The forest closed in. Every branch scraped open skin. Every root waited to catch an ankle. Quill kept one arm tight around Hawk's ribs, and Hawk leaned in harder with each step. Their legs didn't move so much as drag forward, shredded by gravel and stiff from the shift. Nothing in them worked right. Nothing had settled yet.They didn't speak. The path to the edge of Hawk's land tilted in and out of view, soft with fog, harsh with light, never still. Every breath hurt. Talking would've meant letting go.The sound came fast. Branches cracking. Leaves scattering. Footfalls too heavy, too reckless. Human.Quill tensed. Hawk lifted his head.Then Lily appeared, tearing down the slope with both arms out like she'd fight the trees if she had to. Dirt streaked her jeans. Her jacket flapped open. Hair tangled across her face, caught in the brush she didn't bother to avoid."I've been screaming your names for two hours!" Her voice cracked. "Two! I thought you were dead. I thought one of you ki
The room stayed dark. Sealed shut. Blacklights hummed low and steady above them, casting everything in bruised violet. No windows, no clocks. It could've been midnight. It could've been noon. Time didn't reach in here.Quill moved first. He tried to stretch his legs, but his muscles pulled tight. His joints ached from staying twisted up in the same position too long. His muscles protested. He blinked against the dark, vision still blurry, and forced in a deep breath. The soreness had changed. No longer jagged. Now it was just a steady throb, sunk deep into tendons and spine.Hawk shifted beside him. Bare skin dragged against his ribs. Warm. Solid. He didn't move far. Didn't pull away. Their legs stayed tangled. One arm rested across Quill's stomach.It should've felt peaceful.There was a sharp and sudden commotion near the door. Plastic or cardboard. Something scraping against metal.Quill flinched. Hawk shot upright.Lily stood in the doorway holding two paper bags and a cardboard t
"I don't want to be your Alpha."Quill shifted just enough to look up.The bond vibrated with confusion first. Then panic. Not doubt. Not hesitation. Real fear. It clawed under his skin, fast and brutal. It felt like a rejection without warning. Hawk felt it instantly. He swore under his breath. "That's not what I meant."Quill just tilted his head at him. Hawk sat up, drew a breath through his nose, and let it out slowly. Blood still marked his skin. The bruises hadn't totally vanished yet. Yet, the bond kept humming underneath, pulling at everything. Healing what was broken. He could feel it, and it had nothing to do with Quill submitting to him. "I just don't want that dynamic. I don't want you under me. I want you with me. Equal. My Alpha too, if you will."Quill blinked, then started to smirk. "That some new-age progressive werewolf shit? I wonder how the council will react."Hawk fought off wanting to roll his eyes. "You're laughing, but I'm serious.""I'm not." He leaned in c
He braced both hands to Hawk's thighs and let his mouth drag over a scar not yet faded. Hawk shivered. Quill dropped to his knees and took Hawk deep on the first stroke. No teasing. No slow buildup. He opened his mouth wide and worked him in, inch by inch until Hawk hit the back of his throat.The sound Hawk made was low and half-broken. It bounced off the bathroom tile and curled under Quill's skin. His hips jerked, instinct kicking in before he caught himself. He reached for Quill's hair and gripped hard. Not to guide him, not to hold him still, just to feel him. Just to stay connected. Quill growled softly.He adjusted his angle, jaw slack, tongue pressed flat. He pulled back just enough to catch his breath, then drove forward again. Quill's left hand braced against the wall. The right slid under Hawk's body and curled around him from behind, fingers gliding between his legs. He didn't hesitate. He worked him open with the same rhythm as his mouth. Slow at first, then deeper.Ha
The mop handle smacked into Quill's shin for the third time. Hawk stepped in beside him. "You're doing it wrong."Quill didn't look up. He swirled the mop in a wide circle, pushing dried blood off the tile like it had personally offended him. "There's no wrong way to clean old delta gore off a floor. How many did you kill again?"Hawk hovered near the bucket. "Several. You're using too much pressure."Quill twisted toward him. "Then you do it."Hawk leaned against the wall. "I did. The whole front half. I'm done."Quill sloshed the mop into the bucket and flicked water toward him with a smirk. "You just rushed so you could come watch me like a... well, a Hawk." Hawk stepped back with a grin and a wet splotch forming on his borrowed shirt. It was Quill's, loose around the shoulders. The collar slipped off one side. The hem had ridden up. Quill's eyes followed it and stayed there too long.Hawk tilted his head. "Keep looking. We'll end up on the floor again."Quill winked. "Promise?"H
Lily stared at him. Then at Quill. Then down at the floor like the answer might be hidden in the blood they hadn't finished scrubbing.Quill finally laughed under his breath. "We've had sex before we were anything, really. At least out loud. It didn't feel like this."Hawk nodded. "It wasn't this before."Quill let his eyes drop, then lifted them back to Hawk. "No. It wasn't."Lily stepped back, folding her arms tight over her chest. "So now what?"Hawk exhaled hard. "I don't know."Quill ran a hand down Hawk's side, sliding it beneath the hem of his shirt and holding it there. "It's not going away."Hawk nodded once, eyes still on him. "No. It's not."Quill kept his hand right where it was. "Feels worse when I try to ignore it."Hawk looked down at him, breathing unevenly now. "Feels better when you touch me."Quill didn't hesitate. His thumb moved against Hawk's ribs. "I always want to touch you."Hawk smiled faintly. "Good."He pulled Quill closer again. No kiss this time. He just
The apartment door barely clicked shut before Hawk shoved Quill against it. Quill's back hit the wood hard enough to shake the frame. He kissed him roughly, all hunger and urgency. Tongues slid together. Teeth scraped lips. Breath mingled.Clothes tore. Hawk's shirt ripped open, buttons scattering. Quill shoved the ruined fabric off his broad shoulders. Hawk dragged his sweatpants down roughly, freeing him entirely. He gripped Quill's cock as he rolled his shoulders and growled softly. Quill gasped sharply. His hips jerked forward into Hawk's calloused hand. Hawk squeezed, stroking hard and fast until Quill groaned, loud and rough, unable to hold back.He started clawing at Hawk's waistband, yanking the material down. Hawk's erection pressed hot and heavy against his hip. Their bodies slid together, cocks rubbing. Both were already slick from sweat, their bodies flushed and burning from how fast everything escalated. That desperate friction made them both shiver.They staggered down
Hawk rose up and aligned himself. He pressed forward slowly, nudging against where Quill wanted him most. The contact made them both still. Hawk lingered there, breathing hard, fighting the instinct to push in too fast. He looked down at Quill like he was trying to memorize him before losing control and breaking him. Quill grabbed his hips. "Don't stop. Fuck me. Now. You're not going to hurt me. I'm Alpha too, remember?"So much for control. That instinct Hawk had been wrestling with surged up fast and took over like it had just been waiting for an opening. For permission.He slammed in with one powerful thrust. Quill's mouth fell open as a growl ripped up from his chest. Hawk paused just long enough to feel how deep he was. He throbbed inside him. Quill clenched around him as he adjusted to the fullness. Then Hawk moved. Deep. Fast. Merciless.His body slammed into Quill, rhythm brutal and unrelenting. Sweat dripped from his temple as he leaned up, bracing himself for more force. Qu
Hawk rose up and aligned himself. He pressed forward slowly, nudging against where Quill wanted him most. The contact made them both still. Hawk lingered there, breathing hard, fighting the instinct to push in too fast. He looked down at Quill like he was trying to memorize him before losing control and breaking him. Quill grabbed his hips. "Don't stop. Fuck me. Now. You're not going to hurt me. I'm Alpha too, remember?"So much for control. That instinct Hawk had been wrestling with surged up fast and took over like it had just been waiting for an opening. For permission.He slammed in with one powerful thrust. Quill's mouth fell open as a growl ripped up from his chest. Hawk paused just long enough to feel how deep he was. He throbbed inside him. Quill clenched around him as he adjusted to the fullness. Then Hawk moved. Deep. Fast. Merciless.His body slammed into Quill, rhythm brutal and unrelenting. Sweat dripped from his temple as he leaned up, bracing himself for more force. Qu
The apartment door barely clicked shut before Hawk shoved Quill against it. Quill's back hit the wood hard enough to shake the frame. He kissed him roughly, all hunger and urgency. Tongues slid together. Teeth scraped lips. Breath mingled.Clothes tore. Hawk's shirt ripped open, buttons scattering. Quill shoved the ruined fabric off his broad shoulders. Hawk dragged his sweatpants down roughly, freeing him entirely. He gripped Quill's cock as he rolled his shoulders and growled softly. Quill gasped sharply. His hips jerked forward into Hawk's calloused hand. Hawk squeezed, stroking hard and fast until Quill groaned, loud and rough, unable to hold back.He started clawing at Hawk's waistband, yanking the material down. Hawk's erection pressed hot and heavy against his hip. Their bodies slid together, cocks rubbing. Both were already slick from sweat, their bodies flushed and burning from how fast everything escalated. That desperate friction made them both shiver.They staggered down
Lily stared at him. Then at Quill. Then down at the floor like the answer might be hidden in the blood they hadn't finished scrubbing.Quill finally laughed under his breath. "We've had sex before we were anything, really. At least out loud. It didn't feel like this."Hawk nodded. "It wasn't this before."Quill let his eyes drop, then lifted them back to Hawk. "No. It wasn't."Lily stepped back, folding her arms tight over her chest. "So now what?"Hawk exhaled hard. "I don't know."Quill ran a hand down Hawk's side, sliding it beneath the hem of his shirt and holding it there. "It's not going away."Hawk nodded once, eyes still on him. "No. It's not."Quill kept his hand right where it was. "Feels worse when I try to ignore it."Hawk looked down at him, breathing unevenly now. "Feels better when you touch me."Quill didn't hesitate. His thumb moved against Hawk's ribs. "I always want to touch you."Hawk smiled faintly. "Good."He pulled Quill closer again. No kiss this time. He just
The mop handle smacked into Quill's shin for the third time. Hawk stepped in beside him. "You're doing it wrong."Quill didn't look up. He swirled the mop in a wide circle, pushing dried blood off the tile like it had personally offended him. "There's no wrong way to clean old delta gore off a floor. How many did you kill again?"Hawk hovered near the bucket. "Several. You're using too much pressure."Quill twisted toward him. "Then you do it."Hawk leaned against the wall. "I did. The whole front half. I'm done."Quill sloshed the mop into the bucket and flicked water toward him with a smirk. "You just rushed so you could come watch me like a... well, a Hawk." Hawk stepped back with a grin and a wet splotch forming on his borrowed shirt. It was Quill's, loose around the shoulders. The collar slipped off one side. The hem had ridden up. Quill's eyes followed it and stayed there too long.Hawk tilted his head. "Keep looking. We'll end up on the floor again."Quill winked. "Promise?"H
He braced both hands to Hawk's thighs and let his mouth drag over a scar not yet faded. Hawk shivered. Quill dropped to his knees and took Hawk deep on the first stroke. No teasing. No slow buildup. He opened his mouth wide and worked him in, inch by inch until Hawk hit the back of his throat.The sound Hawk made was low and half-broken. It bounced off the bathroom tile and curled under Quill's skin. His hips jerked, instinct kicking in before he caught himself. He reached for Quill's hair and gripped hard. Not to guide him, not to hold him still, just to feel him. Just to stay connected. Quill growled softly.He adjusted his angle, jaw slack, tongue pressed flat. He pulled back just enough to catch his breath, then drove forward again. Quill's left hand braced against the wall. The right slid under Hawk's body and curled around him from behind, fingers gliding between his legs. He didn't hesitate. He worked him open with the same rhythm as his mouth. Slow at first, then deeper.Ha
"I don't want to be your Alpha."Quill shifted just enough to look up.The bond vibrated with confusion first. Then panic. Not doubt. Not hesitation. Real fear. It clawed under his skin, fast and brutal. It felt like a rejection without warning. Hawk felt it instantly. He swore under his breath. "That's not what I meant."Quill just tilted his head at him. Hawk sat up, drew a breath through his nose, and let it out slowly. Blood still marked his skin. The bruises hadn't totally vanished yet. Yet, the bond kept humming underneath, pulling at everything. Healing what was broken. He could feel it, and it had nothing to do with Quill submitting to him. "I just don't want that dynamic. I don't want you under me. I want you with me. Equal. My Alpha too, if you will."Quill blinked, then started to smirk. "That some new-age progressive werewolf shit? I wonder how the council will react."Hawk fought off wanting to roll his eyes. "You're laughing, but I'm serious.""I'm not." He leaned in c
The room stayed dark. Sealed shut. Blacklights hummed low and steady above them, casting everything in bruised violet. No windows, no clocks. It could've been midnight. It could've been noon. Time didn't reach in here.Quill moved first. He tried to stretch his legs, but his muscles pulled tight. His joints ached from staying twisted up in the same position too long. His muscles protested. He blinked against the dark, vision still blurry, and forced in a deep breath. The soreness had changed. No longer jagged. Now it was just a steady throb, sunk deep into tendons and spine.Hawk shifted beside him. Bare skin dragged against his ribs. Warm. Solid. He didn't move far. Didn't pull away. Their legs stayed tangled. One arm rested across Quill's stomach.It should've felt peaceful.There was a sharp and sudden commotion near the door. Plastic or cardboard. Something scraping against metal.Quill flinched. Hawk shot upright.Lily stood in the doorway holding two paper bags and a cardboard t
The forest closed in. Every branch scraped open skin. Every root waited to catch an ankle. Quill kept one arm tight around Hawk's ribs, and Hawk leaned in harder with each step. Their legs didn't move so much as drag forward, shredded by gravel and stiff from the shift. Nothing in them worked right. Nothing had settled yet.They didn't speak. The path to the edge of Hawk's land tilted in and out of view, soft with fog, harsh with light, never still. Every breath hurt. Talking would've meant letting go.The sound came fast. Branches cracking. Leaves scattering. Footfalls too heavy, too reckless. Human.Quill tensed. Hawk lifted his head.Then Lily appeared, tearing down the slope with both arms out like she'd fight the trees if she had to. Dirt streaked her jeans. Her jacket flapped open. Hair tangled across her face, caught in the brush she didn't bother to avoid."I've been screaming your names for two hours!" Her voice cracked. "Two! I thought you were dead. I thought one of you ki
Hawk's shift came slower, more deliberate, each crack of bone echoing through the trees. His body moved like it was being reassembled piece by piece. Blood still covered him, and each tremble beneath the skin said he was running on sheer will alone. When it finished, he stood tall, barely steady, his chest rising hard with every breath. Quill didn't say anything. He couldn't. His chest tightened under the weight of it all. The sight of Hawk standing upright, blood-soaked and trembling, sparked relief so sharp it nearly took him down. But beneath it was something else, something that cracked him open in a way he didn't know how to brace against. It wasn't fear. It wasn't awe. It was the raw, staggering realization that the boy he loved had become something else entirely. He stepped forward. One foot, then the other. His knees quivered beneath the effort. The ache in his bones warned him to stop, but he couldn't. He had to see. Had to feel that Hawk was real. Heat radiated from Hawk,