Wolf 7
The howl that had sliced the night in half had come, not from Derrick, as the other were was unconscious from blood loss but from David. Silver tears trailed down his eyes as he cried out in his wolf form. Daniel knew what the howl meant and looked over to his beta with his muzzle covered in drying blood flakes. The other were was on his forepaws with his face lifted to the sky while droplets of sorrow hung from his muzzle. Before long David raced up to his alpha followed by Sam and Max who had remained silent throughout the whole scene.
Once David got within a foot of his alpha he dropped onto his back and then turned over to present his belly to the dominant male. It was a clear sign of submission but a folly on the silver werewolf's part since inference in a leadership battle could be forfeit with his own life. Daniel, in his blood lust, could have killed the submissive were and then Derrick but the Doberman had enough control to come down from his adrenaline high and look to his packmate.
The blood from both Daniel and Derrick had begun to dry but Derrick had lost so much that the ground underneath him was soggy to the touch. Daniel looked at the werewolf who had challenged him and then to his bitch. Closing his eyes and then snapping them open Daniel slapped David away and watched as the silver werewolf bounced before standing with his tail tucked but returning to his back before his alpha. Daniel growled with his fangs bared and then looked at David but the other werewolf was not deterred from his plight to save his friend's life. Even though Derrick might hate him, and probably would, he refused to let the other werewolf die like this.
David...cared for his friend. No. David loved Derrick enough to take on the burden of being hated by the other werewolf if just that he would live. Live as a gamma to the other werewolves but live all the same. The silver werewolf presented his belly to his alpha and before long Sam and Max joined him. Looking astounded David took his blessing and whimpered followed along by his packmates for Derrick's life.
Daniel closed his eyes again before looking at the half dead werewolf and then throwing his limp body before his three betas. Snarling in disgust the Doberman gasped and then fell over beside the prone werewolf.
Without thought David barked out to Sam and Max as he got from off of his back and soon the three were moving in a flurry of motions.
The sun was shining again when Derrick woke up and blinked his eyes open and started to get up from where he was laying. As a deep pain ripped through his chest and neck it made the teenage werewolf flop back down with a wince.
"Be careful. You don't want to pop out all the stitches that you have." a light tone made itself present to the hurt werewolf and Derrick turned his head gently and somewhat stiffly to look where the source of the voice had come from
Looking around the werewolf could make out the shape of someone who was wearing a pair of baggy blue jeans and a white shirt that had dried and bleached stains over it. Focusing his eyes Derrick was able to see the person more clearly as he blinked his hazy orbs. Smiling down at him with the deepest green eyes he had ever seen was a man in his late twenties. The man's smile got even wider as he noticed that the young man lying down was fully awake and not just stirring as he had before.
"Wh...who...ar..." Derrick tried to struggle out his question but it was too much for his sore throat and so he could only grunt and close his mouth while staring at the older man with suspicion
"My name is Kenneth and I run the local shelter around these parts. You were brought in along with another one three weeks ago and have been under my care and another's every since then." Kenneth said while going over to Derrick's bed and pulling up a chair that the young were had just noticed was beside him
Derrick stared at the man even more curiously as he tried to speak again.
"Whose c...car...e...?"
"Oh the other person? He's right beside you as well as my other patient. Try not to snap your stitches if you want to look at him. Okay?" Kenneth said cheerily while helping Derrick sit up just a bit to turn his head to his other side
Looking to his left Derrick could see that a silver head was sleeping in a bed just next to him. Scenting the air and coughing for a second the healing werewolf knew that it was David who was by his side. It made him smile before looking over and seeing the sleeping form of Daniel with his snout over the silver were's bed. Wanting to be angry Derrick tried to summon up the strength to growl but something inside of his body refused to respond to his call. It was as if his other side was just not answering instead of willing not responding.
Feeling his body grow tired Derrick settled back down into Kenneth's arms he put his head on the man's chest and began to doze off. Kenneth smiled again before gently laying the young one down and tucking him into bed while looking in on his other patients.
Seemed that David and Daniel were both doing well and saying a small prayer that the blood transfusion had helped save both alpha were's lives. As Kenneth began to leave the medical room he wondered just what was in store for these three later but had a feeling that it would end well as he was passed by Sam and Max on his way out. The two weredogs, in their dog like forms, settled at the ends of the three beds without a sound and then the lights flicked out and all was cast in black.
It was morning again when Derrick finally woke up and looked around the room. He was still in the pale white structure and still felt like shit. Moving his tired arms he was able to rub his chest and then finger the healed scars adorning his body. It felt very odd to have his skin threaded together by thin pieces of string or whatever was being used to keep him from bleeding to death. Turning his shaggy brown head the werewolf saw that he wasn't the only one who was up and gave a small smile at seeing a head of silver bent over him. Looking a little farther down Derrick gazed into liquid blue eyes and then reached up and petted the tanned face looming over him.
David was shaken by the sight o his best friend being up and even more so when he felt the warmth of rough fingers draping over his nose and mouth.
"Hey, how are you feeling Derrick?" the silver werewolf aked with much concern seeing as his friend had just escaped death by hairs
"I...I'll...l...liv...e..." the sound of his own voice was like gravel in his ears and the brown haired werewolf grimaced in annoyance
"Want something to drink?" seeing his head nodding at him David walked away to get a glass of water and then bring it back to the prone were
Helping Derrick up David was able to sit on the bed and help him drink the cool fluid and make sure he didn't choke by accident. Once all of the water was gone David took the glass away and then returned to sitting with next to the larger werewolf. Nothing was said between the two for minutes and they just stared into each other's eyes. The silence in the small alcove was comfortable as both werewolves just soaked in the presence of the other and smiled to one another.
The moment was broken however when a rough growl made David jump and turn his head away from Derrick. Wisps of silvers smacked the recovered were in the face and the other werewolf growled at having his time with his friend taken away. Looking around David Derrick was really unhappy at seeing the hulking figure of Daniel glaring at him. The hardened gaze of the largest were in the medical room made the once calm air tense as the two bigger weres had a silent battle of wills over David.
The silver were was the one who calmed the situation before the two tried to go at each other again. Rising gracefully, David walked over to his alpha and sat down beside him and then nuzzled into his throat. The act calmed the Doberman weredog and a large arm came and wrapped around the waist of the teenager. Derrick looked angry enough to kill as he saw the spectacle in front of him before something inside of his body just surrendered. He had to admit to himself that he had lost the fight and David as the young were watched the look on the silver youth's face. His lips were innocently lifted into a ghost of a smile as he rubbed his face back and forth into the bulk of Daniel's body.
Derrick felt his heart sink as he looked to the happiness that was painted all over David's face. The kind of happy glow that came from a pup in his parents folds and a packmember within the embrace of his alpha; the only one that had total dominance over them and had the respect and love of his submissive. The kind of love Derrick would never receive from David. Hanging his head low to his chest Derrick felt like crying as he thought about how badly he had gotten beaten by another were and how he had lost the most precious thing he could have ever have owned; the heart of his best friend. But he wouldn't allow himself to crap out like that. He had fought and lost and by the rules he should be dead but as he was alive he was at the mercy of the other were. Though the werewolf wouldn't ever just lift his tail for the weredog he wouldn't challenge him again.
Slumping back down onto his cot Derrick closed his eyes and tried to run back into the arms of sleep. Tossing and turning for a minute the brown haired teen couldn't swim deep enough into his subconscious to doze of but when warm hands settled on him he opened his eyes and looked up. A warm furry hand had settled down on him and Derrick nearly had a heart attack at seeing that it was Daniel who had touched him. The bigger weredog was looking down at the youth with a blank expression on his muzzle before reaching don and staring into green eyes. Amber and jade locked onto the other in another battle of wills before Daniel rose up and looked away.
Derrick wanted to turn his head away but when he felt a body pressing up against him he blinked and was amazed even more to see David curling up next to him. The silver headed teen had undressed himself and snuggled up beside his friend and was drifting off with ever second. Derrick whipped his gaze back up to Daniel and then noticed that the alpha weredog had moved away to settle back on his bed while keeping a silent eye on his packmates. For a third time two fierce wills battled against on another until Derrick bowed his head and then curled up with his best friend. Like two pups they moved around until both were comfortable on the large sized mattress with both of their faces right next to each other and their bodies wrapped around one another.
Once they were calmed down Daniel watched them before fatigue caught up too him an he closed his amber orbs but kept his ears alert for any danger.
It was three days after the last events that found David, Derrick, and Daniel each getting up and moving around. Bright and early Kenneth had woken them up with breakfast and told the weres that Joseph was coming to take them all back home and get everything sorted out. Though Daniel and derrick weren't trying to go at each other's throats again neither was too keen on being around the other. Derrick kept a respectful distance from Daniel and the Doberman weredog was kept from putting the other were in his place by David. The silver were looked like he had gained three years as he was keeping each of the most important creatures in his life from murdering the other. Though he was fairly sure Derrick understood he was no match for the bigger Doberman the silver haired youth felt like it was wiser to just play mediator an stand between them. At least until derrick decided what he was going to do when they got back to his father's ranch.
By law, Derrick should be dead. No simpler way to put it but because he had interfered David wasn't sure what would happen. A loss was a loss and Derrick should have submitted on his back with his tail wagging to the other alpha but he still had a lot of will. Where as David had understood his place and just rebelled by running away Derrick wasn't rebelling but he wasn't submitting either. This was a first as far as the silver werewolf was concerned but as long as both of his packmates walked away alive he wasn't going to complain. Once they had finished eating Daniel walked away and left both Derrick and David to their own devices without a word or bark.
David wanted o say something to smooth things over with his friend but he was unsure of opening his mouth as it might make things worse. He wasn't sure that Derrick was happy to be alive, wasn't sure if he was unhappy, and didn't even know if his friend hated him or not. Besides the petting from days ago Derrick had all but ignored the silver werewolf. Voting in his head to just keep quiet David just went about helping Kenneth until Joseph came to pick them up with Sam and Max as the husky and golden retriever had gone back home on his request. Meanwhile, Derrick just stayed in his room brooding over his own thoughts while Daniel changed into his dog form and ran around the area of the animal shelter.
It was around three when Joseph showed up with an excited Sam and Max sitting in the back seat. The older man stopped the care and was almost barreled over as two excited canines jumped over him to rush up to their other beta. David was covered in doggy slobber as he laughed and was shoved to the ground by his packmates. After almost a month of uncertainty David was glad that things were settling back into some type of normalicy. Though looking into the eyes of his father and then Derrick who had just come from the overshadowing pale white building the silver werewolf wasn't sure how long that would last.
Not letting trouble stir up in his heart David played with Sam and Max until Daniel came and then all four rolled around with each other. Laughs and yips could be heard for about a quarter of a mile as the happy pack was once again together. Daniel ended up on top of his silver beta while David was covering Sam and Max with his body. It was kind of like a Kodak moment before a strong cough jarred everyone to look at Joseph. The older man had a smile on his face but his eyes were not so cherry as he was expectant of something.
David had promised an explanation he came back o the house with an overgrown dog and bleeding teenager while being flanked by Sam and Max who had been walking on two legs covered in dried blood. Getting the two taken care of was top priority and David had managed to finagle his way out of an absurd amount of Q&A's by concentrating on nothing but his alpha and friend but the time for answers had come and Joseph was determined to get them.
Back at the ranch Joseph was sitting down on the couch in the living room while staring at two teenage werewolves and three weredogs who he had thought had been nothing more than regular strays. The older man rubbed his forehead and sighed tiredly as he wrapped his distorted mind over the new information presented to him.
"So, if I'm understanding everything correctly; I've been keeping three weredogs in my house for the past few years, David is now part of their pack and Derrick is something in between being one of the pack and not. But before you, David and Derrick, you both had to fight against Daniel here. Both of you lost and Derrick nearly got killed. Is that correct?" Joseph asked while looking at the five weres in his house
David bowed his silver head and then looked back up into the eyes of his father. The older man closed his eyes and then sighed before looking at the room full of weres.
"So the question is what happens now?" Joseph wasn't happy about the outcome of the entire situation but having had been married to a werewolf for over a decade he was use to sudden twists and turns in his stable life.
"I'm part of the pack. I belong with them. I want to finish school first and then I'm going to move out here and be with my pack." David spoke with determination in his voice that left little to the imagination about his conviction
"I see...then what about you Derrick? Where do you fit into the grand scheme of things?" looking at the young man Joseph could see that the teenage werewolf was undecided in his heart about what to do
Daniel was the one who made the decision when he shifted into his larger canid form and strode over to the boy and then growled at him. Derrick's eyes flashed amber but the youth didn't move from his spot on the floor and bared his fangs in defiance. The Doberman weredog snapped out his clawed and reached for the younger werewolf and then hoisted him into the air until his feet were dangling inches above the ground. The surprising move startled both Derrick and Joseph but David placed a hand on his dad and prevented his from assisting his friend. Sam and Max watched silently as well when Derrick snarled and began to transform into his bestial self but the vice like paw around his throat stopped him before he could shift fully.
Another battle of wills was taking place but the tension in the room wasn't as bad as it had been in the animal shelter. As if something unspoken had been said Daniel dropped Derrick and then went over to his pack and settled down beside them. Derrick rubbed his sore throat but never once too his eyes of the alpha male in front of him.
"I'll be staying. I have something I need to do first and then we'll see what happens." said Derrick while sitting down in his original seat
"What the hell just happened?" Joseph was completely stunned at the dramatic climax this day was taking but even more by the levels of testosterone seeping into the air. The human male had always known weres lived and died by their own set of rules but he had never witnessed a battle of dominance like this before
"Derrick...lost to Daniel in a fight. By law he should submit to the other were but because...something happened...its thrown off the balance of things..." David was abashed as he spoke and looked between his alpha and best friend
"What happened to cause all of this?" inquired Joseph
"I...interfered with their battle and because of it Derrick hasn't lost his place as a dominant male in his own mind and in Daniel's eyes. That being the case you have two strong, healthy, and domineering males on the grounds." David looked at his best friend and when blue met green the silver haired werewolf had to look away in shame
Joseph stared down at his son and saw the grief pouring off of him like a black wave.
"It's not your fault David. If I hadn't been so weak I could have taken him without help. I lost because I wasn't good enough, simple as that." Derrick admitted to himself and everyone in the room that he had been defeated but the fire of superiority burned within his eyes
Daniel huffed at the werewolf and then looked at the silver headed youth before going over and nuzzling up to him. Being close to his alpha calmed the teen's angst and soon he was petting on the black snout of the Doberman pincer before a golden muzzle butted right next to the boy's hand followed by a gray and white muzzle. Daniel growled at the others but didn't stop them from sharing in the affection of their beta.
"I see then...so Derrick will be staying here on the couch since he's not apart of the pack then?" it was helpful to have been taught something about were's rules and order and so it kept Joseph from asking too many unnecessary
"Yes." David and Derrick said at the same time before looking to one another and then looking away
Joseph was wise enough to know when something was going on and chose to keep quiet about what he suspected was happening around him. Finding out that he had been keeping weredogs was one thing but he really didn't need to ask if his son was smitten over his best friend. Being a parent had it's advantages when it came to understanding children and being a man really aided him when it came to understanding his son. There were something's a man just couldn't admit to himself so quickly and the older male had a inclining that it would take some time before the two teenagers came to a certain point in their relationship.
"Well then I'll leave you all alone to sort this out...if you need me I'll be taking care of the horses alright?" David nodded to his father before the human male left the house
Once alone Derrick, David, Daniel, Sam, and Max all stared at one another before Daniel barked out loud. The force of his call jarred the silence that had began to fill the room and soon he, Sam, and Max filed out of the house leaving the two werewolves alone. David felt nervous around Derrick but soon his discomfort faded when the other male stood up and walked over to him. Getting on one knee derrick looked into cerulean eyes and then spoke...
"Thank you." Two simple words were voiced with too much emotion just to be deciphered. Sadness, anger, rage, love, care, devotion, and maybe even a bit of hope was mixed inside of those eight letters pulled from within Derrick's soul
"I thought you would hate me..." David looked into jade and tears beaded into his azure orbs before falling from his face
"Never..." Derrick reached up and wiped the silvery teardrops onto his finger and then lapped at his wet digit
David laughed as he thought about how the other werewolf had always done that when he was sad and how he had never noticed what it meant until now. At this moment the silver werewolf could admit that he saw past the friendship shared between each other to the steadfast bond that he and Derrick had. It had been easy to over look as kids when David had seen Derrick as a strong alpha male who was just looking out for any wolf under him but now... It was so much different... Emotions had been exposed and the misunderstandings had cleared up like a fog on a hot summer's day.
"You understand that I can't be yours Derrick. I belong to the pack. I can't betray them to be with you. I won't." Derrick nodded his shaggy head and then stood up before taking his friend into his arms and kissing him
The contact of both of their lips was like electricity dancing in the sky. The power between each of their bodies sung together in harmony and both of their primal desires bubbled up into each other's chests. David closed his ocean blue eyes before pushing his friend back and then smirking at him.
"You never do listen to anyone, do you?" David was flustered by the shared contact but kept his composure from deterring him as he admonished his friend
"Nope and never will." Derrick chuckled a bit before he let out a full-blown laugh that was copied by David
Both teenagers laughed and laughed as they thought about whatever would come their way. Outside three weredogs looked between each other and lolled out the tongues at the scene. Daniel gave a doggy smirk as he watched his other beta and then looked between his two other packmates. Sam and Max smirked to one another before moving from their place at the window and bounded off across the grassy field. Daniel caught up to them soon after once he was sure that his beta knew who he belonged to. David wouldn't leave them to run off with the other werewolf...of that he was sure after seeing the fire in his eyes at his claim that the pack had over him.