water that cleaned him.



Broken Promises

Lupa was in his own room when he woke up. The light was almost gone and the day was nearing its end. The clock read 7.50 and he heard footsteps stop outside his door, “Lupa, you awake?” Logan’s voice came through the door.
“Yes Logan.” He pushed up off the bed and took a look at his hands, they’d changed again, and he was halfway between his old shape and the one he’d come home from the school in. His muzzle was smaller making it easier to talk and his body was more compact, his hands were still clawed but not as large. Even his legs seemed to have found a compromise, not fully human but not fully animal. Still furred though and he felt the kinks in it as he moved.

Logan looked at Lupa as he came in and noticed the changes immediately, although Lupa looked much more settled, his eyes calmer. Finding the boys gaze hitting his he came in and sat next to him on his bed. Knowing he found him comforting to be near to. “Hank’s here Lupa.” Lupa looked straight through him and he saw the apprehension go through him and watched as his hackles rose at the back of his neck. “I know how you feel about him Lupa but we need to find out why you reacted to him so badly. There are things we need to know and you have to be there, this is your home Lupa and if it gets too much for you to deal with just come up here. This is your space Lupa, somewhere we have to ask to come into.” The words being spoken reaching deep inside him and he understood the implications. “How long were you at the orphanage?” The question floored him a little and he looked at him strangely, cocking his head to one side.
“I’m not sure, things tended to blur together.”
“Try to remember Lupa, it’s important.” He could see him try to remember things but the dates seemed to run out of his grip. “Okay how about events? Who was the President when you first went there? Or who came into office when you were there?”
“Clinton, he came into office when I’d been there for a few months. The staff were saying maybe they’d get more in their pay packets this time round.” Logan nodded to himself and Lupa caught his eye. “Why?” Logan could see how much it meant to him to know and he struggled with the thought of telling him that he’d been there for nearly 14 years.
“Lupa, you know you’ve been there for a long time don’t you?” Wrapping his arm around the boy and holding him tight to his body. Feeling him lean into his grip and his warmth, scenting his relief at being held. “Well we’ve found out a few things today and I wanted to tell you before we went downstairs.” Lupa found his eyes and saw the trepidation in them shining out to him.
“Go on,” curiosity taking over. Taking a breath Logan began.
“Well we are related, your parents are likely to be grandchildren of mine or from a sibling.” Lupa just took it in. “Also your older than you seem. You age like me, very slowly.” Lupa looked away and he could feel him tense up.
“How old?”
“What Jean could work out you're around twenty, your mutation keeps you from ageing the same as everyone else. Same as me.” He lifted Lupa’s head and saw the pain in there; “It’s okay Lupa I’ve been told you’ll be making up for it soon. Your mutation kind of breaks down your body to remake itself each time you change. Therefore, you need lots of food to do it. That’s why you’ve been the same size for so long, your body didn’t have the strength to grow and change.” Lupa was just sat next to him, his breath a little hitched and his scent a bit confused. “You’re home now Lupa, you can eat when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thirsty without asking permission. Just don’t touch Marie’s chocolate or my beer and we’ll be fine.” The last bit catching his attention and bringing his head up to see the smile covering his face. Logan was all smiles and humour and Lupa was amazed at the difference in him.

He knew without being told that he’d look after him no matter what happened and he trusted him implicitly. Something inside told him that Logan would never hurt him, never ask him to do anything that would cause him harm. They were bonded by something under the skin, in the blood of them both. Lupa’s stomach growled loudly and he held it as Logan laughed. Standing up he patted his shoulder. “Come on lets get some dinner, hope you like liver.” Lupa followed him out of the room, closing his door behind him.
“Never had it.” Logan just looked at him as if he’d just told him the sky was bright yellow.
“Well you’re in for a treat then, no-one cooks liver like Marie. Must be her southern upbringing that makes her so good at making nothing into something a king would kill for.” With that, they both went down the back stairs to the kitchen.

Hank had been sitting watching the fire for nearly an hour when he heard the ceiling creak above him. They were coming down and he could feel the tension rise inside the cabin, it was something he’d always been able to do, read a room or a house just by standing in it for a few seconds. It had saved lives more than once and now he hoped it would save his if Lupa’s reaction were less than positive to him. Keeping his eyes locked on the fire in front of him listening to the whispers of encouragement from Rogue and he could almost feel the eyes of Logan on him.

Smiling to himself as he’d learned how to recognise the weight of his gazes, some happy, some not so and others so full of want he’d never refused them. However, that was a different time and this wasn’t the place to go over the memories either. Lifting his gaze from the fire as he saw Logan come into the room followed by Lupa, the boys face showing his fear of the man waiting for him. Hank was seated in the old sofa, feet propped up in front of the fire, Logan put Lupa in his own chair and sat next to Hank. Making sure he was between them both, just in case. Hank decided to start, “It’s nice to meet your acquaintance at last Lupa,” he didn’t offer a hand he just smiled warmly. The boy looked at Logan and noticed Logan dip his head almost invisibly.
“I know you.” The words were bitten out and his voice was strained, the emotion showing through in his hands movements.
“How do you know me?” Hank kept his tone even and calm, watching as Rogue moved over from the doorway and put her hand on Lupa’s shoulder from behind. Jumping a little he settled again when he recognised who it was.
“Your scent I remember it from the hospital. Where they kept me, where they…” He didn’t finish but he saw his hand find Rogue’s and squeeze it tightly, it was painful for him to remember.
“Do you remember what hospital?” Lupa just shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. He felt Logan’s growl rather than hearing it it was so low. “Do you remember what year?” Lupa just shook his head but Logan answered for him.

“1990-92, around then we think.” His eyes never left Lupa but he knew the information was directed at him. Hank went through his memory, there was only one place he’d been at between those dates, a psychiatric hospital in the Mid West. He’d been finishing his doctorate on mutant psychology; the hospital had been one of the better institutions for the understanding of mutant abilities. They’d even had a few breakthroughs credited to them, one of them being the X-gene itself. The thing that had begun his own research into the mutant problem and his eventual experiment on himself. Clearing his throat, he began.
“I was in the Cedar Rapids Hospital in those years, a small community by any standards but a very advanced psychiatric facility. I was finishing my doctorate on Mutant Psychology there as they had the best information and research in the country at the time.” He could feel Logan gearing up and he caught his scent as it deepened, risking a look at him, Hank saw his eyes were locked onto Rogue’s. Her own face worried and trying to give some support to Lupa, who’d gone quiet.

“What did you do there?” The words were calm but Hank caught the unasked question and the implied threat held within them.
“I just did porting to start with, just taking patients from one room to another, after a couple of months I was given light duties in the wards and allowed to sit in on therapy sessions. My thesis was on the subconscious and it’s effect on the X-gene or mutant abilities. The time I spent there was most useful in helping me to understand the mechanics of the psychological triggers of abilities and how they present themselves.” Logan got up and put himself in front of the fire, turning his back to Hank, face hidden in the mantle.
“So you never saw Lupa?” Hank looked over at the boy in front of him and searched his memory.
“No Logan I didn’t but then I haven’t seen him in his original shape yet.”
“Wait a moment Hank.” He watched Rogue squeeze Lupa’s hand and then go to the dresser near the kitchen door. She came back with a plain manila file and handed it to him.
“Thank you Rogue.” Taking the file, he opened it and felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at the face staring back at him. She didn’t notice and Lupa was still reaching out for her when Logan turned round and caught the look passing over Hank’s face.
“What?” Hank closed the file and put it down by the side of him, his eyes finding Lupa’s and feeling the tears spill over his face as he remembered who he was, what he was and what he’d promised himself. “Hank what is it?!” Logan was barely holding onto his temper as he realised Hank knew something, he’d done something to Lupa and he wanted to know now. “HANK!” The shout snapped him out of the memory replaying in his head; he’d have to tell them. No matter what they thought of him afterward, Lupa deserved to know the truth.

“It was the early 90’s and the existence of mutants was still a novelty to the medical community. So some institutes were allowing families to bring in their children for testing. To gauge their abilities, their genetics. As you know not every place that did this research was forward thinking and that’s how I know Lupa. He was bought by the research facility at the hospital.” Looking at Logan’s back he could see the muscles tensing and relaxing in time to his breathing. “Not everyone knew about the ward but I was doing porting and I was asked to collect patients from all over the complex and I was asked to go and collect a test subject. I just picked him up and wheeled him away to the car that was waiting for him. I didn’t know who he was Logan I swear, it was something I did everyday but I did do something afterward.” Logan turned to look at him and he saw the hatred burning in his eyes, as bright as the fire in front of him. “When I moved him off the gurney I could see the marks on him, the scar tissue. I stole his wrist id. When he’d left, I looked into the records; no one stopped me or asked me what I was doing. I had computer privileges since I was doing my doctorate and I found his file.” His hand rested on the small manila file next to him. “There’s nothing I can add to the information you have here but it’s enough to say they weren’t interested in Lupa’s well being.” Lupa was crying openly now and Marie was wrapped around his frame, stroking his fur. “I brought it up to the board Logan, I did as much as I could at the time. They were going to throw me out on my ear if I made any more waves about the private research going on in the hospital.” Hank could feel the air change round him as he continued. “So I stopped and just kept my head down. I needed to finish my doctorate and get their reference for my research proposal I was working on. I never forgot him Logan, his face was always with me, whenever I found something I couldn’t handle his face would come back to me, just looking straight up off that gurney.” Hank’s voice had lowered and he felt the tension in the air. “I think I’d better go.” Pushing up off the sofa, he made his way to the door, his hand reaching out to the handle when Lupa’s voice stopped him.

“You helped me didn’t you?” Turning to face them all he shook his head slowly.
“No Lupa, I could have done more and I should have. I was too concerned with my own needs to see anyone else’s.” Pulling the door open he made to go through it when Logan spoke.
“Hank.”
“What Logan?” He felt tired and worn, his own past coming back to haunt him now, reminding him of a time when he’d been more on the side of the mutant haters than one of the carers.
“Dinners getting cold.” He listened to his footsteps as he went into the kitchen, hearing Lupa get up and follow him on soft feet. Rogue walked toward him putting a hand on his fur.
“Hank,” he turned allowing her to see the tears and pain in his eyes. “All that matters is that he’s here now with us and you did try something. We’ve all changed over the years, don’t forget that.” She grabbed his hand and shut the door on the night outside. “Come on, I want to taste that cheesecake you brought.” Smiling he allowed her to take him to the kitchen.
“It’s a Mocha-Chocolate. Double whipped.” Rogue just smiled as the thought of the dessert to come entered her mind.
“Well if we don’t finish it tonight I’d better keep it out of Amber’s reach, you know her and coffee.” The memory of Amber on caffeine running through his mind, making him smile, she’d run them all ragged for three hours, destroying a swing set in the process.
Seeing the others already eating he allowed Rogue to seat him next to Logan and Lupa, putting herself across from Hank. Looking at the two already eating she sniffed, “Well there’s no manners in this house.” Lupa grunted mouth full of liver and vegetables. Logan answered.
“If I want leftovers I’ll get it out of the fridge, meat should be warm when you eat it.” Looking up he found Lupa’s gaze and he winked at him, making him snort as he ate. His gaze moving to Hank and piercing him through with it’s intensity. The conversation wasn’t finished but it was enough for now, Lupa was safe and he wasn’t afraid of him anymore. That’s all that mattered right now.

Dinner was quickly over and Lupa had gone to bed before the strike of ten, his body tired and worn from all the things that had happened to him in the day. Marie had gone upstairs with him, settling him down and returning after she knew he was asleep.
Leaving Hank and Logan sharing a drink at the kitchen table, the dishes still sitting in the sink. The silence had been building since Marie had gone to help Lupa and now it had reached the level of communication. Where words were no longer needed, only body language and scent mattered.
Hank knew Logan was seething underneath, his tense jaw spoke volumes and the deep musky scent he was picking up was rich with threat. Yet over the last three years Logan had seen him bend over backward to help Xavier reach into the world of medical experimentation. To stop the suffering caused by facilities who either knew little or cared little about the mutants in their care. It was hard for him to rationalise Hanks involvement in Lupa’s life, that he’d known and yet had done nothing to save him.

Yet the incident with Lupa had saved Hank, it had forced him to look at the price of research. When he’d developed the serum that had turned him into the blue furred man everyone accepted at Xavier’s he could have tested it on an unknown mutant. He hadn’t, he’d tested it on himself and had become the pariah of the medical world. Meeting Logan’s gaze Hank spoke in the quiet air. “He changed my life Logan, without him I wouldn’t be here or like this.” Hank watched as Logan worked it out in his head, he could sense his thoughts passing and the trail they led him down. They’d shared a sense of trust, which over the years had been strengthened by events but this had shaken Logan’s belief in him. If the truth meant he’d lose that trust then it was something Hank was willing to risk for Lupa’s sake.
Marie came down the stairs and sat in Logan’s lap his eyes never leaving Hanks as she settled herself on him. Her voice light as she addressed them both. “Well then is it a throw down fight or are you two going to talk about it?” Logan snapped his eyes to hers and she could see how much effort it was taking him to be silent. Her hand touched his face, watching as he relaxed into her warmth, arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her close to him. Hank almost cheered when he heard the deep sigh come from Logan, releasing some of his tension.

“What happened to the facility Hank? Is it still there?” His eyes on Marie as he spoke, knowing that if he told him it was he’d be going there at first light.
“As far as I’m aware yes it’s still there, but Logan the research department was closed a year after I left. All the evidence went with them, it was a private company after all.” The gaze Logan turned to him was full of ice and knives.
“So what’s the name?”
“Of the company?” He just nodded; Hank searched his memory until the image of the name swam into focus. “Gen-Techa.” Marie’s head almost spun as she heard the name her face becoming pale. Logan noticed and got her attention.
“What?” She didn’t answer him, only going over to the telephone, putting it down almost immediately. Watching her concentrate instead, when she’d finished she turned to the both of them. Her face pale as she went into her bag on the small table, pulling out a small shiny key ring. Holding it up to the light Hank could see the insignia from where he was, it was Gen-Techa.

“They’re the one’s who wanted the training course Logan. I was with them today.” She looked at the key ring and threw it into the fire as if it was a piece of dirt. “They approached the school about the problems teaching mutants with emotional triggers. The best ways of helping them and helping the teachers to control classroom situations when things get out of hand.” She turned to Hank, “You’re absolutely positive it was them? Could they have changed name or could someone have taken their name?”
“I’m not sure but I doubt it. The insignia is the same as the ones I saw in the hospital.” Logan was quiet all throughout the exchange, his mind working out what they could want and why.
“What did you teach today?” His voice even and level taking them both by surprise.
“I was just starting on relaxation techniques for the staff, you know centering the self before you start work.” Logan nodded.
“What type were they?”
“What the students?” Logan just looked at her; “Well they were your average class I suppose. A bit older than normal but if it’s a research agency then you get more older people.”
“Any mutants?”
“Yes a couple, both Empathic.” Hank looked at Logan and Logan returned the look with a scowl.
“Why send a couple of Empath’s to a class on mutant student control methods? I thought Empath’s could pick up trouble before it started, look at Claire we have here. She knows when the kids are about to go off on one and she deals with it before it happens.” She thought this through before answering.
“Not every empath is the same Logan, they have different skills and levels of control.” His eyes met hers and she finally understood what he was getting at, the knowledge that she had been set up chilled her to the bone. He watched as her gaze hardened, filling it with steel as she realised. “They set me up.”

Hank watched as they both leapt to conclusions, it wasn’t written in stone that Gen-Techa was after anything but the training they’d asked and paid for.
“Wait a moment both of you, what if they don’t have an ulterior motive? What if they just wanted to have their staff trained to deal with mutant children who were finding their gifts difficult to control? As we know there are several institutes now like Xavier’s, perhaps they’re trying to set up one?” Logan caught his eye, voice low and quiet it’s depth not lost on Hank.
“Yeah well that may be the case Hank but I’m not going to risk Amber or Lupa on that chance. There’s been too many things happen to us over the years for me not to be suspicious. Look at what they did to your research Hank while you were doing it.” A pained look crossed his face as he realised that Logan was only trying to protect his family. “No not again, the kids here need protecting and that’s my job. I’m going to have a look at this place tonight. Whether Xavier believes it or not.” Pushing out of his chair, he crossed the kitchen quickly, grabbing Marie. “Stay here with the kids, I need you to lock the house down. Hank you coming?”

A smile flitted across Hanks face, one that never reached his eyes and sent a shiver through Marie.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, after all I’d love to see what their research came up with. Hopefully something I can use against them in court.” He managed to catch the comment from Logan as he passed them both.
“That’s if they make it out alive.” Realising how much was at stake for Logan here, if they’d managed to fool Xavier they might know more about the school and it’s residents then any of them realised. All the children were at risk, including Amber. God help the man who gets between Logan and his family, they’d need more than gods help to get away from him. Marie let Logan go.
“Go and see Xavier first, he’ll be waiting for you downstairs.” She followed them down to the front door. “Be careful Logan,” seeing the concern in her eyes and hearing her unspoken love for him in her movements.
“I will.” She knew he had to find out if they were at risk, his family came first and that included the children at Xavier’s. Kissing her lips quickly he left with Hank, watching the two of them disappear into the forest as she locked the door and set the security going. Nothing could approach now without being seen, heard and filmed.

Feeling a little more secure Marie finished tidying the kitchen, wishing that Logan would for once do the dishes when guests were there. He did them normally but flatly refused to when anyone else was there, as if seeing him with his hands in a sink would make him less manly in their eyes. Smiling at the memory of coming down one morning to find him stark naked in front of the sink doing the dishes. He’d wanted to use the sink he’d said and didn’t want to empty it just to pile it back up again. She’d seen through his lie and had just hugged him tightly as he’d finished up, what had come later had meant he’d had to re-enforce the sink on the wall but it had been worth the extra work. Marie found herself wondering how she could’ve been so stupid not to have seen what Logan had pointed out to her. But she’d been distracted by Lupa and the clearance by Xavier, if they’d managed to get to Xavier she doubted if they’d find anything that they could use in open court. Although not every piece of justice came through legal means, especially when her husband was around.

Gen-Techa

They reached the mansion in record time, Hank was running flat out and was managing to keep just ahead of Logan, a feat he was proud of. Usually it was the other way round, Hank having to bring up the rear but tonight it was as if he was trying to get to the truth first. To get the meat of it between his own teeth, to see exactly what they were doing and if they were doing anything illegal he’d find it easy to forget he was human.

Running straight inside the large foyer he saw Xavier stood with Scott, talking about the security of the school. They were discussing the children and if it were prudent to move the field trip forward so if Gen-Techa had anything planned, it would be a moot point seeing as most of the students would be away. Noticing the two of them Xavier just gave them a tight smile, his eyes speaking volumes as his gaze met theirs. “Ah there you are, if you’d be quick to suit up I’ll get working on the other things we might not know about.” Dismissed they both went down to the lower levels, each one wondering what they’d find down at Gen-Techa. Logan wondering if their files were as detailed as he hoped they would be and Hank hoping that he hadn’t made a mistake by keeping his mouth shut for so long about them.

If they had records, detailed records he might be able to find more family and in doing so find out more about himself. Where he came from, who he was, what he was, Lupa had given Logan some clues to his own family line but it was confusing to say the least. At least all he had to do was deal with the facts if he found them, Hank had to deal with the fact that he knew about these guys and couldn’t do anything about them until now. When something like this resurfaced there were usually two reasons, one they had enough private money behind them to go public again or two they were being bankrolled by government and they wanted more info on the growing mutant community. What better than a group trying to help youngsters? Empath’s who could bend their young minds to their way of thinking, to use your talents how they wanted you to. Images of his own past flooded into his mind and Logan felt his jaws snap together, making Hank shoot a look his way. Understanding the tensions without being told, he knew how much he had at stake here and how far he’d go to stop any threat from harming it. The blackbird was warmed up, ready for them both, Scott was piloting with Ororo, and they left the security of home for the uncertainty ahead.

Being dropped off a mile away from the building, they could see the Gen-Techa signs. If they wanted to be discreet this was not the way of doing it, but if they wanted to blend in it was the perfect disguise. Dressed in shades of grey they both managed to vault the chain link fence easily, there were no patrol of dogs or signs of camera security. The small building in front of them looked harmless, it’s windows reflecting the night making it seem almost invisible, blending it into the environment. Making their way to the rear of the building Hank brought Logan up sharp, as they were about to go around the corner. There was a small bump just under the gravel and Hank gently moved the gravel away with his claws. Two little prongs could just be seen above the surface, Logan hissed his annoyance “Betty’s”.

Hank nodded, as he understood, ‘Bouncing Betty’s’ a landmine that propelled itself upward out of the ground to explode at chest height, doing the maximum damage. Although the lethal versions were outlawed the paint and anti-theft weren’t, they covered you in ultraviolet dust and paint to make you show up on infrared camera’s. So that meant there were some around they just hadn’t seen them yet, probably inside the building proper. Logan strained his hearing to catch anything but the whine of the air conditioners; there was nothing, absolutely nothing. Not even the hum of electrical machinery, creeping further round they both found the cargo area. Popping his claws Logan slid them under the edge and pulled up, slicing a neat hole big enough for them both to get through.

The entire bay was clean; there was no sign of occupation, even the concrete looked as if it had been swabbed with acid. Logan looked over at Hank and they both could smell the faint taint of corrosion still lingering in the air. The bay led to an empty office area, totally cleared of all furniture and scent, the building was a shell. Whoever had been here was long gone and if what Marie had said about the offices, it must have been a rush to clear it all in a day. Feeling frustrated and angry Logan felt his claws fire in the empty space, his need to tear into something sitting high in his chest. Only someone with resources could clear a building like this in a day, someone with money or with government help. He didn’t feel Hank approach until his hand landed on his shoulder, “Come on, there’s nothing here whatever there was has been destroyed or moved. There’s nothing we can learn now.” Turning his gaze to Hank, he saw the disappointment he felt echoed in Hanks own eyes and nodded in agreement. Claws retracting they both made their way out of the building, careful to retrace their steps. When they finally made it back to the pick up point they were both feeling a little better, the annoyance still settling on their nerves.

Checking their watches they knew they had at least an hour left before they were due to get picked up again and Logan didn’t feel like leaving yet. The answers he needed were there somewhere and the determination to find them burned just as brightly as they had earlier. Firing his claws again Hank snapped his head up and scanned the area, straining his ears for any sound or movement that could have caused Logan’s reaction. Finding nothing out of the ordinary he settled back down and watched his friend seethe, knowing that there was nothing he could say to him, nothing that would reassure him that they would find the answers he needed about Lupa. They’d have to work on what they already had and hope that the opportunity to meet Gen-Techa came again. They spent the hour in silence being picked up and brought home with the same amount of information, as they left, nothing. Scott didn’t push it when he saw the look of disappointment etched on their faces and decided to leave it for later.

Logan watched the sunrise and the squat building recede from his view. Silently promising he’d get inside them one day, finding out what they were and who were backing them. What they knew about Lupa and his own family, why they’d asked for Marie especially, why they were interested in the school, why they’d want to know about dealing with young mutants with volatile tempers and powers. He didn’t want to think about it but his mind had a good idea of why and the hands that were pushing the research. Feeling his claws slowly split his skin forced him to clarify his thoughts; he’d be on guard from now on. No more missions away from the school for more than a few hours, no more long stay undercover stuff, he had a family to protect and he’d do it. Feeling his blades lock out fully he brought them upto the light streaming in through the blackbirds windows, the light refracting and sending patterns across the interior. He swore on his life he’d find out what they’d been upto if it was the last thing he ever did, Lupa was family and he wanted to find the ones who’d harmed him. He’d dealt with his own past as much as he could now he had a future and a family and he’d kill to protect them.

The debriefing was short and a non-event really; finding out that Xavier had done some rooting of his own while they’d been gone. It had eased his own fears a little when he’d found that Gen-Techa was mainly interested in the developing third world countries. At least that’s what their information on the internet had provided, Xavier had his own methods of finding out things and he’d let Logan know what he found. The kids were going on their scheduled field trip early just to be on the safe side and this would mean that there’d be a lot less kids around for the next week or so. It was mainly the orphaned borders who stayed behind. While the rest of the kids went to wherever with a parent or guardian, this year they were going to Florida. Down to see and help out at a sanctuary for wildlife, where the kids would get a taste of being normal for a week or so and their parents could see the changes in their children. It helped to heal the rifts in understanding that occurred when mutation showed itself, Xavier had worked hard to get these trips organised and paid for them himself. The kids that were left behind were on holiday themselves; usually there was an atmosphere of relaxation and fun but this time there’d be an undercurrent of security too. Logan volunteered to look after the kids, he saw the look of surprise go through the rest of them. Even Ororo looked shocked until he outlined what he had in mind.

“I’ll take em out to the lodge on the north ridge, we’ll ‘get back to nature’ and we’ll do a little learning too while we’re out there.” Xavier looked at him and he could feel the brush of his mind across his, knowing the question he answered him. “They’ll be coming too, I’m not leaving them alone in the house. Besides there’s not much of a threat out there, the cabin is known about the lodge isn’t.” Logan had built the lodge last spring, with help from a local native contractor; the business had been started when they’d first had the assault course finished. He’d made a deal with the headman and they’d come to terms, only using men that could be trusted to keep a secret. The lodge was a haven in case of attack as well as a training ground; the late summer was a good time to get the kids to go willingly. Anything that got them away from the mansion would be good news, especially if they were expecting a visit.

Things were sorted quickly and Logan was about to leave for home, Hank hung back to talk to him after everyone else had gone. His body was tense and he could see the large man struggling to find the words, “Logan, how do we stand now?” Looking at the large man he could feel the bitter disappointment filling his frame and clouding his features, he needed to know that he still believed in him, still wanted him as a friend.

He was struggling to understand everything that had gone on today, the change that had wrenched through Lupa, the news of Hank’s involvement in Lupa’s life and the dead end at Gen-Techa. “You ever keep anything like that away from me again and I’ll kill you Hank.” He saw the words hit home and saw the truth of it hit him he’d make good on his promise, seeing the heat in his gaze he just nodded in reply. “Good, glad we understand each other.”


Lunar Tides

The preparations were quickly sorted out and the kids left early the next week, most going to Florida to play with the wildlife but first they were going to a theme park. Going to mingle with the masses and lose themselves in a place where they would look like any other set of tourists. Xavier was quite pleased with the way things had worked out, his researches had found nothing threatening as yet but Logan preferred to go on the side of caution. As the group of vehicles had left the mansion he’d waved them all off a feeling of hope going with them, knowing that the most powerful mutants on earth were with them and they’d cope with whatever came their way. All he had to worry about were the twenty or so left behind, he’d been up to check the lodge and things were okay, a little spartan but okay. Lupa had gone with him and he’d shown him the lake beyond the rise that fed the water tank to the lodge.

Switching on the solar cell he’d let the water heat up, they’d both collected firewood for the large fireplace and stacked it to dry under the eaves. The only thing that had given him cause for concern were bear tracks, they were large and heavy, not recent but there anyway. Lupa had been fascinated by them, whining softly as he’d smelt them his eyes following the line of the tracks without being told. Logan had had to grab his hand and restrain him from following the old track, after that Lupa had been distracted. His mind and body on the animal that had passed through here and he’d asked him plenty about it when they’d walked home.

“What do they look like? Bears I mean?” Logan had looked at him seeing if he was being playful or not but the seriousness he had on his face was enough to convince him that he wasn’t joking.
“Well there a bit like Hank, but they walk on all fours, Amber has her animal toys back home ask her and she’ll show you.” Lupa nodded and walked in silence the rest of the way home, Lupa and Amber were getting closer, and they shared time together, just sitting in front of the fire. Amber falling asleep on Lupa and wrapping her little hands up in his fur, cuddling into him like a teddy bear. Marie watched them carefully but as yet, Lupa had done nothing but care for her, being gentle with her when she became a little boisterous. Even when she’d managed to grab his fur on his legs and had come away with handfuls of it as he’d moved away from her, he’d yowled loudly and Amber had cried. She tried to put it back on his skin but it didn’t stick back and Lupa had taken the pain and the itching of his skin repairing itself. Marie had told Amber off but Lupa had just smiled at her and winked he was bonding with her and it made Logan happy to see them getting along.

It was as if Lupa had always been there, as if he knew exactly what was expected of him and when; he’d begun to relax into the house too. As if Logan’s words were taken as gospel truth, Logan had found Lupa in the kitchen yesterday morning asleep at the table. The entire fridge empty, jars and bottles were stacked on the table’s surface, nearly everything empty or just a few sad remains in the bottom. He’d eaten everything, even the mayo that had been in the fridge for too long and he’d been meaning to throw out. Although his stomach had dealt with it fine, he hadn’t been ill and that solidified Logan’s understanding about his own system. He’d eaten nearly everything once and nothing had put him off food, except when Marie had been pregnant. He’d shared the experiences of throwing up in the mornings too and he didn’t want to repeat the feelings. So when he’d woken Lupa at the table, his fur flattened a little by the table he’d blinked and seen the empties around him and just said, “I was hungry.” The look in his eyes still unsure of how far he could go but Logan had noticed the small amount of muscle Lupa had put on. The food had been used up already, his body building itself with each feeding; Marie had come down with Amber then and just smiled. Her face wasn’t one of upset she just looked at Amber who was looking over the kitchen; “Come on it looks like we’re going to the big house for breakfast.” Amber’s cheer met their ears and Logan just helped Lupa up out of his chair a small smile on his lips.
“Your not mad?” Logan looked at Lupa as Marie turned around with Amber in her arms still.
“Mad? What for? I get to take you shopping today and we need some stuff for the camp out anyway. Besides we have some meat left in the larder, if all else fails we can have sandwiches.”

The sudden guilt radiating from Lupa made Marie laugh and Logan went to the larder, there had been half a haunch of venison in there and what had been left of the boar. All there was left was the large bones, every one picked clean, signs of knawing on each one, Logan had met the deeply embarrassed face of Lupa as he whined deep in his throat. The look on his face made Logan erupt into laughter, he knew all about the urge to eat when he needed it. Once he’d demolished the Christmas turkey that Ororo had prepared for the kids dinner, he’d eaten all of it and the trimmings. He’d just eaten as his body had burned every single calorie he’d put in, not finishing until the entire thing was gone including the bread and gravy. He couldn’t admonish him for doing something he’d done before, seeing the laughter Lupa went to the far cupboard in the kitchen and came back with something in his hands. Marie’s chocolate stash, held in his hands as if to say ‘See I did what you asked. I didn’t touch it.’ That made him laugh even louder.

They’d gone down for breakfast and had eaten well, even Lupa managed to put away more than usual and Logan looked over to Hank as they’d discussed the reason they were down there. Hank had asked to check on Lupa’s metabolism and reluctantly Lupa had agreed, leaving both Amber and Lupa behind for the short trip into town to resupply. When they’d returned Hank told them both it was nothing to worry about just that the new diet was finally being absorbed by his body, being used to build the rest of him. He’d need to eat at least every few hours for a while until his system had become used to the regular meals. Amber had been sitting on Lupa’s lap when they’d returned and she didn’t come rushing off his lap to meet them either. She’d just held her arms out to them and Marie had picked her up. This in itself was unusual because she was just sat quietly with Lupa, as if she knew she was safe with him and knew that they’d come back for her if he were there. Logan felt a little spike of jealousy as she didn’t react the same to him as she always did, knowing in some way she’d bonded with Lupa, accepted him as a member of her family.

They spent the rest of the day getting stuff for the ‘holiday’ ready back home; Hank was coming along as was Pieter and Damask. He’d be going back to check on the mansion every day just in case, coming from a different direction every day someone would find it hard to track him. That way he could search the entire grounds too as well as checking on the house. Peiter and Damask were both with them for the summer months, before they left in September for Montana. There were many open spaces there and Xavier had bought several parcels of land out there for a school and training facility to be built. The groundwork was being done as they waited here; a house was being built with plenty of room in the cellars. The story was that Damask was a heiress, she’d come from Europe where her family had disowned her, she was trying for a new private life in the wilderness with her husband. Logan knew it wouldn’t cover all the bases but the rich were weird and he knew money was money in Montana, also the way of defending what you had was older too. He had to finish training Damask to use her hands and personal skills better when she got people up close and personal.

Both of them had popped round late that night to say hello and to meet Lupa, Lupa had been intimidated by the sheer bulk of Pieter when he’d entered the cabin his throat rumbling when he’d seen the big man. The calm gaze finding Lupa’s own nervous one as he’d reached out to shake his hand, finding his own hand was nearly the same size as the one given to him by the giant in front of him. Logan noticing and quickly assessing the size Lupa was going to grow into. The small woman by his side almost lost behind him until Pieter introduced her, Lupa’s eyes had almost started from his sockets when she’d moved toward him. He’d made his apologies and had run upstairs, leaving Pieter’s confused face looking after the young man until he’d taken a deep breath and looked down at Damask. Her skin was pink, a deep blush running the entire length of her body, her violet eyes meeting Logan’s the apology already on her lips as he just smiled, “ I should have warned him, I’m sorry my fault.” Looking at Marie who was trying not to laugh as she helped Damask to the kitchen, taking a surprised Pieter with her as Logan went to sort out the mess.

He’d noticed Lupa watching the other students over the few weeks he’d been with them, his gaze especially centred on the female population. He’d even caught him giving Marie some looks, which he’d rumbled at unconsciously knowing that Lupa would understand exactly what he was getting at without being told. But he’d just dropped Lupa in at the deep end with Damask, the pheromone bomb, he remembered his own reaction to her the first time he’d been in close confines with her. It had taken everything he’d had not to jump on her right there and then, okay she was in control of it more these days but she always had problems around him. Part of her still wanted him and underneath if he was perfectly honest he’d love to have her in bed again but it’d ruin everything between everyone and it’d make Damask hurt too. Climbing the stairs, he could scent Lupa’s frustration and hearing the sound of something hitting the doorframe he hurried up to the closed door.

The whole corridor was filled with it, the scent was strong, everywhere, filling him with itself. Lupa was horny with a capital HORN; he didn’t touch the door he just sent a thought down to Marie, to get everyone back to the mansion including Amber. Hearing her mind ask why he just sent an image of himself when they left it a little too long themselves. He heard the quick quiet voice of Marie moving everyone along and soon there was only him and Lupa in the cabin. Inside he could hear the deep rasping breath coming from Lupa, his scent deeper, stronger, harsher, Logan reached out his hand to the wooden surface and knocked.

Fire was everywhere, the huge man Pieter had been a shock, but it was nothing compared to the smaller woman, she’d lit up his senses like a Christmas tree. Her scent went straight to his groin firing everything off all at once, feeling his body spasm as he ran up the stairs and away from the source of it. Knowing if he stayed anywhere near, her he’d do something he’d regret and the last thing he wanted was Logan to be angry with him. He’d just gotten the door locked when the first shudder went through him, feeling his body swell with something as a hunger deepened, a need fired in his mind. He needed a female, a female of breeding age one who’d accept him, one who’d touch him, let him touch her. His mind surfaced for a moment sensing Logan outside the door in the corridor, then he heard people leaving the cabin. Whining as he realised he done something wrong, they were leaving and Logan was still here with him. Squashing the thought down, no Logan would have told him if he’d done something wrong, they were just going back to the house that’s all. His mind was lost to the swirl of emotion and need that flooded him, the scent of the small woman was wrong, she had opened this but she was wrong for him. His open window beckoned as the knock came on his door, torn between the two he just stood there as he heard Logan speak, “Lupa? You okay?” His voice filled with concern as it reached his ears, the door opening the decision made for him Lupa went out the open window into the darkness.

Something was wrong, Lupa usually answered him when he knocked, turning the door handle he found it locked but he popped it from his side knowing he could apologise later. Turning the door handle, the room revealed itself to him, the form of Lupa fully changed and huge just managing to get out of the window. Running over he heard the thump as he landed on the forest floor, seeing the dark shape quickly lose itself in the darkness. The scent of him wild, feral and full of pheromone he was after a mate, no doubt about it, cursing Logan jumped from the window his fingers brushing the claw marks that were gouged in the wooden frames. Using his own keen senses, he took off after him, hoping he caught up with him first.

The forest was alive with life; small breezes sent him messages that his mind understood without speech getting in the way. Leading him toward the small pond, he followed a breeze, a scent of female heady and deep, this was what he was searching for. Howling into the night Lupa chased the scent down, his body already aroused pointing the way forward as he powered toward it.

Logan heard the howl, sorted out the map in his head of the grounds and paled, the pond. He was heading for the pond, the vision of something else swam up into his mind, Katherine floating on the water her body abused and torn by Sabretooth. The image giving wings to his feet he took the quickest route he knew, he’d be damned before he lost another to the waters there. He didn’t know if Lupa could even swim and in his state, he wasn’t even sure if he’d know what danger he could be in. Swearing to all that was holy to look after Lupa, Logan ran not remembering the one who’d sworn to protect everyone and everything in her realm. The gentle laughter ringing out across the forest as Logan powered through the deep undergrowth lost to his ears by his own progress.

The female was nearby, he could smell her scent, crouched by the waters edge he could sense her, lifting his muzzle he caught a movement a few yards away. Narrowing his gaze body tense and primed to chase, the form solidifying as it came free of the forest edge, broad shouldered, stocky, heavy breasted and hipped she just stood waiting for him. Her scent filling the entire area her hand coming out to him as he slowly rose from the muddy edge, he could see her skin, dark and covered in moss. Her eyes were reflecting the water catching what little light there was out here, he heard her call his name in thick honeyed tones “Lupa, come to me.” He was moving before his mind realised, the desire inside him burning everything into a sharp focus nothing mattered but her.

As he neared her Lupa could scent her better, she was living, warm her scent filling the evening air with its promise. Reaching out a hand to her he felt her hip shift into the clawed grip, her skin soft and cool on his heated palm. He towered over her like this and inside this felt ‘right’, females were smaller, meant to be subservient as his other hand slid around her back. He knew what he wanted, what she in turn was offering him and he rumbled into the darkness. Feeling her body shift down toward his erection her soft skin brushing the sensitive fur covering his body as she slid down.

Logan was lost. How the hell he could be lost in the grounds he knew like the back of his own hand was something he’d never considered but the forest was conspiring against him. He’d ended up over the west ridge, looking down at the school when he’d come from the south slope headed north-west, he’d gone direct. Angry he cursed the air a blue streak and set off again, this time using the paths, it’d take longer but he’d be sure of getting there. A thought appeared in his head, one he hadn’t entertained for a while and a half smile crept across his face. If it was true then Lupa was safe if not Lupa would need some help quickly. Spurring his body into action Logan ran as if the whole of the army were after him.

Heat and wetness surrounded him, lost in the feeling of her wrapped around him, her mouth sliding along his length her grip strong and sure on his body. He’d tried to buck into her, to fuck her mouth but she'd held him fast making him slow down. She was in control here, the sensations she was creating on and within him; he didn’t care who was in control as long as it didn’t stop. His eyes were closed to the sight of her thick haired head running along his erection, feeling her wet tongue surround his heated flesh sucking hard making him growl. He didn’t realise she’d released him until he felt her hands bringing his head down to hers, her mouth still tasting of him as she kissed him. Feeling her tongue drag over the sharp teeth in his mouth, her body pushing into his, hands on her breasts kneading the soft flesh he found there. His body pulsing with need, hips bucking already as he felt her slide across his fur, her hands on his barrel chest pushing him down to the grass. Her strength surprising him as he fell on his tail, her standing over him before she lowered her own body to his, a whine in his throat sounding out as she slid herself down.
The sensations of heat, of tightness, the very scent of her sex sent him into a frenzy, straddling his hips as he pushed up off the grass with his back sending her into his bent thighs. Feeling his face shift so he could kiss, lick and bite her skin, wanting to taste all of her, her body shifting over his as the sensations built inside his body. The rising tide of feeling flooding him, spinning him along like a leaf in a hurricane, he couldn’t stop if he tried. Her laughter as she shifted along him bringing a clawed hand to the front of her sex, rubbing a rough digit against something hard just at the entrance of her, her voice in his head.
‘Learn, feel, taste, know, understand. When you need me I’ll be here,’ Her tight channel tightened on him as she rubbed his thick finger against her, her scent deepened as she began to buck harder, feeling himself go deeper inside her. His body responding to her thrusts in kind, his own throat rumbling with something that wasn’t a threat or a fear response. This was something different, he wanted to roar with the strength of it, the sensation building in his groin, his balls tightening as he felt the first pulses run inside his body. Her hand grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to her, her mouth showing him how as he came inside her, feeling himself flow out into her, the feeling of release indescribable. Her hand still moving his finger on her, her body still moving on his length as he felt himself throbbing inside her as he emptied himself into her. Feeling her body tightening on him as she shuddered, her own scent deepening as she shifted, a hungry growl leaving her throat as he felt her slickness flow down into his fur. The very scent and sight of it making him want her again, stiffening his erection inside her, releasing his hand she broke the kiss, seeing his eyes wide with hunger. A laugh on her lips as she whispered, “Show me what you’ve learned Lupa, take me how you want to, how you dream it.” Frozen by her words, how could she know about his dreams? The ones where he was just lost in sex, fucking until he couldn’t move, until he was spent in every which way possible. Feeling her clench around him snapped him back to the now, she moved slowly along him the slide of her heated flesh across him snapping any resistance he had. Snarling Lupa grabbed her shoulders and pulled her over, her laughter ringing out across the pond into the forest.

Logan heard the laughter ring out, his sensitive ears catching the tone and inflection, the lilt it had to it, there was only one person who had that laugh, Katherine. Racing along the path he was close to the pond it was about half a mile away and the scent of sex met his nose, the warm spice of it making his own instincts fire. Spurring him to get there, to see her, to touch her, to taste her, his own blood heading south as he ran toward the sounds and scents of heated sex. Wolverine surfacing as he got closer to the pond his own rumbling growl mingling with the ones he was hearing, the scent of a younger inexperienced male making his eyes narrow. Moving closer, Wolverine wondered if Katherine was doing enough, he had to see for himself.

Still inside her, he shifted into a disjointed rhythm, lust making him hurry as he dove into her body. His hips thrusting deep into her, her laughter ringing in his ears as he fought to chase the nebulous tingling that ran through him. Gripping his hips with her thighs she stilled him; a whine coming from his throat as he tried to buck into her, slowly she released him so he could move. Guiding him as he built a rhythm, his hands splayed above her shoulders, her head lost in his huge chest, licking and nibbling at the fur-covered skin. Feeling the sensations deepen as he sped the rhythm she’d given him feeling his body pushing toward the bright release he was chasing when he scented a rival. Being rough with her his claws sank into the ground as he pushed deep into her, seeing her eyes snap upward to his a name on her lips as he came inside her, hard. “Wolverine.”

He could see the bulk of Lupa over Katherine, his body trembling with the effort of restraining himself from just going over there and fucking her. Shrugging off his shirts, stripping everything until he was naked, he was going to make his own dominance known here, he was the alpha Katherine gave herself to him first. Grumbling and growling as he stepped out toward them both just as Katherine shifted under Lupa, turning on her knees and presenting herself to him. Seeing Lupa plunge into her his hands digging into her breasts as he thrust into her body, his own arousal deepening at the sight of Katherine being taken. Seeing Lupa growl at him as he watched his rival move toward him, knowing if he pushed him he could hurt her and that was the last thing Lupa or he needed to see or experience. Crouching down Wolverine waited as he watched Lupa fuck, his eyes going to Katherine’s green and the smile on her lips as she bucked upward into Lupa. A smile running across his face as he remembered that move, it had brought Hank to his knees more than once and Lupa was no different. Scenting his release and the tiredness that was coming from him, Lupa had tired himself out for a while. Seeing Lupa fall to the side of her spent, his chest heaving from the effort of it all, his shape shifting back as he rested eyes half closed.

Katherine raised her body from the ground and walked toward him, her scent deep and full, mingled with Lupa’s own. Her hips near his head as she touched his hair, her fingers weaving into the thick darkness that covered his scalp, her voice like honey as it slid over his ears. “He needs me, he needs to learn control, he has none yet and he could hurt someone.” She paused in her speech to lift his head so he could see her eyes, “Anne is coming home,” the words having more meaning than just an update on what was happening. He nodded and pulled her hips to his mouth, dropping to his knees, as he tasted her, listening to her breathing stilt as he licked and teased her. Her hips coming forward into his grip, her scent rich and deep as he cleaned her of Lupa’s scent, standing quickly and lifting her into him as he walked with her to the forest edge. Katherine’s whispered words reaching him, “Lupa’s watching you.” Hearing his own growled response come from deep within himself.
“Good.”

Lupa watched Logan pick her up, her body graceful and pliant in his grip, seeing him take her weight easily, noting everything he did. Seeing him bite the skin of her throat, seeing her reaction as she bucked into his body her scent deepening as she did it. Moving closer to them both Lupa watched Logan’s fingers enter her from beneath, seeing Logan’s own arousal twitch as he did so. Remembering the feel of her against him as he’d filled her with himself, watching Logan shift her against the tree, seeing the smooth movement of his body as he entered her. A small grunt of satisfaction coming from him as he began to move inside her, seeing him take her, his movements smooth and relaxed. Katherine turned her eyes to him and held out a hand to him, her words entering his head without her speaking them. “Come to me Lupa, come to me.”

Lupa was next to him when Wolverine opened his eyes again, the young male was aroused and needy, his body size was bigger than his but he had rights to Katherine and he was determined to keep them. The gentle voice of Katherine entered his mind speaking to him while her hand wrapped around the solid erection of Lupa. “He needs me Wolverine, like Hank needed you.” At the memory of Hank he thrusted deep into her body a cry coming from her lips, her voice continuing in his head, “Remember the forest, the night I had you both? Two lovers joined by my body? Look and see your son Wolverine, see him as he really is.” Turning his head to see Lupa, the broad chest and body a deep black, his height over seven feet, his breadth nearly three. Muscular and strong, his face was a halfway point like Hanks but his frame was bigger, his entire body was humming with power, a fire burning in his gaze. He was amazing, seeing Katherine’s hand holding his erection it’s size making her hand seem like a child’s, then the image faded back to how he was. Still bucking into the grip around him but smaller, weaker than the vision he’d had of him.

Feeling Katherine shift down into his body, her breath warm and her scent filling him with hunger, “Take me, show him how, teach him.” Lupa was holding the tree above her head his breath huffing over her hair his other hand resting on Katherine’s breast. Dropping his head to the cradled flesh Wolverine suckled the soft nipple bringing it firm in his mouth before releasing it, nodding to Lupa to copy. Watching him suckle the ample breast as he bucked into her hand, scenting his peak coming fast and hard. Katherine moaning and writhing under him as he dropped to her other breast, words that made no sense to either of them running over their bodies. Feeling something build around them as they fought to finish, Wolverine dropping into the background as Logan pulled his mind forward balancing himself. Fucking her in earnest now as their passions built, feeling Lupa’s large hand grip onto his shoulder as he came in Katherine’s hand, the scent of his release triggering his own deep inside Katherine.

The tight flesh of her body spasming around him as she peaked, a wave of pure silence rippling out from them as she cried out into the forest. Lupa dropping his ears to protect them as she did so, Logan pushing himself deep into her body as she spasmed around him. His teeth finding her throat and biting her, marking her on her left, seeing Lupa copying him his hand between their bodies rubbing her clit in circles as she flowed along. Looking at Lupa’s eyes as he lifted his head from her neck, sliding out of her, giving her over to Lupa, watching him take her weight easily. Her hand still gripping him, rubbing him along her open labia making him rumble as she released him, feeling him slip inside her, her thick legs gripping him tightly. Her body still going through the waves of pleasure that were flowing inside her as Lupa began to move smoothly inside her. His movements a direct copy of Logan’s own until Katherine gripped his back with her nails, seeing his skin ripple as he shifted again. A deep rumble coming from inside him as he bucked harder, the thrusts making the tree shift as he growled, his teeth elongating as he climbed to peak again.

Logan watched as Lupa’s body shifted again to his largest form, his hands huge as he gripped the bark with his claws. Katherine hanging onto him by his fur alone now her own wildness coming through as she bit his fur, her body writhing hard against Lupa’s own. Logan watching as they matched each other in speed and viciousness, sensing this was how it was for Lupa’s kind. They battled as they fucked, they gained rank and position this way like wolves did, Katherine was Lupa’s now, and he had no claim on her anymore. Backing away, he heard the pleased chuff come from his muzzle as he went to get his clothes. He’d talk to him on the way home, tell him about Katherine, who she is, what she is and how she died. He just hoped he’d understand it all, that the woman he was fucking wasn’t really here, she was there but she was made from the forest all around him. He knew he had a little explaining of his own to do to Marie but she’d understand if he asked Katherine to show her as well as him. He’d get the cold shoulder for a while but it’d been worth it.

Seeing them both still as the air filled with the scent of sex and satisfaction, Lupa letting Katherine’s feet touch the ground as he licked her shoulder and neck. Knowing he loved her, she’d caught him like she did every man she’d ever touched, smiling to himself as Katherine kissed Lupa and pulled away melting back into the forest. Leaving nothing of herself but laughter on the night air, walking back to Lupa who’d returned to his normal form seeing the tired look and almost shell-shocked expression on his face. Logan realised this had been his first, he’d never known anything or done anything until now, pride swelled in his breast as he helped him back up. Both of them naked as the day they were born, Lupa’s face beginning to colour as he realised exactly what he’d done, “Come on we’ll talk on the way home.” Lupa followed him as he picked up his clothes and boots, relishing the cool breeze on his skin, seeing Lupa catch the scent of Katherine on the breeze his eyes closing as his body reacted to it. Laughing he slapped him on the shoulder, “Come on stud, she’ll kill you if you try it again. Your young but your stamina’s for shit. That comes with practice believe me.” Lupa’s grin broke out across his face and the tension dropped from him as they walked toward home.

Lupa’s mind was whirling; he’d followed a scent and had been given the best present a young man could have, an experienced lover. Looking at Logan Lupa stopped on the path, his fur shining in the moonlight and his features making him look like a myth walked out of a storybook. Logan turned as he noticed he’d stopped walking, the look on the young mans face was indescribable, he looked as if the world had just been cracked open for him and he’d been told he could eat everything. Logan waited for Lupa to ask, it didn’t take long. “Who is she? I haven’t seen her at the school or on the grounds I’d have remembered her.”

Logan looked around and sat on a log half hidden by moss and ferns, motioning to Lupa to sit. Seeing him just crouch in front of him instead his face needing to see the expressions that covered his face as he answered him.
“Katherine is real, lets just get that over and done with first. She came here a few years ago as a refugee; she had a gift that allowed her to become part of everything else around her. Basically she melded into the forest, her spirit did anyway, she made a choice about her future here and she put others above herself. Sabretooth came to the school, a mutant who’d been experimented on by the government, some of the people here he wanted to hurt. He blamed them for him being experimented on, so he came back and Katherine killed him, thing was Sabretooth killed her first.” The whole thing sounded crazy to him at first, yet as he remembered the feel of her body under his fingers she’d felt soft like moss. Her eyes were bright green like the wing cases of beetles, but she’d been warm, felt utterly real, so she must be alive mustn’t she?
“But if she died how could she…?” Lupa left the question wide open as he blushed crimson, the thought of exactly what he’d been having sex with suddenly exploding in his mind. Logan reached out and touched his shoulders, his eyes locking onto Lupa’s own.

“I don’t know. All I do know is that she’s here for you, now she’s still alive Lupa, Hank and Xavier know how to explain it in terms you can understand. Me I just accept what I can see and smell, she’s real, feels real, smells real,” his face took on a leer as he added, “Tasted real too.” The mutual smile on Lupa’s face was enough to convince him that Lupa had enjoyed the experience. “Katherine loved us, she looked after Amber as if she was her own child.” At the mention of Amber Lupa’s gaze grew serious, “She cared about everyone Lupa and she’s here for you. I know growing up isn’t easy and being what we are doesn’t make it any easier either. Just know that when things get a bit much for you she’ll be here for you, that’s something rare Lupa. I miss her everyday. Seeing Amber’s curiosity and remembering how she’d always answer her questions even when she couldn’t speak yet. So just accept it as she gives it, when she calls you go. I understand and I’ll talk to Marie if you want me to.” Lupa read the scent and the words that had come from him and he knew he was telling him the truth, that Katherine was real, she was here and she wanted to be with him. The thought of her body resting against his made him shudder, the frisson carrying through him and passing into his gaze, seeing Logan notice it and smile. “Yeah she’s something isn’t she? No one could ever reach me as fast as she could, can.” Lupa remembered the name she’d called him when he’d first come toward them, seeing Logan lost in his own remembrance of her he asked his question.

“Why did she call you Wolverine?” Logan looked at the young man crouched in front of him, the need to know shining out of him.
“Wolverine is the other half of me Lupa, my wild side, the one who wants to let go, the animal inside me, the one you sensed the first day I met you.” Lupa remembered the first scent he’d had of Logan, it had been rich and full, and it had a musky undercurrent that was always there though. Some days it was stronger than others were but it was always there and Lupa understood now, it was his wolf, his rage, and his power inside himself. Thing was Amber had the same smell as he did, just lighter, he decided not to say this though as Logan was scenting a little sad.
“Did I upset you?” Logan met his gaze and he could see the smile returning to Logan’s eyes.
“No, just that I forget about him sometimes. That side of me is handy but he ain’t a great person to be around ya know?” Lupa nodded as he stood up looking at his own body, seeing his fur sticky in several places and the scent of Katherine covering him.
“I’ve a feeling I’m not exactly safe to be around either. Especially when I lose control of myself.” Logan stood up picking up his clothes and boots wrapping his arm over the large shoulders of Lupa.
“That’s okay because you’ve got me and Marie to help you, as well as Hank and Katherine when you need her.”
He saw Lupa blush as he walked with him, “Think I’ll be spending a lot of time outside then.”
“Don’t worry about it, your just catching up a few years that’s all and you’ll get control over it believe me. When I was travelling around, I’d go through women like nothing on earth, until I learned that if I waited it was better. You can’t hurt Katherine Lupa, she’s stronger than you think and she won’t get pregnant either. So just enjoy what she can teach you, you want to ask me or Marie something you just ask us okay.” Lupa nodded as they neared home, the early light making the white steps glow.
“Will you tell Marie about what you did with Katherine?” Logan sighed and looked at the cabin, he couldn’t not tell her but he knew she’d be pissed when he did tell her.
“Yes I’ll tell her, she deserves to know and you’d better be prepared for the cold shoulder treatment. I’ll get the brunt of it but you might too, just a warning kid, she kind of sees me as her property alone you know.” Lupa nodded, as he thought this through.

“Yeah, Katherine’s mine.” The statement came out solid, forceful and meant from the heart, Logan saw the glow of possession in his gaze and he smiled at it. Moving them both toward the cabin, he answered him.
“You’ll get no arguments from me on that count, just hope I get to sleep in my own bed sometime this month.” With that Logan took Lupa back inside, knowing tomorrow was going to be a bit difficult but he had to be honest with Marie about everything, he’d hidden things before and he knew how much he’d fucked up that time. Listening to Lupa’s stomach growl as they went in it looked like the fridge was going to be raided again, he just hoped they’d bought enough to feed them both. His mind going back to the look in Katherine’s eyes as he’d seen her being taken by Lupa, seeing her under him then in his arms as he’d gotten rough with her. Katherine fitted him and if Katherine fitted him then it stood to reason Anne would, after all she was the carrier of the gifts she’d had, why else would she have told him she was coming home?

Seeing Lupa stood naked in the kitchen a spoon in hand, as he demolished a carton of ice cream his tongue chasing the remains in the cardboard container. Smiling to himself Logan just popped a beer and watched as Lupa ate, whatever would come would come. He’d survived up to now, if the likes of Stryker couldn’t kill him what could Marie do to him? A chill went through him as he suddenly realised just how much she could do to him, making him drain his beer quickly and send Lupa to get washed first before he ate anything else. Reluctantly Lupa padded upstairs leaving Logan to tidy the kitchen and get out plates, better do some damage control while he could. Settling back he waited for Marie to come home with Amber, sat naked in his own kitchen knowing the sight would give him the advantage in the coming conversation. All he could do was wait and hope Marie was feeling a little ‘hungry’ herself, smiling he crossed his arms and waited.

CAMP OUT

It was 8.30 when Marie walked in through the back door; he’d just finished washing the dishes they’d used for breakfast. Lupa was napping on the old sofa after the major meal he’d put away; he’d powered through at least two pounds of bacon, sixteen eggs, two loaves of toast and two jugs of juice. Logan had just picked at the food he’d snagged letting Lupa clean up what he’d left behind, he knew why his appetite was off, Marie. He needed to tell her about what had happened with Katherine, it hurt not to, so when she walked in and wrapped her arms around him her nose picked up the scent of the forest all over him. Breathing into his back he could almost see her face working it out, searching her mind with his own, he saw her putting the clues together as she drew away. Turning to see her eyes cold and a little harsh he spoke, “I didn’t have much choice about it Marie.”

Showing her everything, the rising of Wolverine as he chased after Lupa, knowing he was heading for the pond, the pond where she died. Sharing everything, the fear of losing him to the water, losing another he loved by not being careful. Showing her the sight of Lupa fucking Katherine, his ‘true’ shape eventually, her words asking him to show him how without killing someone. Seeing the rage and desire that had burned through Lupa, the danger he’d been in just by being there and watching Katherine take it on and match it. The rage in them both as they rutted, nothing remotely human about it, everything to do with need and power. Marie wrapped her arms around his waist, as she looked into his eyes her own green sparking as she felt him shift into her hips. “No one said it’d be easy bringing up a teenager Logan, especially one as ‘gifted’ as Lupa.” Logan could feel her softening to his side of things she could feel the guilt all over him, he hadn’t wanted to do what he’d done but he’d had no choice. Wolverine sometimes took control and Logan had to deal with the consequences, like this. “Where is he?”
“Asleep on the sofa, he demolished the bacon.” Marie nodded into his chest, her smile running over his skin as she kissed the skin next to her mouth. Logan could feel her stirrings inside her mind, the sight of him making love to Katherine reminding her of her own needs. Showing him a picture of her in Katherine’s place as she slid her hands up his back, feeling him respond to it, listening to his purr deepen into a growl as his erection stiffened against her.

There were no words, he just opened the back door and led her outside quickly, her eyes were filled with hunger and she needed to eat. Pushing her against the cabin wall out of sight of everyone Logan just lifted her up into his arms, her skirt aside and her body already waiting for him. No underwear, she’d been coming to ambush him anyway, they hadn’t managed to be together for a couple of days and they’d both missed the contact. “Marie!” His voice was muffled by her hair as he slid inside her, feeling her strong legs wrap around his waist as he moved inside her, the early morning mists finally burning away as they made love. The sound of laughter ringing through the forest as both of them remade their bonds, knowing what he’d done wasn’t right but it had been forgiven. He hadn’t had a choice but it wasn’t going to happen again. Feeling the world come right Logan smiling at his luck, he had a family, a home and someone watching over them all, little did he know how easily things could change.

The kids had settled quickly after the first few arguments, Lupa was helping the kids load their sleeping bags in the large dorm on the top floor of the lodge, and he was calmer when he’d woken up after his sleep. There were changes in him that Logan could sense rather than see, Peiter was up there with him and he could hear the large mans laughter as he looked up at the mezzanine. “Hey if your done up there get down here, we need to get the kids organised into groups.” Lupa’s head appeared over the edge and nodded. “Sure Logan, be down in a sec.” He heard a half-murmured comment about being henpecked come from Peiter.
Looking at the rest of the kids milling around outside with Damask and Marie Logan felt the air changing, they were relaxing out here, feeling safe with him. The younger kids were playing with footballs and frisbees up here, the laughter in the air intoxicating; Jubilee was creched with the toddlers in the large penned play area. There were around thirty youngsters in all, ranging in ages from three to sixteen, hearing Lupa and Peiter come down he turned to speak to them both. “I want a perimeter set up Pete, take Lupa and show him how. I want this place secured before lunch.” Peiter nodded and slapped Lupa on the back, “Come on little wolf, I’ll show you how to make traps to give us warning if anything comes near.”

Watching as they melted into the forest he couldn’t help but feel something had changed last night, as if Lupa had broken through a barrier inside himself. That he was growing quickly and he’d passed a mile stone. Marie had joined Jubilee playing with the toddlers, Amber in the middle of the lot of them laughing and playing. Her playmates different colours and different skinned but it made no difference to her, she was loved and that was all that mattered. Hank was setting up the small medical room inside, the small allowances it had were enough for emergencies but he doubted they’d be needed while they were out here. Finally feeling his own nerves wind down as the sun warmed his skin, the forest was alive and Pieter was showing Lupa a few tricks he’d learned out in Siberia. Smiling he went over to the girls, no thoughts in his head but the joy he could see on their faces, it would be a pity that it wouldn’t last.


Anne was making her way slowly back, the things she’d seen were enough to make her smile but she was needed at home now, the strength of her powers was building and she’d heard the summons in Chicago. Katherine had called her home; she’d pointed the vardo homeward that day and got going. She’d been travelling around for six months, it wasn’t the usual education that she’d been promised at Xaviers but she’d kept up with her mail course, letting them know where she was going to be the next week. Picking up her mail from the post office was easy. She was on the way home and that was all that mattered to her, so it surprised her to be stopped just the other side of New York. There were several dark vans with mirrored sides and she heard the shutters of several cameras taking her picture as she passed. Her identity was checked, as were her papers of residency, the entire thing taking her over an hour to move on. Her vardo was searched and she asked the dark suited men what they were looking for, they turned her biology samples upside down, rooted through every single cupboard and nook. When they found nothing they simply left the mess behind and moved onto the next one, she watched as the men searched every large vehicle. Clucking her horse to walk on Anne left the roadblock behind, her nerves screaming out that something was wrong.

She found it when she was clearing up the mess a few miles down the road, a small transmitter with a battery. Taking it in hand, she went outside and concentrated hard, a few minutes later a crow landed on the roof of the vardo, she held out the small black transmitter in the palm of her hand. The crow dived down and plucked the thing from her palm, taking it away in the opposite direction back to the roadblock. Smiling to herself Anne carried on unknowing that she was still carried a passenger right into heart of her family, one that would change everything.

Logan was coming toward the gatehouse when he caught sight of the yellow vardo coming down the track, smiling he decided to meet Anne before she got to the gates. Vaulting the wall he landed softly in the leafmold, checking he hadn’t been spotted yet ran along the edge of the forest toward the vardo. When it came into view he couldn’t see Anne, the horse was moving slowly forward on its own, from his vantage point he couldn’t see into the vardo but her disappearance was enough to cause him concern. Dropping down out of the tree he was in, he startled the horse for a second before it calmed and let him take hold of it’s bridle, he’d just gotten hold of it when he felt a prick in his ribs. “Now you wouldn’t steal a woman’s only transport would you? I mean I thought someone like you would like something a little faster, a motorbike perhaps?” The smile in the words made him turn to see Anne holding a wicked looking knife to his ribs, right next to his kidneys, if she’d stabbed him he’d be dead in a few minutes if he’d been human. Grabbing the knife and twisting it out of her grip he leered at her as she spun away, her skirts rising and feeling the air cut around the edge of it. His eye catching the sparkle of metal as it flashed by, seeing his eyes following the edge she spoke to him, “Nice eh? Learned that one at a spring camp, doesn’t take much to sew them in and they’ve never been spotted by a metal detector yet.”

Logan threw the knife into the vardo and held out his arms to Anne, smiling she walked into the embrace, her skin browned and her gaze much older. “I didn’t get to Chicago but I did do some information work while I was out there. Something’s changed Logan, there’s an undercurrent happening, I was stopped just outside New York, the entire vardo was searched. Got rid of a bug too, the world isn’t as safe as we’d liked to think Logan, they’re watching any large vehicle or unusual movement.” He let her move out of his embrace and look at him, her eyes were different, older somehow, she smiled as she moved her long skirts touching the road. “What’s happening Logan? She called me back, you need me don’t you?” Logan sighed as he climbed up on the driving board, holding out his hand to her she took it and sat next to him. Clucking her teeth, the horse moved onward, the gates opening automatically to her and passing through their familiar ironwork. Her first breath filling her lungs as if it was her first ever breath of clean air, a smile lodged itself inside her as she moved deeper into her territory. Looking over at her passenger he just pointed over to the west ridge, he wanted her parked out there. The logging trail was wide enough for her to drive the vardo up it, and when they reached the end of it he jumped down and held out his hand to her. Seeing his thoughts written across his face Anne touched him softly, her smile reaching his heart and making him voice his thoughts. “Stay here, there’s something going on with outsiders, if they stopped you you could have more visitors than you know or found. I just want to be on the safe side.”
“I understand Logan I do, how’s Amber and Marie? They both okay?” He knew she was avoiding asking about Lupa, she’d known they were going to find him and bring him home, she knew he’d tell her when he felt like it.
“Yeah they’re fine, Lupa’s settled well. Thing is I need you to ask Katherine something about him, I know she’s brought you back for a reason I’m just wondering if it’s him.” Anne nodded; she could see the sense of his thoughts.
“Katherine is all around us at the moment, listening to our words now. I’ll get camp set up and I’ll expect you later, bring him with you, Lupa that is, she wants me to meet him.” Logan looked at her and the small little wild bee that was walking through her hair, reaching out to the little brown body she watched as it crossed over to his fingers before returning to her hair. “He asks about you you know, Wayland. Amber is his godchild and there are more things than I even thought possible Logan, I’ve seen some of them. But whatever I can help with I will, I’m home for the winter, there’s no point going out again only to be called home when I’m needed. I’ll see you later Logan I’ve got the horse to see to.” With that, she dismissed him as curtly as if he’d been her son, the change in her evident to him, her laughter and amusement was still there but she had a steel edge to her now as well. One he knew had been used in the last six months of her being away.

The world wasn’t a safe place for mutants or anyone who was different these days, the government had been quiet and that always made Logan nervous. It meant they were doing things behind the scenes, unnoticed, unobserved and quietly making as few ripples as possible and that meant whatever they were doing was something big and if found out could cause huge problems. Logan left Anne his thoughts mixed as he went to check on the house, going through the trails that led to the back of the school. His footsteps disturbing a fox that was hanging around the bins, the small creature taking something in it’s jaws and running back into the forest. Smiling as he watched the red tail disappear into the underbrush, it’s scent rich and heady to his nose, the smell of it almost covering something else, a sickly sweet smell one that didn’t belong here. Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he moved toward the kitchen door, the gravel path had been walked on recently by a heavy booted person, the shallow impressions were deeper near the door. Taking out his key Logan looked at the lock, new scratches glinted in the sunlight that had nothing to do with a key. Stopping his hand he made a forgetful gesture with his empty hand and walked back the way he’d come, grumbling to himself berating his stupidity until he knew he was no longer under the gaze of someone.

Taking a different route he got back to the cabin just as the sun was beginning to lower over the forest, the kids were happy and playing a game inside. Jubilee and Damask were getting food ready for the kids; Peiter and Lupa were being ridden and playing chase with the rest of the older children. Logan went straight for Marie who was holding Amber and reading with her, at the sight of Logan’s face she didn’t ask she just listened. “Get the kids downstairs, there’s someone in the mansion, do it quiet and quickly. Show em a movie or something but get them moving.” Logan went over to Pieter and pulled him out of a pile of kids who were trying to keep the big russian down. Marie’s voice rang out over the room as Pieter got up.
“Hey how about we have a picnic downstairs? Jubes, we got enough snacks made already?” Jubilee looked over to the serious look in her friends eye and saw the importance of her keeping this light and airy.
“Sure, we could do popcorn down there. We Movie watching too?”
“Of course! What do you guys want to see?” At the mention of movie’s several voices shouted out what they wanted to watch and several kids were already waiting at the top of the stairs to go down. Logan walked over to the stairs and opened the security lock, his finger waving just under the first kids nose. “Any mess when I see it tomorrow and you’ll be scrubbing the entire place with a toothbrush. Got me?” The kid nodded but smiled as Logan moved aside letting the group fly downstairs, the sounds of their play already filling the secure basement. The top room was soon empty, Logan looked at Pieter and Lupa, Lupa wanted to go with him but he knew it was too dangerous for him to come. “Lupa, I need you to look after Amber,” plucking her out of Marie’s arms handing her over to Lupa. Amber’s face looking directly at her fathers and seeing his serious expression, “Amber, you remember what I told you about doing what I tell you?” The little dark haired head nodded as she twined her fingers in Lupa’s fur, her gaze serious and attentive. “I want you to stay with Lupa downstairs, mummy will be with you as well but she might have to do other things okay, so I want you to stay with Lupa. It’s important Amber do you understand?” Amber nodded and Logan smiled at her bravery, taking her hand he kissed it and looked at Lupa. He understood the weight of the thing Logan had given him, something was wrong and he’d given the job of protecting Amber to him knowing he’d do anything for her. Lupa just chuffed and went down the stairs to join the rest of the already noisy kids. Marie rested her hand on her husbands shoulder, her kiss brief and her smile warm.
“Go, see what’s happening I’ll lock down after you’ve gone.” Logan nodded and took Pieter with him, just before they left he turned and added, “Anne’s back, I’ll bring her up later. If there is a later.” His pessimism wasn’t something she was used to hearing and it unnerved her a little. Watching the two men walk away down the slope toward whatever was down there, locking the cabin down making it the most secure place in the world. Say what you like about Scott but he knows his detail, it had taken both of them six months to agree on the plans but it was the best in the world. She just hoped he’d be there when she opened the doors again.

Pieter headed off in the direction of the forest tunnel entrance, the one he’d used in the raid. He knew it would be the best place to gain entrance to the mansion undetected. Leading Logan to it, he kept calm and quiet, only changing into his battle form when they were inside the tunnel proper. Running down the long corridors it took them minutes to get under the mansion, climbing back up the escape routes, deciding on the upper level to enter they both released the false wall. Sliding back on oiled runners it shifted perfectly without a sound, both men crept out into the silent corridor, the dust gently falling in a shaft of sunlight. Taking off his boots Logan hung them round his neck, his feet finding the warm wood floor, padding off silently they went toward the office. If anyone were snooping that’d be the best place to start.

The sound of keys being hit reached his ears through the door, the hum of the computer fan confirmed his suspicions, the sound stopped as they both took hold of the door handles. Bursting through both of them saw a dark clad shape smash through the patio doors, running across the lawn hand raised to his mouth. The sound of rotor blades filling the air as a helicopter swooped down, a steel ladder hung beneath the skids. The dark clad figure twisted turned and jumped, the whole thing reminiscent of someone he’d met before, Toad. The figure met the steel ladder and the helicopter pulled away into the blue, it’s passenger swinging like a piñata beneath. Angry and frustrated at being denied his quarry Logan watched the plain black helicopter power away. Turning back he looked at Pieter who had an expression of uncompleted rage on his face, settling his own anger Logan patted the large Russian on the shoulder. “Come on lets see what our visitor was looking for,” leading him back inside the office.

The computer screen was filled with names, the names and addresses of mutant families, those who’d sent their children here to study, every families address had been copied. Picking up the phone Logan dialled the mobile number Xavier had given him, knowing if he rang it’d be an emergency. It looked like one to him, if someone was using Toad to do their dirty work then they had to be government. No-one had heard anything about Toad since Liberty Island, everyone had thought he’d died but the scent and style of escape were a copy of Toad. The phone rang twice before it was answered, Scott’s clipped voice was on the other end, “Yeah what can I do for you?” Logan could hear the laughter of kids and the splashing of water in the background. He hated having to break the bad news; “We’ve had a break in.” The tone on the other end of the line changed in a heartbeat, he knew Scott would still be smiling but he’d be strained trying to hide what was happening.
“Tell me about it.”
“I think it was Toad, he hacked into the school records, took the entire list of families as far as we know. Nothing else, no damage, nothing removed just the names and addresses of the families.” He could hear Jean asking what the problem was, knowing he’d be sharing the conversation with Charles and Jean at the same time.
“Okay, just make the area safe and leave it. We’ll do some recon down here we have Kitty she can access the mainframe remotely, see what Toad was upto. You sure it was him?”
“As sure as I know Red dyes her hair.” The grunt of laughter down the phone was met with a smile on his end from Pieter.
“I won’t tell her you know that, it’s more than your life’s worth. Make everything secure and keep yourselves safe; we’ll be back in about five days. We can get something organised then, hopefully we’ll know more if Kitty does her job well enough.” Logan looked at the smashed doors and the disturbed office; he wanted to know what was going on, was this Gen-Techa? If so why did they take the names of the kids, the names themselves were on the educational register the only thing different about their files was the small file about each child’s mutant ability. Was that what they were after? Scott hung up and Logan looked at the concerned face of Pieter, the big man was unsure what to do just as much as he was.
“Come on lets get this secure, then we can go back. When everyone comes home we’ll do something about this. Just unplug this hardrive, keep it separate just in case he left us any presents.” Pieter did as he was asked unplugging the entire thing and stacking it on the mahogany desk, his skin returned to normal he just looked at Logan his frustration evident.
“What did he want?” Logan looked at the big man, seeing the need for honesty he just told him what he thought.
“Names, descriptions of powers, lists. All of the information we have is valuable to someone Pieter, the right word to the right people and someone disappears. We’ve seen this before a few years ago just after I came home, when Hank joined us. We’d just better be ready because I’ve a feeling this time they’ll be coming through the back door.” Peiter nodded and looked at the damage to the patio doors, “I’ll go get some wood.” With that he left Logan alone in the smashed room, wondering exactly what was coming their way and what it would mean to his family.

Anne was clearing the turf getting the space ready for her fire when she felt Katherine come to into her space, turning herself toward the figure she sat herself down on the steps of the vardo. Katherine made her way toward her successor, the green of her skin reflecting the small glow of the embers just taking hold. Katherine sat next to Anne, her body made of the forest, her scent alive with late summer flowers, they said nothing for a while just letting the sun lower itself until the owls began to talk over the trees. “He needs you Anne,” Anne nodded and fed the fire keeping it small, her gaze finding the green one of Katherine.
“I thought he would, Lupa’s going to find it hard settling in he’s not entirely human and he’s…” Katherine’s gaze stopped her mid sentence.
“I mean Logan.”

Anne looked sideways at her mentor, the settled echo of the forest rang through her form as the night shift took over, her hair bristling with new life and small creatures rustled in the folds of her skirts. “He needs your help understanding what’s coming, someone is coming Anne. Someone who’s related to Lupa, someone who’s going to want to take him away, make him turn his back on them here.” Anne’s face looked serious as she watched the stars slowly appear in the sky, her face taking on a steel edge to it.
“Is it them?” Katherine just nodded, “You set me up didn’t you?” Again, Katherine just nodded her assent. “Why?”
“He has to make his own choices Anne, they need to know he’s alive and who he’s with. Logan has been alone too long without family, without knowing where or who comes from. At least this will ease some of those questions for him.”
“What about Lupa?”
“What about him?”
“He doesn’t know does he? He doesn’t know his role in this.”
“No, he doesn’t and it’s not your job to tell him.” Katherine’s face became stern and her voice deep; a wind blew the fire and the trees as she spoke. “Your to hold the truth until it’s asked for, until she asks for it then you can tell her, then and ONLY then.” Anne dropped her head to the fire before looking at Katherine again.
“I know that, I understand how important it is but what about Logan? He’s going to ask questions, you know he is. What do I tell him? Do I lie and lose his trust, do I say nothing, tell me what do I do!”

Katherine stood up and looked at the young woman who was holding the remains of her powers, the one who was taking on more and more of her abilities the longer she stayed. Her young form slumped forward and her head resting on her hands that were propped up on her knees. Stroking her hair with a warm hand Katherine just sighed, her arms wrapping around the young apprentice knowing she was finding it hard enough without having to lie to the one friend she had here.

“When he asks something you can’t answer tell him to ask me, tell him to go to the amphitheatre he’ll find me there.” Anne nodded into the soft moss of her skin, tears trickling down as she lifted her head out of her soft bosom. Her gaze going to the West and the glow of the sunset fading still, her voice quiet yet strong as she felt the presence come into her territory.
“They’re coming, will they be safe? Marie and Amber?” Katherine just shook her head there were some things even she didn’t know and the thoughts of older creatures than herself was one such thing.
“Nature will be as nature will be Anne, all we can do is stand here between them and hope they make the right choices, for all of us.” Katherine let go of Anne and walked toward the fire, letting it reflect off her skin, showing her form, as it truly was, a mixture of plants animals and roots. “Logan is coming Anne, be ready for him, he needs you more than you realise. He may need you in other ways than talking to him.” Katherine’s eyes flashed as she turned to let Anne see her body shift into the moss skinned naked form she had used before. Anne paled hugging her legs shut tight her eyes wide as she realised what was being asked of her.

“I CAN’T!” A scent of musk and desire flooded her veins as Katherine moved to the other side of the fire.
“You will if he asks for it Anne, you won’t be able to help yourself. You’re the land here Anne, I’m a ghost, a memory living on until I’m not needed. I have Lupa to teach, to give him control over the beast inside himself. You know their laws; they’ll need to see his commitment to the land, to the teachings of the family. Wayland told you the LAW.”
Anne’s mind went back to the diner she’d met Wayland in, the small booth where he’d laid out the truth to her, what she was becoming, what Lupa was and who Logan was. The part she’d have to play in it all, being the repository of the skills and knowledge that Amber would need, seeing herself as the teacher to her as she grew up. Her purpose already laid out, her path already marked out yet it wasn’t set, choice was evident in every single move of the pieces on the board. Nothing was set and she thought she could get out of the Law, get out of that part but if Lupa’s kind were coming here they’d fight to take him away if they knew Logan wasn’t strong enough to raise him.

She had to prove herself as well, being able to show the way, the path, the choices she’d made and the sacrifices she was willing to go through to make this all happen. And that meant doing something, she really didn’t want to, she’d have to kill and raise Logan in a night, the death and rebirth of the soul and he had to trust her completely. Frightened and alone again Anne looked up at the stars praying for help from someone, feeling Logan and Lupa come ever closer and wishing she was miles away on the road, away from everything.

The kids were happy and fine when they both got back, Amber was asleep as were most of the other kids, Lupa was waiting with Marie upstairs. The sounds of contented sleep were everywhere as they waited for the locks to disengage and the security system to recognise their weights and heights. Finally, inside the faces of his family relaxed, Marie was the first to ask, “What was it?” Her tone was calm but he could sense her worry. Nodding to Pieter to check on the rest of the cabin, he turned toward them both.
“Toad, he hacked into the mainframe, took some information. Kitty’s working on it now we just have to wait and see what happens. Not my first instinct but we need to know what they were after and who Toad is working for.” Marie nodded as her hand stroked Lupa’s coat absently as the information slid through her mind. “How are the kids?” Marie’s eyes met his and her smile illuminated the room.
“Oh we had a little argument about what we were going to watch until Amber just pulled her favourite video out, she had it loaded and running before anyone else knew what was going on.” The smile that filled her eyes was one he hoped didn’t involve him.
“Which one?” His tone was becoming icy and Marie laughed as she got up and patted his fraying temper.
“Don’t worry it wasn’t her bath time one, it was the Christmas one. The one where you ended up in the snow bank after Bobby lost concentration.” The smile and quick kiss she gave him eased some of his hurt pride but seeing the amused smile on Lupa’s face irked him a little.
“Hey I didn’t have a choice, one second there was a clear field, the next a fifteen foot snow bank straight in front of me. I still caught the damn football though.”

Marie’s chuckle was heard as the rest of the adults came up from the basement, Jubilee caught sight of Logan and her mouth was opening when Logan just pointed at her and growled, “NOT a word Sparky, not ONE word!” She closed her mouth and just went toward the kitchen a smile dancing over her features.
Lupa was heading toward the food that was being laid out when Logan called him back, “Lupa, we’re heading out in a few minutes. There’s someone you need to meet.” Holding Marie in his arms hugging her tightly as he spoke, “Anne’s back. I saw her just before I went to the school and found our visitor.” Marie snuggled herself closer to him feeling his body reacting to his wife and her scent, purring into her ear telling her he’d be ready when she was, knowing she was glad he’d come back safe and sound. Releasing her as Lupa came over, kissing her quickly and seeing the heated future, he had to look forward to later. “Don’t wait up for us.” Smiling she winked as she walked away to the kitchen area, the rest of the close knit group already in the middle of making dinner.

Turning their backs on the domestic scene, they both left the cabin, the night already filled with sounds and life. Once outside Lupa stretched himself, splaying his feet wide in the soft earth, turning toward Logan his eyes bright and smile wide as they walked down the trails toward the Western ridge. The sounds of the forest alive as they moved quietly through it, Lupa stopped just before the start of the logging trail, his nose lifted to the wind. A look of confusion passed his eyes as he breathed in the scent he could sense coming on the wind, looking over to Logan who had carried on up the trail, his nose missing the rich tenor of the wind. There was something inside the wind, something he knew something he remembered but couldn’t put words to.

Logan stopped a little way ahead when he realised Lupa wasn’t following him, seeing his gaze notice the way Lupa’s head was lifted to the wind. Following suit Logan took his time to read the wind, a faint scent was on it, coming from the west, something almost out of reach but something familiar to him. Something he *knew*. Turning back up the path Logan went on, listening to the sound of Lupa catching up to him, his movements quiet but powerful. “Who are we going to see?” Lupa’s face was excited and Logan could read the expectation in him, maybe it was a mate for him? Someone like him, someone who would understand him and want him. Logan had to put the brakes on while he could.
“Her name’s Anne, she’s was a pupil here for a few years. She’s kind of like Katherine but she’s ‘here’ if you get my drift. Katherine gave her her powers to care for when she died Xavier and Katherine thought it’d be a good idea if she left for a while. She’s been on the road for a few months but she’s home now and she wants to meet you.”

Lupa smiled and Logan could see the small fire flickering in the darkness, the bright colours of the flame sending out a beacon to them guiding them to her. He couldn’t see Anne but he could smell the food she was cooking, a rabbit was dripping fat into the fire. Lupa walked straight over, kneeling in front of the fire he warmed himself through, the cold of the night pricking his fur. Movement and sound from the vardo made his head snap upward, Anne was coming out a jug in her hand. Freezing for a moment as she saw the large shape of Lupa standing up, a stream of words leaving her mouth as she took him in. Logan’s sharp ears picking up the words, ‘The wolf unnamed finds his feet in the heart of his loved ones. Anach curah sithra.’ Seeing Logan, she climbed down the vardo steps and handed the jug to him, facing Lupa she wiped her hands on her long skirt before holding them out to him. Lupa slowly took hold of her small hands, his face taking in every detail of her body and frame, his nose taking her scent deep into his mind. Their gazes locking for a moment as they each recognised the other, when Anne turned her head to look at Logan her eyes were forest green. The same green as Katherine’s and her voice seemed older, deeper somehow. “Come on, eat drink she’ll be here soon. She has something to tell you Lupa, alone.”

Letting go of Lupa’s paws she sat on the step of the vardo, picking up her cup and drinking the strong tea inside it, Logan sniffed the jug finding it filled with something like honey wine. “Mead from the bee’s,” a crafty smile creeping across her face as Logan took a swig, the sweetness filling his mouth and senses until there was nothing but warmth and heat flowing through his chest. Passing the jug to Lupa whom just drank a large mouthful and followed it with a second, almost draining the jug dry. “Hey, slow down, manners!” Lupa swallowed and a look of guilt crossed his face, passing the jug back to Anne, she sat it down next to her.

They didn’t have to wait long, the wind picked up blowing soft sweet scent toward them, Lupa whined deep in his throat and crouched, trying to hide his desire made flesh, his eyes locked onto one point of the forest. Slowly and surely her form solidified, walking out of the forest as if she’d just gone to collect something, her skin a soft moss green, her hair made of dark leaves a smile written across her face. Moving silently she wound herself around Lupa, taking his head in her hands and leading him away from the fire, the entire area filled with musk and want. Logan kept his eyes riveted to the fire and the rabbit cooking over the flames, his own body reacting to the sight and sound of Katherine. Knowing he had to leave them alone, Lupa needed her and he wasn’t needed there, images of Marie naked and needing his touch flew through his mind. Listening to the sounds of Lupa and Katherine rutting, the scent of her filling his mind until there was nothing else. Feeling his own groin become heavy with blood, a low growl forcing it’s way out of his mouth, then a touch on his shoulder, the scent of a ready female next to him. Losing all thought, all humanity as he snapped his eyes to the source of the scent that was filling him, Anne was stood next to him, her gaze reaching through the haze of sex. Her voice reaching him as she touched his neck lightly with her fingers, “Do you need me?”

Logan was torn, he wanted her, needed her, his body was screaming to take her, feeling his teeth grating on each other as he looked at her. Dropping his eyes closed he felt her touch wrap around his waist, her warmth pressing up against him as Katherine’s cries reached them both. Knowing it was Katherine who was firing this desire, this need that was raging through him, grabbing hold of Anne he pushed his hips deep into hers. Pressing his solid length against her feeling her legs spread to allow him entrance, still clothed he pulled her to him, burying his head into her soft neck licking and biting her skin. Listening to her voice as she encouraged him, asking him to lift her skirts let himself take her, hearing the deep bellow of Lupa ring out across the forest. The young male taking what was once his, scenting the power in his release the need in his cry feeling it reflected in his own mind and soul. Feeling her hands hang onto his back as she tried to climb his body, her own scent mixed with arousal and fear, her words freezing his heart solid. “Please, I don’t know if you want this, I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a choice in this Logan, I have to I need you.”

Pulling his head away from her reddened skin, his bite marks evidence of his need to claim her to have her as his. Seeing her as the child who’d been lost and alone all those years ago, torn between being honest with him and saving herself from the pain of revealing what she’d done. Her eyes were blazing green, knowing Katherine was doing this to her too, the pleasure she was taking from Lupa flowing through her young body. Sending her over, scenting her own desire building, the pulse of her blood as it rushed round her body, her pupils wide as she grabbed his shoulders. Pushing herself into him, grinding her hips in his hands rubbing against his already solid erection, her mouth open and her breath coming in gulps as she whined and wove over him. Frustration and desire filling her scent, her mind not strong enough to resist the emotions Katherine was giving her.

Wolverine raised his head, taking Anne in his grip he lifted her into his body. Her long skirts wrapping around him as she gripped him with her legs, her mouth latching onto his throat, worrying the tanned skin there making him growl and thrust between her clothed thighs. The friction enough to give him pleasure he repeated the move, holding her tight to him as he ground against her clothed body, listening to Anne’s breathy voice calling his name in his ear. “Logan please, come for me.” With each thrust of his hips he felt her moving her skirts higher shifting them until he was against her naked skin. The scent of her filling his world, his hands gripping her shoulders as he moved against her, listening to the howl of Lupa ringing out across the forest, deep and long. The frustration building inside until his reserve snapped, flinging him over the edge as he bit Anne deep in the shoulder. Holding her tight to him as he bucked into her heat, wanting to fill her with himself but knowing he can’t, knowing she was as lost as he was. Linked to the same woman, the same place, the same emotions, feeling Anne’s hand slip between them her fingers working on herself, trying to ease the burning inside her blood. Shifting her higher Logan moved her mouth to his, claiming her, tearing her hand away and replacing it with his own. Her moan deepened as he slid his fingers through her sex, rubbing her proud nub with his thumb as the rest of his hand slid through her heated silk, a finger finding her entrance, tight and wet circling the entrance before slipping inside her. Her body shuddering as he entered her, feeling her internal muscles clench as she flowed over the edge, her body suddenly boneless in his arms. The desire met but the need still flowing through her, tearing herself away from his lips her breath coming in large pants her eyes clearing as she met his dark gaze. “Logan, listen, listen to the forest.”

Her head dropped to his shoulder as she relaxed into his hold on her, his senses still acute Logan listened as his mind cleared, the haze of sex burning away like the morning mist. A long thin howl answered Lupa’s own, rich and deep coming from far away but the sound one that reverberated through his blood. Firing something inside his own mind, opening a memory hidden and lost to him until now.

He’d been feral, lost in the cold forest, living as an animal. He’d come across a carcass, deer brought down in the night, tracks were everywhere but he didn’t care he needed the food. He’d eaten the frozen meat raw, his hands blooded as he’d sliced into the carcass, a sound alerting him and they were there. A pack of wolves around him, several were bigger than he, their forms almost freakish but they’d just watched him growl and stand his ground over the meat. Their gazes on him felt heavy as they calculated his strength, power, one had attacked, and he’d killed it with a swift blow to the neck. His claws shining in the winter sun the blood dripping from them into the snow, the lead wolf just turned his back and the rest had followed. The prey conceded to him they moved off silently into the forest, disappearing just as quietly as they’d appeared. The only thing he’d heard was the howl of the alpha; it’s deep rich sound digging deep into his mind locking itself away. Knowing it was important somehow that it meant something to him personally, now the sound was here in his home.

Looking at Anne her skin flushed and her body already seeking sleep, her arms barely holding him now, quickly moving her so he wasn’t holding her as a lover. Her head lolling against his shoulder as he took her inside the vardo, her eyes opening as he put her down on the cabin bed. Her eyes were blue again and her voice was shaking when she reached out for his arm, “Logan I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself I’m so sorry.” Logan just looked at her; she was taking on the brunt of the guilt, that she’d made him react to her, that he hadn’t had a choice.
“Anne…It’s alright, I understand I know what she does to you. She does it to me as well.” Anne’s eyes widened and a sense of despair went through her; tears were running from her eyes as she looked into his own guilty gaze.
“Logan, someone is coming, someone who wants Lupa. They know he’s here and they want to know he’s safe here with you, they’re his family or what’s left of it. They’re few and far between now but once they were everywhere, they were hunted down, whole families lost to the flame and hatred. Lupa is important to them, they need to ask him where he wants to be, with them as a wolf or with you and Amber.”

Anne could see the questions running through his head and she answered him as much as she could. “I can’t tell you any more than this Logan, I can’t. I have to follow the law set out for me. The choice is his, if he chooses them Amber will need every help she can, if he stays then things are well and good. You can’t tell him to stay Logan he has to make this choice himself; they’ll be here soon, tomorrow or the day after. I can feel them in the forest, their minds are so old Logan, older than the forest here.” Logan looked at the young woman who’d been given a burden even he wasn’t sure he could carry alone.
“Katherine…?” Anne nodded and held his hand in her own.
“She can tell you more Logan, I can’t. If I did I’d have to go, leave everything wander the world like he does.” Logan realised who she was talking about, Wayland. The man who’d walked into both of their lives changing everything, showing Logan what mattered when he needed to see it and showing Anne a way of living that would make her more than she ever thought possible. “Ask her about what’s coming and the part you have to play in it. I wish I could tell you Logan, please don’t hate me, please.”

She wrapped herself around his hand, gripping it tight like her only lifeline in the storm of her life; he could hear Lupa and Katherine coming back. He gave her a tight hug and let go pulling his hand away from hers, she sniffed once and turned her back on the open door. Wrapping herself up in her clothes her tears still flowing as he walked out into the still evening, sitting on the vardo steps eating the rabbit that had been cooked to a turn.

Katherine had loved him, held him, and whispered something into his ears as he’d mated with her, something important but he couldn’t remember it now. Wrapped up in her warmth her breathing ruffling his fur as she stroked his back, feeling her shift herself under him sliding herself against him. Her soft moss skin tasting of the forest as he licked her throat, his desires banked for now, so much had changed over the last months. He’d grown, he’d found a family, had friends who cared for him, wanted him around, needed to see him. Even Amber sought him out first thing in the morning, pouncing on him and bouncing all over his body, her little hands heading for his ears knowing they were ticklish. He cared for his family, they’d found him and accepted him into their world, he was different and it didn’t matter to them. He remembered the first time Marie had seen him changed, her eyes had been filled with wonder not fear, she even let Amber hold him alone without any fear of what he could do to her. Knowing in her heart that he’d never hurt her willingly, Logan had watched him for a while but after Hank had been to the cabin, he seemed to open up more to him. Spending time with him everyday, just talking or being silent as he did his lessons.

When he’d gone after Katherine the first time Logan had followed him. Knowing he wasn’t in his right mind, putting Lupa’s safety above his own, he knew how much damage he could do with his hands and claws and yet Logan had come anyway. Seeing the face of Katherine watching his own he smiled and pulled her into his chest, her soft arms wrapped around his middle and squeezed. He loved it when she hugged him like this, letting himself relax into the hold she had on him, “Come on it’s time you went back.” He murmured his disapproval into her skin, “Oh Lupa we can’t have you out all night. You’ll have me again soon enough.” As if to make the point she shifted her hips into his making him rumble with the thought of her tight wet heat wrapped around him. Laughing she let him go, managing to get out of his grip and stand holding her hand to him. The sound on the wind made his hair stand up on the back of his neck, a howl long deep and distant reached his ears and into his soul. Someone was coming, someone he knew, his eyes met Katherine’s her smile was tight and her voice calm. “Yes Lupa, they’re coming to see you. Maybe tomorrow or the day after but they are coming and you will need to see them alone, I can be there with you but I can’t help you do you understand Lupa?” Inside something clicked something from the other half of him, something that knew it had been some time in happening but it must be. Confident he stood next to Katherine, his size dwarfing her, “I understand.” Nodding to herself Katherine took his hand leading them both back to the vardo and the fire, knowing Logan would be wanting some answers himself.

Logan had just finished the rabbit when Lupa emerged with Katherine following behind him; the scent of the fire covered everything else so when Logan looked at Katherine his eyes told her his annoyance. Placing her hand on Lupa she smiled and spoke to him, “Lupa, Logan needs to talk to me. Can you find your way home alone? He won’t be far behind you a few minutes at the most.” Lupa looked at the serious look in Logan’s eye and nodded, he’d seen that look once before when he’d spoken to Hank in the cabin. Logan wasn’t happy about something and it involved him, “I’ll wait by the bottom of the trail.” Logan’s voice was clipped but soft to him.
“I won’t be long.” As he turned to leave Logan called him back, “Your not in trouble Lupa, Katherine needs to tell me something that’s all.” Lupa felt the air change as Katherine walked toward the vardo, the sense of anger and restrained violence filling the area. Taking large strides Lupa got himself out of the way but not completely out of earshot.

Katherine sat across from Logan, her body still naked the moss skin shining in the firelight, reaching behind him he pulled the door to the vardo shut. Turning his gaze back to Katherine he tamped down his anger, “What are you doing to her?” Katherine looked into the fire before answering, when her gaze met his her eyes were blazing green.
“What she needs to learn Logan nothing more, she’s taking on my role here. The longer she stays the more she’ll take on until I fade away, it could be years or months I don’t know but she’s me now as well as herself. What the land feels she feels, what I feel she feels.”
“What about when you’re fucking Lupa?” Katherine’s face quirked a smile.
“Yes she feels that, she feels everything I do including him. Like you do.” Her gaze unnerved Logan for a moment.
“Why? Why do I feel it?” Katherine moved toward him, crossing the fire without burning herself until she was stood next to him, her face inches away from his own.
“Do you remember the night you first found me, when the forest claimed you as its own? Your own seed spent on the ground between us, the need you felt but couldn’t take from me? You’re the forest Logan, your time’s coming where you’ll have to make the same choice, only this time it won’t be me.”

Her gaze went to the door of the vardo and the occupant inside, she was talking about Anne, “She knows it and she doesn’t want to. Yet, if she refuses to she loses everything, her powers her sense of place. Once you’ve been part of everything it’s hard to go back to being yourself again, think of it like this Logan. What would you do if you couldn’t sense anymore were normal like everyone else but you knew that once you were more than that? That’s her choice and there’s more than her to consider.” Anger poured through him, he was being told he had to fuck a girl he’d cared for, seen as a friend, a daughter even. Katherine moved out of his range as he moved forward her eyes never leaving his, “She doesn’t have a choice if Amber is going to be safe, and neither do you.” The words stopped him dead in his tracks, Katherine continued.

“The ones who are coming, Lupa’s family are your family too Logan. They’ve seen you before; they know the wild you, the one you were before the human side of you remembered what it was. They live as animals it’s safer for them, they live longer but they are few and Lupa is theirs. You’re related to them but not as close as he is, he’s a pure blood, a shifter, if you can’t prove your worth they’ll take him and kill your family line.” The words entered his ears like hammer blows, that something was coming that would kill Amber, kill his family and take Lupa. Anger flooded his system and his claws sang out their surfaces reflecting the fire in front of him as well as in his gaze. Katherine stood her ground as Wolverine fought to the surface of the man she knew and trusted. “Logan there is a rite, one Anne knows, Wayland told it to her. You’ll need to do it while they’re here, they’ll be watching you all the while they’re here. If she does it, it’ll show them you know the correct way of raising Lupa, that you understand their beliefs. If you don’t they’ll take him and kill everyone they find, they don’t leave witnesses behind them. To them life is one way, their way and Lupa has to stand alone and show them he can survive without them or their help, if he can’t they’ll take him. Even you can be killed Logan, they know how to do it they’ve killed enough of their own kind over the years.”

Her words were ringing through his head, Katherine the one who’d saved his unborn child, the one who’d watched and cooed after the new born Amber. The one who had died to save the other children at the school when Sabretooth had come calling, knowing she’d be trapped in this half existence until Anne could take on her powers keeping them safe for Amber. Katherine used words sparingly even now, so if she was telling him these people were coming then it was real and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Forcing himself to be calm, he let his blades slide away as Katherine sat down again, her face reflecting the firelight. “Logan, I’m not saying this to hurt you but to warn you. You’ve seen Lupa as he will be, everything he can be in strength and power.” Logan’s mind offered up the image of a seven foot Lupa with a chest bigger than his own, “These are his people Logan, and they’re older stronger and wiser, fighting them isn’t an option, understanding them is.”

She could see him thinking about what she’d told him, how he could keep everyone safe, locking them in the cabin until they were gone. Katherine shook her head and moved over to his side, her hand touching his shoulder, “It wouldn’t make any difference Logan, they’d wait and pick you off one by one, like good wolves do.”
“So what your saying is that I’m helpless here,” angry he pushed off the vardo steps and walked away. Anger burning off his skin and colouring the air around him.
“No, your not. They need to know your link with the land is still strong here, that you put the right things first, that you understand the need for death and the sacrifice it takes to live well.” Logan turned to look at Katherine, her face was tired her form beginning to lose some definition. “They’re calling me, they can’t enter here without permission.”
“Then don’t give it!”

Katherine stood quickly her body and hair exploding outward as the wind screamed around her, whipping burning embers into the dark sky.
“I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE! Do you think I want them here! Do you think I want to risk everything I’ve fought for, every life I’ve defended, to lose Lupa? I love him!” Stunned Logan watched her crumple in on herself as she began to fade away into the forest edge her voice whispering to him as she faded away. “He was promised to me as much as he was to you, he was supposed to be mine, the balance for this place and for me.” Her words drifting over the now settled fire reaching his ears and filling him with a sorrow he never thought possible. Seeing it as it should have been, Katherine alive and well, Lupa at her side with Amber playing at their feet surrounded by children all of them smiling and happy. But it hadn’t turned out that way, Sabretooth had come and changed everything, making Katherine choose between her own life and those around her, knowing what he was going to do to them all if she’d failed. Her sacrifice had been massive and he was complaining about doing something to keep his family alive, guilt weighed on him as he damped down the fire. Leaving the clearing his thoughts went to Lupa, he knew he wasn’t far and if he knew him like he knew him he’d have listened to every word. Walking down slope, he caught sight of Lupa’s head, his ears dropped down and his hands playing with pieces of a branch. He didn’t need to say anything, he just put his hand out and Lupa took it, holding onto it as a child would. Walking back home in silence they both kept silent council with each other knowing they both needed some space to work out what had been told them. Tomorrow would be the time of discussion but now it was one of unity, of sharing space and time, building bonds and re-enforcing their links with each other. As they rose up the ridge the sound of wolves echoed out across the forest, Lupa’s face was torn between wanting to howl back and the rough palm of Logan’s hand against his own. Patting his shoulder Logan understood the burden; it’s hard to choose between the future and the past, when everything comes down to it it’s a choice everyone has to make alone. He just hoped Lupa was upto it.

Marie was waiting for them when they got in. The lights were down low and the rest of the cabin was silent but they both smelled her trepidation as they crossed the room to the large fireplace where she was curled up. Silently she opened her arms to them both Lupa settled at her feet snuggling under an arm that draped over his massive shoulders. His gaze lost to the fire as the words from Katherine whirled around in his mind. Marie opened her mind to Logan, her worry and questions filling the link they shared between themselves, Logan’s troubled gaze met her own and she voiced her worries.
“What is it?” Logan looked at Lupa and the guilt he knew the young man was feeling; that he’d brought them here, because he was here Amber was in danger as well as the rest of the school. Putting his hand on Lupa’s neck he felt the shudder go through his frame, digging his fingers deep into the fur he tried to soothe the pain he could feel coming from him.
“Lupa’s family is coming.” His words were quiet but the heaviness within them made Marie stop her question in her throat, waiting for her husband to continue. Shifting himself closer to them both Logan wrapped an arm around Marie, his hand continuing to stroke Lupa’s thick neck just above the scar line.

“They’re not like us and they might cause some problems.” Lupa made to move but Logan stopped him dead, his tone hard but calming, “It’s not your fault Lupa, they would’ve found you eventually and if they’d found you at the orphanage…” He left the sentence open and Lupa just sat back against the warmth of his family as the truth settled through him. His mind filling in the blanks for him, the death of all those people the rampage and the terror, the screams of children who wouldn’t understand why it was happening. Turning his face toward them both his features set and his muzzle already wet with tears, Marie just reaching out to him and feeling him climb into her embrace. Holding him and rocking him gently as she had done for the first few weeks, he had been with them, her touch soothing his fears a little.
“I don’t want to go with them,” the words filling Logan’s mind with pride, Lupa had made his choice and he wanted to be with him, with his family. In the two months he’d been here, he’d learned more about himself than he’d ever thought possible, his worth, his importance to the people around him. For the first time he was loved without price or pain, looking into Marie’s eyes he could see her fear for him, that they’d take him away from her and Amber. Turning is gaze to Logan he found a resolve burning inside his eyes, he wouldn’t let them take him, he’d fight for him, he’d die defending him if need be. He was his family; those that were coming were strangers and if they proved to be enemies then they’d deal with them together but he wouldn’t be alone. Lupa reached out to Logan and found his hand gripped tight and pulled over into his arms, the warm embrace breaking his resolve and fresh tears wound their way through his fur as Logan held him. The whisper of Logan’s voice loud in his ears, “I won’t let them hurt you Lupa, you’re my family. No matter what you’re mine and there’s nothing they can do about that. I love you.”

They spent the night downstairs, wrapped up with each other and discussing what was coming and what it meant for them all. Plans were made and things were thrashed out, who to tell, what to tell and how to deal with it all if things went south. They had a day’s grace if that, Logan was going to do recon in the grounds, try to find them first and give them a few rules of his own, maybe even find a weakness in their situation. He left out Anne; it was enough to deal with without bringing up the fact that he was expected to do something with her. Exactly what he had no idea but if it was like the first time with Katherine it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss right now, Marie was wound enough as it was.

Dawn arrived and Logan left them both to get some sleep on the sofa’s, he went to check on the rest of the kids. Silently moving through the cabin he checked on everyone, Pieter was curled up with Damask, her small form protected by his bulk. Jubilee was surrounded by three toddlers all laid over her higgledy-piggledy forcing a smile to his lips. Hank was awake when he passed his door, the large doctor looked troubled making Logan pause mid-step. “Hank?” The amber gaze rose up to meet his, a sense of unease filled him as he saw Hank clench and unclench his hands, going through the open door Logan shut it behind him. Hank rose slowly turning away from him going to the window a look of pain etched into his features, “She was here.” Logan breathed in deep; the faint scent of pine and flowers was in the room.
“Katherine?” Hank nodded keeping his back to Logan the shudders than ran through his form making him seem more animalistic than ever.
“She told me what’s coming. I’m to stay here just in case, she told me everything Logan, who she was, what she was, why she did what she did to us. She’s expecting to die Logan, she’s expecting to lose us all.” Hank turned a different look was held in his eyes now, something Logan had never seen before, anger. A deep burning anger, not the heat of rage or the passion of hatred but the coolness of anger, held deep and banked by years of tending. Hank didn’t move toward him just clenched and unclenched his hands, the movement almost like a mantra, keeping him in check so he could function. “Go do what you have to Logan, I’ll look after them here. Pieter will understand when I tell him what we need to do.” Hank rumbled deep in his chest, a growl sounding out making the glass by the bedside rattle with its intensity. Baring his teeth Hank hissed, “Get out before I do something we’ll both regret!”

Looking at Hank, he could see him torn between wanting to kill him and wanting to fuck him, Katherine had given him her wildness. Backing away slowly he opened the door and bumped into a bleary eyed Jubilee. She took a quick look inside the room and Hank’s eyes narrowed, seeing the movement Logan snatched the door shut just as the glass hit the closing side. The bellow rang out waking up most of the house; Jubilee stood wide eyed as Logan held the door shut bracing it against the frame. “Go get Pete!” Jubilee ran off, the toddler that had been wrapped around her shins standing alone next to him, the small face looking confused at the panting and noise coming from behind the door. “It’s okay, he just got up on the wrong side that’s all.” Peiter was there in a few moments, Damask and Jubilee following behind, “Take the kids out, get em up and moving. Take em to the lake behind the cabin, picnic outdoors anything just do it now!” The women scattered taking the toddler with them, Peiter looked worried at the noises that were coming from behind the door. “Better shift Pete, he’s not in a good mood.” Peiter shifted his skin from healthy tanned to silvery steel, reflecting the world around him Logan released the doorhandle and gently pushed it open a crack. The bed was destroyed, the walls were covered in gouge marks and Hank was sat in the remains of the bed, his breath coming in great gouts. Sliding inside both men waited for the attack, but it never came, all they heard was Hank crying, watching his great shoulders shudder as he breathed. Moving slowly Logan began to approach when Hank snapped round, his eyes still filled with hatred, burning through him stopping him dead. “The next time you open that fucking door it had better be to tell me I’m needed or I’ll kill the next person who does, clear?!” Logan straightened up and Peiter clenched his fists ready to fight, shaking his head at Peiter Logan answered Hank.
“Okay Hank, whatever you want. Pete’ll stay nearby to keep people away.” Looking to Peiter he saw the small nod from the large Russian, as they began to leave Hank spoke to them.
“I can’t control her anger Logan, I’m not her. God, if you only knew how much it hurt, how much she suffered when he killed her….” He pulled his hands into his chest the rage building in him as he thought about it, “OH GOD, GET OUT!! GET OUT BEFORE I HURT YOU!!!” The cry of pain and anger filled their ears, a woman’s scream mingled in with it filled with terror and pain. Tears flowing down the large furred visage twisted into a masque of agony and rage, pushing Peiter behind him Logan backed out of the room, leaving Hank to suffer alone.

When they were outside Peiter put his hand upto the door and felt the wood a look of despair on his gentle face. Logan grabbed his shoulder, “Come on Pete I’ll tell you what’s going on.” The pair of them left the teachers corridor, the kids already fighting over the bathroom and the best breakfast. Going to the balcony Logan watched them prepare as he explained as much as he could to Peiter, what he needed him to do and why.

Afterward Peiter was quiet for a while then he just put his hand on Logan’s shoulder, shifting his skin back to normal he went down for breakfast himself. Placing himself at the bottom of the stairs so no one could get up there without passing him first, a few children tried but Peiter was persistent and just blocked every attempt. Looking down at his wife and children Logan felt their gaze reach him, Lupa was holding Amber tight to his chest, her smiles and little hands playing with his fur as she tried to feed him toast.
Marie sent him her thoughts and feelings, love and pride filling his veins as he smiled at them all, a sound reached him through the noise below. A howl, long and deep, Lupa was still engrossed with Amber but Logan was aware, walking away from the balcony, he went to the small window. It looked out onto the forest and Logan knew they were coming tonight they’d be here outside the door of the cabin. His claws sang out as he turned away, he’d done many things over the years to keep the wolf from his door before but never the real thing before. The image of Lupa fully changed rose in his mind, seven feet tall, heavily muscled, long toothed and sharp clawed. The image of Amber her eyes filled with fear as they broke inside of Marie fighting for all she was worth and dying at their hands filled him with rage.

Wolverine surfaced as he took the back stairs, his feet almost a blur as he headed out into the forest behind the cabin, going to the west ridge where they were. He hadn’t slept and he was hungry, he knew he wouldn’t settle until this was sorted one way or another. Running through the forest he felt the animals scatter as he ran over the familiar ground searching for sign of them, letting Wolverines senses guide him. All day he was out there, searching, looking, finding traces of them but not seeing anything of them, twice he was sure they were nearby. His senses screaming at him to be wary, that they were right next to him, but he couldn’t scent or see them anywhere.

Exhausted as the sun began to set he worked his way back, his feet taking him over the West ridge and into Anne’s camp. A pot was over the fire, the smell from it leading him by the nose straight over to it, looking inside and seeing stew bubbling. A sound made his head snap upward, Anne was there at the vardo door, two bowls in her hands, taking her time she ladled out food handing him one of them. Before he touched it she covered it with her hand, her voice shaking in the quiet of the evening, “Their watching us, if you eat this your saying your willing to take part in what comes next.” His gaze met hers and her skin flushed crimson, “Your choice Logan but one you have to make.” Her hand trembled as she pulled it away, he grabbed it just as she let go making her jump the look in his eyes darkening as she realised who she was talking to. Logan was there but so was Wolverine, they were both there in his gaze as his hand gripped her own, she watched as he lifted the wooden bowl to his lips and drained it. The food spilling down either side of his mouth in his eagerness to eat, she lifted her own bowl taking a mouthful and putting it down when he took it from her, emptying it the same way as he had his own. “Hungry?” He nodded and she went to pour more when he stopped her, looking at him, she saw his eyes turn dark, she knew this, Katherine had shared this with her. Wolverine had taken him over, food and sex were his drives, one had been filled now he wanted the other, his grip on her tight as he pulled her into him. He hadn’t been with his mate for days, he’d been close to this one before, smelled her need for him and she was here now.

Pulling her into him he felt her stiffen up as he pulled her closer, the bowls dropped from her hands landing in the fire, the flames beginning to burn through the wood. Consuming them as much as Wolverine’s touch was consuming her, her mind filling with the memories of Katherine of the time he’d taken her in the forest. His hands running all over her body, the desire he’d fed her with every movement of his body against hers. She could feel them watching them both, their eyes unfeeling yet observing everything, she had to control him, lead him, make him trust her, let her take everything he was and that frightened her. She’d seen him lose control, seen the damage he could do as Wolverine seen the look of regret in his eyes afterward, knowing she’d be one of those regrets after this.

Her hands freed she lifted them to his head, a charm whispered under her breath, “Sator, Arepo, Tenet, Opera, Rotas.” The lovers charm, Wayland had given it to her, telling her to use it if she felt fear at what she had to do. As her hands wound into his hair she felt her fear slide away and a hunger rise in it’s place, a need to touch, to be touched to be held and caressed by his hands. To be devoured entirely by him and in turn to devour him utterly. Night was falling and the coldness seeped into the trees, a mist began to form as they touched and explored each other over the clothes that covered them both. Feeling him stiffen against her as she moved across his body, giving him everything she had to give, her lithe figure gripping his own bulky form.

Breathless Anne began to open her clothing, tearing the buttons on her shift so he could touch her skin, her whispers reaching him as she held him to her. “Please, do this for them, for Amber.” At the mention of her name he growled, pulling her into his body hard, the grip on her increasing as she saw his eyes darken further until they were nearly black. His teeth bared as the rumble rose through her, he could sense them watching and it angered him, she needed his attention on her. Dropping her hand to his erection, she squeezed hard, rubbing the entire length with her open palm cupping him tight as she licked his neck.
Losing herself to the fire that was coursing through her blood the longer she held him, understanding what Katherine had meant, that he was a part of nature an animal in all but form. Her mind showing her where to bite, the shared memory allowing her to control him, to get him to respond to her the way she needed him to. Latching onto the sensitive bundle of nerves under his ear she bit, her teeth scraping the skin, feeling his own hands lift her bodily into him, dislodging her hand on him.

They were here, he could feel them all around him, watching them both, anger bubbled upward he wanted to find them, kill them, send them away until they couldn’t hurt anyone. When he felt her hands in his hair and her body writhing against his, own it changed everything, she was keeping his attention on her. She wanted him, needed him, her scent deepened as she moved against him, her mouth whispering something to him, the only part he recognised was ‘Amber’. Amber was his child, the thing he had to keep safe, if they were here with him then she was safe he could get to them here and he felt his anger rising.
That was until Anne touched him, squeezing him hard, bringing his attention back to her, licking his neck and biting his skin, making him buck into her hand with the sensation. She was Katherine, her scent was heady and rich her body constantly moving against his, needing her to be still, to be closer to him. Picking her up bodily, making her wrap her legs around him for support, her open shirt brushing aside her skin glowing in the half light.

Her body still rubbing against his own, her breasts pressing against his clothed chest, with a roar he dropped her to her feet. Tearing at his own clothes, shedding them quickly opening his jeans, freeing his erection to the night and to Anne’s gaze, seeing her fear lodged deep in her eyes but her hunger written across her features as she stripped her own clothes. Stepping out of her long skirts, naked underneath them her young body trembling from the cold, wrapped up suddenly in his heated skin, the sensation of his skin almost driving her wild.
The feel of his body against her own her weakness against his strength, the power he held in every muscle in every fibre of himself. Her own softness wrapping around him, mingling herself within him and around him until there was nothing but them, the forest alive with life, the eyes watching in interest as she shifted around him. Turning her back to him rubbing herself against him, grinding her rear into him her hands reaching behind her to touch his body. Encouraging him to take her, her eyes meeting his over her shoulder and seeing the hunger reflected back at her. The movement was swift and sure lifting her a little then the slide of him as he entered her, holding her hip and breast as he filled her. She wasn’t a virgin, hadn’t been for a couple of years but she felt like one now, the girth of him stretched her, her mind realising on some level that he was part of everything around them just as she was.

Opening her eyes to see figures moving in the mist around them, large figures, weaving through the cool grey. At the first thrust of his hips the words tumbled out of her mouth, a litany she’d been taught to remember by Wayland, the words old before man had made cities. Knowing the figures were listening to her words as Logan pushed deeper into her, taking her breath away with the power of it, losing her mind to the pleasure he was causing inside her on her. Feeling his teeth bite the back of her neck, holding her still while he took her, knowing they must seem like animals to the figures watching and moving around them. His dominance over her, the litany whispered to their ears, telling of their commitment to this land, to the ways of blood and bone.

Her eyes locking onto a figure, one that moved forward into the light, a changed one, stooped low but his back still raised six feet from the forest floor. Standing on the other side of the fire, his own excitement showing on his body, his pink erection weeping clear fluid and the growl that sounded out one of challenge to Wolverine. Wolverine didn’t stop, he let go of her skin and howled, the sound loud and full of rage, gripping her tighter to him, his blades snapping out as he showed his own weaponry. He’d fight for her if he had to but he was in control here, he was inside her and he’d fill her with himself, tying himself to her so no other could take her afterward.

He became rough, brutish as the changer watched across from them both, keeping the fire between them as he pushed to his climax, feeling his body tighten as he began to twitch inside her. Pushing herself back into his hips, knowing it would bring him over, hearing his growl rise, feeling it turn into a roar as he filled her body with himself. The pulse of him and the grip he had on her skin turning it purple under his fingers, tightening herself around him and feeling him grunt with the strength of it. Tying him in place as the changer moved forward, stepping round the fire toward them, taking his bladed hand in her own and raising it. Her voice deep and strong coming from everything around her as she spoke to the interloper, “MINE! You have no claim on me! Your place is not my place, your people not my people, this is MINE, he is MINE, in blood and bone, in fur and feather, in leaf and branch, in man and animal, in woman and bird. You have no rights here!”

The changer stopped in it’s tracks, the gaze turning from aroused to calm as Wolverine still rumbled behind her, his hand still gripping her hip. Slowly it backed away into the mist; the feeling of being watched fading until the darkness held nothing but the animals of the night. Satisfied Wolverine snapped his blades away, moving himself within Anne and feeling her release him a little, sensing the danger was over she released him. His grip on her skin still visible her face filled with relief as she turned to face him, seeing the darkness shifting out of his eyes being replaced by the hazel she’d once fawned over. Seeing him realise and the guilt flood his gaze as he reached for her, she turned away quickly, her heart aching for what she’d made him do. That she’d used the charm to make him do what she’d wanted, dressing quickly she kept herself out of his reach, holding her shift together she tried to get past him but he blocked her way.
“Anne,” she looked everywhere but at him, the sound of his voice was strained and she had to look at him. Tears were standing in his eyes as he held her arm, “Please?” He needed to understand what had happened, why she’d allowed him to hurt her, she knew her place in his affections, that he’d seen her as a kind of daughter. Someone he’d cared for, someone he’d shared things with, someone he’d never wanted to hurt and never like this or in this way.

She allowed him to hold her, feeling her own walls crumble as he held her, his voice whispering to her needing her forgiveness for touching her, for hurting her, for not being strong enough to stop. He didn’t understand the consequences of it all and right now she wasn’t in any state to tell him, she let him rock and hold her close as the stars moved overhead. Knowing they would be back, that it wasn’t over yet, Lupa had to choose and he had to fight alone, fear made her grip Logan, she didn’t want to lose him, not now.

The wind moved over the forest, a mind going with it, seeing everything and noting the changes that it made, seeing the small fire and the pair holding each other. One old one young, one male one female, one human one animal, a bond made a tie to the land reformed the wind carried the little bee away, back to the smith with the news.

Marie looked over the dark forest Logan had been gone all day, his absence even being noticed by the kids; they’d gone for breakfast by the lake. Done several nature rambles and now they were all writing up what they’d found for Ororo’s class when she got home. Feeling the presence of someone near her, she looked and her gaze found Lupa his head bowed and his hands resting on the windowsill. “She wants to talk to you.” Lupa’s voice was quiet and he turned to show her a small braid in his fur, little blue flowers running down his neck. Lupa had gone for a while when they were up at the lake, she knew it had been Katherine now he was telling her Katherine wanted to talk to her.

Looking around the room, she saw Amber playing with several other children lost in a game of jacks, Lupa noticed her gaze and nodded. He’d take care of her until she came back, “She’s outside just past the porch.” As she moved away Lupa grabbed hold of her, arm tightly, his face worried and his voice quavering. “Don’t hate him, he did it to keep you safe. If they hadn’t we’d all be dead by now,” his large head went back to the darkness outside. “I can feel them out there, they’re waiting for me and I have to go. I don’t have a choice, just like they didn’t.”

Marie looked at Lupa, his face was filled with uncertainty they’d talked about what they were going to do last night but the more time Logan had spent away from the cabin had made her more and more nervous. She’d hidden it of course but Lupa had sensed her fear rising as the sun had set, the children had picked up on the mood as well being quiet and calm. Peiter hadn’t moved from his post all day, the bottom of the stairs had him seated drawing the children relaxed as if it was a normal thing. Even Damask was looking a little frazzled, her normally solid self belief that no one or nothing could harm Logan looked a little shaken. Concentrating Marie did the one thing that Logan had asked her not to, she opened her mind to him, opening the link between them both.

Grief, fear, hatred, self-loathing, pain so acute it hurt to breathe, her eyes tearing up rapidly as she felt his mind tearing itself apart. The image of Anne as a child crying in the library, of the things he said to her, her helping to make Amber’s crib, the day she left and the fear he’d felt for her. Underneath it all was the knowledge of what he’d done and she burrowed for it, searching for the thing and finding her way blocked by Wolverine. Snarling and crouched claws drawn he wasn’t going to let her see, not yet. Closing her mind she blinked and looked at Lupa, knowing it had something to do with the situation they were all in. Walking away, she touched Lupa’s shoulder knowing it wasn’t his fault that this was happening, yet she knew he felt the guilt for it anyway.

Passing the children quickly she went outside, the cold wind blowing the leaves all around her as she moved down the porch looking for any sign of Logan coming home. Turning the corner, her eyes met Katherine; she was sat with a deer by her side, resting on the porch her hands stroking the deer’s flanks as if it was a pet. She looked almost human to her, the only strange thing about her was the colour of her, she was green, all of her. Her entire body made from leaves and twigs, dressed in soft moss that covered her like a fabric, slowly she turned her face to Marie, a serious expression settled in her eyes.

The deer wandered away back into the forest leaving a space for Marie to sit with her, taking the hint Marie sat down. She’d never seen her this close before, not since she’d become part of the forest, she’d seen her at a distance seen the memories from Logan but never actually been up close to her till now. Katherine smiled, the moss of her skin moving with the smile as it passed over her face, “He’s coming home Marie but there’s something you need to know, he did something he had to do. Wolverine mated with Anne.” Her breath caught in her throat, Marie’s eyes went wide and her heart froze solid. Anger coursed through her as she thought about the things she’d felt from her husband and why he’d told her not to open the link between them.

She made to stand but Katherine grabbed her arm keeping her sat next to her, the grip firm and strong, “They didn’t have a choice Marie, they had to they had to prove their worth to those who were watching.” Angry Marie set her head, the light of rage burning through her gaze, “You want to know what was watching them? Who was there, what they could have lost?” Seeing Marie’s anger flare Katherine took that as a yes, touching her between the eyes with her left hand she opened her own senses for Marie to see what she had seen.

The forest was filled with bodies, at least twenty large furred forms, all pacing, all walking around the small clearing, their size dwarfing the two naked figures stood next to the fire. The leader stood waiting hidden by the mist until he was ready to make his presence felt, revealing himself to them both. Seeing Wolverine holding Anne in his grip, fucking her as they both faced down the huge creature, seeing the anger boiling in her husbands gaze, the need for him to kill being held in check by Anne. Lifting his clawed hand with her own her words flowing out across the clearing to the others that were listening to every word. Seeing the two changers stood behind the pair, a wicked looking set of blades raised ready to kill them at a moments notice, only when Wolverine came inside her did they drop the weapons down. When the leader left the clearing fading back into the mist he turned to her, his muzzle wrinkling in a snarl as he walked away taking his pack with him. Marie wanted to close her eyes and she tried to move away from Katherine’s touch on her skin, “NO! There’s more for you to see, to understand and forgive.”

Anne moved first, giving her the chance to see her husband’s eyes clear and the realisation of what he’d done hit him. Seeing in that moment the same look, he’d had when he’d found Katherine’s body and brought her back to the mansion. Anne dressed herself quickly and she tried to avoid his touch, knowing he would be hurting so badly that he needed Anne to let him touch her, to tell her his thoughts. She watched as Anne reluctantly let him touch her, hold her to him as he broke apart, the guilt swamping his mind, killing a part of him, wrecking the one relationship he’d had with someone who he’d helped. Knowing he’d take the blame for it all, putting everything on his shoulders, on Wolverine’s shoulders. Seeing him build a wall in his eyes, cutting off the pain until he was ready to feel it, he couldn’t they were still in danger and she saw him close off his features becoming set as he let Anne go.

Turning away from her, he walked down the track his movements stiff and his heart heavy, she knew he’d want to be alone when he got here. Not wanting to show her why he was feeling like this, having to explain why Anne wouldn’t let him go near her again or touch her. Knowing he was hating himself and the things that had made him do it, Katherine showed her Anne, the tears running down her face as she heated water. Adding salt to it by the handful, watching her strip again and wash herself all over, flushing out her body the sting of the salt registering in her eyes. Her own tears flowing as she scrubbed her skin, her voice repeating the same thing over and over, “Please god let her forgive me, let him forgive me, we had no choice, no choice.” Marie watched the young woman who’d become a friend to her and Amber destroy herself as she scrubbed her skin. Finally resting in a heap near the fire, her pain etched over her face re-enforced by every tear she shed in quiet hatred and rage.

Her face set as she looked around her gaze resting on theirs for a second, Anne’s voice reaching out into the forest. “I know your listening Katherine, I did your job they're safe for now, they know he follows his path well. He’ll bring him up well, tell him what he needs to know, to be a killer and to defend what’s his by rights. I hate you, do you hear me I HATE YOU! I don’t want this if I have to hurt those I love, I hurt him you bitch, I could see it in him! She’ll hate me, she’ll stop me from seeing Amber, how can I protect her when she won’t let me near her?” Marie listened to the strain in her young voice, the pain and the anger in it, the self-doubt and loathing. Seeing her walk stiffly into the vardo leaving her pain behind her voice still mumbling as she went inside, “Please god let him forgive me, because I can’t forgive myself.”

Katherine removed her touch from Marie’s forehead shutting down the view in her head, her voice rich and old as she turned away from her. Listening as she got up and took her few steps away from the porch, “They would have killed them both if she hadn’t offered herself to him, remade the link between him and the land. Anne is the land here as I was, she had no choice as I had none, Wolverine belongs here and to claim this place he has to make his mark on it. Anne represents the land here they would have accepted no one else, they would have come for you all. DO you think Hank could have fought all of them and won? They would have killed everyone here and taken Lupa with them, you saw them, how they really are do you think for one moment Logan had a choice? To choose between hurting you for a moment or losing you forever? Which would you have him make?”

Logan chose that moment to walk up the path, his eyes caught the shape of Katherine and his eyes narrowed, standing firm he just waited there not moving any closer or retreating. Marie could feel the hatred burning off him; he wanted to kill Katherine, to rend her into pieces for what he’d been made to do. Marie moved away from her and walked down the path toward him, seeing his blades had fired feeling the air around him seething with hate for the green woman. Touching his face and seeing the darkness retreat for a second as he looked at her, the need to tell her rising in his gaze and she just whispered, “She showed me Logan, she showed me everything.” It was as if his strings had been cut, his face fell and his arms dropped to his sides, the sense of loss filled the chill air as she wrapped herself around him. Her eyes filling with tears that flowed over her skin as she realised how much danger they’d all been in, that the things around them could have killed them all without a thought. He hadn’t known about the ones behind him, the ones that had held knives as long as his arms waiting for the order to kill them both, or the true amount of watchers there had been. He’d seen only one, the leader and they’d both stood their ground, she doubted she could have when she’d been Anne’s age. She’d been still getting over the mess of Jean’s death back then, she’d been a brat and Logan had been patient with her showing her he loved her until she’d finally gotten the clue she’d needed.

Logan’s large head dropped to her shoulder his face hidden in her hair as he breathed out into her, “Marie I’m…” she stopped him dead. Her head shook from side to side as she moved them back toward the cabin, “No Logan, there’s nothing to apologise for, you were looking after us all, doing what you had to do, nothing more nothing less. If it had been me instead of Anne I doubt I could have done it, I wasn’t as grown up as she is now.” Logan met her gaze and his eyes told her of the pain he felt for hurting Anne, his friend, his surrogate daughter. “She needs to talk to you tomorrow Logan, she feels as bad as you do, if not worse.” The words landed heavily on him and she saw him falter in his steps before they reached the cabin, “Logan, come on. You need to eat, sleep, Lupa’s fine, so’s Amber. Bring her here tomorrow Logan, I want to talk to her, woman talk.” Logan felt his face pale as she said it and Marie couldn’t help but smile at it, “No, I just want to talk to her, set a few things straight for her that’s all.”

What had happened did hurt her, it cut her deeply but she knew it wouldn’t have happened unless it had been necessary. The look of hunger on the wolf-like faces of the changers had made her fear them, the wilderness in their eyes. The excitement they had felt at the sight of the two naked bodies mating at their need to rend their soft flesh until it was in tatters and filling their stomachs. Knowing that they would have come to the cabin, ripped open the door and killed everything in sight, the thought of Amber listening to the screams as everyone died around her. Seeing Lupa fall injured and having to fight with Amber in her arms knowing Logan was dead or dying in the forest all alone knowing he’d failed them.

It made the act pale into insignificance compared to what would have happened if they hadn’t done what they’d done, an act of love instead of violence. Pulling Logan along she got him inside where Amber jumped on him immediately, wrapping her arms around her father and not realising the grip he had on her was one that would have bruised anyone else. Lupa was sat near the fire, his head lowered and the look of guilt lodged in his gaze; he looked up once and met Logan’s own stare. Lupa was the first to look away; tears visible in the firelight, the look that covered Logan’s own face one of regret as he wrestled with Amber. They’d need time to talk and there wasn’t much time left for them to do it.

Marie took Amber into bed with her, the rest of the kids were sleeping a little fitfully and Jubilee was padding around. The sudden need to see her friend filled her entire being and she called out as she heard her light footfalls pass her door. “Jubes, that you?” the door opened and her dark haired head wound around the doorframe.
“Yeah Rogue?” Marie held her hand out to her friend knowing she’d see the gesture and understand it without asking her why. Jubilee’s small frame entered the room and sat next to her on the bed, Jubilee’s hand losing itself in her streaks. The comfort from having her hand touching her breaking open her own shell of fear and pity, tears falling she whispered in the semi-darkness to her oldest friend.
“Jube’s I don’t know if we’ll get out of this. I’m so sorry for risking everything, the kids, the school…” Jubilee just shushed her with a touch on her lips, wiping away the tears that were still on her cheeks.
“Hey girl, it’s not as if it doesn’t happen at least once a year you know? There’s always someone or something wanting to get rid of us, it’s like with the kids, we tell them it’s better to run and hide than fight. When they’re old enough they can use their powers to defend themselves but not unless it’s really necessary.”

Marie looked at her friend and saw the wisdom in her eyes and in her smile, she was older than she seemed, the task of looking after the younger members of the school had given her an insight into life. One where the joys of life were often stark against the pain of realisation that they were hated for being different, for being born strange when the rest of the world was ‘normal’. Jubilee had learned the hard way how to handle the tantrums and emotional pain caused by words and thoughtless deeds. “We’ll get by Rogue, I mean we have the world’s most powerful mutants living here, there’s not much that can hurt us, except one of our own.”

Jubes looked at Marie and at the small child wrapped up in her arms. “He’d die for all of us Rogue, but for you he’d come back and kick ass until the metal on his bones rusted to nothing and for Amber, hell I don’t know what it’d take to keep him down!” Jubilee’s smile was real and her touch on Amber’s hair light as she sat on the end of the bed. “Hank’s doing okay, he’s sleeping with the kids down the hall, it looks like a pile of toys to be honest. When he came downstairs earlier, I thought Pete was going to have a fit, he looked so ready to fight him until Hank spoke to him. I don’t understand everything that’s going on here Rogue but I know this, if it wasn’t important it wouldn’t be happening and we certainly wouldn’t be here. Hell when we had the loony last year Logan made sure all of us were locked up in the dorms while he dealt with him.” Marie felt herself relax a little into the touch of her friend, nodding as she listened to the sense inside her words.
“When did you get so practical?” Jube’s smiled and winked at her.
“When I got to be everyone’s mom, play friend and confessor.” Laughing a little they both hugged each other pulling apart Jube’s looked at the empty space next to Marie. “Where’s dad?” Marie looked at the shuttered window her gaze being followed by Jubilee.
“He’s talking to Lupa,” the words sounded like lead in the air and clattered to the floor, their meaning not lost on Jubilee. Her friend touched Marie’s hair again and pulled herself into the bed letting her rest on her thin frame.
“It’ll be okay Rogue, I know it will.” For once Marie relied on her friends sense of ‘rightness’ and her belief that the world was best left to work things out for itself. Feeling herself slowly sinking into sleep, wrapped up in her friends embrace, her own arms filled with Amber’s warmth, her mind settling and calling out to her husband just before she drifted into oblivion.

Lupa was sat a few feet away from him, his eyes hidden from him but his scent was strong, showing his fear and upset. Logan had taken him outside, upto the small lake to talk, but they’d been here an hour already and hadn’t said a word to each other. The cold made his breath fog and he sighed heavily, the pain he’d caused today would haunt him for the rest of his life. The look in Anne’s eyes as she’d seen him come back to himself, the hurt and the regret had speared him through but he’d known there had been no way around it. If he hadn’t he’d be dead by now and Lupa would be somewhere far to the north. As if reading his mind Lupa turned to him his muzzle dripping tears into the lake, “I’m sorry.”

Loathing filled him and he could sense the pain in him, it was crippling them both and he needed to be strong to face what he was about to tomorrow. He’d seen one of them up close, Lupa would be in front of all of them at once and he’d have to fight them, if he was weakened by this, he could die. Pushing off the log he was sat on Logan sat next to the large frame of his adopted son, he loved him, when he’d found out about him he’d done everything in his power to get to him as soon as possible. Jumped through hoops for the adoption board, when they’d heard of his links to Xavier they were more than happy to approve him. It didn’t matter to him that he wasn’t his own child, what mattered was that he was related to him, he was his *family*.

Resting his hand on the back of Lupa’s head Logan stroked the fur under his hand, feeling Lupa bending into the touch. Listening to the intake of breath telling him, he was about to speak when he interrupted his flow. “Lupa I love you and whatever is happening isn’t your fault. You didn’t make them come here; they came here to find you, to ask you to go with them. They’re your relations just as much as I am, just as much as Amber and Marie are.” Lupa’s gaze found his and there was a piece of steel in it.
“No they’re not.” Logan was about to answer when Lupa continued, “They weren’t there when I needed them. You were, you all were.” Lupa looked out over the lake his tears drying, “Even Hank.” Logan knew how much it pained Lupa to be around Hank but both of them had worked hard at the relationship because of Amber who adored the two of them. She’d often want the two of them with her at the same time if she could, feeling safe and settled between them both. Over the last month Lupa had spoken to Hank, asking questions, finding out how he’d become what he was, what his work had been, and how he’d ended up at Xaviers. Lupa still held a few reservations about him but he never let them show outside his own thoughts. If Logan trusted him then he could too.

Lupa pulled himself upright, his muscles stretching in the cold, holding his nose to the wind he could smell them all around him. The strange scent made his hackles rise and a rumble echo through his body, Logan was up and next to him in a heartbeat looking for the danger, claws drawn eyes scanning the lakeshore. “They’re not here, I can feel them though. They want this place, take it over, kill you all and live here themselves.” His eyes dropped back down to Logan and Lupa saw the anger banked just under the surface of his skin, the thought of them living here made him feel sick to his stomach. They’d kill everyone they met, every child, every person, every stranger, the woods would become a place of fear and death, even in daylight they would hunt and kill. He knew that as much as he knew how to shift his form from one to the other, he had to face them, show them this was *his* home and he’d defend it.

Seeing Logan finally relax enough to pull his blades back he looked at his surrogate father, Logan loved him enough to die for him. What Katherine had shown him, what he’d done with Anne and the ones who’d been watching, the risk he’d taken without knowing, the sight of the others behind him knowing their eagerness to kill them both had been so strong. Only the risk of upsetting the alpha had kept them from killing them both, he knew what they’d wanted, he’d seen it written all over their faces, in their movements and eyes.

They’d wanted Logan to fail, to be human. Thing was he wasn’t, he was a half-breed, a mutant, while he himself was a different species altogether, he was like them and that was what was upsetting him. That he could be like them, could act like them, to be consumed by their own powers to be unheeding of the needs of those around him. He’d been hurt, abused, kicked, tortured and made a scapegoat but so had many other children here, they still held out their hands to him. Pain was everywhere here, in children in adults but they cared still and in his first weeks, here he’d made a promise to himself that he would let go of the past and concentrate on now.

Hank had told him a little about what Logan had been through and he’d asked Marie, she’d told him a little more about it but she’d asked him to ask Logan about it himself. It was important to Logan, a part of him that fed the animal inside him, the rage he let free the thing that made Wolverine. Looking at Logan as he stared out over the lake Lupa decided he would ask him now he needed to know how he’d come back to himself. Why it had happened to him, had it been on purpose, had he been picked out because of his abilities? Lupa took one of Logan’s hands and turned it in the starlight, the memory of his mothers own clawed hands rising in his mind. Logan’s own gaze was dark and he was wondering what was happening.

“My mother had bone claws, why are yours metal?” Logan’s hand tensed and Lupa knew he wanted to pull his hand away but he didn’t, instead he let the claws slide out so they could be seen shining.
“I didn’t have a choice about it. They were covered with metal just like the rest of my skeleton.” The words were filled with pain, the suffering deep and the anger still hot behind the words.
“Do you hate them? For doing this to you?” Lupa met Logan’s gaze and held it, even as his eyes darkened turning almost to black.
“Yes.” The one word bitten off with venom Logan turned his face away as he tried to calm the anger he felt, to put the rage away.
“Is it wrong to feel angry?” The words snapped Logan’s head round to look Lupa directly in the eye, the younger mans face was filled with confusion and pain as he worked something out for himself. “They were my family but they left me to die, they let my mother die defending me. They were there but they didn’t come for me, I know it as sure as I know one of them will die tomorrow when they face me. I want to kill them! They left me behind, left me for years to be hurt, abused and lost, not caring if I was alive or dead until now. Now I’m safe, now I’m secure they want that as well, they want to take everything and make it theirs, like you don’t matter to them just like I didn’t.” Lupa turned away for a moment, swallowing his rage down, “So is it wrong? Is it wrong to hate them for leaving me, for wanting everything I have just because they’re my ‘real’ family?”

Logan watched his son reason through the anger the pain he was feeling, the way he was torn between the two of them. Lupa wanted to know them but he knew they’d left him to suffer, yet the first words Logan had properly spoken to him had been to tell him he was part of his family. That he’d done everything he could to get to him and get him away from the place he was in, that he’d even given him a chance to touch his one and only child Amber. When Lupa had been uncertain of his place in their family he’d been given more than anyone had ever given him, a place of his own, his own thoughts, his own opinions. Logan had given him the world wrapped up in an embrace that told him he’d never be alone again, no matter where he went or what happened to him. Logan would be there, as would Marie, as would Amber and Hank.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you angry at them?” Lupa turned toward him, his hand letting go of his own, his muzzle showing fresh tear trails as he buried his large head in Logan’s chest his voice echoing through him as he knelt in front of him.
“Because they wouldn’t do this if they could.” His large arms wrapped around Logan and hugged him for all he was worth; understanding at last Logan held him.

Knowing where Lupa stood, with him, with Amber, with Marie, all for touch, for the contact that was given every single day. For the thought that went into the countless small things, for the smile Amber gave him every morning, for the touch of his hand on his shoulder when they went hunting. For the love, Marie gave him without price and the acceptance he found in the hearts of everyone at the school.
“Lupa…”
“No! I don’t want to hear it. They’re not me; I’m like you a half-breed, not one or the other. I couldn’t kill like they do, I don’t want to and I won’t be like that. Please tell me I won’t be like that…” The sobs were breaking his heart and his eyes filled quickly as he held Lupa to him, throwing his head back and sighing hard into the uncaring sky. Listening to the howl rising around them, knowing tomorrow it would end one way or another. Dropping his head Logan saw Katherine watching them both, her arms wrapped around herself, her own tears falling as dew on her cheeks. Seeing her gaze all steel as it hit him making him hope that things would work out in their favour. Lupa needed to hear the words even if he couldn’t promise them.
“You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be.” The words let the floodgates open and Lupa collapsed clutching his legs to his face, a child still in so many ways Logan helped him up looking him deep in the eye. “You’re my family Lupa, nothing is ever going to change that. Not them not anyone, I’ll be there tomorrow you might not see me but I’ll be there, I won’t let them hurt you.” Lupa nodded and he felt the weight of someone watching them, searching for the spy, he saw her, smiling at the lake edge, fading away into the darkness. Smiling himself as he remembered what she’d said to him, that she would be there too, he wouldn’t be alone when he faced them, they couldn’t interfere but he wouldn’t be alone. That thought was enough to give him hope.

Reckoning

The morning was clear, mist was still wreathed around several trees’ around the edges of the natural amphitheatre but Lupa wasn’t watching it, he was watching the cautious approach of his family. They were human in shape but he knew they were the beasts that Katherine had shown him last night, a mixture of people, of colours and sizes. A rag tag band of around twenty who positioned themselves around the lip of the amphitheatre, a man with salt and pepper hair dropped into the bottom of the bowl and walked over to him. Dressed in dirty clothes and unwashed Lupa could smell the wildness in him, his eyes meeting the human shape in front of him with barely disguised disdain. “So you’re the lost one?” The lithe man walked around Lupa’s form assessing his strength and power in every gaze that crawled over his body, a smirk was covering his face as he moved round him. “You’re the one everyone’s been talking about,” he turned to the crowd on the lip of the bowl a smile accompanying his words. “Personally I can’t see what all the fuss is about.” With a smile the small man whipped out a small wicked looking knife and slashed him across the back of his legs, the blade bit deep and Lupa snarled at the pain as it bloomed through him. Lashing out without thinking, he tore the chest of the small man open, sending him into the wall of the bowl, the crack of bone sounding loud in the stillness of the morning. Every eye was watching Lupa as the wound healed the sparkle of the blade meeting his eye as it lay in the grass at his feet. Picking up the blade he could scent the man’s own stink all over it, checking for poison on the blade he found none, running his finger over the small silver surface. A few breaths were held as he touched the blade itself, the silver shining dully in the dappled light of the day, breaking the blade easily he threw it toward the now cooling corpse.

His eyes met the ring of people above him, locking onto a pair of grey eyes, knowing without being told that this was the Alpha, straightening himself to face the large man as he climbed down into the bowl. Lupa kept his eyes on him entirely as he went over and checked on the body that had once been one of their comrades. The grey eyed face set hard as he realised the man was dead, he wasn’t healing as he should, the silver knife he avoided with every step as the life blood trickled out of the body and fed the ground. The soft rustle of leaves grew as the Alpha stepped away from the corpse, the ground began to heave as the small white rootlets fought upward into the cooling body, seeking the rich food that was pooling under the cooling meat.

His gaze went upto the ring of others who were now beginning to shift forms, the sound not unlike the ground that was slowly digesting their fallen comrade. They were filling the spaces between the trees with their bulk, leaving no escape route for him, their gaze all steel. Several were growling at him directly and he understood their need to fight him for the transgression he’d made, the man in front of him just rumbled deep in his chest. His gaze locking onto the main aggressors, showing his teeth as he did so, watching as each one stopped their own noise until there was nothing but his own breathing clouding the still air.

Logan watched the group assemble around the edge of the pit, he was above the main part of it high up in an oak. The face of Katherine next to his shoulder as she watched from the leaves of the tree, her gaze locked onto the Alpha, the scent of the forest hiding him from their sensitive senses. Both of them twitching when Lupa was injured by the scruffy man, listening to the thump of his body against the rock wall. The snap of his neck and the scent of his blood filling their senses, the confusion running through the assembly as they realised he wasn’t healing, that Lupa had killed him. Logan had looked to Katherine for an answer but she had none for him, she was just as confused, as he was, it was something no one had expected not even her.

Looking down at the two of them Logan hoped Lupa would be able to cope with whatever they were going to do to him, watching the effortless change that swept around the bowl of the forest he understood the mechanics of the thing. The flow from one form to another almost fluid watching the various forms shifting and twisting into their natural shapes until the entire edge was filled with furred bodies. Their eyes locked onto Lupa making him seem small and alone, he almost jumped down when he heard the growling start up. Katherine’s voice echoing through his skull, telling him to stay still; it was the hardest thing he’d ever done, having to watch the look of anger pass along the rim. Understanding their language, seeing the rage burning just beneath their skin, seeing his own animalistic rage mirrored in front of him. The turn of the head that spoke thousands of threats, the gaze that stopped the blood flowing to the heart, the growl that he’d heard come from his own mouth too often when fighting. These were his people too and looking at them he understood the rage that came from Wolverine a little better, the need to be free, to be the thing he was meant to be, a killer.

Katherine interrupted his train of thought, “You’re different to them Logan, you’re half human, they aren’t. They’d kill you in a heartbeat and think nothing of it; they were created as Her vengeance, her right arm. Lupa’s coming has been waited for; there’s not many of them alive anymore, no more than a few thousand across the world. Any lost child is important to them but Lupa more so.” Logan turned his head to look at Katherine but her form had gone from the branch he was on, she was across from him in a sycamore, her body fully formed, her moss skin shining in the morning light. A dark smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes, sending a bolt of memory into the forefront of his mind.

Sabretooth, the day he died here, she’d had the same smile on her face, the same look in her eye. Quickly he scanned the edge of the pit, using his knowledge of the forest; ivy was everywhere they were standing in it, resting their hands and claws in it, feet buried deep in the tangled folds. Snapping his head upward to her gaze again he saw her melting away into the leaves her voice sending chills through him, reminding him of what she had become. “Now you see why I asked you to climb Logan, less chance of you remaining here if things don’t turn out the way we want them to.” With that she faded from his view but the conversation on the pit floor was getting his attention and he turned his senses below him.

After the growling had ceased Lupa found his own form being assessed by the older man in front of him, the sharp grey gaze cutting through his courage making him shiver almost making him turn tail and run. The crying face of Amber stopped the thought dead, knowing they would look for him and kill anyone they found including her. The more he thought about Marie and Amber the stronger his resolve became, he wouldn’t let this creature kill his loved ones, he’d lost his family once, he wasn’t about to lose them again. As the grey eyed man stepped closer Lupa let out a small warning growl of his own, seeing the man raise an eyebrow at the sound reminiscent of Logan at that moment, making Lupa hope he was somewhere close by.

“So you're our saviour,” the words entered the silence and filled every last nook and cranny with the rich timbre of the Alpha’s voice. His grey eyes locked onto Lupa’s own as he moved toward him, a hand coming up to touch his fur, Lupa snapped at the air just in front of the hand. The grey gaze intensified and he dropped the pre-offered hand, the air cooling between them as he did so. “Your ours and you’ll be coming with us tonight when we leave here.” Every word was solid, a truth, spoken in a voice that could command such violence that tore the world apart when it wanted to.

Every moment of pain, every wish he’d ever held about being found by his family came back to Lupa as he stood there listening to the words as they flowed through his mind. The relief he’d felt when Logan had picked him up, watching Logan’s movements for any sign of anger when he’d done something wrong and finding nothing but love and tolerance in his steady gaze. The man in front of him expected obedience without question and he knew that as much as he knew if he left with them everyone left would be killed. Moving backward from the Alpha Lupa lifted his head to look at the ring of family above him, “No.”

The word made Logan’s heart soar, he could scent the fear and excitement coming from all around him, the whisper of Katherine in his head telling him to stay still where it was safe. He could see the small tendrils tightening around every foot and hand watching the scene below, their attention riveted to the creature that had said no to their alpha. A grim smile etched on Logan’s face as he watched his son below, if he needed him he was there but he knew he had to leave Lupa to deal with them alone before he made any move.

The blow that came from the Alpha was swift and rocked him backward with the force of it; the man quickly got out of arms reach as Lupa shuddered with the blow. His voice wound around Lupa as he moved around him, “You’re OUR’S! You have no choice!” Lupa spread his feet wide on the springy turf of the bowl, his body bulking as he shifted into his largest form, anger quickly replacing fear in his blood. Lupa pulled his gaze to the Alpha’s own and saw the shine of his own change coming. If he waited he’d lose, Lupa felt his conscious mind drop away, the animal half of him surged forward as he pulled his razor filled hand around. The air hissing with the sound as his claws raked up and across the face of his tormentor, bright red colouring the air as the older man pulled away from him. A deep growl issuing out of Lupa as he swung, his other hand going low across the soft midsection of his human body, the wet tearing sound of his claws separating flesh that was too slow to move away. On the rim, a keening howl was heard to start but the sound was cut off by a frustrated growl, without looking upward, Lupa knew who was helping him, Katherine.

His legs pistoned forward into the shifting man ahead of him, seeing the steel grey fur begin to cover his skin, knowing without being told where to strike. A foot laden with razors pinned the thigh of the changing Alpha to the ground, rage filled his blood, his hands grabbed flesh half-furred and ripped it apart. The howls that sounded out across the forest were filled with rage, hatred and pain, the body under his hands was healing wounds as fast as he could give them. Still only half formed because of his onslaught Lupa felt his body slip again, feeling his tendons tear as he grew again, feeling his teeth elongate muzzle deepen and widen. His chest burned as he shifted again, looking into the eyes of the Alpha and seeing fear rise in them for the first time, rumbling his pleasure at the sight, Lupa lifted his head to lock his gaze on every single creature on the rim.

They were tied in place by thick roots and tendrils of ivy, several were trying to get down to help their leader yet when Lupa’s gaze met theirs he could feel their fear enter his mind. Keeping the Alpha down with one strong leg and hand Lupa found their loyalty had shifted, he was in charge here, he’d proved himself without ever having to worry about them. The Alpha under his grip stirred, snapping his attention back to the form under him, the eyes were wide with fear but the strength he had was beginning to make itself known. A deep rumble echoed through the forest as the Alpha threw Lupa off him; unsteady Lupa got his ground again, his eyes locking onto the alpha’s own. He scented fear rolling off the older man in waves as he moved closer to him shoulders dropped and hands spread wide. Their sizes weren’t that dissimilar but Lupa seemed to burn with something inside him, he could hear the voice of Katherine in his head, telling him to strike, to take the Alpha’s throat in his mouth and bite down hard. His blood fizzing with energy, feeling Logan above him watching from a branch knowing he was ready to drop down and help if he needed him. Just knowing he was there gave Lupa courage as he dived into the Alpha, claws drawn, mouth agape, mind lost to rage, blood singing as he fought for his life, not just his own but all those he cared for.

Logan watched from above as Lupa attacked the Alpha, the same one he’d seen with Anne, the large frame of the older man being covered by Lupa’s own. He didn’t let up his attack, tearing into the furred body with a ferocity that had never been seen before, Lupa was taking injuries too but he healed them faster somehow. The rest of the pack were struggling to be free from the binding roots at their feet and hands, Logan had shifted his attention for a second when his eyes caught the shine of something being thrown into the pit. A blade made of bone was falling toward them both; Katherine’s voice screamed into his mind “STOP IT! Lupa won’t be able to heal the wounds from it!” Logan let go of the branch he was on and dropped straight down into the pit. Racing to the bone blade snatching it out of the reach of the Alpha, the weight of it reassuring in his hand. Seeing the pain filled gaze of the Alpha as he saw Logan holding the blade in his hand, an arm snaked out toward him, filled with razor claws. It never met him Lupa bit down hard at the elbow, severing the limb with a snap of his jaws; the arm fell to the floor twitching. Logan stabbed down, following the instructions whispered to him from Katherine, using the blade to pin the limb down through the bones of the forearm, twisting the blade to break both of them.

When he looked up again at Lupa he had the Alpha down by the throat, his foot planted in his open stomach. His spare hand raised to the sky, claws ready to drop, ready to decapitate him, the cries of the pack around him silent. Chest heaving Lupa waited for the Alpha to acquiesce, finally his head dropped back, showing him his throat; the mournful howl that rose over the forest filled Logan with pride. Lupa dropped his hand and stepped away from the dying Alpha, his own wounds still healing, raising his head to pierce every single member of the pack. Watching them as each one gave him obedience, dropping their gaze or exposing their throat to him as he looked around the lip of the pit. As each one obeyed the ivy released them until all of them were free, the only sound was the rustling of the ivy in the pit as it covered the dying Alpha. The form of it flowing and shuddering as Katherine formed over the dying werewolf, her voice carrying over the silence filling the forest. “Listen well children of earth, if you return here you will feed your mother like Grey Flank. Know this, his spirit is part of this place now, he is not lost to you, he will advise your saviour, as was his destiny. Leave in peace or your mother will turn against you, casting you into the dark places where no life remains. Go.”

Slowly, silently they drifted away from the edge of the pit Lupa watching the body at his feet being digested by the ivy, the rootlets entering every orifice and opening they could find. Filling themselves with blood and fluid as they grew, seeing Katherine’s form grow with colour from the cooling corpse at his feet, a feeling of regret filled him as he turned away from the sight. He walked straight into Logan’s embrace, shifting his form downward until he was himself again, crying into his fathers shoulder, his choice made. He’d killed; lost himself to the power within him, let it flow through his body, destroying everything it came into contact with, pulling out of the embrace of Logan Lupa saw the look of pride in Logan’s eyes. It soothed the pain a little, knowing he’d saved his family but it had been at a price, one he wasn’t willing to pay again. He didn’t want to become like them, uncaring an animal playing at being human, he was human first, then an animal, he would make sure his mind was in charge of the beast within him like Logan was.

As if sensing his sons upset Logan pulled him back into his embrace his words reaching into his heart and soothing the pain there, “It’s over, they won’t be back. Not now. I love you Lupa, I’m proud of you, you gave him a choice and he took it, there’s nothing to be ashamed of, you are what you are. We both are.” Lupa gripped Logan tightly at that, knowing he’d always be here for him, whenever things became too much for him to handle he’d be there showing him a way of coping of getting through it. Thankful for the strong arms that held him, for the love that surrounded him, for the acceptance he’d been given without question. He was family that’s what mattered and he’d never be alone again.

When they were both ready they made the journey back to the cabin together, stopping by a stream to wash the blood from themselves. A symbolic thing as they both emerged to see Anne stood by the edge, Marie next to her with towels ready, Marie speaking to the both of them as they approached. “Anne knew before I did, we need to talk. All of us.” Handing them the towels to dry themselves off, Logan and Lupa watched the women retreat, Marie looping her arm through Anne’s. The look on Logan’s face one of upset and despair, Lupa tried to ease it for him, “She knows you did it for the right reason you know.” Logan turned to see his son’s gaze filled with feeling for him, the sense he was talking helping to ease the pain a little.
“I know, Marie’s a forgiving woman.” Lupa shook his head and gripped Logan’s shoulder.
“No, I meant Anne. Katherine showed me what happened, who was watching you. It wasn’t just one Logan, it was all of them.”

The words dropped straight into his mind, that they’d been in the same situation as Lupa just had been but with no one to protect them. Anne could feel everything around her just like Katherine could and she’d still let him do what they’d needed to, she’d risked everything to defend his home and his family. The knowledge of the risks she’d taken chilled his bones, she was nineteen but she’d shown more courage than some of the team that went out to fight the world. Moving quickly Logan went after the two of them; Lupa following behind at a trot, a small smile on his face as he watched Logan chase after the two women he loved.

Anne had come that morning just after Logan had left with Lupa she’d made breakfast for everyone, setting the tables and sorting out the dishes afterward. Marie hadn’t known how to approach her while everyone else was around but she’d noticed how the young woman avoided her gaze or touch. Unsure of Marie’s reaction to her when she found out about what had happened between her and her husband, she waited until Hank, Jubilee and the rest of the adults had taken the kids out to the lake to swim. She’d just walked upto Anne, touching her on the shoulder and saying, “I know,” Anne had turned then her face filled with fear and tears threatening to fall.

All her anger had dissipated at the sight of the young woman in front of her, at the fear she’d held of her reaction to what had happened yesterday, what she’d had to do even though she hadn’t wanted it. Anne’s voice shook as she spoke to her, “I made him, he didn’t do it willingly Marie, he didn’t.” She tried to take all the blame on herself, not knowing she’d seen the whole thing and what she’d done to herself afterward. Looking at her Marie shook her head, wiping a tear from her skin, “No, you did what you had to to keep us all safe here, that’s all. There’s nothing to forgive Anne, we’re alive today because of what you did, I know that but it still hurt me.” Marie watched the pain surface in Anne’s face, as her tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him, I didn’t, please believe me.” Marie took her in her arms and held her as she cried rubbing her back with slow circles trying to soothe the pain she was feeling. Knowing she’d had no choice about it, she’d had to take everything he was and not feel fear, to move him in the right direction at the right time. Wolverine was a hard man to reach sometimes and she felt Anne wince as she moved, “You alright? Anne?” the look on her face was one she knew. “Come on lets get you looked at, I’ve got some witchazel upstairs.”

Anne let her move her upstairs, watched as she undressed in front of her, not feeling any shame or discomfort as she did so. The bruises were still forming, they’d be a deep blue black when they’d finally formed, Marie recognised the pattern, the grip of Wolverines hands, the way his last two fingers hooked onto the hip bone digging deep into the flesh. It was painful to move when you had bruises like this, she’d had them more than once in her life, yet Anne was walking around as if it didn’t give her any pain at all.
“Turn around Anne. Let me see your back.” She did so and the thumbprints were already black, the spread of the pressure forming a bruise that went up toward her spine. Hissing between her teeth Marie took the small bottle of witchazel and dabbed the bruises she could see, bending down to touch the one on her hip she caught the sight of dried blood on her inner thigh. Straightening slowly, she caught the look in Anne’s eye, watched as her bottom lip trembled and she broke down.
“I didn’t feel clean. I still don’t.” Marie dropped the bottle and grabbed Anne, pulling her naked form into her embrace letting the girl cry; it had been a bad experience for her. Making someone she loved lose control enough to hurt her like this but knowing if she didn’t they’d all be dead by morning. “He…He didn’t mean to hurt me but it did, so much.”

The rest was lost in large hitching breaths and tears, listening to her trying to apologise for hurting him, while she saw the damage Wolverine had done to her small frame. When she’d calmed down enough she put her down on the bed and wrapped her up in the covers, “I’m going to get Hank to come and have a look at you okay?” Anne almost pushed out of the bed until Marie held her down. “NO. You’re going to listen to me Anne; I’ve lived with Wolverine longer than you have. Been on the receiving end of this before and you need to see Hank, I know what I’m talking about Anne. Hank won’t judge you, he knows about Logan, about how Wolverine can surface when he doesn’t want him to.” Marie watched as the information soaked through her, seeing the sense of it reach her, nodding her head in agreement eventually.

“It’ll be okay Anne, when they get back we’ll have a talk about it all. Get it out in the open and talk it through, despite what people think Logan does like to talk, only about things that are important to him. An despite what your feeling right now, you are important to him, he needs you.” Marie watched Anne’s reaction to her words as she told her the truth, Logan did need her, she was his friend and he trusted her. He needed to know he hadn’t destroyed what he’d had with her by doing this, Anne needed to let him talk to her and to listen to what he had to say to her, not how he said it. Leaving her resting Marie went to get Hank, her mind filled with image of Anne stood there naked, facing down a ring of creatures three times her size with nothing but a set of Wolverines claws in her hand. She’d won but at a price, one she hoped they all could live with.

Hank’s diagnosis had been one Marie had expected, bruising and tearing of Anne’s sex, nothing a couple of weeks of rest wouldn’t fix but if her period was more than usual or more painful than usual, she was come to the school immediately. Marie had been right about Hank’s treatment of her; he’d been calm and delicate with her, non-judgmental of her or what she’d done with Wolverine. Hank had just finished when Anne had just smiled at them both, her words filling their minds with joy; “Lupa won. Lupa won!” Hank left to collect the children from their swimming lesson leaving Marie and Anne together, Anne redressed herself carefully, plucking two towels from the bathroom and giving Marie one as they went downstairs. “They need these,” sure enough both Lupa and Logan appeared over the ridge dripping wet.

“Anne knew before I did, we need to talk. All of us.” With that, Marie turned her back on the both of them, knowing that Hank would keep the kids occupied for a while outside while they talked about this. Now that the main danger was passed they had a different bomb to diffuse and looking at the both of them it would take a good bit of diffusing.

Logan caught the scent of witchazel and he knew he’d hurt Anne more than he’d known, seeing Marie her arm linked with Anne’s watching her guide her movements. Slow and steady recognising the unsteady swing of Anne’s hips as she moved without letting the pain show on her face. Still picking up on the stress she was giving out to the room as they crossed it and went down into the playroom. Marie seated herself and Anne together their arms wrapped around each other giving both men a united front to tackle, when they were seated Logan by the side of Marie and Lupa propped against the comfortable sofa his head resting against Marie’s and Logan’s legs. “Right, what happens now?”

Anne shifted round a little to face them all, seeing the look of hope in Lupa’s gaze, something bright with promise, his self worth and personal power shining through his eyes. Falteringly Anne spoke, “Wayland just told me what to do, not what would come after. I think as far as Lupa’s concerned the fight’s over, they had one chance and Lupa chose. They don’t have any rights now, the band should disperse on it’s own account.” Anne flicked her gaze to Logan who was touching Lupa’s neck with his fingers gently stroking his son’s throat, his gaze filled with love and pride. “Lupa belongs here, where he wants to be.” She held back the rest of the news Wayland had given her, that Lupa would be Amber’s husband, that she would have a life filled with suffering and pain as the war finally broke over them all. Logan and Lupa would be the cornerstones of her life, training her in the ways she needed to survive, what she would need to know to rebuild what would be destroyed at the hands of those who would kill her. Whether she and Marie would survive this was another matter but the powers she was holding in trust for Amber would be given her when she asked for them, then the war would come home to the door not until that day.

Pushing the thoughts down Anne looked at the family seated around her and felt the wound she’d dealt them all, Marie was trying to forgive her, understanding what she’d been through but she still couldn’t meet Logan’s gaze while she was there. As if sensing her discomfort, Marie squeezed her hand and pulled on Lupa’s shoulder, “Come on Lupa you’re going to tell me all about it, I want a blow by blow description here because you know Amber’s going to want to know all about it and we need to censor some of it before she hears it.” The warmth and smile on Lupa’s face lit the room as he got up holding his hand out to Marie, wrapping him up in her embrace she stood and looked at Logan and Anne. “You two have got some talking to do and I know neither of you are good at doing it with others watching, so you can both tell me later.”

Her eyes flicked to the wall clock and saw the dinner hour approaching, “I’ll lock the top door so you won’t be disturbed, you’ve got half an hour tops before the kids want down here so I’d get started if I were you.” Pulling Lupa along with her they climbed the stairs Marie sending thoughts and visions of Anne’s naked bruised form to her husband, her upset, her pain, her regrets about tricking him. Showing him the real danger they’d both been in and her bravery at standing with him, bleeding afterward and crying herself to sleep, cursing Katherine’s name for making her hurt him, taking the blame for everything.

As the door shut above them Logan looked at Anne, the images and feelings Marie had given him made perfect sense to him now, she was looking everywhere but at him and his own nerves were screaming at him. That she should hate him for doing that to her, to hurt her so badly, to just allow him to use her like that, all right there’d been a damn good reason why she’d had to but he didn’t have to hurt her the way he did. Anne was curled up on the end of the large sofa, legs curled under her, feeling the weight of his gaze on her Anne met his eyes for a second her own filling with bitter tears as she watched the pain gather in his frame.

“I..I…Logan I’m…” she never got the words out, he just moved over to her and held her tight to his chest. Rocking back and forth with her like he did with Amber, Anne’s hands gripping his back tightly as the tears burned his skin, his own hurt flowing silently from his open eyed stare. He knew they’d had no choice, neither of them had, it had been something ordained, something needed and because of it Anne had suffered a blow to her from the one person she’d trusted. Logan had been there when she’d revealed her dark little secret, that she’d killed her mother, that she’d seen and known abuse at the hands of those who’d been her family. She’d carried the pain of it, hidden it until he’d shown her the way through it, to be something different and this had led her here, to him hurting her, scarring her worse than her family had.

Knowing she was linked to him now, that she felt the same things he did, Katherine had given her the power to feel, to know, but not to understand how deep the link went. Stroking her hair Logan moved her head so he could see her properly, his large hand cradling her face, wiping the tears from her blue eyes. “I’m sorry Anne, I never meant to hurt you.” He watched as she tried to understand him, that he was taking the blame for it, for his actions on her body, for Wolverine’s treatment of her. “Anne….” He needed to see her, to see the damage he’d caused, Marie had shown him but he needed to see it for himself, to remind himself why he had to control himself.

She could see the question in him, the look in his eyes and the tremor of his voice, slowly she shifted back a little and revealed her neck. The bite mark was his, it covered her spine, it was his way of claiming someone, holding them tight by the neck as he fucked them, dominating them, making them keep still as he took what he wanted from them. Marie wore the same mark when Wolverine surfaced and he knew how painful it was for her, for Anne it must be torture. His fingers shook as he touched the deep purple bruise, seeing her wince as he traced it, the small wounds on her skin showing where his teeth punctured her skin. Her hair dropped back covering the mark, knowing if that was there then his finger prints were tattooed in purple on her body. Her face turned back to his and she saw the regret lodged in him, his hand guided her up off the sofa and she knew he wanted to see her, all of her. Nodding to him she turned her back on him and stripped, knowing he had to see her, had to see the damage he’d wrought or they couldn’t move on from this.

The clothing fell to the floor and she heard the strangled sob behind her, her heart going out to him, feeling the self-hatred fill the room. His hands ghosted over the bruises that were now in full bloom, her body wincing with the almost contact of his touch, getting her to move and scenting the pain it caused her to walk a small amount. He couldn’t take any more; Logan just plucked her up in his arms from behind and buried his face in her neck, falling back onto the sofa with her. Wrapping her up in his arms, his eyes tight shut but the image of his handprints on her skin etched into his memory forever. The redness between her legs, the bruising that flowed like a multicoloured tide down her thighs was all his doing and he hated himself for it. He couldn’t stop rocking her, wishing he could sponge the bruises away, take the pain from her, that this was his fault not hers, she had nothing to be ashamed of. She’d saved his family, given everything of herself and he’d hurt her, tainted her with his touch, with the dark half of himself, with Wolverine.

His tears were sliding down her skin washing her, her own emotions breaking open as she tried to comfort him as he held her to him. Using soft sounds and touches on his face to get him to look at her, his eyes making her heart spike with pain as she saw how much guilt he carried there. Kissing the side of his mouth softly, curling into him, gaining comfort from his touch on her skin, her voice winding through him and finding his heart. “It’s okay Logan. It’s okay, shhhh…I’m fine.” Her words galvanised his own throat into answering her, his head shaking in answer to her words.
“No, no you’re not. I hurt you, I hurt you.” Anne lifted his head to make him look at her, tears standing in her eyes.
“You didn’t have a choice Logan, I made you. I did, not you.” The look of confusion ran across his face and Anne had to tell him the truth, “Wayland gave me a charm, something to use if I felt afraid.” Logan’s eyes grew a little distant as he realised what she was saying, yet part of him didn’t believe it, he’d acted because he’d wanted her, needed her.
“Say it.” His words caught her by surprise and she almost bolted out of his arms but he held her tight to him, his gaze filled with warmth and trust, “Please Anne, say it.” He needed to know who had been in control that night, if it had been him then his actions were his own and he’d answer for them, make amends for them, if he’d been controlled then he wasn’t fully responsible for them and that would hurt him even more.
Swallowing Anne opened her mouth and the words flowed out over them both, “Sator, Arepo, Tenet, Opera, Rotas.” She waited for the charm to work, for his eyes to darken, for him to pull her into his body again, the minutes dragged by and he still held her to him tightly. His breath unaltered, his eyes still a warm hazel as the truth of it went across her face, Wayland had lied to her, he’d given her something to keep her mind occupied while her body could be free. To make Wolverine react to her the way she needed him to, like a mate, like a lover, her eyes lowered and fresh tears tracked down her already red face.
Pulling her closer Logan held her; both of them knowing why Wayland had told her that, it had been easier for them to believe they’d had no choice or control. Not that it had been their own desires for each other that had driven them to complete the task that had been set for them. She loved him and he loved her, it had been enough to bond them together for a moment, to keep everyone else around them safe. But now they both knew the truth, Wolverine had wanted her because she’d been with him before when Lupa had met Katherine in the forest. He’d wanted her and she’d wanted him, it had to happen and it made him wonder why Katherine had allowed her passions to fill both of them that night. He had an inkling of why now, to allow Wolverine access to Anne, to see her as the woman she was growing into, as a potential mate worth fighting for.

Her voice was quiet when she eventually spoke to him her voice muffled by his shirts; “It was you wasn’t it?” He lifted her face in his hand and looked at her red eyed gaze, she needed him to be honest with her the strength in her showing through. “Yeah kid it was, it was me, all of me.” He was about to apologise when she just put her fingers to his lips her face blushing a little as she moved in his lap.
“I’m glad,” his eyes almost shot out of his head as she shifted out of his arms, bending to pick up her clothes, dressing with her back turned to him. Her body language reading loud and clear, he wasn’t to look at her while she was naked, not again she couldn’t take it. He meant so much to her, he was her friend, her mentor, he’d looked after her in ways no one else had even tried to, always been there for her to talk to.
“Anne you can’t mean that, I hurt ….” She turned on him, a steel in her gaze and her voice a little firmer as she put her hand out to him, taking it he pulled her down to him on the sofa making her smile while he was all seriousness. “Anne….”
“No Logan. I thought I made you do that with me, that I hurt you but it wasn’t was it?” he shook his head as the logic of her thinking came through. “You see if it was you, not me trying to control you then you did it because you love me, not because you had to.” She searched his face for the understanding she hoped was there and found it lodged in his eyes. “You did it because you love me, just like I love you. Not everyone gets to show someone how much they trust or love the other person like we did.” Her eyes clouded a little as she remembered the pain that went with it, the rough grip on her skin as he held her to him as he thrust inside her body. Knowing he was picking up her stress and scent that he’d caused her pain, not knowing he hadn’t been the first to take her. “You weren’t my first Logan, I had that joy here as well.”

She could see a small piece of relief flow through him at her words, he hadn’t been her first but he’d still hurt her and it rankled on his soul. She wanted to make sure he didn’t hate himself or her because of what had happened, “Logan if we hadn’t we wouldn’t be here, the school would be in tatters and the rest of them wouldn’t know what to do when they found our bodies. We didn’t have a choice, although it wasn’t all that bad. I did enjoy some of it.”
Logan looked like he’d been slapped with a wet towel, the look of shock that went across his face made Anne blush and hide her face for a moment before looking him straight in the eye. “Tell me you didn’t enjoy it Logan, that you didn’t like having me with you.” The trap was there, laid and baited for him, if he said he didn’t then she’d think he didn’t care for her, if he did she’d know she’d gotten under his skin, that he did love her more than she thought. But she already knew that, she’d seen the upset he’d gone through when he’d seen her skin so he answered her honestly from his heart.

“Yeah I liked it.” For a second Wolverine surfaced in his gaze and she saw his hunger reflected at her in his eyes, “Don’t ever mean it’ll happen again.” The tone was all she needed to hear, it was final, bringing an end to this part of their lives. They’d done what was necessary but he would never hurt her again, never touch her again like a lover.
Anne snuggled upto his side resting her head on his shoulder, comfortable again with him as she answered him. “I know it won’t, I love you Logan but you're not mine and you never will be. I had a moment of you, of the underneath of you and it’s too much for me, you’re too much for me.” Her hands gripped him and hugged him tight to her, her voice wavering a little as she spoke, “I’ll always love you though, not everyone knows me Logan, not like you do,” her blue eyes meeting his and seeing the truth of her words.

He knew she’d killed, been hurt, abused, abandoned, alone and afraid even here at the school, he’d been here for her to talk to when she had no one else. “It’s just something else we share now, something just between us, it might have been for everyone Logan but it was for us as much as them.” Kissing the top of her head he heard the kids thunder through the cabin door, holding her to him as the door to the playroom opened up and little feet came down the stairs followed by Jubilee and Damask. Smiling to the new fresh faced little ones they smiled at each other, secure in their new found understanding with each other. Marie called Logan upstairs leaving Anne with the rest of the kids running around her feet and bouncing off the sofa’s, taking a quick look behind him and seeing the damage healing between them he turned and walked away. Knowing for now the conversation was finished but it would be reopened later when nights would drive him outside into the forest, into her realm.

Marie knew Lupa was bursting with the news so she settled them both outside in the sunshine, Lupa looked different, he carried himself proudly, with more confidence. Still holding his arm she squeezed it tight making him look at her, his form a little more human than Hank. “So you going to tell me?” Lupa smiled at her sadly, seeing her need to know, to hear the details of the fight but he wouldn't let her know about his animalistic side. The side that had wanted to kill, to tear, to destroy everything in his path in a blind rage powered by hatred so deep he couldn’t understand it.
“No, not everything,” the look on his face was one she’d seen before, Logan had it when he’d come home from missions Xavier sent him on that were nothing to do with the X-Men. Things she knew haunted his soul but to share them with her would taint her and he’d lose the comfort he could find within her arms, the ability to forget what he’d done and just live. Lupa saw her understanding fill her eyes and it made his heart soar, “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, I just can’t. Not yet, not until I get a few things sorted out in here,” he tapped the side of his head with a talon. “There’s things I need to work out about me before it feels safe, today I learned something important about me, about who I am.” Marie let him talk while her hand ghosted over his fur, stroking it calming him as he spoke, his body leaning into the touch she gave him knowing it meant so much to him to have her touch on his body. Looking out at the forest he pulled himself closer to her, his arm going onto her thigh and resting there the powerful hand splayed out over her flesh covering the entire thigh with one span.

“I could hurt you without knowing it,” the tone was cold, distant and Marie caught the edge of hurt in his voice. The tense set of his body a mirror of Logan’s own stance when he was hurting; Marie just pulled herself into his body and snuggled herself into Lupa’s large frame. Burying her face in him and kissing the skin she met under her lips, “Lupa honey, you’d never hurt me or anyone else you love on purpose, we know that just as much as you do.” The soft sigh that left his throat was one of hope as he blinked away the tears that had formed in his eyes as the children came running toward them. All of them wet and shining with water from the lake, even Hank looked like he could do with a few towels, as he carried three children back. Lupa’s gaze was on them all as they walked back and the words he spoke to her made a slight chill go through her, “Yeah I know but there’s a part of me that might one day and I don’t know what he’d do if I did. I know what I’d do if I hurt you,” the silence was filled by the screams of hungry children and teachers passing them and the serious silence between them was ended by Amber landing between them both as she left Hank’s arms.

“Mommy! Lupa!” Marie gave a quick smile to her daughter and caught the edge of sorrow that was burned away by Amber’s little body wrapping itself around Lupa. Hank looked down at the threesome and waited until everyone else had gone inside before asking what was on his mind.
“Are we okay?” Marie looked at Lupa smiling and playing with Amber, holding her tight to him and swinging her up into the clear air, making her squeal with laughter. Hank was all seriousness as Logan finally appeared behind them all catching her answer, “Yeah we are Hank, for now. We’re okay.” The look of relief flooded over Hank as Marie watched her daughter play with her brother, feeling her husbands solid warmth wrap around her supporting her, her words a whisper she knew only he would catch. “For how long, that’s another matter entirely.” Logan squeezed her and brought his head down to kiss her cheek, the touch of his skin on hers making her hope they’d get through this intact. Letting her fears drift away Marie just let herself enjoy the sight of the forest, of the sounds of children laughing and her own daughter playing with a son she’d adopted yet felt like her own. Life may be difficult in the future but for now they had each other and that’s what mattered.




Aftermath

The next few days were filled with play, exploration of the forest around them and a few ‘games’ that were nothing of the sort children play in school. Stalking, hunting, hiding, wild food gathering, scent masking and how to move through the forest without being seen, Logan caught up on the sleep he’d missed out on, Anne came to the cabin in the day and left before nightfall, preferring to stay at the vardo to sleep. Knowing her own mind needed some space between her and Logan the memory of the things they’d had to do still fresh in her mind and on her skin.

The days passed quickly and quietly, everyone sinking into a calm state of being, even Hank managed to get some rest out in the forest. Letting off some steam in the tree's canopy as he swung his frame around the arboreal gym, the boughs creaking as he passed above the children below. Peiter was the first to tell them that the rest of the school was back, he’d been to check the perimeter and had noticed the large school buses and the cars had returned. It took them only three hours to clean and tidy the cabin, Logan and Hank would come to restock the supplies later when everyone else was back in the main house.

The mass walk back was like a small rag tag army, covered in leaves and moss, dressed in natural camouflage as they went home, Logan looked for Scott and found him quickly. He was in the garage doing the maintenance on the cars they’d used on the trip, knowing that it had to be done but sometimes Scott could be so anal it made him wonder where the rod went when he bent over.
Scott looked up over the exposed engine bay and smiled at the frowning Logan approaching, “Nice to see you managed to keep twenty kids alive for a week Logan, wondered if we’d be getting back and seeing you in med bay locked up in a rubber room.” The serious look on Logan’s face didn’t change as the playful ribbing went unnoticed, Scott got serious, “What happened?” The maintenance forgotten for now Scott wiped his hands clean and looked at Logan, there was a tension to him that hadn’t been there before they’d left.
“I need to talk to the Prof, I need Hank there too, it’s about Lupa.” Scott’s face was all concern as he heard the name come out of Logan’s mouth, if he was asking for help from Hank and the Professor then it was serious.
“Is he alright? What’s happened?” Logan looked at Scott his face trying to convey the seriousness of the situation they’d been in only a few days ago, the tiredness still showing in his eyes as he spoke.
“Yeah he’s fine, just that you know when we thought Lupa was a one off?” Scott nodded, they’d talked about it and had come to the conclusion that Lupa was a remnant of a species, if there were others they were few and far between. “We were wrong, there’s more, much more and we need to make sure everyone knows about em because between you and me Pete and me combined would have a hard time putting just one down.”

The actual admission of difficulty had Scott stunned for a second, this was the man who took on any odds, had run into battle with Sentinels with nothing but his own wits to win. A man who’d saved his life more times than he could remember and had returned the favour, there were never any doubts in Logan’s mind about winning so to hear him voice these doubts unnerved him. What he told him next shook him further, “There were twenty here on the grounds recently, bigger stronger than Lupa, they got in without tripping the security system, and they left just as easily. Hell I don‘t even know if they’re still hanging around watchin’ us but I know this if we make an enemy out of em we’re as dead as Sabretooth.” Scott just took the look in Logan’s eye and dropped the cloth on the engine, the action speaking for the amount of upset he was in. Scott’s engines were so clean you eat off them, so to leave a dirty rag in plain sight on his babies heart meant Logan had gotten through to him.
“Come on Charles should be in the solarium.” Both men were quiet as they left the garage not knowing someone had been watching them, hidden from their gaze sliding through the world as if it were smoke following them through the mansion. Needing to hear the words they were going to tell their leader, if it endangered them she would have to act and she hoped she wouldn’t have to.

Charles was sat with a group of children still covered in camouflage their faces telling him about their week in the woods, the swimming and the group activities that everyone had enjoyed. One youngster was balanced on his knee stroking the skin of his cheek with the back of her hand, concentrating on everything as only young children can. When the two men came in the entire group went quiet, a mental summons from Charles sent them all running to the rec room a sudden urge to play the loudest video games they could echoing in their minds. When the last child was safely out of earshot Charles turned his attention to the two men who were both radiating a quiet stress his gaze clear and his hands folded neatly in his lap. “I believe we have some news to discuss?”

It took over an hour to fully describe the scene Logan had watched from his vantage point in the tree, describing the creatures to both men while watching their reactions to the news of Lupa’s own changes. Assuring himself that they wouldn’t lump his own flesh and blood with them and see him as a danger to the school or the pupils here. Scott almost spoke but a silent word from Charles stopped it in his throat, making Scott cover it with a gentle cough. When the entire thing had been described the questions began, what were they, how large were they, what weak points did he see?

Logan answered the best he could all the while a third pair of ears were listening to every word, concentrating on the descriptions that were being given over. The presence listening beginning to anger as the weaknesses of her kind were pointed out, their ankles, knees and hips. All the danger was from the front of their kind listening to Logan assure them that Lupa would help in training to fight against them if necessary. That broke the final straw, law or no law she would not allow her kind to be killed by their so called ‘saviour’, fleeing the mansion she went through the insubstantial building her anger powering her movements, her own rush to leave making her sloppy. The calm grey gaze of Charles had watched her leaving, feeling the rage burning from her, the air turning red around where she’d been to his gaze.

The warning came just as Marie was putting Amber’s washed clothes into her drawers upstairs, Charles was in her head and his words were quick and succinct. ‘Danger, anger’, a picture of Lupa raging was forced into her mind, searching for her daughter Marie found her playing with Lupa on the back porch. A tight smile on her lips as she quickly pulled Amber inside and sent her thoughts to her husband, Lupa catching the look in her eye just as the forest behind them shook with a cry that chilled his mind but fired his blood. Slowly standing he heard Marie screaming at him to come inside but the pounding of his blood wouldn’t allow it, he couldn’t ignore this challenge.

Feeling his bones and tendons twist and reform, the fire under his skin turning into a furnace as his ears lengthened, able to catch the cadence of the song being sung on the wind to him. Speaking of death, of killing, of tearing the heart out of the enemy and knowing who the song was for, for Logan, for his father. She expected to ambush him, stepping out of hiding to cut him to the bone, to tear the flesh from him and devour it whole. Marie was stood her hand outstretched to him, her eyes clouded with tears and Amber looking frightened at the noise in the forest. Her small mind understanding what he couldn’t explain to her mother, seeing her little fingers gripping the fabric of Maries jeans and peeking through her legs, no words were spoken but as Marie’s hand dropped he heard her quiet voice telling him to go. Holding Amber to her Marie shut the door as he powered away into the forest her eyes finally releasing the tears she’d been holding back.

The call had been given, the land knew why it had to be done, he’d revealed them to an enemy, to one who could hurt them. As she moved through the forest a ghost unseen, her old alpha was with her, his wounds still healing and his voice telling her to stop what she was doing. He’d seen the truth of this place, of what it meant to their future as a species, his hand fell on her shoulder trying to get her to see sense but she turned away from him. He’d lost he was no longer her Alpha, she didn’t have to do as he told her anymore, the challenge had been given and if this Logan knew what it meant then she was within her rights to kill him. She wouldn’t challenge the young Alpha here that would be suicide but Logan was another matter entirely, getting herself ready for the ambush she never noticed the bees swarming above her in the trees.

Anne had been braiding her hair up when the first bee had landed on her skin, it’s gentle tickle of it’s feet brushing against hairs making it’s progress noticeable. Looking down at it she saw the tiny queen dancing on her skin, followed by workers tending to her covering her skin with their small brown bodies. The movements telling her of the thing that was happening in her own territory, the small shaking movement of her body across her skin telegraphing everything to her making her blanche white as the enormity hit her. Sending the bees scattering as she ran out of the vardo, her mind searching for the intruder as the swarm milled around the clearing, a low drone filling the air as a hornet flew through the small brown bodies of the wild bees. Homing in on her as it landed gently on her hand, the weight of it making her look down, the deep yellow of it’s body reminding her of a time when she hadn’t understood the difference between bees and hornets. A sense of calm filled her as the hornet picked itself up and flew off into the forest, the message given it was free again.

Watching her bees pull themselves together and flow into the forest as if called, which was true in a way, they were listening to a voice that even she couldn’t hear but one she could feel. Opening her mind to the forest the large weight of his presence made itself known to her, comforting in it’s strength, in it’s power. There was nothing to fear, nothing to be afraid of but only she knew this and she knew Marie would be distraught never mind Amber. Pulling herself together Anne picked up her herbs and made her way to the now well trodden path to the cabin, it should be all over by the time she got there. She only hoped Xavier could take the news without too much shock, for an intelligent man he really was quite clueless sometimes.

Scott and Logan were chasing back toward Logan’s home when Logan just stopped dead, the path wasn’t the same, it should lead upward here not downward. Scott had carried on for a few seconds finally noticing that he wasn’t following he looked for him, seeing him climbing a tree instead, “Logan?! What the hell….?” He ignored the shout and looked over the canopy, the smoke coming from his house was over a mile away and in a different direction to one they were travelling in. They’d been turned around in the forest, the path wasn’t the one they’d started on and he was fuming, Anne had done this to him. His family was in danger and Anne had turned the forest against him, Scott was quiet below him and that was unusual. Dropping his gaze down he saw the second figure standing there with Scott, as if he’d always been there, the dark hair and steel calliper chilling Logan’s blood. Wayland.

He dropped the last few feet into a crouch, the leaves sticking in his hair, moss staining his skin. Wayland turned around to look at Logan and noticed the almost blank stare coming from Scott, Wayland smiled and touched Scott’s unresisting shoulder. Turning a smile that had the world’s knowledge in it on Logan and feeling the fear drain away from him, moving a little unsteadily Wayland moved Scott as if he was a child back toward the cabin, toward Logan’s home. “Come on Logan, let me see my goddaughter it’s been a while since I’ve been this way and it looks like it’ll be a while before I’m back this way again.” The question burned on Logan’s mind as Wayland walked toward his home, he was about to grab Wayland when the cold blue gaze dropped into his letting him see and sense what was really under the surface of the crippled man in front of him. Logan’s hand stayed still as the gaze delved deep into his own, the voice that accompanied it rang through his blood echoing in the metal on his bone. “Do you really think your loved ones are in any danger Logan? Did you think I’d let one random act destroy a thousand years of work? Me, the maker of miracles?” Logan dropped his hand as the knowledge poured into him, Wayland had had a hand in everything, in his creation as well as Lupa’s and the knowledge made his heart stutter. Wayland just nodded as he saw the recognition pass through Logan’s gaze, the words he spoken to him as they’d climbed the right path to his home were lost in the haze that Wayland had woven around his mind. The only thing he’d ever remember were these words spoken with such feeling and remorse that it still hurt to hear Wayland speak them in his memory, “I’m sorry it had to be that way Logan, it was the only way, you were needed and She took you, guided you, led you to the light that has saved you, the light that has brought a saviour to the world. One that mankind will never touch but for what it’s worth I’m sorry you had to suffer, but as we both know it makes the good all the sweeter doesn’t it?”
The next he remembered was being sat with Marie, Amber, Scott and Wayland at his table coffee being drunk, Amber being cuddled by Wayland as he pulled things out of his pockets for her. Wolverine was making him edgy and the comforter on the sofa finally made him put two and two together, Lupa, Lupa was still missing. Standing quickly Logan left the rest of them behind inside the house, the blue eyed gaze of Wayland burning into his skin as Logan ran out to find his son.


Where was the human? He should have been here by now, her patience was wearing thin as she fingered the bone glaive, her body was hidden well in the cover of the trees, her breath steady as her ears finally picked up on the footsteps coming her way. Running toward her she dropped into her crouch ready to spring out on the unprepared human, the thought of devouring him making her teeth ache. Not feeling the gentle rain of leaves on her fur from the branches above her hiding place, marking her position on the pathway.

The burning never left his blood as he ran toward the challenge, the singing of Katherine in his ears, no words just the voice guiding him, calming him as he ran. Feeling his body change as he neared his goal, pulling him back to his human face but the burning never left him, the power never left his body as he neared the ambush, seeing the green waterfall of cut leaves drifting down marking her position. A thin smile on his lips as he purposefully went past it, his eyes devoid of emotion as he heard her leap from her hiding spot listening to the siren song in his blood and ears. Knowing that only one of them would be leaving here alive and it had to be him.

There he was! Her eyes were seeing a man with dark hair, small and weak, his back naked and unprotected, raising her glaive as she flew from her spot her aim sure as she came down toward the small figure. Her anger blinding her to the reality until it was too late, the face turned toward her and the smile that covered it snapped her bravery. It was the new Alpha, she was attacking the new Alpha!

Logan watched as the blade came down toward Lupa, he could see the smile on Lupa’s face as he saw him running toward him. Then everything slowed down, he saw Lupa’s head turn to his attacker, the huge figure almost hanging in mid air as he turned to look at her. The realisation covering it’s face as Lupa turned toward it, then as if he was just plucking a leaf from a branch Lupa took the weapon from her. Using her own body weight against her, moving the blade into her own body, using his smaller size to roll under her as she went over. Using her arms to push the glaive into her own heart, feeling the body shudder as it’s weight hit the forest floor. The smile on his face never reached his eyes, no joy was shown there at the death at his hands, only regret as Logan reached the two of them. The whine that left her body was one of sorrow and Lupa was stroking her face as she bled to death, his hand wrapped around the large weapon pinning her to the floor. His voice cracking as he spoke to her, the sorrow evident in his voice as she died, “You made the challenge not I, you called for death not I.” The eyes went to Logan’s own and he caught the anger there, the hatred of him, of what he’d done, of what he’d brought to being.

“Lupa?” Logan’s voice was quiet yet the emotion wasn’t lost in the simple word, Lupa locked his gaze with Logan’s own, the tear tracks evident as the last breath left the large body the eyes going dull as the light of life slipped away into the earth. Standing Lupa pulled the glaive out of the corpse, the bone blade sharp and fitting comfortably in his hand. Something had changed between the two of them, Lupa had killed for him, he’d known that Lupa wasn’t the true target not when he’d seen the shock in the creatures face. That knife had been for him, that death had been his and they knew how to kill their own kind, Lupa had acted without thought, without regret, he’d killed because he’d had to. Only afterward had he felt the pain of it, the loss of it of a piece of his humanity because of what he’d had to do. He was the only one who could help him now, not Marie, not Amber, just him. Wrapping his arm around his shoulder he guided Lupa home, listening to the ground soaking up the blood and fluids from the cooling body behind them.

When they reached home Anne was there, making tea for them all, the scent of summer reaching out to everyone, the calmness emanating from the cabin making them both relax. Going straight into the kitchen Lupa put the glaive in the sink before Amber saw it, Logan looked across the room at the people sat at his table. Scott was still under some kind of spell, Marie was sat comfortably with Amber on her knee playing with a toy a wolf made of silver that ran as you moved its tail. Wayland stood as they entered, his eyes meeting Lupa’s for the first time and Lupa freezing up. Lupa reaching out to Logan in fear, the scent of his fear thick in the air as Lupa didn’t move his gaze from Wayland.

Moving away from the table Wayland walked toward the back door, his gaze lowered from the two of them, finally raising before he shut the door behind him. A smile was all he left them with and Lupa began to breathe again, shaken Lupa went to check on Amber and Marie that they were safe that he hadn’t hurt them. Anne walked to him handing him a mug of sweet smelling tea, her touch soothing him as much as the scent from the mug in his hands. “He was there, the night Lupa’s family was attacked, he took him away from the men who would’ve killed him. Thing is Lupa only remembers the bad things, that he was there, not that he saved him.” Her eyes held more than she was saying here and he knew she’d tell him when it was time when they were all capable of coping with it all. Squeezing his arm she went to sit with Scott, her touch bringing Scott round from his trance, her smile telling him it wasn’t worth asking about, everyone was safe.

Logan looked at the family in front of him and the home he had, he had everything he’d ever wanted, security, love, happiness, contentment with what he was doing. He had everything yet the knowledge that it had come at a price was still with him, he met Lupa’s gaze as he held Amber up in his arms, the understanding passing between them that he would always put them first, just as Logan would. Lifting his mug as Marie wrapped herself around him, a contented sigh passing her lips, the safe solid comfort of her easing his fears. Yet what he had could be taken away just as easily and from now on he’d be watching from closer to home but if he needed to leave he knew Lupa would care for his family keeping everyone safe including himself. The sunlight was dappling the room making everything seem golden a memory to hold close to his mind as Amber smiled and laughed with her brother as they played with the silver wolf between them. His eyes drawn to the small toy knowing it had a significance to them all but what it was would only be told in time.