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Aziraphale Fell was wrapped up against the cold as she walked from the bus stop to the book shop. It was her responsibility to open the shop that cold Monday morning - her boss, Ms. Angela Michael, lived on site in the flat above the shop, but today was her morning off, so she wouldn’t be up for a while yet. Aziraphale fumbled for the right key on the bunch on her keyring with chilled fingers, annoyed that she’d forgotten her gloves that morning, then let herself in. The welcoming and calming vanillin scent of old books instantly relaxed her. The bookshop was fairly cold on the ground floor, so first she went to adjust the boiler in the cellar, before going to the safe to get the float for the till, and returning up to the ground floor to get set up for the day. She wondered if her boss would have her working in the cellar today - at least it’d warm up before the ancient radiators upstairs heated up enough. Once the work essentials were taken care of, she filled the kettle and put it on the little stove in the corner to boil for a cup of tea, then, while it boiled, lifted the blinds on the windows, and unlocked the door again for customers. Although she didn’t expect much of a rush - the bookshop was more of the type to sell very few, but very expensive old specialist and rare antiquarian tomes, often at auction or through catalogue sales, or over the phone by word-of-mouth. Walk-ins did happen, but not as often as in most businesses. Then a good half of them walked out shortly after, having discovered the cost of the books was mostly far out of their price range or scope of interest. Her boss, Ms. Michael, had originally hired Aziraphale to do the accounting, on a particularly elderly Amstrad computer, which her boss refused to upgrade, stating that it worked perfectly fine for the work which was required of it, although with Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC’s) move to online digital accounts reporting, Aziraphale was finally getting the point across that she’d have to cave in sooner or later. She’d given up on trying to persuade Ms. Michael to consider establishing an online presence to start selling the books online.  The part-time accounting job had eventually morphed into a promotion to full-time bookseller, and Aziraphale enjoyed it very much. It was quiet, steady work, without the stresses of more mainstream retail jobs. The busiest it tended to get was on cold wintry days like this - damp and just turning into a reluctant spring, or when it was raining, and people came in to “browse”, when in reality all they really wanted was an excuse to be warm and dry.   Aziraphale sat at the desk with her cup of tea, and went through the post, organising cheques for books paid for, and taking notes on volumes to find on the shelves and prepare for posting to clients around the world. Many of these were so rare and valuable that they required sending by specialist courier. Occasionally the phone would ring with an enquiry from a collector, or from another bookshop on the search for something for a client that they thought she could help with. The occasional person came in to browse, and she’d glance up and spare them a brief smile before returning to her work, keeping half an eye on them from time to time - she knew that most wouldn’t buy anything, but provided they didn’t mis-handle the books, she tolerated them. The morning trickled away in much the same manner as it usually did, until something disturbed the humdrum background noise of the street outside.There was the rumble of an engine as a dark shape drove by the window - the sound only stood out to her as the engine sounded a little different to modern cars, and there was a certain smell that older car engines seemed to have too. Glancing up, she spied the reason, as the car slammed on the brakes a little further down the street, coming to an abrupt stop. She wondered why. It was a very old classic car of some sort - not the kind you saw every day. Then, in defiance of normal traffic habits, the driver put it in reverse, and backed up the street a little way, until a car several yards behind it beeped in annoyance. The driver’s window was down and he flipped them the bird out of it, then steered into a spot by the pavement. Not a valid parking spot though - it was on double yellow lines that prohibited parking - but the driver didn’t seem to care anyway. She wondered if he’d care when he got a parking ticket.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 Then a tall, slim man in a dark suit, dark glasses, and with short red hair leapt out of the car, face upturned, brow furrowed, and cast about, as if looking for something - no - smelling for something? He wrinkled his nose and opened his mouth slightly, clearly his nose was doing more than his eyes were. He walked up the street a few steps away from her, weaving across the pavement slightly, then paused, frowned, and crossed halfway across the road. There, he stopped, head still raised, while another car honked its horn at him. He scowled at it and yelled something she didn’t hear, before doubling back on himself, coming back to the pavement, and proceeding back toward the bookshop, his pace quickening as he grew closer. Curious, Aziraphale peered at him from the window, craning to see as he went further on down the street. He got past the Dirty Donkey pub then stopped again, casting about, he spun on his heel, and backtracked once more, heading back in the direction of the bookshop. Aziraphale ducked behind a bookcase, and peered through a narrow gap toward the window at the side which faced the pub. Then she got a whiff of something herself. She didn’t know what, but it inexplicably made her squirm with delight and she felt a  rush of… what? … She had no idea, but it was tantalising, musky, and indefinably alluring. Perhaps it was the same mysterious scent that the rather handsome man was looking for. She felt hot all of a sudden, with butterflies in her stomach.The strange redheaded guy drew closer to the shop door, and looked up at the building quizzically, he sniffed, then reached out to open the door, and came in.

As soon as he came in, with a waft of icy winter air at his back, Aziraphale could smell the fascinating scent blowing with it in her direction, intensifying, and paused, feeling strange. Of course Aziraphale’s own scent would be all over the bookshop, she’d worked there for years now - she was in her mid thirties and she had worked there since she was twenty-two. Aziraphale was relatively tall, plump, and blonde, with clear blue eyes under long, dark lashes, and a slightly upturned nose which she thought made her look ugly, but everyone else said made her look cute. She wore a sensible beige tartan skirt that came to mid-calf, pale blue blouse, tan waistcoat straining to contain an ample bosom, and cream jacket, with sensible brown flat shoes, and warm, knee-high cream woollen socks. She didn’t like to wear perfumes, finding them too strongly scented for her sensitive nose.The newcomer had an angular build, long, lean legs, and strong looking hands. His neck was long, his cheekbones high, nose large and crooked, and she could see lines at the corner of his eyes past the edge of his shades.  He was dressed in tight black jeans, black shirt, black waistcoat, and crisply tailored black jacket. To embellish the look, he also wore black snakeskin boots, with a snakeskin belt and thin grey mesh scarf looped around his neck. His sunglasses had mesh side pieces that concealed his eyes even from the sides. He looked to be a bit older than Aziraphale, perhaps in his mid to late forties. He wasn’t in the slightest the kind of man she’d usually be attracted to, and she’d certainly had her fair share of men - not that her bookish appearance would lead you to think so, and it amused her that people underestimated her sometimes. And yet, there was something about this stranger which immediately captured her attention, and she didn’t know why. By all accounts so far, the man was rude and careless - judging by his behaviour toward the other drivers, acting as if he owned the place and they were mere inconveniences to him. It ought to have made her dislike him on sight, and indeed, initially, it had, until he walked in. Now there was something undefinable clutching at her insides and tying them into knots as her heart hammered in her chest to see him standing there. Some strange instinct inside her made her want to do… something - and at first she wasn’t sure exactly what - until her second thoughts kicked in and reminded her that she knew very well what she’d like to do to him, or rather, have him do to her. Her vulva began to feel embarrassingly wet. The scandalous thoughts made her shiver and blush. “Anybody here?” He called out, searching around, looking agitated. Aziraphale straightened up, grabbed a book at random off the shelf in front of her, and cleared her throat.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “Um, yes? Can I help you?” When she stepped out from behind the shelf, the man froze, and stared openly at her, his mouth slightly open, apparently silenced for a moment by the sight of her, and seeing that didn’t help Aziraphale’s emotional state one bit. The guy’s state of being temporarily lost for words ended with a brief garbled sound, then he cleared his throat, and tried again. “Ah - yeah. Um. Bookshop…”“That’s right - was there anything in particular you were looking for, sir?”He tore his eyes away from her for a moment, to briefly glance around, looking confused. “Erm… I’m looking for a book on…”“Clairvoyance?” Aziraphale offered helpfully. “Huh? No, er…”“Damn, that’ll work one day,” she replied with a smile, completely wrong-footing him, and amused at the expression on his face.“Uh… what d’you recommend?” He asked after flailing somewhat. “Well that rather depends on where your interests lie,” Aziraphale replied, coming a little closer, and unable to help herself from giving him a shy smile. It was echoed by his own smile, which turned into a wolfish grin. The way his gaze lustfully raked over her body - conservatively dressed as she was - made no secret of where his interests lay all of a sudden. “Oh I’m sure you could tempt me with something,” he said, his voice deepening, with a suggestive tone - his initial awkwardness had evaporated completely - now he was in charge and back to looking as if he owned the world once more.  “Or perhaps… I could tempt you with something, hmm?”Aziraphale’s heart fluttered manically and she clutched the book to her chest, like a shield, wondering what on earth had got into her. She had already been feeling extremely horny the past day or so anyway - as her toys at home currently recharging would attest. She’d long ago worked out that for some reason, at a certain point in her very irregular cycle, that she’d grow insatiably horny for a few days, and then bam - her period would hit a week or two later - it was often the main way she had of predicting when the damn thing would arrive. And trust this handsome devil to saunter into her life just when she was at her worst. She knew for a fact she’d be giving her vibrator some destruct testing for a few hours when she got home that night, no doubt imagining all the things he could do to her. His smile transfixed her, and she wondered what to say, as he slowly circled her, then leaned in close to whisper in her ear, his voice warm and dark. “When do you break for lunch?”A shiver shot down her spine, with visions of this handsome rogue fucking her roughly and passionately up against a wall behind the bookshop, but suddenly Ms. Michael’s voice barked out from where she stood on the spiral staircase from the flat upstairs. “Miss Fell! I need you to work on cataloguing the collection that came in last week, they’re in the cellar. Don’t come up again until you’ve finished.”“I was just assisting this customer…” Aziraphale began, but Ms. Michael cut her off shortly. “NOW, Miss Fell.”“Yes, Ms. Michael.”  Aziraphale raised her eyes to see the man’s displeased expression, and as she turned to leave, she saw that Ms. Michael’s was equally unamused - the two were openly glaring at each other - Aziraphale assumed that her boss must know the customer, and she supposed there was some unknown animosity between the two. She made herself scarce, but paused when she got to the top of the steps to the cellar, out of sight, to listen. “And what can I help you with today, Sir?” Ms. Michael asked, coldly. Aziraphale could hear her heels clack on the metal stairs as she descended to face the dark-suited redhead. “Just browsing,” came the casual reply. “My employee is not part of the merchandise,” Ms. Michael snapped. Aziraphale could swear she could hear a low rumbling growl, although who it came from, she couldn’t have said. “We’re closing for lunch,” her boss told him, as presumably he’d shown no sign of wanting to leave. “Well perhaps I’ll call in again another time,” said the newcomer, in a wry taunting tone this time, which garnered a disgruntled grunt from her boss, but then the shop door opened and closed, and she heard Ms. Michael lock it behind him. Aziraphale hurried as quietly as she could down the cellar steps, and tried to look busy. Weirdly, it wasn’t the first time that Ms. Michael had sent her to work in the cellar coincidentally at the exact time in her cycle when Aziraphale was feeling most restless, it happened so often that the fact had begun to nag at the back of her head. At least it left her time to daydream and fantasise while she was down there working - a favourite fantasy as she gazed up at the barred windows of the cellar, was that she was chained up in a dungeon and some handsome man or sword-weilding maiden would swoop in and rescue her.   A few minutes later, her boss was coming down the cellar steps to join her. “I have some leftover shepherd’s pie from last night,” Ms. Michael said in an offhanded manner. “There’s far more than I need, so you will join me for lunch today.”“Yes, Ms. Michael.” Aziraphale hesitated. “Who was that man?”“I don’t know, but he looked like trouble,” she replied.“You haven’t met him before?” Aziraphale was incredulous, it had certainly seemed like there was some history there. “Not at all, but he struck me as a bad sort. Certainly not the type of clientele we want in the bookshop, hmm?”Aziraphale didn’t know what to say to that, so she didn’t. She did, however, wonder why her boss had been so keen to get Aziraphale away from him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After lunch, Aziraphale stood on an empty box on tip-toe and peeked out of the cellar window.  She espied the big black classic car still illegally parked on the street - clearly her boss hadn’t thought to see if the unwanted visitor had truly left, or just left the shop. While she couldn’t make out whether he was in the car or not - the driver’s window was still wound down. As she watched, a traffic warden approached, and leaned down to talk through the open window to the occupant. She couldn’t hear what was said, but the traffic warden’s eyes went wide, and rather than issuing a ticket, they hastily backed off and left, not looking back. Who was this man? And what was it about him that had such a strange effect on people? He either rubbed them up the wrong way, made them scared, or in Aziraphale’s case, well… She was still finding herself feeling quivery inside over their brief encounter, and it only seemed to be getting worse. She felt hot and flustered, and inexplicably, incredibly horny. She got off the box and tried to apply herself to the task at hand, cataloguing the boxes of new books, but couldn’t help but flinch with guilt as Ms. Michael came through the door. “How are you doing, Aziraphale?”“I’m nearly finished,” she replied, inexplicably flustered. “Not the cataloguing, although that’s good. How are you feeling?”“Um, quite alright, thank you?” Aziraphale said, confused. “Why?”“Just thought I’d check in on you, in case that horrible man from earlier had upset you.”“Oh not at all, but thank you.”Ms. Michael narrowed her eyes and gave Aziraphale a shrewd look, wrinkling her nose slightly, then took a deep breath, and turned to leave again. “Well I suppose that’s alright then.” She went back upstairs, leaving Aziraphale baffled.

A little while later, one of the many shadows who flitted across the high cellar window from the pavement outside, paused, and Aziraphale glanced up. A pair of snakeskin boots and slim legs were visible, then the figure squatted down, tucked a folded note behind the metal bars which protected the window from the street, tapped lightly on the glass with a knuckle, and then left again. Her heart leapt in her chest, then Aziraphale glanced around, and crept up a few of the stairs to check if she could hear where her boss was. Hearing her talking to a customer, Aziraphale scurried back to the window again, climbed on the box, and levered it open enough to reach through and grab the note, then closed it again hastily, and sat back down at the desk with her back to the door, to read it. 
“Miss Fell, I’m sorry our little chat had to be curtailed earlier. If you feel like picking up where we left off after work, I’ll be in the Dirty Donkey across the road. Ciao. C.”
Aziraphale quickly shredded the letter into little pieces, and buried it in the wastepaper basket, but no sooner had she done so, then Ms. Michael was coming downstairs again, looking stern. “Aziraphale, are you quite sure you’re alright?” She was peering around as if expecting to find something untoward.“Yes, Ms. Michael, why?”Her boss stood there for a moment, then walked toward the window, now firmly closed again, and eyed it suspiciously, before regarding the desk, and then her gaze fell on the wastepaper basket. She bent to pick it up. “I should empty this,” she said, but Aziraphale managed to forestall her. “Oh it’s alright, I’ll do it!” She took the basket from her boss and scurried off up the stairs before she could raise any objection, then out of the back door to the back yard, where she fished out the pieces of the note which she could, pocketed them, dumped the rest of the rubbish, and then went back inside again and straight to the bathroom. There, she flushed the pieces down the toilet before washing her hands and going back downstairs once more. Her boss’s actions were really starting to bother her - it had to be tied to the stranger somehow, but she didn’t know how or why. Perhaps the stranger could give her answers. With any luck, he might be able to give her a bit more than that.

“Will you be alright getting home?” Ms. Michael asked Aziraphale when it came time to close the shop. “I can walk you home, if you like?”Aziraphale had had enough. “Ms. Michael, what on earth has got into you today? You’ve been on edge all afternoon. I’m a grown woman, I am more than capable of getting myself home as I have every day for the past decade or so, what’s brought this all on?” “Nothing, I just worry about you, my dear.”“It’s something to do with that man, isn’t it? Who is he? How do you know him? Is he dangerous? Tell me!”“I haven’t the faintest idea who he is, but he didn’t look like a very nice person.”“What are you basing that on? He seemed perfectly polite to me. We’ve had far worse customers in here before, old Mr. Radley pinched your bottom once and even though you yelled at him, you didn’t ban him from the shop or get worried about him buying here.”“Well he didn’t do it again.”“Today’s customer didn’t do anything at all,” Aziraphale countered. “What aren’t you telling me? If it’s something dangerous, then I think I have a right to know.”Ms. Michael looked conflicted, but shook her head and gave a resigned sigh. “Nothing. Just a feeling, I suppose. I’m sure you’ll be fine then, I’ll see you in the morning.”“Goodnight, Ms. Michael,” Aziraphale told her, with a slight firmness to her tone. “See you in the morning.”  She left the shop, but didn’t go straight to the pub. Instead, she went to a shop around the corner, out of sight, and browsed for a few minutes, until she thought it a safe bet that her boss, if she’d been watching, would have stopped. Only then did Aziraphale make her way back out again, and head to the pub. She could still glimpse that black shiny car parked further up the street. The enticing scent of Mr tall-redheaded-and-handsome suffused the car, but the stronger, more current scent, was coming from the pub. She followed it. Once inside, despite the relatively crowded after-work rush, Aziraphale could smell and spot “C” straight away.  Something about him drew her attention immediately, like he was a magnet and she a compass. That alluring musky scent was almost overpowering, and irresistible. He sat in the snug, and raised a whisky tumbler in her direction with an amused smile quirking the corner of his lips. Aziraphale made her way across to him and sat down. “Right. I want answers,” she told him, shoving her other emotions down firmly.“Pleased to meet you too,” C replied with a wry smile. “Anthony Crowley, you can call me Crowley, do you have a first name, Miss Fell?” He held out his hand to her expectantly. Aziraphale took it cautiously. His touch was warm and electric on her skin. “Aziraphale,” she replied, as primly as she could manage. “And what can I get you to drink, Miss Aziraphale Fell? White wine and Perrier? A small sherry perhaps? Shirley Temple?” The mild amusement on his face was as irritating as it was inexplicably sexy, putting her on the back foot. Especially as he had somehow pinned down the kind of drinks she did, indeed, prefer. “Sherry, please,” she replied, her voice tight, and caught off-guard by his opening. Why did her name sound so perfect coming from his lips? She felt like she’d give anything to hear the sound of her name in his mouth again. A creeping second thought was shoved down quickly, but she could feel her libido trying to suggest things like him growling out her name in the throes of pleasure. She was furious at her own subconscious seemingly trying to distract her.  Crowley smiled at her, almost as if the smooth-talking bastard could read her thoughts, and stood to go to the bar, returning a moment later with a Croft sherry for her. She’d watched him like a hawk as he fetched it to ensure no foul play, and accepted it from him with a small nod. “Thank you.”Crowley sat down again and lounged back in his chair, utterly relaxed, taking another sip of his whisky. “So, I’m guessing she’s your boss, not your mother, despite how she behaved.”“Ms. Michael is my boss, yes. How do you know her?”“I don’t - never met her before today. Feisty, isn’t she?” He commented, mildly. “She hated you on sight, and you didn’t seem too enamoured with her either - so what’s the situation there? How can you both tell me you’ve never met before, and yet behave like that right off the bat to each other?”Crowley shrugged. “Didn’t like my vibe, I suppose.”“And your attitude to her?”“I wasn’t keen on hers either. You, on the other hand…” He leaned in closer. “You entrance me, Miss Fell.”Fighting down the fluttery feeling in her heart, Aziraphale tried to remain aloof for now. “What was all that about, in the street, before you came in?”“Hmm?” He took another sip, evading the question. “I spotted an interesting looking bookshop and wanted to take a look.”“No you didn’t.”“Didn’t I?” He raised an eyebrow high over his shades.“No,” she replied, determined to get to the bottom of things. “You were driving along, slammed on the brakes, parked illegally - and you still are, by the way, and I want to know what you said to the parking warden later as well - then you walked up and down the street, held up traffic, backtracked - you were sniffing for something, and only then did you home in on the bookshop. What’s going on?”“Sharp as a tack, you,” he replied with that irritatingly handsome grin. “Perhaps I smelled something enticing."“What? A load of old books?”“No, you.” At least he was direct enough about that. “You’re trying to tell me you smelled me, as you went past, and something about that compelled you to stop and hunt me down?”“I suppose so, yes.”“I don’t date maniacs,” Aziraphale said, putting her glass down, and standing to leave. “Sit down.” Crowley growled, his voice low and rumbling. Aziraphale found her knees sagging automatically with some kind of instinctual need to obey him. She grabbed the table to stop from collapsing back into her chair. Her thoughts felt fuzzy all of a sudden, and the deep rumble of his voice twisted her insides into knots. Her libido tried to pipe up with more unhelpful and x-rated suggestions, and she internally silenced it, irritated.“What did you just say?” She demanded. “You heard me,” Crowley replied evenly. “Sit. Down.”Aziraphale sat, not sure why she did. “Aren’t you curious? I mean you clearly don’t know what you are, or what I am, or what your boss is.”She definitely was curious now he’d said that, but wouldn’t give him the pleasure of admitting it. Instead Aziraphale sipped her sherry and scowled at him. “Explain.”“Did either of your parents mention anything about this to you before?”“That one day a strange man who thinks he’s some kind of police sniffer dog would turn up at my place of work and start behaving peculiar at me? Surprisingly, that particular conversation didn’t take place, no.”“I meant about who you are, your history.”“I’m adopted.”“Ah. That explains a lot,” Crowley sighed. “And yet you found yourself under the protection of your boss anyway - she definitely knows something, she’s not told you either?”“She said you were bad news, and you haven’t done anything to prove her wrong yet.”“Rather presumptuous of her,” Crowley wrinkled his nose. “Well I haven’t lifted a hand to harm you, nor do I intend to. And if anyone else attempts to do so, you can rest assured I wouldn’t let them get close enough to touch you either.”“I don’t need a babysitter,” Aziraphale snapped irritably. “I can look after myself.”“Unless the wrong person sniffs you out. Someone without my self-restraint and manners.”“I’ve managed just fine so far,” she replied, primly. “So far,” Crowley agreed. “Yes, you’ve been lucky indeed. I was just passing by the right place at the right time - it could have been anyone else, and things might be somewhat different. I’d rather give you an explanation, and wait for you to make your own decision. Choosing to meet me here to find out more was at least a good start.”

“So what do I need to find out?” Aziraphale asked. “Well first of all, what you are. Which is someone reasonably rare, but not unique. Your boss is… similar, but not the same, but unlike you, I think she knows what she is, and I’m guessing, wants nothing to do with it - at least, that’s my best guess as to why she took exception to me encroaching on her territory.”“So what are we?”“Type twos,” Crowley replied. “Part human, part type one.”“Type one?”“Me. We’ll get to that in a bit. It’s a genetic thing. So, if a type one and type one have a child, it will be type one. If a type one  and type two have a child, it will also be a type one. However if a type one has a child with a regular human, the child will be a type two.”Aziraphale was still confused, but tried to follow along. “So, type twos - like you. If you have a child with another type 2, the child would also be type 2. If you have a child with a regular human, the child could turn out human or type 2. Now, because type twos like you are sometimes unaware of what they are, they can go on accidentally finding other type twos and reproducing with them, meaning there’s a fair number of unwitting type twos in the world. You may find one another more attractive than the average human, you stand out to one another even if you’re not entirely sure why - what your senses are subliminally telling you.”He finished his whisky and leaned in once more. “But us type ones can smell you, we always know what you are, and when you find us - your body, your senses - you know there’s something special about us that calls to you. You could feel it, couldn’t you? Don’t lie to me, I can see it in your face, but more importantly, I could smell it - your body’s reaction to my proximity. And let me tell you,” he sat back with a sigh. “It is honestly driving me to distraction to keep myself in check, especially right now. But you’re safe from me, I promise. And I promise I’d protect you from any other type ones who come sniffing round with less than honourable intentions than I.”“What do you mean ‘especially right now’? What’s different about now?”“Oh you know that,” Crowley grinned, “It’s the loudest scent in the room right now, you couldn’t conceal it if you tried. You’re in heat. Right now you are - pardon me for being so blunt about it - at your most fertile. Which is why I intend to talk to you, but nothing more, until you’ve had time to come to terms with what you are.”“You can smell that?” Aziraphale whispered in a shocked tone. “Naturally. It’s overwhelming right now, and to an alpha like myself, it’s like a dinner bell when you’re starving. But I repeat - you’re perfectly safe from me. I wouldn’t do anything until you’re ready to. Although by my very nature, I also wouldn’t allow anyone else to do so either.”“You’re not sounding any less like a lunatic, you realise.”Crowley barked a short laugh at that. “Lunatic, what a delightfully apt choice of word. Do you have any idea where it came from, etymologically, I mean?”“Well ‘luna’ is ‘moon’ in Latin, and it stemmed from the belief that erratic behaviour could arise with the full moon…”“And yet you still haven’t put two and two together,” Crowley gave an amused little chuckle. “Come on, Miss Fell, I know you’re clever, work it out.”“That you’re mad?”“No. That my kind also has cycles which flow with the moon, when our behaviour can change.”“You’re asking me to believe in werewolves?”“Broadly speaking. But you can put all fear of bites out of your mind for starters - it doesn’t work like that - that was an erroneous folklore myth stemming from a misunderstanding of rabies. They used to think that a crazy dog who bit someone and turned them mad, was a werewolf who was turning the person into one as well, because it made them behave so animalistic. Lycanism is a genetic trait, not an infectious one. You could bite humans all you like but all they’d get is blood loss, and likely the same kind of bacterial infections that you’d get if a dog or wolf were to bite you - and no, we don’t have rabies. In fact most lycanthropes proactively get rabies vaccinations to ensure we stay safe, just in case, although here in England it’s not really necessary as it’s a rabies-free country. It’s more of a holiday vaccination thing, in case we get into scraps with local wolves.”“I can’t believe you think you’re a werewolf,” Aziraphale told him frankly. “I’d be more than happy to show you later, somewhere where we won’t frighten the regular humans,” he replied, mildly. “But for now, let’s think about what you know about yourself, that you should be aware that most of the people around you don’t.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“What do you mean?” Aziraphale wasn’t sure what Crowley was getting at. “Things I know about myself that other people don’t?”
“Not exactly. Things: talents or senses that you have a feeling that other people don’t also have. You can hear things that most humans can’t - you can hear the electricity buzzing in the walls, can’t you? You can hear bats twittering as they fly overhead on a summer’s evening, you can hear the ultrasonic calls of mice and rats as they scurry about in alleyways…”
Aziraphale gaped at him. Others had always said they couldn’t hear anything when she could pick up noises that they seemed oblivious to. “But that’s nothing compared to your sense of smell. Now I know for a fact you can smell everything about me, and I can smell that it’s having a direct effect on you in return. You can almost certainly smell a lot more than that, can’t you?”He was right. When it was her boss’s half day, she could hear the electricity buzz a little higher as the teasmade on her bedside table turned on to heat up the water. She could smell that tea brewing from downstairs and several rooms away, just as she could smell the soap when Ms. Michael washed her hands in the upstairs sink. She could smell when the coffee shop opposite was baking carrot cake - when it had only just gone in the oven. But she could also smell all kinds of odd scents on people without even knowing what they meant.Aziraphale nodded, cautiously. Crowley nodded at a couple seated across the room. “See him? He’s obviously with her - they’re acting very much as a couple. You can smell each of them, and smell them on each other, yes? All intermingled. But you can smell another woman on him, can’t you? And that he had sex recently - and not with the girl he’s with. He’s got someone else. Now whether that’s a mistress, a bit on the side, or a consenting polyamorous relationship isn’t for us to say. All I can say is, he’s slept with someone in the past 24 hours, and it wasn’t the person he’s sitting with.”“Well of course I can smell it - can’t everyone?”  Aziraphale was confused. “If everyone could smell that, cheating would be a thing of the past. So no - I can smell it, you can smell it, and your employer almost certainly can as well, but regular humans - not really. Unless it’s very very recent and no one’s had a wash. But we can smell it even if they’ve showered and it’s the next day, and they’ve changed their clothes.”“What do you mean about Ms. Michael?”“Well you’ll have to ask her that. I’ve no doubt she knows what she is, and what I am, and what you are. I’m not one hundred percent certain of what she is - something’s skewing her scent slightly, but she’s not a type one, and she’s not just a human - which would usually mean type two, and yet… something’s a little different with her. I can’t quite pin it down yet.” Crowley seemed mildly irritated that he couldn’t get a fix on what was wrong. “I don’t think she wants to talk about it. I already tried getting answers from her, but she was evasive,” Aziraphale admitted.“Perhaps you weren’t asking the right questions. Now you have some ammo to go and ask in a little more detail - you might get more success that way. Entirely optional, of course. You don’t have to ask her, I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have.”“Well tell me why you’re so interested in me,” Aziraphale demanded. 
“Because I’m fascinated by your scent - that’s what caught me first as I drove by. It was overpowering. Just shot straight to the heart of me and wouldn’t let go. I couldn’t leave until I’d found you, it was like an overwhelming imperative to an Alpha.  We can’t help it. We are driven by scent first, before our eyes or other senses, it’s just how we are.”

Aziraphale knew what he meant. She’d sometimes become entranced by the scent of a particular man passing by, and would gaze in fascination after them long after they’d passed. She couldn’t pin it down, but some people just smelled more attractive than others.  Crowley, right now, undoubtedly smelled like THE most attractive person she’d ever met, and it was definitely playing merry hell with her libido, despite trying to focus.
… And his devastatingly handsome good looks weren’t helping any either. Even if most people wouldn’t have thought him ‘conventionally’ handsome, there was something about the way he held himself, that sexy smile, and the way those long fingers caressed the rim of the whisky tumbler that made her shiver inside.  Then that tongue. How he had licked a droplet from the rim of the glass, that alone should be illegal. 
FOCUS, Aziraphale! 
“So I smell nice, and that made you want to stalk me?”“What can I say? You’re alluring, and it’s hardly stalking. I investigated, was shown the door, complied politely, then left a note to leave the ball in your court. You could have just as easily ignored it and not turned up.” He gave her a slow smile. “... And yet here you are.”“And,” Crowley continued. “I stand by my word - I promise that as long as your heat lasts, not only will I not try anything inappropriate with you, but if anyone else tries, I will protect you to the best of my ability.”“I’m sure I’m quite capable of looking after myself,” Aziraphale replied. Crowley only gave a noncommittal shrug. “You think otherwise?” She challenged. “There’s been an influx recently - more packs splitting and some moving to London after some trouble over in America, there’s new packs, smaller splinter groups, batchelors without a pack seeking to start their own…”“And you’re one of them?”“No. I’ve always been here.”“You have a pack?”“Yeah.”“Well I’m sure your wife, or mate, or whatever you call her, must be missing you.” Aziraphale said firmly, hoping he’d take the hint.Crowley frowned, and there was a distinct change in atmosphere. Aziraphale could smell it immediately, knowing she’d said something wrong. It reminded her of ozone and salt, like dried tears and thunderstorms in the distance.“I miss her, that’s for sure,” Crowley said quietly. “She’s not around any more.”“You split up?”
“She died,” he said simply. “Lucy, she was fiery as anything, a right little hellion, I used to affectionately nickname her Lucy-fur. Her brother is still in my pack - Furfur. I told her once: ‘if your brother is Furfur then you must be LucyFur.’ She thought that was hilarious, and it kind of stuck.” He had a sad smile.
“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have…”“It’s ok - you weren’t to know, and it was a logical question, under the circumstances.”“Did you er… have any kids together?”“No.” He didn’t elaborate. 
“So your ‘pack,’ are they relatives, or…?”

“Found family, mostly. I mean, my adopted sisters as well - Dagon, then my little sibling Muriel. But the others feel like siblings anyway even if they weren’t legally adopted. We mostly met in the care system for various reasons, but for me, Dagon, and Muriel, our last foster parents adopted us. Then there’s Eric, Anathema, Newt, Shax - she’s my adopted aunt - Ligur, and Furfur - he’s my brother-in-law, well, was, I suppose.”
“So nine of you? Is that large, for a pack?”Crowley shrugged. “Medium, I guess. There’s bigger, and smaller.”“And what about this influx?”
“They’re muscling in on established territories, so I’m sure you can imagine how that’s going down. Boundaries are shifting, there’s outbreaks of fighting, causing splintering in packs here in some cases. Tensions are higher, we’re run ragged patrolling territory boundaries. For hundreds of years, we’ve been able to keep our heads down and keep the status quo, but once disruption like this happens, things can get a bit… messy… for a while, at least until things settle down again and a new status quo is established. So that means a certain amount of ending up in places we don’t usually go, and coming across people with some of the same anomalies that we have, who we haven’t encountered before - like yourself.”
“So coming across me wasn’t intentional?”“Not at first no - a sheer accident. We have right here, in this part of Soho - a power vacuum. We’re over in Mayfair, this area was a margin for another pack, but the packs over on this side got caught up in something, things have changed, boundaries moved, and moved away from us, opening up this area. If we don’t lay claim, someone else will, so it makes more sense to move across a little to guard this area, than have someone move into a fraction of an old territory too small to support a full pack, who would then push outwards later and cause more problems. Just re-defining boundaries to keep the peace in the long term.”“It sounds awkward.”“Yup.”“Well, that’s all been a lot to take in,” Aziraphale began, checking her watch. “It is. You’ve done remarkably well. No doubt you still have a lot of questions for another time.”“I… yes. I do. Not right now though. It’s been a long day.”“Of course. Have a think, when your shift ends tomorrow I’ll be in the park down the road, we can meet there if you like, less crowded than the pub, less noisy. I’ll answer whatever I can.”Aziraphale nodded. She didn’t exactly want to say ‘thank you’, there was still a high probability the man was a lunatic - in the literal sense. She wanted to talk to Ms. Michael first. Crowley gave her a warm smile, and held out his hand. Aziraphale hesitated, then took it, cautiously. His grip was warm and soft - his touch gentle, but he winked at her from behind his shades, then for a moment, just a brief moment, his hand grew furred, his nails more claw-like and his scent sharpened - just for a second - blink and you’d miss it. But she felt it, she saw it, then it was gone. 
“Good evening, Miss Fell,” Crowley smiled, with a deep rumble to his voice, and a hint of fangs peeking from behind his lips, then he stood and left. 
  Aziraphale sat for a moment, wondering if she’d just imagined his little trick at the end. Anyone could get tooth implants, but changing your hand to an entirely different shape and back again - while she was still holding it - that one defied explanation. She went to the bathroom and composed herself for a few minutes, before heading out again to get the bus home.
Apparently unnoticed by Aziraphale, a person in their early thirties, dressed in a pale kilt with tartan in the pleats and a cream jacket with short black hair had boarded the bus behind her, and took a seat a few rows back. They were outwardly relaxed and smiling, but their nose was ever active, scanning for threats. They alighted behind Aziraphale, ambled a fair distance behind her until Aziraphale got to her flat, checked the area for anything that smelled untoward, and then, satisfied, melted into the darkness.

Aziraphale lay in bed, mind whirling with all the weirdness of the day, but also helplessly distracted by how turned on she was - as she had a tendency to be periodically. She was glad she hadn’t forgotten to plug her toys in after her session last night, so picked her favourite, and, in conjunction with imagining every aspect of Crowley that she could, it wasn’t long before she devolved into a knee-trembling orgasm, whispering his name.
She couldn’t help herself however, and kept on going until she’d lost count of the climaxes, then fell asleep, satisfied and glowing, for a little while, before waking and reminding herself that she really needed a shower after all that. She cleaned her toys, plugged them back in to charge, then took a relaxing hot shower, and then fell back into bed again, utterly exhausted.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next morning, the same person in the pale kilt and jacket was at the newsagents around the corner from Aziraphale’s before she left the house for work, and again shared a bus, sitting a few rows behind her once more. Once she alighted, Aziraphale paused to check in her bag. The bus pulled away, and only then did she spin around with her keys bunched through her fist to face the pale-dressed person a couple of yards behind. “Who are you?” Aziraphale demanded.“P… pardon?”“You were following me. I thought you might be last night but I wasn’t sure if that was just his scent lingering on me - but it’s not - I can smell him on you too. I’m sure of it now, and you smell different to other people. Did he tell you to follow me? Who are you?”“Uh… I… I’m Muriel,” they replied. “Why are you following me?”“Um. I’m… er, a… police officer? Undercover?”“Try again,” Aziraphale growled, advancing on Muriel. Aziraphale was taller and heavier built than Muriel, and didn’t doubt she could see them off. “Wait - Muriel?” “Y… yes?”“You’re his sister?”“Um.”“Crowley’s sister. You’re her, aren’t you?”
“I, um… Yes I am. Sorry. But they/them, not her. I was just trying to make sure you got home safely. We thought it would be less threatening if it was me than one of the guys following you, if you noticed.”
“Oh I noticed. I’m not an idiot. How exactly were you planning on protecting me? And what from?”“Well, from any alphas who might have caught your scent, it’s very strong right now, they’ll be able to smell you from a fair distance. Normally omegas will hide away while they’re in heat and their family will scent mark around their house as a warning to others that they’re protected, but your home didn’t have anything.”“So what would you have done about it if someone had… tried anything?”“Well, probably rip their arm off and beat them over the head with it,” Muriel replied, as if they were describing giving them a stern telling-off.“H… HOW?”  Aziraphale eyed up Muriel - they were only five foot four. “Well not like this, obviously, silly!” Muriel giggled. “I can get a lot bigger when I’m not this shape.” Aziraphale had no idea what to say to that, but dropped her hand. The threat seemed rather pointless now. “Come on then,” Muriel said brightly, “don’t want you to be late for work. It’s ok, I’ll be around to guard the outside and make sure you stay safe.”“Fine, I suppose,” Aziraphale relented. “Why not? The past twenty-four hours have been weird enough already, now there’s two lunatics to deal with.”Muriel frowned slightly. “That’s not a very nice word.”
“Oh, sorry.” Aziraphale backtracked a little. Crowley may have been amused by it, but given the connotations, it made sense that the word could be offensive to… what had he called them? Lycanthropes?  She walked toward the bookshop, Muriel in tow, and found the door locked - not a problem, she unlocked it and went in, leaving Muriel standing outside, watching up and down the street. 
  
Once inside, Aziraphale shrugged off her coat and scarf. The boiler was already on, and there was a note from Ms. Michael on the desk letting her know she had had to pop out early for an appointment, but to go ahead and open up, and she’d be back later.
So she carried on with the morning routine, putting the kettle on for her morning tea, checking the post, lifting the blinds, then there was a knocking at the door. She sighed and went to unlock it, which was next on the list anyway. Muriel was standing there, looking sheepish. “You know how I’m meant to unobtrusively monitor you without raising suspicion…”“Well I suppose you might as well,” Aziraphale sighed in resignation. “Oh great! Well, could I come in and do it inside please? Only cos it’s really cold out here…”“By all means,” Aziraphale replied wearily. “Come on in, I mean technically you could have anyway as soon as I opened the door for customers.”Muriel smiled and followed Aziraphale in, taking a seat near the desk. “Cup of tea? I’ve just made one for myself, you might as well have one too, to warm up.”“Um… yes?”“You don’t sound sure.”“I’m not sure if I’m meant to drink on duty.”“Well you’ll get dehydrated if you don’t, and I’m sure your brother wouldn’t be happy with me letting that happen to you.”“No, he would get very grumpy, he’s always watched out for me. You’re right.”“Well then,” Aziraphale agreed, and went to make a second cup.

“So,” Aziraphale asked Muriel as she sat down at the desk to drink her own tea, while Muriel sipped at theirs. “As I have you here, perhaps I could ask you some more questions? It’d be nice to get another viewpoint of all this craziness.”
“What kind of questions?”“Where to start?” Aziraphale let out an exasperated breath. “How long do you plan to be my own personal diminutive bodyguard? What is the threat level, and how much would that diminish once I’ve… well. Once this stage of my cycle is completed - would they go back to ignoring me again? Would that include Crowley? How does Crowley have a voice that makes you want to obey him automatically? What did he do to the traffic warden…?”Muriel listened, wide-eyed, then set their tea aside and fumbled for a notebook in their jacket pocket, grabbed a pencil, then began scribbling. “Sorry, could you slow down a bit, and repeat that, then I can write them all down and make sure I don’t get muddled up…”Aziraphale rolled her eyes, but did so, while Muriel scribbled away. Once they’d finished, Muriel consulted the list, pondering for a moment, then looked up at Aziraphale again. “I’m to help protect you until my brother tells me to stop. The threat level is, er… I want to say ‘elevated’? Things haven’t been quite this messy for a long time and no one is entirely sure what’s going on - there’s loose alphas roaming all over the place in areas they shouldn’t be, sometimes new ones who don’t know any better about old boundaries, or old ones who do, but are taking advantage of the chaos to seize power, territories, and, er… mates.”“Aren’t you in danger?” Aziraphale interjected. 
“Oh no, I’m a beta, not an omega, alphas aren’t much interested in us. We’re like worker bees, I suppose.”
“What are the alphas like then?”“Er… murder hornets? Not sure how to describe them, really.”“Crowley is a murder hornet?”“Well not Crowley, no. He’s nice. But don’t tell him I said that, he likes to pretend he’s big and mean and nasty.”“He didn’t pretend to be that to me.”“Well he wouldn’t of course - not to his family, or to you. Just to others.”“So once my, er… hormonal state has changed, I should be safe again?”“Mostly. I mean alphas will still notice you regardless, but they shouldn’t be quite so manic and insistent about it.”“Will Crowley lose interest in me then?”“Oh I doubt it. He’s…” Muriel stalled, not sure how to phrase it. “He likes you a lot, that’s not something that’s likely to change, I don’t think.”“And how does he manage to do that thing with his voice that makes you want to do what he says?”“Oh that’s an alpha thing. It works best on betas, and omegas like you, there’s an inbuilt desire to appease an alpha, you wouldn’t be able to help it.”“Is that what he did to the traffic warden?”“What traffic warden?”“Yesterday, he was parked illegally most of the day, a traffic warden came to issue him a ticket, and he said something to him - I don’t know what, but the guy looked scared and left him alone.”“Well yeah, if he puts enough effort into it, he can have a commanding presence over regular humans as well - I mean I don’t know if the traffic warden might have also been a type 2, which would have made it easier, but it’s not impossible for him to intimidate others - most alphas have that personality.”“So if an alpha were to come after me, couldn’t he just order you to stand down?”“Not really, not when I’m part of Crowley’s pack - the pack bond is stronger than outside influences, it’s what makes us a unit. The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”“Kipling.”“Pardon?”“Rudyard Kipling, the Jungle Book. He wrote that.”“Well maybe he was one of us, or knew us - but that phrase has been around for centuries.”Aziraphale finished her tea, remembering that she should be working. “Have you ever read Rudyard Kipling?” She asked Muriel, who shook their head. Aziraphale disappeared off between the shelves for a moment, before returning with one of the less valuable copies of The Jungle Book, and handing it to Crowley’s little sibling. “Here. you can keep yourself entertained with this for a while then, I have work to do.”“Oh thank you!” Muriel opened the book eagerly and began to read as they finished their tea.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The bell over the door jangled and Ms. Michael walked in, her nose immediately wrinkling, and her face turned into a mask of fury. She rounded the corner to see Muriel sitting on the sofa quietly reading a book. “What the HELL are you doing in here?” She demanded. Muriel looked up in alarm, just as Aziraphale hurried over. “It’s alright, Ms. Michael, they’re with me.  I said they could read there.”Ms. Michael hesitated, as if suddenly wondering how she could explain away her objection to the stranger in the shop. “I want you out.  Go on: scram!” She settled on, without explanation.“But why?” Aziraphale challenged, placing herself in front of Muriel defensively. “They haven’t done anything wrong.”Ms. Michael glowered, and opened her mouth as if trying to come up with a reply, but Aziraphale interrupted. “If your problem with Muriel is to do with their brother visiting yesterday, then I think it’s time that we sit down and have a little talk, where you explain to me exactly why you have a problem with his family.”“She’s his sister?”“They, and I’m adopted,” Muriel interjected helpfully.“I know what he is now,” Aziraphale said quietly, “and what Muriel is, and a little of what I might be, although I would quite like an answer from you as to what you know, and… what you might be?”Ms. Michael considered it for a moment, then sighed. “Fine. But I still want them out of here so I can talk to you in private. I don’t trust them.”“There’s a cafe opposite,” Aziraphale suggested to Muriel. “You can go over there, it’ll be nice and warm and you can have more tea - you can borrow the book.”“Who said they could borrow one of my books?” Ms. Michael demanded. “I did - it’s a reading copy, and I put some of my own money in the till for it already, so they’re borrowing it from me, not you. I bought it.”“Fine, just get out.”Muriel left, and Ms. Michael locked the door behind them. “I should have told them to get me a coffee from Nina. Lu-lord knows I could do with one, pour me a normal one, would you?”

Aziraphale made an instant coffee for Ms. Michael, and another cup of tea for herself, then sat on the sofa expectantly while her boss sat at the desk. “So: what did you want to know?”“Do you know what I am?” Aziraphale asked. “Yes.”“Then what am I?”“A hardworking employee.”“You know what I meant.”“Fine. You’re a type two.”“How do you know?”“Because I could smell it, from the moment we first met.”“And what are you?”“I’m also a type two. It’s how I could tell. I guessed that you didn’t know anything about it all, as otherwise you’d have recognised me as well and said something, but as you didn’t, I assumed, correctly, I suppose, that you weren’t aware of what you were, and decided it best - safest for you - to allow you to remain unenlightened about that.”“Why?”“Because you’re better off not involved in that world.”“How do you know?”“Because I was part of it once. I know what it’s like, and I wanted to protect you from disgusting alphas like that deplorable man who came in yesterday, sniffing around, wanting to take advantage of you.”“Is that what happened to you? Someone took advantage of you?”Ms. Michael’s gaze dropped and she fidgeted with her mug.“I was married once. Mated, married, whatever - both. To an alpha. His name was Gabriel Archer, an American. He romanced me, treated me like royalty, said I’d be his omega, we’d have pups - well - kids. They’d be able to transform though when they got older - they just like to call babies ‘pups.’ Well it didn’t happen. I was having problems. I won’t go into details, but it turned out to be ovarian cancer, and I had to have both removed.”“I’m so sorry.”“Well that wasn’t the end of the world for me personally, I was prepared to just move on from it, but it wasn’t good enough for him. He divorced me, said I was worthless to him if I couldn’t give him offspring - as if I wasn’t a person, just a uterus on legs to fulfil his so-called ‘legacy.’ As soon as it was no longer functional, he lost interest and dumped me. I was never a proper person to him, just a means to an end. His second-in-command beta, Uriel, tried to stand up for me, but he wouldn’t listen to her either and just shouted her down, then demoted her, so Sandalphon took her place, he was an odious piece of work.” Angela wrinkled her nose in disgust.“Oh Angela, I’m so sorry.” Aziraphale felt using her boss’s first name seemed more appropriate, given the circumstances. She reached out to take her hand. “I had no idea.”“Well why would you?”“But… if you’re an omega as well, and alphas can have influence over omegas, then how were you able to make Crowley leave the other day?”“I’m not sure, Gabriel was different with me after the surgery as well, as were other type ones that I’ve met - and while I don’t know for certain, I think it could be to do with the hormonal change perhaps - that’s my best guess, anyway. I smell different to them, it makes them unsure of what I am and how to deal with me, but either way I’m not interesting enough to them any more to want to bother with me much.”“Speaking of hormone changes… I had noticed that, well, during certain times, when I was at a certain point in my cycle, you tended to have me cataloguing downstairs more often than working up here - was that intentional in some way?”“Yes. So you’d be less likely to attract the attention of any ne'er-do-wells in the vicinity. I slipped up this time though, I’m sorry. I was doing my best to protect you, dear.”“Please don’t apologise. But for the record, at least now I know this is actually real and that means he’s not crazy - Crowley actually seems… kind of interesting.”“How would you know? You only met him for a moment!”“Well, I sort of met him again later. I wanted answers. He gave me answers.”“Oh my goodness, Aziraphale you silly thing! What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?”“No! He was a complete gentleman. We were in public, he didn’t do anything, the only contact was shaking hands.”“But he’s an alpha - the smell was clear as day! I find it hard to believe he didn’t try to ravish you, or worse. You don’t have to lie to me Aziraphale, we can go to the police if he did anything to you…”“No! I promise you, he didn’t do anything at all inappropriate, and he made it clear that he wouldn’t either, and would make sure no one else did. That’s why he sent his little sibling to watch over me, just in case.”“Laying a claim on you, more like,” Ms. Michael grunted, unconvinced. “I admit, that part - of having someone follow me, felt a bit wrong, but I’ve talked to Muriel, and they’ve been honest with me as far as I can tell. I don’t think we have anything to fear from them, they seem very sweet.”“He’s probably just using them to get to you,” Ms. Michael replied shortly. “Don’t trust either of them.”“I’m sure I’ll be fine…”“I don’t want you seeing him!” Ms. Michael snapped. “It’s not safe!”“Ms. Michael, while I am very sorry for how deplorably your own husband treated you, I am a grown woman, and I’d like to gather information and make my own decisions. Now while I’m very sorry for what happened to you - I’ve heard of the same happening to other people. A bad marriage is a bad marriage, human or not. It doesn’t excuse at all what Gabriel did to you, but regardless of what he might have been - human, werewolf, alien, three foxes in a trenchcoat - I wouldn’t like to use a single example to represent an entire race. He could have just as easily done that to you had he been human, and then would you be trying to protect me from human men showing an interest in me?”Ms. Michael glared at her. “I think, perhaps, I should go for an early lunch,” Aziraphale declared, picking up her bag. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

She fled the shop, and headed over to Nina’s, grabbing a sandwich, a slice of cake, and a hot chocolate with whipped cream, then sat down with Muriel. “How did it go?” Muriel asked, putting a paper napkin in the book to keep their place.“Not… as well as I’d hoped. Cleared the air a little, got some answers, but I think each of us needs a little time to settle down. That wasn’t a particularly easy conversation to have.”“I suppose not. I mean, a lot of type twos have no idea what they are until someone who does explains it to them, it can be a difficult process to go through.” Muriel reached across the table and gave Aziraphale’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m still happy to answer any questions you have though, and I promise that me and my pack will do our best to keep you safe while you work this all out.”“So what’s it like, being in a pack then?” Aziraphale asked, then took a bite of her sandwich. “It’s lovely - it feels so secure - like family but better. We all chose each other, and between us, each of us has strengths to offset any weakness the others may have - we each have different skills, different things we bring to the table and share with everyone else. For a lycanthrope, being alone can be frightening - you know that no one person can be perfect or good at everything, so having a pack around you means you know someone has your back and can help. Alone, you could be vulnerable. Together we’re stronger.”“What do you do then? Do you live together?”“It depends on the pack living arrangements. Sometimes you all share a big house together, sometimes you live in the same block of flats all close to one another, and you kind of just wander between your packmate’s homes - like one person might have the best kitchen and you all go there at dinner times, unless you really feel like making yourself something at home at a different time. If one person has the big relaxing bathtub with jacuzzi jets, then you’d pop round there and use that to de-stress. If someone has a really good gaming PC setup, then you’d go there for a gaming session. If another person has the best home cinema setup, then we’d hang out together there to watch movies. Then if someone has the extra enormous bed and we just want to feel secure, a few of us might just fall asleep in a big warm cosy pile together. It’s especially nice on cold winter nights, it’s like an instinct.”“Is that in human shape or wolf shape?”“It varies, depends what you feel like. Sometimes it’s just some of us, sometimes all of us.”“So how does your pack live? In a big house together, or the flats?”“Well growing up in foster care, me and Crowley and Dagon lived in a big house, same when we were adopted. But now we live in the same apartment block, across a few flats, some on the same floor, but Crowley’s is upstairs, and as I said, we all just kind of treat the flats like they were part of one bigger house anyway.”“But what if you want some alone time, like if you had a boyfriend over or something?”“Well when Crowley had Lucy, they’d let us know if they needed to be alone - they didn’t normally need to say anything, you can smell it anyway so you just stay away and give them some space.”“And the rest of you?”“What do you mean?” Muriel looked genuinely confused.“Well if… say you had a partner over and wanted to be alone with them?”“I don’t understand,” Muriel said. “I’m a beta, we don’t do that.”“You’re not allowed a partner?” Aziraphale looked horrified, but her expression was hastily answered by Muriel.“No, no! It’s not like that - it’s not about ‘allowed’ - betas are almost always aroace. We’re not interested in that kind of thing. We love our family, we don’t want anything else. It’s alphas and omegas who do the lovey dovey stuff.”“Aroace?”“Aromantic and asexual,” Muriel explained. “Alphas and omegas tend to be hypersexual though, the exact opposite end of the scale.”Aziraphale blushed and hid behind her hot chocolate. Muriel had her bang to rights there, although she’d always found her partners couldn’t seem to fully satisfy her in some way, and always left her wanting more, which was frustrating. She found herself wondering if perhaps Crowley might be more on her wavelength, when it came to her needs. But then she reminded herself that kind of thinking was likely down to what she was, and her current state of being in particular. She wondered if she’d feel any different about him once her alleged ‘heat’ wore off again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Aziraphale returned to work, Ms. Michael maintained a cool silence, which was better than she’d expected, honestly. Aziraphale followed suit with a slightly more respectful silence, but making it clear that she didn’t intend to back down. It seemed that both were going to, for now at least, ignore the issue altogether and avoid speaking about it. The stony mutual silence continued all afternoon, until Aziraphale brought Ms. Michael a cup of coffee and placed it by her elbow. “Thank you,” she murmured, and sipped at the hot coffee. It was a start - an olive branch. At the end of the day, Aziraphale left Ms. Michael to lock up, and headed out. Muriel had apparently spent the whole day bouncing between shops on Whickber Street, chatting and meeting people, making friends and generally being nice. Mostly, however, they had been checking out the local residents, to see if there were any potential threats there, as they informed Aziraphale when they caught up with her, scurrying along, pocketing their notebook. “You were gathering intelligence on my neighbours?” Aziraphale was shocked. “Just finding out if there were any threats, and potential allies. It seems like quite a friendly, safe, neighbourhood. Nina said I could sit and read as long as I liked, and Mrs Sandwich told me I should get a hatpin for self-defence if I was worried about you.”“I see,” said Aziraphale, vaguely. “Well I’m off to the park to meet Crowley, I assume you’re coming along?”“Oh yes, Nina gave me some things to feed the ducks!”

On the way to the park, Muriel furrowed their brow as a thickset man walking among the other pedestrians towards them approached, and after a moment, Aziraphale picked up on it too, now she knew that her sense of smell was actually something she could use - and not just random scents wafting around.

Now she recognised that scent meant ‘werewolf’, she was able to interpret it.
The thickset balding man’s eyes locked onto hers, piercing blue, and his stare became intense. Muriel began to growl under their breath. “Do you know him?” Aziraphale whispered. “No. He’s not our pack. He needs to back off.”
As they drew closer, the guy’s attention then shifted from Aziraphale to Muriel, and their growl deepened, with a slight curl of the lip revealing a previously hidden fang in warning. His step faltered slightly as Muriel glared at him. Then he apparently had a change of heart, and shifted his direction to give them a wide berth, casting his eyes down to the pavement and bowing his head in deference, as if to show he was no threat. Muriel finally stopped growling once he was past. 
“Was he a type two or a type one?” Aziraphale asked, as she wasn’t certain yet of the subtleties of the scent. “Type one beta.”“Why did he back down?”“Because he knew better than to mess with me.”“But he was almost twice your height, and easily twice your weight.”“That doesn’t mean anything in human form. He knows if we changed, that I’d obliterate him.”“How?”“It’s complicated, mostly scent-based, but also attitude. Out of all our pack, I’m the biggest.”“You are?”“Yup, the others are bigger in human form, but not in lycanthrope or wolf shape. Well technically in wolf shape, Crowley is taller than all of us, but not heavier. We’re all stockier than he is.”“Why?”“Nobody knows. He’s a bit different to the rest of us, even he doesn’t know why.”They walked on, and then an intoxicating scent assailed Aziraphale’s nostrils, and her heart fluttered, not to mention a similar fluttering sensation in her abdomen and general knicker region. Her body had never been in proximity to an alpha while in heat before, and she wasn’t familiar with how much it impacted her. It was Crowley, she knew immediately now. She couldn’t see him yet, but she could smell him, and yearned to be with him as soon as possible. She’d never felt like this before with anyone, and was dimly aware that she shouldn’t be letting herself feel like this over a man she’d only met the day before.

There he was, lounged halfway across a park bench, louche and rakish, and seeing the length of his body sprawled out without a care in the world made her stomach clench and her heart beat faster. She had it bad. That lap was just begging to be sat upon, and it was all she could do not to give into the urge. 
He looked up with a lazy smile - he’d obviously smelled their approach as well - and he stood up and hugged Muriel, rubbing cheeks, then giving them a little kiss on the forehead. 
“Thanks, Muriel. Everything ok?”Muriel hugged him back, their head only coming up to his chest. “Yup, everything was fine. I’m going to feed the ducks for a bit, and Aziraphale gave me a Rudyard Kipling book to read!”
“So you two have been getting on then?” Crowley looked pleased. Letting  go of his little sibling, he extended his hand to Aziraphale again. As they shook, he gave a rueful smile.  “You know, yesterday and today, I’m having to fight the urge so hard to kiss your hand, because that would just feel like a creepy thing to do. I want so much to be allowed to kiss just an inch of your skin, but even if it weren’t kind of creepy nowadays, with you in the state you’re in right now, I just wouldn’t want to stop there. I might never stop kissing.”
He let go of her hand and stepped back pointedly, giving her space, then indicated the bench. “Won’t you sit down?” He asked. Aziraphale tried to shove the thought from her head about Crowley doing just that - kissing her hand, her neck, her lips, her thighs, and just ripping off every stitch of clothing she had on and taking her right there in the park for anyone to see. It occurred to her, from what she’d gleaned thus far, that with her being in heat, the way she was feeling in general would be echoed just as badly, possibly worse, by the alpha trying to restrain himself. She knew what animals could be like when faced with a mate in season or heat, how rampant the males could be, stopping for nothing and no one - and by the sound of it, the wolfish instincts would be making him feel much the same. She admired his restraint. Crowley sat down again next to her, although ‘sat’ might be a bit of a generous word for the position his body achieved, as if all his bones had melted. He seemed to have only a tangenital relationship toward furniture - as if he were aware that it existed, and presumably had a purpose, but he’d been far too busy to bother finding out what that purpose was. Almost as if he’d missed the class on appropriate use of seating, hoping no one had found out, and had been winging it ever since. Perhaps because he was so handsome, no one had bothered to reprimand him for it, so he thought he’d got it right, and that simply pouring himself vaguely over a chair, like clumsily sloshing water into a vase, was apparently just fine.He looked more like a cat than a wolf - when they sprawled out halfway down a flight of stairs or something. She tried not to giggle, dropped her gaze, and then hastily reconsidered when it fell on his bulging crotch area - and quickly looked up at the ducks on the pond instead, clearing her throat. “Erm, thank you.”“I know this is difficult for you too, by the way,”  Crowley said sympathetically. “I could smell your pheromones spike as you came closer. I know it’s not easy, but you’re doing so well.”Aziraphale blushed, faintly horrified to know that he was so aware of her condition, but at the same time flattered by it somehow. Then she remembered that it wasn’t only her who could smell when someone had had sex recently, and wondered if that extended to him detecting just how much time she’d spent indulging in her favourite clitoral stimulator and vibrator last night. She suddenly felt far too hot, and knew she must be blushing. If he did notice however, he was gentleman enough not to show it. “So did you think of any other questions for me? Did you talk to your boss?”“I did. It didn’t go down well.”“What IS she, anyway? Did she say? She smells… different. I can’t pin it down exactly. She’s not a beta, she’s not a human, but she’s not exactly type 2 omega either. It’s confusing.”“She did say, yes. And yes, she is a type two, as you call it. Which is why she knew what you were. She also took exception to Muriel but I managed to keep the peace somewhat on that front. She’s not entirely sure either why you can’t smell exactly what she is, but thinks it may be hormonal. She, er… had surgery when she was younger, which may have impacted on that aspect.”“Ohhh…” realisation dawned on Crowley. “Right, yeah, that’d explain it.”“And she has valid concerns as to why she wants nothing to do with you or the species in general, and why she was - acting out of good intentions - trying to protect me from you. I can understand her point of view, and while I don’t know you very well yet, your sibling has spoken highly of you, and put my mind further at ease. I did feel moved to defend you to Ms. Michael, although she remains unconvinced of your intentions. Or rather - she thinks she knows your intentions very well, and doesn’t approve of them. She doesn’t think we should see each other.”“She’s afraid I’m just some brutal alpha who won’t take no for an answer and would just rip your clothes off and molest you?”Aziraphale bit back on what her brain was enthusiastically yelling about that concept, and nodded stiffly. “Yes, that’s pretty much what she thinks. And that alphas only want mates for what they can give them - namely offspring, and that mates are worthless if they can’t bear those offspring.”Crowley looked appalled at that suggestion. “What fucking century is she from? That’s… that’s awful!” “Not so much her as… someone she knew, who gave her that viewpoint.”“A mate? She had a mate?”
“She was married, now divorced, because she couldn’t give him children. He dropped her.”
“Fucking bastard!” Crowley was growling under his breath, a low rumble deep in his ribcage that seemed to travel through the air and vibrate against her skin. She squirmed in her seat at the sound. “What kind of fucking monster would treat his mate that way? That’s despicable. You mate for life, come hell or high water - you protect your mate, you love her and cherish her no matter what - pups or no pups, it doesn’t matter. I’d have stayed with Lucy forever, if she’d…” Crowley choked on whatever he’d tried to say next, and shook his head, swallowing it down. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have…”“It’s ok. I’m sorry you lost her. What happened?”“I can’t…” Crowley choked on his words again. “Sorry, no. You don’t have to tell me, not if you don’t want to. I shouldn’t pry.”Aziraphale fished out a cotton tartan handkerchief from her pocket and handed it over, Crowley took it with a grateful sniff and wiped at his eyes, but then held it to his nose and breathed deep. 
“Fuck, sorry that… that probably looked weird as hell, shit. Sorry, I couldn’t help it - this just… it’s been in your pocket all day and it smells so much like you and you smell so fucking

good

, it’s… it’s addictive. It truly is.”
“You can keep it.”Crowley stared at her, wide-eyed. “You’re sure?”It was just a hanky, what was the big deal? “Yes, of course.”
“Oh. Wow, thank you!” It seemed odd that such a clearly well-off man could be behaving so flustered over something as simple as a cotton handkerchief, he seemed caught wrong-footed, and fumbled, patting his pockets, before settling his hands on his thin silvery scarf. He glanced down, looked briefly conflicted, then slipped it from his neck, and rubbed it across his throat and face briefly, before inching closer to Aziraphale, holding it reverently out before him.
“Here…” he said, his voice a little shaky. “Um, it’s quite alright, that’s your scarf…”“But you gave me a token of yours so I could smell you, it’s customary to return the gesture, so you can have something that smells of me.”“Customary?”“In lycanthrope society, yes. It would be terribly rude of me not to reciprocate your overture.”“I…” Aziraphale realised she must have made some unintentional faux-pas. Clearly the gifting of a handkerchief held far more important significance in his society, and now she’d feel rotten if she turned down his reciprocal gift, so she leaned forward a little, and allowed Crowley to loop it around her neck, tying it in a loose knot with trembling fingers and a shy smile. He looked immensely proud once he’d done it, and picked up her handkerchief from his lap again, holding it reverently. 
“Er, thank you, it’s very pretty,” she said. Then she began to get an inkling of what he meant, as his sensual alpha scent began to rise up from the scarf, filling her senses and making her feel lightheaded, and her libido amped up significantly in response. She blushed and squirmed, and Crowley didn’t miss her reaction.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said, and held her handkerchief to his nose again for a moment, his eyes closing in bliss. “I’ll treasure this. Wow. I didn’t think you’d be so open to taking this further so soon, I mean… current hormonal state aside, of course. But I’ll still wait until it’s over before we discuss it further, just to make sure.”Aziraphale realised that yes, she definitely had given him an unintentional signal of some sort, but it was too late to back out now. Besides, he was right, her current situation was making her want to simply beg him to take her then and there - she was glad he was respecting the fact she was under the influence of her apparent lycanthropic instincts, and was still insisting on waiting until they were both in their right minds to explore the situation any more. “Th… thank you. Um. So will Muriel be following me constantly from now on? I mean, they are very lovely but…”“Oh no, they have a job to get back to, it’d be unreasonable to expect them to be your bodyguard 24/7…”Aziraphale began to breathe a sigh of relief, until Crowley continued. “... So Anathema will be taking over, she should be here any minute.”“Anathema?”“She’s part of my pack. You’ll like her, she’s really lovely, and she likes books as well!”“So you’re just going to get various members of your pack to tail me constantly?” “To keep you safe,” Crowley reminded her. “Things have changed recently around here, you’re now slap bang in the middle of a possibly disputed zone, which I’m working hard to establish as part of my territory - there will be other alphas sniffing around, you can be sure of it, and a lot of them wouldn’t hesitate to try to claim you. They wouldn’t be interested in waiting.”“Isn’t that what you’re doing? Claiming me? By allocating me a security detail so they know I’m ‘yours’?”“No!” Crowley looked aghast at the idea. “Claiming is very different - proper claiming, that's er, well… it involves copulation, and knotting, and a bite, to mark you as mine. I’m not doing that. I’m offering you protection, and then later, when your hormones are more settled, then it’ll be up to you whether you’d like to take it further. I mean, giving me your scent token is, well, kind of unexpected, but as I said - you might not be able to help yourself right now.”“You’d bite me?”“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Crowley tried to reassure her hastily. “And only if you asked me to - and usually by that point, your mate would be begging you to do it, it’s something you’d only understand once things get started.”“And ‘knotting’?”“Similar - it’s something that happens when lycanthropes mate. I mean, you can google what happens to actual wolves during mating if you’d like a clearer picture. Or foxes, or dogs for that matter. Again, it’s something that you’d only do if your mate asked for it, and by that point, they do - they’ll beg for it. It’s the height of pleasure. Take an orgasm and times it by a hundred.”If she hadn’t already been sitting down, Aziraphale would have been feeling weak at the knees. Especially now she also had Crowley’s scarf around her neck, being enveloped in his masculine alpha scent. She could feel herself getting wet just at the thought, and suppressed a quiver.

“Here’s Anathema,” Crowley said airily, nodding at a tall, slim, young woman with brunette hair falling past her shoulders, in a pretty dark dress and large glasses. She smiled primly at Aziraphale, and held out a hand as she approached. 
“You must be Aziraphale, glad I’m not the only one around here whose parents gave them a weird archaic A-name. I’m Anathema! How are you managing? Crowley told us a bit about you, it must be very difficult coming to terms with so many big changes all at once.”
She plonked herself down on the bench, shoehorning her way between Crowley and Aziraphale, nudging Crowley up affectionately so he’d make more room. He grumbled good-naturedly, but squashed up against the arm of the bench a little more. “So anyway, I’ve been doing some prep work for this, and I’ve prepared some extra protections for you…” Anathema rummaged in her bag, then fished out some crystals in a pouch and began holding each one up for Aziraphale to see. “I’ve been charging these to help deflect bad energy from you - with the aim of deflecting the attention of other alphas who might have bad intentions towards you - this one here is for inner healing and strength, this one is tied to the moon and will help ease your cycle, this one…” As she spoke on, Crowley grinned and made a show of rolling his eyes behind her as if to say ‘just roll with it.’“I saw that,” Anathema chided him, giving him a dig in the ribs with a sharp elbow. “Don’t mock my methods, you. My work keeps our whole pack safe from negative energies just as much as your big growly shows of strength do.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale sat on the bus home, having invited Anathema to sit beside her and chat, deciding she might as well accept her bodyguard. “So what will you do all night?” She asked the beta. “Patrol outside, use my nose to detect any potential threats, but while I’m at it I intend to cast some protective spells around your home as backup, and hang some charms at key points.”“Is that another normal werewolf thing? Is magic real?”Anathema shrugged. “Well a lot of them don’t believe in it, like a lot of humans don’t - Crowley seems to accept it but it just feels like he’s indulging me.  I don’t think he really believes in any of it, but he hasn’t complained, he pokes fun now and then. But I definitely think it helps. Just make sure you keep that little pouch of crystals in your pocket at all times.”“And if one of these threatening alphas decides to try to invade my home in the middle of the night? What will happen then? Will he be zapped by crystals?” Aziraphale asked dryly. “Well he’s more likely to get his throat bitten out by me,” Anathema admitted. “And I have a bread knife. A judiciously-wielded bread knife is a useful bit of backup after your first line of defensive spells. I never leave home without it. Besides, there’s far less risk of revealing your true self if you just use a bread knife instead of turning into a seven foot tall werewolf. It’s important to keep our existence a secret.”Aziraphale felt relieved that there was a slightly more practical bent to Anathema, underneath the extra weirdness. “Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea?”“Best not, I have patrolling to do.”“Well if you need a bathroom break just knock, ok?”Anathema gave her a strange look. “But I’ll be patrolling. If I need to go - then that’ll just help mark the boundaries. Pack scents are an important aspect of protecting territories.”Aziraphale blinked. It hadn’t occurred to her that these werewolves would be so canid in nature as to admit to casually urinating to mark their territory. Somehow it’d have sounded less strange coming from someone like Crowley than it did coming from this pretty dark-eyed slim girl in a vintage dress. “That’s not… something I’d have to start doing, is it? If I decided to embrace that side of myself?”“Oh no, not if you don’t want to. I mean, type twos get some leeway anyway, you can’t shapeshift, and don’t have all the abilities that us type ones have. Some do start to join in more if they’re born into our culture, or mate or marry into it, because they want to engage with their roots, but it’s not essential. Your pack can do all that for you. Packs tend to be very protective of any type twos who join us, because we know you’re more fragile than we are - we need to protect you for the good of the species as a whole. Genetically, type twos are an important factor in maintaining genetic diversity. It’s sad when a type two is raised without knowing where they came from, isolated from the culture of their blood, so it’s always nice when we can welcome one back into the fold. It’s like an awakening for them - all those instincts which felt so alien among their human family, friends, and acquaintances, make so much more sense once they’re around their own kind who understand them better.”

They chatted some more, until Aziraphale got to her flat, and bade Anathema goodnight, reminding her she was welcome to knock if she wanted a drink, or if she got too cold or anything, although Anathema reassured her that she’d be just fine, and enjoyed patrolling. So Aziraphale stepped into her flat, dropped her bag, and shrugged off her coat, then collapsed on the sofa, and brought Crowley’s scarf to her face then inhaled deeply. The sensual musk of him made her feel dizzy with desire. She indulged a little more before getting up to make some dinner, then took care of some housework, befpre heading for a shower.In the shower, Aziraphale couldn’t help but get carried away, running her hands all over her soapy body, imagining the touch was Crowley’s, fingers delving between her legs until she was shivering and moaning gently through a quiet orgasm. She still felt woefully unsatisfied, however. Once she was out of the shower and dried, she headed to bed, and held the scarf to her nose while she played some more with her vibrator, losing herself completely in the fantasy. She imagined his mouth on hers, fierce and claiming, his strong grip around her, the hardness of his body against hers, then imagining what he might have hidden in those tight jeans of his… and how it might feel piercing into her soul as he made love to her - whether she wanted it rough or gentle, her mind couldn’t decide, and swayed between the two options rapidly from moment to moment. Tender kisses and languid movements gave way to desperate passion and rough thrusting. She wanted it all. Eventually, after climaxing a couple of times, she allowed her fantasy to switch into imagining loving embraces and kisses, and then fell asleep, exhausted.

Over in Mayfair, Crowley was at home, surrounded by his pack, who could all smell Aziraphale on the handkerchief he had in his pocket. They gathered round, fascinated by the scent of their alpha’s potential new mate, thrilled that she’d given him a token of her affection so soon. He allowed each of them a sniff, and told them more about her, while Ligur cooked dinner for everyone, as he was one of the best chefs in the pack. Eric watched Ligur at work, eager to learn as well. Newt wandered off to read a book.Dagon, Furfur, and Shax sprawled across the enormous sofa with Crowley in a contented pile as they waited for dinner, happy to see their alpha so delighted. Muriel was out at work as a security guard on a night shift - all of the pack worked for Crowley’s family, or pack, business in one way or another, and one of them always took night shift security detail in shifts. He had a classic car restoration workshop, and with some client’s cars being worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, he never left the workshop and warehouse unguarded. Last time thieves had tried to break in, Shax had been on duty, and threatened to rip out their intestines and hang them on the wall in a frame. The time before, Muriel had been on duty, and one of the thieves had managed to run away, screaming in terror, but they never found the other two - at least - not all of them. After that, it had been fairly quiet.

After dinner, the pack sprawled out in a big pile on Crowley’s giant bed together and watched some TV, until he began to get restless. “Right, you lot. I need some me-time. Go dogpile on Dagon’s bed or something for a bit.”There were some disappointed whines, but the human shaped ones hugged him, while the wolf-shaped ones licked his jaw, and left him to his own devices, shutting the door after them and wandering off to their own rooms, with a few of them congregating together for comfort.Crowley stripped and lay back on his huge bed with a sigh. While he felt content to be surrounded by the reassuring scent of his pack, there was another scent which was far more captivating to his senses right now. He held Aziraphale’s handkerchief to his face and breathed deeply, utterly lost in the perfection of her, singing to him via the medium of her pheromones in her unique scent. He was hard as a rock, and couldn’t help wanking himself off urgently while he held the cotton to his nose with his free hand, whimpering with need. It was almost physically painful to restrain himself right now. The overwhelming urge, the most primal urge, was to seek out Aziraphale and mate her. But he couldn’t countenance doing that until she was sure that was what she wanted - in her right mind. Any decision made while in heat didn’t count. He knew he could wait until her next heat, but fuck it was hard to hold back. He wanted to growl and tear things with his teeth with frustration. His hand moved faster, then as he climaxed, he howled out loud, wishing that somewhere out there, Aziraphale would hear his voice. A moment later, he heard his pack howl back in reply, and smiled to know he had them around him, even if he didn’t have what he truly yearned for yet. He kept an iron grip at the base of his cock with one hand, around his knot, and held it there for some time, replicating the feel of a ‘tie’ - a quirk of anatomy that changed how lycanthropes even performed self-pleasure. Eventually he relaxed his grip as his knot subsided, then he fell asleep, still lusting for more, but the edge was taken off, at least.

Furfur knocked on Crowley’s office door the next day. He looked up from his emails with a questioning sniff. “You smell stressed,” Crowley said, nodding at the empty seat in invitation. “When will we have Anathema back?”“She’s on other duties right now.”“Yeah, watching over your girlfriend. But Anathema is our upholstery person and she needs to finish up on the leather trim on the Bugatti so I can hand it off to Newt for final detailing and then get it signed off.”“Newt can get started on the exterior just fine and get the ceramic coating underway, we can pop the leather trim back in afterwards. Besides, she’ll be back tomorrow when Shax takes a shift with Aziraphale protection detail. How’s our chameleon king doing on the paintwork on the Lamborghini?”“Ligur’s finishing up the clearcoat right now - the holographic flake effect looks gorgeous under the lights, it has to be said.”“I knew it would. Once he’s done the pinstriping as well to finish it’ll be perfect. How’s Eric doing today?”“Dagon’s teaching him TIG welding on a spare panel, seems to be going pretty well so far.”“Sounds good. Once you’ve finished the accounting, could you check out the misfire issue on that Lancia Stratos?”“Yup. I finished the accounting already, I was just doing a scout around the workshop to check progress. I’ll get onto the Lancia in a minute.”Crowley nodded as Furfur left, then sat back in his chair, reached into his pocket, and withdrew Aziraphale’s handkerchief, inhaling deeply.  He closed his eyes in bliss to imagine her. He wished he could just give up his day to spend it at her side - and technically, being the boss, he could - but he knew the longer he spent in her presence, the more infatuated he would become, if that were possible. He knew he had it bad, it was almost physically painful for him to leave her side after each meeting. Even having Muriel come home after spending the day with Aziraphale, carrying her scent along with them, had made Crowley bite the inside of his cheek and dig his nails into his palm in frustration. He’d been torn between telling Muriel to go and shower the worst of that scent off, or asking them not to - just to have that scent around him a little longer.Shoving the handkerchief back in his pocket again, Crowley stood up and went to find Shax. She was the office manager for ‘Crowley’s Classics’ , and had an adjoining office, although she wasn’t in it. Glancing at the CCTV, Crowley could see she was talking to a delivery driver out the front, so waited until she came in, rather than disturbing her. While he waited, he grabbed her a coffee - black, no sugar, scalding hot. When Shax came inside again, she took the coffee with a grateful smile. “I’d like you to take the next shift with Aziraphale,” Crowley told her. “Come over to meet her with me this afternoon once she’s finished work.”“I’m intrigued to meet the person who’s caught my nephew’s eye.”“She caught my nose before she caught my eye,” Crowley confessed. “But once I laid eyes on her - she’s so beautiful, she has these gorgeous grey-blue eyes, the cutest smile, pretty blonde hair…”“You’re smitten.” Shax smiled behind her coffee.“Do you disapprove?” Crowley grinned back. “Not in the slightest, it’s nice to see you like this again. You’ve been without a mate too long.”Crowley nodded sadly. Shax gave him a sympathetic look.“We all miss her, but we also miss the old you: the Crowley who actively loved life, not just muddling through it. We want to see you sparkle again.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale found the shop already unlocked in the morning, with Ms. Michael up and working early. Her head shot up as soon as Aziraphale crossed the threshold, the cold wind at her back blowing her scent ahead of her. Aziraphale stopped short, then glanced down, realising what the problem was - the overpowering scent that enveloped her.

To a type one or two at least,  Crowley’s alpha musk emanating from the silver scarf he’d gifted her would be unmistakable. Naturally, Aziraphale had donned it again today, just as addicted to his scent as he was to hers. She lifted her head to meet Ms. Michael’s furious gaze calmly.
“It was a gift,” she said. “You’ve been seeing him again. And who is that behind you?”Anathema smiled and waved. “She smells of his pack - I take it he’s assigned you another unnecessary bodyguard?”“This is Anathema, yes, she’s part of Crowley’s pack, and yes she’s been accompanying me since last night when Muriel left. Apparently twenty hour shifts don’t seem to bother them much.”“It’s ok,” Anathema explained. “We can keep going for days if we have to, then have a nice long sleep for a day or two afterwards. Twenty hours is nothing.”“I still feel like he’s overworking you,” Aziraphale said. “Honestly it’s no bother at all,” Anathema replied. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your work and check in with you at lunch, sound good?”“Thank you,” Aziraphale told her, then turned to Ms. Michael again, removing her coat as she closed the door behind her. “And no he still hasn’t done anything inappropriate, I can assure you. He’s checking in on me, very resolutely keeping a polite distance, and insisting that we don’t pursue things any further until I’m no longer in heat, so we can both be sure that it’s something we want, not just something that instincts are driving us to feeling.”Ms. Michael grunted a non committal response, and returned to her paperwork, eyeing Anathema through the window as Crowley’s beta walked up the street, occasionally consulting a pendulum with a crystal on the end of it. She’d told Aziraphale that she wanted to scout out the territory for negative energies, and Aziraphale thought it would be as good a way as any to let Anathema keep herself entertained for a few hours, so she let her get on with it. It was only when Aziraphale headed downstairs to carry on cataloguing in the cellars that it occurred to her that she didn’t even have Crowley’s phone number, nor had he offered it, or asked for hers. She wondered why. Perhaps it was due to his promise not to do too much too soon. She supposed if she needed anything she could just ask Anathema.Her day ticked on in a fairly humdrum fashion. Now and then she glimpsed Anathema outside on the street. Much as Muriel had done, Anathema was getting to know the neighbours, and they seemed to have taken well to her. Aziraphale joined her in Nina’s cafe for lunch, just as she had with Muriel, and, now that she had come to terms with her newfound personal bodyguard situation, didn’t mind quite as much as she thought she might. Besides, having someone around who also carried Crowley’s scent on them made Aziraphale feel like he was nearby, and a large part of her instincts craved that with every waking moment.“Will I see him again this evening, after work?” She asked Anathema. “Oh yes, he’s asked me to escort you to him so we can hand you over to your next security detail, Auntie Shax. She’s been keen to meet you.”“Is ‘Auntie’ an honorific?”“Not entirely, I mean, partially, for most of us, yes. For Crowley, Dagon, and Muriel, she’s their adopted aunt. The sister to the woman who adopted them. Their adoptive mum isn’t around any more, but Shax is, and grew fond of her adopted nephew and nieces, so she joined the pack when Crowley established it. She’s the office manager of the business, but she’s also like an auntie to all of us.”“And she’ll be able to protect me too?”“Oh yes, all of us could. Don’t let her age fool you, she’s always been fearsome when roused, and for a beta, she holds a lot of respect in the community, enough to be left in charge when we go on holiday sometimes. No one would dare mess with the territory when an alpha has left a trusted beta in charge. There’s an understanding that in modern times, a pack should be able to take a break without fear of invasion while they’re away.”

“Kind of like a Geneva Convention  for werewolves then?” Aziraphale asked.“Pretty much, yes. Over the centuries, our kind have progressed, on the whole, from constant warring packs, by laying down treaties to allow modern freedoms to each other, with agreements that there are certain things one simply does not do - like mess with another’s territory while they’re on holiday, and then they won’t mess with yours. Sometimes packs buddy up with another nearby one, a trusted one, perhaps the family pack of one of your pack members, and they’ll help protect your territory while you’re away, and when they want to go away, you’d reciprocate, and extend the protection of your pack to their territory in return.”

Aziraphale returned to work after lunch, and Ms. Michael grudgingly allowed Anathema in to browse, and to buy several books, softening slightly more toward her when Anathema’s enthusiasm for the bookshop became apparent. So Ms. Michael wasn’t quite as reluctant as she had been yesterday over Aziraphale heading home after work with this other new bodyguard. Anathema went shopping with Aziraphale, as she needed to get some groceries in, and helped her carry them home and upstairs to her small flat, where Anathema looked around in awe. “Wow - I’ve never seen so many bookshelves in such a compact space before!” She looked up above door height in the tiny hallway, to see more shelves situated in the dead space up there above their heads. “Thank you,” Aziraphale replied. “I’ve had to make every inch of space count in here, I’m afraid. Don’t look under the sofa or the bed, that’s my advice.” She began unloading the shopping bags, while Anathema scanned the titles of her books with fascination. “This really is goals,” Anathema commented. “I mean I have a LOT of books, but nowhere near as many as you’ve managed to shoehorn into this little flat, I’m impressed!” She poked at an elderly chipboard bookcase wedged next to the dining table. “Although these shelves are bowing pretty badly. If you like, could I ask Eric to fix them for you? He’s our apprentice mechanic at work, but he’s also very good at carpentry.”“You told me you all work together as well as live together, but what is it that you do?”“Oh, we maintain, repair, and restore classic cars and supercars. I mostly do the trimming - like upholstering new leather seats, doing the door cards, roof lining, parcel shelf, dashboard, carpets and the like. Some of the customers like installing really fancy new leather seats to customise their cars, so it can be fun to go over the top with fine stitched detailing and contrasting colour accents, things like that. I enjoy a challenge at work.”“So you’re good at sewing then?”“Yup, I made my own dress.” Anathema gave a twirl to demonstrate. “I’ve made a few, actually. It’s a lot easier physically than sewing leather, but a lot more complicated with patterns sometimes.”“It’s very pretty.”“Thank you!” Anathema beamed and reached out to wrap Aziraphale in a fond hug. Aziraphale stiffened in surprise, and Anathema hastily let her go. “Oh, I’m sorry, I forget you’re not part of the pack yet, you just sort of feel like it a bit already - I mean you have our scent on you, from Crowley, and Muriel, and now me - we tend to be a bit more tactile than humans, we’re not reticent over showing affection between packmates, sometimes it’s hard to remember that humans aren’t always like that.”

After putting the shopping away, Anathema escorted Aziraphale out again to rendezvous with Crowley and Shax, who were waiting at a steak restaurant nearby. As soon as Aziraphale walked in, her mouth began to water - she supposed that steak would be the food of preference for werewolves as well, and it had always appealed to her - no doubt due to her genes. But far more tantalising was the headying masculine scent of Crowley filling the room. She felt faint.Crowley was reclining across a booth seat and his face lit up in a warm smile as soon as he set eyes on Aziraphale. He introduced her to Shax as they sat down, then he ordered wine for the table while they perused the menu. Aziraphale hadn’t realised that she’d be invited out for dinner, but it wasn’t quite a date, despite the lustful looks that Crowley was clearly trying to hold back. Having Anathema and Shax with them for dinner kept the vibe from becoming too intimate, and it was a nice way to get to know Shax too. The restaurant staff seemed to know Crowley and his pack well, and their preferences, so it was only really Aziraphale who had to order, as the others simply said “the usual.” It didn’t escape Aziraphale’s notice that they very much seemed to be being treated like VIPs.“I have to ask,” Aziraphale whispered nervously. “I mean, you’re eating steak here, but obviously there are, er… mythological, or historical, I suppose, suggestions that, er… lycanthropes would hunt and eat people…?” She bit her lip, feeling more like a fool the more she spoke, and hastily tried to clarify. “I mean, I don’t know what the context is of the legends, and obviously I wouldn’t want to offend you, or…”Crowley gave a half amused snort, but there was mild irritation lurking behind his expression. “I suppose that yes, considering you’ve been raised entirely by humans, that’s a reasonable question - you’ve never had an education among your own culture - that is: us. It’s not your fault. Yes, it is a bit offensive, but I can see you were doubting yourself as soon as you began talking - even you can see it’s not right. It’s propaganda.”Shax seemed more annoyed, but maintained her silence, allowing her pack leader to speak, while she tore into her steak a little more aggressively than perhaps was strictly necessary. “Humans, so many humans around the globe - so many different countries and cultures spanning history - you’ve done some truly awful things. Wars, genocides, torture, cannibalism, nuclear bombardment. Are you to judge the whole of humanity based on those events, when the majority of humanity only ever wanted to be left in peace? So how do you segregate a minority? You make them out to be evil - you tell tales of the dark and awful things they’re supposed to have done - or even the things their ancestors may have done a thousand years ago - and pretend it’s still a threat.”Aziraphale nodded, humbled. “You can see where I’m going with this, can’t you? Yes, just like humans - thousands of years ago, lycanthropes did hunt - hunted wild animals - sometimes alongside humans, we helped. Then, also just like humans - in some countries, in some long-distant time in history, there were packs of lycanthropes who hunted humans. But there were also humans who hunted humans - headhunters, cannibals, and of course humans who hunted us. It happened - on both sides it happened, there’s no denying it from us, as there shouldn’t be from them. But should we label all humans as evil because a few millennia ago, their long-lost ancestors were headhunters? Of course not. So don’t do us the same disservice.”“I’m sorry,” Aziraphale whispered.“It’s ok - you’ve been fed the legends that were created in order to ‘other’ us, to paint us as evil, and turn you against us, it’s only to be expected. So yes, hunting animals does continue, as it does for humans. Humans will hunt deer to eat, so do we - we just don’t use guns. We might hunt rabbits and other prey items - it depends on which country you’re in - and it’s why, again like some humans who like hunting - holidays to Africa and other countries with large amounts of wild herbivores - are popular with us, for the variety.”Crowley sipped his wine, and then leaned in, speaking low. “Then of course, in modern day, you have humans who still kill other humans. Perhaps they’re mafia, taking out a rival. That is the kind of thing that lycanthropes may do to other lycanthropes when territory disputes boil over. It’s rare, but it happens. And then… it has been known, when a miscarriage of justice has been observed - perhaps some extremely evil human gets off on a technicality, but it’s frustratingly clear that they did something abhorrent - well, it has been known for them to meet with an accident, or disappear. It isn’t something that a lycanthrope would do to just any human on a whim - it really is something done only in extreme circumstances where they cannot allow the miscarriage of justice to prevail, and take matters into their own claws. But then again - you’ll also find humans who seek to do the same. We’re just better at it.”Aziraphale nodded and sipped her own wine. Crowley grinned wolfishly. “You’re wondering if I ever have, aren’t you?” He asked, teasingly. Aziraphale’s eyes shot up to meet his, still, as always, hidden behind his shades. Crowley leaned across the table and whispered in her ear. “The leader of a pack is responsible for administering justice across his territory. So if the odd human around here who messed with kids happened to disappear in unusual circumstances, never to be seen again, well…” He leaned back again and winked. Aziraphale wasn’t sure that casually confessing to possible murder should be so hot.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley also took time to explain to Aziraphale, that, due to the prejudiced tales that humans had spun about werewolves over the years, his kind had had to instead reatreat into those tales, and make themselves a fiction. Safety was sought in hiding themselves from humans, hiding all evidence of their existence. This meant masquerading as humans, or as dogs, whenever humans were around. They’d got extremely good at it over the centuries.After dinner, Crowley shook Aziraphale’s hand again, his touch lingering just a fraction longer than was proper, before he let go with a rueful smile. She imagined he had been fighting an internal tussle over whether to kiss her hand yet. Aziraphale would have let him, if he wanted to. She wished he had, just to feel his lips on her skin. She shivered, knowing that as soon as she got home she’d be burying her face in his scarf and whispering his name again as she came.Shax accompanied Aziraphale home, and as Muriel and Anathema had done, politely declined the need to come inside unless Aziraphale needed any help with something. “But it’s so cold outside tonight,” Aziraphale protested.Shax grinned, her teeth sharp. “A wolf is never cold. If it gets too bad, you may see a different shape sniffing around outside. I’ll be fine. A lone, off-leash dog draws a lot less attention at night than a lone woman.”Aziraphale showered and headed to bed, unable to resist some self-indulgent quality time with her vibrator. She felt somehow liberated now to know that what she had assumed was hyper-sexuality was merely an aspect of who she was. She’d felt ashamed of her sexuality sometimes - she’d indulged with plenty of partners in the past, of all genders, but few could ever satisfy her needs, and she was always left feeling like she needed more, and yet had never been able to define what that meant. Something told her that what her instincts were craving was actually an alpha like Crowley. Now finally she knew what she wanted, but the frustration of him being too respectful of her boundaries to cave in to both of their desires yet was driving her to distraction.She wasn’t sure how long she’d technically been in heat for - of course she’d vaguely noticed when she got a little more horny than usual, but wasn’t sure how that correlated with the spike in pheromones that caught the attention of an alpha. She wondered how many more days it would be before things returned to normal, and what would happen then.

In the morning, Shax escorted Aziraphale to work, receiving an even colder glare from Ms. Michael, which was returned just as icily by Shax, before she handed over to Muriel again, as she had to get back to the garage. At least Ms. Michael was starting to grudgingly accept the situation, and even allowed Muriel to choose another book, on the condition that they took it to Nina’s cafe to read. “How long is this state of affairs going to continue?” Ms. Michael asked Aziraphale once Muriel had left, clutching another Kipling book. “Until my, er… hormonal state changes.”“And what will happen after that? A reprieve, until your cycle comes around to that point and then we put up with your minders loitering around all over again?”“Well…” Aziraphale floundered a little. “I suppose so? I honestly don’t know. That’s a discussion for the intervening period, I think.”Customers wandered in and out as usual throughout the morning, until just before Aziraphale was ready to clock off for her lunch break, when an older man in a scruffy dirty trench coat, with equally scruffy white hair and unsettling eyes walked in.Immediately, both Aziraphale and Ms. Michael could smell the problem - not so much the stink of someone who hadn’t seen the inside of a shower for far too long, but a rank, bitter scent of a displaced alpha cast out of his pack. Not that Aziraphale was aware of that subtlety, although Ms. Michael was, but they both knew he was trouble, and he’d seemingly homed in on the bookshop by following his nose to Aziraphale. “For crying out loud, not another one!” Ms. Michael snapped, squaring up to the intruder. “Get out!”“Fuck off,” the guy replied, barely sparing her a glance, and advancing on Aziraphale. “This is what I’m here for.”Aziraphale backed up until she felt a bookshelf behind her and could go no further, but just at that moment, the door slammed open and Muriel stood there - small, but furious. They kicked the door shut behind them, and only then did they transform. While Ms. Michael had clearly seen lycanthropes transform before, it was entirely new to Aziraphale - save for Crowley briefly changing his hand. She stared in open-mouthed astonishment as Muriel first transformed into a large white wolf - their clothing falling away with a quick wriggle as they changed shape. Then they grew into a towering, white-furred wolf-beast, easily nine feet tall. The invader turned in surprise and changed as well, also white-furred, but closer to seven feet, and clearly mangy and moth-eaten compared to Muriel’s shining iridescent fur. “This one is MINE, beta!” The newcomer snarled, seemingly lacking any sense of self-preservation, as Muriel’s bared fangs and the terrifying growl reverberating through their chest had even Aziraphale frightened, and glad that Muriel was on her side. “Think again, packless,” Muriel growled. “I’m not yours to command, and you’re trespassing on our territory.”“I’m taking this one to be my mate to start my own pack.”“The hell you are!” Aziraphale yelled, as Muriel leapt at him, driving him to the floor and pinning him there, biting indiscriminately until blood began to stain both of them, splashing across their white fur. While he fought back, he never stood a chance against such a huge, healthy wolf in their prime. “You can’t kill him in here!” Ms. Michael yelled. “How are we going to get rid of the body?”Muriel glanced up briefly, then down at the miserable packless alpha below them, pinned to the floor. As a compromise, Muriel grabbed his arm between powerful jaws and crunched down hard until his bones shattered and he howled in pain. Then Muriel lifted up, spun around, and did the same to one leg, biting it several times to ensure that there would be no fixing the damage, before finally standing, chest heaving, and glaring down at the sobbing invader. “What’s your name, packless?”The invader could only sob and clutch at his arm, not even able to do anything about his leg. Ms. Michael stepped in, and kicked his mutilated leg viciously. “They asked you a question, you miserable mongrel. Answer them! You have invaded the territory of my bookshop, which happens to fall under the protection of Muriel’s pack and their territory. If you want medical help, then start talking!”“Hastur!” He whimpered. “Please, I’m going to bleed out!” Aziraphale, not wanting him to actually die in the bookshop, ran to grab something she could use as a tourniquet. She briefly considered Crowley’s scarf around her neck, but that was far too precious to waste on this piece of trash who had wanted to steal her away from Crowley, so instead she rushed upstairs and grabbed a couple of belts from Ms. Michael’s wardrobe, then brought them downstairs. “You’re going to have to change shape again if you want an ambulance, besides if I apply tourniquets while you’re this shape, then you change back, they’ll be too loose to work any more.”Hastur groaned and transformed back into his miserable human shape, still crying and writhing on the floor. Aziraphale began applying the tourniquets to the upper arm and thigh, then wrapped the limbs in towels, flinging his clothing back over him again to finish, while Ms. Michael called for an ambulance. Muriel relaxed a little now that the threat was neutralised, and changed back as well. They had a few wounds from Hastur, but nowhere near as bad, and they shrugged off Aziraphale’s fussing with the first aid kit, saying they’d heal up just fine. Muriel didn’t seem fazed by being temporarily naked, but picked up their shirt and shrugged it on for a moment. “What on earth are we going to tell the paramedics?” Aziraphale whispered. “He was attacked by a stray dog and then fell off the balcony and broke his arm and leg,” Muriel shrugged. “A stray dog, in here?”“Yes. You saw a big white German Shepherd, and it looked lost, so you brought it in so you could take it to the vets to check for a microchip later. But then this angry man came in saying he’d lost his dog. The dog saw him and ran upstairs in fear, he chased it and started beating it, so it snapped and attacked him, he tried to get away, tripped over some books and fell over the balcony. You will conveniently see a large white dog shape running away as the ambulance pulls up, as it runs out of the door when you open it to let them in.”“But you looked nothing like a dog!”“But I can. I can be human shaped, wolf shaped, which is close enough to a German Shepherd  at a glance or at a distance, then the form you just saw is called ‘crinos,’ or war-form.”“But this Hastur person won’t corroborate that story!”“Of course he will,” Muriel flung him a warning glance. “Because if he tells the truth, he knows he’ll be locked up in a psychiatric ward.” Muriel stepped over to Hastur and kicked his shattered leg again. “Won’t you, packless?”“Yes!” He screamed out. “I’m sorry!”“This is Crowley’s territory, and Crowley’s consort. If any of our pack finds you anywhere near either of them again, you won’t get away with a few broken bones.” Muriel leaned down to rip a scrap of his clothing, and shoved it in their shirt pocket. “We have your scent now, make sure we never smell it again. Understand?”“I… I understand!” He gasped between sobs. “I p-promise!”“How do you know he’s packless?” Aziraphale asked. “Scent - you can’t smell any packmates on him. He’s been outcast from his pack for a long time I’m guessing, no wonder he looks so unhealthy - he has no backup. On me, and Crowley, Shax, Anathema - you can smell our distinct scent, but you can also smell those of all our packmates - you can tell how large the pack is and the general health and strength of the pack from that.” Muriel began yanking Hastur’s clothing back onto him again, ignoring his screams of pain, and simply growling at him to shut up.

Muriel looked up, head cocked on one side. “I can hear the ambulance, it’s not far away now, time to stage my great escape, I suppose. When you see them pull up, open the door, and I’ll run out and away - they’ll see me but won’t have any interest in giving chase, they’re here to help an injured person, not catch a dog, but it will add veracity to the cover story. I’ll come back in human shape a bit later.” With that, Muriel transformed again, into a beautiful huge white wolf. Aziraphale felt an overwhelming urge to stroke that soft fur, but restrained herself, as it didn’t seem polite. Muriel watched over the prone Hastur, growling quietly, until the ambulance slowed outside the bookshop. Aziraphale opened the door as directed, then Muriel picked up their bundle of clothing in their mouth, ran out and sprinted off up the street and down an alley out of sight. Dealing with the paramedics was less stressful than she’d imagined - after all, the horrific injuries Hastur had sustained couldn’t have been inflicted by a mere human by any stretch of the imagination, and they’d seen the dog fleeing. Ms Michael and Aziraphale confirmed they had no idea who the tramp was who had barged into the shop and beaten the stray dog, and they couldn’t reasonably be held responsible either, as it was the dog who had startled him to fall from the mezzanine balcony. There was still an incident report form to fill in, of course, but Muriel had made sure that Hastur wouldn’t attempt to pursue anything, even if he was likely to have his leg amputated as a result. If he caused any more trouble for Aziraphale, a missing leg would be the least of his worries. There are other appendages that a furious werewolf can bite off.

Anathema, Shax, and a couple more people that Aziraphale didn’t recognise turned up at the bookshop. Aziraphale may not have known them by sight, but once she met them, she realised she’d known their scent on the pack members she’d already met. It seemed that Muriel had sent the rest of the pack as back-up just in case, so they’d dropped what they were working on and rushed over. They began to help Aziraphale clean up the bloody mess on the floor, taking care of it in an efficient manner that made Aziraphale wonder how many times they'd had to take care of similar fallout. Ms. Michael supervised, clearly still in two minds over how comfortable she felt about Crowley’s pack - but she’d stepped in to help when it counted. Aziraphale supposed it must be Ms. Michael’s protectiveness having a hard time letting go. Shax introduced Aziraphale to Eric, Newt, Ligur, and Furfur, while explaining that Dagon was with Crowley further away, and they were on their way in the Bentley. “But everything is ok now,” Aziraphale protested. “Muriel took care of it.”“If any neighbouring packs get wind of a fight, they may show an interest - as it can mean destabilisation, and an opportunity to intervene for their own ends. It’s important to show a united front and re-mark boundaries near the conflict area to show we’re still in charge.”“Mark the boundaries? Do you mean they’re going to go peeing up walls and lamp posts?” Aziraphale was faintly horrified at the prospect. Shax chuckled.“Well… yes and no. We’re not so crass about it in broad daylight. I mean it’s still an instinct we’ll indulge in under cloak of darkness, but these days, we bottle the scent - it’s easy to spritz a little on boundary markers without being noticed.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shortly afterwards, there was a screech of tyres as Crowley’s big black Bentley pulled up outside, and he charged in, his face a mask of fury, with Dagon hot on his heels. His nose wrinkled in distaste at the scent of the injured rival alpha tainting the space, but as soon as he laid eyes on Aziraphale, he couldn’t hold back, and ran over to hug her tightly. “Fuck, thank Lunus you’re OK. Did he hurt you? If he laid a finger on you I swear…” He clung to her fiercely. “No! I’m fine, he just gave us a fright.” Aziraphale hadn’t had more body contact with Crowley yet than shaking his hand, and to be suddenly wrapped in his embrace was overwhelming. She’d frozen slightly at first, but now found herself returning his embrace cautiously, burying her nose in his shoulder, and inhaling deeply, just as he was to her. His scent truly was intoxicating. It took a moment to realise that she could feel a deep growling rumble vibrating through his chest pressed against her body. “Crowley? Are you alright?” She ventured. He let go of her abruptly, looking immediately guilty and contrite. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have touched you, that was wrong of me, I just… I got kind of over protective, possessive, um. I shouldn’t have. I can smell him here and I just can’t stand it. If I’d been here instead of Muriel I’d probably have killed him.”“Muriel was going to,” Aziraphale said. “We had to stop them, they settled for a mutilation instead. I had no idea they’d be so… so huge!” “Well yeah, your scent is kind of part of our pack, in a way now. Certainly more part of us than not, so protective instincts extend to all the pack members. Muriel is our head of security anyway, because they are the largest of us.”“I’d never have imagined they were capable of that kind of ferocity - they seem so quiet and sweet.”“Yeah, makes it all the more unexpected when their protective instincts kick in. Muriel is our secret weapon. They are gentle and sweet - until they need not to be. But any of us would defend you with our lives.”“Is Muriel bigger than you?”“Yeah, in crinos form. No one ever expects it.”“I haven’t seen you - any of the pack - in that shape before today.”“Sorry if Muriel scared you.”
“I mean… only for a moment, but Muriel smells of the pack, so that feeling was immediatley replaced by reassurance, becuse they’re on our side.”  Aziraphale paused, pondering.

“...What do you look like, when you change?” She asked, tentatively. The other pack members, busy cleaning up the mess, all paused to look, making Aziraphale wonder if she’d accidentally said something wrong.

“We… don’t usually do that in public, unless it’s an emergency like Muriel did to help you. I know we’re behind closed doors now, but also - I’m still an alpha, and you’re still an omega in heat. I’d rather not. We tend to get taken over a little more by the beast when we’re in that form, and it’d be harder for me to remain calm, particularly after you’ve been threatened by another alpha that I can still smell near you. Best if we wait for that particular revelation.”
“Ah, I see, sorry if I said something inappropriate.”
“It’s OK, it’s still all new to you, no offence taken. I’ll show you after your heat breaks, it’ll be safer then.”
“Are the men in your pack huge like Muriel?”“No. Part of why I assigned them to you, along with Shax and Anathema. They’re all my fiercest fighters. Plus I figured that even in human shape, you’d be more comfortable with them protecting you than with the others.” 
Crowley still seemed to be fidgety and on edge. Aziraphale noticed he kept glancing at the place where Hastur had lain after he was injured, and was making a point of keeping himself between Aziraphale and that spot, as if protecting her from it.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”“He’s just protective,” Dagon commented. “I swear I threatened to put him on a leash on the way over, he was furious. I’m glad that intruder got carted off to hospital already, it wouldn’t have ended well if he’d still been here when we arrived.” Dagon shot a warning glance at Crowley. “And I’m going to have to babysit him for the rest of the week to make sure he doesn’t just start tracking the guy down to finish him off.”Aziraphale was shocked, hoping that Dagon would smile to indicate she was joking, but her expression remained serious. “Do you see now why I wanted you to have protection?” Crowley asked her gently. “The pack has been working overtime around the edges of the territory as it is to ensure that while things are in flux, loose alphas didn’t take the opportunity to sneak in, but there weren’t enough of us to guarantee being able to catch all of them, and he slipped through. Having someone closer to you seemed the best way to deal with it.”“Aren’t there other type two omegas out there who might need your help as well?”“Somewhere, no doubt - but you’re not as common as you’d think. You’re a rare gem, Aziraphale. If there were another like you in my territory, I’d have sniffed them out by now. I only found you because our borders shifted, and the pack who used to have this region were spread too thinly - I suppose they rarely came over this side of Soho when your scent was strongest, so overlooked you.”“Their loss is your gain, then?” Aziraphale replied with a teasing grin. Crowley echoed it and nodded. “I hope so, at least,” he replied. “Will Muriel be coming back?” Aziraphale asked. “No, they’ve gone to the hospital he was taken to, to stake it out and make sure when he’s released, he gets escorted out of the area. Although it sounds like he’s going to be in hospital for quite a long time - weeks if not months. Muriel overheard staff talking while undertaking surveillance, and they will be amputating his leg, and aren’t sure about his arm. You should be safe from him. Anyway, Shax will be accompanying you this evening again.”“Thank you.”Crowley took her hand and held it gently for a moment, his eyes lingering on it, before giving her another rueful smile - she knew what he was thinking - his regret at wanting to kiss her hand, but knowing that he shouldn’t. He gave her hand a little squeeze, then let go again, and turned to Ms. Michael. “I’m sorry that this unpleasantness has come to your bookshop,” Crowley told her. “Although I’m sure you knew that it was bound to happen sooner or later. You have the promise of our protection for as long as you need it.”Ms. Michael nodded stiffly. “Thank you,” she said. Aziraphale was surprised, but happy to see her boss softening slightly toward the pack. “Aziraphale, I don’t think there’s much benefit to be had from trying to open the shop again today, although your new friends have done a sterling job of cleaning up. You might as well go home, I’m going for a lie-down, perhaps you should too.”“Thank you… Angela,” Aziraphale said, giving her a warm smile. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Crowley escorted Aziraphale out of the shop, and waved an arm at the Bentley. “Lift home?” He asked, airily. “Oh, er. Thank you.”“It’s ok, don’t look so worried, Shax will be with us as a chaperone. Your virtue is safe with me, not least because Shax would throttle me if I stepped out of line.” He winked at her, and Shax nodded as she opened the door and got in the back seat, inviting Aziraphale to sit in the front. When Crowley set off, she remembered why her first impression of him hadn’t been so favourable, he drove like… well. She mentally bit back the term ‘lunatic’. Her virtue may have been safe, but she wasn’t quite so sure about the rest of her. Her virtue, come to think of it, well, that train had long since left the station anyway. At least his reference to it seemed to have been joking and not holding any illusions as to her innocence, or lack thereof. She could see, despite his small talk, that Crowley was still tense, but doing his best to put Aziraphale at her ease. They drew closer to her home area, then Crowley spoke up. “I don’t actually know specifically where you live, just that it’s in this general area. Muriel, Anathema, and Shax hadn’t told me, at my request. If you just tell me where you’d like me to drop you off, so Shax can walk you the rest of the way, then I still won’t know where you live. I thought you might feel more comfortable like that.”Aziraphale was surprised, and flattered. She hesitated, for a moment considering telling him it was fine, and giving him her address anyway. But then she thought, if he had asked his own family not to tell him, he probably knew his own self better than she did, and he likely had his reasons. “Anywhere on the next street is fine,” she said, finally. “Thank you.”“After your heat is over, then it’s up to you if you want to tell me or not.” Crowley turned onto the next road. Aziraphale wondered how close Crowley would have to be to be able to sniff her out and home in on her the rest of the way, if he wanted to. Perhaps they were already close enough, and he was just being polite, and relying on his honour not to actually track her down if he didn’t need to for her safety. Either way, she appreciated his thoughtfulness. She supposed, given how terrifying he could be, he was hyper aware of how to put people at their ease, to read what their fears about him might be, and do his best to allay them. Crowley pulled the car over but didn’t stop the engine - he didn’t intend on lingering. He turned to Aziraphale and she couldn’t help but see a glimpse of a lovesick smile trying desperately to escape. “Sleep well. Tell Shax if you need anything, ok? She’ll look after you.”
“Thank you,” Aziraphale replied quietly, “and thank you for showing me I can trust you.”

Crowley nodded. "I’d never hurt you for the world.I know I'm supernatural and scary and can do things that would be very intimidating, so I just want to be clear on how I'm going to reassure you that I'm not going to do them.”
“I appreciate it.” Aziraphale hesitated. She wanted to reach out and take his hand, but a discreet cough from the back seat interrupted her thoughts. “You need to get out first so I can put the seat forward and get out too,” Shax reminded her, prompting Aziraphale to fumble with the door handle, flinging Crowley a warm smile, she got out, then helped Shax get out of the back.Shax gave Crowley a stern look. “See you tomorrow,” she told him firmly, and shut the door, waving him off. She waited with Aziraphale until the car was out of sight, before turning to walk her the rest of the way home. Once there, Aziraphale insisted that Shax come in for a cup of tea before going on patrol. Aziraphale offered her some home made biscuits and relaxed on the sofa - although Shax remained sitting primly on the edge of the armchair  - she seemed so incongruous with the idea that she’d be able to transform into a huge beast just as Muriel had. “Do other werewolves have any indication of what you might look like when you transform - if they don’t already know you?”“Not usually, you can get some idea from scent, but you can’t size each other up fully until you’ve transformed, which is why Muriel is good at taking others by surprise.”“Is Crowley always so…”“Thoughtful? Attentive? Mischievous?” Shax replied with a grin. “All of the above: yes. He makes an excellent pack leader. He’s feisty enough to take decisive action when needed, but thoughtful enough of others to show restraint. As a species, we have thousands of years of being maligned through myth and legend, so it takes a lot of work to fight back against those prejudices. Crowley especially fights against the wolf within him more often than most. He fights himself more than he ever fought anybody else. Now he will fight others, if he has to - but his eternal  struggle is trying to establish a new, rational way of being. We should endeavour to be more than just the beast.”She sipped her tea, and regarded Aziraphale steadily. “When one is perceived to be nothing more than a monster, it becomes even more important to push back against that. In our everyday lives, we should strive for civility. But in order to fulfil the wolf within, we reserve our beast for those who cause trouble in society. The beast in the night has its place in the world - a threat to the criminals, to the burglars who need a fright, to those who assault and rob under cover of darkness, to the rapists, and murderers, and those who harm children. Those are the people we save our beasts for. To uncage it to fulfil our old instincts for the greater good.”“What would Hastur have done to me?” Aziraphale asked nervously.“You’re in heat, he’s a stray alpha, one without restraint. There are abhorrent people in the human species as well as ours. He may have attempted to take you by force, to violate you. If it had been me there rather than Muriel, I might have bitten something other than his arm or leg, if only to ensure he calmed down in the long run and lost the urge to do such things.” Shax’s expression was dark. “I’m slightly surprised that Muriel didn’t, actually.”“I’m still feeling bad that he’ll have to have his leg amputated.”“He’s still alive, isn’t he?” Shax replied. “And now he knows you’re under our protection and won’t dare to mess with you again, and hopefully would think twice before trying similar with anyone else - plus if he does, he will at least be at a disadvantage and they’ll have more chance to defend themselves against him.” She finished her tea and stood up, smoothing her skirt. “I should get to patrolling, and let you get an early night.”“Thank you, goodnight Shax.”“Goodnight, see you in the morning.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale reheated some dinner from the freezer - she’d batch-cooked some coq-au-vin in the slow cooker a while ago and portioned it up for days when she didn’t have as much inclination to cook a whole dinner, but still wanted a home-cooked meal. She regretted not offering Shax some dinner as well, but she supposed she’d make her own arrangements.After dinner, she curled up with a good book. Her mind wandered as she tried to concentrate. Aziraphale had thought about going to the library and looking up books on werewolves, before realising that it certainly wouldn’t help - in fact, it’d be the opposite of helpful, judging by what her pack had been telling her. She paused and smiled - realising she’d just thought of them as ‘her pack’. Books written by humans would likely just be full of more misinformation and prejudice, not reflecting the reality of the lycanthrope culture. She wondered about asking Anathema if there were any books authored by members of the community which she might read instead. Unable to concentrate on her book, Aziraphale decided to call it a night, watched a little tv in bed, and then slept, dreaming of Crowley saving her instead of Muriel, sweeping her off her feet and whisking her away, before laying her down in a soft bed, kissing her gently, and then…… And then she woke.It was still dark outside at this time of year, but her alarm was beeping insistently, so she yawned, stretched, and got up to get ready for work. 
As she was having her toast, there was a knock at the door. It took Aziraphale a moment to recognise that her body and brain were telling her something she’d never been aware of before - she recognised the scent of Shax - and the scent of the pack on her - before even looking through the peep-hole to verify she was right. She opened the door.
“Good morning.”  Shax simply held out a shopping bag for her.“Oh, er, thank you. Would you like some tea?”“Yes please.” Shax came in and sat down. “How about some breakfast? I can do you some porridge, or toast if you like?”Shax hesitated, then nodded. “A slice of toast would be nice, thank you.”Aziraphale put another slice in the toaster, then opened the bag that Shax had given her. Inside was a bar of chocolate, a microwaveable wheat heating pad, some feminax, and a selection of tampons and pads. She looked up at Shax in surprise. “I can smell the hormonal change,” the werewolf said by way of explanation. “It’s fairly imminent. I put the feminax and heat pad in there because I know like us, type twos can have very painful periods. It’s best to be prepared.”“Thank you, that’s… very thoughtful of you.”“I realise that in human terms it would be an unconventional gift, or thing to do, but this is how pack members show they care about one another - we notice things, and we show we’re paying attention.”
“You have all been so kind to me. I feel like I haven’t done anything to deserve any of this…”
“Shush, dear. It’s not about tit-for-tat. It’s what packs do. You have Crowley’s scent on you, and he has yours, as do the rest of us now - the more time we spend together, the more that cements us as a pack, like family - but family you choose - that you want to be with. Blood doesn’t come into it.”

Aziraphale worked through the day, meeting with Dagon at lunch time, who said she was taking over. Sure enough, by that evening Aziraphale was beginning to get crampy, and extra grateful for Shax’s gifts. Dagon was back to take over security details, bringing some herbal tea mix from Anathema, with a note assuring Aziraphale that it would help soothe her cramps naturally. Dagon escorted Aziraphale home, still watchful, but doing her best to put Aziraphale at her ease.
“As your heat is over now, it is likely that you should be safe enough without us to shadow you, but Crowley would like to talk to you about it tomorrow afternoon. You get a good night’s sleep, have a lie-in, it’s Saturday tomorrow. I’ll hang around just in case you need anything, then if you’re ok with it, I’ll bring you to meet Crowley in the afternoon so you can have a chat. Does that sound ok?”“Er, yes. Does this mean that after that, you won’t be guarding me any more?”“Probably not, at least until you come into heat again, but it’s not for me to say - that’s between you and our pack leader to decide. Anyway, you get some rest, try to relax.”“Goodnight Dagon.”“Goodnight.”

Aziraphale was glad for the lie-in on Saturday morning, feeling utterly miserable. She dragged herself out of bed and took some of the feminax, and tried some of Anathema’s tea. She did start to feel better, but whether it was the meds, or the tea, or a combination of both, which did the trick, she couldn’t say. Either way, she was grateful. She had housework to do, but she really didn’t feel up to it, so curled up in bed again with the heat pad to read for a while instead. After that, she had a shower, and got ready. Dagon had said they’d head off about midday, and fortunately by then Aziraphale was starting to feel a bit more human. Then again, that thought made her smile - human. Half human? Part human? She didn’t even know what percentage lycanthrope she might be - Crowley had just said that type twos were part type one, and part human. She wondered if it mattered, or how that might impact on what senses she had that regular humans didn’t. Dagon knocked on her door at exactly twelve.“How are you feeling? If you’re not up to it just say and we can reschedule for tomorrow or another day if you like?”“I’m quite alright thank you - the odd twinge here and there but it’s not too bad right now.” She followed Dagon downstairs and out of the block of flats, where a sporty looking car was waiting, with Anathema behind the wheel. “Gosh. Is that Anathema’s car?”“Pack car, we share a few. We thought it’d be nicer than getting the bus, or a taxi. I mean if you run a classic car garage, it’d be a pretty poor show if we couldn’t turn up in something nice, wouldn’t it?” She opened the passenger door for Aziraphale, and then got in the back herself.

Anathema drove far more sensibly than Crowley, and it only occurred to Aziraphale once they were driving toward Mayfair, that she hadn’t asked where they would be going. Although before she got a chance to ask, they had pulled into the car park of a tall, modern building - where a plethora more fancy cars filled the other spots. “Where are we?” Aziraphale asked. She’d sort of imagined they may be going to a restaurant again. “Home,” Anathema said happily. “Newt is cooking lunch today, we’re doing the big roast dinner on Saturday because tomorrow we’re out at a big car show - we have a trade stand as it’s a good place to get new clients. Anyway, he’s doing a roast rack of lamb in the big oven. Roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, gravy…”“That sounds delicious.”“Oh it will be. He and Ligur are the best cooks in the pack.” Anathema got out, leading Aziraphale into the apartment building, while Dagon brought up the rear. In the lift, Anathema scanned her thumbprint on a reader on the wall, and stabbed the button for the penthouse. “Do you all live here then?”“Yup. Crowley lives in the penthouse, then we live in other flats on the floors below, but basically the top three floors are ours exclusively - so other residents can’t come up here without us escorting them.”“Other residents - more werewo - um - lycanthropes?”“Oh no - they’re just regular humans. So they rent the lower floors from us, then we share the top three floors between us - it sort of turns the top of the building into a large shared house, but we each also have areas we can retreat to if we want a bit of peace and quiet now and then, but honestly - we like being a pack, it feels better to do things together. Wolves don’t like to be alone.”The lift doors pinged open directly into a hallway, beyond which was the atrium of Crowley’s flat through the open door. “Only pack members can access these floors via the lift anyway, so it doesn’t much matter - it’s easier to be able to walk straight in from the lift.”Crowley walked through with a wide smile and hugged Dagon and Anathema, all of them rubbing chins and cheeks enthusiastically as they greeted, exchanging scents. As Aziraphale watched, she immediately understood, and felt faintly left out. It made so much sense to greet your pack and share scents. It made her want to join in. Crowley let go of his packmates, and turned his attention to Aziraphale. “How are you feeling? Can I get you anything? Come through to the lounge, there’s a comfy recliner there, would you like a hot water bottle?”“I’m alright, thank you.”“Cup of tea? Hot chocolate? Water? Wine? Anathema has loads of different herbal teas she swears by, I’m sure she can tell you the full list, if you have half the day for her to go through them all.” He winked at Anathema who swiped at him playfully then went to get herself a drink. Aziraphale followed Crowley through to the lounge and took the offered comfy recliner. “Just water will be fine for now, thank you.”“We’ll go downstairs when dinner is ready - Ligur’s apartment has the best kitchen so he has a nice dining room for us all too, but Newt said dinner would be a good half an hour away yet.”Other pack members were lounging out over the sofa, wandering through from Crowley’s kitchen with drinks, and Eric was sprawled out, dozing, on a giant black leather beanbag. Everyone looked content and relaxed. Dagon brought through a tall glass of filtered water with ice cubes and handed it to Aziraphale, then sprawled out with Eric on the beanbag, resting her head on his leg with a happy sigh. The easy intimacy should have looked alien to Aziraphale, but instead it struck a chord deep down inside of her - she had to remember she wasn’t around humans - no matter what they superficially looked like - these were wolves, and sprawling out together in a big cosy wolf pile would be what made them feel most relaxed. Crowley sat down in a chair next to Aziraphale - although once again, ‘sat’ was perhaps not quite an accurate description for his louche sprawl. It was endearing, somehow. “I thought it’d be nice for you to see how we are when we’re away from humans, being more ourselves,” he explained. “And on that topic. I don’t usually wear my shades at home, but you haven’t seen me without them. My eyes aren’t quite like the others, and I didn’t want to scare you. Are you alright with me taking my sunglasses off?”“Of course, you shouldn’t have to hide yourself, especially in your own home.” Aziraphale had noticed that the other type ones had slightly more vivid eyes than regular humans - piercing and shades of intense blue, or pale gold. She wondered how different Crowley’s must be for him to feel the need to hide them away. He took a breath, then removed his shades. His eyes were closed, then he opened them and met her gaze. Aziraphale widened her own in surprise. “Oh! They’re beautiful!”“Well… that’s the first time I’ve had that reaction,” Crowley replied, awkwardly, evidently caught off-guard. “I don’t show humans usually, for obvious reasons, but other lycanthropes, they… don’t like it. I think it might be why I was abandoned and ended up being adopted. I got shunned a lot and bullied for them.”His eyes were an intense amber-gold with vertical slits, and utterly mesmerising. “Is it a genetic thing then?”Crowley snorted. “Honestly I have no idea, but ‘genetic’, well… there’s where the shunning comes in. Wolves have round pupils. Mine are not. I have fox eyes. I don’t know why. But with the red hair, and my appearance when transformed - I genuinely don’t know if werefoxes are a thing - if they are, I’ve never met one. Perhaps if they exist they’re even rarer than us. But if they do exist, I’m not one of them either. I’m certainly wolf enough to count. But if werefoxes exist, then it’s possible I may be part one of those. I don’t even know the answer myself. Perhaps I’m half werefox, or a quarter, I don’t know, I’ll likely never know. But I’m different enough that it made me a target from other lycanthropes. Not good enough for them, not one of them. So it meant I had to prove myself over and over, fight harder for my territory, fight to prove I was just as much of a valid alpha as they were.”Aziraphale studied him intently, something was nagging at the back of her mind. “You said you could show me yourself transformed at a later time, I’m curious, is that something you could do now? In your wolf shape, and that bigger fighting shape Muriel used?”“Crinos,” Crowley said. “And yes, I can.”He stood, and then began to shapeshift, first into his wolf form, wriggling from his clothes as he did. It was surprisingly rapid, but she didn’t get a chance to really assess his wolf shape as the moment his clothes had slid off, he rapidly transformed again into his crinos form, until he was about eight feet tall - a good foot shorter than Muriel had been. His fur was reddish, with a black patch running from the back of his neck down his shoulders, and black legs. His limbs were still long and lean even in this form, but with wiry sinew that still spoke of strength and speed. Aziraphale’s eyes went wide, and her heart fluttered with a desperate desire that she’d never felt before. She tried not to stare at his rather obvious genitals, blushing, and trying to concentrate on his upper body, but something else was niggling at the back of her mind. “Could you change back into your pure wolf form again?” She prompted. “I think I have an idea.”Crowley nodded, and shrank down into a less monstrous shape. As a wolf he still looked peculiar. Tall, lean, with longer legs than a normal wolf, still red-furred with the black markings on his shoulders and gangly limbs, and a long snout.

(Illustration showing the comparitive size of Crowley in his different forms by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)

“You are!” Aziraphale exclaimed excitedly. “I knew it! Not fox, Crowley, I think you’re part maned wolf! Perhaps that’s why you look different. You get the brightness of your eyes from your wolf side perhaps, but the shape and the rest of your build and colouring from the maned wolf side.”
Crowley blinked in surprise, then abruptly changed back into human shape again, smoothly grabbing his jeans and yanking them on as he returned her look with shock.
“Maned wolf?” He asked, confused, pulling on his shirt once more.“Yes, look, do a search on your phone, you’ll see what I mean. Perhaps one of your parents was from South America?” Crowley was scrolling on his phone frantically, then his face lit up. “Aziraphale, this… this… hey, pack! Look! Look what she found!” Crowley held his phone up excitedly as the others quickly began to gather round and rush in from other areas at the commotion. “That’s you! Well, kind of,” Anathema was agreeing. “You’re definitely still at least half real wolf though, but there’s no denying that long leggedy bugger has you written all over it, I think she’s right! Maybe where these come from they have were-maned-wolves and one of your parents was one of them?”Crowley was still scrolling, scanning information and photos. “The eyes still aren’t exactly right, but maybe that’s because I’m a mix? Like a random genetic thing that cropped up at the same time? I guess it explains my legs though, and why I’m taller than all of you when in pure wolf form - I’m just not when in crinos.”He turned to Aziraphale and couldn’t hold back, he hugged her fiercely, and she realised she could recognise joy in his scent and that of the pack - the scent in the room had shifted when the emotion did. “Thank you, thank you so much! I’ve never had answers before but this explains a lot, I mean we haven’t got proof but I don’t see how it couldn’t be the right track.”Aziraphale breathed in his beautifully sweet scent with undertone of enticing musk, and indulged in the sensation of being crushed in his arms, until she felt Shax tactfully tug at Crowley’s arm with a warning cough. “Alpha? Manners.”Crowley let go abruptly. “Fuck, sorry, I got carried away. I shouldn’t have done that.”“It’s alright, I liked it.”“Yeah?” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, tell me if you want another one. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The whole pack, Newt excluded, as he was putting the finishing touches to lunch, were busy on phones, tablets, and laptops, all keen to learn more about what Crowley’s roots might be. “Says here they’re solitary and only meet up for mating,” Furfur said. “You’re not solitary.”“Yes, but I’m also part wolf, and we definitely aren’t solitary.”“Perhaps that could be related to the reason your parents didn’t keep you? Perhaps they didn’t work out - if your wolf parent wanted the other to join their pack, but the solitary maned wolf parent wanted to return to being alone, and they couldn’t reconcile their differences? Who knows?”Eric piped up from where he’d been searching on his laptop. “Maybe you could take a holiday to Brazil and see what you can find there, as regards other lycanthropes? I mean we’ve never heard of them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not there.”“No holidays until London settles down again. I need the new boundary to be firm before I leave it in your hands.”“But after that you should go and look,” Ligur said. 
“Yeah, but what if they’re as averse to me for being a mix as grey wolves are for the same reason?”
“Only one way to find out,” Shax replied.

Newt called up that lunch was being served, so everyone went downstairs to Ligur’s flat, and began filling him in on the news while he served up. Aziraphale felt continually accepted and at ease. There was also a shared experience with Crowley and his siblings with having been adopted - although Aziraphale didn’t remember being in the foster system first like they had - she was adopted as a baby, not as a teenager. “So if you, Muriel, and Dagon were adopted, and Shax is your auntie - does that mean you were adopted by a lycanthrope?”“Yeah,” Crowley replied.  “Mum fostered us and the moment we arrived and she smelled us, she knew immediately that we were like her, so began the application process to adopt. Obviously not all at the same time - I came first, and she fostered human kids as well, but only short-term emergencies, she never tried to adopt those. Then a few years later, Dagon came in for foster, so mum adopted her too, and then later Muriel came along. Mum adopted them, then stopped fostering any more, I guess she had enough on her plate with the three of us. Mum’s pack was pretty small.”“So your mum was an omega?”“No, a beta. Betas sometimes want to foster or adopt. Most of them tend to be asexual, greysexual, or demi - betas don’t normally have offspring of their own, they help parent the alpha and omega’s offspring. But that doesn’t mean in the modern day they can’t foster or adopt if they want to. Shax is mum’s little sister.”“Anathema said your mum isn’t around any more?”“No, she passed away a long time ago - my pack pushed me out - I mean it’s kind of normal when you’re an alpha - you’re expected to leave and start your own pack anyway, but part of it was the whole ‘fox’ thing. They didn’t approve. So Dagon, Muriel, and Shax left with me to start the core of my new pack, and here we are.”“So what are the odds of three of you ending up with someone who knew what you were?”“We don’t know, obviously we’re not genetically related, but yes it is strange for us, being all lycanthropes, ending up in the care system together - we can’t find any answers that would make sense from social services. Perhaps there’s one of us in the services who picked up on it when we came through the system, and made sure we were sent to a family who would be right for us, and made excuses to the humans as to why. Perhaps it was a type two in social services even, but for sure, we had some kind of guardian angel who guided us to a pack who would take us in.” Crowley smiled at his packmates, proud of his found family. “I’m glad we ended up together though.”

Aziraphale spent the lunch not just enjoying delicious food, but enjoying being part of the pack as they chatted and joked with each other. It felt so incredibly right. When she’d been adopted, she was an only child, and her adoptive parents did not have a large extended family, so she wasn’t used to being surrounded by an atmosphere like this. It was fulfilling a long-dormant part of herself that she hadn’t known needed it until now. She felt as if she didn’t want to let go of the feeling either. “So what would be the plan when I go back to work on Monday?” Aziraphale asked tentatively. Crowley chewed and swallowed, giving a slight shrug. “That depends on you, really. You’re in much less danger now you’re no longer in heat. I’d say you could safely carry on as you did before, then if you wanted us to watch out for you when your next heat hits, we’d happily do that.” He looked around the table before continuing. “But also we’ve kind of started to think of you as part of the pack, to a certain degree - you’ve started to share our scents through repeated proximity. Even more so now. Which means we all feel a stronger desire to protect you regardless. We’ve talked about it, we do want to be there for you, but we also don’t want you to feel stifled, or like we ‘own’ you or anything. It has to be your decision, and the more time we spend with you, the more you might feel obligated to us, or to me. So my suggestion would be to stop the guarding while you’re not in heat, but you’re more than welcome to spend time with us if you choose to.”“I just realised I never asked for any of your numbers, in case I wanted to call you,” Aziraphale said shyly. “Well I didn’t give you mine, or ask for yours, on purpose at first,” Crowley pointed out. “I didn’t want the temptation there for me to bother you unsupervised, or for your heat to drive you to reach out directly to me. I thought it best if we had my betas as intermediaries and chaperones at first, but if you want to swap numbers now, then that should be ok.”So while the plates were cleared, and Newt went to get the dessert, Aziraphale and the pack shared phone numbers.

After lunch, some of the pack began to clear up, and Aziraphale hastened to help, but Anathema firmly told her to sit down and relax as their guest. While the others set about making light work of cleaning up, Newt fell asleep in the recliner, Shax sat in a chair by the window looking out over London, doing some crochet. Aziraphale sat on the large modular sofa near Crowley, noting that everyone else seemed to be making a point of giving them some space, while not straying too far away. Aziraphale sipped a mug of Anathema’s special tea blend which really did seem to be settling her cramps down, and took the opportunity to talk with Crowley, as he relaxed in an unlikely position across the other end of the sofa, with a spine apparently made of noodles. “Are there other alphas like you?”Crowley smiled and shrugged.”I’d like to think so, I mean we are in a modern society after all. So yes, being polite and practising wholesome instead of toxic masculinity is to be encouraged. But just as with humans, there are still some who think they have the right to behave like troglodytes and order their mates around, that omegas are only useful for pups, cooking, housekeeping, and looking pretty. And like human society, we don’t think much of those sort of people either, and hopefully they’re a dying breed. They feel entitled to take what they want, but the dangerous difference between human and lycanthrope alpha is that we can far easier use our power to get it. Which is why we have to stay very self-aware and constantly check ourselves, our ingrained beliefs, how we’ve been raised, our societal influences, and make sure we don’t behave in a manner which could cause harm.”Aziraphale felt relieved. Crowley nodded to the rest of the pack around them.“And embracing the power of the pack to help is important. To know your weaknesses and not to be afraid to ask others to help you challenge them. It’s why when we had dinner that first time, I had not just one, but two of my strongest female pack members as chaperones for you. Their job was to ensure I didn’t slip up, and to make sure you looked content with the situation, then to curtail the meeting if they thought you were uncomfortable, or if I overstepped the mark.”“Is that why you wanted the rest of the pack around us today?”“Yup. You may not be in heat any longer, but you’re also not my mate. You haven’t invited me to claim you, so you still deserve protection to ensure you don’t feel pressured into making a decision before you’re ready to. In case I accidentally phrase anything in a way that could make you feel obliged as an omega to acquiesce to me. It’s how an alpha in modern society should behave, to be aware of his weaknesses, to fall back on instincts, and to take measures to ameliorate those.”“So that’s why you’ve had your pack interact with me more than you have?” 
Aziraphale wanted to say, but knew she couldn’t - that she’d very much like him to interact more with her, even knowing she was very much not in heat any more. In fact, she’d usually be feeling fairly grouchy, but being around Crowley seemed to be distracting her and making her feel better.
“Yeah, it wouldn’t have been fair on you to push my presence on you too much when you were in heat.” Crowley shifted position and inched a little closer, but still keeping a respectable gap between them. Even so, Aziraphale didn’t miss Shax’s brief glance in their direction, always checking, and she smiled slightly to know that Shax still had her back, if she needed it.Crowley dropped his voice a little and continued. “There are a lot of things I wanted to say to you, which I didn't dare before. Because if I had started voicing them out loud… I wouldn’t have been able to stop. I’d have been spilling my guts, and…” Crowley paused.“Look, if I spoke too much, in the wrong way, when you were in heat especially, I could have impacted on your agency: your free will. There’s an ages-old instinct in omegas and betas to obey a direct order from an alpha. It’s wrong to exploit it. So I have to remain mindful of that. If I got carried away, I may have inadvertently tried to tell you to do something that perhaps you wouldn’t want to do. Nothing bad, not like that. But perhaps to come on a date with me, or to agree to do something that would have messed with your schedule and got you in trouble at work. I don’t know - you often don’t know until it happens.”He held up a finger, to let her know he had an important point, in case she was about to question it.“I know I did it only once to you. When I told you to sit down in the pub. But that was a calculated risk assessment of the potential danger you were in if you had remained ignorant of what you were while the territory was in flux, and rogue alphas could find you. Me telling you to sit so you’d hear me out would not cause you direct harm, you were in a public place, a safe place. There were no perceivable risks or harms to you by me having you sit in a safe place and listen.”“I understand,” she said. “Are you angry with me?”“Not at all. At the time I was, I suppose… a mixture of irritated with you but also entranced and doing my best not to let that part take control of my decisions.”“You did very well,” he complimented her. “Admirable, in fact. You are one feisty omega and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that intrigued me.”Aziraphale bit her lip, knowing she was probably blushing. “I’m glad you did speak to me, that we met, because it doesn’t bear thinking about what would have happened if Hastur had been the first lycanthrope I met instead of you. I don’t think Angela - that’s Ms. Michael - would have been able to protect me from him alone without Muriel, so thank you. Thank all of you. I feel… honoured to have been so welcomed into your home and your pack.”“You’re always welcome here,” Crowley said.Shax set her crochet aside, stood up, and stretched. “I’m getting another cup of tea, Aziraphale. Would you like one? If you need to get home instead just let me know, we can give you a lift any time you’d like.” She patted Aziraphale’s shoulder as she breezed past.“Oh another cup of tea would be nice, thank you,” Aziraphale replied, but grateful that Shax had taken the initiative to offer her an out, in case she needed it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley ambled to the bedroom after Eric had driven Aziraphale home, and fell back on his enormous bed with a satisfied, and ever-so-slightly-lovestruck, sigh. After a while, Dagon, Muriel, Furfur, and Ligur came in - all in wolf shape - and piled onto the bed to nap around him.Feeling comforted by being surrounded by his pack, Crowley drifted off as well. Only stirring slightly when Shax and Anathema came to join them later. Then Eric came home, took wolf shape, and cuddled up amidst the pile. Crowley, half asleep, reached out and hugged him, smiling at the lingering scent of Aziraphale on his pack-mate.When he woke a few hours later, after someone had got up to go to the bathroom, he found most of them had snuggled in closer and it was now just one big mutual hug as they shared the pack scent while they slept. Feeling utterly safe and content, Crowley slipped back off to sleep again until the morning.

Aziraphale thought she’d never felt so empty or lost as when Eric dropped her off at her flat. She’d gone from being surrounded by people who understood her, to back on her own again, and her instincts, which had so recently discovered what it felt like to embrace her roots, now knew what they were missing.Her adoptive parents weren’t around any more. They’d been older when they adopted her anyway and had both passed away a couple of years ago. Without siblings, the closest she had to a constant in her life was her boss, who she wouldn’t even see until Monday anyway.Bereft and adrift, she paced her flat, on edge and feeling fairly miserable, having an exceptionally heavy flow day. She’d resorted to a super plus tampon and super plus night pad but was still having to change both every hour. She was pretty used to it, and had always put it down to suspected PCOS or similar. She wondered now, after what the female pack members had told her, if it might be more to do with her lycanthrope genetics causing her non-standard cycles. It occurred to her that she’d never asked about how the moon affected werewolves, if that bore any resemblance to the legends or not, and added it to her mental list of questions for Crowley next time she saw him. Next time…When would that be? She had his number now, presumably they were free to meet and talk frankly. She already knew he had resolved not to ask anything of her that might make her feel obliged to obey him due to his alpha status, so the ball was firmly in her court when it came to setting up another meeting, if that’s what she wanted.After reluctantly catching up on the housework she’d procrastinated over before, Aziraphale finally bit the bullet and texted him. 
‘Thank you for a lovely day yesterday with your family, the lunch was delicious and the company equally so. Thank you as well for your attentive and thoughtful care over the past week, and that of your pack. If you’d like to meet up again this week sometime, with or without your pack, please let me know. I’m free most evenings after work. Aziraphale.’
She hoped it didn’t sound too needy, and just politely encouraging. Sneaking in the hint that she considered him ‘delicious’ added at least a smidgen of flirtatiousness that she hoped he’d pick up on. Then she headed out to the local supermarket to get some groceries before it closed. Her phone pinged just as she stepped out of the door. 
‘The pleasure is all ours, I assure you. The pack have really loved having you around, and me especially so. I didn’t want to be pushy and text you first, but I’d love to meet up this week. How do you feel about dinner on Tuesday after work? I could meet you in the Dirty Donkey and we could go from there? Would you like Dagon to come along?’
Aziraphale smiled, her heart fluttering ten to the dozen, then replied with shaking fingers. 
‘It’s up to you whether you’d like Dagon to accompany us, I don’t mind either way, your company is delightful regardless.’

‘Gotcha. See you 5pm Tuesday, beautiful. ;) ‘
With a cosy warm glow inside, and a spring in her step, at least until the next cramp hit a minute or two later, Aziraphale headed out to the shop.

On the way, Aziraphale began to really take notice of her senses and things she’d always smelled began to make more sense.She just hadn’t known how to interpret it before, or that other people around her couldn’t sense the same things that she could.As strangers walked by, Aziraphale could smell where they’d come from, what kind of place they worked, what family they had, if they had kids or pets. If they’d drunk alcohol recently, what they’d eaten, if they’d had sex recently.  Her nostrils were assailed by the stench of cigarette smoke, and eye-watering layers of scented body products, soaps, detergents, and fabric conditioners overwhelmed the more natural scents. Some were things she’d never had context for, before understanding that her sense of smell was a whole new language she’d never realised she was learning. She resolved to talk to Angela Michael about it on Monday, to ask about her upbringing, and how she’d learned all these things.Then, browsing the shelves at the shop, another scent wafted past her - one that she knew now was unique in her experience to only herself and Ms. Michael. Another type two. She studied the man from the corner of her eye. He was in his fifties, and didn’t appear to have noticed her. She wondered if he was aware of what he was. Surely if he knew, then he’d also recognise Aziraphale as one of his kind, but if he did, he had shown no indication he’d noticed, so perhaps not.She wondered how rare type twos were in the population. Were they more or less common than type ones? How often did type ones reproduce with humans to create type twos? Perhaps they were more rare than type ones? She had no idea - another thing to ask about. She realised she’d forgotten to ask Anathema if there were any lycanthrope authors whose works she might find to read, so texted her before she forgot. Anathema texted back quickly.
‘There are some, but of course in order to keep our society safe, for obvious reasons they would never write openly about the reality of what we are. There are some closely guarded, self-published texts which circulate among our own kind - I have a couple myself, and could borrow more from friends in other packs, but I’m afraid I could only allow you to read them here at our home, not take them away with you, I’m sure you understand.’
Anathema’s reply made Aziraphale smile, not least because it gave her another excuse to visit and spend time with the pack. 
‘That’s wonderful, thank you, I’d love to read them.  Let me know when would be convenient for me to come over.’

‘Any time is fine, you’re always welcome here!’
At the till, Aziraphale joined the same queue as the man who smelled like a type two, and offered him a polite smile. He returned it but nothing more. Not knowing the right words to instigate a conversation along the lines of ‘excuse me, but do you happen to know if you’re half werewolf?’ Aziraphale simply ignored him. Perhaps most type twos were like herself and never knew. She bagged up her groceries, paid, and headed home, thoughtful, but feeling hopeful over what the future might bring.   On Monday morning, Aziraphale sipped some of Anathema’s soothing tea blend, and popped some in a thermos to take to work with her. After a pause, she took the wheat bag as well so she could microwave it at work and lay it across her abdomen while she was sat at her desk working. As the day dragged on, she wished she’d asked Crowley about meeting on Monday instead of having to wait until Tuesday, but she hadn’t wanted to seem too keen. Still, Ms. Michael seemed more open to talking now as they worked, although she paused whenever a customer came in, lest they overhear their unusual conversation. “So did you always know you were a type two?” Aziraphale asked, as they shelved books together. Ms. Michael nodded. “My mother was human, my father was a type one alpha - a very traditional minded family. So I was always aware of what I was - that I’d be a desirable mate - bride - for an alpha, as outmixing with humans is necessary from time to time to avoid genetic bottlenecks. Any offspring I’d have had with a type one, as a type two, would have also been type one. In some lycanthrope cultures, arranged marriages are still practised, although rarer nowadays, my father was very much a traditionalist, so he tended to scare off human suitors - and he was terrifying. Then an alpha from another pack approached him to present his son, Gabriel Archer, as a mate prospect for me. I was resistant at first, but then I met him, and he was handsome and apparently charming, so I relented, and a match was made.”“But he turned out not to be what you expected?”“No. That would be an understatement.” Ms. Michael grimaced. “All charming and lovely, until my gynaecological issues began, the swelling and pain, doctors visits, then sudden emergency surgery - I’d have died without it. I had an enormous ovarian tumour which had strangulated around the uterus and it was going necrotic - I had sepsis and almost died, but once it was all removed, I gradually recovered. He didn’t visit me in the hospital. I was bereft. My mother tried to console me, but when I got out, he wanted nothing more to do with me.”“So he divorced you?”“Worse than that. He broke the bond. And that’s painful, it’s traumatic for an omega to be rejected by her alpha. The bonding process is the most intensely intimate experience of your life, and it’s supposed to be forever, so for that link to be severed…” Ms. Michael’s voice hitched in pain. “It was awful. Worse than the surgery.”“So how do you break a bond?” Aziraphale was mystified. “Well bonding involves a bite which releases hormones into the omega’s bloodstream - then your alpha scent marks over the bite mark, which kind of inoculates you with his own scent. It gets into your bloodstream and changes you.  Then it’s a regular thing - every now and then he’ll repeat it, topping up as it were - your scents mingle, and that of your pack, and you feel content. But if he stops - refuses to bite or give you his scent on your claiming mark - you go into withdrawal, because you’re no longer getting those alpha hormones topped up, so you go cold turkey, and it’s hell. It pitches you into a horrific depression. It’s why some omegas pine away and die if their alpha dies before them. If only he had tapered it off gradually as a kindness, then it wouldn’t be so bad, my body could have become gradually acclimatised to the change, but no. He never marked me again, and it broke me. His pack shunned me so I was no longer even sharing the scent of the pack.  I had nothing. I was alone for the first time in my life. My parent’s pack wouldn’t take me back as I was no longer worthy, I was rejected by all of them. I’ve been on my own ever since.”“You never wanted to try a human partner?”“No human could ever compare after you’ve had an alpha. They’d never even come close. Once you’ve been claimed, you never want another.”“Would you want him back, if he changed his mind?”“No. I hate him, I hate what he did to me. And he wouldn’t even have any power over me any more anyway - without my ovaries and regular hormones, an alpha can’t order me what to do any more, or influence me with scent. So in that regard I’m free.”“Would breaking the bond have had an impact on him as well?”“Not so much. No doubt he’d have been rather sexually frustrated for a while, but he probably found it easy enough to find another willing omega to mate with. Alphas will also mate willy-nilly with humans as they feel like it - it’s where a lot of type twos come from. Human women are easily captivated by them, they just don’t know why. I’m sure he just fucked the feelings away - if he had any feelings, that is. Pardon my language.”“I understand. I’m so sorry your packs treated you so awfully. No wonder you were so suspicious of Crowley and his pack.”Ms. Michael sniffed. “Yes. Well, now you see why.”“So when you first met me, you knew I was a type two, what made you hire me?”“Because you were a type two, who didn’t know what you were. If you knew, you’d have likely recognised me for what I was, and said something. But I dropped some light hints and they went over your head. So I knew you were in the dark over your origins, especially when you told me you were adopted. So I decided to do my best to keep you safe. If you were with me, I could help keep you safe, hide you away from them. It’s why most of the times I smelled you were in heat I had you cataloguing in the cellars.”“I think I noticed, I just didn’t know why.”“So when Crowley walked in, I was furious. Just another smooth-talking charmer who was going to use you and not value you. I didn’t want him anywhere near you. When I found that you’d talked to him anyway, I didn’t know what to do.”“Are you reassured now that he and his pack mean me no harm?”“I suppose so. It’s hard to believe. But you’re right, you’re a grown woman, you deserve to make your own choices, to make your own mistakes if you want to. I told you my reasons, then it was up to you what to do with that information. Just remember it’s not too late to back out. If you change your mind I want you to tell me. I could… I don’t know, see if I could find a way to sneak you somewhere far away where he couldn’t find you. Maybe find another book seller in another city who’d give you a job on my recommendation or something. Please know I’ll always be here for you, Aziraphale, no matter what happens.”“Thank you, I appreciate it. But Crowley really has put my comfort and consent first and foremost in every interaction we’ve had, he really is adamant that this needs to be my choice, my free will. And I trust him. He hasn’t given me any reason not to.”“Well I hope for your sake that you’re right. Just remember I’m here for you either way.”Ms. Michael’s expression was guarded but kind. Aziraphale couldn’t help it, she hugged her boss, who at that moment felt more like a mother to her than her own had been. “Thank you Angela.”Angela returned her hug warmly. “I never had a daughter, but if I did, I’d have been proud for her to have turned out like you.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next day, between customers, Aziraphale asked Angela if she’d met many type twos, outside the context of her old packs, and how rare they were. “Yes, I’ve come across them from time to time - I can smell them of course. Mostly they have no idea what they are. Once or twice I’ve met some who exchanged a discreet nod with me, that they smell me too. At least one seemed afraid of me and ran away - I have no idea why she did, perhaps she’d been told by her parents some terrifying things and thought me a danger, but I’ll never know.”“Have many of them been in London?”“Yes, a fair amount. I met some in America as well of course when I was there.” “On holiday?”“No, it was when my father sent me there to meet my betrothed, who I brought back to England with me again.”“Is there much cultural difference between there and here, as far as lycanthrope society goes?”“Oh yes, and even more when you look at other countries, each is as varied as human cultural differences. In many, things have lagged behind a lot more, omegas as chattels, to be bought and sold with dowries, and with no agency whatsoever - not even able to divorce if they wanted to. Some countries are more progressive than others. In some countries, type ones won’t even consider mating with type twos, let alone humans, which leads to too much in-marrying. It’s harder for them to find a partner who isn’t related to them in some way. In some of those countries, type twos are shunned and even attacked, so you should be aware of that.”As the afternoon wore on, Angela became less and less reticent over sharing her experiences of lycanthrope culture with her protégé. Now and then she even cracked a smile over a fond memory that stood out amidst the more negative ones that plagued her. By the time five o’clock came round, and Aziraphale admitted that she was meeting Crowley again, her employer didn’t look as disapproving as she had before. She simply hugged Aziraphale and told her to stay safe.

Pushing into the crowded pub after work, Aziraphale spied Crowley sitting at a table waiting for her. He stood to hug her and then asked if she’d like a sherry again, having to put his mouth close to her ear to be heard over the din without shouting, which made goosebumps break out on her skin at the proximity, and the momentary thrill that he might be about to kiss her. 
Aziraphale nodded and sat down, then frowned as Mr. Brown spied her from across the pub.  He marched over with a grin on his face, pint of bitter in his hand, to sit down and try to engage her in conversation. 
Mr. Brown owned the carpet shop up the street, and occasionally came into the bookshop, often wittering on about the trader’s association business. Ms. Michael usually gave him short shrift, but he seemed determined to ask Aziraphale if she might persuade her boss to attend the association meetings. He’d always seemed slightly lecherous and creepy to Aziraphale, but the distaste on her face seemed to go completely unnoticed by Mr. Brown, who chattered on enthusiastically at her. At least until Crowley returned, reaching his arm between them to place Aziraphale’s drink on the table before her, and effectively blocking her from Mr. Brown in what was a very claiming manner. “Hello, who’s this then?” he smiled mainly with his teeth - a little larger and sharper than they should be, the smile never reaching his eyes, which glittered behind his shades. Aziraphale could smell a slight spike in his musky scent as he faced the interloper. “Ah, Crowley, this is Mr. Brown, he’s chairman of the Whickber Street Shopkeeper’s and Street Traders Association.”“Is he now?” Crowley replied, sizing up the human. “And what could he possibly want with my beautiful date?” His sharp grin didn’t waver. “Um…” Mr. Brown finally realised the situation, and how dangerous Crowley looked, despite his fake smile. “I was just…”“... Just leaving, perhaps?” Crowley asked, pointedly. “Just leaving myself and my date to talk in private?”“Y…yes. Yes. That’s right, terribly sorry, I must be going.” The human hastily scrambled to his feet and fled. Crowley glared after him for a moment, before turning to Aziraphale and sitting down. He shuffled his chair closer to hers so he could lean in to be heard easier. “Are you alright? You smelled distressed.”“I’m much better now he’s gone, thank you.”“Was he bothering you? Is he trouble?”“Bothering yes, but he’s no trouble, just a nuisance. He is rather difficult to get rid of sometimes, so thank you for doing so.”“No problem.”“You said I was your date,” Aziraphale murmured, leaning in slightly as she sipped her sherry. “Only if you want to be. I just wanted him gone.”“I would like to be,” she replied hesitantly. “If you’d like me to be.”“My feelings since I first met you are unchanged, I still think you’re gorgeous.”“I feel rather bloated and crampy and frumpy right now,” Aziraphale admitted.“And yet still gorgeous,” Crowley smiled. “You look like an angel. Is there anything I can do to help you feel better? If you’re not feeling well I could drive you home instead and we can do this another time. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable just for me.”Aziraphale was still blushing from the ‘angel’ comment. “My mum used to call me her little angel,” she replied. “She said she kept my name that my birth mother gave me, as when she researched it, she found it was the name of an angel. It was my nickname at home for a long time.” She met Crowley’s adoring gaze. “But no, I’d like to stay with you this evening, it makes me feel better.”“Good. I have a reservation for us at the bistro across the road for six o’clock, and then tickets for the opera at seven thirty. There’s something rather special which I think you’ll enjoy.”“Oh! I hadn’t thought we were doing anything more than dinner,” she replied, surprised. Crowley backpedalled rapidly, looking worried. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, sorry it was presumptuous of me, I shouldn’t have done that, or I should have run it by Shax first. We can cancel that bit if you’d rather not.”Aziraphale laid a soothing hand on his arm. “No, it’s fine, I’d love to go to the opera with you, it was just unexpected, but an unexpected delight.”Crowley looked relieved, and took a swallow of his drink. “Didn’t you want a whisky?” Aziraphale asked, noting he was drinking lemonade. “I’m driving,” he pointed out. “Plus I don’t want to be even the slightest bit tipsy while I enjoy your company.” He laid his own hand over hers on his arm, and gave a gentle squeeze, making her heart flutter anew. “You’re intoxicating enough, Angel.”

Later, over dinner, Aziraphale asked why the opera in particular. Crowley seemed amused and winked at her. “What are wolves famous for doing?” He asked playfully. “Er… howling at the moon?” She asked tentatively, wondering if that might be the wrong thing to say. “Correct - although not just at the moon, we howl in many contexts. But yes. Type ones and type twos both tend to have good melodious voices and impressive vocal range and power, so we are well suited to the arts - there are a fair few famous singers who are secretly lycanthropes - or even oblivious type twos. In particular in the opera. I bet you have the voice of an angel too,” he told her with a seductive smile. “I was in the church choir,” Aziraphale admitted. “So that makes sense.” She took another bite, and remembered something she’d been meaning to ask. “Regarding the moon - please stop me if this is an inappropriate or insensitive question - is there any particular link between you and the moon? You alluded to it before but not specifically.”“It’s not insensitive at all, and logical to ask. Culturally, we worship the moon, Lunus, or Luna, she has other names depending on which region you’re from. She’s important to us. Yes we are tied to her in some ways. We can shapeshift at any time, but only on the full moon is it imperative and inescapable. Then we grow a little wilder. So over the ages, each culture has developed traditions to help cope with that inevitable change. After all, if every pack member went feral every full moon, we’d very soon be spotted and hunted down by humans.”“So how do you hide it?”“Having type twos in your pack can help, or self-awareness. Where you lock yourself away for twelve hours or so during the full moon. A lot of us have cages hidden in our homes with time-delay locks, or we have other ways of dealing with it. Sometimes it’s sedative drinks, which Anathema is exceptionally good at. Other packs across the country buy her sedative teas in bulk, it’s a profitable sideline. You sedate yourself then muzzle yourself until dawn. If you’re sleepy enough then you can’t generally manage the buckles with paws, so you just learn to try to relax and get some sleep instead of rampaging.”“Is that what you do?”“I’m not particularly rampage-y to be honest. Never have been when unprovoked. I can be if I’m protecting my pack, but not solely due to a full moon. We make sure we have a good long exercise session, followed by a really big meal, usually raw meat and bones, before sunset, so we have no urge to hunt as we’re too full, then finish with sedative tea and pile up together to sleep it off. I used to muzzle myself just in case, as a sort of societal thing, but I don’t think I need it. Howling at the moon is a form of worship which we practise, before we sleep.”“What would happen if you - or other type ones - ‘rampaged’?”“Historically, and I’m talking thousands of years ago to a few hundred years ago - that night would be when we’d let loose and go on a hunt. Of course the danger would be if a human happened to be out and got in the way when we were hunting deer or other wildlife, and got caught up in proceedings. When not in their right mind, a pack member might think the human was trying to steal their kill or ruin the hunt, and bite or attack them - which led humans to thinking that we were hunting them even if we weren’t. So - if we have a really good exercise session together in the home gym, spend a good long while on the treadmills, and then have an enormous traditional raw meal until we’re stuffed - it fulfils that aspect of the instinct and then we don’t feel the need to do anything more.”Aziraphale finished her dinner, and set her cutlery down, trying to gather the courage to tackle the topic which she was most afraid of. Crowley seemed to sense she was gearing up to say something important, and tipped his head on one side, regarding her intently. “Everything alright?” He asked, concerned. “Yes, it’s lovely, I just… I have something I’d like to talk about, and normally, with humans I mean, or under other circumstances, it might be a subject that one might leave until a little later. But - I don’t think I could bear it if we got closer than we are already, and then what I have to say made you reject me. I’d rather discuss it now, so that if it’s something that changes your opinion of me, then we can perhaps, leave things as they are, and hopefully remain friends.”“Ok…” Crowley said, looking even more worried. “Although I can’t imagine you saying anything that would make me think anything less of you.”“Right, well…” Aziraphale coughed, and took a sip of water, then cleared her throat again and steeled herself to begin. “So - you can obviously smell my hormones, and that aspect fascinates you, as a wolf.” Crowley nodded. “And Angela - Ms. Michael - you smelled that she was different but couldn’t work out why?”He nodded again. “Because she had surgery when she was younger and has no ovaries, hence she doesn’t have heats or the hormone differences that you’d expect to smell, and it interferes with her identity in your culture, correct?”“Correct, but you have ovaries, it’s obvious. I’d be able to smell if it was artificial estrogen.”“It’s real estrogen, and yes I do have ovaries. The thing is… they’re… they’re not connected. They haven’t been for a long time. I never wanted children, so I had my tubes removed. Not just clamped or tied, it’s called a salpingectomy. So I still have the hormones, but not the equipment needed to reproduce, and I’m happy about that. I understand if that’s not what you’re looking for, but I needed to let you know now - because if I had to be with someone who resented me for not giving them children, well, we wouldn’t be a good match, we’d both be miserable if one of us had to compromise ourselves for the sake of the other.”Aziraphale realised she was trembling and her heart was galloping in her chest, expecting at any moment for Crowley to stand up and storm out in disgust. Instead he took a deep breath and smiled warmer than she’d ever seen, with relief writ large across his face. He reached out to take her hand, then he kissed the back of it gently. His lips were warm and soft, and sent shivers up her spine - goosebumps broke out on her flesh and she felt faint. “Angel. You’re perfect, and if you were expecting me to think any less of you for what you just told me, then I’m sorry that I gave you any reason to feel apprehension in that way. Because it just makes me admire you all the more.” He squeezed her hand gently. “Lucy and I were childfree as well, and we were outcast for it, treated as aberrants, for not wanting to ‘uphold traditional values’. In our society, we were seen as deviants. The whole point of alphas and omegas is traditionally to mate and continue the line, and the beta’s role is to help care for their pups. But we never wanted that. And because of it, we’re ostracised. I admit I was worried that you’d want me to give you children, and I’ve been worrying over how to admit to you that I don’t desire that from life. I was scared that you’d reject ME. I really was. I’ve been terrified this whole time. So to hear you say those words, they’re the sweetest thing to fall from your lips except for when you say my name.”With that, he kissed her hand again, making eye contact over the top of his dipped shades, his beautiful golden-amber eyes glittering in the candle light. “Angel, you are perfect to me.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

On the walk along to the opera house, a police car screamed down the street past them, sirens wailing. Aziraphale noticed that Crowley’s hand tightened on hers for a moment. She glanced at his face, to see him apparently biting his cheek, looking tense. “Too loud?” She asked, once it had passed. “Not that,” he replied with an embarrassed smile. “Hazard of living in the city - too many sirens all the time, and you would not believe the amount of self-control it takes not to start howling along whenever we hear one.” Aziraphale giggled, and Crowley chuckled back.“There’s a lot I’m going to enjoy discovering about you,” she told him with a smile. “The feeling is mutual, Angel,” he replied.

Crowley had reserved a box at the opera and sat next to Aziraphale, holding her hand as they watched. Before curtain up, he leaned in to murmur in her ear. 
“Use your nose. I want you to see if you can work out which performers are lycanthrope, or even type twos. I’ll tell you if you’re right or not.”

The first one was easy - as soon as the tenor walked on stage, his eyes flicked up to Crowley and Aziraphale in the box indicating he’d smelled them first, and Aziraphale’s nose confirmed it. Then the principal soprano was also a type one, a tall baritone a type two, with a couple more type twos in the chorus, and she guessed one may be an understudy for the female lead, as she also bore a striking resemblance to the soprano.
Some of those she’d correctly identified also glanced up at Crowley, but a couple of the type twos didn’t - perhaps they were like Aziraphale had been - unknowing of what they were, or how to direct their superior senses. Afterwards, Crowley walked her to the stage door where they waited to ask the lead tenor to sign their programme. As he exited, he ignored the other people gathered around behind the security barrier, and made a beeline to Crowley with a broad smile. It was the tenor who greeted Crowley first with “a pleasure to meet you, sir,” before bowing deeply to Aziraphale, but not offering to shake her hand, and telling Crowley sincerely that he’d be honoured to sign the programme for them, before he moved on to the others. “Do you know him then?” Aziraphale asked, as they left. “Never met him before in my life, I only know him by reputation.”“He seemed to know you.”“Not at all - he was merely recognising by my scent that I was his superior. He’s a beta, not an alpha, so any alpha in the vicinity is automatically in charge, and to have gone to anyone else first would be considered an insult. The same reason he didn’t shake your hand or touch you - you’re an omega accompanying an alpha, so he would presume you to be my consort even if he could smell you are not claimed as my mate. It would be disrespectful to touch you.”  They walked hand in hand back to the Bentley, where Crowley opened the passenger door for Aziraphale, then got in and started the engine. “Best drive you home, don’t want to keep you out too late or your auntie Angela will have my hide,” he remarked with a grin and a wink. “Besides, you have work in the morning, as do I. We got some new clients at the car show on Sunday so we have a couple of new cars coming in for work, which will keep the entire workshop busy this month.”“What is it you do with them?”
“Restorations mostly, maintenance, bodywork, full rebuilds. With the very old ones you can’t just buy a new panel or find one in a scrapyard - you have to hand-roll, beat, and hammer bare metal into a new wing to match the old one. There are many parts which are simply not made any more which you have to work out how to build from scratch. It’s an art that takes a lifetime to learn.”
“Are werewolves immortal?” Aziraphale asked. She hadn’t thought to do so before. Crowley laughed. “Long-lived, yes. Immortal - no. But we don’t mind people thinking that we are.”“How long does a werewolf live?”“Routinely over a hundred. 140 is not unheard of. 160 would be surprisingly elderly.  I think the oldest I’ve heard of was 182, but she was a bit of an outlier. Type twos also tend to be long-lived, if illness or injury doesn’t happen first. You tend to be more delicate and susceptible to human diseases which we aren’t. But type twos generally live into their nineties pretty often, and a fair number of centenarians are type twos, whether they know it or not. There’s a strong lycanthrope culture in Japan, China, India, and some mediterranean countries, which also have the highest percentage of centenarians per capita.”Crowley glanced sidelong at Aziraphale. “Although obviously there aren’t human researchers who are aware of us to be able to produce any official statistics, so these are based on our own scientists working on what data they’re able to collect through collaborative endeavours with other countries. But there does seem to be, albeit anecdotal, evidence that type twos who are mated to type ones, end up living longer still.”“So you still get sick?”
“Rarely. And not to the illnesses that humans get. We have to worry more about things like rabies, distemper, heartworm, and things like that, so young betas are often encouraged to go into either medicine or veterinary medicine fields, so that we have easier access to our own doctors who understand us. For a pack to have a doctor among their number gives them pretty high status, as neighbouring packs will pay a high price to have access to them.”

Aziraphale nodded in understanding - it must be tricky to get medical or veterinary attention when you were really fully neither species. Crowley carried on.

“Our pack doesn’t have our own medic, so we rely on the services of a vet from a pack over in Hammersmith, who has a deal with a doctor in Ealing, they will combine their efforts as needed if a lycanthrope from anywhere in the country comes to them. All packs will regularly pay a retainer to their nearest lycanthrope doctor or vet, as a kind of insurance policy for private care off the books.”
“What would happen if you went to a human doctor?”“Well it depends. When it comes to reproductive systems they’d probably freak out on several counts as our physiology differs to that of a regular human, and it can cause all sorts of questions. I mean, you definitely don’t want to go to a human urologist as a male lycanthrope. The knot makes them panic that you’ve got a tumour or something. So for STI testing we rely on our own doctors.”Aziraphale stared at her hands in her lap, sure she was probably blushing, but secretly pleased that he’d made a point of letting her know that being safe about sex was still important to him despite their differences. “Would you like me to drop you off where I did before?” Crowley asked as they drew closer to her home area. “Take the next street after there, then first left, it’s number fifteen.”
He nodded, and a few minutes later, they pulled up outside the block of flats where she lived. “I’m on the third floor, flat 3B,” she told him. He might as well know now anyway, even if he could have sniffed it out himself. “Would you like to come up for coffee?”
“Best not. We both have work in the morning. Let me know if you’d like to meet up again though, my schedule is pretty much yours if you’d like it.” He gave her a warm smile, and reached out to squeeze her hand, then paused, and lifted it to his lips to kiss it, briefly, and softly, before pointedly letting go again. Clearly he was still worried about going too far. “Thank you,” Aziraphale smiled back. Then, on the spur of the moment, she took Crowley’s hand, and lifted it to her own lips. Crowley looked shocked, but in a delighted way, as she alighted from the car and waved him goodbye, then watched as the car disappeared around the corner. She contemplated his words as she climbed the stairs: ‘if you’d like to meet up again,” and ‘yours if you’d like it’.  Not ‘when’, no pressure, not presuming, not assuming that she simply must be interested in meeting up again - leaving the ball in her court still, with the kiss on the hand perhaps an afterthought to show that he still very much hoped that she would. After a nice hot shower, Aziraphale wrapped herself up in bed, and cuddled Crowley’s scarf, drifting to sleep to his comforting scent, imagining what it would be like to have him there with her, cuddling her. Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, interrupting her reverie. It was a text from Crowley.
‘Sorry if I woke you, I forgot to say, about my schedule being yours, that’s except for next Wednesday, for obvious reasons. 😅 anyway, thanks again for your delightful company this evening, sweet dreams, C.’
Aziraphale was confused. She stewed about it for a minute or two before caving in and deciding to simply ask. 
‘“Obvious reasons”? 
Crowley’s reply pinged back a moment later.
‘I need to get you a lunar calendar. 🤣🐺 🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕’ 
A laughing emoji, a wolf emoji, then the phases of  the moon. She hadn’t even realised there were emojis for that too, and supposed they’d be used a lot in Crowley’s society.
‘Sorry, I feel like an idiot, of course. Sweet dreams x’
   The next day at work, Aziraphale could barely contain her excitement to talk to her boss about her date with Crowley. She recounted the evening to a fairly impassive face, until she got to the part where she’d told him about being sterilised, and his response. Angela’s expression was at first incredulous, then wary, as if looking for the trap, before shifting to a grudging approval, still presumably not one hundred percent convinced that it wasn’t some kind of ploy to ensnare Aziraphale. At least her worldview was beginning to shift a little on the subject. Later that afternoon, Aziraphale got a text from Anathema, to let her know that she’d got a few books together by lycanthrope authors about their culture and history, and Aziraphale was welcome to come round any time to study them.  ‘May I come around this evening?’ Aziraphale texted back, not just keen to see the books, but to get the chance to see Crowley again, and to spend some more time with the pack. 
‘Sure, I’m making a slow roasted beef stew if you’d like to stay for dinner?’

‘That sounds delicious, thank you.’

When Aziraphale arrived later, Muriel was waiting for her when she got off the bus, to escort her to the pack’s flat. She couldn’t help but hug the beta, having grown especially fond of them, and they chatted on the way home. It sounded like the pack was fairly excited that she’d been on a date with their alpha, and his excitement had rubbed off on them. 
When she got up to Anathema’s flat, Aziraphale was welcomed with a hot mug of herbal tea and a hot water bottle, just in case she was still feeling crampy, and although it wasn’t too bad now, she appreciated the thought. Anathema suggested they stay in her flat to read in peace and quiet for a while before dinner, as afterwards the pack would no doubt want to socialise, and of course Crowley would be hard-pressed to resist wanting to spend time with her. He knew she was coming over, and had said he wouldn’t disturb them before dinner.
The books, for being self-published, were beautifully printed and hand-bound. Anathema pointed out one which was particularly old that she’d inherited through her mother’s family, hand-written on fine vellum. It was so old and well-read that Anathema had studied book-binding and rebound it herself in doeskin with a hide she had tanned herself, from a kill she’d made out hunting when she was younger, as she’d wanted to honour her ancestor’s skills and ensure the book carried on to the next generation in good condition. The book was one of old history and legends from the point of view of the werewolves themselves, although Anathema had to help translate some of it, as it was scattered with words and phrases unique to their culture. The style of writing was a fascinating insight into how lycanthropes viewed the world differently to humans - much more was made of scent than of visuals, body language meant more than words, and pack dynamics more important in how life and conflict were managed. Aziraphale felt quite lost in it, and was a little sad when the kitchen timer went off and Anathema invited her to help carry the food upstairs to the pack for dinner. “Furfur has made a lovely dessert for afters, and don’t look so sad, you can come back any time and do more reading, it’s lovely to have you here - especially someone who loves books as much as I do, the rest of the pack isn’t as interested - at least not once they’ve completed their schooling. Sometimes other packs send their teen pups to me for private classes after school on history and culture, and I get them a lot through the regular school holidays as well. Sometimes they’ll pay me in books from their own packs to add to the library. I’ve asked Crowley about letting me branch out into another flat on the floor below mine to expand the library and make a little school, and he said he’d be happy to do that when the current tenant’s lease expires, as he thinks the ones in the smallest flat there are looking to move into a larger place next year anyway.”The pack were delighted to see Aziraphale again, but held back until Crowley had greeted her, taking both her hands, then leaning in to rub his cheek and throat against hers, explaining that it was a more traditional greeting to exchange scents, before asking if she’d be ok with the other pack members greeting her that way in private as well. It felt comfortingly right to Aziraphale - as many things she’d discovered recently did - clearly awakening her dormant wolfish instincts which had been kept under wraps by her purely human upbringing. The pack were ecstatic that she was happy to be greeted in that way, and a flurry of hugs and face rubs ensured, leaving her giggling, and very accepted to have the pack scent enmeshed with her own. Sitting down to dinner, she discussed some of the things she’d learned from Anathema, while the other betas chipped in with things they’d learned from their own birth packs and elders. Conversation ebbed and flowed in various directions, so lycanism wasn’t the sole topic of discussion, nor cars, given that they all worked together under Crowley. While she was obviously aware of Anathema’s love of books, education, and herbalism, she learned that Ligur adopted geckoes, chameleons, iguanas, and was an artist, and Crowley kept houseplants and succulents. She learned that Muriel was studying law and wanted to become a police officer, that Shax enjoyed crochet, knitting, cross stitch, and quilting, Dagon kept exotic fish, Newt liked making scale models and painting warhammer miniatures, Eric was a keen gamer, but also enjoyed learning crochet from Shax, and Furfur had an interest in amateur photography and computer programming.Each pack member had their own interests separate from the pack itself, but the whole pack supported them and took an interest to some degree, buying them gifts to align with their hobbies. After dinner, Aziraphale was shown around a couple of the other flats, admiring various examples of their work. The pack seemed inordinately excited about getting validation from an omega - their alpha’s apparent consort, no less - in their achievements. If they’d been in wolf form, there would have been a frenzy of tail wagging, but it would be nothing to Crowley’s next suggestion. “Who’s up for a walk?” He asked.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale couldn’t help but giggle at the pack’s response. Crowley gave her an amused questioning look. “What?”“You might as well have just said ‘walkies!’” She whispered in his ear, forgetting that their hearing was also extremely acute, and the pack howled with laughter. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Crowley laughed. “We own it. We like to roam, we’re not dogs but we still like to be out in nature - I mean look at us - we’re cooped up in the middle of a city - it’s not the kind of territory that most lycanthropes would flourish in, but over the centuries, enough of us have made it work. You have to feed the wolf within, in order to take care of your mental health.”“So you go jogging?” Aziraphale asked, “run marathons?”“Well that as well, actually, but what I mean is, we need to run in our wolf form. So we take turns remaining human - I’ll take the turn this evening - then we head on out to somewhere suitably wild. Hampstead Heath is a neutral territory where packs from all over London will share that we can go and run. One of us acts as ‘the dog trainer’ and the rest of the pack as the team of protection dogs they’re training. Highly ‘trained’ of course - people may be uncomfy about off-leash ‘dogs’ but I can guarantee you that no dog is ever threatened by us, and we’ll be complimented as the best behaved canids out there. People don’t mind off-leash when they display perfect manners.”“They believe you’re dogs?”“Of course, wolves and wolfdogs aren’t legal here, so we’ll be passed off as German Shepherd, utonagan, malamute crosses or something. You’d be amazed by the amount of people who try to buy us. I turned down an offer of nearly £10k for Muriel once. Even though I threatened to Muriel that I’d take it and send them off to be a police dog.”“If Muriel wants to be a police officer, wouldn’t a police dog be a good alternative?”“In an ideal world, I wish,” Muriel sighed. “It wouldn’t be possible to make it work though.”“Police dog handlers have approached us a fair amount as well looking to buy - it costs them a lot to import dogs from Europe, and they’re impressed by the ‘protection work training’ we can show off which we do when we want to prove we’re not a threat.”Eric changed swiftly into his wolf shape, resembling a large black German Shepherd, and promptly sat down in front of Crowley, immobile and staring up at him with intense focus, as if waiting for the next order. 
“Heel,” Crowley murmured, and Eric rapidly shuffled backwards in a half circle to sit by his ankle, body facing forward, but never taking his eyes off Crowley’s. Next, Crowley stalked forward and indicated that Eric should walk between his legs; again he kept rapt attention on Crowley at all times, to the exclusion of everything else, like a perfectly trained military malinois. Next, Eric lay down, still alert, while Crowley walked ahead, then turned to face him, and at a nod, Eric crawled forward, paused, then crawled forward again at each subtle indicator.
“Now go grab the keys,” Crowley told him. Eric rocketed off, leapt up at the key hooks by the door and grabbed a set in his teeth, then rushed back to sit in front of Crowley and present them to him, tail wagging. “Thank you Eric, at ease.”Eric relaxed but didn’t change back. Instead he ran off again and returned carrying a bunch of dog leashes. “You all go out leashed?” Aziraphale asked. “Nope. We hate it, only if absolutely necessary. But I will carry them all the time just to prove a point. I generally just loop them over my shoulder and across my body. They’re just a prop.” He raised his voice slightly. “Ok crew - van time!”
The rest of the pack transformed into their various wolf shapes in a flurry of excitement, wriggling out of their clothes.

A few even let out a few excited howls, quickly rising to a crescendo, when Crowley joined in, unable to hold back.

As the cry went up, Aziraphale's heart leapt, as though her entire body had just come to life, her spirit had woken up and realised that it was THIS. THIS was what her entire existence had been missing. The world had just tilted on its axis and she felt dizzy, but a good kind of dizzy, as if she wanted to spin and dance in the sound until she fell down - or into Crowley's arms.
The sound filled her soul in a way she'd never felt before, but realised she'd always yearned for, and part of her, deep down, wanted to join in. She didn't - she didn't dare, didn't know if she could, if she should, if it was appropriate, but the desire was there, rising up her throat to be bitten back as she stood, breathless, surrounded by the cry of her pack. In that moment, it WAS her pack, she felt it - the acceptance that had been building since she'd met them, their scent on her and hers on them, how free they felt to be themselves around her, and to give voice to their joy around her, made her feel included like never before, and she knew that she belonged. Aziraphale broke out in goosebumps, a hot shiver up her spine. She felt like she was having the opposite of an identity crisis - an identity awakening, of realising who she truly was, who she had been deep down, all along. She caught Crowley’s eye, and she could see he knew it too - his smile made her heart leap into her mouth once more, and in that instant she wished she could kiss him. But she daren’t, not now - it wasn’t right. Not with the pack all around, but in a way that might have been right. Regardless, she wanted their first kiss to be private. But then the pack was jumping up at her, feeling her joy, licking at her and yelping in excitement, keen but gentle paws all over her, and she went down in a gale of laughter as the pack subsumed her in a happy furry pile. Crowley shrugged and joined in, hugging her tight as the pack wriggled and yelped and licked them both in joy.

Aziraphale hugged them all back, they seemed thrilled for her to be sinking her fingers into their soft fur and petting them as if they were dogs - she had been worried that it would be inappropriate, but their reaction showed her that it was very much enjoyed, so she laughed and ruffled fur and hugged the deliriously happy pack as they surrounded her on the floor, before realising that her hand was stroking through Crowley’s hair as he smiled at her from amidst his pack, but he didn’t seem to mind either. Her hand stilled in surprise for a split second, before she smiled back, and carried on, her fingers sliding through his short red hair and caressing his head. It seemed odd, given that he was still in human shape, unlike his pack, but she rolled with it. Crowley closed his eyes in bliss, leaning into her touch, and then shifted closer and rubbed his face and throat against hers. The whole pack sharing scents in this moment of happiness was sheer perfection, and Aziraphale smiled so much that her face ached. “Alright, enough, pack,” Crowley said at last, levering himself up, then extending a hand to help Aziraphale to her feet again. “Let’s go get in the van and run some of this energy off. I know it’s been an exciting time but there’s such a thing as too much, we don’t want to overwhelm our guest, do we?”Aziraphale was giggling helplessly, and fell into his arms once she was on her feet, feeling something she couldn’t even put words to, to feel his arms around her. He let go after a moment and checked she was alright, and with no more than a raised eyebrow at the rest of the pack, they all sat immediately and fell silent, watching him with intense focus. “Right - van.” Crowley confirmed, tossing the keys in the air and catching them again, he led the way to the door, the pack following quiet and attentive at his heels. Each had picked up some clothing in their mouths to take with them before they followed.“Don’t your neighbours ask about the howling?” Aziraphale asked. “We have the top three floors, and they’re all extremely well soundproofed - plus I’m the landlord - they might hear it faintly now and then, but never enough to be a bother or for anyone to feel the need to complain about. They know, well - they think they know - that we keep a lot of extremely well-behaved, well-trained dogs who rarely ever bark, and rarely ever howl, so when we do, it’s not a big deal.”He opened the door to the stairwell to let the pack through, before taking Aziraphale to the lift, explaining that they’d meet up again at the bottom - the pack preferred to go down the stairs on foot rather than crammed in the lift. She noticed that he put his shades on as soon as he stepped into the lift, ready to hide his unusual eyes from the world.“They’re very well trained,” Aziraphale commented on the way down in the lift.“It’s a performance - an act,” Crowley explained. “I mean, they’d do what I said anyway, but the sit-stay stuff, that’s all just practice, for our safety, to deflect suspicion. So when we’re out and about, people see the pack and think ‘wow, what a well-trained pack of dogs’, and not ‘oh my god, WOLVES! What are those WOLVES doing here?’   So while the pack will obey the alpha unquestioningly - when I’m in wolf shape and someone else, even say, Eric, is playing the ‘human trainer’ - then I’d behave just the same toward him. He’d call the shots in public, and I’d do what he said without hesitation. It keeps us safe.”“Would they ever take advantage of that, even as a joke?”Crowley chuckled. “They could try. I’d likely embarrass them right back though by doing something like taking a leak against their leg as a jokey reminder not to push it.”

The lift doors opened and Crowley went to the stairwell door to open that for the pack to file through, tongues lolling from their rush down the stairs trying to race the lift, everyone panting. Then they arranged themselves obediently behind him and followed them out into the car park where Crowley unlocked a large black van with ‘CROWLEY’S CLASSICS’ livery printed on it in red and gold. He opened the back doors and the pack piled in and lay down on the multitude of dog beds laid out in there. Then he helped Aziraphale into the cab, and they headed off towards Hampstead Heath. He explained that they could walk easily enough from Mayfair, it was a bit over an hour, but walking a large pack off-leash through London could cause a lot of unwanted attention, so they tried not to do it too much, and stick to only a couple at a time. When the whole pack wanted to go for a group run further away from home, it was better to take the van. Visiting Hyde park was easy from home as it was on their doorstep, and they could walk there in a couple of minutes. They also always kept several changes of clothing in the van in case anyone was caught out after changing shape unexpectedly and lost their own.They parked up then Crowley opened the doors, and the pack sat there, almost vibrating with excitement, awaiting permission to alight. With a nod, Crowley gave it, and they surged out, milling around him and Aziraphale, sniffing the ground and the air, but not leaving his immediate ‘bubble’. He locked the van, then offered Aziraphale his hand as they walked up toward the heath in the dark. Aziraphale’s heart fluttered again to have her hand in his, walking so easily together - seemingly a couple alone - although she was surrounded by his pack - she’d never felt safer. The wolves walked obediently to heel, all strictly attentive, until they reached a wider open area, when Crowley gave a nod, and they sprinted off - Aziraphale had never seen an animal run so fast, they streaked off into the night and disappeared, only the occasional excited yip or yelp from the darkness revealing their location. Then one or another would circle around and zip past them again, often with another in pursuit. She realised that she could smell them all around her even when she couldn’t see or hear them, and began to pick out which direction each pack member was in. It was hard as they moved, but she began to detect that Muriel was mostly staying somewhere behind them with Shax, while Eric, Dagon, and Furfur were together ahead somewhere, and Anathema was off to the right. Eric rocketed across their path, and Aziraphale, spying a stick in the grass, picked it up and threw it for him. Eric stopped, and stared at it for a moment, before turning his gaze on Aziraphale, clearly unamused. She realised she’d made another faux pas only when Eric pointedly lifted his leg and urinated on the stick before turning his back on her and walking off. “We’re not dogs,” Crowley reminded her with a whisper in her ear. “Although if you’d thrown a live rabbit, that’d be a different thing entirely. Sticks are just bits of wood - not interesting in the slightest.”“Sorry,” she apologised, and called it out louder after Eric, recieving a half-hearted wag of the tail in reply, his nose was already down, following a scent. Then she smelled Newt returning. He was walking, deliberately, and looking straight at Crowley, studiously ignoring an off-leash terrier dog who was trying to harass him, yapping and charging in to nip at him, to goad him into retaliating. Newt simply approached Crowley and sat down in front of him, not looking away from his face. Crowley growled low and menacing at the terrier, who suddenly stopped, eyes wide, and whimpered, urinating in fear, before running away back toward its owner, who was just coming close enough through the gloom. Newt remained sat perfectly still, and Crowley let out a high whistle. In an instant, every pack member sprinted back to him and sat in a perfect line either side of Newt, all of them staring straight at Crowley, unmoving. “I believe your dog needs a bit of work on his recall,” Crowley commented to the human, who was trying to get a leash back on the wriggling terrier who had been snapping at Newt. The owner looked thoroughly embarrassed, and mumbled an apology before finally managing to scoop up the little yappy thing and carried it away. Once they were gone, Crowley nodded to the pack, who all dispersed once more. “That’s how we have to deal with dogs who try to cause bother. We never approach them, but if they come for us, we can’t risk retaliating, or people will report us as savage vicious dogs, and it could lead to a police investigation. So our pack protocol is, if harassed, return calmly to whoever is being the ‘trainer’ that day, sit, and wait for assistance. We can intimidate them away in human form without moving a muscle, so any human observing won’t see anyone raise a hand to their dog. All they see is an absolutely perfectly-trained dog that hasn’t harmed a hair on their dog’s head either, no matter how much we might want to kick its arse.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Newt had remained, and lifted his back leg off the ground slightly. Crowley knelt down to inspect it - the terrier had bitten him a few times, and poor Newt had had to endure the little shit’s treatment without protest simply so that he wouldn’t be seen as the aggressor. Crowley pulled some antiseptic spray from his pocket to clean up the bites a little, then Newt ambled off again. “He’ll heal up just fine, don’t worry, we’re pretty hardy.” Crowley reassured Aziraphale, taking her hand again as they walked on. “Just a hazard of the job, as it were. We have to be extra careful to never be seen as dangerous, no matter what the provocation.”“If you’d like to have a run, I don’t mind pretending to be the trainer for a little while,” Aziraphale offered shyly. Crowley leaned into her a little as they walked and gave her a sidelong smile. “Just being with you is getting my heart racing enough, Angel,” he murmured, giving her hand a little squeeze. “But I may take you up on the offer sometime in future. For now I just want to be like this with you, under the stars, and Lunus.” He glanced up at the moon. “Is there a reason you call it ‘lunus’ rather than ‘luna’ or other things?” Aziraphale asked. “It’s what our culture calls her, at least in this region. I daresay they have other names for her in other countries, but that’s ours. We love to sing to her, and she listens to us, along with our ancestors up there around her - the stars in the sky are her pack, made up of all our family and pack members from the past. When they leave us, they join the pack of Lunus.”They ascended a hill and then Crowley turned Aziraphale to gaze out across the horizon. All of London was spread out below them, the lights glittering in the night sky. Aziraphale gasped at the sight. “Oh Crowley, it’s beautiful!” From the woods to the left, a nightingale began to sing its melodious song.“Have you never been up here before?”“No, I wish I had.”“So do I,” Crowley replied, his voice gentle. “I might have met you a lot sooner, and I wouldn’t have had to spend so much of my life not knowing you existed.”Aziraphale turned to him, to see he’d removed his shades again, confident in the darkness that no one would see the strangeness of his golden eyes. But Aziraphale could see. He was exquisite. He was more beautiful than the view - than the lights, or the stars, or the moon. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her, holding her close, gazing into her eyes as well, but she knew he wouldn’t take the initiative to kiss her - she understood that with a sudden clarity. He was an alpha, and he’d made a promise to her that he wouldn’t push her, so it was up to Aziraphale to decide when she was ready. She was ready. Aziraphale leaned in, running her hand up the nape of his neck to caress his hair once more, encouraging his head down to her level. He complied without hesitation, smiling faintly, and she realised she could feel his pulse thundering against her touch. She placed her lips against his - so soft and warm and welcoming, and kissed him. Only once she had begun it, did Crowley return it - soft and gentle, as if checking she was certain that this was what she wanted, and only as her arms tightened around his slim frame, did his kiss grow deeper, more ravenous, and she felt a satisfied, but possessive growl rumble up through his body and into hers as he clutched her back fiercely. She felt giddy and lightheaded, and allowed him to support her body, drinking in his kisses as if he were the most addictive substance in the universe. She never wanted it to stop. Aziraphale lost track of time, all she wanted was to keep on being consumed by her alpha, to become completely his. She wanted to bare her throat and submit to him. As she came up for air and did so, he nosed up her neck, kissing, licking, and gently nibbling at her skin, then rubbing his own scent against her before repeating it again, and then capturing her lips once more and kissing her senseless. He might have carried on indefinitely had not an extremely brave Shax paused several feet away and let out a low questioning noise. She wouldn’t dare growl - not to her alpha beginning to claim his omega, but she wanted to remind him to be aware in as respectful a manner as possible. Aziraphale glanced over to her, to see the wolf poised to flee should her alpha take exception to her interruption. “Crowley,” Aziraphale whispered hoarsely. “Perhaps we should…” But with a possessive growl, his lips were silencing her once more. She lost herself in it for a moment, before remembering herself, and pushing back against him slightly. This time, Crowley leapt backwards as if he’d been burned, his face shocked and ashamed, instantly apologising. “Fuck! Sorry, that was too much, are you alright? Shit. I shouldn’t have done that, I got carried away…”“Crowley, shh.” Aziraphale reached out to take his hand and still his panicked rambling. “That was wonderful, but perhaps we should rein it in a little.”He nodded hastily, embarrassed. “Yes, right. Yup. Definitely. Sorry, it’s just… just so hard. You’re… intoxicating. I feel like I want all of you right now, and I shouldn’t be like that. It’s hard to fight the instinct of the alpha within. I’m sorry.”“Please don’t be sorry, that was wonderful.”He smiled, and stroked her face and hair, drinking in the sight of her. “We should get you home, really, mustn’t keep you up too late. You’d be welcome to stay over with us tonight and go to work from ours in the morning - and by that I mean stay with Anathema in her flat if you like, I promise I wouldn’t try anything.” “Not even if I asked you to?” Aziraphale whispered back with a teasing smile, which poleaxed Crowley and left him lost for words at her brazen attitude, making her laugh, then lean in to kiss him on the cheek. “I was teasing, I’m not quite ready for that just yet, but I’d rather like to explore that option a little later,” she whispered in his ear. “In case you were worried that I didn’t want to.” Never had she wanted her period to fuck off quite so much as right now. “But perhaps I should head home. I’d like to visit tomorrow again to read some more with Anathema, if that’s alright.”“Angel, you don’t have to ask my permission to spend time with my pack, they have their own lives and friends as well. You don’t even have to see me if you only want to see Anathema tomorrow, I don’t want to monopolise you.”“I wouldn’t dream of it. If I’m visiting your building, from now on I refuse to leave until you’ve kissed me.”“I can definitely get down with that,” Crowley agreed, kissing her lightly on the cheek as they walked.

The pack began to return to them again, until they were surrounded once more by panting wolves, two of whom had deceased rabbits in their jaws, another was licking their lips and had rabbit fluff stuck to their muzzle. Clearly they had all had a fulfilling evening. Crowley opened the door of the van and sat on the edge of the load bay, reaching for a packet of paw wipes tucked into the door pocket, each wolf came and held up their muddy paws to be wiped clean so that they wouldn’t get the dog beds too dirty on the way home. He did each front paw, then each back paw, finishing with a quick wipe along the underside of their bellies in a clearly well-practised routine as each alighted and settled in the van. Aziraphale offered to help, and Crowley passed her some wipes. Soon everyone was flat out in the back of the van, although Muriel sat in the doorway of the van, rabbit still in their jaws, and held it up to Aziraphale expectantly. She glanced at Crowley. “It’s a gift,” he explained. “A beta will offer a gift to their omega, it’s customary.”Aziraphale took the still-warm, soft rabbit from Muriel with an uncertain smile and said ‘thank you’. Muriel wagged their tail enthusiastically, then curled up in their own dog bed, and Crowley closed the door on them, before reaching out to tactfully take the dead rabbit from Aziraphale. “I can keep it for you if you like. Or I could give you a recipe for my mum’s rabbit stew - if you have a slow cooker, it’s really easy and delicious.”“I’ve never, er… prepared a fresh animal for eating before.”“Oh I can show you how if you want. It’s easy enough to peel them, although be warned there’s not a lot of meat on wild rabbits - not like the huge meat breed ones you get from the butcher’s - they’re mostly fluff, but add some veg and there’s enough for a stew for one person. We usually eat them whole, of course.” He helped her into the cab of the van again, and then got in himself, laying the rabbit on the bench seat between them. “I’ll drop you back at yours first, then take this lot back home. I’ll dress the rabbit for you, and you can pick it up tomorrow with the recipe, or I can make it for you if you like? Ligur has a spare rabbit back there as well, I could make us a nice little meal for two?”“But that’s his rabbit,” Aziraphale protested. “That’s the pack’s rabbit. He’s caught thousands and ate one already earlier, that one’s a surplus. Trust me, it’d make him feel honoured to give it to his alpha. It’s how we work - don’t think in human terms, those norms don’t apply to us.”When they pulled up outside Aziraphale’s building, Crowley leaned over and gave her a soft kiss, showing remarkable restraint this time, and watched as she walked to the door, until she got inside, before driving off.

Aziraphale was tired but buzzing with excitement, she could have stayed up all night. She wanted to roam the heath with Crowley, to learn about scents and how to use her other senses properly - to run under the moon with them, to join in the howl. All of a sudden, every instinct that had lain dormant inside her whole life had been released like a breaking dam, and she felt deluged by all the new emotions. Something in Crowley’s kiss in particular had seized her by the heart and refused to let go. Aziraphale thirsted for him, hungered for him, lived for him. Her life felt empty without his immediate proximity. She suddenly regretted not accepting the invitation to stay over with the pack, and briefly considered calling Crowley back on the phone to pick her up again, but that was foolish. She needed sleep, it had been an emotional rollercoaster since the moment she’d first met him. She needed her own bed, and sleep. After a shower, she fell into bed, exhausted, and only woke when her alarm went off in the morning. She silenced it and snuggled under her duvet, imagining what it might be like to wake under a big pile of wolves with soft, warm fur, to be surrounded by that safe, comforting pack scent, to feel affectionate noses, little friendly licks, to know she was surrounded by love and safety. She closed her eyes and imagined it for a few minutes, until the snooze alarm went off again, making her sigh and get out of bed at last. At least she could look forward to seeing Anathema again after work and reading some more, then spending more time with Crowley and the pack.

At work, Angela glanced up as Aziraphale came in, wrinkling her nose. She commented drily as Aziraphale hung up her coat and put herself to rights. “Been running with the pack, have you?”“Well, not exactly. We went for a walk after dinner.”“Rabbit?” Angela was sniffing the air. “Yes and no. Dinner wasn’t rabbit, but it will be tonight. They caught some on the walk.”“You’re smelling a lot stronger of Crowley now, not just the pack,” Angela commented, then noted Aziraphale’s blush and expression, raising an eyebrow. “What happened?”“We, um… kissed,” Aziraphale mumbled. Angela sighed. “Well I suppose I saw it coming anyway. And I’d smell if he did anything else.”“He was a complete gentleman, and his pack have his back to remind him if he starts to feel a little too amorous.”“Glad to hear it. So you’re going there for dinner tonight as well?”“Yes, Anathema has a wonderful library of books on lycanthrope culture, including a fascinating one that has been in her family for generations, she hand bound it herself when the old binding became too fragile, it’s exquisite. I wouldn’t even know how to put a valuation on it, not that they’d ever consider parting with it, and couldn’t let it fall into human hands. You really should see it. In fact I think you’d get on with Anathema as well if you spent some time with her.”Angela gave a noncommittal shrug, and bent her head to her notes again. “Angela?” Aziraphale asked softly, sensing there was still some tension there. “What’s wrong? You know Crowley has been kindness itself to us both, as have his pack, I know you have your reservations after how you were treated, but you still seem so unhappy about me being accepted into their pack.”Angela set her pen down again with a sigh, and looked up and gazed blankly out of the window at the bustling street outside for a moment. “I haven’t been part of a pack for a very long time.  I was born into one, my mother was a regular human, a second mate, alongside the primary omega. My father an alpha. My pack gave me to Gabriel, and then I was part of his pack. When we split up, I lost both - my father’s pack wouldn’t take me back, but then I realised that I didn’t want them to anyway - I wanted to be like my mother’s side - just to be human, not get caught up any more in their way of doing things. But I admit that at least a part of me missed it - the days before Gabriel, that is. To know what it was like to be part of a pack, even if I wasn’t completely like them. As a type two I was always a bit of an outsider, unable to transform. My father took a second wife, who was already a type two, as my mother couldn’t give him type one offspring, but his type two wife could.”She fiddled with her pen, and avoided Aziraphale’s gaze. “I felt more independent on my own, than living within the hierarchy of a pack, but when I met you, knowing that you were like me, over time I’ve come to, in a way, think of you as more than just an employee.” She finally looked up. “You are my pack, Aziraphale. There’s just the two of us, but I felt a little bit less alone, knowing you were more like me than them. That is - than lycanthropes OR humans. Even if you weren’t conscious of it.”“And now you’re afraid that Crowley will steal me away, and you’ll be on your own?”Angela looked down at the desk, and gave the subtlest of nods. “Angela, I’m so sorry.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale stepped closer to her boss, then knelt by her chair, and hugged her. “Angela, I don’t want to leave you behind. You’ve been a very kind mentor to me, and behind the scenes you’ve been protecting me from things I didn’t understand even when I wasn’t aware of it, and for that I’ll be forever grateful. I love working here, I love this bookshop, and I enjoy spending time with you as well.  I wouldn’t want to stop even if I join Crowley’s pack full time. Please don’t be afraid of losing me, I’ll always be grateful to you, you’ve been like another mother to me. Not many people are lucky enough to have three of them. My birth mother, my adoptive mother, and my work mother.”Angela sniffed back tears and hugged her back. “Thank you Aziraphale.”A few minutes later, Aziraphale was texting Crowley. 
‘May I invite Angela to join us this evening as well? To get to know Anathema and the rest of you a bit better? I really think she needs to. I wanted to ask her but I can’t exactly invite her to someone else’s home.”
The reply was almost instantaneous. ‘Of course, we’d be delighted to have her here, bring her along for dinner. C x”
‘Could Anathema maybe text me requesting Angela come to look at some books perhaps? She might find it easier to justify accepting that way? x’

‘Sure x’
A minute or two later, Aziraphale’s phone buzzed with a text from Anathema. 
‘Hi Aziraphale, I was wondering, I have a couple of books I’d be interested in getting an insurance valuation on. Do you think your boss might be amenable to coming along with you tonight to take a look at them? I’d be very grateful, Anathema.’
Aziraphale took the text to show Angela. “What do you think? You’d be with me, not alone, and they are very lovely, and it’s not as if you haven’t met them before.”Angela regarded the message for a moment, then nodded. “I might as well, I suppose.”

Work continued as usual for the rest of the morning, but as they sat down to take a break for lunch, it was clear that something was on Angela’s mind. Eventually she swallowed the last of her tea, and sighed heavily. “What we talked about earlier, and you referred to me as a mother figure… well I suppose your human mother would never have been able to have the talk with you about how things work, specific to lycanthropes.”Aziraphale blushed. “I haven’t got that far with Crowley yet…”“I know, I’d be able to tell if you had, which is part of why I should probably prepare you for what to expect.”“Crowley did mention some things, but there was a lot to take in at the time. He did later mention about them having their own doctors for things like, erm… testing, and suchlike.”“Good to see he sounds responsible, although to be honest there isn’t an awful lot that’s transferable between type ones and humans, and type twos tend to be fairly resilient to both on the whole. But with lycanthropes, an STI or pregnancy aren’t the only considerations to intimacy.”Aziraphale listened politely, not quite daring to make eye contact, but feeling a bit better about learning about things from Angela than from people in the pack. “Well we both know you’re already aware about the strength of an alpha’s urges - which are notably stronger when you’re in heat - which is the most fertile time of your cycle, but unlike humans, it tends to present in insistent urges for, er… activity as well, and makes you more susceptible to an alpha’s demands.”“Crowley has been very respectful…” Aziraphale protested. “Yes, I know, and that is very admirable. But when it comes time that you two do get a bit closer acquainted, well… there’s not just the physical attributes to worry about, but there’s a fundamental change as well. There’s the actual, well, carnal act. By which I mean the physical part of it, but then there’s also the marking and claiming.”“So how does that work?”“Well physically, their genitals have more canid attributes, namely something called a knot, which can be physically uncomfortable, or even painful, particularly the first time you experience it, it will swell up and ‘tie’ you together for a while until it goes down. You won’t be able to uncouple for up to an hour afterwards, so it’s important to only undertake activities when you know you’re somewhere safe where you won’t be disturbed. In the den with the pack outside to protect you is best usually. You certainly don’t want to be anywhere that humans might interrupt or find you.”“And the marking? Is that like the scent marking thing?”“As well, but more. It’s not just when he rubs his scent on you. He would bite you, and scent mark the bite, which would combine your scents, lay his claim on you. It causes some physiological changes to your hormones, as well as psychological. You’d become, for want of a better word - addicted to him. It does give you a good layer of protection from other alphas - no one would ever dare touch you again, and your status skyrockets, even among strangers. Your alpha would refresh the claiming bite regularly, and you’ll beg him to. But if he ever stops…” “Like Gabriel stopped with you?”“Yes. It hurts. It’s awful. The worst withdrawal ever, the worst depression ever. I told you about that part before. It’s wonderful so long as it’s happening, but when it stops, you’ll wish it never happened at all.”Angela faced Aziraphale fully, and took her hands in her own. “Aziraphale, you need to be really, really sure - absolutely certain - that this is what you want. It is a very intense experience, it can be painful, and it will change you - you’ll never be the same again. Perhaps that’s where the myth came from of changing into a werewolf from a bite came from. It wouldn’t do anything to a human, but to a type two, who appears human, it will awaken the wolf side of you that’s been dormant - it will feel like the best thing that ever happened to you, but you will never be completely one of them - it will remain conditional on your alpha marking you regularly. Once it’s over, and you can’t get back what you lost, it’s like you lost what it’s like to be truly you.”“Thank you for telling me. I know how painful it must be for you to have to dredge up such things, and I’m grateful that you want to protect me. I had already been thinking about the bits that Crowley had told me, and what you told me before. It does sound daunting. But it has to be said, the more time I’ve spent with the pack, and with Crowley, the more it’s awakened me to who I feel like I’ve been all along, and who I want to be. But I’ll still think on it more. Thank you.”They hugged again, and for the first time, Angela rubbed her cheek and neck against Aziraphale’s. It felt comforting - for both of them.

After work, Aziraphale led her boss to what she was coming to think of as ‘the den’, the building where the pack lived. Again Muriel came to meet them at the bus stop, and hugged Aziraphale happily. “Crowley is making stew with the rabbits we caught,” they told her as they walked to the den. “We had a couple more in the freezer as well to add to the stew so there’s enough for everyone to enjoy.”“I haven’t had wild-caught rabbit in a long time,” Angela commented. “I look forward to it.”Anathema was genuinely thrilled to see Angela, as she had wanted to befriend her from the moment they met, if it hadn’t been for the initial frosty reception. She eagerly showed her the contents of her library while Aziraphale got down to reading and making notes again.“We all feel like we know you already, really,” Anathema was saying. “Your smell is part of Aziraphale’s because you spend so much time together. I know you weren’t interested in knowing us at first, but we understand, we just hoped you’d come round.”“Well now your scents are all over Aziraphale too, I suppose it has helped familiarise me with you as well,” Angela replied. She did seem excited to explore Anathema’s library, and was soon chatting away happily over a cup of herbal tea, animosity completely evaporated. Soon Shax came in to join them, as her crochet pattern books, along with most other pack member’s books which they wanted to share, had been assimilated into Anathema’s pack library. Shax decided to stay and chat while she worked as well, and after a while, Eric also joined them, although he seemed to just want to be part of things in general. He sprawled out on a beanbag, and after a little while, shapeshifted into his wolf form, yawned, stretched, then curled up and fell asleep.

After a while, Furfur came down to let people know that Crowley was going to serve dinner in the penthouse apartment in about half an hour. He walked over and nudged the sleeping Eric with a toe. “Oi, bunnylugs, you hear that, pup?”Eric grumbled and rolled over, curling a lip, and sleepily changing back into a human shape again. “You snooze you loose,” Furfur reminded him. “And I’ll eat your portion.”“You just try it, fossil-fur,” Eric said, stretching with a huge yawn. “I’m faster’n you.”Aziraphale and Angela both thanked Anathema for letting them explore the library - Angela had in fact done some valuations for her, and didn’t seem to have suspected it had been partly a ruse to invite her to join the pack for dinner, and she seemed to be mellowing to the entire experience more as the afternoon wore into evening. Upstairs, Crowley had laid out the large marble dining table with Dagon’s assistance. He greeted Aziraphale with a heart-melting smile, a tender kiss on her cheek, followed by enthusiastic face and neck rubbing, before indicating a seat to the right of his at the head of the table. Then he greeted Angela by taking both her hands in his own and bowing his head then looking up. She smiled and leaned in slightly, so they briefly touched cheeks in an air-kiss, which seemed to Aziraphale to have the subtle effect of a brief scent exchange. It wasn’t as thorough as he’d done with her, or the rest of the pack did. But it was a token scent rub that she guessed was an initial gesture to indicate that her welcome had a little more depth than usual. More importantly, Angela seemed content to return it. Aziraphale noticed Muriel almost vibrating with excitement as Crowley brought the stew out, presumably excited that it was their rabbit which had sparked the idea, and she guessed Muriel was also seeking approval from Aziraphale for their gift. Crowley served Aziraphale first, then Angela, before himself, then Shax, Dagon, Furfur, Anathema, Ligur, Newt, Muriel, then ending with Eric. Angela looked surprised that Crowley had served her before himself, and hesitated to eat until he had. Aziraphale had been finding out a little more about the origins of pack structure and tradition in the books that Anathema had shared with her. She’d learned that, unlike with humans, where the host served everyone first and themself last, in a pack, the alpha always ate first, except when he has a mate, when he will share his food with her first, and then he eats, then the rest of the pack in order of hierarchy.After the alpha and his mate, or consort, if a high-ranking alpha was visiting, then they would be served, and then the most senior members of the home pack, down to the lowest ranking beta. Even the alpha’s pups stood higher in ranking than the mid-level betas, so if Crowley DID have offspring, they would outrank Eric and Muriel from birth.So for Crowley to honour Angela by serving her before taking the best part of the meal for himself was unprecedented to her.Ever since she’d parted with Gabriel, she had no rank. She wasn’t even an omega any more since she lacked the hormones which marked her as one. Crowley was effectively recognising her rank as Aziraphale’s mother.

After dinner and some relaxation, when several pack members felt relaxed enough around Angela to switch into their wolf forms and sprawl out, Crowley asked if Angela would like to join them and Aziraphale on a walk, just a shorter one at a nearby park which they could walk to easier without needing the van, and again she seemed surprised to be invited, but agreed, and followed along. “I used to do this, with my old pack, and with my younger half siblings - I’d pretend to be their ‘owner’ to keep them safe,” Angela told Aziraphale. “So it’s a common way to let the inner wolf out for other packs too?”“Yes, especially in cities. Although I always felt a little sad that I couldn’t transform like they could.” She turned to Crowley. “You can have a run too, if you like. Aziraphale and I can take charge if you’d like to run.”Crowley raised his nose in the air to sniff, checking the coast was clear and there weren’t any people nearby who could see him transform, then smiled, pecked Aziraphale on the cheek, handed her the bundle of leashes, then transformed. Angela’s eyes went wide to see his tall, gangly wolfish form.

(Illustration by Elwyst. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “Oh!” She exclaimed, as Crowley took a deep play-bow to them both, tail wagging and tongue lolling, he bounced around a little then zoomed in a high-speed circle around them.  He then booped Aziraphale’s leg with his nose, and zoomed off again at speed with his long legs covering the ground surprisingly fast as he melted into the darkness ahead of them. Aziraphale bent to pick up his clothing to keep it safe for him.“I haven’t seen anyone who looks like him before,” she whispered to Aziraphale. “He can’t be full wolf.”“He doesn’t think so either, it wasn’t until I commented on his similarity to a maned wolf that we thought that it’s possible that he’s half wolf, and half maned wolf.”“His eyes!”“He has no idea where they came from,” Aziraphale admitted. “But I think they’re beautiful.”“He’s a good cook,” Angela commented. “I haven’t had rabbit that good in a long time.”There was some barking from the other end of the park, then suddenly the whole pack came out of the darkness and sat in front of Aziraphale, paying her rapt attention, with Crowley in the middle, just his tail tip twitching slightly. “Are there dogs in the park now?”Crowley inclined his head ever so slightly to indicate a ‘yes.’ Presently a dog walker with a couple of doodles came out of the gloom.“Why aren’t your dogs on a lead?” He demanded. Angela took over. “You’ll notice that all of ours recalled immediately as soon as they saw yours, and are all sitting ignoring yours completely. They won’t move a muscle unless we give them permission.”The man’s doodles were straining at their leashes and barking at the pack, who continued to ignore them.  Aziraphale caught Crowley’s eye, then motioned to her heel with one hand. He leapt up and circled to sit at her heel, not taking his eyes off hers, quivering with a clear desire to do whatever she asked of him. She motioned palm down with her hand, and he dropped to his belly, then palm up, and he stood. “Away,” she told him, pointing ahead, and he sprinted off, until she called out “halt, sit, lie down”, which he did in turn. Aziraphale turned back to the doodle owner, who was almost getting his shoulders yanked out by his pulling pair. “It’s somewhat easier on the arms this way,” she pointed out to him, then addressed the rest of the pack, all eight of them and said “lie down.”All of them lay down as one. The doodle owner, without any riposte to that, dragged his yelping dogs away, looking embarrassed. “Sorry,” Aziraphale apologised to the pack. “You can go.”“Don’t be sorry,” Crowley’s voice came from the dark - he’d evidently sneaked off into the bushes and changed back. He took his bundle of clothes off Aziraphale and tugged them on again. “You did exactly what we needed you to, it was perfect.” She blushed and again tried not to stare at his gorgeous naked body as he covered it up quickly and efficiently. He was evidently the master of the quick change - she supposed all werewolves must be.He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “For the record, you’re more than welcome to do that again, I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it.” (Have some maned wolf gifs just because I need everyone to see what inspired Crowley to look like he does. In the first one he's literally picking apples from a tree.)
(Can't see the image? Click here)

(Can't see the image? Click here.)

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Afterwards, Crowley sent Eric upstairs to fetch the keys to the Bentley for him, so he could drive Angela and Aziraphale home.

On the way, Angela spoke up.  “I hope you’re not intending on inviting Aziraphale over next Wednesday.”
“You’ll be pleased to hear that I already let her know that evening is not free in my schedule,” Crowley replied with a smile. “I and my pack shall be otherwise occupied.”“A hunting trip to the country?”“Nah, I mean we do occasionally, for special occasions, but no. We hit the gym, have a big dinner, then flake out for the night. I’ve pre-ordered two whole sides of beef from a butcher I have a deal with.”Angela nodded in approval. “Sounds very sensible. Well thank you for your hospitality this evening, it was most enjoyable.”They pulled up outside the bookshop, and Crowley got out to open the car door for Angela, helping her out, then leaning in to press his cheek to hers in farewell. She returned his warm smile, and then went inside, leaving Aziraphale to move to the front seat for the drive back to her flat. 
Having remained fairly restrained all night, once Crowley had parked up outside Aziraphale’s, his goodnight kiss turned into a passionate kissing and necking session more appropriate to a pair of horny teenagers.

He managed to rein himself in with some difficulty, he pulled back after a few minutes, breathing hard.
“I have to go home,” he panted. “And you need some sleep.” He caught Aziraphale’s hungry expression. “You need sleep,” he repeated, firmly. “I can see you tomorrow, if you like, but we should call it a night there.”Aziraphale nodded, then leaned in to rub her cheek against his one last time, adoring being covered in his scent, then headed indoors. Once the outer door to the flats closed behind her, the Bentley pulled away into the night. Once in bed, Aziraphale couldn’t help it, she held Crowley’s scarf to her face and used her vibrator until she’d climaxed several times and fell asleep, exhausted.  She woke up to a text from Crowley she hadn’t seen last night. 
‘Can’t stop thinking about you, I wish you were here with me right now, but I love smelling your scent in my home, it keeps me going. Sweet dreams Angel. X’
She texted back as she lay in bed stretching out. 
‘I can’t stop thinking about you either. I fell asleep cuddling your scarf. X’

‘I’d rather you were cuddling me.’

‘Likewise X’

‘See you later Angel?’

‘Definitely. Miss you x’

‘Miss you too, beautiful. Have a nice day at work. X’

Aziraphale didn’t miss Angela’s curious sniff when she arrived at work in the morning, and smiled to herself to know it was because she was checking if Crowley had done anything inappropriate after she’d left them together last night, and being satisfied to smell that he hadn’t. Interestingly, that afternoon, Aziraphale’s senses perked up as someone passed outside the shop. A quick sidelong glance at Angela showed that she’d picked up on the same thing that Aziraphale had. They exchanged a glance. “Type two going past,” Angela agreed. “Likely they don’t know what they are, or curiosity would probably have drawn them into the shop to find us. But it will also nag at them from the back of their mind for the rest of the day, without quite knowing why.”“I used to get that I think - when I didn’t know what I’d sensed or why it made me feel odd.”“Now you do,” Angela smiled at her. A text pinged through from Crowley after lunch. 
‘Been checking and scent marking the boundaries today, if I finish up in Soho I can pick you up after work to bring you over, if you like? X’

‘Yes please, I look forward to it x’
The distinctive engine note of the Bentley cruising down the street later made Aziraphale’s heart flutter. She glanced at her watch and noted that he was early. Instead of interrupting her work, Crowley parked outside - illegally again, naturally - although the parking warden merely glanced at the car this time, and made a point of ignoring it, giving Crowley a polite smile as he passed. Crowley lounged in the seat to wait. Angela noticed as well and gave an approving nod. At a few seconds to five, she heard the Bentley’s door open and close, and then bang on 5pm sharp, Crowley sauntered through the bookshop door with an easy smile for her. “I’ve come to steal away your hardworking employee,” he called out to Angela with a mischievous tone. “Anathema has plenty more books for her to lose herself in at the den. I’m starting to wonder whether she comes more for the books than for me.”“Definitely the books,” Aziraphale said, standing and rubbing her cheek against his - it was feeling so natural now to do so. Crowley hugged her and rubbed back, laying his scent over her own. She waved at her boss, and left with Crowley, excited to be back with him again.

In the car, she sneaked glances at his elegant profile, admiring the handsome line of his jaw, his slightly pouted-out lower lip, and aquiline nose. Part of her longed to just reach out and touch, to caress his skin, to feel the subtle prickle of his stubble along his jaw, to brush over the softness of his lips, run her fingers through his short red hair. She didn’t want to distract him from the road however. Crowley began to smile. “Someone’s getting feisty,” he commented wryly. “Pardon?”“I can smell it. Your interest. You’re getting a little hot and bothered. See something you like?”Aziraphale was embarrassed to be caught out and blushed. “I forget just how much more you can sense.”“Angel, your scent is driving me mad with desire right now - it’s almost like when you’re in heat. That particular scent indicates… a willingness to mate.”“I suppose I shall never be able to keep a secret from you, then.”“Just because I can smell your arousal doesn’t mean I’m obligated to respond to it, no matter what my instincts have to say on the matter. I won’t say the validation isn’t flattering though. Good for the ego.” He gave her a typically wolfish grin, and reached across to squeeze her hand affectionately for a moment, before re-taking the wheel to make a turn. He then glanced downwards quickly, before raising his eyes from his lap to the road again, with an awkward grin and a blush of his own. “You can ignore that,” he said. “My body doesn’t always get the memo, sorry.”
Aziraphale didn’t exactly want to ignore it, but tried not to look directly at the bulge in his tight black jeans, instead sneaking surreptitious glances at it from the corner of her eye, glad it wasn’t just her body which was responding in ways which couldn’t easily be hidden from the other. His musky alpha scent had spiked as well, and it was having a positive feedback loop on her own arousal.

When they pulled up outside Crowley’s building and he shut the engine off, instead of getting out of the car, Crowley turned to Aziraphale with an expression that didn’t need any translation. She fell into his arms and they kissed hungrily, unleashing the pent-up desire since last night. Crowley was growling possessively in a way which turned her insides to jelly, and she knew her panties were getting wet just from his kiss, his touch, and the sound of his growl against her body.
He lifted off to kiss and rub against her neck urgently, clutching her close. “Fuck you’ve got me feeling like a horny teenager, I’m in my forties for Lunus’ sake. I don’t know how I could ever resist you. You make it hard in more ways than one.”He began to nip at her neck gently - not breaking the skin, but somehow making her wish that he would - was that the instinct that she’d been told about? It must be. She whined and lifted her chin higher, begging for more of his ravenous attentions.They were interrupted by Crowley’s phone ringing. He jabbed the speakerphone in the car. “I’m busy,” he growled. It was Dagon. “Yeah, and we can smell it from up here. Get your paws off her and get your arse up here.”He let go with a frustrated sigh. “Fine. You’re right. Coming up.”“Don’t dawdle.”With a rueful grin, Crowley hit the button again, then they got out and headed upstairs, holding hands in the lift. “Just how good IS their sense of smell?” Aziraphale asked, awed that Dagon had been able to pick up their actions from several stories up, especially when they’d been inside the car as well. “Heat rises, takes scent with it very effectively, and we can smell for miles - it all depends on the weather conditions, but that one would be easy. Arousal is a rather distinctive scent and stronger than most, so they’d have picked it up easily. The building could be twice the height and they’d still get it. They could be a quarter of a mile away and pick up on that given a wind in the right direction and a few minutes.”

They got out of the lift to some knowing grins from the rest of the pack lounging around in what was technically Crowley’s penthouse, but in reality, just as much a communal space as the rest of the flats. Some were working on things like crafting, she could smell Ligur preparing dinner somewhere on the floor below, and Eric was tinkering with a laptop which was open and in pieces. Newt came up to Eric holding a cup of tea, and in a rare display of minor aggression, Eric bared his teeth and snapped at the other beta sharply. “Get that bloody mug away from my workspace, you bloody canine capacitor! The last thing I need is you spilling it all over my laptop. You know you’re not meant to go near my tech!”Newt backed away hastily, apologising awkwardly. “Is Newt senior to Eric?” Aziraphale whispered to Crowley. 
“Yup, but he’s also banned from getting near any tech, he’s a walking disaster zone. He chewed through wires as a pup once, gave himself a nasty shock, and blew all the fuses in his pack’s den. Just unlucky I guess, but he really has a terrible track record with technology. I swear his motto should be ‘anything can be a smoke machine if you operate it wrong enough.’ That’s why he’s not allowed to do any mechanical things at work - he’s the valeter, and I don’t even let him detail engine bays either. He’s strictly exteriors and upholstery only.”
“So it doesn’t matter that Eric is junior to him, he can still snap at him?”“When he’s protecting an expensive laptop he saved his wages for ages to buy, yeah.  Eric is our apprentice mechanic, he doesn’t earn a lot yet. I mean, don’t get me wrong - no one in the pack would ever want for anything, we pool our resources, but he bought that with his own spending money and it means a lot to him. Pack hierarchy isn’t set in stone, and it’s not based solely on age either. Younger betas can rise in the ranks, older ones can also lose status, it’s fluid. It wouldn’t surprise me if Newt didn’t end up below Muriel and Eric again eventually, they’re both already challenging him.”
Anathema came upstairs and shoved a book into Newt’s hands. “Here, this is the one you wanted, go sit in the book nook and have a read, leave poor Eric alone. Hi Aziraphale! I have another on the list for you to start on today - it’s a bit easier than the historic one so you won’t need me to translate all the time. Smells like you need dragging away from your alpha for a while for you both to cool down a bit anyway.”

She winked at Aziraphale, then dragged her off and downstairs to her own flat, leaving Crowley gazing after her with a love-sick expression, until Dagon poked him playfully, then in a flash, both had taken their wolf forms and were wrestling on the floor with mock growls.

Aziraphale found it hard to concentrate on the book when throughout the explanations of pack dynamics, she kept visualising Crowley in the descriptions. She found herself reading the same sentence over and over without it sinking in. “You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Anathema asked with an amused smile, from where she was curled up in an armchair across the room.“Is it that obvious?”“I’m afraid so. And he’ll be able to smell it upstairs as well, you’ll be distracting him by just sitting here pining for him.” She shifted in her chair. “You should be able to smell him too - not just him, but his emotional state too. Lift your head, and open your mouth slightly, you’ll be able to catch it on the air - maybe not as well as we can, but type twos are pretty good at scents, it’s your strongest werewolf trait that you inherit. It’s just a case of learning to interpret things.”Aziraphale lifted her head and inhaled deeply, sifting through the scents, a confusing cacophony of information.“Tell me what you smell,” Anathema said gently. “Tea, books, you. Newt - he spends a lot of time in here?”“Yes, we snuggle up a lot. He’s sweet, he’s my best friend, my squish. What else do you smell?”“Lots of herbs and spices.”“My kitchen, I know it’s kind of overpowering with all the drying herbs in the pantry, you’ll have to try to get past those. Keep going.”“I can smell the others, and roughly how far away they are, like who is on this floor I think, and who is upstairs, Muriel is on the floor below us instead, aren’t they?”“Yup. And Crowley?”“Penthouse. Musky.”“Exactly. More musky than usual - not as bad as he was earlier in the car with you, but he’s… aware of you, aware of your interest, and it’s making him respond, whether he’s aware of it or not. Most likely he is. He won’t be able to get you out of his mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes downstairs to scent mark the perimeter of the building again. It’s an instinct if an alpha is trying to protect an omega he’s courting, to lay a scent mark around where she is, to let other alphas know that if they try anything, there’ll be a fight.”“Does he… talk about me, when I’m not here?” Aziraphale asked. 
“Talk? He never bloody shuts up about you, he’s hopeless. Smitten. Completely and utterly smitten with you. As if you couldn’t tell,” Anathema laughed. “Look, if you can’t concentrate on reading today, perhaps we should take a walk before dinner rather than after, get out and stretch our legs, work up an appetite for later.”
“That sounds like a nice idea.”“I’ll go suggest it to the others, not that it’ll take much persuading though. You were right the other day, you might as well yell ‘walkies!’ and most of us get excited. It’s like heading out on a hunt, it fulfils an ancient drive in all of us to move as a pack through nature.”She headed upstairs, Aziraphale following. “Walk before dinner, pack?” She called loudly, instantly getting everyone’s attention. “Hyde Park will be too busy this early in the evening. We should do Richmond Park,” Furfur suggested, to a chorus of agreement. “That one is shared between Kingston, Richmond, and Wimbledon packs, but they let most London packs use it - we just pay a standing rent for freedom of access,” Anathema told Aziraphale. “Isn’t it free for anyone to visit?” She asked, confused. “Humans, yes. But territory is different. If you were there and weren’t one of the packs who pays an annual fee for access, then the local packs would come down heavily on you.”“Could you just pay the fee?”“Doesn’t work like that - it’s not a case of seeking forgiveness instead of asking permission. It’d be a slight to them, and they’d make an example of the trespasser.”“What if they were in human form?”“Doesn’t matter - if you’re a lycanthrope, you’d be in trouble. It doesn’t extend to type twos of course - they don’t count because they wouldn’t be expected to know.”The pack had started to shift, and Crowley grabbed the van keys to lead them downstairs as before.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The pack bounded out of the van at Crowley’s signal and circled him and Aziraphale as before, then followed obediently, but fractious with pent-up energy as they got to the park proper. It was dark already, just as they enjoyed it most, and at a nod, the pack ran off into the dark. Crowley took Aziraphale’s hand as they walked, giving her an amused look, noting her head raised and nose working. “It’s nice to see you practising,” he said, squeezing her hand. “What do you smell?”“Others - not our - your - pack,” she corrected herself hastily. “But definitely other lycanthropes - old scents, and fresher ones, all over, criss-crossing.”“Naturally. This is a very popular park, it’s huge, lots of wooded areas, almost as good as Hampstead Heath. Hyde park is nice but can be crowded, and more wide open spaces. Thorndon Country park is a lovely place to go, especially on a weekend, or to take the day off to relax, lots of woods to explore over there, but it’s a bit of a drive.”They walked on a bit as he told her of other places the pack liked to run, further out around London. “Crambourne park and Windsor Great park of course, they’re wonderful - but the pack who have the territory there are notoriously wealthy and stuck-up. They charge an extortionate fee for others to roam there. I mean, we can afford it, but they’re really uptight about the rules. Swinley Forest is near there as well and much more relaxed. Henley park is also home to some kind of stuck-up rich types, but at least they share for a fairly reasonable price per year compared to Windsor and Crambourne. Over to the East you’ve got Great Buckland and Badgell’s wood - both thickly forested, easy to hide in from humans, you can run to your heart’s content there and they’ll never even get close to you.”They walked on, hand in hand, as he told her of Holmbury Hill to the South, Northaw Great Wood, and especially Epping Forest. Then how they liked to holiday in the New Forest, but Scotland in particular was a popular holiday destination for lycanthropes in the UK, but with steep fees from the Scottish packs due to the ability to hunt deer more readily up there, and a tag fee for every deer taken. You usually had a beta ghyllie-guide from the local pack escorting you - ostensibly to guide you to the deer herds which had older animals that needed culling anyway, but mainly to keep tabs on how many you took, and to ensure you didn’t give chase to any young bucks, or to the does. Of course if they knew you well and trusted you, then they’d just check in from time to time instead, and take their tithe in the form of a percentage of your kills. He told of holidays as a younger pup in the North York Moors national park, but the local Yorkshire packs also operated on a ghyllie-guide basis, and forbade full moon visitation, to ensure no one was ever tempted to take a sheep from the moors. “Kielder Forest, and some of those in the North East are great as well - you can feel really wild, and they’re not as tightly controlled as the more popular places. I took the pack on holiday to Kielder two years ago, I thought I’d never persuade them to come home again.”

Crowley hesitated, mid-stride, before carrying on, lifting his head a little. Of course Aziraphale couldn’t pick up on scents as easily as he could, so it took her a moment longer before she smelled strangers coming closer.  Not human.

Aziraphale smelled an alpha. Crowley let go of her hand as a couple of man-shaped lycanthropes slunk out of the darkness ahead of them, then more on either side of them. Crowley stopped. 
“Good evening,” he said, cordially. “We have a permit, it’s not due for renewal until October.” He sniffed. “Although you aren’t from either of the three packs in charge of this park. Can I help you?”“We’ll take the omega,” a young alpha in the centre told him bluntly. Crowley immediately growled, baring his fangs. “The fuck you will. MINE!” He placed himself between Aziraphale and the newcomer, who seemed to be in his twenties, with black hair and blue eyes. “You haven’t claimed her, she’s fair game,” the other alpha replied. “She carries my scent,” Crowley countered, his expression dangerous. “But you haven’t claimed her, she’s not yours.”“In that regard, I suppose you’re right - she’s hers, until she decides otherwise. Angel?” He called over his shoulder without taking his eyes off the newcomer. “How’d you like to go with this bad-mannered oik?”“Not at all,” Aziraphale replied grimly. “I’d rather sit through a twenty-four hour marathon watch of ‘The Sound of Music’.”
“The name’s Brandon, and she’ll change her mind once I’ve knotted her,” the young alpha sneered, beginning to circle in on Crowley.

To Aziraphale’s relief, she smelled Crowley’s pack returning, but they simply stood to the side, watching, bodies stiff, but not getting involved. Shax nudged Muriel, who stepped forward and sat down at Aziraphale’s feet, but nothing more. She felt a little safer with Muriel there. In wolf form Muriel was large, but nowhere near as terrifying as they were in their crinos shape. Feeling Muriel leaning against her legs gave Aziraphale comfort nonetheless.

“You really want to do this?” Crowley growled.  Aziraphale could see his hands turning to claws as he tried to hold back his anger.
“I’m not a skinny fossil,” the young alpha goaded him. “Maybe I’ll take your whole pack while I’m at it.”“You just had to go there, didn’t you?” Crowley said, almost under his breath. “You never wonder how older pack leaders GET to be older pack leaders, do you?”Without allowing the youngster to get the first hit in, Crowley moved as fast as a striking snake, launching not at the challenger’s throat, which perhaps he’d have been expecting, but instead at his ankle, diving down low and taking his legs out from under him, biting down hard on his achilles tendon even as he was transforming into his wolf form, his clothes falling away as he rapidly shifted again into his crinos form, just as Brandon  transformed as well. All that meant was that his growing ankle jammed itself tighter into Crowley’s wickedly sharp fangs, and the young alpha howled in pain. None of the betas from either pack attempted to intervene, and Aziraphale was not stupid enough to think that she could make any difference at all to the outcome, other than get in the way and possibly put Crowley at risk, so she sank her fingers into Muriel’s soft fur, trembling with fear to see Crowley up against the crinos form of a frighteningly huge alpha who bulged with muscle, where Crowley was mostly bone and sinew - his own musculature was long and lean, suited to speed. But he fought dirty, and his teeth and claws were sharp. The young alpha roared with rage and pain as Crowley’s teeth ripped at the tendon in his leg, then picked up Crowley and bodily threw him off. He landed with a hard thump on the ground, but immediately bounced up as Brandon charged him, sidestepping as easily as a toreador evading the charge of a bull. As Brandon stumbled on the empty patch of ground where Crowley had been a fraction of a second earlier, Crowley spun and sank his teeth deep into his other leg, ripping at the muscle, then shaking at it like a terrier with a rat, before letting go and bounding away. He didn’t escape unscathed though, as the younger alpha lashed out and struck him across the back with a fist full of claws, laying open four huge gashes, and making Crowley yelp in pain. But the important part was that now the aggressor had two legs with severe injuries, and was struggling to move. Crowley circled, growling, as Brandon tried to turn in place to keep his eye on him. Crowley suddenly doubled back in a flash, before the other alpha could mirror his change in direction, leapt behind him and onto his shoulders, fangs closing around the back of his neck. Brandon screamed in terror and went down, whimpering, trying to roll onto his back. Crowley didn’t let go, and tightened his grip. “YIELD! YIELD!” The young alpha screamed desperately. Crowley squeezed his jaws tighter for a moment, then let go. He lifted off only long enough for the younger wolf to roll entirely onto his back, baring his throat, which Crowley then grabbed from the front, sinking his teeth in and holding him firmly, still growling fiercely as the loser sobbed and wheezed underneath him. He held the pathetically whimpering Brandon for a long moment, letting him know that he could absolutely rip his throat out if he wanted to, before finally letting go and stepping back, the injuries on his back dripping blood on the grass, and his chest heaving. Crowley’s teeth were covered in the loser’s blood. He regarded him whimpering on the ground, as Brandon’s pack all shifted into wolf form and crawled on their bellies toward Crowley, whining and showing their throats to him, making appeasing noises. He ignored them, glaring at the deposed alpha. “Perhaps you’ll learn some manners while you heal.” He looked at the betas around him. “Go with him, or go your own way, my pack doesn’t need you.”
Some slunk off, tails low. Others began to sniff the ground nearby, and as a small group, headed off, following a trail. Only two remained with Brandon, one creeping forward to lick his wounds for him. From their scent, Aziraphale guessed they were his relatives.

Triumphant, Crowley raised his face to the skies and howled, the voice of his pack joined in, while the defeated Brandon cried and clutched at his savaged legs, as the two attending him applied pressure to the wounds and tried to bind them up with pieces of torn clothing.
Crowley turned his back on them, and stepped toward Aziraphale. Muriel scurried away as if their tail was on fire, but just as Crowley reached out to take her in his arms, he stopped himself, and shifted back into a human shape again. He spat and wiped his mouth, and only then did he grab Aziraphale and hold her tight, rubbing his face and neck all over her, fiercely possessive, and determined to lay his scent over her afresh. He crushed his naked body against her.

“Why didn’t your pack help? Where did his pack go?”“Betas don’t get involved in alpha fights. Actual wolves may fight as a pack, but we’re not wolves, no more than we’re humans. We are our own species between the two. We have similarities with wolves, and similarities with humans, but we are wholly neither, and have our own unique culture which involves elements of both. So when alphas fight, it’s one on one. I won, so I won his pack and became their new alpha, technically, but I don’t want them. His family will probably stay with him, the others have gone to find a new pack with a stronger alpha. He’s lost their respect so they won’t follow him any more. He took a gamble challenging me. He could have won my pack, and tried to take you - but he risked - and lost - his entire pack instead.” He paused to tug his clothes on again from where they’d fallen on the ground, as he carried on. “They’ll be following the scent to other packs who have left trails in the park, then they’ll try to ingratiate themselves to a new alpha and beg to join them. Speaking of which…” He lifted his head to see where a female wolf was walking back again.She crawled low on her belly again as she got closer, dropping the bundle of clothing in her mouth then licking her lips appeasingly, she stopped and rolled on her back, tail tip wagging nervously. “I said I don’t need any more pack members,” Crowley growled. The wolf whined pleadingly. Crowley regarded her a moment longer, then sighed. “Get up,” he said. She got up, and shifted into a human form and hastily tugged her clothes on. She was similar in height and build to Aziraphale, also blonde, and very nervous. She then knelt at Crowley’s feet. “What do you want?”“Please sir, Alpha… My name is Maggie. I, er… I met Anathema before, a few years ago, she helped me with my studies for a week or so. I just wanted to ask if you might reconsider. I, er… I’m a vet nurse now, you see. I qualified a couple of months ago. Your pack didn’t have a healer, did it? I could help?”Crowley regarded her steadily for a moment, then turned to Anathema and lifted his chin, calling her forward. Anathema shifted back into a human shape again. “Would you speak for her?” He asked. Anathema nodded immediately, tugging her skirt on.“Of course, Maggie was a very dutiful student. We didn’t spend much time together but I do remember her being very attentive and helpful. I’ll speak for her. She can share my flat.”“Why do you want to join my pack, instead of one of the others around here?” Crowley asked. “Well I never really fit in well with Brandon’s pack, they were never very nice to me, I was given to Brandon by his uncle as a gift when he started his own pack, they only wanted me because I was studying vet nursing, so I’d have given them some status, but they did bully me. So I was happy when you won, because it gave me a chance at freedom. I could have a fresh start. And Anathema was so lovely to me, and she seemed so happy in your pack, so I wanted to ask again.”Crowley exchanged glances with the rest of his pack, their silent gaze seemed to convey some kind of agreement, so he shrugged. “You can come back home with us tonight, and stay with Anathema, she’ll be responsible for you. You can be a probationary member for a while, then the pack can let me know if they’d like you to stay. Do you need to get your things from home?”Maggie nodded. “We’re actually over in Brixton.”“Figures. Ok we’ll drive over there, the rest of my pack can change back in the van. Ligur, Muriel, Dagon, you’ll come into their den with me so we can escort Maggie as she retrieves her possessions. The rest of you stay in the van with Aziraphale.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Back at the car park, the pack who were still wolf-shaped, along with those who were human shaped, gathered around Maggie and familiarised themselves with her scent, although without scent marking her themselves. She crouched low, throat bared, and licked at their jaws nervously. Crowley stood over them and watched, impassively. Maggie made a point of creeping over to him and making the same appeasing gestures. He looked straight ahead and allowed her to fawn for a moment, before walking off to help Aziraphale into the cab of the van. “Alpha?” Maggie asked nervously. “You’re still bleeding, may I treat your injuries?”Crowley regarded her impassively for a long moment, then shrugged and nodded. “There’s a first aid kit in the back of the van,” he said, taking a seat on the door sill and baring his bloody back for her.Maggie opened it and set about cleaning the claw marks as best as she could, then applied temporary dressings.“When we get to my place I have more supplies I can pick up, including some suture material and steri-strips. I can sort this out properly for you.”Crowley grunted in agreement, then when she’d finished, nodded, tugged his shirt on, and got into the driver’s seat.As they drove, the rest of the pack changed back into human shape and got dressed again.  Aziraphale got nervous as they got to Brixton, an area she hadn’t been to at night, and she was aware of the reputation of some of the rougher areas there. Then she remembered that with an entire pack of werewolves around her, she had little to fear from any humans. They arrived at a council estate area that Maggie had guided them to. Brandon wouldn’t be home yet, likely away with a doctor or vet somewhere in another area getting his mangled legs seen to, but Maggie was nervous nonetheless returning to her home den. Crowley, Dagon, Ligur, and Muriel escorted her into a block of flats, and returned a while later carrying some suitcases and other bits and pieces.  The pack growled to smell Brandon’s scent on her possessions, but helped stack them in the van anyway. Ligur was grumbling that he was hungry. Dinner was in the slow cooker, so could keep until they got back, but he was annoyed at his dinner being delayed. Maggie looked guilty and kept apologising. “Shush,” Crowley told her, not unkindly. “It’s not your fault your alpha was a little shit.  I wasn’t planning on having to deal with him, but no one threatens my omega like that.”Aziraphale got a sudden thrill shoot through her body at that - HIS omega. They drove back to Crowley’s pack’s den in Mayfair, and Aziraphale escorted Maggie upstairs while the pack helped carry her things to Anathema’s flat. Crowley showed her around. “Take a shower and change your clothes before dinner,” Crowley told her. “Shax will find you something to wear somehow - no one here except Aziraphale is really your size, and Aziraphale hasn’t got any clothes here yet, but I’m sure Shax can find something temporary for you. Dagon will wash the rest of your clothes. Newt, you get on task cleaning up her other possessions after dinner, ok?”“Why does she need to shower?” Aziraphale asked quietly after Anathema had led Maggie away. “Because not to put too fine a point on it - she stinks of her old alpha, and it’s pissing me off. It’s not her fault, but it is putting me on edge and making my inner wolf angry, I can’t help it. I just fought off the bearer of that scent who wanted to take you from me, and I don’t want that smell in my home.”

Maggie came up for dinner a little later, wearing a tracksuit that Shax had pinched from Ligur. She promised to take Maggie shopping tomorrow as well to get anything else she might need. “Alpha Crowley?” Maggie asked, dropping a nervous curtsey. “May I finish treating your injuries properly now please? I have my equipment here.”Crowley nodded, and they retreated to his bathroom for Maggie to clean him up properly while Aziraphale watched on. Maggie didn’t have access to local anaesthetics, unlike a doctor or vet, but Crowley bore the pain stoically with only the occasional grunt.Once the gashes were irrigated clean, Maggie steri-stripped the shallower areas, then set about stitching the deeper parts. She finished with an antiseptic wound gel and dressing. “You should be ok without antibiotics, most lycanthropes manage to fight off minor things like this fairly well, but I’ll see if I can get some from work just in case, and if it starts to get red or swollen let me know. I’ll change the dressing again tomorrow night for you.”Crowley nodded and pulled on a fresh shirt while Maggie tidied away her kit.“Thank you for looking after him,” Aziraphale told her with a warm smile.The beta seemed surprised at the thanks. “It’s ok, it’s what I do, it’s what we all do, isn’t it? We help for the good of the pack. I’m honoured to be allowed to help my new alpha, I mean: the alpha who I hope will accept me.” She hastily corrected herself, remembering that she was still on probation for now. “Thank you for letting me treat you, alpha,” she told Crowley, who nodded in acknowledgment. They made their way back to the dining room, and Aziraphale sat on Crowley’s right hand side again. Maggie sat at the bottom of the table, below Eric and Muriel, and was served last, and the smallest portion. Aziraphale’s human head felt sorry for her and wanted to share more food with the newcomer, but the dormant wolf side of her that she was gradually learning to listen to, reminded her that this was how pack dynamics worked. The pack wouldn’t let Maggie starve. Sure, it was a symbolic smaller portion, but it was still enough food, and she’d likely be welcome to help herself to anything from Anathema’s fridge if she got hungry later. It was just a hierarchy tradition, and Maggie didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by it. When Crowley left the table at the end of dinner to deal with a phone call, Aziraphale asked Shax about the interaction between Maggie and Crowley when she treated his wounds and he didn’t thank her, nor did she seem to expect any thanks. “It’s a status thing,” Shax explained. “A cultural one. Maggie is a beta and not even part of the pack yet. For Crowley, as an alpha, to acknowledge her at all, is not really the done thing yet, but especially, it’s an honour for Maggie for Crowley to allow her to treat him. Could you imagine an alpha rolling over and baring his throat to a beta? Inconceivable. And yet, he was baring his wounds and allowing a beta - a strange beta at that - to touch his most vulnerable, injured area. It is the highest honour for Maggie to be allowed access to him like that, but it wouldn’t be the done thing to make much of it, and certainly not to thank her for granting her the privilege of access to his injured body in such a way. He has to remain reserved and aloof. If it was one of us, that would be different, and it will be different later, once Maggie is fully accepted into the pack - he would absolutely thank her, but for now, she still smells of his rival, and the rival pack, and that makes him uncomfortable. I don’t doubt that he will thank her for her help later, but right now is not the right time to do so.”“So he had to show he wasn’t submitting to her?”“Yes, by remaining aloof, it makes a clear distinction that it’s not a submission, but a permission to approach - allowing her to touch him, not because he’s weak, but because she’s not even worth being afraid of. Don’t worry, Maggie won’t take any offence at that, she understands how it works, it’s normal to us. Crowley will be grateful, but it’s not culturally acceptable to show it yet. Maggie will still know that he is grateful on the inside.”

After dinner, which was later than usual due to the walk and the disruption in the park, most of the pack transformed to relax. Maggie joined them, and lay curled up on the edge of the wolf pile. Crowley sat on the sofa with Aziraphale snuggled up next to him to watch tv, and Maggie crawled closer to them, reaching out her snout to touch his ankle where it dangled off the sofa. He idly reached down and stroked the fur on her head once, before returning all of his attention to Aziraphale again. Watching TV, her head on Crowley’s chest, Aziraphale’s heart nearly leapt from her chest when she felt Crowley kiss the top of her head softly. His arm was around her, and she felt wrapped in his scent, safer than ever. She murmured a happy little sound. A few minutes later, the pack began to stir. One by one they began to wander off. Maggie crept away with Anathema to her flat, and the others, seemingly at random, found reason to stretch, yawn, pick up their clothes in their mouths, and slink away. Shax was the last. She gave Crowley a steady look for a moment, paused in the doorway, then left as well. Aziraphale and Crowley were on their own in the penthouse.She looked up at him with a question in her eyes. Crowley stroked her face gently. “They can smell that we’d like some alone time,” he whispered. Aziraphale sniffed, and she could smell it on him too. His desire for her. She hadn’t exactly noticed it, as the scent had built up gradually enough in the background for her not to notice until it occurred to her to identify it. “That alpha earlier really got me riled up,” Crowley explained, stroking her hair. “I couldn’t imagine letting him touch you. I had to protect you. And there’s a thing, an instinct, that it’s been really hard to ignore for the past couple of hours.”“An instinct?”“After an alpha fight over an omega. A drive to prove one’s claim. But I don’t want to do that to you. It’s not my decision - it’s yours. We don’t live in the last century any more. You’re not a prize to be won and taken regardless of your desires. No matter how much I want you, you have to want me first.”“But I do,” Aziraphale pointed out. “Even so, I don’t want to rush you.”“Are you hurting much?” She nodded to his back. “I don’t want to hug you too hard and make it worse.”“We have an exceptionally high pain tolerance, and I’ve had much worse than a bit of a scratch. We heal up fast as well. If you don’t tug directly on my stitches I’ll be fine.”His lips were so close to Aziraphale’s now, whispering against them, and his hand in her hair, his golden eyes locked with hers. He leaned in to kiss her softly, his free hand cupping the back of her neck, cradling her closer. Aziraphale leaned against him, a fire lit within that begged for more of her alpha. Soon, Crowley’s kiss became hungrier, almost devouring her mouth with his own, and the scent of his musk, urgent with need, filled her senses. Aziraphale felt herself leaning back onto the sofa, tugging Crowley down on top of her by his shirt. He nestled his hips between her legs, covering her body with his own. She writhed against him, desperate to get more of his scent all over her. Then he was caressing her breast through her blouse, and kissing down her neck, alternating little nips and licks with rubbing his cheek and throat against hers. He teased at the top button of her blouse, and Aziraphale reached up to tug the buttons undone herself to allow him better access. “Please, Crowley, I need more of you,” she whispered, kissing the top of his head as he kissed his way over her breasts, tugging at her bra irritably. He lifted his head to kiss her on the lips again. “You can have more of me,” he told her, then sat up to rip his own shirt off, but he left his jeans on. While he removed his shirt, Aziraphale sat up a little to remove her bra and blouse, casting them aside. Crowley’s face lit up with a hungry grin, and he fell upon her once more, kissing, licking, sucking and nibbling at her soft breasts, squeezing them and rubbing his scent all over her naked skin. She knew her own scent was spiking with lust now, and that Crowley was likewise drowning in it. He slid a hand up her thigh, sliding her sensible beige and tartan skirt higher, squeezing her soft flesh, then that hand was meandering between her legs, and caressing the damp cotton of her panties there, pressing gently against her mound and making her moan with need, letting her legs fall slack in invitation. Crowley’s lips found hers once more, kissing her passionately as his fingers tugged her panties to one side and slid between the wet lips of her vulva. He growled into the kiss as the scent of her sex wafted into the air, becoming more insistent. His fingers slipped up and down her slit, brushing lightly over her clit, and just teasing at her entrance. Aziraphale moaned into his mouth and canted her hips upward to encourage him more. Crowley’s fingers sank inside her, gentle and ever so careful, pushing in and out, then he repositioned his hand so his thumb could circle her clit while two of his fingers continued to work inside her. Aziraphale was growing desperate, and reached down to tug at his belt, but Crowley just smiled, and shook his head, lifting off the kiss to gaze into her eyes. “Nuh-uh, Angel. Let me do this for you instead. We don’t have to do everything at once.”“Please, I need you.” “No.” Crowley growled the word with a deep rumbling finality. It wasn’t just any ‘no’, it was an order from an alpha to shut down argument, and Aziraphale was helpless to protest against it, although she knew he’d only use it for her own protection, and not abuse his position. “Trust me to look after you,” Crowley told her, in a softer voice, stroking her thigh. “I’ll give you what you need.”He kissed her neck and sucked a love bite into the skin by her collarbone, while his clever fingers worked patiently between her legs, unhurried, and bringing her gradually closer to ecstasy. Silver stars were dancing up her spine in waves, a crescendo building deep inside with every panted breath, driving her to insensibility and gasped syllables. “Please, Crowley, more…”He nodded in urgent agreement, slithering down her body, kissing her soft abdomen as he went, pausing to bite gently at her middle. “Fuck you’re divine. I need to taste you.”Aziraphale had always felt self conscious about her rolls, and to have someone not just kissing her wobbly bits, but biting so gently at them as if he simply couldn’t get enough and HAD to experience as much of her as possible, no one had ever made her feel that way before. Not just that he didn’t mind the bits of her that made her feel so insecure, but that he seemed actively turned on by them. Crowlely’s free hand gripped her skirt, bunching it up at her waist, and his head moved lower, nibbling at her plush thighs, nuzzling between them urgently, then replacing his hand with his tongue. He began to lick and suck with maddening repetition, then slid his fingers back inside her as he continued to suck on Aziraphale’s clit and flicker his tongue over it. He carried on, determined, until she couldn’t hold back any longer and her hips bucked against him as she came, desperately pushing at his head as the overstimulation made her gasp. He eased off, and rested his head on her thigh, gazing up at her, as he began to lick his fingers contentedly. Aziraphale laid back, stroking his hair with one hand, utterly overwhelmed and spent. After a minute or two, Crowley climbed up over her once more to kiss her cheek and nuzzle into her neck. “I should get you home,” he whispered. “I’ve kept you up far too late.”“I could stay,” Aziraphale whispered back. “You could. But if you did, I might get tempted to tempt you into more than you’re ready for yet.”“Perhaps I am ready for it?” She replied. “I don’t want you to rush. You’ve had a taste of me having a taste of you. Now you should go home and have a think about it. Or you could stay in Dagon’s or Shax’s flat if you prefer, as Maggie is staying with Anathema. But if you stay in my bed, I might have to go and invade Furfur’s flat so I don’t get tempted to indulge in you all night long.”“It’s the weekend tomorrow, I don’t have work,” Aziraphale reminded him.
“Hmm, but an alpha can be a bit much all at once, especially the first time. Anyway, if you want to stay in my bed tonight, I’ll go down to Furfur’s and sleep there. Plus you get my scent around you all night. And having you waking up smelling very thoroughly of me tomorrow will do wonders for my mood.” He smiled and kissed her softly. “You can stay all weekend if you like. I mean I can drive you over to yours to pick up any bits you might want to bring back. You won’t be able to stay from Tuesday until Thursday though - full moon time. It wouldn’t be safe for you to spend time with me during a full moon, unless you’re mated to me. Wednesday will be the worst of it.”
“Well perhaps we’ll have to see what the weekend brings, won’t we?” Aziraphale replied with a mischievous grin.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley helped Aziraphale to her feet.  Her legs were trembling a little, so he held her close for a moment. “You know, for someone going on about how much of a big scary alpha he is and how difficult it is for him to hold back from wanting to ravish me, you haven’t even taken your trousers off,” Aziraphale giggled. “That’s because I have a lot of practice at behaving myself.” He picked up her bra and blouse from where they’d fallen on the floor, and passed them back to her. “And you’re not in heat, which makes it easier to resist you. All the same, I might go for a solo run for a bit before I go to bed to let off steam. If you like I can either pick you up something to wear tomorrow at the twenty four hour Tesco. Or, if you trust me, I could take your keys and pick up some things from your flat for you?”“Darling, I just trusted a wolf with the ability to grow big scary teeth, to put his head between my legs and let loose. I think I can trust you with my house keys.”She fished around for her handbag at the end of the sofa, and rummaged for her keys. “But you don’t need to go all the way over there just for me, I can wear this tomorrow.”“I could do with running off some energy, and I like the night, so if I go for a run in Hyde park, then drive over to yours, it’ll help me get a better night’s sleep myself. Is there anything in particular you’d like me to pick up for you?”“I suppose some underwear - whichever you like the look of best,” she winked at him. “A nightie - unless you don’t think I need one, of course. A dressing gown, hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste…”“We have fresh toothbrushes, toothpaste, and toiletries for guests for tonight if you need,” Crowley interjected. “Thank you. Then some outfits for the weekend I suppose. Surprise me.”

Crowley showed Aziraphale to his bedroom, and left her to take a shower in the ensuite, then grabbed the Bentley’s keys and headed down to Furfur’s flat on the floor below. Furfur glanced up from his laptop as Crowley sauntered in, and wrinkled his nose. “You’ve had some fun,” he observed. “You didn’t go all the way though.”“Not yet. I’m behaving myself, I don’t want to rush her.” Crowley knew it was easy enough to know what went on through scent alone, as well as what didn’t go on. Quite aside from the lack of a howl that would follow a claim. “Is that why you’re here and she’s upstairs?”“Yup, I need to crash in your spare room tonight, I don’t want to get carried away and do something I shouldn’t. Omegas are far too quick to say ‘yes’ to an alpha, and I shouldn’t exploit that. I’m going for a run first though.”“Want me to come with you?”“Sure. You play trainer today. I want to let off steam. Afterwards we’re heading over to Aziraphale’s to pick up some stuff for her, she’s staying the weekend.”Furfur grinned. “About bloody time.” “You’re remarkably relaxed about her, for the fact you’re my brother-in-law.”“We all have to move on sooner or later, and she’s sweet. I think Lucy would have liked her.” Furfur touched Crowley’s arm as they headed to the door, stilling him. “It’s been a long time, Crowley. The pack would be better with an omega at your side again. I haven’t seen you this happy in years. It’s good for the pack. And hey, you won us a healer! We have a nurse. I mean, depending on what Maggie wants to do - if she wants to go back to university and become a vet, we can cover that for her. Otherwise we can see if she wants to work with the vet over with the Hammersmith pack, then we’ll have more access to treatment, and other packs can come to us for minor ailment stuff.”“You think she should stay?”“Absolutely. And she’s braver than she looks. I mean you could see her itching to beg you to let her treat your injuries, right after you almost destroyed her old alpha. That takes guts. She’s got my vote for sure.”Crowley nodded and they headed down in the lift. “I need to get away from the flat for a few hours. Smelling Aziraphale there is pulling me in one direction, but the scent of Maggie’s old alpha hasn’t worn off her yet, and it’s making me want to protect Aziraphale even more, and it’s making me want to claim her. I need to run until I’m too exhausted to move, so I can’t even think of going up there and begging her to let me knot her.”Furfur nodded in understanding.

Crowley changed to his wolf form in the car. He peeled off the dressing now that things had stopped bleeding, leaving just the stitches, which were already scabbing over due to his rapid healing. He then trotted out at Furfur’s heels as they walked into Hyde Park.  It was not long until midnight now, when the park would get locked up for the night. But the city never slept.  There were other dog walkers here and there - not many, but still some. He wanted to get to somewhere a little further in where he could just let rip and run flat out for a while, and began to trot faster, then broke into a long-striding, loose-limbed canter, loping along easily, his pace eating up the ground.Then he shifted into high gear, and went flat-out, feeling like he was flying, paws barely kissing the grass as he sped on through the darkness, his breath coming in hard gasps with each stride. Crowley ran and ran, looping back when he drew close to an edge of the park, and heading off in a different direction. He could smell roughly where Furfur was and orbited around that general area. He looped and looped, until he heard a distinctive whistle. Crowley immediately spun to change direction and headed directly to the centre of the huge circle he’d been running around, to make a beeline for Furfur in the middle. Furfur was sitting on a bench, and a human with a German shepherd was standing next to him. Something about the scent of them said ‘dog unit police officer’ to Crowley, but likely off-duty, not in uniform. He ignored both and rocketed to Furfur’s feet, slamming on the brakes and coming to a halt in a perfect attentive sit in front of him, panting hard. “Huh, yeah that’s a good recall,” the copper said. “What breed is he?”“He’s a rescue, we don’t really know, some Heinz 57. Probably some Northern Inuit, Belgian Tervuren, and maybe some Saluki, as far as we can guess. The Tervuren and Saluki because of those long legs, although maybe a bit of Borzoi too - who knows?.”“He’s got some legs on him.” The copper regarded Crowley seriously. “Not a wolf hybrid is he?”“Nah, just a weird mix.”At that point, Crowley was grateful for the darkness to hide his eyes and make him look a little less distinct.“What’s with the stitches?”“He had an accident, the vet’s seen him, he’s healing up just great.”“Did he fight another dog?”“No, the daft thing tried to steal a roast chicken from the kitchen counter and a knife block fell over on him, he got a couple of cuts.”“Looks like he got off lucky, considering. You said he’s personal protection trained?”“Yup.”“Bite trained?”“Yes, he has a very good ‘out’ though. Never had to use it outside of Schutzhund competitions.”“Oh you compete much?”“Not any more, he’s getting on a bit now.”Crowley glared slightly at Furfur, who winked at him and ruffled the fur on his head fondly. “Another dog walker said she saw a dog fitting his description running out of control.”“Not out of control. He was just letting off steam. He’d never go near another dog unless I was with him. You’ll notice he’s not even looking at yours.”“Can I say hi?” The copper asked. Crowley stiffened slightly. He didn’t feel like having a strange human manhandle him. He licked his lips and shifted his feet, without taking his eyes off Furfur. He allowed himself a very quiet, brief, whine. “I’d rather you didn’t, he wouldn’t be too comfortable with a stranger getting too close to me late at night like this, and he’s not big on being petted by strangers. He wouldn’t bite or growl, but I still wouldn’t ask him to do anything he’s not comfortable with.”The copper nodded in understanding. “Sensible, I wish more owners were as respectful of their dog’s boundaries. Well, he’s a credit to you, anyway. Perhaps just keep him to heel for a while - some of the other walkers get a bit nervous about a big working dog running loose away from his handler.”Another of those dog walkers passed by. The police dog shifted to watch as they went past. Crowley ignored them entirely. Furfur nodded and scratched Crowley behind the ears. “Will do, I think he’s run all he wants to for tonight, haven’t you lad?”Crowley licked his lips and nudged Furfur’s knee with his nose in agreement. “Come on then, trouble,” Furfur said, getting up off the bench. Crowley stood again, tail wagging, awaiting his instruction. “Not had him neutered, eh? Strange for a rescue dog, they usually want their bollocks lopped off.  It’s not like he’s a purebred anyway,” the copper said, nodding at Crowley’s hindquarters.It took everything Crowley had not to growl at that, or even to curl a lip, Furfur’s hand on his shoulder stroked him soothingly. “He’s perfectly well behaved with them, thank you.  I’ll be getting him home now,” Furfur said firmly but politely. “Good evening, officer.”“Mind how you go.”

Crowley trotted close to Furfur’s side back to the car, grumbling under his breath once they were out of earshot of the off-duty copper. “What, you don’t want me to ask Maggie to chop your trouble puffs off, then?” Furfur joked. “Might calm down those urges better than sprinting circuits of Hyde park in the middle of the night.”Crowley growled properly at that and pretended to bite Furfur’s leg. He just laughed and sidestepped, then Crowley danced in circles around him the rest of the way back to the car, pretending to lunge in and snap at him playfully. Once they were back at the Bentley, Crowley got Furfur to wipe his paws clean for him, before leaping into the back seat, and changing back into a human shape again and tugging his clothes back on so he could drive. “That fucking…” “Relax, that’s just humans for you.”“No call for commenting about my balls though,” Crowley grumbled. “They are kind of… noticeable.”“Oh don’t you start. I’m an alpha, what d’you expect?”They drove over to Aziraphale’s flat, where Furfur stayed by the front door, while Crowley went in, found a bag, and began to gather some of the things she’d asked for. He felt kind of awkward being in her home without her, and particularly rummaging in her lingerie drawer with an instruction to bring her anything he liked the look of. He settled on a comfy looking bra and cotton panties, along with a prettier white lace matching set, so she had something to relax in as well as something for if she did want to dress up a little. He picked up a few other items that he intuited that Aziraphale might want more than others, particularly things that smelled more strongly of her, or more recently used, indicating a preference for them. Then he poked a finger in the soil of the pot plants on the windowsill to check the hydration, and topped up the water. Part of him wanted to be helpful by tidying a little or cleaning, but he resisted the urge, as it might make Aziraphale feel that her own routine wasn’t good enough in some way, rather than being grateful that he’d ‘helped.’  He’d wait until he could ask her if she’d like such help instead.He paused to see his scarf lying on her pillow, and smiled. He picked it up and rubbed it firmly over the scent glands on his neck to refresh his scent for her when she came back, that way on Wednesday when they had to be apart, she’d still have some comfort. Then he picked up the pillow for good measure, and rubbed his cheeks and neck on that as well, before folding his scarf and putting it back for her. Crowley locked up Aziraphale’s flat, then he and Furfur headed back to the den. Once home, Crowley crept quietly up to the penthouse and left the bag in the lounge for Aziraphale to find when she woke up, then crept back downstairs to Furfur’s, and fell soundly asleep in the spare bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale woke up briefly confused to find herself in a strange bed. She’d had beautiful dreams of Crowley hugging her and making her feel safe all night - but then, she was surrounded entirely by his scent. She stretched and got up, admiring the understated minimalist decor of his penthouse flat. She wandered alone through his home, finding it strange to be there with none of the other pack members around. She could smell them nearby, on the floors below, Crowley in particular, but she guessed that she’d be left alone until they were sure that she was ready. It felt a little like prying, but Aziraphale supposed, she’d sent Crowley to her own home last night with an open invitation to find things for her - and there was her overnight bag in the middle of the lounge. She opened it and smiled to see his selection. Aziraphale got dressed, then continued to wander around the apartment. In Crowley’s study she found an enormous red marble desk with an elaborate gold throne. Aziraphale wondered how much the design choice in here was ironic, and how much might be because of his literal status as ruler of the pack, or perhaps a little of both.The veritable jungle of houseplants in the flat filled one room with a verdant display that was incredibly peaceful. The spacious lounge was clearly designed with family in mind - with a huge variety of comfortable sofas, throw cushions, beanbags and comfy rugs, more than enough to accommodate the whole pack. She realised from the scent contexts that the whole pack spent time in Crowley’s enormous bed together as well - not in any sexual context of course - but in an easygoing, family hug type way. She supposed this was another aspect of pack life that she’d have to get used to. Presumably sooner or later, if she joined the pack properly, she’d get used to joining in on the hug piles, and sharing Crowley’s time with his pack family. Seeing what they all had together, the closeness and supportiveness, made her sure that not only did she want to be part of it, but she wouldn’t want to deprive any of the rest of the pack of their alpha’s time too much either. After a little while, there was a discreet knock at the door. It was Muriel, who smiled nervously when Aziraphale answered the door. “Did you sleep alright?” Muriel asked. “Would you like some breakfast?”“Yes, I slept like a log. What do you have for breakfast?”“Oh we have lots of choice. Dagon is doing a breakfast buffet in her flat this morning, and Ligur made some waffles as a special treat.”“Is Crowley alright?” Aziraphale asked. She could smell him nearby, but he hadn’t been the one to come to the door.“Absolutely, if he smiles any more the top of his head will fall off. He just didn’t want to disturb you until you were ready, so he thought it’d be more polite if I checked on you first.”“That’s very sweet of you both. Yes I’m ready to see him.”Crowley called up from downstairs. “I heard that!” Rather than use the lift for one floor, Aziraphale followed Muriel down the stairwell, where they met Crowley halfway up. He paused a step below Aziraphale with a cheeky grin. “Hey, we’re the same height now, so I don’t need to bend down to kiss you.”“Very true,” Aziraphale replied, and leaned in to kiss him first. When she opened her eyes, Muriel had gone. “I see you found the bag of things,” Crowley said, taking her hand and leading her down the rest of the steps to Dagon’s flat. “I watered your plants.”“Oh thank you darling.”“You know, I could definitely get used to you calling me ‘darling’,” Crowley smiled. “I’m already happily used to you calling me ‘Angel’.”Crowley grinned harder and leaned in to kiss her. “Muriel was right, you know,” Aziraphale told him.“Hmm?” Crowley was distracted stroking Aziraphale’s blonde curls. “What about?” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, then rubbed his cheek against hers. “That if you smiled any harder, the top of your head will fall off.”“I’d better not let that happen then, it might make it a bit harder to lick you until you squirm.”“Shhh,” Aziraphale giggled. “I was told there would be breakfast.”“Yup, this pack is good at providing food,” Crowley said proudly.“I take it that’s something else that holds a higher cultural value to you?”“Hmm? Oh. Yeah. A good alpha provides for his pack, makes sure they never go hungry. Honestly, it’s why I like to do the shopping more often, it makes me feel good to bring the food home to the den. The betas love it too, knowing they’re contributing. We’re big on gift-giving. I haven’t done that to you because I have to remember you were raised with humans, so it’d just feel like love-bombing. I really want to, but I don’t want to scare you or do something that’s not right in your culture.”

There seemed to be a change in the pack this morning. They were even more eager to please Aziraphale than usual, each one seemed to want to serve her special morsels from the breakfast buffet, so she found her plate filled for her almost as soon as she sat down. Dagon and Ligur, as the cooks that morning, seemed especially keen for her approval, watching with rapt attention as she ate, and smiling broadly at Aziraphale’s raptured noises at the delicious food. Crowley also beamed, and watched her intently. Aside from a full English with black pudding and sausages, there were also pork chops, grilled liver, and a bowl on the table with some dog treats in it.The pack devoured the human food but then began shifting into wolf form to crack the chop bones and finish those off as well. Crowley picked up his plate with the chop bone still on it, and almost casually ‘forgot’ it on the table near Maggie when he seemed to get distracted by something, and walked away from it. Maggie eyed it warily, until she was certain that it was meant for her, before shifting as well, picking up the bone delicately, and hiding under the table to crunch it. Afterwards, Crowley handed out some of the dog treats, presumably something akin to dessert, and chewed one himself happily. Everyone shifted back to human shape again to help clear up the breakfast things - Muriel, Eric, and Maggie had already licked all the plates clean before they went into the dishwasher. After the leisurely breakfast, Maggie approached Crowley and knelt at his feet politely. It seemed strange to Aziraphale’s eyes to see her submission in her human shape - somehow it seemed more demeaning than a wolfish belly-crawl. Crowley seemed not to notice her on purpose at first, not even looking at her, until Maggie coughed quietly. “Alpha, please may I check your injury? I need to see if there’s any heat or redness that may indicate infection.”Crowley finally responded, to shrug, then unbuttoned his shirt to allow access to the wound. A little blood had seeped through where he’d pulled at his stitches over-straining himself, so Maggie picked up her kit, and carefully wiped the area clean, applied more antiseptic gel, and applied a fresh dressing. Once she had finished, she thanked Crowley for letting her check it, confirming that there was no sign of infection yet, then cleaned away her kit and backed away. Crowley put his shirt on again, then the pack headed to Shax’s flat, where she had turned her living room into a large crafting room, with a work table and crafting materials and tools. Members of the pack relaxed into their hobbies. Shax crocheted, teaching Eric how to do so. Ligur did some airbrush painting, trying out designs for classic 70s American muscle car decorations. Furfur had printed out some of his photos and worked on mounting and framing them. Anathema had collected some pruned monstera leaves from Crowley’s plants, and was using them with dyes to create a batik print on some cloth. Newt was painting warhammer miniatures. Muriel sat in a corner, reading, and Maggie looked uncertain as to what she should, or was allowed, to do. Aziraphale caught her uncertainty, and moved closer. “I don’t know what to do either,” she told Maggie, which was a fib - Aziraphale was keen to join Muriel in the reading corner with some of Anathema’s books, but she wanted to make Maggie feel included, especially as she was another newcomer to the pack. “What hobbies did you have in your other pack?”“They weren’t really into hobbies like this, they liked messing around on motorbikes and playing video games. We certainly didn’t have anything like this. My parent’s pack pushed studying more than hobbies, we all had to do extracurricular studies and were encouraged to get more qualifications, not waste time on frivolous things.”“No hobbies at all?”“Well, I do collect old vinyl records. I have some in my luggage, I unpacked last night after dinner when Newt helped me clean my possessions off as best as we could to minimise Brandon’s pack scent. Most of my clothes are still drying from being washed last night. I haven’t really organised my stuff yet - I’m in Anathema’s spare room, she said I could stay there.”“Well why don’t we go to your room and I’ll help you organise your records. I do like old music as well, perhaps we can play some music while I help you set your room up as you like it? It looks like Crowley is busy on his laptop for a little while anyway.”Crowley’s ear twitched at the mention of his name, and he caught Aziraphale’s eye with the subtlest of nods and a smile just barely touching the corner of his lips. She stepped closer and kissed the top of his head. Crowley took her hand in his own and gently kissed the back of it before carrying on with his work, as Aziraphale headed off with Maggie.

“Why was everyone behaving differently with me this morning?” Aziraphale asked, as she helped Maggie alphabetise her record collection on the shelves. “Because you’re the alpha’s consort,” Maggie said, as if it were obvious. “But haven’t I been that already?”“I don’t know, I only just met you, but yesterday in the park, you didn’t smell like you do now. He hadn’t been intimate with you, but now he has. You still don’t smell claimed, but you’re definitely his consort.”“Didn’t your old alpha have a mate, or a consort then?”“No, that’s why he wanted you. He really wanted to hold out for a type one omega, but he wasn’t high status enough to court one, so he’d settle for a type two. He absolutely wouldn’t deign to court a human like others might - a lot of them see humans as below them, a last option for the desperate, but we all know that we need them from time to time, in order to make more type twos, to introduce genetic variety and diminish inbreeding. Type twos are fairly highly valued for that reason. We were just out running when he smelled you, and he approached in human shape because he thought it’d give him a better chance at tempting you, until he saw you were with a pack.”“He looked half my age.”“He wouldn’t have cared, he’s been trying to find a mate for a couple of years now and no one was interested, it’s why he gambled his pack on winning you. He thought Crowley, being older, would be easy to defeat. I’m glad he was wrong. Crowley is a much better alpha. I didn’t want to be given to Brandon’s pack, but I didn’t get any choice in the matter.”“Well I’m glad you’re with us now,” Aziraphale told her. “Especially as you have such a good taste in music. Besides, it’s nice to have someone else new to spend time with - I’m still figuring out how it all works, you make me feel less alone.”“Why didn’t Crowley claim you last night?” Maggie asked, curiously. “I… I don’t know, he said he didn’t want to rush me.”“Oh, wow. I can’t imagine most alphas showing that kind of restraint. When you come into heat he won’t be able to hold back though.”“He already did,” Aziraphale pointed out. “When we first met, I was in heat, and he protected me, he made sure he had a chaperone when we were together. Last night was the first time I’d stayed over with him.”“He didn’t claim you when you were in heat? That’s… wow. My old pack had sort of ‘traditional’ values, but not in a good way, if you get what I mean. My cousin is an omega and she was mated off to a rich young alpha in another pack on her first heat as soon as she turned 18.”“Did… did she want to?”“Well, yes, when she met him in heat, of course she did. Then they just sort of got used to each other. It’s like an arranged marriage. It’s nice when you see an alpha being more modern about things, treating omegas like people, not possessions.”“Do betas go into heat?”
“Not usually, no. I mean there’s a spectrum for all things, and there’s some betas who tend to be a bit more ambiguous, a bit more alpha, or omega, but most betas don’t get those intense hormonal surges. I wouldn’t want to either - it looks very awkward to live with. I’m happy not being noticed or fought over. If there’s a power vacuum, or a disruption, then if there’s a beta in the pack who shows more alpha tendencies, then they might ascend the ranks.”

“They could change hormonally?” Aziraphale asked. Maggie nodded.

“They’d find their hormones build up a bit more, and take over responsibilities, until they’re a full alpha, or they might leave to find a mate of their own, or choose to have a relationship with a human.”
“It all sounds very complicated.”“It isn’t if you grow up with it. I mean, human society seems far more complicated to us, and we have to become fluent in both - like being bilingual - so we can pass ourselves off and hide in plain sight around humans. A big part of our education is learning how to pass for human.”Maggie sighed. “I miss teaching the pups.”“Your pack had pups?”“Oh not Brandon’s pack, no. The pack I came from before I was given to him. The alpha and his omega weren’t really interested in their kids except as eventual heirs. It’s normal for the betas to help raise the leader’s kids, but in that pack, the alpha and omega just didn’t care at all and left it all to me, I was more of a mother to them. They were great kids, they’d be nearly grown up by now - only a couple of years from splitting off to form their own packs.  They’d be about sixteen to eighteen now. There was the alpha’s biological son, Warlock, then he had a couple of beta kids from his lower ranking pack members; Brian and Wensleydale. He’d taken in another alpha kid, Adam, from a relative, and another beta kid, Pepper. Then they just dumped care of them all on me.”“You must miss them a lot,” Aziraphale said, sympathetically. “I do. I often wonder how they’re doing.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley came downstairs after a while, sauntering into Maggie’s room to find Aziraphale. Maggie immediately dropped to her knees again and let out a plaintive whine almost without thinking. “Ah, that’s where my beautiful omega got to,” Crowley said with a smile. “Having fun?” He leaned in to kiss Aziraphale on her cheek. “Yes thank you, Maggie has been teaching me a bit more about pack things.”“That’s good,” he replied, giving Maggie the briefest glance this time, instead of ignoring her completely. Aziraphale supposed it would be a little while yet before Maggie earned more of his attention, and that it wasn’t the done thing to give her more just yet. It still felt wrong to her human side, but she was learning to respect the cultural differences between them.“I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and wondered if you’re finished here, if you’d like to come up to my flat while the rest carry on crafting in Shax’s.” He gave her a teasing smile. “Having your scent in our home for so long is driving me a little demented, but I wanted to give you this morning to hang out with the pack for a while, so I didn’t monopolise you.”“I’d rather like to be monopolised by you for a while,” Aziraphale replied, taking his hand. “I’ll see you later Maggie - perhaps you’d like to go up to Shax’s flat again and see if there are any crafts the others are doing that you’d like to try learning? I’m sure they’d be happy to teach you.”

When they got up to Crowley’s penthouse again, he sat down on the sofa with her, with a serious expression. 
“I was emailing with the alpha of another pack, the one over in Hammersmith. There’s some political stuff going on, and we’d like to stay on their good side, as they have the best vet in the area whose services we use. We may have a vet nurse now, but they have a fully qualified vet, so we don’t want to let that association slide."

Aziraphale nodded in understanding, and he continued:

"So there’ll be a formal meal here tomorrow night. You don’t have to come if you’d rather not, but if you would like to stay, then Shax and I could go through the etiquette stuff with you this afternoon if you like. It’s your choice, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable either way.”
“Would they try to take me, like Brand…” she hastily bit back the name as a low growl set up in the back of Crowley’s throat. “... Like the other one? Would I be safe from them?”“Absolutely. The alpha is mated, to a lovely type two omega like yourself, albeit one who was raised in a pack, not with humans. They’re non-shifting though so you’ll have things in common. They’re a very civilised pack, like us they still have traditions around pack hierarchy, but forward-thinking with regard to other things. They would respect your position if you’re seated to the right of me to reinforce your status in my pack. Probably best if you snuggle with the pack right beforehand as well, so you carry everyone’s scent freshly as well as my own. It will just indicate that we’re er… serious.”Crowley almost swallowed the last word and glanced away, embarrassed. “Sorry.”“Darling, there’s nothing to be sorry for. I’d like to think we are somewhat serious, especially after last night.”Crowley gave a relieved smile, and it was endearing to see that he’d been bashful about cementing their relationship officially.“I think I’d rather like to think of myself as your girlfriend, or consort, if that’s what you call it.” She leaned in to kiss him. “And I’d like to see what a formal dinner is like for you.” She hesitated. “It won’t be, er… raw meat, will it?”“Yes and no. It is traditional, but there will also be human food, so any type twos are catered for regardless. I mean we’d still have human food at an event like this even if there weren’t any type twos around. It’s kind of almost a black tie event, but not quite. Smart suits, dresses, that kind of thing. So I wanted to ask if you’d like to go shopping with me? I’d love to buy you a new special dress for the occasion, if you’d like to attend?”“Oh, well, you don’t have to trouble yourself, I have dresses at home if it’s easier.”“You can wear one of those if you prefer. I just sort of wanted to spoil you, if you’d like me to, to treat you to something new for the occasion, but not if it’d make you feel uncomfortable. It’s up to you.”“Well I rather like the idea of going shopping with you, where did you have in mind?”“You, me, Harrods, and my black credit card, sound good?”“That sounds delightful, thank you darling.”

It wasn’t far to walk to Harrods, a nice afternoon stroll, so they walked it, hand in hand. “We’re going into Kensington, and the pack in that area can be a little bit stuck up, but they also want other packs to spend their money there, so aren’t too bothered provided you’re on legitimate business. It’s not like we’re a whole pack invading. Even so, if we get stopped, let me do the talking. They won’t harm you, it’s just political things again.”“Of course. Do you have to take special care everywhere you travel then?”“Yeah. Territory is a big thing, so there’s ways of walking when you’re not on your home turf, how you’d greet a local pack member if you cross them on the street, to indicate you’re just passing through, it’s more important in modern times to make things work and get along peacefully when you can. People are still on edge right now due to the American influx that shifted the boundaries, but I’m hoping it will settle down soon. Having an omega on my arm will help actually - as they’ll see I’m not a rogue alpha trying to hunt for a mate in their patch.”“So in a way, I’ll be keeping YOU safe this time?” Aziraphale giggled and nudged him.
“Yup. My pretty guardian angel, that’s what you are.” Crowley grinned, and kissed the tip of her nose.
“There’s some things to let you know about our guests tonight - they’re a much bigger, higher-status pack. They won’t be bringing all of their pack along, not at this short notice, we’d never fit them all in easily, but a representative selection. The alpha is named Mutt…”“‘Mutt’?” Aziraphale asked, “... isn’t that a bit…?”Crowley laughed. “Yeah. It is. It’s a nickname that stuck, he likes it. His real name is Matt, but once when he was a teenager, his big brother was playing ‘dog walker’, and panicked when a human questioned him on having a ‘dog’ named ‘Matt’, because that’s a human name, and rather than just saying ‘yes, I gave my puppy a human name, so what?’ Instead he just said ‘MUTT! Yeah. Yeah, I call him Mutt sometimes, because he is one.’ I guess because the world over, if your big brother can take the piss out of you, he will. Either way, the nickname stuck around, and Mutt just began to own it. He thinks it’s hilarious, and dares anyone to make a big deal out of it.”“He sounds fun.”“Oh yeah, he may be big and important but he’s also a great guy, he’s been a friend for a long time. Anyway, his partner, his omega, they’re called Andrea. They’re trans nonbinary, but more often than not femme presenting for the most part, they/them, like Muriel. I wanted to let you know before you meet them so you can get their pronouns correct.”“I see. But how does a transgender omega work? Do they have heats and such like?”“I don’t know exactly, and I’m not their mate, so it’s not my place to ask - that’d be private stuff. I wouldn’t imagine so, but they make it work either way. Sometimes betas show more alpha or omega tendencies, perhaps Andrea was always variable in that regard, a bit of an enigma. Either way they adopted all of their pups. Andrea’s scent is ambiguous, but Mutt refers to them as his omega, and so that’s what we do.”They arrived at Harrods, and Crowley watched on adoringly as Aziraphale browsed the evening dresses. She hesitated over what she should consider, before Crowley told the sales assistant to stop letting her see the price tags, and just suggest items which would suit her. Aziraphale eventually picked out a shimmering pale gold cocktail dress which Crowley said would be suitable. He didn’t let her see the price, and hustled her off to the shoe department to find some new shoes as well to complement the outfit. Then they dined at the Masa sushi restaurant for lunch, after Aziraphale expressed an interest in that over the other food options on offer. Crowley hadn’t really shown an interest in sushi before, as a lycanthrope he was more driven by red meat, but he allowed Aziraphale to introduce him to some new flavours, hand-feeding him her favourite dishes to taste. Leaving Harrods, Crowley carried the shopping bags in one hand, and took Aziraphale’s hand in his other.  A few minutes later she picked up on a slight tensing in his hand before she smelled what had caused it. A beta was coming toward them up ahead, and a moment later, he picked up on their scent as well. “Local?” Aziraphale whispered. Crowley gave a subtle nod, and smiled at the oncoming beta. Fortunately he just lifted his head to scent them a little clearer, and nodded back politely, saying nothing as he passed by. “No problems there then,” Crowley told her. “But it's always best to be polite when you’re on someone else’s turf.”

When they got home, Crowley asked Ligur to come with him in the van to pick up some food for the dinner tomorrow night. “We might as well grab the meat for Wednesday as well while we’re there. Bring the trolley downstairs to the service lift so we can unload it all straight on for the chiller.”“Can I come with you?” Aziraphale asked, partly out of interest, but mainly because she wanted to spend as much time with Crowley as possible. “You ok with big lumps of dead animals? We’re going to Smithfield Market, we have a regular supplier there.”“I suppose so. The more time I spend among my own kind, the more I find I feel comfortable with the things that you do.  It’s like an awakening every day, discovering who I am inside.”
“Ok then. It’s not going to be glamorous though.” Crowley picked up a pair of long white coats and white wellingtons which he explained were a more sensible attire for him and Ligur while collecting supplies, not least because they fitted in better with the butcher. He also explained that they took Ligur because he was their strongest pack member in human form. They made sure to clear all the dog beds from the van’s load bay, and then laid down plastic sheeting on the floor.

It was a short drive to Smithfield Market, where Crowley parked the van up by the doors.  Aziraphale thought that he looked so incongruous with the white butcher’s coat and apron over his regular black clothing. Aziraphale followed him and Ligur into the market and to their preferred wholesaler, where Crowley selected two sides of beef - absolutely enormous entire half cows. Ligur hefted one easily onto his back and lugged it out to the van before coming back for the second.

Aziraphale inexplicably found her mouth watering at being surrounded by so much raw meat, and supposed it was her inner wolf coming to the fore.  Ligur collected the second side of beef, slinging it across his shoulders with practised ease. Crowley, meanwhile, smiled as his wholesaler brought out an entire venison carcass. He sniffed approvingly, and lifted it across his shoulders, wincing only slightly as he tugged at his stitches again, then carried the carcass out to the van. He went back to pick up some bags of beef mince, steaks, a couple of racks of lamb, and some liver, before settling up with the wholesaler.
“Do you always buy meat in such huge quantities?” She asked on the way home. “Well not usually this much, We’d have either a whole deer, or a half of beef on the full moon for the pack. But having another pack over for a dinner tomorrow, we mustn’t stint on the meat, so we’ll present the venison, half a side of beef, a couple of racks of lamb, and half of the liver for the dinner. The rest we’ll save for the full moon. We have a walk-in freezer and walk-in chiller next to Ligur’s flat, as he has the best kitchen setup. We keep a frozen stockpile, but I wanted fresh, not frozen, for our guests in particular.”Back at the flat, Crowley backed the van up to the service lift at the back of the building, and Ligur wheeled out a tall trolley, almost like a tall clothing rack, but with hooks suspended from the top bar, onto which he expertly hooked the hocks of each of the carcasses, then hung the bags with the other meat in on the remaining hooks, and rolled the whole lot into the freight elevator to take it upstairs. Ligur showed her the walk-in freezer and fridge, which contained rabbits, hares, pheasants, grouse, partridges, masses of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, lamb, mutton, pork, beef, venison, and even exotic meats like ostrich, zebra, and kangaroo steaks, set aside for special occasions. There were what he called “the snack pile” of frozen reptile food: rodents and chicks, which the wolves enjoyed almost like an equivalent to popcorn or other treats while relaxing in wolf form.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley went to take care of some emails and left Shax setting up the big dinner table in the penthouse for Sunday night, while she explained lycanthrope etiquette to Aziraphale. “So Crowley will obviously be at the head of the table, and you will be on his right. Mutt will be on his left, and Andrea will be next to you. After that we will alternate down the table by rank - one from Mutt’s pack, and one from ours. So I will be next to Mutt, after that we have Furfur, Dagon, Ligur, Anathema, Newt, Muriel, Eric, then Maggie will be last as she’s not yet a full member of the pack.”“But neither am I,” Aziraphale objected. “Shouldn’t I be at the end with Maggie?”“No, you’re an omega - the alpha’s consort, and if you decide to become his mate and be bonded, then you would be given equal status to him. As it is, the fact he has expressed an interest in you as his mate gives you a high rank. Omegas outrank betas to start with regardless, but Crowley’s status reflects on you as well.”Aziraphale nodded, and helped fold the napkins as Shax continued. “For Mutt’s pack, obviously it’s alphas first, so if he has another young alpha in his pack, then they’d come after Andrea, then unmated omegas, then betas in descending seniority. They have a couple of adopted children, and they will be below the omegas, but above the betas if they’re present. Raw meat is the traditional first course - the alpha gets the liver and best pieces - for humans or type twos, there will be carpaccio, steak tartare, ceviche, or sushi, although if they happened to be very averse to raw meats even in those preparations, then parma ham or other cured meats would be an option - Crowley told me you like sushi though?”“Yes, I love it.”“Then we’ll make sure that’s an option for you, although if you feel up to it, it would be polite to at least taste the other options. The packs would especially approve if you do. As your potential mate, usually Crowley would honour you by offering you a small piece of the raw liver, and to decline would be very rude. If you’d rather not though, he can either make it a very very tiny token piece, like the size of a fingernail, or if you’re really averse, then he could refrain from offering it at all. You may find, with your wolf blood, that you find a taste for it after all, especially now some of your instincts are awakening.”“I’ll try a very small piece,” Aziraphale agreed. “Next would be regular human food - roasted meats, rack of lamb and so forth. Betas will take some of the food from each course and place it in containers to take back to the den to share with pups or any of the pack left behind, so don’t be surprised to find Mutt’s pack betas squirrelling away portions in takeaway tubs - it’s perfectly normal.”“It would have seemed odd, yes. I’m glad you told me.”“Then to finish, it’s traditional for those who can shapeshift to take a wolf form for the final course, which would be the raw venison carcass and beef. Alphas get first choice, they may be a little growly if the betas try to push in too soon, but it will mostly be noise, don’t be alarmed - it sounds worse than it is. Crowley may carry a small piece to you and give it to you, again you are welcome to try, but in this instance, you could pop it in a takeaway tub ‘for later’. We’ll make sure there are regular human dessert options available for you, we don’t normally do sweet desserts at these events except for any humans or type twos present.”“Thank you.”“After Crowley and Mutt have picked the best pieces, they’ll allow the lower ranks to join in, and once everyone is finished, they will generally groom themselves and one another, some mutual grooming, then relax for a while. Usually this means changing back to human shape, and relaxing in the lounge to talk about whatever matters need discussing. Food happens before talks, as a happily full wolf is more agreeable than a hungry one.”“I suppose that makes sense,” Aziraphale agreed, putting the finishing touches to the table. “How do they serve the raw carcass?”“Oh that goes on the floor next to the table, there’ll be a tarpaulin out for easy cleanup. I suggest you sit off to the side somewhere while we devour that, it can get a bit messy. You can chat with Andrea, I’m sure you two will get on just fine - Andrea is lovely.”

Once they’d finished preparing Crowley’s flat for the event tomorrow, Shax disappeared downstairs again, after indicating that Aziraphale could go and join Crowley in his office while he finished up his emails and phone calls. His face lit up as she entered the room, and he stumbled over his words briefly, before quickly winding up his call, so he could tug Aziraphale into a hug and some thorough kissing. “Sorry it’s been a bit of a busier afternoon than I’d planned. I had wanted to spend more quality time with you today, but last-minute planning for an inter-pack event has to come first. I’m all yours now though, love.”“And I’m all yours,” Aziraphale replied, making herself comfy on his lap. “Is that so?” Crowley smiled back with a happy little growl in his voice. “Perhaps,” he said, kissing her throat between the words: “I could lay you out…” kiss, “... right here on my desk…” kiss, “... put my tongue between your legs…” kiss, “... and devour you?” he kissed lower down her neck. “I like the sound of that.”“Good.” Crowley growled. He kissed her deeply, then lifted her easily and sat her on the table before his throne, before standing and leaning over her to continue kissing while he eased up her skirt, then tugged her panties down. Standing straight, he slid them off her ankles, then leaned in to kiss her bare thighs. “My tongue can do even better things when I’m in my crinos form… if you like?” He suggested, a glint in his eye. “It gets much longer, for a start.”Aziraphale felt a thrill jolt through her very core at the suggestion, and nodded eagerly. Crowley first shifted into his wolf form, as it seemed that they all had the knack of using that to easily wriggle out of their clothes faster without them getting ripped by going straight to their enormous crinos shape. Only then did he tower up above her once more. Crowley was frighteningly huge, and yet Aziraphale didn’t feel in the slightest bit scared by him. She did glance between his legs, however, and quailed slightly. He would definitely need to start her off with that in his human shape first. He caught the trepidation in her expression and grinned, stroking her thigh soothingly. “Relax, I’m only giving you my tongue still. You don’t get the rest of me until you’re begging for it. It’s an experience we shouldn’t rush.”With that, he sat back down on his throne - now she knew why that was so huge as well, to accommodate his monstrous form.  Then, placing a surprisingly gentle clawed hand on each thigh, he nosed between them with his snout, inhaling deeply with a happy rumble in his chest, and then began to lick. Good lord, he wasn’t wrong about that tongue - long and thick, it seemed to plunge into her, right to her very core, filling her and dancing inside in a manner that had her gasping out loud immediately. Aziraphale reached down with both hands to stroke his huge head between her legs - his red fur was soft under her fingers, and his long pointed ears just begged to be petted, so she did, earning an appreciative rumble as he licked. A darker ‘mane’ of black fur ran from the back of his neck down his shoulders, then faded out over his back, giving way to his red fur again, but his hands, arms, legs, and feet were black-furred as they were in his wolf form. When he gazed up at her from his position worshipping her vulva, Crowley’s eyes were a vivid gold, fading to amber at the edges. His slit pupils were dilated, devouring her with his eyes as much as with his tongue. The adoration in his eyes was so intense she felt as if her heart would burst with the love he was lavishing on her. Although his monstrous hands were clawed, he was careful not to grip with them, or dig them into her in the slightest, and despite knowing what damage they were capable of, Aziraphale had never felt safer than under his careful touch. Knowing such a powerful beast was under her control, determined to do nothing but pleasure her any way she wished, was incredible. Despite the fact that in this shape, Crowley’s fangs were larger and sharper than ever, he knew how to be gentle, and every touch was nothing but ecstasy, without the slightest fear that he might harm her. He alternated using his strong tongue-tip on her clit, with lapping at her vulva, and plunging it deep inside her, until Aziraphale couldn’t hold back her cries any longer and simply let go of her inhibitions, crying out loudly, without a care as to who could hear. It’s not like they didn’t know from the scents on the air what was going on up here anyway. Everything faded into the background save for her lover between her legs, nothing else mattered, and her mind whirled away on a sea of blissful sensations, like a tide of pleasure crashing over a beach again and again, each wave rising higher up the shoreline as she felt her orgasm rising. Crowley seemed to be perfectly in tune with what she needed, and drove her higher and higher, until she climaxed, screaming his name, hips bucking, and then fell still, sweating and trembling, grateful for the cold marble of his desk to cool her fevered body from the heat that his passion had driven her to. Crowley relented at last, switching to long, slow, languid laps with broad strokes of his tongue as he cleaned her up with careful devotion. Aziraphale couldn’t even form words, such was her euphoric exhaustion. She could only blink and gaze at him helplessly, with a lovesick smile. She reached down and fondled his ears, while Crowley closed his eyes in bliss and pushed into the pressure happily.

When Crowley stood and took her hand in his huge, careful claws to help her sit up again, Aziraphale was shocked to see his terrifyingly enormous erection standing proud between his legs. She hesitated, then cautiously reached out to touch it. Crowley froze, and swayed backwards a little, as if afraid to let her touch him. Aziraphale glanced up, to meet his gaze. “It’s alright,” she whispered. “May I touch?”Crowley nodded, silent, and appeared to be holding his breath. Just as she laid her hand tentatively on his shaft, he let it out in a puff of air, then reached down to still her hand with his own. “Not like this, wait.”Aziraphale withdrew her hand with a questioning look. Crowley shifted back into his human shape again, shrinking down from about eight feet tall, to a more reasonable height of about six foot one. Aziraphale tried not to look disappointed, there was something about his more primal shape which called to her own deep-down werewolf blood. Part of her instinctively desired him as he should be, not as he had to disguise himself to look, in order to blend in among humans.At least in this shape, while still intimidatingly large, his cock wasn’t as terrifyingly oversized as in his crinos form. Crowley took her hand gently. “You don’t have to, you know,” he whispered. “But if you want to, you can.”“I want to.”He let go of her hand, and Aziraphale reached out once more to touch. He shivered and let out a quiet moan, his cock twitching at the contact. Warm and stiff, she encircled it with her hand and stroked, feeling the skin moving under her gentle grip. It may be slightly smaller, but it still looked different to a normal human penis. Near the base was a thicker band of tissue, which was still swelling slightly as she stroked. “Is that…?”“My knot. It will get a lot bigger when I’m close to climax.”“A lot?”“You wouldn’t be able to get your fist around it,” Crowley replied. “Perhaps I should show you, before you decide if you want to do anything else with it.”“May I…? Use my hands? My mouth? So I can see?”“If you like. I’ll get a condom, wait…”“For my mouth?”“It’d be the polite thing to do. I mean, I’m STI tested anyway, but I didn’t want to assume you’d want me in your mouth uncovered.”“I do,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss the tip. Crowley shivered with lust. “You’re sure?”She wrapped her lips around the head of his shaft and nodded, licking her way down.  “Fuck…” Crowley gasped hoarsely. He reached out to stroke his fingers through her blonde curls. “Angel…” He was too thick and long for Aziraphale to be able to fit all of it into her mouth, but she used her hands as well to complement the movement of her mouth, stroking, using a gentle quarter twist at the end of each stroke, which soon had Crowley’s hips jolting in time with her movements. A contented rumble vibrated through his body - not as deep as when he was in his crinos form - but still a delicious sound to Aziraphale, knowing her touch was affecting him so deeply. He’d given her such pleasure twice already seemingly without the expectation of anything in return for himself, so she was determined to give him her best, to do her utmost to make him feel as good as he’d made her. By the sounds spilling from his lips, it was working. As Aziraphale licked and sucked, concentrating on her task of pleasuring Crowley to the best of her ability, her hands at the root of him felt the knot swelling faster, until it took both of her hands to encircle the girth of it. Crowley groaned, and reached down to cover her hands with his own, squeezing around them to indicate she should squeeze his knot tighter. “Keep them there… please… tighter… yes. Fuck yes. Angel…”So she gripped the root of him tightly, while she sucked up and down at the tip, Crowley’s shaky vocalisations above her indicating she was doing something right. “Angel, I’m close, so close. You… might want to lift off. I can come on your thighs or something. There’ll be… fuck … a lot…”Trusting his judgement, Aziraphale lifted off, and hastily removed her blouse and bra, giving Crowley something to aim for. He took over stroking himself rapidly, one hand gripped tight below the base of his knot, the other working on the end. “You’re… ok with this?” He gasped. “You’re sure?”She nodded, squeezing her breasts together and leaning forward. “I’m sure,” she told him, gazing up at him, the trust in her eyes laced with lust, just as in Crowley’s. With a deep, guttural groan, he let go. Spurting his release over her pale skin, she saw he’d been right about there being a lot of it. He kept one hand gripped tight below his knot as his cock jolted in his hand, coating her again and again. The knot was easily the size of a clenched fist, and even after his climax had eventually come to an end, he seemed loath to relax his grip. He stood, trembling, catching his breath. “Are you alright?” Aziraphale asked.“Fucking great,” he admitted. “You?”She nodded, then he noticed her gaze, and looked down. “Yeah, it kind of… I like to keep hold for a while afterwards, it sort of, er, feels closer to what would happen normally.”Understanding dawned. “Ohhh, you mean, the, um - tie, yes?”Crowley nodded, “Yeah.” He let go awkwardly. “Sorry.” He darted to one side and hastily grabbed for a box of tissues, tugging some out and leaning in to help wipe the mess off Aziraphale’s chest, then paused. “Sorry, would you rather do it yourself?” She noticed that while his knot was swollen, his whole cock remained rigid as well, and presumably would do for some time.“Crowley?” He met her eyes again. “It’s fine, relax. You didn’t need to let go on my account, you don't need to apologise for anything.” He sagged a little. “It’s been a while… since I kind of, did anything like this… with someone else. Feel kind of awkward.”“I could tell.” Aziraphale reached out and tugged him gently forwards into a soft kiss. “Let’s take a shower together, hmm?”Crowley hesitated, then nodded. “You don’t need to be shy about it,” Aziraphale reminded him. “No, it’s not that, it was just a sort of, primal thought, intrusive I guess…” he petered off awkwardly. “What was it?” She asked quietly. “‘S stupid. Just a sort of instinct thing. My kind of wolf brain hesitated, because now you smell more of me - properly of me - and wolf brain didn’t want you to, er… wash it off fully,” he finished in an embarrassed mumble. He looked up again sharply. “That must sound really disgusting to someone raised by humans, sorry. I didn’t mean I don’t want you to shower, I do. I just wanted to explain why I hesitated - because there’s always a bit of me shouting in the back of my head complaining when things aren’t wolf enough. We live on scents, they’re important to us, it’s a really primal instinct to communicate things by them, and it’s at odds with what we know is right in this day and age. It’s hard to try to be in both worlds at once. I don’t want you to feel dirty or disgusting. I want you to have a shower. I just wanted to explain how my brain worked, that’s all.”“I understand,” Aziraphale reassured him. “We could compromise. I’ll have a shower, but you stay as you are. Then afterwards we can cuddle again so you can rub your regular scent all over me - I do like it, for the record.”Crowley nodded in relief, and hugged her tight. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” he whispered in her ear.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale luxuriated in the shower - Crowley clearly did use it regularly, his scent was warm, smoky, musky, and masculine, but not an unwashed stench by any stretch of the imagination. He had bodywash and shampoo in the shower, mostly unscented, but she understood how his instincts could feel different about him leaving his scent on her in an intimate context. She’d never liked strongly scented products either, and it occurred to her that it was something she had always had in common with her boss, too.

Seeing Crowley’s discomfiture over the internal battle between his wolf self and his human-presenting self made her realise how difficult it must be for him to exist between two worlds, and constantly fighting back against instincts that might be fine for a wolf, but weren’t compatible with modern society.

But now she was recognising the long-dormant wolf part of her own self, and learning to embrace some of those same instincts, without feeling guilty about them. She thought back to her childhood - the ‘wild child’, always wanting to explore in the woods behind the house, to build dens, to follow trails, to watch wildlife, and how her adoptive parents had despaired of how ‘unladylike’ she was, and how they strove to educate her out of such behaviour. Crowley was striving to behave more human to make her feel more comfortable, and she was striving to behave more wolf, to meet him in the middle.

So when she stepped out of the shower, instead of taking the fresh towel he’d put out for her, she picked up Crowley’s and wrapped herself in that. When she walked through to the bedroom, where he was relaxing on the bed, he looked confused.

“There was a clean towel for you…”

“I know,” she said, sitting on the bed next to him and leaning down to give him a kiss. “But this one already smells like you. It’s like you being wrapped around me already. I thought I’d get a head start.”

Crowley growled appreciatively, and pulled her down on top of him. His erection was only just beginning to soften as his knot subsided. Aziraphale giggled, then rolled over, dragging him on top of her instead and letting her towel fall open. She tilted her head back to bare her throat, inviting him to rub himself against her. Crowley made delighted noises, rubbing his cheek and neck against hers, pausing only to kiss her some more.

“I get the feeling that, were you in a different shape, your tail would be wagging, dear.”

“You’re not wrong,” he mumbled against her skin, nibbling gently. “Want me to prove it?”

Before she could reply, Crowley leapt off her and transformed into his pure wolf form, and began bounding around the bed, tail wagging enthusiastically. He leapt forwards to lick her face, making Aziraphale giggle uncontrollably, then he bounced away again, his whole body wiggling. When he came close to lick her face again, Aziraphale reached out and ruffled the fur of his neck. Crowley wriggled happily then leapt away once more and sprinted circuits of the room, leaping over the bed on each lap, until Aziraphale could barely breathe for laughing.

A couple of circuits later, he finished by leaping onto the bed again, panting hard, tail still wagging, and cocked his head on one side, tongue lolling. Aziraphale’s laughter filled the room. Crowley shifted back into his human shape again, grinning, and wrapped her in a hug.

“See what you do to me?” He laughed.

“Somehow I’ve gone my entire life without considering that werewolves might get the zoomies,” she giggled.

“You’re extra gorgeous when you smile.”

“So are you.”

“Fuck, I love you, Angel.”

Aziraphale stilled, and took a breath.

“I love you too, Crowley.”

He let out a relieved breath. “As soon as I said it I panicked that I shouldn’t have. I hadn’t said it yet because I didn’t want to pressure you, but I’m glad you feel the same way.”

“As if it wasn’t obvious.”
  
They lay together for a while, content in one another’s arms. Occasionally sneaking tender kisses.

“Well I think I smell thoroughly of my handsome alpha again now,” Aziraphale whispered. “What do you think?”

Crowley rubbed his chin against her again with a smile. “I think you smell like my beautiful omega.”

“Should we join the rest for dinner? I can smell something from downstairs.”

“Yeah, it almost smells as good as you do. None of them would dare come up here to ask if we wanted to join in while all this was going on. We should get dressed.”

Aziraphale got up and went to the bag that Crowley had brought over from her flat, then withdrew the white lacy matching bra and panties set, holding it up with a teasing smile. Crowley gave another of his approving growls.

Covering the lingerie with her more demure skirt and blouse, Aziraphale followed Crowley downstairs to Ligur’s flat, where the pack did their best to hide smiles. She couldn’t help but notice they kept offering her the tastiest morsels of food from each dish. As she sat next to Crowley she also couldn’t help but exchange shy smiles with him, while the pack exchanged amused smiles with each other at seeing their alpha and omega so smitten.

After dinner and relaxing as a pack for a while, they headed out for a night walk. Aziraphale and Crowley walked hand in hand while the pack ran off into the darkness.

“I can feel your nervous energy, you know,” Aziraphale told him, amused.

“I just told a beautiful angel I loved her, and she said she loved me too, I’m buzzing,” Crowley admitted.

“Would you like to run off some energy for a bit as well then? I’ll be ‘dog’ trainer for a while if you like.”

Crowley whined quietly, and nodded. “If I don’t stretch my legs I feel like I’m going to explode with happiness anyway.”

Aziraphale kissed him. “Go have a run, my handsome Alpha.”

He wriggled out of his clothes as he transformed, and zoomed a quick circle around her, before sprinting off ahead, regularly looping back to check she was ok, and then running ahead again. It was fairly quiet in the park, but nonetheless, Crowley never let Aziraphale out of his sight. She picked up his clothes and folded them over her bag to carry them for him while he ran.

A pair of women walking a pug, a shih-tzu, and a pomeranian nodded to Aziraphale as their paths converged. Crowley rocketed back and sat at her feet immediately, the picture of attentiveness. Aziraphale reached out and stroked the soft fur between his ears, and Crowley closed his eyes in bliss, his tail wagging so much that his hindquarters wiggled.

“He looks awfully well trained,” one of the women complimented Aziraphale.

“Thank you, he’s a very good boy, and I love him very much,” she replied, leaning down to kiss Crowley on the snout. “Don’t I, handsome?”

Crowley whined in agreement and licked her face.

“Looks like he loves you too,” the other woman cooed, “what a sweetheart.”

Crowley yipped softly in agreement, and licked Aziraphale’s face again.

“Does he know any tricks?”

Aziraphale eyed Crowley with a sneaky grin. “Do you, sweetheart? Anything you’d like to share with these lovely ladies?”

Crowley put his head on one side, but evidently decided to indulge her, and did a play bow, snorted, then rolled over. Then he sat on his haunches and begged.

“What are you begging for?” Aziraphale asked him in a teasing tone. Crowley stuck his tongue out.

“A kiss?”

He yipped again. Wolves can’t bark properly, but his vocalisation was close enough, so she stood up and put her hands on her shoulders. “Come on then.”

Crowley stood to his full lupine height, towering over her like a great dane, and planted his paws on her shoulders. Aziraphale kissed his snout again and told him what a handsome boy he was, giving him a hug. Crowley wriggled in excitement, then when she let him go, zoomed off again in a rapid circle before returning to heel, panting.

“Such a wonderful dog, he’s a credit to you!” The first woman complimented her. “I wish ours were that well trained, they just like to amble about and eat treats.”

“I’m sure you’ll get there,” Aziraphale said, encouragingly. “I must be getting on, I have a few more out having a run tonight, so I must be going, good evening.”

“Lovely to meet you, night!”

As they parted ways, Aziraphale held up one of the slip leads looped around her shoulders. “Does such a good boy want his lead on then?” She teased him.

Crowley grumbled deep in his throat, then looked around. They were alone again, so he gave himself a shake and re-took his human form once more, taking his pile of clothes from where they’d been folded over Aziraphale’s bag.

“I love you, but don’t push your luck, Angel. Those leads are for emergencies only. We’re wolves, not dogs. We don’t do leads or collars. The tricks were because I wanted to see you smile.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Angel. You have a beautiful smile,” he grinned. “And I hadn’t told you about the lead and collar thing before, so you weren’t to know they’re just props for emergencies.”

Crowley raised his head and let out a howl. Within seconds, shapes were sprinting out of the darkness toward them. Muriel had a rabbit again and came to a sit in front of Aziraphale, tail wagging, offering it up.

“Thank you, Muriel, this is lovely, perhaps we can serve it to the guests tomorrow night as a side dish?”

Eric had caught a rat and offered it up to Crowley.

“It’s ok, you eat it, I’m full from dinner.”

Eric wagged his tail and crunched it happily, before they headed back to the van and home again.

The rest of the pack wandered off to their own flats, leaving Aziraphale and Crowley alone in his penthouse. He looked awkward.

“I should head down to Furfur’s, let you get some sleep…” He began.

“Or you could stay here, with me?” Aziraphale suggested. Crowley looked unsure.

“We don’t have to do anything. I get the feeling you’re worried about doing too much with me.” Aziraphale took his hand gently.

He nodded. “I don’t want to overwhelm you, but I do kind of want to hold you, if you want me to.”

“I definitely want you to, darling. Come on.” She tugged him by the hand to the bedroom. Aziraphale took Crowley’s hands and laid them on the buttons of her blouse, inviting him to undress her. He removed her blouse, but then hesitated.

“This feels too much like an overture to more,” he admitted. “I want to take it slow, I don’t want to rush into claiming you fully, once it’s done, it’s not the kind of thing you can change your mind about easily afterwards, I’d rather we take it step by step, and make sure you’re certain.”

Aziraphale nodded understanding, and stepped back to finish undressing herself. Crowley grabbed her nightie and handed it over, before stripping to his boxers, and getting into bed.

“Angela told me about how hard it is to break a bond,” she admitted. “Thank you for being considerate about it. I suppose it’s not something to rush into, is it?”

“No, and if I get too carried away, it might drive you to beg me to do it to you, and I don’t think I’d be able to resist doing so, especially if you beg me. I couldn’t deny it to you.”

“I’ll try to make sure not to ask you for it on a whim,” she promised, and kissed him. “But I still love you.”

“I love you too, Angel. Sweet dreams.”

“They’ll be all the sweeter for being held in your arms all night long - I’ve been dreaming of this since I met you.”

Crowley made an amused noise, and hugged her close. Aziraphale spooned up to him, feeling the warmth of his lean body against her back, his arm around her waist. She laid her own hand over his, and squeezed it, then drifted off to sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale woke up, initially confused to find Crowley’s arm sprawled out across her, before remembering where she was. Crowley was snoring gently, but the feel of his body against hers was too much of a temptation to ignore, so she shuffled backwards against him until he sleepily tugged himself closer in turn, wrapping his arm more tightly around her and mumbling happily. She soon felt the firm nudge of an erection pressing against her buttocks, and debated internally between teasing him a little by squirming back against it, or ignoring it. Much as Aziraphale would like to tempt Crowley into some more intimacy, she knew going too far was a pretty big deal and an important occasion, and the inter-pack meeting tonight sounded important too. She didn’t want to cause any problems by distracting him from it. So in the end her sensible side won the tussle, not without a little regret, and she merely lay there in his arms, content, until he began to wake a little later. Crowley nuzzled into her hair, then kissed the back of her neck. “Mornin’ Angel,” he murmured. “Y’ sleep ok?”“Yes thank you, darling. The best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.” She rolled onto her back to gaze at her handsome alpha, who smiled sleepily back at her. “You look gorgeous,” he said, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Speak for yourself.” Aziraphale stroked down his naked chest, dusted with red hairs. Her fingers trailed downwards suggestively, to gauge what Crowley may or may not be interested in. Even if not progressing to full penetrative sex yet, perhaps he may be amenable to something similar to last night. “Careful, Angel,” he whispered, catching her wrist before it got to his boxers. “I’m horny enough already. Perhaps, if you’re feeling a little feisty, I might indulge you instead?” He stroked down over her abdomen and hip, letting his hand come to rest over her pelvis suggestively. “I feel rather overdressed for the occasion,” Aziraphale replied teasingly, before reaching down to wriggle out of her underpants. “There we go, far more appropriate.”She reached out to take his hand in her own, and guided him down to her vulva, letting her thighs relax, then lay back and gazed into his eyes, as Crowley’s clever fingers went to work. He watched her expression in fascination, noting every flinch and gasp with each touch and stroke, how her lips parted and her breaths grew faster as his hand moved steadily between her legs. He smiled to see her begin to squirm, thrusting her hips against his hand desperately, seeking more stimulation. Crowley grinned and indulged her thoroughly, fingers sinking deeper, moving faster. As Aziraphale’s body bucked and squirmed, he half rolled over her and began to lick and nibble at her neck, growling with desire, his voice and passion driving her higher and tipping her over the edge. Aziraphale came crying out his name over and over.He stilled his hand, still watching her, fascinated to see just how he could bring her to ecstasy, and how gorgeous she looked when she called his name as she did. He kissed her neck softly, then slid his fingers out. “Makes me glad my flat is soundproofed,” Crowley grinned. His stomach rumbled, and Aziraphale giggled. “Perhaps I should have eaten you out instead,” he joked. “I’m starving, let's get some breakfast. I can smell them up to something downstairs.”

Crowley got up and tugged on a dressing gown, grabbing Aziraphale’s from the back of the door and wrapping her in it when she stood up from the bed. “Should I get dressed before we join the others for breakfast?”“Only if you want to. It’s Sunday morning, we usually relax a bit more, have brunch, take it easy and watch some tv together, they’ll mostly be in their pyjamas down there. You can dress if you like, but no one will blink at you being in your dressing gown for brunch.”When they got downstairs, a few of the pack were in wolf form. Eric seemed to be fighting with Ligur, they growled and leapt, bit and tussled. Muriel watched on, tail wagging vaguely. Shax and Dagon were sitting in human form to the side, talking. By the smell of it, Maggie and Newt were making brunch, and Anathema was reading, apparently unconcerned by the pitched battle being done in the middle of the room.

(Art by JL Illustration. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “Crowley! Stop them! They’ll kill each other!”He only laughed. “No they won’t. They’re just sparring. Eric is learning from Ligur, we train regularly to keep fit and keep our reactions sharp. We all take turns play fighting one another to learn tricks from each other’s fighting styles. Besides, Muriel will see fair play. They’ll stop them if it gets out of hand.”“There’s blood!” Aziraphale responded, panicked. Crowley shrugged.“It’s fine, we heal fast, look:” he dropped his dressing gown to show the scars healing rapidly on his back. “See? It’s perfectly normal. They’ll be fine.” Crowley lounged back on a chair in his boxers again and watched with mild interest. “Eric, remember to use your speed and smaller size to your advantage. Ligur has more muscle than you, you’ll be better fighting like I do than trying to copy his moves. Watch…”He shifted into his wolf shape then launched into the fray. He feinted low, which Ligur was expecting, due to knowing that Crowley usually went for the legs. But knowing that Ligur knew that, after the feint downwards, Crowley twisted in mid-air to dodge left and snapped at Ligur’s shoulder, using his body weight and speed to spin the more muscled wolf around and off-balance, before pinning him to the ground by his throat. Ligur squealed then whined, going still. Crowley released him immediately then licked his neck and face in apology. He shifted back and nodded to Eric. “Now you try.”Eric licked his lips uncertainly, but Crowley gave a low growl and nudged him forwards. Ligur was on his feet again, so Eric began to circle and spin back and forth at random, until Ligur couldn’t keep up with the changes of direction to keep facing him with his guard up, he stumbled, and Eric seized his chance, darting in to bite. Ligur twisted away, so the bite only made contact with his ear, tearing it a little, before Ligur wrestled Eric to the ground and pinned him. Ligur let go and snorted, then the two broke apart and changed back. Aziraphale averted her eyes while they tugged their pyjama bottoms on again, but no one else seemed to care about occasional flashes of nudity mid-change. “Nearly had me there, kid,” Ligur complimented Eric, holding his ear, which was bleeding where it had been bitten.Maggie evidently smelled the blood and rushed in with a first aid kit to find the problem. She dropped to her knees at Ligur’s feet.“Please, sir…”“Get up, Maggie, it’s fine,” Ligur extended his hand to take hers, helping her to her feet. “You can fix it, thanks.”Clearly a beta had less reason to be aloof around the new probationary pack member than the alpha did. After cleaning and dressing Ligur’s ear, Maggie checked Eric over, he had some scrapes which were bleeding but they weren’t as bad as they looked. She cleaned and dressed them, and this time both smiled and thanked her. Maggie beamed with pride, before turning to Crowley, and kneeling at his feet. “Please, Alpha, may I check your stitches?”Crowley nodded and turned slightly for her to inspect his back. The cuts were healing amazingly quickly, with no sign of infection. Maggie told him so, and Crowley nodded again. “Right, let's have brunch,” he declared.

During brunch, Crowley kept sharing bites of tasty morsels with Aziraphale off his plate, hand feeding her from time to time with an indulgent smile. He was still only in his boxers, not having bothered to put his dressing gown on again. He explained that honestly they were more comfortable like that when they could be, and that the rest of the pack tended to prefer to be wolf-shaped at home more often when possible. They had been taking human form a bit more than usual recently to make Aziraphale feel at ease.“But you don’t need to do that on my account,” she protested, looking around the table, feeling guilty that they had been putting her comfort over their own. “It’s ok,” Newt told her. “We wanted to make you feel welcome, and if you’re raised by humans then it would all feel a bit weird to you, so we wanted to ease you into it. I mean we do stay in human shape when we want to talk about things, we’re not always wolves when at home, just when relaxing.”“Can you speak to each other in wolf shape?” Aziraphale asked, curious. “We don’t need to,” Dagon told her. “Spoken language isn’t really relevant to us then - we communicate but not in words, we work on instincts and mutual understanding, body language and suchlike. We shift if we need to deal with more complex matters that need language over pack instinct. We understand what each other wants more intuitively, and scents can come into it as another aspect of communication aside from body language, facial expressions, growls, yips, whines and so forth. Body language is things like ears, eyes, lips, tail, and how you hold your body itself, even down to the angle you present yourself or approach another wolf with, it’s more complex than humans tend to think.”Muriel spoke up, motioning to Eric and Ligur. “Did you notice the sneeze? The snorting when Ligur broke off? It’s a sign that it’s a play fight, not anger, to indicate no ill-will. You’ll pick up more of the subtleties the more you’re around us when we’re in our natural state.”“Is wolf more natural to you than human or that big crinos shape? Do you feel more natural in the crinos shape?” Aziraphale asked. “Wolf is more natural to us, yes,” Dagon replied. “Human is a disguise, we feel least comfortable in that shape, but have come to adapt and get used to it. We spend all working day essentially cosplaying as humans, which is why in the evenings and weekends, we like to get back to what we are again, but crinos isn’t something we use as often - we sometimes call it ‘war form’, it’s a fighting shape for the most part, or… well, some call it ‘fighting and fucking,’ sorry to be coarse. It’s the more animalistic, primal shape, and while we can speak in that shape, it tends to call forth our more bestial aspects, and more savage ones. It’s not a shape we really relax in too often, as we associate it more with expending energy and high emotion. Wolf is relaxed shape, that we prefer to sleep in. I mean, with the fur we get a built-in blanket anyway, so it’s more comfy.”“You don’t sleep in wolf shape,” Aziraphale pointed out to Crowley. “You can if you want.”“I wanted you to feel more at ease”, he replied, and kissed her cheek. “Well you can all stop making yourselves feel uncomfortable for my sake,” Aziraphale told the pack as a whole. “I don’t mind, I want you to be you, however you feel best. I trust you all - with my life, and I love all of you, and I want you to be yourselves around me. The more I’m with you when you feel most relaxed, the more I’ll feel better about it anyway.”The pack smiled at that, and Eric changed immediately, licking his plate clean while wagging his tail. There was half a sausage left so he picked it up and put it on Maggie’s plate. Ligur nabbed the last bit of bacon from the dish in the middle of the table, and put it on Maggie’s plate too. She transformed and ate it happily. Crowley again picked up his plate as if taking it to the kitchen, then ‘accidentally’ got distracted and put it down near Maggie when he checked his phone, wandering off and leaving a pork chop bone and some sausage left on his, too. Maggie seemed delighted and whined in thanks.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After the table was cleared, the pack went to Furfur’s flat, where there was a huge projector display like a home cinema in the lounge, with massive comfy sofas and floor cushions. More of the pack shifted into wolf form and sprawled out to watch tv together. Aziraphale was getting used to the fact that none of them cared about the in-between bit when they had to slip out of or into their clothing, there were periods of nudity - it wasn’t in the slightest bit sexual for anybody, they seemed unconcerned about it, so she decided that she could be as unconcerned as them. No one stared or minded.
Maggie curled up by Crowley’s feet again as he lay on the sofa with Aziraphale, with her head resting on his bare thigh. Crowley stroked her hair, seemingly content. Maggie whined quietly and nosed against his leg, so Crowley reached down and stroked the fur on Maggie’s head briefly. She licked her lips and wagged her tail tip happily, rolling on her back and exposing her belly to him. Crowley reached a little further to rub her belly, to rapturous wiggling. “Crowley?”“Yes, love?”“How appropriate would it be for me to pet the pack members when they’re in wolf shape? I know you’re not dogs but I see you petting them sometimes like this, how does it work?”
“We’re all pack, and you’re my omega consort. Everyone loves you, so yes, it’s appropriate for you to pet them if they approach you like Maggie has to me. They thrive on attention from their alpha and omega, we like closeness as a pack. It wouldn’t be appropriate to do it to members of another pack - like tonight, if anyone takes wolf form. Also if they’re clearly busy, but you’ll pick up on when they’re open to affection.”
“It feels a bit weird, like if I were to pet Maggie now, feeling like, if she were in human shape, I wouldn’t just go up and ruffle her hair or something.”“But we’re not human. In wolf form we will mutually groom, lick each other, and pile on top of one another. We enjoy touch. I promise you it’s not weird, you’ll make her really happy if you touch her right now.”Aziraphale reached down and ruffled Maggie’s belly, and she wriggled with delight, whining and licking her lips, wagging her tail in response. “See? She likes it.”It still felt odd to Aziraphale, knowing the dog-shaped grey wolf wriggling on the floor as she petted her, was the same pretty smiley blonde woman who was desperate for approval, but it was just one of many things she supposed she would get used to in time. Maggie got to her paws and cautiously crept onto the sofa next to Aziraphale, lying down and resting her chin on Aziraphale’s thigh, gazing up at her with soft eyes. Aziraphale laid a hand on her head and rubbed her ears, and Maggie closed her eyes in bliss, tail thumping against the sofa cushions. Crowley looked gently amused. “I think you two are going to end up best friends, aren’t you?” He said fondly.

Aziraphale and the pack relaxed into the early afternoon. Aziraphale found a level of peace she’d never felt before, simply lying on the sofa, her head on Crowley’s lap, while he stroked her hair, stroked her cheek, her neck, her shoulder. Around them, the pack relaxed as well. Maggie had initially been resting her head on Aziraphale, but after she got up to head to the bathroom, Eric and Ligur took her place, both gazing up at Aziraphale with a pleading in their eyes for some attention, so she reached out and alternated scratching behind the ears of each of them, until both fell asleep with their snouts resting on her thigh, with matching contented sighs. Having the bodily contact between her alpha, and the pack, her newfound family, fulfilled a hitherto-unknown-of void in Aziraphale’s psyche. She hadn’t even been aware of all the things she had been missing in her life, until being part of a pack made her see them, to know all of a sudden why she’d always felt like there was something missing - only to have that missing piece immediately fulfilled by the love of those around her. After a while, the pack began to get restless, getting up, yawning, stretching, gazing out of the window at the city below. Aziraphale didn’t miss the signs. She gazed up at Crowley. “Should we go and stretch our legs a bit?”“I thought you’d never ask,” he smiled. “We shouldn’t go far out though, we have a big dinner to prepare for in the afternoon, so everything is ready for this evening, but an outing to Hyde Park would be good. As it’s close we can walk there together.”“Would you like to run as well? I don’t mind being ‘trainer’ for you all.”
“It’s the middle of the day on a weekend, probably best if I take this one - there’s more chance people will challenge you, and we’re well practised at having all the answers, so we’ll walk as a couple and watch the pack. When we get home I’ll run on the treadmill for a while to take the edge off. But movement isn’t the only thing that we need for fulfilment - the pack needs the fresh air and to track, to scent and read the land. You don’t get that bit on a treadmill, but it’ll do me for today.”

They headed out down the street with the pack trotting obediently to heel, all of them watching Crowley with rapt attention. Maggie seemed to want to stay by Aziraphale’s side. Muriel liked to take that position, but relented and instead trotted next to Maggie. As Crowley and Aziraphale strolled hand in hand, they were met with amazed stares from other people, seeing the pack of nine very wolfish looking dogs walking so perfectly off leash in formation around them. The pack were various colours, from the shining white of Muriel’s coat, to the glossy black of Eric’s, the silver-grey of Maggie, the almost pearlescent silver of Dagon, the dusty grey of Anathema, brownish tinge of Newt, red-brown and grey of Ligur, then Shax and Furfur both a more regular wolfish grey and white. They all looked clearly like wolves, and the only thing stopping people from believing that they were, was the common sense that nobody would have pure wolves walking off-leash in public in the middle of London, and not in a zoo. It was easy enough to pass them off as malamute, German shepherd, husky, and northern Inuit mixes if asked. At one point an angry woman confronted Aziraphale (and tellingly, not brave enough to confront Crowley), demanding to know why her ‘mongrels’ weren’t on leads. Aziraphale stopped in her tracks, and the entire pack did the same. Crowley paused, a faint smile on his lips, to see what his brave omega was about to do, but ready to step in if needed. “The law states only that my dogs must be under control,” Aziraphale told her, levelly. Without breaking eye contact, she said. “Back up.”Around and behind her, the pack reversed a few paces. “Sit.” Aziraphale said quietly, not even looking at the pack behind her. Every backside hit the floor at the same moment. “Lie down.”They all lay down. “Maggie, heel,” Aziraphale said, still staring straight at the incredulous woman in front of her. Maggie leapt to her feet and walked forward, then sat at Aziraphale’s side, nudging her hand with her nose. “Dagon, heel.”  Dagon followed suit. Aziraphale dropped her handbag on the ground. “Eric, fetch.”Eric darted forward smartly, picked up the bag carefully by the handles, then came to sit in front of Aziraphale, facing her, holding her bag up expectantly. She took it. “Thank you.” She raised an eyebrow at the woman. “I would say that they’re very well under control, wouldn’t you?”The woman floundered, unable to formulate a coherent response. “Pack, heel,” Aziraphale said quietly. Every member of the pack fell back into formation behind her, and with a smug little smile at their erstwhile problem, Aziraphale walked forward with the pack, making her sidestep out of the way. They went a little way down the street before Crowley leaned in to kiss Aziraphale on the cheek. “Well done, darling. It takes guts to do that in the middle of a crowded street. I’m proud of you. You’re getting very good at this.”“The pack doesn’t mind me ordering them around? I felt so bossy, like I’m making them do tricks for my amusement.”“Nonsense, this is exactly what we have to do to prove we have the right to live the way we do, we’re used to it, and we all want nothing more than to show them up when people pull shit like that, it’s great seeing the reaction on their faces. We all know we’re better than any pet dog, because we know what the stakes are, we have a big incentive to be perfect in public. In human form, we cosplay humans, in wolf form, we have to cosplay as dogs, we’re used to both, relax.”“I still feel a little bad telling them what to do.”“Angel, you’re my omega, the pack lives to please their alpha, but also his mate, it’s how our hierarchy works. It’s not demeaning, we’re a different culture, remember? And as the pack loves you, they want to treat you as their omega already. They want to make you happy as much as they want to make me happy. I want to make them happy too, and I do that in different ways as an alpha. I protect the pack, I provide them safe housing, food, a job for life, I protect the territory, protect them from being attacked or stolen by other packs, I arbitrate disagreements, I listen to their problems, give them support when they’re down, make the decisions so they don’t have to, and make sure those decisions are always for the good of the pack, but most importantly, I give them love.”He squeezed her hand. “And as their omega, you’d help me do that. My partner, my support. They can already see you’re a great omega, you care about them, you consider them at every turn and keep checking on how you can make them feel happy, every time you’re with us, you show you care about every wolf in this little family, and that’s exactly what an omega should do.”

Arriving at the park, Crowley led them to a less-busy area, where there were people with dogs off-lead having a run, and nodded to the pack to let off steam. They sprinted away as a group, but resolutely avoided any of the off-lead dogs, veering away as a group whenever another tried to come near them. Crowley sauntered up to a bench and sat down with Aziraphale, so they could watch the pack run. It was nice to be able to watch them, unlike at night when they disappeared into the dark. It was fascinating to watch how the pack ran and flowed, dodging dog walkers, and moving in such a way as to make it clear they weren’t chasing anyone or anything. They ran silently, no howling, and of course they didn’t bark, which seemed to stand out against the yapping dogs around them. They circled back to Crowley and Aziraphale, checking in briefly, before setting off on another circuit, getting the energy out, before they slowed to a trot and their heads went down, following scent trails as a group. After a while, a pair of spaniels began to follow them, deciding that whatever scent the pack of ‘bigger dogs’ was following so intently must be worth investigating as well, and so tried to join in. As soon as the pack noticed, they stopped dead, and lifted their heads. They didn’t look at the spaniels, but ignored them, remaining that way until the dogs grew bored and wandered off. Only then did the pack carry on again. Seeing that the pack had things under control, to the extent of dropping their energy level to make dogs lose interest in them and calm down, Aziraphale began to relax a little. They knew what they were doing. “How are you feeling about tonight?” Crowley asked her “You can still give it a miss if you’re unsure.”“Not at all, I’m keen to find out what it’s like to socialise with other packs. I want to know what it’s like to live in the culture that I missed out on growing up in.”“I think Andrea will be good for you to talk to then, being a type two, they can give you another viewpoint on what it’s like to grow up as part of a pack, likely a somewhat different experience to that which your boss did.”“And after the meeting?”“Well you have work on Monday, as do I, so either we can take you home, or you can head to work from the den in the morning, if you like? It’s up to you.”“I think I’d like to go to work from yours.” She leaned against him breathing in his warm, safe, scent. “And I’d rather like to come home from work to you as well.”Crowley kissed the top of her head tenderly. “I’d rather like it if you came home to me, too. My home is yours.” He placed a finger under her chin to raise Aziraphale’s eyes to meet his own. “And I’m yours, my beautiful omega.”His lips met hers in a soft kiss, and soon they were lost in one another, just the two of them, on a bench, in a park, in each other’s arms. When they came up for air, Crowley smiled against her lips. “This feels like the safest way to kiss you, you know,” he whispered.“Safest?”“Out here in public, much as I may want to get you naked and do things that will make you scream out my name, I have to behave, and enjoy your lips, and know that the wait, while the sweetest torture of all, will be worth it.” He kissed her again.“I don’t want to distract you from your important meeting tonight, and you said you have the full moon on Wednesday…”“Yeah,” Crowley sighed. “So you’ll have to go home on Tuesday, but you can come back on Thursday, and then… well. You can let me know what you’d like to do then.”Aziraphale sighed, she wasn’t looking forward to having so much as three days without Crowley, so hard had she fallen for him. She knew already that by the time Thursday came around, she knew she’d be begging Crowley to make her his. It gave her a strange feeling to know, with such certainty, that she was going to, that her mind was already made up.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After they got home again, Crowley sent Aziraphale off to get a shower, relax, and get herself ready for dinner later, while he said he was heading to the home gym to sprint in his wolf form on the large dog treadmills they had there. “But I should help the pack prepare things for later,” Aziraphale objected.“Shh, it’s fine. They know what they’re doing, they have a whole routine organised and they have it down like clockwork, we’d only get in the way. Maybe in future, we can find you a place in the organisation of these things, but just for this one, you get to sit back and be treated like a queen, my love. You’d only distract them, and I want you to be as unstressed as possible. I’m going for a run, then a shower. The pack will get things prepared, then they’ll get themselves ready for tonight. Then, before Mutt, Andrea, and their pack get here, all of us are going to take our wolf forms and we’ll have a hug pile, I want you smelling of the pack, but most of all; of me, I want there to be no doubt that you belong with us, and have all the status of my omega that you deserve.”So Aziraphale took her time to luxuriate in the bath instead of taking a shower. When she got out, there were some books on the bed for her, with a note from Anathema. 
‘Some things for you to read while you relax, so you won’t be tempted to come and try to help, we’ve got this, don’t worry!’
So Aziraphale wrapped herself up in a dressing gown and made herself comfortable to read for a while, until Crowley returned from the gym. He’d evidently changed back from his wolf form to a human shape after running on the treadmill for a few miles, to finish his work out with some of the other machines, so he was hot and sweaty, but looked ready to take on anything. He growled in lustful appreciation to see Aziraphale lying on the bed, so she set her book aside with a teasing look in invitation. Crowley stepped over and leaned in to give her a very brief kiss. “I’m going to be good,” he reminded her. “I’m going for a shower, then we can get ready to meet our guests. I can’t wait to see you in that pretty gold dress.”“And I can’t wait for you to get me out of it later,” she told him, just to see the lustful fire light up his eyesAfter his shower, but before Aziraphale had got her dress on, and was still in her dressing gown, Crowley called the whole pack up to their room. There, they all changed into wolf form and leapt on the bed in a chaotic jumble of wagging tails, and Aziraphale giggled while she hugged them all, petted ears, rubbed bellies, scratched ruffs and  backs, and received affectionate licks from everyone. Crowley smiled to see it, although he noticed that Maggie was holding back a little. He changed into his wolf shape, and approached Maggie, who cowered, then he sniffed her tail, rubbed himself against her side, and rubbed his jaw over her back and neck.  Crowley next nudged Maggie toward the pack, pushing her into the middle of the melee, where the rest of the pack understood his meaning, and began to rub against and lick Maggie too, and encouraged her to join in with scent marking Aziraphale. Maggie was delighted - the alpha of her new pack had acknowledged her and scented her, and now her pack had accepted her fully too. She wriggled and whined with delight to be sharing scents amidst everyone, tail wagging in a frenzy with the rest. Crowley leapt onto the bed on light feet, and the pack fell back away from Aziraphale, whining and licking their lips, reaching up to lick at his jaw as he passed, crouching with tails low. He lay down on Aziraphale and rubbed his jaw and neck all over her, licking and scenting her thoroughly. The pack resumed rubbing up against Maggie, growing louder in their excitement, until suddenly everyone was howling at once, and Maggie raised her voice to howl with them, overjoyed to be part of the pack at last. It was loud, to be surrounded by so many wolves howling at once, but Aziraphale felt her heart lift with joy at the sound, and something in her desperately wanted to join in. Embarrassed, she held back, but continued to hug Crowley and every wolf in reach, delighted to be accepted among them, and to smell so loved.

The pack left Aziraphale and Crowley alone to finish getting dressed, and went to get themselves ready. Crowley wore a smart black suit, as he usually did, and looked stunningly handsome, again as usual. He leaned in to kiss Aziraphale once she’d finished her make-up.“You look gorgeous, my beautiful Angel,” he whispered in her ear.When they came out of the bedroom, Crowley’s penthouse was transformed. His plants had been rearranged to be spread out around the living areas, and more had been added. There were small evergreen trees in large planters around the edges of the lounge and dining area, plus a myriad of bonsai trees artfully arranged here and there. There were even fragrant tree boughs hung in arrangements from the ceiling. The place smelled like a forest. The dining table had similar, smaller arrangements, beautifully laid and lit with candles.In a cleared area next to the dining table was a large waterproof sheet, weighted down around the edge by similar plant and flower arrangements that made it look like a small clearing in a forest. It must be the fancy dining table equivalent for the raw deer carcass later, Aziraphale realised. Around the room were some expensive-looking large china bowls filled with clean water for guests to drink from in wolf form. The sofas had been pushed back a little to make room for more large comfy floor cushions for lounging on later. Newt brought out some bottles of wine and opened them, leaving them to breathe on the table, then an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne, which he placed at the head of the table. Dagon and Ligur begin carrying out some starters on covered dishes.It occurred to Aziraphale that none of the tableware was silver, although all beautifully decorated, the cutlery was stainless steel, and the servers were fine china.“Is it true about silver being harmful to lycanthropes then?” She asked Crowley.“In a way, yes. We have a genetic tendency to silver allergy, so it can cause skin irritation or burns. Not all type twos are susceptible to it though.”“I’ve never noticed any sensitivity to it.”“Lucky you,” Crowley told her with a grin. “Even the low silver content in modern coinage can be irritating to some of us - contactless payments couldn’t have made me happier to be honest.”Crowley lifted his head and sniffed the air, then headed to the balcony and opened the doors. “They’re here,” he called over his shoulder, prompting a flurry of nervous activity from the pack. Maggie in particular looked anxious, and, spotting it, Crowley stepped over to her, wrapped her in a comforting hug, and rubbed his cheek against hers. “You’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “You’re one of us now.”Aziraphale went onto the balcony and looked down discreetly. She sniffed, trying to pick out the scents rising up on the air to her. She knew she wasn’t as adept at scents as the type ones were, but she could pick up something - another type two, and a few type ones. She recognised the more powerful alpha scent that must be Mutt. 
She could see a pair of sleek black limousines parked by Crowley’s Bentley down below, with smartly-dressed pack members alighting, although too far down on the street to make out any details yet. Crowley appeared at Aziraphale’s elbow, looking down to the car park below.

“Mercedes Maybach S650 pullmans. Each one of those cars costs more than twice an an average London house,” he pointed out. “Understated luxury. Of course they also have a modified van that’s a little more under-the-radar, like we do, for pack walks, but Mutt is making an entrance today.”
“Should I be intimidated?”Crowley laughed easily. “Not at all, you’ll like him, he’s lovely. It’s just a kind of formal occasion, that’s all.” He led her back into the flat, and presently there was the sound of the lift pinging to the penthouse level. The doors opened and a handsome smiling black man in an expensive looking robe and beautifully embroidered hat emerged, a step behind him, a pretty omega in a pale yellow floral dress with shoulder-length dark brown hair. They immediately sniffed out Aziraphale and made eye contact with a friendly smile. Behind them, several betas followed and stood waiting. “Crowley! So good to see you again my dear friend!” Mutt reached out his hand and Crowley shook it. They stepped closer and did something akin to an air-kiss, merely placing their cheeks close to each others. Aziraphale realised it must be a ritualised form of acknowledging one another’s scents without actually scent-marking the other by making physical contact. “Welcome to my home.”“It’s just as beautiful as last time we visited, but I do love what your betas have done with the foliage decoration today, very nice.” He turned to Aziraphale, but didn’t reach out to shake hands, or make any move to touch her at all. “And you must be the beautiful omega consort we smelled on the way up. Crowley has impeccable taste.”“Thank you,” Aziraphale blushed. Mutt gave a small bow, so she returned it with a curtsey, which appeared to be the right thing to do. Crowley then bowed to Andrea, as Mutt introduced his spouse to them, then Andrea stepped forward to air-kiss Aziraphale, checking scents, so clearly omegas could greet one another closer than it was appropriate for an alpha to greet someone else’s omega. Crowley nodded at Mutt’s selection of betas, as Mutt nodded at Crowley’s pack, and then followed a few seconds of mutual howling by all, before the betas began greeting one another with mutual cheek sniffs. “Another new pack member?” Mutt asked, nodding to Maggie. Crowley nodded. “Yes, this is Maggie,” he simply said. “I wanted to talk with you about her later.” “What a coincidence, I wanted to talk to you about her later as well. But first, let’s eat!”

Aziraphale took her place to Crowley’s right as instructed, and Andrea took their seat next to her. Mutt seemed to have brought about the same number of pack members as Crowley had, so they were evenly numbered. “Is this all your pack?” Aziraphale asked Andrea. “Oh no, we have plenty more, but it’s polite not to outnumber your hosts, otherwise it would feel like an invasion. We left the pups at home along with the beta nannies and some of the older pack members. I take it you weren’t raised in a pack then?”“Is it that obvious?”“I’m afraid so, but don’t worry, we’re a very easygoing pack. So how long have you been dating Crowley?”“Oh er, not long really, but they’ve all been teaching me a lot. I was raised by humans, I was adopted, you see.”“Ah, I’m sorry. This must all feel very new to you.”Aziraphale nodded and took a sip of her drink. Then Ligur walked in holding a platter with a lump of beef liver on it, flanked by Muriel and Dagon who carried a tray with some sushi and carpaccio, placing them down in front of Aziraphale and Andrea. The dish with the raw liver on it was placed in front of Crowley and Mutt. It was already cut in perfect halves, and they each took a half and began to tuck in. Only once they had, did the rest of the table began to eat. Covers were removed from platters and various selections of raw meat were seized. Both type twos ate their sushi and carpaccio somewhat more delicately. After a moment, Mutt reached out holding a tiny piece of liver, offering it to Andrea, who took it politely and ate it without hesitation. Crowley held out the tiniest of slivers of his own to Aziraphale on a fork. She smiled in acknowledgment, and leaned in to allow him to feed it to her. It was jelly-ish in texture, and a little bitter, but she swallowed it quickly then sipped some wine. Crowley beamed at her, and nudged her foot gently under the table. He looked very proud of her. Newt went around the table, pouring more wine for people, then Eric came to clear plates from the first course along with Maggie. Next, Ligur and Dagon brought out the main course - deliciously roasted meats, racks of minted lamb with rosemary and red wine reduction, roast beef, roast potatoes and carrots, yorkshire puddings, gravy, vegetables. The portions people took were not overly large, they seemed to be holding back a little, Aziraphale guessed to make room for subsequent courses. The conversation was sparse and light, with Andrea pointing out that talking came after eating normally. The betas of both packs began to box up portions of food and set them aside. Anathema brought a box of some of the nicest pieces and handed it to Aziraphale. “Oh it’s alright thank you,” she objected, confused. “Aren’t you going to take some home for Ms. Michael?” Anathema asked, equally confused. “It is traditional.”“Oh, I see, yes of course, thank you.”“If the selection is acceptable, I’ll put your name on it and pop it in the fridge for later then,” Anathema told her. “It looks perfect, thank you.”“So how did you meet Mutt?” Aziraphale asked Andrea, who smiled warmly at the memory. “Oh he’s just such a charming alpha. We met out walking with our own parent packs one night. He smelled me but he was too scared of my dad to ask about me at first, so he had his father talk to mine to find out a bit more about me. Dad was sceptical of course, I’m a little different to my siblings, and he was wary of Mutt’s intentions. Mum was worried about us not being able to have kids, but I told her that I always wanted to adopt, like my cousin betas did. Dad insisted on meeting Mutt and I swear gave him the grilling of a lifetime, then they had a bit of a wrestle fight. Mutt surprised him I think, and it persuaded dad that he was an acceptable suitor for me.”“They fought?”“Yes, it’s sort of traditional if an alpha wants to prove himself to the father of his chosen omega. Of course the older tradition is to just steal the omega away and elope, but Mutt wanted my family to be confident that I was going to be cared for well by someone who loved me. It was important to him. The fight isn’t anything about emotions, it’s not angry, just showing off skill and strength. That way your parents know you’re being claimed by an alpha strong enough to protect you.”Andrea nodded to the pack who were standing from their chairs and starting to shift to wolf shape. “We should go and sit to the side for a bit, this will get a bit messy. Don’t be worried if there’s some growling and snapping, no one will hurt anyone else, it’s just how things go, come on.” Andrea stood and took Aziraphale’s hand. In the other, they grabbed a wine bottle to bring with them. Anathema hurried back with some desserts, and placed them on a coffee table by the sofa for the type twos to enjoy, and then changed as well. Aziraphale sat down next to Andrea, and watched the alphas change. Mutt was intimidatingly large as a wolf, but still bore an air of easy-going affability, at least for now. Ligur and Newt were the last to change shape, as they carried the deer carcass into the room and placed it in the doorway. They then changed, and darted away from it. Crowley stepped over to the carcass and seized it in his jaws, half lifting, half dragging it over to the tarpaulin next to the dining table, he stood over it, eyeing up the other wolves. All the betas were hanging back, tails low, licking lips and avoiding looking straight at him. Some yawned and turned their heads away with quiet whines, showing they weren’t a threat, blinking slowly. Mutt approached, stiff-legged, and Crowley bristled slightly, the hair on his scruff and shoulders rising. Mutt greeted him nose to nose, then Crowley put his head down and tore into the venison. Mutt followed suit. Crowley briefly growled and snapped at him, prompting Mutt to snap back, but then resume eating a little further from Crowley. They both ate for a minute or so, before the more senior betas began to crawl forward on their bellies. Furfur approached Crowley, who first curled his lip, then spun and snapped at him, teeth clicking inches from Furfur’s face. Furfur dropped lower and lifted a paw in response, but then Crowley turned his head away, and allowed his subordinate to begin eating alongside him. One of Mutt’s betas crept forward at the same time, and Mutt broke off and seized him by the scruff for a moment, growling, making the beta yelp in submission, but then he let go, and allowed him to eat. Andrea leaned in to whisper to Aziraphale. “It’s symbolic, they don’t really have any ill-will to their betas, it’s just reinforcing pack positions, reminding everyone that they only eat once the alpha allows it.”Indeed, both Mutt and Crowley appeared to lose interest in the deer and backed off, lying down nearby to lick their lips and paws, while watching the rest of the packs pile in. Muriel and a beta from Mutt’s pack were playing tug-of-war with a leg, until it came away at the joint, and each of them got a bone to carry away and chew on. There were loud crunching noises as strong jaws cracked bones open to get at the marrow inside. It didn’t take long for the deer to be stripped and the bones taken apart. The lowest betas from each pack began collecting the less desirable bones and setting them aside to take away for pups and other pack members to enjoy later. Aziraphale enjoyed the dessert selection that Anathema had brought over, while another of Mutt’s betas came over to Andrea and presented them with a bone. “Thank you, Justine, but you eat that one.”  Andrea told her. The beta trotted away, tail held high, and began to crunch it. “Justine likes to ‘save’ some of the best bits as gifts for me, because she knows I’ll usually gift them right back to her, and because the omega gifted it, it means the others aren’t allowed to take it off her - she can be sneaky like that.”Muriel must have overheard, as their ears perked up, then they rushed out of the room, running back a minute later carrying the rabbit they’d offered to Aziraphale before. Muriel sat down in front of Aziraphale offering it up. She couldn’t help but giggle. “I said we should have that as a side dish for tonight, remember? Perhaps you should share it with our guests?” Aziraphale told them. Muriel nodded, then carried it back to the assembled group, then placed it on the floor and yipped in invitation. The other beta they’d wrestled the leg with earlier picked up one end, and stood there, tail wagging, inviting Muriel to take the other half and help break it in two so they could share it. Soon, everyone was full. The wolves began to lie down, licking their own muzzles and paws, but also licking those of their packmates. Crowley came over and leapt on the sofa to lay his head on Aziraphale’s lap, closing his eyes contentedly as she stroked his ears.“So how did you two meet?” Andrea asked, smiling at them, while Mutt jumped on the sofa from the other side and laid his head on Andrea’s lap for stroking as well. “I’m not sure I should say,” Aziraphale hesitated, looking to Crowley for guidance. He met her gaze and shrugged, indicating it was up to her. “Well, he sniffed me out. I was at work, and I didn’t know I was er… at a certain point in my cycle, but he definitely did.”“He found you in heat and yet you’re still just his consort? But then again, this is Crowley we’re talking about,” Andrea giggled. “He is a gentleman, after all.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After a little while to relax, the most junior betas changed back, tugged their clothing on again, and set about tidying up the floor first, wrapping things up in the tarpaulin and taking it away, before returning to clear the table, leaving out only a selection of sweet treats and mints for people to pick at if they wished later. They were very efficient at cleaning up and soon changed back and lounged out to relax on the floor cushions, a few fell asleep.

Aziraphale noticed that while members of different packs interacted, and hung out near one another, they didn’t do things which would involve much body contact which would mix their scents, and when they lay down, same pack members would pile up with each other, but not next to, or on top of, members of the opposite pack.

A little while later, Mutt gestured at one of his betas, who went to pick up his robes, and brought them over to him. Seeing this, Maggie ran to fetch Crowley’s suit and carried it over to present it to him. Both alphas stretched and yawned, then changed back into a human shape and re-dressed. Their packs remained in wolf shape and slept. Clearly talking was for alphas only. Everyone else was moral support.
Crowley and Mutt moved to different comfortable chairs near one another, so that Andrea and Aziraphale wouldn’t be in the middle of their conversation and could converse quietly if they wished on their own. Occasionally a wolf would get up and wander over to one of the exquisite china bowls of water to lap some up, before going back to lie down again with a contented sigh.

Crowley started, nodding at the most senior beta in Mutt’s pack, who was currently in the shape of a strong-looking blonde wolf, sprawled out and snoring. “About Doctor Joan,” he began. “Your wonderful veterinary surgeon.”“One of your pack members needs veterinary assistance?”“No, but we have recently adopted a veterinary nurse, Maggie. She currently works at a practice - a human run one - over in Brixton. We wanted to ask if Joan might consider taking Maggie on as her vet nurse, so they can work together, to better serve both packs. It might be somewhat easier than the human vet nurse you have at the moment having to be sent away whenever a pack member needs to be seen. Maggie could stay and help, plus she could learn a lot from Joan about emergency first aid that most human vet nurses don’t get to work with.”“Ah,” Mutt said awkwardly. “I’m afraid that Maggie is somewhat the issue we needed to talk to you about, so perhaps we should hold back on any decisions about her moving practises just yet.”“Yeah?” Crowley looked concerned. “I’m afraid so. You see, I have been asked to act as an intermediary. Part of this evening’s meeting was to discuss how the new boundaries are doing, with your acquisition of a chunk of Soho, it’s not an insignificant territory of course, but part of the agenda is your new vet nurse, so I suppose we should discuss that first.”“What’s the problem?” Crowley asked. “I won her fair and square, I deposed her old alpha, his pack chose to leave him, as did Maggie. I think two of his family members stuck with him, but the rest went to find a new alpha.”
“Indeed, I had heard that, and I do not dispute that you clearly won in a clean fight with young Brandon.  That is not the issue. The problem we have is Brandon’s uncle.”

Maggie looked up sharply at that, her face anxious. She whined quietly. Aziraphale beckoned her over, and soothed her by stroking her ears gently.
“So what is the issue?” Crowley asked. “Maggie is part of our pack now, she belongs here. Brandon has no legitimate claim over her any more, but I wouldn’t hesitate to fight him again if he thinks otherwise. What does his uncle have to do with it?”“Because his uncle is a very important alpha with a huge pack, and Maggie originally was part of his pack. He gifted her to his nephew when Brandon started his own pack. He says that if Brandon is now packless, then Maggie has to return to her home pack, as he did not consent to her going elsewhere.”“We both know that’s not how it works,” Crowley growled. “I won her, and more importantly, Maggie chose us, even after I initially told them all they were free to go.  The fact that she was a gift beforehand is irrelevant, the moment the uncle gave her up, he lost all claim to her.”“I would agree with you, in fact I do. But he is insistent that he has a claim, likely because she is now qualified as a vet nurse and he wants her for the cachet. My pack has links with his as well as yours, and so I was asked to act as an intermediary, to set up a meeting between the two of you to work it out.”“A ‘meeting’?” Crowley asked, sceptical. “I suppose, with the depth of feeling that both of you have over her, it is more apt to be a fight.”“And which pack is it?”“Westminster.”“Ah. I see.”“Quite.”Crowley glanced over at Maggie, then got up and came over to where she sat. He knelt in front of her and took her head in his hands, ruffling her ears, then pressing his forehead to hers. “Don’t worry. I will protect you with my life now, I won’t let you go back there if you don’t want to - and from what you’ve told us, I don’t think you want to, do you?”Maggie whined. “I’ll protect you,” Crowley re-iterated. “I promise.”“So,” Crowley said, looking up at Mutt. “When and where?”“After the full moon, of course, I don’t think he wants to wait very long. Batchworth Heath in Harefield, near Colne Valley regional park - there’s a forested area there, and it’s next to Mount Vernon hospital, where they have a type one and type two surgical team who can arrange to be on standby at the same time - there’s a type two in management who can coordinate staffing. Just make sure whoever needs it goes to Mount Vernon, not to Harefield, we don’t have anyone on the inside there.”“I’d like Joan and Maggie on standby as well.”“Naturally.”“Although I do not plan on being the one that ends up in A&E,” Crowley pointed out. “No one ever does. I wish you well, you have the right of it, my friend, but you know how things go when a self-important alpha feels slighted.”“Yeah. I guess I’d better get training.”
“What happens if he wins?” Aziraphale couldn’t help but ask, her voice trembling slightly with apprehension. Andrea reached out and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“He won’t,” Crowley growled. “But I’ll talk to you about it later.” He turned back to Mutt. “Next Friday night,” he said, firmly. “Gives me the weekend to heal up so I can get back to work on Monday.”
“Well I wish you luck, my friend,” Mutt told him. They talked a little more about the territory boundary issues, and Crowley showed Mutt on the map where the sliver of Soho he’d laid claim to was. They agreed to draw up plans and email the new boundary map to other packs in the region so they’d be aware of the boundary shift, now that Crowley’s claim was cemented with repeated scent marks of the area. Afterwards, Mutt shook his hand. “Myself and my pack thank you for the generous and delicious dinner, superb as always. Your hospitality puts ours to shame.”“Nonsense, your pack is the most hospitable I know,” Crowley replied. Mutt inclined his head with a gentle smile of acceptance. “Well we must be getting back to the rest of our pack, I’m sure their mouths will be watering waiting to sample the delights of your table, and I’m sure you’d like to spend some time this evening with your beautiful omega consort as well. Good evening, my friend.”
Mutt stood, and his pack began to stir, changing back and getting dressed. Thanks were exchanged, and Andrea gave Aziraphale a brief hug and a business card with her number on.
“You can call me, or text me, or email me if you ever want a chat, or to meet up and go shopping, or anything at all, it was lovely to meet you, best of luck with your handsome alpha. You’ll be the envy of every omega in London, Crowley is the most eligible alpha around.”Mutt’s pack left, and Crowley’s finished clearing things away, so they wouldn’t have to worry about it in the morning. Soon everyone was back in their flats again, leaving Crowley and Aziraphale alone in the penthouse.

Crowley kissed Aziraphale and held her tight. “You were wonderful this evening, gorgeous. Well done.”
“All the things that you and the pack told me beforehand helped considerably, so I knew what to expect.” But she couldn’t hide her worries, and Crowley didn’t miss it.
“What’s up, love?”“I’m worried about you - what happens if this other alpha wins?”“He’s a big-headed dolt with more muscle than brains, and I know he’s not as fast as I am. I’ve seen him fight, and I’m not too worried.”“But what if something goes wrong? What happens to your pack, to me?”“You’ll be fine. I don’t want you anywhere near the fight. You come over Thursday as planned, come for dinner, and I’d like you to bring Angela with you. Then on Friday, I want you and Angela at St. Pancras, with tickets and passports, ready to get on the Eurostar. I’ll get Muriel to call or text you with news, if it’s not good, then you two get on that train and head to Paris. From Paris, get to Charles De Gaulle airport, and go. I don’t care where - pick somewhere at random - anywhere that catches your fancy, don’t plan it, and don’t tell me, or anyone in the pack - just go. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll call you, and then arrange to come to wherever you are to join you.”“And the pack? What will happen to them?”“They’ll be ok, they’ll stick together, so wherever they are, they’ll be there for one another.”“If he takes them, will he mistreat them?”Crowley didn’t reply. “We can’t let it happen!” Aziraphale protested. “Couldn’t I take Maggie with us as well? Get her to safety?”“No. And Maggie knows that too - she’s the root of the dispute, if I were to hide her away and not face up to the challenge, our pack would be done for anyway - we’d lose the respect of every pack in London, and we’d be overwhelmed by invasion regardless. I have to do it the right way. They won’t be harmed, they may not be as happy as in my pack, but they’ll have each other.”Aziraphale hugged him tight. “Don’t lose,” she begged him. “I don’t plan to,” Crowley replied. “Shh.”  He held her gently, swaying back and forth, stroking her hair. “Let’s go to bed.”
He led Aziraphale to the bedroom, and kissed his way down her neck, falling to his knees in front of her.  Crowley took the hem of her golden dress, lifting it and kissing her thighs reverently. Aziraphale let her hands fall to his head and comb through his hair, feeling him gently grasp her panties and tug them down her legs, then off her feet one at a time. Crowley leaned in and kissed at her mons, breathing deep of her feminine omega scent. His hands moved to clutch at her buttocks, holding her steady as he nosed between her legs, then his tongue darted forward to lick at her vulva. Aziraphale moaned with pleasure.
Crowley moved a hand to between Aziraphale’s thighs, sliding his fingers up and gently teasing at the slippery warmth he found, and sinking in. Aziraphale trembled and gasped. He looked up at her, grinning. “Perhaps I’d better get you on the bed, don’t want you collapsing.”“My legs are feeling a little like jelly,” she confessed. Crowley stood, tugging Aziraphale’s dress up over her head, kissing up her body as he did. Then he reached behind her back, and tugged questioningly at her bra clasp. She nodded, and he undid it, letting it fall. He caressed her breasts, kissed and licked at her pink nipples, making her break out in goosebumps. Then Crowley scooped her up into his arms, carrying her to the bed and laying her down. He gazed down at her naked body as he removed his own clothing piece by piece. When his hand fell on his belt buckle, Aziraphale’s focus tightened on his hips with a hungry look. Crowley slipped the belt from its loops and let it fall, but then his hand paused on the button of his trousers. “We should leave this part until Thursday night,” he said quietly.“We could do similar to the other night,” Aziraphale suggested.“Yeah. I want you so much, but what I want more, is to plan this and do it right, to take my time, to make it special.”Aziraphale sat up, and took his hand in her own, stroking his fingers, then her other hand stroked the fabric over his crotch. “Then perhaps this lovely hand of yours could carry on doing what you were, and mine could reciprocate?”“I like your thinking.” Crowley unbuttoned his trousers and peeled them off, then crawled over Aziraphale, kissing her deeply, and scent marking her throat, before moving on to scent mark her whole body, rubbing his chin and cheek over every bit of her naked skin, rumbling happily as he did, and growing harder by the second. Before he could get too carried away, he lay down next to her, and gazed into her eyes as he let his hand drift between her legs once more, and took up his task of reducing her to helpless whimpers yet again. Aziraphale reached over and stroked his cock, mirroring the speed and firmness of his caresses with her own. Staring into one another’s eyes as they shared in such intimate pleasure was indescribable,  seeing Crowley’s pupils dilate, seeing his skin flush, and watching as his expression began to melt into ecstasy. His free hand came down to grip around the base of his knot as Aziraphale’s hand moved faster, and his groans became desperate. Still, he held back until Aziraphale arched her back and climaxed, before she hastily picked up speed again stroking Crowley, until he followed suit a moment later, covering himself in a white, slippery mess. He gripped his knot with both hands now, moaning, his cock still twitching with strong aftershocks for some time. Aziraphale watched fascinated to see how long he remained hard and swollen for after he’d come, and how his pleasure seemed to continue for so long after he’d done so. It was still intimidating to think of that swollen knot being inside her, but at the same time, she was excited to know what it would feel like. Eventually, Crowley began to relax. He let go of his knot, but it remained hard for quite a while longer before gradually beginning to subside. “Fuck that felt good,” he gasped. “Likewise.” Aziraphale whispered, leaning over to kiss him. Then she picked up the box of tissues from by the bed, and set about wiping him clean. Crowley watched with lovestruck eyes as she did. “You don’t have to do that,” he told her. “I want to. You look after me so well, I want to be able to look after you now and then.”She tossed the pile of tissues in the bin, then hugged her alpha. “I love you,” she whispered. “I love you too, Angel.”Then they quickly fell asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale was sad to leave the pack on Monday morning. Having to be apart from them from Tuesday until Thursday was going to be torture, but having Crowley to look forward to on Thursday helped. She tried not to think about Friday. Instead, she tried to dwell on the positive, not just thinking about what lay ahead for her and Crowley, but also remembering all the exquisite things he’d done to her so far, which put her in an ever-increasing good mood on the way into work.

She breezed into the shop with a huge smile on her face, and she could see her boss’s nose working overtime sifting through the changes.
“There’s no denying you’re part of the pack now,” Angela commented. “And you’ve been up to things with him, even if he hasn’t mated you yet.”“He’s wonderful,” Aziraphale enthused, realising how lovestruck and dreamy she sounded. “You’ve fallen hard for him, I can tell.”Aziraphale didn’t deny it, she went to make a cup of tea, and seeing that Angela was secretly trying not to demand all the gossip, decided to tell her anyway. Her boss’s façade of aloofness crumbled quickly as she listened to everything Aziraphale had to tell her. She began from Friday, telling Angela about how they’d adopted a new pack member, but as she began describing Maggie, Angela interrupted. “The vet nurse is named Maggie?”“Yes, she’s lovely.”“I used to know a Maggie, she’d be about your age, she wanted to train as a vet nurse. What was her alpha like?”Aziraphale described Brandon, but Angela just frowned and shrugged. “It must have been a different Maggie, I don’t recognise that alpha. Anyway, what happened next?”
So Aziraphale described how Maggie had helped heal Crowley’s fight wounds, which were now almost completely fixed. Angela pointed out that lycanthropes healed extraordinarily fast compared to humans, she nodded in understanding about how aloof Crowley had been for the first twenty-four hours, but was surprised that he’d accepted Maggie so quickly on Sunday evening.

“Usually a probationary pack member would be held back about a week.  I mean, I know she’s a vet nurse and therefore high status, but it is rather unprecedented.”
“Well that was likely because of the meeting - I think he wanted her to be part of them before strangers arrived, so there wouldn’t be any question of her leaving, in case they wanted her, perhaps?”“That would make sense, I suppose. So who was the other pack?”“A lovely gentleman named Mutt, and his spouse Andrea.”“Oh I know of them, not very well, they’re from over Hammersmith, aren’t they?”“Yes, that’s them.” Aziraphale went on to describe the dinner, before remembering something and reaching into her bag, and pulling out a smaller cool bag. “Oh! I nearly forgot, this is for you, a gift from the meal.” She handed the takeaway box over to Angela, who looked taken aback, and a soft look of fond recollection took over her face. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been given something like this,” she said, wistfully. “To be part of a pack, and have someone bring part of the meal back for me, thank you.” She sniffed, and dabbed her eye with a tissue. “Sorry, I’m being an old silly, aren’t I?”“Not at all! In fact Crowley would like me to invite you over to dinner on Thursday night with the pack, if you’d like to come?”“Again?” She seemed surprised. “Of course, they love you.”“I… don’t know what to say…”
“Say yes,” Aziraphale pleaded. “I know they want you to be happy too, please come and join us for dinner, it should be a special night, and Crowley trusts you. I know he also wants to talk to you about something else.” Her expression grew serious.
“Crowley thinks of you as my origin pack, and as my original protector, like my mother. And he’s worried that you might need to look after me on Friday.”“Why?”
Aziraphale bit her lip, and tried to explain the predicament to Angela as gently as she could, trying not to alarm her. She skipped over some details, and unfortunately, as it turned out, some important ones.
“He’s going to have an alpha fight?” Angela was horrified. “Oh Aziraphale no. Of course we need to get you far away from there, it doesn’t bear thinking about if he loses. His betas can’t join in on an alpha fight, you know. It’s one on one, and if he loses, then they’ll all have to join the winner.”“I know, it’s high stakes, it’s why Crowley has given me Eurostar tickets, and money for us to get flights anywhere in the world once we reach Paris.”“Well at least he’s sensible.”“So you’ll come to dinner?”“Of course, Aziraphale. I look forward to it.”

For both Aziraphale and Crowley, Monday and Tuesday inched past painfully slowly. On Monday night, Aziraphale got by with Crowley on the other end of the phone,  her favourite clitoral stimulator between her thighs, and the scent of him on his scarf against her nose. But it was nowhere near as special as the touch of her alpha, and she made sure to tell him so. Aziraphale was comforted at work by Angela, who tried her best to keep her mind off things, while Crowley had his pack to distract him. Each full moon, the entire car workshop closed at midday, and Crowley hired in human security guards instead. Back at the den, Anathema took charge in setting up the altar to Lunus on the roof. She surrounded it with moonflowers, jasmine, evening primrose, and angel’s trumpet flowers, then laid out some deer bones as a symbolic offering. Crowley headed downstairs and outside. It was still daylight so he couldn’t fulfil his instincts exactly as he’d like to, but modern times led to modern solutions. He took a small spray bottle from his pocket, and used it to spritz the liquid inside on the pillars either side of the front door to the building. Then he worked his way around, marking each corner of the building with his scent, before moving further out and marking the perimeter of the boundary of the building, outside the car park and grassed area. It’s something he did each month on a wider scale around the entire perimeter of the pack’s territory, with help from other pack members to cover more area. Any other lycanthrope crossing the boundary into Mayfair, or, more recently, from the other side of Soho, wouldn’t be able to miss the scent, and would know to tread carefully, and ideally make themselves respectfully known to the local pack. 
Job done, he headed upstairs again, where the pack filled the home gym on the floor below Crowley’s apartment. There weren’t quite enough dog treadmills for everyone to use at once, so some used other equipment to work up a sweat, and swapped now and then with other pack members, so everyone got the chance to have a good long, flat-out run. They kept going until they were exhausted, then lapped up mouthfuls of the cooled sedative tea that Anathema had prepared and placed in bowls for them beforehand.
After that refreshment, the pack headed into the main dining room, where they’d set up the other side of beef and some offal, with another lump of liver in the centre. 
Crowley stalked forwards first and dove in, devouring the liver rapidly, then tearing into his favourite pieces, growling at any pack members who got too close. It was just beginning to slip into early evening, so emotions were heightened. They were all restless despite running for hours, and they were all equally hungry for blood at the end of their makeshift ‘hunt’ run. Dagon pushed forwards, and Crowley rounded on her, grabbing her by the neck and pinning her to the floor, snarling. Dagon yelped and whined, then Ligur darted forward to try to grab some while Crowley had Dagon pinned. Instead, he let go of her and hurled himself at Ligur, biting at his cheek, missing narrowly, but driving him back
The pack began to howl, then Crowley joined in, before relaxing his stance, and eating a little slower, an invitation for Shax, Dagon, Ligur, Anathema, and the others to come forward in pack order, and begin to eat alongside him. 
Newt, Muriel, Eric, and Maggie held back at the edges, mouths watering, occasionally daring to sneak forward a little to tug at an extremity, only for the other pack members to snap at them. So they waited a few more minutes, until the other betas’ body language also became more relaxed, and then they moved in to take their fill as well.

Outside, the moon began to rise, and the inevitable change overtook them all. Crowley stood tall in his crinos form and began to howl, the others joined in, all of them far larger now than before.  Muriel towered over everyone else in the pack now they were in their crinos form, and they shoved forward to crunch into the bones with an ease that even their pure wolf jaws couldn’t manage. Within minutes, nothing remained - not even a single bone.
The pack headed to the roof, gathering around the altar. Anathema sat directly in front of it, and began to sing, in a curious part-human, part-wolf howling melody, raising her voice to worship the moon, and leading the rest of the pack in their service. Across London, they could distantly hear other packs doing the same thing. They howled to greet the rising full moon together, but they were full of fresh meat, they were exhausted from running, they had sung to Lunus, and now all they wanted was to sleep. The pack, now considerably more terrifying and monstrous than usual, lay down under the light of the moon, and slept.

Aziraphale had heard them. She’d stayed with Angela at the bookshop that night, and they’d sat out on the roof together watching the moon rise. They could both hear the howls across the city - humans would mistake them for dogs of course - Angela had prepared them dinner and set up her own little altar on the rooftop, reliving her childhood. Dinner was ceviche and parma ham, followed by roast venison. They listened to the song of the type ones in the distance, and Angela sighed wistfully. “I have avoided listening to them for years,” she confessed. “I’d put ear plugs in every full moon and go to sleep, and ignore it, try to forget it. I forgot how beautiful it sounds when they sing.”“Did you ever join in, when you were with a pack?”“Yes, of course. You can too, you know.”“Should we? Now, I mean?”
“No,” Angela replied hastily. “It’s too dangerous on a full moon. We mustn’t draw attention to ourselves here - we’re not a true pack, and if any real pack heard us, they’d mark us as intruders and want to chase us down. When you’re with Crowley’s pack, then you can sing with them, but just the two of us here, it’s not safe. We can listen, but not join in.”

Wednesday night rolled into Thursday morning. As the moon went down and dawn broke, the pack began to yawn and stretch. They relaxed back from their crinos form into wolves, loath to let go of their lupine side just yet. Crowley was still snoring, sprawled out by the altar in his crinos shape, so Muriel licked his jaw to gently wake him. Crowley curled a lip with a sleepy growl, so Dagon nudged him with her nose, then Furfur yipped loudly, finally prompting Crowley to wake. He grumbled and stretched, spreading his toes out, flexing his spine and yawning widely, showing off enormous sharp teeth. Then he shook himself into his wolf shape, and stood up, licking Muriel’s face. He looked around, then began rubbing faces with the rest of the pack happily.
The pack all exchanged scents for a while, rubbing against one another, tails wagging, then they headed downstairs. Anathema stayed back to take down the altar until next month, packing things away reverently. The rest of the pack cleaned up after their meal the night before and set things to rights, showered, and got ready for work. Crowley, once he was ready, offered to drive Maggie to work at the vets in Brixton. They decided to leave any decision over her moving practices until next week. Afterwards, Crowley joined the rest of the pack at the garage. Dagon met him with a cup of coffee, and perched on his desk. “Not sure you need extra caffeine right now, you look jittery enough. I should have brought you decaf.”“Dagon, if anything I want six espressos in one go.”“Want to talk about it?”
Crowley thought for a moment. His first instinct was to say no, but instead he sighed and nodded.
“Yeah.”“What’s up?”“Missing Aziraphale, anxious. I want to…” He swallowed nervously. “...I want to bond with her. I want to offer her boss a place in our pack, as part of Aziraphale’s family. But I’m also scared of losing her, losing all of you, if I don’t win on Friday.”“You won’t lose me and Muriel, we’re your sisters, or Shax, we’re family, they can’t make us leave you.”“But they’ll have the right to take the rest. And if they do, I want you, and Muriel, and Shax, to stay with them, to protect them for me. I mean… even if I don’t win, there’s nothing to say I can’t come back again when I’m better, and challenge him, and win you all back.”Dagon smiled to see the determination. “You’re not going to lose,” she told him. “But I understand. If anything happens, we’ll protect the rest of the pack. We’ll stay with them. As for Aziraphale, we can all see she loves you too. She loves all of us, she’s going to make a wonderful omega.”“I don’t want her there on Friday, I’m sending her and her boss Angela somewhere else to wait. I’ve already talked to Muriel. Muriel will contact them if things go sideways, then Angela is to take her somewhere safe. Even I don’t know where yet, so no one can get it out of me. Then later I can go and rejoin them, and plan fixing things, if I have to.”“Good to have a plan, but you won’t have to, you’ve got this. I’ve seen you fight over and over. And even early on, whenever you did lose, you learned faster than anyone I know, and you bounced right back and beat them the second time. You don’t stick to just one trick each time, you switch it up. While us in the pack know your repertoire, even we don’t know what you’re going to pull out of the hat at any given moment, so someone who’s never fought you, or seen you fight, they’re not going to have a clue what to expect. You dance around and get them to show you what they like to do when they attack, then you exploit it, and keep exploiting it, keep them on their toes, and you always come out on top. We believe in you.”“Thanks, that means a lot.”Dagon hugged him, and Crowley hugged her back.“So you gonna admit I’m your best sister?” She teased. “Don’t push your luck,” he growled playfully. “I’ve got two great siblings.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thursday afternoon couldn’t come around quick enough. Aziraphale knew that Eric would be driving over to pick up her and Angela to bring them over to the den. She was happy to see that Angela seemed excited to go as well. She’d spent the afternoon selecting different books as gifts for various pack members. Books on classic cars for most of them, old dress patterns for Anathema, a book on crochet for Shax and beginner crochet for Eric who was learning, an art book for Ligur, a history of the Metropolitan police for Muriel, photography book for Furfur, one about scale model dioramas for Newt, a history of vinyl production at HMV in Hayes for Maggie. Aziraphale was happy to see her boss putting such thought into the gifts. Eric arrived driving a classic 1970s BMW E20 which he’d saved up his own money to buy and had been restoring on his own time. He was very proud of it, and Aziraphale knew, and smiled to hear Angela complimenting how pretty it was, even though she knew that her boss knew no more about cars than she did. Either way, Eric beamed with pride, and patted the dashboard. “Yeah, she’s an old girl but she’s beautiful, and she’s mine. Anathema did all the leather seat re-trimming for me at cost, so I only had to pay for the leather itself, which she managed to get for me at trade price. Some of it is slight seconds, but she was able to trim the hides in such a way as to hide the flaws in creases and seams so you can’t even notice it. Ligur has been teaching me how to spray paint, I was practising on old panels from a scrap yard, then he supervised me painting her. I did the base coat, and the first coat of colour, then he did the second colour coat and top coat for me so if I did mess up anywhere, he could compensate for it, but he said I did a good job.”“How was your full moon?” Angela asked. “We could hear your pack sing last night from our rooftop.”“It was good, thanks, we had a side of beef. I didn’t know you’d be on your roof too.”“Just listening,” she reassured him. “I miss it, if I’m honest.”“Maybe next month you can both join us,” Eric suggested. “Y’know, if, er…” He stopped, awkwardly. “Sorry, I shouldn’t presume.”Angela shot Aziraphale a look, with a raised eyebrow. Aziraphale tried not to blush. “We have been considering, er… taking things further, fairly soon,” she admitted, without wanting to confess that if she had anything to do with it, it would be later that night. When she glanced back at Angela, she could see the hint of a smile just barely touching her lips. Quite an improvement from her initial outright hatred of Crowley the day they first met.

Eric explained that instead of going straight to the den, he’d be driving them to meet up with the rest of the pack who were already out for a run on Hampstead Heath, to burn off some energy. Then they’d go back home afterwards.Crowley was waiting in the car park for them, sitting in the open cab of the van. He leapt out to kiss Aziraphale deeply as soon as she stepped out of Eric’s car, clutching her to him as if it had been months rather than mere days that they’d been apart. Eventually he lifted off, grinning hard, to catch his breath. “I missed you so much,” he told her, then looked apologetically to Angela. “Sorry about that, I got carried away.”“Don’t mind me,” she said airily. Eric got in the back of the van to change into his wolf shape, then leapt out again and ran ahead, nose to the ground, following the pack’s scent trail.“I thought we’d go for a run on Hampstead Heath first this evening to let off steam, before we come home for dinner and to relax. Is that ok with you, Angela?”“Of course, I could do with stretching my legs,” she agreed, and walked along beside Aziraphale and Crowley, as the sun began to set.“Newt is playing trainer for the rest at the moment,” Crowley said. “When we catch up I’ll let him change and take over.”They walked on, heading to the areas where fewer humans were apt to explore, which provided the perfect cover for wolves who wanted to be themselves for a while. As they reached the thicker wooded areas, however, Angela stopped in her tracks, looking alarmed. “There’s other wolves here,” she said. “Of course, it’s neutral shared territory, any pack is free to exercise here,” Crowley said. Angela stood still, trembling slightly, and reached for Aziraphale’s hand.“We have to go, now!”“What’s wrong?” Aziraphale hadn’t seen her boss so scared before.“It’s him, my alpha. My old alpha. I can smell him. Please, we need to go!”Crowley looked at her sharply. “I smell the Westminster pack approaching.”“Yes! That’s him, Gabriel Archer.” “Gabriel was your mate?” Crowley was aghast. “HE is the one who did this to you?” His fangs were lengthening already as his anger rose sharply. “Yes, now please let’s go before he gets here!” Angela was almost panicking.“But if he's the alpha of the Westminster pack, then that’s also who gave Maggie to Brandon…” Aziraphale realised.“So it was the same Maggie?” Angela said. “I knew her when she was younger.” She’d grabbed Aziraphale’s hand and was tugging her urgently. Crowley put his head back and howled for his pack to return as he saw shapes moving toward them in the gloom.The strangers from the darkness reached them before Crowley’s pack did, headed by an enormous steel-grey wolf, a formidable mature alpha. He sniffed in the direction of Angela, then Aziraphale, then Crowley. Then he changed into his crinos form. Gabriel Archer in his full monstrous werewolf shape was terrifying - easily as large as Muriel. Crowley placed himself in front of Aziraphale and Angela, while Angela tried to hide Aziraphale behind her as well. “If he wanted civil conversation he’d face us as a man, not as this,” Angela whispered to her. “This isn’t good.”“Well this is an interesting development to my evening’s exercise,” Gabriel drawled, as the rest of Crowley’s pack caught up, panting hard from their run, to group behind Crowley. “A veritable bonanza of interesting individuals,” Gabriel continued. “A worthless old omega, a rather enticing younger unclaimed one, a runaway beta from my pack, and a mongrel of an alpha who thinks he has any right to any of them.” He turned to a thickset mangy wolf next to him, who also took his crinos form. “Sandalphon, fetch Maggie back, will you?”To Aziraphale’s horror, Sandalphon grabbed hold of a choke chain and lead, and strode towards them, grim-faced. She knew well enough that even collars were hated by lycanthropes unless in emergencies, but the way he wielded the choke chain made it seem ten times worse, she couldn’t imagine how humiliating it must be for a wolf to be chained and dragged back like that. “Leave her alone,” Crowley growled, still in his human shape in an attempt to keep the peace. “Our fight isn’t until tomorrow, she’s ours until then.”“He’s right,” a young black woman in human shape from Gabriel’s pack spoke up. “The duel is pre-arranged, it wouldn’t be fair to deal with it now.”“Shut up, Uriel,” Gabriel snarled at her. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”The beta backed down, but didn’t look happy about it. She gave a sympathetic look and a shrug toward Angela, mouthing ‘sorry, I tried’. Angela gave her an empathetic look back. Aziraphale felt Muriel nudging at her legs, and realised that they were herding her and Angela into the centre of the pack along with Maggie, so they were surrounded by wolves in a protective ring. “I see no reason to waste any time, I mean, we’re all here right now, aren’t we? I say we get it over and done with,” Gabriel said with mock reasonableness.Some of the other wolves in Gabriel’s pack looked scared. There were quite a lot of them, including some younger wolves who were likely teenagers - a couple of immature alphas and other pups, who were staring at Maggie, and whining quietly. Maggie stared and whined back pitifully. The mangy crinos beast known as Sandalphon continued to walk forward nonetheless, heading for Maggie, and, presumably as Gabriel intended, the advance pushed Crowley to take defensive action by changing into his crinos form as well. The rest of the pack took their crinos forms behind him, except for Maggie, who simply cowered amidst them as a wolf, with her tail quivering between her legs. Aziraphale reached down and stroked her head, hoping to soothe her. Muriel moved to the front of the circle and growled at Sandalphon. “You’re not taking her, or any of my pack,” Crowley growled, flexing his claws.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “But she’s not yours, she’s mine. And those omegas aren’t yours either, are they, mongrel?” Gabriel called out, mockingly.“You didn’t even want me!” Angela yelled out fiercely. “I had cancer,  Gabriel! I went through hell of surgery and chemo and radiotherapy, I was weak and sick and needed you more than ever but you flung me out! When I needed you most, when I’d foolishly thought you cared about me, that’s when you showed your true colours. You don’t value your pack members as individuals - you just collect them like trophies, and discard them when they’re no longer of any use to you!”Several of Gabriel’s pack members exchanged glances at her words, and it seemed that aside from Uriel, one or two of the older ones also recognised her. Sandalphon strode forwards, and Angela moved to stand side by side with Muriel. “No. You do not get to take Maggie, Sandy. Go back to your side and sit down, you miserable excuse for a beta,” Angela snapped at him. “This is something for the alphas to work out, so you stay out of it!”Sandalphon growled at her, but Angela stood, unflinching, not intimidated by his enormous crinos shape towering over her. She simply glared back, unafraid. “I’d listen to her, if I were you,” Muriel growled, flexing their muscles threateningly. “The alphas may have their fight to take care of, but I’ll happily deal with another beta trying to break the rules.”He stood for a moment, uncertain, then backed away and went to stand with his pack instead. Gabriel and Crowley were still glaring at one another, in a stand-off, but Sandalphon slinking back with his tail between his legs must have clinched it. All Crowley’s planning had gone out of the window, he had nothing how he wanted it to be, medical back-up too far away, Aziraphale too close, no impartial third party to see fair play. Aziraphale wondered if Gabriel had perhaps planned it this way on purpose to catch him out, by apparently accidentally crossing paths the night before the arranged duel. 
“Well if you won’t hand over my property willingly, then I suppose I’ll have to take her, and the rest of your pack, myself,” Gabriel said, and began to advance on Crowley.
“Maggie,” Crowley growled in a low, furiously level tone, “is a pack member, NOT ‘property’. ”  Crowley dropped to all fours, every muscle tense, watching Gabriel like a hawk, while the larger grey crinos wolf was all solid muscle, Crowley was lean tendon and bone, far outweighed by Gabriel. Crowley simply watched and waited for Gabriel to make the first move, refusing to expend any energy, or show his hand until he knew what he was dealing with. Gabriel didn’t bother with any bluff charges or feints, but simply lost patience and bulldozed in. Crowley sidestepped as neatly as a matador again, with fluid grace, spinning adroitly on nimble limbs to snap and bite at the tip of Gabriel’s tail as he charged past, crunching down satisfyingly hard, breaking the bone in the very tail tip and making Gabriel howl out in furious agony at the pain. It was nothing more than needling him into anger and making rash decisions, now also distracted by the pain at the end of his tail. With a roar, Gabriel spun, blood splattering from his crushed tail tip, and charged again. “Fucking FOX!” He screamed out at Crowley, who smiled grimly, and darted to one side then immediately swung himself under Gabriel’s body, grabbing at a forelimb as he did. He only got the chance to bite down hard and worry at the bone and tendon in his mouth briefly, but it was enough. Crowley let go and rolled away, leaving both of them scrambling to their feet again on the wet grass, but only one of them uninjured thus far. Crowley resolved to make the most of it. In crinos form, they could go on two legs or four as they chose - so losing full function of a forelimb wasn’t as crippling as if Crowley had been able to grab hold of one of his hindlimbs to take him out of action.Crowley didn’t wait this time to give Gabriel the chance to go on the offensive for the third tackle, instead, he ran in himself, and, rather than going low to grab at Gabriel’s legs or underbelly, as Gabriel appeared to be expecting from his low crouch, instead Crowley leapt and sailed clean over his back, landed, spun, and bit at the nearest part of Gabriel in reach. Unfortunately he didn’t get the chance to grab anything vital and merely came away with a mouthful of fur from Gabriel’s haunch, instead of his hamstring. He didn’t dart away fast enough this time, and Gabriel pounced, crushing Crowley to the ground beneath him, knocking the wind from his lungs. Crowley gasped, his breaths burningly painful, as he tried to avoid the snapping jaws of Gabriel above him, aiming for his throat.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can't see the image? Click here.)
 Crowley wriggled like a snake, trying to evade the grip of the larger alpha, and especially trying to keep his throat away from those monstrous teeth. Fortunately his extremely long limbs helped hold the aggressor at a safer distance. Gabriel lashed out with his claws and slashed down the right side of Crowley’s face, making him yelp out in pain, then tried to bite at his throat again. Luckily, Crowley was able to squirm just enough that the bite got his shoulder instead, then he kicked up at Gabriel’s belly with his hind claws, raking him repeatedly until he let go, then Crowley scrambled to his feet and darted away. Both had tasted blood, and both were furious, but the look in Crowley’s eyes was cold and calculating, trying to concentrate on his opponent, and not letting the anger take control and make him do anything foolish. He began to stalk in a circle around Gabriel, moving anticlockwise, as the huge alpha turned to keep facing him. Crowley gradually got faster, and Aziraphale could see the rising anger on Gabriel’s face at Crowley’s behaviour. She suddenly realised what he was going to do, and where Eric had learned it from. She was right. In the blink of an eye, Crowley changed direction, but the second that Gabriel followed suit, he changed back, then leapt. He landed on Gabriel’s back, biting down but only managing to grab his scruff. He held on grimly, not doing much damage, but knowing it was too dangerous to let go now he was there. Gabriel flung himself onto his back, trying to crush Crowley underneath him, but Crowley let go at the last second and leapt high, landing on Gabriel’s now exposed stomach. But instead of going for the belly or throat, as he easily could have done, Crowley had gone for the other end. He grabbed hold, bit hard, then wrenched back and up with a vicious twist of his head, just as a wolf would when dismembering a carcass to eat.Gabriel’s scream was blood curdling to hear, he curled up, clutching between his legs, while Crowley danced away and spat out his mouthful on the ground. He stood over it, mouth dripping blood, grinning and triumphant. “Missing something?” He taunted. “Perhaps these lumps of useless meat here? They’re definitely not going to re-attach in that state.” He stood on them purposefully, grinding the macerated lumps of tissue into the mud, then lifted his leg, and scent marked on top of them. Gabriel was still screaming, writhing on the ground, while blood flowed from between his legs. “If an omega is ‘useless’ without her ovaries, I wonder how useful an alpha is with no testicles, or testosterone?” Crowley asked him, moving closer. “You destroyed the life of your mate, you treated one of your betas like little more than a slave, and you threatened to take my consort from me. Perhaps it’s time you learned what it’s like to be in Angela’s position, hmm?”Crowley put his head back and howled in triumph, while the pack joined in, adding their voices to his own. It went on for a minute or so before their voices faded away. Maggie shifted back into a human shape again, and stood side by side with Aziraphale, while Newt picked up the bag he’d been carrying as ‘dog trainer’ role, and handed her a tracksuit from it which she tugged on. Crowley turned to her. “It’s your call, Maggie. If you want to do any first aid on him or not. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, but I also won’t stop you if you do want to help him.”It turned out that Eric had already run back to the van for the first aid kit before the fight even began. He handed it to Maggie and stood back. She thanked him, then regarded her old alpha where he lay bleeding on the ground. “Sandalphon, Uriel, pin him down, this is going to hurt,” she said grimly, unpacking the kit.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Fortunately for Gabriel, Maggie had expanded her first aid kit considerably, so it was more of a trauma kit.  She told him firmly to change back into a human shape to make it easier for paramedics to deal with him afterwards. But not before Muriel had the chance to dart forwards and bite the tip of his ear off first. 
“There, now like a feral dog, everyone will know you’ve been neutered.” Dagon commented, then high fived their little sibling. Gabriel flinched, but his ear tip was nothing to the pain between his legs. The larger crinos wolves pinned him down while Maggie knelt to inspect the wound.“There’s a nasty bleed here, I’ll need to clamp off a blood vessel, and I haven’t got any anaesthetic, so this is going to hurt. Muriel, perhaps you’d better come and pin him down as well, Ligur, you too - each of you grab a limb, and stay in crinos.” She moved in with the hemostats and swabs while Gabriel screamed until he passed out briefly. In the meantime, Shax called Mutt to be put in touch with the medical team at Mount Vernon hospital, to see if they could get Gabriel picked up and taken to the type one and two medical trauma team they had working there, which would be easier than trying to deal with regular human doctors and nurses. They weren’t all on duty, having been told to be prepared for Friday instead, but at least were on call, and began to try to make themselves available with the assistance of the staffing manager who also knew what was needed, and had enough seniority to be able to re-assign staff without too much pushback. Maggie managed to stem the bleeding and pack the wound, while all the pack members re-took their human forms. They decided that the cover story which they’d already prepared would have to do - that Gabriel had been out walking and tried to break up a dog fight, then got caught in the middle, but the dogs had since disappeared. She finished dressing the ugly wound as Gabriel came round and screamed some more, before tapering off into pathetic whimpers. 
Gabriel’s pack huddled around; none of them looked particularly sympathetic to their beaten alpha’s plight. The teenagers ran over all at once to hug Maggie as soon as she’d finished, clearly delighted to see her again. She pulled her surgical gloves off and hugged them back, some of them crying to be reunited.
“Warlock!” Gabriel shouted. “Get away from them!”The young, dark-haired juvenile alpha turned on him with a defiant snarl. “You’re not my real dad! Real dads don’t ignore their sons their entire lives and leave them for only the pack betas to raise. No more than Harriet was a mum to me - she only ever cared about fashion and beauty treatments and parties, not her own kid. Maggie was more of a mother to all of us than either of you ever were.”“You are my heir, you will stay here!” “If you wanted me to be your heir, then maybe you shouldn’t have been such a shit dad, kicking me out of ‘official pack business’ instead of teaching me and Adam how to do stuff. You’ve always been a shitty alpha anyway. You treat everyone like a THING, including me. You don’t care anything about who we are, what we want, what we care about, or anything. You don’t treat me like a person, just a ‘son’-shaped object, you’re not an alpha, you’re a collector, gathering up valuable pieces and throwing them away if they break or lose value, or you just get bored of them - like Maggie. You never believed in her, never thought she’d graduate, so you palmed her off on Brandon, now she’s qualified you want her back, not for who she is, but for what she can bring you. She’s the one who mostly raised us, the one person we could look up to as a parental figure, and you just gave her away, you didn’t even tell us - one day she was just gone, and we were left alone!”
Maggie hugged Warlock tighter, and the other teens hugged her back, glaring at the deposed alpha. Maggie bravely spoke up. She had her little family back now thanks to Crowley, and the support of all of her new pack around her. Their love and acceptance, as well as seeing how well a good pack worked together, had been gradually bolstering her confidence, and finally she wanted her voice to be heard, when she’d never dared before.

“He’s right. You never wanted me for who I was, you belittled me and said I was too stupid to become a vet nurse. Well you were wrong. Crowley in only a few days has shown that he would protect me with his life - THAT is a real alpha. That’s the kind of role model that Warlock and Adam need if they’re going to grow up to be good alphas too.”
“That’s the kind of alpha I want to be!” Adam yelled out. “I wanna to take CARE of my pack,” Warlock agreed. “I want my pack to be able to TRUST me,” said Adam. “Like Pepper and Wensleydale and Brian do.”“I want to DEFEND my pack, not just my own sorry hide,” Warlock yelled. Gabriel was growling fiercely through the pain. “Young man, you will listen to me, I am your father and your alpha, don’t you forget it!”“No! A real father, a real alpha, cares about their kids and their pack, we’re not just pawns on a board to be moved about on a whim, if we were family you wouldn't have been planning to mate me off to some omega I’ve never even met, as part of some trade deal just so you can swap me for a lawyer!” “Family stay with their alpha even if the pack splits!” Gabriel roared.“No. Family members can choose to stay with their old alpha if they want to. ” Warlock replied. “They’re not obliged to stay or leave, it’s the one time we get to choose what to do with our lives, and I choose Maggie’s pack: Crowley’s pack. If they’ll have me,” he added hastily, his eyes pleading. Crowley nodded.“If you’d like to join, you’re in. Any of you who want to, even if just temporarily until you find a new pack. Or until you young alphas decide to split off and start your own packs, then any of you would be free to go with them of course. I pledge to protect you all until then.”Warlock flung a final barb at Gabriel. “Even if I end up packless, I will STILL be twice the alpha you’ve EVER been!”Crowley grinned, admiring the teen’s fire. “An alpha as gutsy as you are would never be packless, kid.”With that, Crowley came over to join the younger lycanthropes and Maggie, wrapping his arms around them, then stooping a little to rub cheeks and scent mark them immediately, while Gabriel glared. Uriel walked over, and fell to her knees before Crowley. “Alpha, my name is Uriel. May I also join your pack?”“Of course,” Crowley said, offering his hand to help her up again, then rubbing cheeks with her. Exchanging scents immediately and in front of Gabriel was a calculated insult. He didn’t want them to have to prove themselves. The fact that Maggie was clearly advocating for them was enough for him.Meanwhile, most of the rest of Gabriel’s pack simply wandered away, perhaps back to their old family packs, or to seek out another new one. They had the freedom to do as they chose now.Sandalphon remained sitting by Gabriel, while Harriet, his omega mate, looked disinterested. She cast an eye over Crowley’s pack, then at the bleeding dressing between Gabriel’s legs, then simply turned and walked away. “Harriet! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Well you’re not an alpha any more, are you? Not much use to me,” she replied airily. “Looks like it’s time for me to find myself a new alpha as well.  Thaddeus back home always said he’d take a second omega, looks like he just got lucky.”
Angela couldn’t help but look smug at the karma playing out before her, and walked over to her erstwhile alpha. She paused at the scent-marked pile in the mud to one side with a satisfied smirk, before standing over him. “How does it feel?” She asked. “To be valued only for your reproductive ability?” “Fuck you,” Gabriel snarled. “Oh I don’t think you’re going to be fucking anybody ever again, sweetheart,” Angela replied.“I think about now is where you beg for her forgiveness,” Crowley prompted him. “Unless you’d like me to start tearing off more body parts?”Gabriel only glared, but Crowley was still in his crinos form and loomed over him, teeth bared. “Perhaps I should bite off this pretty face of yours too? Or chew off your hands and feet, hmm?”“Fuck! I’m sorry!” Gabriel caved instantly. “I’m sorry Angela, I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m…”“Doesn’t sound an awful lot like begging for forgiveness to me,” Aziraphale observed drily. “It doesn’t matter,” Angela replied. “I wouldn’t do it anyway. Some people don’t deserve forgiveness, and I owe it to no one. Even if he begged, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.”Crowley re-took his human shape once more, then stepped over to Angela, and took her hands in his. “Angela Michael, I was going to ask this of you later anyway, but I think under the circumstances, I’d like to ask it now. Would you like to join our pack?”She regarded him for a moment. “You went for his balls especially for me, didn’t you?”Crowley nodded. “Is Aziraphale officially part of your pack now as well?”Crowley exchanged a shy glance with Aziraphale. “That was the original plan for tonight, it just got pushed back a few hours.” Aziraphale nodded in coy agreement. Angela smiled.“Then yes, Alpha Crowley, I would like to be part of your pack,” she replied. Crowley grinned and hugged her close, rubbing his cheek against hers. The whole pack began hugging the new members and exchanging scents, before a howl went up into the night sky. Angela joined in, then reached out to tug at Aziraphale’s hand, nodding at her encouragingly over the din. Aziraphale hesitated, until Crowley took her other hand and nodded as well, before lifting her head to the sky, and letting out her first real howl of her life. The floodgates opened, her body knew what to do - her lungs opened up and she raised her voice with the pack, tears came to her eyes at the sheer joy of it, to be able to join in.

In the distance, blue flashing lights were approaching, so the pack headed back to the car park, leaving Gabriel with Sandalphon until the paramedics got to him. They watched the ambulance drive past and onward up the hill. “Won’t Harriet be in distress now she no longer has her Alpha to renew their bond?” Aziraphale asked Crowley on the walk back.“Yes, but there’s no point her staying with him anyway, as he could no longer renew the bond without his alpha hormones. Her best bet is to seek out that new alpha she mentioned.  Even if it means becoming a second omega in a pack, which would be a lower ranking than the existing omega. It’s not unheard of for an alpha to have more than one omega, but generally you wouldn’t have more than you could satisfy. Imagine if both went into heat at the same time: it’d take a phenomenal effort to keep both cared for properly and would exhaust you.”When they got back to the car park, Maggie climbed in the back of the van and turned the light on, beckoning Crowley inside with her. “Alpha? Your face is still bleeding quite badly, may I treat it?”“Oh, yeah it is, isn't it?” Crowley felt the right side of his face, where his cheek up by his ear had been slashed by Gabriel’s claws in the fight. “I got off pretty lightly. I wasn’t expecting that to go as well as it did, if I’m honest.” He sat in the van and tilted the injured side of his face to the light so Maggie could see it better, while she rinsed and swabbed it clean, then applied a dressing. “He’s getting careless,” Angela commented. “He was far more formidable in his heyday, but he always relied on brute force and strength, and it always carried him through fights, because that’s also what most other alphas rely on. He wasn’t expecting speed and athleticism, he underestimated you.”“I’ll add some steri-strips and I think a stitch or two when we get home,” Maggie told Crowley, packing her kit up again. “I’m afraid it will likely scar.” She then set about cleaning and dressing the bite on his shoulder, and some of the other abrasions he’d picked up during the surprisingly brief fight.When she’d finished, Crowley reached out and took her hand in his own. “Thank you, Maggie,” he smiled at her, then leaned in to scent mark his uninjured cheek against hers again. He turned to take stock of his newly expanded pack with Uriel and the teenagers. “Well we have the van, and Eric’s BMW. I suggest the type twos go in the car with Eric, and Uriel, you go with them as well. You, what’s-your-name again?”“Adam,” spoke up the blonde haired teen. “Right, you and Warlock ride up front in the van with me, then everyone else take wolf form and ride in the back of the van like usual. Let’s go home.” He winked at Aziraphale then kissed her cheek as he held the door of Eric’s car for her to get in, then shut the van door on the rest of the pack, and got in the cab to head back to the den.

When they got back to the den, Crowley led everyone upstairs, and invited them to make themselves comfortable in the expansive lounge of the penthouse. He sat on the sofa, with Aziraphale at his side, to address them all. “Right, well none of this evening went even slightly how I intended it to. We’ve come home a few pack members heavier than we left. We did have a big meal planned tonight anyway, and there will be enough to go around, so we’ll get to that in a minute. Now I know this is going to be an unsettling time for many of you, especially those who have never moved packs before. Tomorrow, we’ll take our new pack members and the van over to your old den, along with myself, Muriel, and Ligur, and we’ll escort you to help retrieve any of your possessions that you’d like to bring home. We can make a couple of trips if we need to. No doubt your old alpha will be in hospital for at least a day or two yet while they patch him up again, so I don’t expect much in the way of resistance.”A relieved cheer went up among the pack. “Over dinner, get to know your new pack members, we’ll sort out who would like to share flats with who at least for tonight - each of the flats has a spare room or two, there is enough room for all of you. Tomorrow I’ll work out getting longer term accommodation sorted out for you. I do have a vacant flat that perhaps Uriel or Maggie might like to take, or possibly share, although that’s on the second floor, so not immediately adjacent. I had been working on getting the floor below Anathema’s cleared for solely pack use in future anyway when the current tenants move out, but that won’t be for a couple of months yet. So for now, the new young pack members will need to share by using the spare rooms of our existing ones. Later, we’ll see about getting you a flat of your own to share so you can have some space to spread out.”Crowley pointed to the girl dressed in a red jacket. “What’s your name again?”“Pepper,” she replied. “Right, Pepper, you could take Muriel’s spare room if you like. You two, remind me of your names again?”“Wensleydale, and Brian,” Wensleydale said. “Right, you two bunk up with Eric. Adam, Warlock, I suggest you share either with Newt or Ligur. Maggie is already sharing with Anathema, so Uriel, if you’d like to take Dagon’s spare room, and Angela - would you like to share with Shax for now? Perhaps once we have more flats free, you could share with Uriel if you prefer, then have your own place, but I’ll leave that to you. Ok, that should be everyone sorted for tonight, and after that you can swap around if you like.”He clapped his hands decisively. “Right, now Ligur and Newt, you two get on with getting dinner on the table. Dagon, you show our new pack members around the place so they know what’s where. Furfur - pop a post on the garage’s social media platforms explaining that we’ll be closing early for a three day weekend due to unforeseen circumstances, oh, and call Mutt to let him know more about what happened. We’ll do a roof howl after dinner - surrounding packs will be able to pick up that we have more voices than before and spread the word. Right, welcome to the pack!”
A howl went up in the room, almost deafening, but Aziraphale joined in enthusiastically this time; finding her voice was one of the most liberating things she’d ever experienced. She was no longer the newest pack member, but part of the family, and keen to welcome the newer members, and to nurture them all, regardless of age. As an omega, she could feel her role alongside the pack alpha to support the pack as his new second-in-command, and she felt ready to take on that mantle.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Maggie first waylaid Crowley and insisted he sit down and let her stitch the lacerations on his cheek properly, tugging the skin back together. “My stitching isn’t as good as a proper vet, it’s going to leave a bit of a wiggly scar. It looks a bit like a snake, sorry.”“It’s fine, Maggie. I’d rather you patch me up, and I don’t begrudge a reminder of the day I took down the alpha who tried to steal you and Aziraphale away from me, and when I exacted vengeance for Angela.”Once she’d finished, he hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Maggie,” he told her, and rubbed his uninjured cheek against hers.“So does this mean that you own Westminster now?” Aziraphale asked Crowley, as they sat down to dinner with the pack. “Yeah. Usually I’d say I don’t want more territory, but we have a bigger pack now, and Warlock is meant to be Gabriel’s heir anyway, so I think it’s best if I do claim it, and then keep it for Warlock for when he wants to split and form his own pack in a couple of years. He’s what? Sixteen? Seventeen now? If he wants to split at 18 he’d be in his rights to, but it might be better for him to wait till 21 if he can. That gives me time to educate him on how to be a responsible alpha. But Westminster is a prestigious territory to hold, especially for someone so young, so I might have to support him until he finds his feet, to back him up so others don’t think they can challenge him.”“How will you claim it?”“Same way I did with your bit of Soho, the pack and I will head over there tomorrow morning first thing, and start scent marking - around Gabriel’s old den, and around the territory perimeter, and key points and landmarks within it. I’ll need to speak to the alphas of the surrounding territories, which would be Belgravia and Pimlico to the South West, Covent Garden to the North East, then we have our existing neighbours, St. James’s sandwiched between us. Buckingham Palace, Green park, and St. James’s park have always formed a kind of neutral buffer zone between Mayfair and Westminster, as they’re just parks, not territories, so essentially my new expanded territory would cross those, and I might have to do some negotiation with St. James’s pack, but they’re pretty easy going with me. To the South East of course we have the Thames so no neighbours on that front to worry about.”“Would other alphas try to seize it?”“Usually: not really, given I deposed the existing alpha in a fair fight, it’s mine. But given the current unrest, then yes, a stray alpha might try to stake a claim, or if neighbouring packs felt they wanted to try, they might, but I’m pretty confident they won’t. We’ll do some extra patrols and get the point across. There’ll be a bit more howling for a while.” Crowley leaned in to whisper in her ear with a smile. “You have a beautiful voice when you howl, by the way.” Then he kissed her on the cheek, and speared a forkful of dinner. “You should definitely howl with us more often.”Aziraphale leaned over to kiss his cheek in return. “I intend to, darling.”The other pack members smiled to see their alpha and his omega consort so clearly in love, and when Aziraphale looked up, she met Angela’s gaze, with an encouraging smile for her. Aziraphale was relieved to see her support, and even happier to know that Angela was now part of their pack as well. “I can’t believe your pack just doubled in size in a week,” Aziraphale  said, looking around the table, where the new pack members were getting to know the old ones. Crowley finished his mouthful, and looked around as well. “Yeah, definitely not where I saw things going. Kind of relieved that the rest of the Westminster pack didn’t ask to join as well, it would have been awkward to start saying no, when so many of them have been treated so poorly. I’m glad the rest seemed to have other packs they wanted to seek out, I guess they’ll have gone back to their birth packs, or to join family in other packs.”“Given I never intended on having kids, I didn’t expect my pack to really grow much, we’ve always been small. Those in my pack who aren’t adopted family were either members of my old pack, or friends from other packs who wanted to split off and join me, or followed people who had joined me from their packs.”He smiled fondly at those around him. “I’m a pretty lucky alpha to have been chosen by such great pack members. Everyone in this room chose to be with me, and I’m grateful for it.”His words hadn’t gone unnoticed. There was a pause in conversation. Then everyone raised their glasses to him. Angela stood, glass in hand. “I know I’ve had my doubts about you. Gabriel made me want to reject who I am and turn my back on my entire community. You and your pack have restored my faith, given me hope for the future, I’m honoured to be asked to join your pack, and am glad that you’ve chosen the woman I’ve come to think of as a daughter to be your omega.”There was a howl of approval from around the table, and Crowley dipped his head in acknowledgement. Once the howl had subsided, he stood and raised his glass in return.“I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the support of my pack. The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack!”There was another, even louder, howl of approval at that.After everyone had finished eating, they headed to the roof together, to stand under the moon, and raise their voices as one, to let the world know. As they paused to listen between bouts of howling, they could hear packs from surrounding areas taking up the call, with a notable silence from Westminster to the south.

After exchanging hugs and scents, the rest of the pack headed downstairs to get some much-needed rest, leaving Crowley and Aziraphale alone in the penthouse. Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale, and they stood there for a long moment, just leaning on one another, re-centering themselves after the chaos of the day. Aziraphale rested her head on his shoulder, and he turned his head to kiss her hair softly, and stroked the small of her back. “Having you by my side through all this has made it easier to bear. You fell into my life, and suddenly I have someone to love, my pack has doubled in size, as has my territory. You must be my lucky charm. But I feel like it must have been a lot for you to take in. Are you coping ok, love?”Aziraphale tipped her head back to look into his beautiful golden eyes. “Tickety-boo,” she smiled at him. “As long as I have you.”“You have me, as long as you want me.”“I want you forever, Crowley,” Aziraphale whispered. “Would you like me to claim you then? To bond with you?”“Yes. I think we’ve waited long enough, when we both know what we want.”Crowley’s eyes glistened as he blinked back happy tears. He stroked Aziraphale’s face, then kissed her cheek, cradling her head in his hands. He sought out her lips and kissed her softly, slow and patient.“I’d have waited for as long as you need, Angel.”

(Illustration by HG_Aneh. Can't see the image? Click here.)
 “Let’s not wait a moment longer, then.”Crowley grinned, picked Aziraphale up and bridal-carried her into the bedroom, giving her a kiss as he stopped by the bed, then lowered her to her feet once more. He kissed down her neck, breathing in her scent with a contented rumble, then began to undo the buttons of her blouse, every movement measured and reverent, although a faint tremor in his hands hinted at his own nerves.  He slipped it off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. “Your turn,” she whispered with a small smile. Crowley unbuttoned his shirt, not breaking eye contact with Aziraphale, revealing his torso inch by tantalising inch, then flung his shirt aside. Aziraphale leaned in to kiss him, and his arms drifted around her, his hands finding the clasp on her bra, and undoing it, easing the straps off her shoulders. He tugged it off and let it fall, then fell to his knees, kissing down her breasts as he went down, then her abdomen.This done, he stroked over Aziraphale’s soft hips, then popped the button on her skirt, eased down the zip, and let her skirt fall around her ankles, and leaned in to kiss her mound through her panties“I appreciate you wearing the pretty lacy set today,” he murmured against her skin as he kissed her hip. “Almost a shame to take it off, when you look so beautiful in it.”“Taking it off is the fun part,” Aziraphale reminded him, ruffling his hair as Crowley eased the panties off her hips and down her legs. “Indeed, it’d be a shame to ruin them by leaving them on.”“Perhaps next time, darling.” Aziraphale lifted her feet to step out of her knickers, and Crowley stroked his hands up her legs, moaning gently under his breath. He squeezed her thighs, then buried his face between them and nuzzled against her skin with an appreciative growl. Aziraphale broke out in goosebumps. Crowley nosed at her mound, breathing deep, then gently pushed at her thighs, to encourage her to sit down, then recline on the bed. She did so, while Crowley got to his feet again, gazing down at her hungrily. He’d kicked off his boots and taken off his socks as soon as he’d come home, but now he laid his hand on the button of his jeans and thumbed it undone, then inched his zip down. Aziraphale knew very well just how quickly he was capable of wriggling out of or into his clothes while changing shapes, and he could easily have disrobed faster by taking his wolf form then changing back again, as he was well-practised at doing, but she appreciated him taking his time for them both to enjoy the anticipation properly. Crowley pushed off his jeans and underwear in one go, and stood naked before her. She winced a little to see the bruises now covering his body along with the abrasions and other injuries from the fight. She sat up again and reached out to stroke lightly over his side. “Oh love, you don’t have to do this now if you’re hurting.”Crowley took her hand in his own and bent to kiss it. “Shush. The only thing more painful to me right now would be to have to wait another moment to make love to you. I’ll be fine. I’m more than fine. I just fought off another alpha and won, there’s nothing this body wants to do more at this moment than claim my beautiful omega.”

Crowley climbed onto the bed over Aziraphale, a hungry look in his eyes, a look which she returned, aching for his touch now, knowing she was finally going to get to enjoy more of his body to its fullest. If he’d still been wearing his jeans she’d have grabbed them by the waistband and yanked him against her, but in the absence of that, she placed her hand on the nape of his neck, and tugged him down for a deep and sensual kiss. He complied, tongue sweeping into her mouth, sliding against her own, his lips soft against hers, but his kiss growing more urgent and demanding. He gradually allowed his body to sink down until he was pressed fully against her, the hardness of his shaft pressing against her thighs. Coming up for air, he repositioned slightly to slide his hand between their bodies, and then between her legs, which relaxed to allow him access. The familiarity of his fingers teasing her so skilfully immediately had Aziraphale getting wetter and desperate for more. She writhed under him, hips raising against his hand. His long fingers moved in maddening repetition, sparking fire from her very core, his strong forearm moving steadily, while he growled into her neck, kissing and licking, his movements growing more urgent. While Aziraphale loved what his fingers and tongue could do for her, right now what she wanted more than ever was to experience Crowley completely. So when his movements became more frenzied, his kisses more demanding, his vocalisations hungrier, she was desperate to invite him to go further. His hand moved faster, his words spilling from his lips in gasped breaths between fevered kisses.“Please, please. I need you. Please.” He begged but would not phrase anything even close to a demand, even in the heat of the moment. He knew that a direct order to an omega wouldn’t be fair, especially in this moment. He needed to give her the freedom to say no, and a lifetime of training on how to modulate his word choices kept him mindful of how critical it was right now to be careful with his phrasing.Nevertheless, Crowely’s voice was hoarse with desperation, a feral growl rumbling through his body. Crowley rubbed his head and neck across her body relentlessly, marking her with his scent, clutching at her, stroking every inch of skin he could reach, his growls devolving into pitiful whines as he licked at her jaw. “Please, love, please…” “Yes, darling, Alpha.” Aziraphale replied, tugging him closer. “Please.”Crowley slid his fingers out, and nestled his hips between her thighs, the firmness of his shaft pressing against her. Aziraphale’s breath hitched at the electricity of the contact, desperate for more of him. Her nails raked his back in desperate encouragement, and Crowley let out a satisfied hiss, then pushed in. “Oh love…” he breathed. “Aziraphale. My sweet omega.”“Crowley, darling, yes.” She welcomed the sweet stretch of him, sliding in so sweetly, so carefully, mindful of what he was, how much stronger, and how gently he needed to handle his lover. He gazed into her eyes, and she reached out to stroke the uninjured side of his face. Her handsome alpha, and she was ready to give herself up to him, knowing that he would never let any harm come to her, that he wanted nothing more than to worship her as his treasured omega. But this was just the prelude. Crowley was starting as a human might, but she knew by now that this wasn’t the entirety of what he wanted - and what she also wanted. His movements were growing less restrained, but she could see that he was still fighting to hold back and retain control. He felt amazing inside her, his body moving with hers, but he was beginning to shake. “Are you sure you want this?” He asked, his voice trembling slightly. “You’re certain?”“I’m sure, Crowley, I want to be your omega. I want you to claim me, please.”“It’ll hurt a little,” he warned. “I don’t care.”Crowley nodded, and pulled out. “Turn over,” he growled. Aziraphale got on hands and knees, while Crowley got behind her, stroking her buttocks with shaking hands. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he breathed, then pressed against her, and slid back in. It felt so perfectly natural; ever since she’d met him, Aziraphale’s inner wolf had been waking up, and discovering how some things just felt more right one way than another - some things just felt more wolf, and made her feel more fulfilled to experience. This was one of them. Feeling her alpha behind and above her, driving in, his movements growing more determined. Not exactly rougher, as he was still trying to be gentle, but each thrust was more powerful. She could feel his strength through the grip of his arms around her, his body moving against hers, his muscles hard and crushing against her nakedness.But then Aziraphale could feel things changing. The base of his cock was starting to thicken, stretching her wider with each thrust. It felt glorious, an ever increasing pleasure with each movement. Because it was gradual, it wasn’t uncomfortable to begin with, but an exquisite feeling, and she cried out each time his hips slammed forwards. Crowley’s breath was hot on her neck, and he was grunting with each movement, growing more and more feral with each passing moment. “Certain… yes?” He gasped in her ear. “You… have to be… sure. Can’t…” He groaned loudly. “Fuck. Can’t… hold back much… longer. Point of… no return.” Aziraphale could feel his knot swelling even more, and it was finally starting to feel a little uncomfortable, stretching her wider at every thrust. “Tell me now, if you need me to stop,” Crowley groaned.“I’m sure, Alpha. Knot me. I want it, I need it, please.”He had told her that she’d beg. She hadn’t even known what he’d meant the first time he’d told her, but he was right. She needed it more than anything now. It was all he’d needed to hear. She could feel him changing, growing larger, felt fur against her instead of skin, and realised that he had shifted into his crinos form. Crowley then slammed in hard, and Aziraphale screamed out at the sharp pain of the intrusion. His knot was enormous, like a clenched fist. There was no pulling out now: He was stuck inside her, still swelling larger, and his only vocalisations were ferocious claiming growls.He felt incredible, now they were tied together, it was only pleasure, moving inside her but no longer pistoning in and out. Aziraphale lost the power of speech as well, whining and whimpering, mind overwhelmed with the pleasure of it. Her body bucked and writhed against the powerful claiming grip of his strong arms. “MINE.” Crowley was growling against her neck, and she could feel his teeth there, brushing against her skin. He began mouthing at her, still somehow holding back, testing her. His teeth were gentle, not breaking the skin, but tasting her neck, her shoulder, licking, squeezing, growling. Aziraphale could feel him growing more desperate. His hips still moving against hers, his length inside her moving so perfectly, locked in and still swelling incredibly huge, even though he could no longer pull out more than about an inch each time. Crowley’s teeth were now gripping her shoulder, still not breaking the skin, but as she wailed out in a paroxysm of orgasm, she knew what she needed. She needed his bite, more than anything she’d ever needed before.  She needed her alpha to claim her at last.“Alpha, please… bite. It’s… ok. Please, bite me.”The moment the words passed her lips, Crowley didn’t hesitate.  The result was instantaneous, and his fangs sank into her flesh.  He seized her in a frantic grip as he climaxed inside her, cock jerking powerfully, growling against her with his teeth buried in her shoulder.It should have been agony. And yet somehow, put all together, it wasn’t. She knew, dimly, that it should have hurt, but instead, all the sensations combined were just perfection. Everything she’d never known she needed. Everything that no other lover had ever been able to give her. No human could ever compare. The combination of her alpha inside her, around her, the rumble of his growl vibrating his chest at just the right frequency against her, his grip, and the overwhelming love in it all, meant the pain that she knew she should have been feeling was entirely eclipsed by her orgasm, and somehow amplified it.Aziraphale had never experienced an orgasm with such intensity as being claimed by her alpha for the first time. Her inner wolf was completely unleashed, and she knew it was all she’d ever wanted. She howled out with raptured pleasure, her entire body convulsing with the overwhelming intensity of her climax, her mind blank, her eyes tightly closed, completely incoherent and entirely subsumed by her alpha’s mating.Crowley was still rock hard, hips still jolting reflexively now and then with the final throes of his climax, he’d remain hard for some time yet, until his knot subsided. But he regained his wits enough to release his jaws from her shoulder, licked the wound and rubbed his chin over it, mingling their scents. Satisfied that he’d claimed his mate, Crowley tipped his head back and howled in triumph.Then moments later, Aziraphale heard the voices of the rest of the pack on the floors below, raising their voices in response to his. It was the call they’d been expecting, she supposed, the sound of their alpha claiming his omega, making her fully part of the pack. As Crowley drew breath to howl again, Aziraphale raised her voice to join him, feeling as if she were about to cry with the emotion of it. As their voices faded out, Crowley was hugging her, stroking her, licking her shoulder, whispering how much he loved his beautiful omega, his voice shaky but joyful. Sense gradually crept back after the euphoria, and Aziraphale caught her breath, trembling with emotion. “Are you alright, love?” Crowley whispered in her ear. “Are you hurting?”“No,” she replied, truthfully. It seemed odd to say so, given that she’d just been bitten by an enormous werewolf, but perhaps it was adrenaline or other hormones keeping her from registering the pain for now. Maybe she’d feel it more tomorrow. For now, she felt on top of the world. “You’re shaking,” he whispered. “Let me lie us down. Just relax, let me take your weight, trust me, ok? I’ve got this.”Aziraphale nodded, and gave herself up to him. With a technique that she guessed came from experience of dealing with the awkwardness that came with having non-human genitalia, Crowley held her chest, rocked back onto his haunches, keeping her body tight to his so as not to pull at the knot and hurt either of them.  He then laid them both down sideways, spooning on the bed.  With a sigh of relief, he nosed against her neck, breathing deep with a contented sound. “You smell exquisite. You smell mine. All mine,” he smiled. “So perfect.”Crowley held Aziraphale tight in his arms, gradually relaxing. She felt his body change, his fur retreating, as he took his more human shape back again, although his knot still held him captive within his mate. He snuggled against her, stroking her skin, kissing her shoulder, nuzzling her and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Aziraphale couldn’t ever remember being this surrounded by love, or feeling so utterly safe, as she did in Crowley’s arms.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You know, when you first told me that I’d be begging you to bite me, I thought you were just exaggerating, or bragging, being a conceited arse. I didn’t really think it’d be true.”

“I didn’t mean it to come across like I was bragging. I was just trying to explain how things are different,” Crowley explained. He was still rubbing his chin against her shoulder, and it felt inexplicably divine. “You smell so good,” he whispered. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“I smell different, even I can tell that,” Aziraphale replied. “I suppose I’ll stop being able to tell once I get used to it.”

“Yup, you smell like you, but also like me, and also claimed. Any alpha, any other wolf, will be able to tell now.”

“Angela said you’d need to re-affirm the bond frequently?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t let you go without, don’t worry. I know it can be distressing if your alpha doesn’t re-scent you regularly. It’s addictive, in a good way, I hope. It helps release special endorphins that strengthen the pair bond.”

“How often would you do that? And does that mean biting every time?”

“As often as you like, but typically at least once a month. And just a tiny nip is all that’s needed from now on, I don’t have to bite you every time we have sex. Just a single tooth puncture or scrape, and scent marking over it is enough to give you what you need, but it’d be like tonight - you’d ask me to do it, and you should enjoy it.”

“It didn’t seem to hurt at all, that surprised me. It felt pleasurable, why?”

“Heat of the moment, and for an omega to be mated to an alpha, it kind of prompts the body to find pleasure in that moment. Unfortunately it doesn’t work on humans who aren’t type twos - they’d still just feel it as a painful bite - so apart from full humans not having omega status regardless, you wouldn’t bite a human when you mate them, or at least you shouldn’t - that’s not to say some awful alphas still got carried away and did it anyway in the past, but it’d be assault when it’s not wanted and causes pain, not like with a type two. Humans are more fragile.”

“So if alphas have a drive to mate omegas, and you only get omegas from type ones and twos, then where do all the type twos come from in the first place? What makes an alpha choose a human over the others?”

“Well it’s not always an alpha. Not all betas are asexual, they can be greysexual, or demi. Sometimes they wander away from the pack for a bit, pursue a sexual relationship with another beta, or with a human - that’s where most type twos come from. The thing is, the pack is always a stronger pull, which tends to make most of them be aromantic - they’ll seek out sex, but just as a fun activity, and soon return back to the pack again. More often it’s male betas seeking out female humans, but occasionally a female beta will seek out a male human, and if the pack is healthy and there’s plenty of food to go around - which in this day and age there usually is - then the alpha and omega will accept the beta’s pup into the pack and allow her to raise it alongside their own pups.”

“But alphas also mate with humans?”

“Yeah, mostly that’s unmated alphas, sowing their wild oats without the risk of bonding to an ‘unsuitable’ omega. Sometimes they’ll even mate with a willing beta. Very rarely, an alpha might form a relationship with a human, even if they can’t be a bonded omega. If it’s a deep love match. But it wouldn’t be anywhere near the level of intimacy that comes from a true bond. But I guess for some, it works.”

“Perhaps that’s where I came from?”

“Possibly, who knows?” Crowley nuzzled the back of her neck and laid a series of little kisses on the skin there, while reaching around to caress her soft breasts, teasing at her nipples, making her squirm.

“Are you wanting to start again?” Aziraphale giggled.

“Part of me wants to, part of me is exhausted and wants to sleep.”

“You’ve had a rough day. Aren’t you hurting from the fight?”

“Yup. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck, if I’m honest. He may be big and slow, but he packed a punch. I really did get lucky today, that could have gone a lot worse.”

“Then sleep, my darling Alpha. In the morning you have new territory to claim.”

“We,”

Crowley stressed. “We have new territory to claim, my beautiful mate.”

“Should I start bottling my pee and get my own spray bottle?” Aziraphale asked jokingly.

“Well, yes,” Crowley replied frankly. Evidently serious about it. “We all do, scent marking is a vitally important part of pack life, and it’s not exactly easy to do it naturally in public in broad daylight. A subtle spritz here and there is all it takes.”

“Doesn’t that stink?”

“It only turns into ammonia if you let it sit in the bottle for ages. Fresh, it shouldn’t smell bad unless you’re unwell, it’s fine. The scent is subtle enough that humans would never even notice it - only other lycanthropes can pick up on it. And dogs, of course,” he added as an afterthought.

“How do lycanthropes feel about dogs then? Or dogs about you?”

“We can communicate the basics using body language, but generally they give us a wide berth, except for some aggressive ones like that terrier that attacked Newt. They’re trying to prove something I guess. Once you’re in crinos form they’d be terrified. Generally dogs are intimidated by me as I’m an alpha. Newt is just an easy mark for them because he’s naturally low in the pack hierarchy. Dogs pick up on that and want to bully him, so we protect him.”

“Do lycanthropes ever mate with dogs as well then?”

“Not that I’m aware of. That’d be weird. Wolves, yes, on occasion. Less common nowadays. They can produce type one offspring who are born wolves and learn to shapeshift around puberty. The problem is if they’re raised by wolves instead of lycanthropes, they have to learn to talk, and all the human-passing things, and it’s far harder for them. It’s not fair on them. So that’s why it’s not encouraged. They tend to prefer to remain as wolves, than to be like us. I mean imagine being a fully sentient being with higher thought processes, being raised by wolves. It’d be like a human being raised by dogs. Imagine the confusion and frustration. It’d be inhumane. Humans at least are on the same level as us mentally. ”

“What do they think of the scent marking? Dogs, I mean?”

“They know what it means. And they’ll rarely scent mark over my scent, they know that’d be a challenge to me. So they’ll sniff and move on instead. Then if they meet me, they’d defer to me. Just show appeasing body language and suchlike. Give me a respectful distance.”

“And how about me?”

“Now you’re claimed, you’ll likely find dogs treating you a little differently as well. You carry my scent, so they’ll show you respectful behaviours too.”

“This is going to take some getting used to,” she yawned, placing her hand over Crowley’s where it lay on her breast, and stroking his hand fondly.

“You’ll get used to it just fine. Your inner wolf is awake now, and she’ll be happy to be free and make herself known,” he reassured her, holding her tight. “Goodnight, my beautiful Omega.”

“Goodnight, my handsome Alpha.”

They drifted off, still joined together. After a while, Crowley’s knot subsided and he slipped out naturally. Aziraphale woke a few hours later, as the pre-dawn light began to suffuse the sky, and slipped off to use the bathroom and freshen up. Then she re-took her place snuggled up to the one she loved, feeling his sleepy arm reach out to wrap around her, and his body shuffle closer, to press against hers once more.

He remained hugging her tight, until full morning found them, rested and content, rising from sleep to see one another, and smile.

Crowley gazed at his mate with adoration in his eyes.

“Morning gorgeous.”

“Mmm,” Aziraphale agreed, sleepily.

“How can you be so pretty, even first thing in the morning?” He asked, stroking her hair.

Aziraphale shrugged, and reached out to take his hand. “How can you be so handsome?” She retorted.

“How’s your shoulder?” Crowley asked, looking concerned. She ran a hand over the bite, which had scabbed over already and seemed to be healing up faster than she’d expect.

“A little sore, but it feels more bruised than anything, it’s not at all bad. How about you?”

“Still feel like I’ve been hit by a truck,” he lamented. “But I’ll be fine.”

“You should get Maggie to change the dressing on your face, it’s seeped through a little.”

Crowley nodded. “But first I want to give my bride some more pleasure.”

“Your bride?”

“In a lycan sense, yes. You’re my mate. ‘Bride’ is just the closest human translation for it.”

“So you’d think of me as your wife already?”

“Yup.”

“Can we get married too? The human way?”

Crowley looked slightly bemused. “Well, yeah, I guess so. I suppose I never really thought about it, mating and bonding usually feels like the more important part of things for us - I mean we do get married legally, it makes it easier to fit into human society that way, but it’s not the priority usually. But yes, we can get married. Who would give you away?”

“Angela of course.”

“Of course,” he grinned. “Good choice.” Crowley kissed the back of her hand. “Then later this afternoon, we should go shopping for an engagement ring for you. Only the best for my omega.”

As he began to kiss down her neck to her breasts, Aziraphale stroked Crowley’s hair fondly.

“Do you always take your crinos form when you make love?”

“No. It was important for the bonding, for the first time, but I can be human shaped, sometimes it can be hard to hold back and stop yourself changing when you get carried away, but I’m pretty sure I can manage it. I’d only do pure wolf form if I was with another shapeshifter though, if we were both that shape, or crinos/wolf shape. Feels too weird to be like that with someone in human shape when I’m pure wolf.”

“Agreed, glad we’re on the same page as far as that goes.”

“... Although it doesn’t guarantee that I won’t occasionally try to hump your leg,” he teased, and frotted against her playfully, making her squeal with laughter. He laughed as well, then buried his face against her skin and drew a breath. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” He kissed her softly. “I love you so much.”

Crowley continued to kiss and lick his way down Aziraphale’s body, taking his time. He wasn’t in a desperate rush now, not like the urgency of last night, and soon he was nudging her thighs apart and began to lick, setting a slow, steady rhythm, and giving off the impression that he could happily pay attention to her like this all day.

Aziraphale lay back and closed her eyes, enjoying being worshipped so skilfully. Crowley’s tongue truly was talented, and apparently tireless. He was patient, and he knew exactly what he was doing. Crowley carried on, unhurried, concentrating entirely on her pleasure, until Aziraphale began to quiver and moan. He picked up the pace, keen to bring her to the peak of ecstasy before even considering giving her his cock. Soon Aziraphale’s hips were bucking reflexively as she writhed on the bed. Crowley simply pinned her down with strong hands and redoubled his efforts until she was screaming with pleasure.

Somewhere along the way, Aziraphale’s screams became howls, letting go and not caring who could hear them. The pack already knew what was going on, and she doubted they cared. They seemed a fairly easy-going community around such things.

Aziraphale’s back arched as she came, gasping at the intensity, and then all of a sudden, Crowley was on her, thrusting in with a fresh burst of energy, face to face and still man-shaped, he moved against her, leaning down to kiss her fiercely. His knot was growing already, and it wasn’t long before the sheer size of it had locked him inside her once more, wresting another shuddering orgasm from her, which he followed shortly after with his own, punctuated by a triumphant howl. He managed to remain human shaped, and looked quite proud of that achievement. Then he lowered himself down on her soft body and clutched her close, catching his breath, while his cock jolted in aftershocks for a while. It was odd, feeling it still moving inside, until gradually stilling. Now, yet again, they were bound together in more ways than one. Emotionally, hormonally, and physically.

Aziraphale festooned his face with kisses as they lay together and waited for his knot to subside so they could separate once more. She smiled to herself with amusement that she’d heard the rest of the pack howl back in response after they’d heard Crowley.

“How long does it take until it goes down?” Aziraphale asked after a while.

“It varies, anywhere from half an hour to an hour.”

“Is it uncomfortable for you?”

“Only if I try to pull out, or you try to pull away. Otherwise it feels fucking amazing.”

So they kissed some more, and rested, until Crowley wriggled his hips experimentally.

“I think that’s it - how does that feel for you?”

“I think that should be ok,” Aziraphale replied.

With a nod, Crowley cautiously pulled out, he was still a little swollen, but there wasn’t any discomfort as his subsiding knot stretched her a little as he did so. In fact it felt pretty good.

“Do you always howl when you come as well?” She asked, laying her head on his chest.

“I’m afraid so. I can try not to, but it really does feel like the right thing to do.”

“And will the pack always howl back when they hear you?”

“Yup.”

“Don’t you feel embarrassed that they know it means you just had sex?”

He laughed. “Not at all. It’s cultural - there’s no shame in it - if anything, they’ll be happy I got my end away, it’s a celebration as much as an acknowledgement. I know it takes a lot of getting used to things that humans don’t do, but you’ll get there.”

After a few minutes, Crowley’s phone buzzed from the pocket of his jeans on the floor, and he sprawled off the bed to grab them, dragging them up and fishing his phone out.

“Anything important?” Aziraphale asked.

“Nah, just some of the pack were wondering when they could come up.”

“What for?”

“Group hug. Wolf pile. We like to do it a lot, it’s not just affection between the pack, but a way to share scents, and they will really,

really

want to do it especially now they have a new pack member, they want to share in the joy of knowing we’re bonded - I guess to use the wedding analogy, kind of like a wedding reception party or something.”

“So they’d want to come up here and hug us, now?”

“Yeah, but I’ll go get your nightie for you, and I’ll take wolf form. You don’t have to let them up here if you’re not dressed, although honestly no one would care but you. Nakedness isn’t really something we worry about.”  With that, Crowley yawned wide, stretched, and got up to go to the ensuite bathroom, then sauntered back through and passed Aziraphale her nightie. “You might want to use the loo as well, there’s nothing worse than a wolf pile when you have a full bladder and someone accidentally stands on your middle.”

Aziraphale got up to use the loo and tug on her nightie, then came back through to the bedroom and got under the covers while Crowley texted the pack, then set his phone aside and took his wolf form with a happy sigh. He rubbed his chin against Aziraphale’s, then lay down, head on her chest, and tail tip wagging rapidly.

There was a scrabbling of many paws on the stairs, and then a deluge of furry bodies stormed into the bedroom and leapt on the bed, in a cacophony of wagging tails, licking the jaw of their alpha and omega, and bodies wriggling with joy. There were excited yelps and yips, and as before, Aziraphale couldn’t keep her composure and was quickly falling into fits of giggles as everyone tried to hug her at the same time.

Everyone seemed to want to rub against Aziraphale to swap scents, and there was much interested sniffing at the bite on her shoulder, followed by more affectionate nuzzling, then the pack were wriggling against each other as well, sharing all the scents with the new pack members too.

It took a moment, buried amongst the mass of furry bodies atop her, for Aziraphale to spot Angela standing by the bed, looking happy for her. Crowley finally registered where Aziraphale was looking, and stepped to the edge of the bed, then took the hem of Angela’s skirt gently between his teeth, and tugged her closer, in invitation to join in the hug pile. She hesitated, and then joined in, much to the delight of the pack.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After the excitement died down, the pack settled into a big hug pile, and simply lay together, content. Some drifted off to sleep, others licked their paws, or a friend’s face, but everyone relaxed. Aziraphale now not only had the feeling of completeness that came from bonding with her Alpha, but also the sense of peace which came from having shared scents with everyone in her new family, and having them all around her, being wrapped up in love.

Crowley lay beside her, still in wolf form, and gazed at her adoringly, occasionally licking her face. He stretched out a paw, and she took it in her hand and held it, then they both drifted off to sleep again for a while. It was pure bliss.

After a little while, Maggie crawled closer to Crowley with a questioning whine, sniffing towards his face. He opened one eye with a sleepy grunt, then rolled over, yawned wide, and stretched out to the very tips of his toes, before standing, shaking, and then retaking a human shape again and tugging on his boxers.

Maggie hopped off the bed and disappeared for a moment, before coming back in her dressing gown, and carrying her surgical kit. Crowley sat on the edge of the bed while she removed the dressing on his cheek, cleaned it up, and then put a smaller fresh dressing on. That done, she checked over his other injuries, before packing her stuff away again. Crowley smiled at her, then nudged Furfur.

“C’mon, sleepyheads. Time to get marking our new territory.”

The pack began to yawn and stretch out, then jumped off the bed. Aziraphale’s stomach grumbled.

“...After breakfast,” Crowley added, with a grin and a wink.

The pack re-assembled in Ligur’s flat where he laid out a generous breakfast buffet, with everyone now human shaped once more.

“So, Uriel, what is it you do?” Crowley asked between mouthfuls.

“I’m an architect,” she replied.

“So presumably not much interest in needing to move careers to the automotive industry then?”

“Not really, no. I work for a firm in Westminster, I have done for some time, and I enjoy it, although Gabriel was demanding more than half of my wages ‘for the pack’ and just spending it on things he wanted for himself.”

Crowley growled. “That’s a bit of a Richard relocation,” he observed drily. Uriel furrowed her brown in confusion.

“Dick move,” Crowley clarified with a grin. “Anyway, no need to do that here, you keep your wages, you just share what you want with the pack. Do you want to carry on working where you are now, or move employers?”

“I’d like to stay where I am,” Uriel replied firmly.

“Well no problem there then, if that’s where you’re happy, carry on. If you want to move firms, or set up on your own, or anything like that, let me know, we’ll support you with whatever you want to do.”

Uriel inclined her head with a small smile. “Thank you, Alpha Crowley.”

“And Maggie, do you still want to work for the vets in Brixton, or would you like to speak to Mutt about joining Joan at her vet practise over in Hammersmith?”

“I’d be interested in moving, if I’m honest, I’m not really happy where I am. I called in sick last night, knowing you’d need assistance. I’d rather not go back, to be honest.”

“You can quit any time you like, we can support you until you find your feet in your new job, take a few days off if you like before you start, it’s no problem.” He turned to Angela next. “Do you need to go and open the bookshop today?”

“No, I set my own hours, and independent booksellers are notoriously fickle,” she winked. “I’m sure any customers can get by without a book for a day. Although I would like to talk to you about something later, after the important business is taken care of, if that’s alright.”

“Of course it is.”

Crowley turned to the teenagers next.

“So, which school do I have to call and apologise to for you lot?”

“Westminster school,” Pepper replied. “We’re doing our A-levels, and I’m head girl, so I definitely don’t want to leave.”

“Fancy,” he commented. “Pricey. But hopefully I can carry on affording the fees for all of you. I’ll give them a call in a minute then, as your new guardian, explain it’s compassionate leave as your usual guardian is in hospital.” He nodded at the teens. “So, what’s the deal with you lot? Warlock, Gabriel’s your biological dad, yeah? But what about the rest of you?”

Adam spoke up. “He collected us. My parents had a load of other alpha kids and just too many to deal with. Gabriel is a relative, so he offered to take me to ‘educate’ me. But really I think he just wanted to collect us young enough to manipulate us - he has this thing where when his betas start getting too old to work, he dumps them, so he wants a supply of younger betas obedient to him to take over, to fund his lifestyle. That’s where Pepper, Brian, and Wensleydale come in.”

Pepper piped up. “Our parents were betas in other packs who couldn’t keep us, or didn’t want to keep us, and knew that Gabriel would offer us a place, in a prestigious pack, so they gave us to him. Brian and Wensleydale are brothers.”

“So why did you lot ask to come live with me, instead of returning to your birth packs?”

“Our birth packs don’t want us,” Brian replied.

“But Gabriel has paid for you to have a fancy expensive education, you’ve all got pretty good status building.”

“He has a deal with the school, we all have scholarships to reduce the fees,” Wensleydale piped up. “Pepper and I have full scholarships, Adam is on half, Brian is on about a quarter.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Crowley said, having just looked up the regular school fees on his phone. “Anyway, their loss is my gain. Now Warlock - you’re coming with us this morning to scent mark around Westminster with the pack. I’m claiming it only for now, until you’re 21 years old, when you’re ready to split off and start your own pack, then it’s rightfully yours, and I intend to hand it back to you. I’ll help you hold it until you’re confident as well, because a lot of alphas would see a juvenile with one of THE most prestigious territories in London, and be ready to fight you for it. It’s important to avoid that being a possibility until you’re ready to take them on. You’re skinny like me, so I’m going to give you a crash course in fighting like I do, to give you a chance. All the other pack members can teach you too.”

“Thank you, Alpha Crowley,” Warlock said. It was clear he had thought his inheritance had disappeared when his father was taken down, and was surprised that Crowley wasn’t going to deprive him of it.

“Adam, you’ll be wanting to start your own pack one day as well. I didn’t have anyone in particular in mind for Mayfair after I’m gone. What d’you think?”

Adam hesitated, glancing around the table nervously.

“Well my birth pack is from a village in Oxfordshire - Tadfield, and while they don’t want me, I do miss what I remember of things there when I was little.”

“You’d want to fight to reclaim that territory in future then?”

Adam nodded. “I think it’s worth fighting for.”

“Then I’ll help you however I can, but if it falls through, then Mayfair can be your back-up plan, if you want.”

“Thank you, Alpha Crowley.”

Crowley finished his breakfast then headed off to his study to make some phone calls. The rest of the pack finished their breakfast then cleared things away. Afterwards, they piled into the van and a few of the pack cars. Crowley drove the Bentley with Aziraphale as passenger in the front and Angela in the back with Shax. Ligur drove the van, Eric took his BMW, and Dagon took her car, to ferry everyone over to Westminster.

They started by walking the boundaries, each of them had a discreet spray bottle with the combined scents of everyone in the pack in it, and, with a subtle technique borne of years of practice, which Crowley demonstrated to Aziraphale, as he surreptitiously spritzed it on prominent markers along the streets which bordered the area. Targeting lamp posts, buildings on corners, trees, and other marker locations. The pack had split into two, and headed off in opposite directions of the circuit to meet up again on the other side.

Crowley explained to Aziraphale that he’d come back regularly in wolf shape ‘on a walk’ with someone, likely Aziraphale, and add his own distinct alpha scent to key points regularly as well to reinforce the pack scent in a more traditional manner.

It took them just over two hours, before the pack reconvened, and headed to Gabriel’s pack’s old home - four enormous Georgian townhouses in a row, linked into one. It had to be worth millions. Uriel still had a key, but there were other lycanthropes coming and going anyway - other old pack members collecting their possessions to take to their new packs, or back with them to their birth packs, no one paid them much attention.

“So what becomes of Gabriel’s house then?” Aziraphale asked.

“Well he still owns it, but he’ll sell it, or rent it out. He wouldn’t be able to bear to live in the territory of the alpha who beat him, and be beholden to me, having to pay homage to me for the right to live here still. I wouldn’t stop him from staying, if he wanted to, but I know he wouldn’t.”

Crowley cast his eye around the palatial residence. “Nice gaff, shame really. He’s going to be pretty annoyed about having to sell it, unless we can persuade him to leave this to Warlock too, but something worth this much, I doubt he would. More likely to sell it and retire on the profits. He was some big name in finance, he used to be nicknamed the

literal

wolf of Wall Street, so he’s not short of a bob or two.”

“I’m sure he won’t be half as bothered about losing this as he is about the other things he’s lost,” Ligur cackled as he walked past carrying a box full of Pepper’s things out to the van. Other pack members made light work of helping Uriel and the teens pack up their things and carry them out to the van and cars, although a couple of them had to drive the van back to the den, unload it, and come back for a second load, so the pack members left at Gabriel’s old den helped his other former pack members pack up and carry their things to their own transport arrangements.

A few of them stopped to thank Crowley for giving them the opportunity for a new start, or for an excuse to return to their family packs without shame. To abandon an alpha when he was still in power could be considered shameful for some still, but to leave once he had been ousted in an alpha fight was a shame-free reset opportunity for them, and didn’t reflect on the betas at all.

As Anathema explained some of these subtleties to Aziraphale, Crowley helped one of Gabriel’s old betas carry a heavy box downstairs, Aziraphale looked worried.

“Are none of you allowed to leave Crowley if you wanted to then?”

“Oh no, of course we could! Crowley isn’t like alphas of old. Gabriel must have been a real hard-ass traditionalist. Any of us could leave at any time if we really wanted to, but why on earth would we want to? We love this pack, it’s supportive, nurturing, loving, we want for nothing. Technically any of Gabriel’s pack

could

have left him too, but he would have made it hard for them, and it would have carried a stigma of disloyalty. But when an alpha is deposed, there’s no more obligation of loyalty to them, because they’ve been shown to be a weak alpha. You can stay with him, or you can leave and do as you please. Then again, if only one pack member leaves, it’s shameful, but if a whole load of them do - it shows a weak alpha. Packs split sometimes and seek out a new alpha.”

“Could you leave the pack altogether, and just live on your own, with no pack?”

Anathema shuddered. “I mean… yes? But that would be

awful.

I can’t imagine any lycanthrope wanting to do that - to have to live without the support of your pack around you, to help out when you need it, to offer you love and support, look after you when you’re unwell, or feeling down, to support you financially if you want to take a sabbatical for self-improvement or just a holiday. It’s part of the reason we often end up working together in a pack business, it makes it easier to be flexible. A packless wolf is miserable, it’d be awfully isolating and scary to be alone.”

“Are there all-beta packs without an alpha?”

“Sometimes, rarely. They tend to prefer to seek out an alpha to join them, it doesn’t feel right otherwise. Or if one of the betas is a bit more along the alpha end of the spectrum, in the absence of a strong alpha, their hormones might start to amp up until they become one naturally. It’s rare, but it can happen. I suppose it’s nature’s way of filling a gap. It can even cause a full transition, as not only betas assigned male at birth can develop into an alpha. Given time, space, the absence of an alpha in the area, and ideally, the presence of an omega, then it has been known for a beta who was assigned female at birth to naturally begin to transition into masculine, and an alpha, as their hormones surge to fill the perceived gap.”

Aziraphale looked stunned. “Really?”

Anathema nodded. “Yup, kind of like some species of fish, apparently - in all female groups, sometimes one will simply start to change.  I’ve heard of it happening a couple of times with lycanthropes through history, and at least once fully on purpose. However if a full alpha comes into the territory, then it can cause a problem, and conflict, as well as sometimes causing the transitioning beta to halt at a mid-point.  So if that happened, if they wanted to continue, they’d try to move away to a place free of alphas to continue allowing their bodies to change fully, before they came back. It’s an option that perhaps Muriel might take up one day, they’ve certainly asked me about it, and Crowley said he’d support them if they wanted to try by taking a long sabbatical in a remote area for a couple of years, possibly with an omega companion to help prompt the hormones to begin shifting. For now though, Muriel seems content as they are, and has no urgent desire to change anything physically about themselves.”

“Can betas transition into omegas as well then?”

“Yeah, again if there are none in the immediate area, but there is an unmated alpha, then a beta can sometimes begin to transition into an omega. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to work for transitioning a body from AMAB to feminine though, that only seems to work one way, like it can in humans with 5-alpha reductase insufficiency, although they can become a bit more masculinised, get hyperandrogenism. It can’t physically change testes back into ovaries, for example, but as with humans, there is still the option of regular gender-affirming surgery to complete the process to help them. I’m not certain exactly how it works, but the best person to ask that kind of thing from would be Andrea.”

Aziraphale was amazed, and Anathema chuckled.

“We’re supernatural creatures who can literally change into three different shapes, is it so much of a stretch of the imagination that we would be capable of more shape changing?”

“I suppose not,” Aziraphale agreed. “I imagine if the humans knew about that, they’d want to do all sorts of invasive tests on you then.”

“I’m afraid so, and it’s yet another reason why we have to hide what we are - there are so many things about us which are unique physiologically that would render us little more than lab rats if the humans knew about it, and we’d be hunted down and held captive if they knew - used to do experiments and test drug treatments on and such like. It’s vital that we keep our existence a secret from them at all costs. They need to believe that we’re nothing more than a fairytale, or a horror story. If being cast as a mythical horror story cryptid keeps us safe, even if it makes us look like monsters, then we’ll bear the indignity.”

Anathema chuckled to herself. “There is even at least one lycanthrope who wrote and produced a werewolf movie full of nonsense, specifically as a disinformation campaign, in order to perpetuate the myth about what we are, and what can and can’t harm us, when some humans were getting a little too close to the truth. It may hurt to see your culture ridiculed in the media, but sometimes, it can help protect us, weirdly. We may dislike it, but we understand why they did it, to keep us safe by bringing the myth to a newer generation.”
  
Ligur came back with the van for the second load, so Aziraphale helped stack more boxes of the teen’s possessions, then they headed back towards the den. Warlock had asked to ride in the back seat of the Bentley with Adam.

“I’m hungry,” Warlock declared.

“We could stop at McDonald’s,” Aziraphale offered, spying one up ahead. That was the sort of thing that kids liked, wasn’t it?

“Nah, Maccy D’s isn’t much fun during the day,” Adam piped up. “Can we go to the drive thru at night sometime though? Maggie used to take us sometimes once they’d closed after dark, but we weren’t to tell Gabriel.”

“Why’s that?” Aziraphale asked, confused.

“Oh we don’t want the food

inside

the place,” Warlock explained. “At least, not often. It’s way more fun at night - we go in wolf form and catch the rats that live around the bins at the back. Same with KFC, always loads of rats running around the bushes and the car park, it’s loads of fun catching them. Plus they’re extra fat rats.”

“Why didn’t Gabriel like you catching rats?” Crowley asked, frowning.

“He said it was beneath us, same with rabbits. He’d allow the rabbits, but he said we should be going for more ‘noble’ game like stags. I mean it’s not like there’s many of those around here we can chase anyway. But he’d go off on holiday to Scotland, or Finland, or America without us, and brag about all the deer he caught, but we never got to go.”

“Catching rats is important though,” Crowley pointed out. “It helps develop quick reflexes and good stalking abilities. How can you expect to learn to catch deer if you’ve never worked your way up from rats and rabbits first? Our pack is always doing that on the heath. I can’t believe he didn’t want you doing it. So we’re doing that tonight. Rabbits on the heath, then on the way home we’ll swing by the retail park drive-thru and you can nab some rats without having to be secretive about it.”

“Really?” Warlock was excited at the prospect.

“Sure. I don’t see why not. If you want to learn to hunt, there’s no better way to do it. And when we go on holiday with a forest getaway, the whole pack goes. I was planning Kielder again this year, but we could do the Scottish highlands, and you could bag your first stag. The packs up there allow visiting packs to help cull the older ones in the herds to keep the populations healthy in the absence of natural predators nowadays. Better a quick death than a slow lingering one for the old stags.”

Adam and Warlock high fived in the back seat, and Aziraphale smiled sidelong at Crowley, then reached out and squeezed his thigh affectionately.

“I can see why you’re a good alpha, love,” she whispered.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When they got home, Aziraphale asked Crowley if she could prepare lunch for the pack, and asked him to show her around the communal pantry and catering-sized walk-in fridges. It seemed that as Ligur was the best cook and enjoyed doing most of the catering, he had the biggest and best kitchen, adjacent to the facilities. So Crowley handed Aziraphale off to him to get lunch underway, while he went to make more essential phone calls and emails to other London packs to explain the change in territory status. Aziraphale put together a buffet of charcuterie items with plenty of cold cut meats and cheeses, then once it was all on the table, told Ligur she was going to round up the rest of the pack for lunch, as the younger ones and Uriel were unpacking their possessions into their new rooms. “No need to run around, just howl for them,” Ligur said. “Like this:” He poked his head into the stairwell and let out a series of short, loud yipping noises. There was an instant scramble of pack members dropping what they were doing to join them. “That was the ‘I’ve got food to share’  call,” Ligur explained. “Try it.”Aziraphale fumbled a little, feeling silly, and he didn’t miss her expression. “Hey, it’s ok, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about, you’re one of us - you never got taught how to speak wolf growing up, we’re here to teach you, go on. No one will mind if your pronunciation or accent are a bit off, especially when they’re hungry. And everyone loves you, give it a go.” He demonstrated again, then a single yip to show her how it sounded as one part, then the full call again. Aziraphale closed her eyes and tried to copy the sound, and he patiently repeated it each time until her call was almost matching his. “That’s it, you’ve got it!”She opened her eyes to see most of the pack around her, also smiling and nodding encouragingly. Crowley came down the stairs a moment later, having finished his phone call. “Wembley pack alpha told me I should go and get my lunch, he could hear you calling in the background,” he grinned, then hugged Aziraphale. “It’s not as complex as human language, and packs have different dialects in different regions and around the world anyway, so you’re still understandable, you just sound delightfully exotic.”“Exotic?”“Well… maybe a bit French, if I’m honest. But you still sound hot.”“French wolves have an accent?”“Of course they do. We all do.”

Everyone got seated at the table - but Crowley remained standing, and Angela stood next to him, holding a bag. “Before we eat, Angela had a little chat with me earlier. Before the events that transpired yesterday, she had wanted to express her gratitude to the pack, as it was then, so I’ll hand over to her.”Angela stepped forward with a slightly nervous smile. “I wanted to thank you, for how you’ve taken care of Aziraphale, how Muriel protected us both when a rogue alpha attacked the bookshop, and for how lovely you’ve all been to me, despite how hostile I was to you at first. I’m sure you all understand why now.”Uriel and Maggie nodded in understanding, as although still young when Angela had left, they remembered how Gabriel had treated her. “So I had prepared some thank-you gifts for all of you, that is - all of you who were here on Thursday morning. I’d like to get to know the rest of you and find gifts for the rest of you as well - to thank you all for inviting me to join your pack, for accepting me with so much love, which is such a change to how I was treated in the past.”She began to hand out the wrapped books, first to Crowley, a large expensive book about the history of Bentley cars, then the books she’d selected on other pack member’s hobbies and interests. Once everyone had enthused over their gifts, and thanked her, Angela spoke up again. “As Aziraphale has confessed she thinks of me of as much of a mother figure to her, as she is a daughter figure to me, and given that she is now mated to her alpha, I would like to present a dowry and thank-you gift to you both. Not to Crowley, but to the pair of you, as equals.”Aziraphale hadn’t been expecting this, and Crowley spoke up. “You don’t need to pay a dowry for me to be Aziraphale’s mate, we don’t have to do that any more, it’s an outdated custom, you owe us nothing, Angela,” he pointed out. “Nonetheless, this is something I’d like to do,” she said, firmly. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for quite some time now. So if it’s not something that you want to accept to share, then it is simply a gift to my ‘daughter’, Aziraphale, and it’s something I’ve wanted to give you since long before you met Crowley anyway.”Aziraphale was confused, not knowing where this was going. “My dear,” Angela continued. “I would like you to take on the bookshop. I know you love it, possibly even more than I do. You’ve always had a passion for literature, and the love and consideration you show for the books and the building has been evident since the very first day you came to work for me. I decided a long time ago, that as I have no children of my own, I would like to leave it to you, so I’d like to make this your mating present - like a wedding present - on your betrothal to Crowley.”“But… it’s your home as well!” Aziraphale protested. “You live over the bookshop.”“I’m part of this pack too, now. I’m tired of living alone. I’d like to live as part of the pack, here with you. We can both go and run the bookshop during the day, but honestly, I’ve been thinking of retiring anyway. Anathema had told me she wanted to expand her private lessons and schooling for lycanthrope pups to teach them their cultural heritage, and I’d like to help her with that goal. Aziraphale, the bookshop is yours. Ligur - you can do sign-writing, can’t you? The photos I’ve seen of your pinstriping on the cars looks exquisite.”“Sure can!”“Then I’d like to hire you to re-paint the signage on the shop from A. Michael’s Books, to whatever Aziraphale would prefer instead.”“You’re not hiring me, Angela,” Ligur objected. “We’re family now, so I’m doing it as my gift to Aziraphale.”Aziraphale stood and hugged Angela tightly, almost crying with emotion. “Thank you, I can’t believe it, my dream was always to have a bookshop of my own, but I love yours so much, I can’t thank you enough.”“It’s quite alright, dear. I wanted a change of pace anyway, and it suits you down to the ground. I can’t see you becoming a mechanic in Crowley’s garage, but I know you’d be happy to spend your days surrounded by books, to know you have your own independent income and something to do that you enjoy. It’s my pleasure. Besides, I’ll pop in from time to time, and can take over for you when you’re on holiday, or in heat, or just need a day off.”Crowley joined in the hug and kissed Aziraphale’s cheek. “Shh, love, don’t cry. You’d better get used to it because you’ll have a lot more gifts to come yet.”“What do you mean?” Aziraphale sniffed. “To welcome you to the pack. There’ll be a welcoming party at some point over the next few days - not just for you, but for all the new pack members, Angela, Maggie, Uriel, the kids. It’s a special occasion, plus you’ll be getting gifts for being their new omega, kind of like wedding presents. But given we’re going to do this the human way as well and get married, it might be better to save the new omega gifts for then instead.”“Should I be getting them gifts as well?”“While you don’t have to, you can if you like. Because in the past often pack members didn’t know the new members’, or omega’s likes and dislikes, gifts can be a token gift of an envelope with some money in it. Long ago, the most traditional gift would be food from betas to a new omega. They’d each catch something personally for you, although sometimes this was deferred until the new omega was pregnant and couldn’t hunt as easily - all the pack members would take turns hunting for her throughout her pregnancy, but of course that’s not an issue for us. People who like to keep the traditional theme though might still make gifts of food, just in an updated way, like hampers from Fortnum & Mason, or a box of sweets from the teens.”“So what should I get the pack members?”“I’ll go over it later with you.”“Thank you darling.”Once everyone was sat down again and tucking into lunch, Shax spoke up. “So I was thinking we could organise the new pack member welcome party for next weekend? It should give us time to set up.”“Good idea, would you like to organise it this time?” Crowley asked.

“Yes please.”“Ok, you’ve got the job.” Crowley told Shax, then turned to the youngsters. “I just realised I didn’t discuss pocket money with you lot, as you haven’t got your own income yet. Did your parents set you up with bank accounts already?”There were a series of nods.“Ok, well I’ll set up a standing order then, and it’ll be your responsibility to manage your allowances. Shax will be happy to give you lessons on budgeting to set you up for adulthood. Also, any of you are welcome to ask about work experience at the garage if you like, which would be paid, but you’re under no obligation to do so if it would interfere with your studies. I’m talking weekend work, school holidays and such like. I take it you’ll be wanting to go to university as well - what courses did you have in mind?”“Law,” Pepper spoke up immediately. “Cambridge.”“Somehow I had a feeling you’d say something like that,” Crowley grinned. “What about you, Wensleydale?”“Chartered accountancy, I’m not sure which university I’d like yet.” “Suits you. Well if you want to take over as accountant when Shax retires, there’ll be a place for you at the garage. Brian, what about you?”“Environmental sciences,” Brian replied, filling his plate from the table. “Warlock?”“Politics,” he replied. “I want to have an influence on the world.”“Adam, how about you?”“I don’t know yet. When I was younger I wanted to be an astronaut, but Gabriel laughed and asked me what I’d do when there was a full moon and I was stuck on a spaceship with humans. But I don’t know. I like a lot of things, and I can’t decide.”“You know you don’t have to go to university at all, if you don’t want to,” Crowley pointed out. “There’s vocational training if you find a career you’d like to get into and have on-the-job training. That’s what Eric’s doing - he’s doing his NVQ in automotive maintenance and repair. If he gets up to level 5 to 7 that’s the equivalent of a foundation to master’s degree anyway. You’ve got time to decide yet, and time to change your mind.”“Gabriel wanted me to go into banking like him, but I hate maths.”“You know the collective noun for a group of bankers, don’t you?” Ligur piped up. Adam looked blank. Ligur grinned and finished: “A wunch. They’re a wunch of bankers.” Then cackled. Warlock snorted water out of his nose and the rest of the teens cracked up as well.More chat and laughter flowed around the table as they ate, while Crowley leaned over to Aziraphale and kissed her on the cheek. “After lunch, I promised to take you shopping,” he reminded her. “I think a trip along to Hatton Garden would be rather nice, don’t you?”Hatton Garden was known as London’s ‘Diamond District’ and housed some of the most prestigious jewellers in the world. Aziraphale’s eyes went wide in surprise.“…Although we could stop by Garrard’s round the corner first and see what they have as well.”“You’d like me to choose my own engagement ring?”“And wedding ring. I want to make sure they’re something you’ll love, if you’re going to wear them for the rest of your life.” He finished his lunch and called out to the table. “And tomorrow, I think we can make short work of moving my omega’s possessions from her old flat into mine, can’t we? And Angela - when would you like us to help you move your things from the bookshop flat?”“I think a few things this afternoon, then the rest whenever is convenient.”“Well as I’ll be taking my beautiful omega ring shopping this afternoon, why don’t you borrow Ligur and the van, and a couple of the others to go over to Soho and help you make a start on moving then?”“Thank you, Alpha Crowley.”

Although the betas began clearing away the lunch things, Aziraphale got up and began to help clear the table. Newt tried to get her to sit down again, saying that the betas could take care of it, but Aziraphale was having none of it. “I’m no longer a guest to be indulged, I’m part of this pack now, so this is my home as well, and I refuse to be waited on hand and foot. You’ve all been so lovely, but I want to be part of this.”“Sorry,” Newt replied with an awkward grin. “We just kind of got used to wanting to be good hosts, it’s nice to have new company, but I suppose now we have a whole load of new people to indulge.”“Well you’ve all been so nice to me, I feel like I’d like to indulge all of you from time to time as well, so you’d better get used to it, once I find out what makes each of you smile, anyway.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale’s heart was fluttering as Crowley led her into Garrard’s to look at rings, and then suddenly it was more than fluttering. She felt like it was beating a million miles an hour, and she began to feel too hot and lightheaded. But Crowley had picked up on it immediately. “Angel? What’s wrong? You don’t look well.” His face was serious, and the staff must have picked up on it as someone indicated a chair that she could sit down on, and asked if she’d like a glass of water. Aziraphale just clutched Crowley’s hand and tried to remember how to breathe. Crowley knelt at her feet, still holding her hand, and watched her face anxiously. “Angel? Tell me, what’s up? Is it a panic attack?” He stroked her knee gently. “I… I don’t know,” she gasped. “I don’t know.”“Shhh, Angel, you’re ok, I’m here, you’re fine.” Crowley leaned in and hugged her, resting his cheek against hers and stroking her hair. “I’m here, love.”And weirdly, that seemed to be what she needed - having Crowley rubbing his scent against her again seemed to help ground her and quell her racing thoughts. Aziraphale held him back until the shaking came under control once more, then accepted the glass of water that a member of staff was holding out for her, with a nod of thanks. “Is there anything we can do?” The salesperson asked, looking worried. “No, it’s quite alright, I just got a little overwhelmed I think, I’ll be fine, but thank you. I just need a moment.”She sipped the water, and Crowley remained with her, holding her hand. “Would you like to leave, we can go for a little walk in the fresh air instead if you like?”Aziraphale nodded. “I think I’d prefer that, yes thank you darling.” She handed the glass back. “Thank you for the water, that was very kind of you, I need a little fresh air, we’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Come on, Berkeley Square is just around the corner, we can have a little walk, sit on a bench, and you can tell me what’s up.” Crowley took Aziraphale’s hand as she stood, then kissed her cheek.  She tried to get her thoughts in order as they walked, still not sure how to put into words what she was feeling, but Crowley’s closeness, his contact, and his reassuring scent, helped enormously.  He led her to a park bench, and they sat down in the fresh air, side by side. “Feeling better?” He asked. “Yes thank you. How did you know I wasn’t well?”“Smell, and other senses. Like dogs, I suppose, we can tell when things are going wrong - low blood pressure, diabetic hypo, seizures, panic attacks. It seemed like a panic attack.”“I think it was, I’m not sure, I don’t know if I’ve had one before. Maybe just a bit of anxiety.”“Would you like to talk about it?”“I’m not sure how to put it into words, if I’m honest, but I’ll do my best, I suppose.” Aziraphale took a breath, and gazed up at the trees above. Crowley squeezed her hand comfortingly.“I think… it’s been somewhat of a whirlwind romance, and while it feels completely right, and bonding with you felt like something that was absolutely the right thing to do, somehow… suddenly going shopping for rings set off a bit of the human side of my brain which just panicked and went ‘what on earth are we doing? We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks, this is insanity.’ But the wolf part of me knows it’s not - the wolf part of me just knows that I want to be with you, without question. I want to be your mate, your bonded omega. But when the human part of me equates that to marriage, it sort of panicked because what wolves do is not what humans do, and so to that side of me, and how I was raised, it seems too fast, and yet I know at the same time that it’s not. Does that make sense?”Crowley did look worried. “I think so. It’s harder for me to think like a human, because I’m not, but you’re not either, you’re part of each, so I can understand that. I only look like one, but I’m not one. You have both worlds, and that can lead to more conflicting ideas, so I can understand how it must feel strange. I’m sorry now that I feel that I’ve gone too fast for you, when I promised myself that I wouldn’t.”“But from a wolf point of view, you didn’t,” Aziraphale pointed out. “You moved slowly, from a wolf standpoint.”“Yeah, I did. But I guess I went too fast for your human side.”“But I still do want to be with you, and to marry you, to have a human equivalent to our bond as well, it just felt a little overwhelming all of a sudden.”“Do you want to go home instead? We don’t have to do this now, or any time soon, we can just postpone it to whenever you’re ready, there’s no rush.”“I just needed to settle my brain a little into getting to grips with knowing it’s alright, I’m not being irrational. To know that you love me, you support me, and that all of your pack does as well. I trust them, and if you weren’t who you appear to be, they wouldn’t be as happy as they are either. It seems unconventional to the human side of me, but the more time I’ve spent with you all, the more my inner wolf has woken up. Plus the books that Anathema has been letting me read on your culture has shown that you have been extremely progressive, and have moved very slowly, for what you are. Naturally, wolves would pair up far more quickly. So the wolf side of me knows it’s right. I just have to quieten the human side, and begin to unlearn a lot of things that my human parents and upbringing had taught me.”“If you’re sure? We can leave at any time - you call the shots. I just thought I’d rather you choose what you like, than I choose something and find it’s too flashy or not your style. But we’re together, and we don’t need a piece of human legal paper to know we belong to one another. But if you’d like it though, that’s what I want to give you, whenever you’re ready for it. We don’t have to get married straight away either, just looking at rings isn’t saying we have to buy one right now, or make any announcements. You set the pace, ok?”“Thank you darling. You realise this is why I love you?” Aziraphale smiled and kissed him, filling her senses with the deliciousness of her alpha. Her handsome, doting, caring, loving alpha. “Shall we go home?” Crowley asked gently. “No, we can go back to the shop again.”“Well let’s get your ring size, we can look at a few that you like the look of so we can find your style, but not buy anything. Then later, I can come back and choose one of them for you, so you won’t know exactly which one you’ll be getting, but you already know you’d like it.”“How are you so sweet?” Aziraphale hugged him close. Crowley shrugged. “I would say because you deserve it, but everyone deserves it. I guess I was just raised well.”

They walked hand in hand back to Garrard’s, where they found Aziraphale’s ring size, and she tried on a few engagement and wedding rings, as Crowley made notes and took photos. Afterwards they moved on to some other shops and repeated the exercise, then headed home again. They found the pack relaxing, Adam and Warlock decorating their new bedrooms while Ligur helped set up their computers and gaming consoles. Brian was apparently recording a video for some online social media platform, showing his followers around his ‘new gaff’, while Eric joined in, hamming it up for the camera and trying to make Brian laugh. He finished the recording then went to edit and post it. “What you doin’ that for anyway?” Eric asked, sprawling across the bed. “You wanna be a werewolf influencer? Gonna rename yourself ‘Lycan Subscribe’?”The rest of the teenagers devolved into laughter at that, and Crowley snorted in amusement before high-fiving Eric. “Nice to have some friends more your age around here as well, Eric? You’re no longer officially the youngest pack member. Don’t let it go to your head.”“Aww does that mean I have to be the responsible big brother now?” Eric pouted. “Yup, or at least not too irresponsible,” Crowley grinned. “Speaking of which, we’re heading out once it gets dark to take this lot up on Hampstead Heath again to go rabbiting, then we’re stopping by McDonald’s on the way home so they can have a go at ratting round the bins. It’ll teach them to get quick on their feet.”“They not done that before?”“Apparently not enough, so I promised they could have a go. You’re one of the best ratters we’ve got alongside me, so you get to help teach them the best tricks.”“Nice.”Crowley turned to Ligur. “We don’t want to be too full for zipping around, so just a light meal for dinner for this lot, then they can fill up on what they catch later as a treat.”“I’ll do a chicken salad or something.”Wensleydale pulled a face. “Eww.”“You have to eat some greens sometimes,” Ligur pointed out. “Besides, lots of fat rats for dessert will make up for it, and the hunger will keep you keen on the hunt.”“I’ve scented roe deer up on the heath,” Brian pointed out. “Can’t we hunt one of those?”“No,” Crowley shook his head sternly. “We rarely take deer outside of managed herds, the population in this area is too low for that, unless they’re invasive species of course, like the muntjac. Only if you find an elderly one already dying, I would say taking carrion is ok but we leave those for the packless to eat, we don’t need to scavenge. Besides, I’ve already promised I’ll take you all up North  for a holiday and take you on a real deer hunt.”The teenagers perked up considerably at that. “When can we see the cars at your garage?” Pepper piped up. “Eric said you’ve got lots of really fast cars, even a red one with flames on it.”“Ah, yeah, that’s a customer’s hot rod, I’m afraid I can’t take you for rides in client’s cars, but you can have a look at them over the weekend if you like. Not today though, I need to spend some quality time with my omega before dinner. This has all been a bit of a whirlwind for her and we’re only just mated.”Warlock pulled a ‘yuk’ face. “Oi, less of that, you’ll understand when you get older.”“He’s already acting weird when he smells omegas,” Adam prodded Warlock jokingly, and he growled back with a curl of his lip. “Save it for later,” Crowley warned. “Don’t waste energy starting a play fight now when you’re catching your own dessert tonight. If you want some sparring training we can work on that on the weekend - we can pair you up with someone in the pack who complements your optimal fighting style. Cool off for a bit, see you at dinner.”

Crowley took Aziraphale’s hand and led her up to the penthouse, closing the door behind them to make sure everyone knew they wanted some time alone for a while to relax. He didn’t waste any time as soon as they got there, in pinning her to the wall and kissing her ravenously, immediately igniting a flame of desire in Aziraphale which had her fumbling for Crowley’s clothes as urgently as he began tugging at hers. “It has been so hard,” Crowley gasped between fumbling items of clothing to the floor “... to keep my mind off…” Aziraphale’s bra clasp undid under his fingers “... doing this to you all day….” He kissed her possessively. “The very thought of this has been driving me wild since this morning,” He shuddered with a sharp inhale of breath as Aziraphale caressed his growing erection through his jeans, then shoved them down, freeing it. “Fuck, I love you so much.”Finally both naked, Crowley seized Aziraphale firmly and hoisted her up the wall with an urgent growl. She wrapped her legs around him as he fumbled then slid into her. She let out an earthy groan of pleasure, clinging tightly to his shoulders as he thrust up into her, his face buried against her shoulder, drowning in her scent - her scent which now showed that his beautiful omega was claimed by him and him alone. Crowley’s movements grew more and more urgent, his grunts more feral, and he began to lose control of his shape. Aziraphale felt fur underneath her hands, against her skin, he was growing, and his knot beginning to swell inside her, stretching her wide in the most pleasurable way. She groaned without restraint, not caring how loud they were both becoming. There were no secrets in the pack, nor would any of them expect anything else from their newly mated Alpha and Omega. As Aziraphale buried her face into his fur, she realised that Crowley had shifted into his crinos form completely, yet to her he was still as handsome as ever, regardless of which shape he was in, and the way he was making her feel was driving all other coherent thought from her mind anyway - she was consumed by nothing more than pleasure. She clutched at her beloved Alpha, clinging tight and driving him on, although Crowley needed no encouragement. He was, however, frustrated at the angle, and so, holding Aziraphale tight against him, he stepped away from the wall, and walked them over to the sofa, then lowered her down onto it, without pulling out, which he couldn’t easily anyway now, and carried on, able to move much more freely. Crowley’s knot continued to swell until they were tied together, the rapturous feeling rising up in both of them simultaneously, and Aziraphale could manage nothing more than pleasured gasps, to Crowley’s deep growls. Her nails raked his back, and he thrust deep and held still as he climaxed, although it took a moment more before Aziraphale followed suit, whimpering helplessly, and Crowley let out his customary triumphant howl, faintly echoed from the floors below a moment later.They lay there, getting their breath back, and Crowley gradually shifted into a more human shape again, then lifted his head to gaze at his mate. “Lost control a little there,” he said apologetically, and stroked her hair from her face. “Darling, I love it when you do.That was wonderful.”“I should learn to rein it in.”“No. You should let yourself be free in the moment, if you begin to worry about what shape you should be, you won’t be enjoying yourself as much as you should. All I want you doing is being yourself, and feeling everything as it flows.”“You’re probably right,” Crowley conceded, and rubbed his face against hers. “You smell divine.”“I smell yours.”“Exactly,” he grinned and kissed her, while Aziraphale gradually relaxed her tight grip on him and let her legs relax. “I hope we’re not still tied together by the time dinner is ready,” she giggled. “We should be fine, provided you don’t get me all turned on again.”“No promises there.”They lay together, whispering love with gentle smiles and fond caresses, until Crowley was eventually able to slip out again, and then lay side by side a little longer, until Aziraphale decided to go and freshen up and get dressed again ready for dinner. When she came back through to the lounge, she found Crowley had nodded off. She supposed it had been a fairly exhausting time for him recently, so let him sleep.  Aziraphale quietly gathered and folded Crowley’s clothes folding them neatly, before relaxing on the sofa next to him, wanting to be near him, while she read for a while.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Now that Aziraphale had learned to understand all the subtle signals that she could pick up through scent, and had been actively working on it, she realised that since Crowley had bonded with her, that her senses had seemed to grow sharper still, and she could smell that Ligur had dinner close to being ready even though it was downstairs, so she went to open the door to the stairwell and took another sniff to check, before coming back to where Crowley lay on the sofa. She knelt down next to him, admiring his sleeping form fondly, before kissing his forehead softly. “Wakey wakey, sleepyhead,” she whispered. “Dinner’s ready”“Hmm?” He stirred slightly, but didn’t wake, so she kissed him again. “Ligur has dinner nearly ready, you should get up.” “Hrngh,” Crowley grunted, but blinked, bleary-eyed, then smiled when he saw her. “You’re pretty,” he mumbled with a lovesick smile.“And you’re handsome, but you need to get up.”“You’re right.”“Get used to it, you’re married now,” she giggled, and kissed him again. “Up you get, gorgeous.”“I’m coming, I’m coming.”“You already did that,” she reminded him, passing him his folded clothes. “Shower first?”“Nah, I’ll be fine, only going to get muddy later tonight anyway,” he replied, tugging on his jeans, then his shirt. Catching Aziraphale admiring him as he dressed, he couldn’t help but sweep her into another tight embrace and a kiss. “You’re irresistible, you know that?”“And you’re incorrigible, but if we start all over again now, we shall be late for dinner, get a wiggle on.”“‘Get a wiggle on’?” Crowley groaned. “Really?”“Yes. Now come on, dear.”

They headed on downstairs, and if Aziraphale had been worried about knowing smirks or sarcastic comments, there were none, just the kind accepting smiles from the pack she was used to. Clearly lycanthrope society had far more open-minded attitudes towards intimacy, although the teens looked slightly awkward, that was likely their default setting. She noticed pack members wanting to exchange brief cheek rubs with Crowley as they passed, or found reason to pass him so they could do so, then Muriel, after giving Crowley a quick hug and cheek rub, approached Aziraphale to do the same, followed by Anathema. Seeing Aziraphale’s slight confusion, Anathema paused to explain. “The pack likes exchanging scents with each other and especially their Alpha, as a matter of course, not just when you meet the first time or after a while apart. Just as an ongoing, everyday greeting, or when you want to seek comfort and reassurance. But, if you’re comfortable with it, now we have an Omega as well, we’d like to do the same with you, you needn’t feel self conscious about it, it’s no different to a handshake or smiling at your family members, it’ll feel more natural to you the more you do it, we like to feel close, we like to share scents, it makes us feel better: closer.”Aziraphale smiled and nodded, back then took the initiative to hug and swap scents with the rest of the pack members, feeling more relaxed with each one. They were right, it did feel good to share scents and feel part of the pack. She could feel her body letting go of her anxieties more with each hug, and it felt right. The more time she spent with the pack, the more her hidden instincts felt free. Every day she spent with the pack, and was part of it, the more the wolf side of her body woke, as if feeling part of herself rising up out of the depths of the ocean by increments, closer and closer to the light above, feeling that once she broke the surface entirely, she’d be able to breathe freer than ever before, and she was quietly excited to know what it would feel like, once that side of her was fully at the surface. “You’re glowing,” Angela said. Aziraphale spun around to see her pack mother, with a warm smile, and smiled back, wrapping her in a hug and rubbing cheeks. “I feel better than ever,” Aziraphale replied. “This life suits you, far better than the human world does, and it makes me feel bad that I tried to keep you from it for so long, I’m sorry.”“Please don’t be sorry, Angela, you were only doing what you thought best, you were trying to protect me. I’m just glad I get to experience it now.”They took their seats for dinner, and while the teenagers were a bit fussy about their greens, that was only to be expected, Aziraphale supposed with a little smile to herself. Crowley, thinking her smile was to do with something else, reached out and squeezed her thigh gently under the table, which did elicit another, more playful smile, in his direction. Angela didn’t miss the look they exchanged, and smiled behind her glass.

After a light dinner, they piled into the van, everyone who could transform, except Crowley, took wolf form before going downstairs so that there’d be room for them all, then Aziraphale and Angela got into the cab with Crowley for the drive up to the heath. Once there, Crowley shifted as well, leaving Angela and Aziraphale to walk side by side. He headed off at a steady lope, silently, into the darkness, with the young wolves moving easily in his tracks, some had noses in the air, picking out wafting scents carried on the breeze, while others had noses to the ground, following the stronger scent trails there. When Brian got sidetracked, Crowley yipped at him quietly to concentrate and follow, knowing the best places to hunt. Newt and Anathema trotted side by side, while Uriel and Maggie teamed up. Shax and Muriel remained closer to the type twos, keeping an eye on them. Muriel had clearly decided to leave all the rabbits for the youngsters to have the best chance at them tonight, and after letting off steam with a few bursts of speed, they returned to walk at Aziraphale’s side, tongue lolling as they panted and got their breath back, Muriel nudged Aziraphale’s hand with their nose, and closed their eyes in bliss as Aziraphale scratched behind their ears as she walked. They came to a bench on the hilltop with a view out over London laid out below them, twinkling in the darkness with a million points of light. Muriel and Shax sat either side of them, and when a late night jogger came a little too close, two pairs of wolf eyes watched intently, their bodies tensing just a little, in case he didn’t have good intentions, but he jogged on, wisely giving them a wide berth. Once he’d gone, Muriel rested their head on Aziraphale’s knee and whined for more ear scratches, which Aziraphale happily provided.  She chatted with Angela, and occasionally another member of the pack would trot up to them to check in, sometimes they’d lie down for a few minutes at their feet and chill out, before wandering off again, chasing another enticing scent on the air. After a while, Crowley and the youngsters emerged from the gloom. Pepper and Adam carried rabbits in their jaws, as did Crowley, who placed his in Aziraphale’s lap. “Thank you darling,” she said. “Perhaps Warlock might like this one, if he didn’t get one yet.”“Best not,” Angela pointed out. “They’re taking them ratting next, he can get his chance there, and it’ll be better for him to be hungry for that.” She turned to Crowley. “Should we keep hold of those rabbits for them until after the ratting?”He nodded, and the youngsters handed over their catches. Angela held out the hind leg of each to Crowley, who bit with a sharp fang through each hock, between tendon and bone, then Angela expertly hocked them together to make it easier to carry them, she explained what she was doing to Aziraphale. “You learn these things running with a pack, we’ll have you skinning and gutting them for cooked dinners in no time.”Crowley licked his nose then nudged Aziraphale’s leg, so she bent over and ruffled his ears then kissed his snout fondly. He whined happily then licked her face, tail wagging so hard that his whole hindquarters wiggled from side to side, making her giggle in delight.

Crowley and the others trotted off into the darkness once more, Aziraphale and Angela followed Crowley at a leisurely pace. A few minutes later, he froze, tail up and stiff, head cocked in one side as he peered towards some undergrowth. Then he dropped to a crawl and inched forwards, nose sniffing busily. As his hindquarters disappeared into the bush, Aziraphale heard him let out a questioning whine.There was a bit more movement before he wriggled out again backwards, something tiny held carefully in his massive jaws. Crowley turned to Aziraphale then placed his find on the ground between them and began to lick the tiny furry bundle clean, then picked it up again and placed it gently into Aziraphale’s cupped hands, which it barely filled. It squeaked.It was a tiny, cold kitten.

(Illustration: Elwyst. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
“Oh my goodness!” Aziraphale exclaimed. “Are there any more?” Crowley looked conflicted for a moment, then shook himself back into a human shape. “None others that made it. Hypothermia I think. Wrap that one inside your blouse against your skin to warm it up, I’ll howl for Maggie. She’ll know what to do.”Crowley tipped his head back to howl, then took his bundle of clothes from Aziraphale’s bag and tugged them on just as Maggie arrived.  Crowley explained the situation to her, and they decided that Maggie should get a taxi to take the kitten to the vet practice in Hammersmith, where Joan would be able to warm it up properly and get some kitten milk into it, then find it a foster home.Maggie nodded and took the tiny creature from Aziraphale in her jaws to sprint back to the car park so they could get it help faster.  “Well, should we head onto the next bit of the evening for the pups then?” Angela asked. Warlock grumbled at being referred to as a ‘pup’ and got an apologetic look from her. She hefted the hocked rabbits and they walked with the pack back down to the van. It was getting late, and McDonald’s was closing up for the night. Crowley drove them there, and parked in a dimly-lit corner of the car park to wait until the staff had locked up and gone home, before opening the side door of the van. The teens leapt out, then Crowley changed quickly, and joined them. The rest of the pack mostly yawned and sprawled out over their dog beds, while Crowley led the excited youngsters round to the bin area where even Aziraphale could see the odd rat scurrying from the bushes to investigate the bonanza of discarded food. Soon the young wolves were running around, twisting and turning, leaping and pouncing, snapping left and right like oversized terriers, and it wasn’t long before Pepper nabbed her first rat, with the others quickly following suit, with rats running in a panic left, right, and centre. Brian began literally wolfing down his catch before diving in for another, and gulping that one down rapidly as well. Adam, on the other hand, brought his first catch and presented it to Crowley, who politely declined the gift. After each of them had caught a few rats each, and eaten some, they carried the rest back to the van for later, tails wagging happily at their achievements. Crowley changed and slid back into the driver’s seat, tired but happy. “They’ll sleep like logs tonight,” he said, as Aziraphale kissed him on the cheek. “And you?”He gave her a sneaky look as he put it in gear and pulled off. “Depends on which you think I need more - sleep, or you.” He grinned before she could reply. “Trick question: it’s always you.”“I do think you need some rest as well though darling, you’ve had a tiring couple of weeks.”“We can sleep in on Saturday morning,” he caught her eye. “Maybe…”Anglea let out a resigned sigh, and Crowley focussed on the road again.

Back at the den, Ligur showed the younger wolves the game larder cooler where they could stash their catch for later, then most of the pack shifted back into wolf form and sprawled out across the floor cushions and beanbags in the huge lounge of Crowley’s penthouse, which seemed to be a signal that they felt like a group snuggle, and soon the floor was awash with sleeping wolves, heads resting on one another, dreaming. Angela lay down amongst them and dozed off, content to once more be among a loving pack. Crowley looked from his pack on the floor, to Aziraphale, looking conflicted. “Darling?” She murmured quietly. Crowley looked at her again, and Aziraphale lay down on a cushion among the pack, patting the space next to her. “Join me. We all need rest, not anything more strenuous tonight.”Crowley smiled and kissed her softly, then changed into his wolf shape, and curled up next to his love. Aziraphale took a little tin of paw balm from her pocket, then took each of his paws in turn and massaged it into his pads. Crowley closed his eyes in contentment and sighed deeply. Once she’d finished, he licked her cheek, and fell asleep. Aziraphale felt surrounded by love on all sides, quite apart from the warm furry bodies, all so soft, and all smelling so safe. Within minutes, she was sleeping too.

Hours later, Aziraphale woke from a deep and peaceful sleep. She was momentarily confused about where she was, and why she was so warm, then felt the familiar furry bodies of her new family all around her, especially the comforting scent of Crowley, whose head was resting on her hip. It was still dark, but he must have felt her stir, as he huffed and opened one eye, then gave a wide yawn, and pawed at her with a questioning look on his face. “Bathroom,” she whispered, gently lifting his paw off her and moving to get up. Crowley rolled over, then stretched out and yawned again, spreading his toes wide, tail in the air, then stood properly and sauntered off in the direction of the bathroom. Aziraphale knew where it was of course, but it seemed that he’d wanted to wait outside until she was done, then he took her hand gently in his jaws, and led her off towards their bedroom instead of back to the pack, nudging the door closed quietly behind them, then he stood and took a human shape to latch it properly, and slid under the covers, holding the duvet up to invite Aziraphale in beside him. “I’d like to just cuddle with you for the rest of the night,” he explained, and Aziraphale felt the same way, hugging him close, and drifting off again. Crowley pressed his naked body against her, but fell asleep again too. Whatever his original intentions might have been, he was too tired to indulge in them for now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Over the next couple of weeks, the pack settled into a new routine, Aziraphale finished moving out of her flat, as did Angela. The younger generation from Gabriel’s old pack got used to their new life, enjoying themselves far more than previously. Maggie moved jobs to work with Joan the vet from the Hammersmith pack. Crowley did some re-shuffling as flats became free, and offered larger apartments at no extra rent to existing tenants to entice them to move floors, finally freeing up the next floor down from the top to be joined to the den’s existing living area. They were then able to reshuffle apartments and bedrooms so that pack members got to switch things up. The younger wolves got more space to themselves, Uriel, Maggie, and Angela got a flat to share between the three of them, on the same floor as Adam, Warlock, Brian, Pepper, and Wensleydale, so they could keep an eye on them and offer familiar support if needed. Anathema got a space entirely to herself in order to set up her lycanthrope education centre, with the assistance of Angela. Aziraphale spent some time planning the ‘welcome to the pack’ party for the newcomers, and finding perfect gifts for each of them to come from her and Crowley, mostly housewarming gifts, homewares, and things to add a cosy touch to their new spaces. Before they knew it, the next full moon was upon them, and Aziraphale grew more excited to experience her first Lunus celebration with her new family. Crowley had invested in a few more dog treadmills so that there’d be enough for everyone in the home gym, so every pack member who could shapeshift would be able to run at once to exhaust themselves on a mock “hunt” before feasting on the mock “kill”, to ensure their wolf brains would be satisfied before the inescapable crinos change would be upon them all. She wasn’t in the slightest bit afraid, knowing that as she was part of the pack, all that would happen would be that every single one of them would just become even MORE aggressively protective over her as their omega, and heaven help anyone who might threaten her, even at the best of times, let alone when the rest of the pack were overtaken by the pull of the moon. In fact she’d never felt so safe as knowing that she was soon to be surrounded by all of them in their crinos form simultaneously, she couldn’t ask for better, or more powerful bodyguards.

As the afternoon inched closer to the evening, Anathema had the entire schedule timetabled down to the minute, acutely aware of the time the moon would rise, and they would lose their autonomy to their inner beasts. So the pack helped her set things up - she retrieved the altar pieces to Lunus and arranged them reverently on the roof terrace, showing Aziraphale how things were done. Then Ligur and Furfur brought in an entire beef carcass from the wholesaler’s, with a bag of offal to stuff inside the cavity, and laid it out on a tarpaulin on the floor ready for later. Aziraphale noticed that the pack became increasingly edgy and fidgety as the afternoon wore on, each of them feeling the approach of moonrise. The younger ones in particular, who weren’t as used to things, and were experiencing a Lunus celebration with their new pack for the first time, were nervous and skittish. They remained in their wolf form most of the day, scurrying around and whining now and then, unsure what to do. Aziraphale did her best to soothe them, sitting on the floor and stroking them or massaging their ears until they calmed a little. When Anathema’s timer went off, the pack; all except Crowley, changed and headed down to the home gym, relying on Crowley, Aziraphale and Angela to harness each of them onto their treadmills. The dog treadmills were unpowered passive ones, requiring each wolf to be harnessed in, in order to be able to gain the traction to make it move as they ran. Crowley hesitated by the last empty treadmill before changing, and took Aziraphale’s hand, leading her out of the noise of the room for a moment to speak to her in private. “Look, once we’ve started running, that’s things set in motion for the night, it’s putting us in hunting mode, and we’re only going to get wilder and wilder from this point on tonight, we’ll likely lose coherence somewhat. But it’s a very special night for us, it means a lot, and Angela knows how special it is to have you here with us, as my omega, for your first full moon as part of the pack. You get to see us as few others ever do, as no other human gets to, and while we are closest to what we used to be, long ago. Before we had to change and hide ourselves to fit in. It’s the night we get to be who we are.”Aziraphale nodded in understanding, she’d picked up on a lot of what he’d told her already, from Anathema’s books and from what pack members had told her before. But Crowley wasn’t finished. “When you come up on the roof with us, would you join the howl, sing to Lunus with me tonight? So up there, Lucy can hear your voice with mine, and know I’m not alone any more? I think she’d like that.”He looked hesitant, and Aziraphale’s heart melted immediately. She kissed him. “Crowley, I’d be honoured to.”His relief was palpable, he kissed her back, and held her tight, then changed into his wolf form for Aziraphale to buckle him into his treadmill harness, when he set a long-striding, rapid pace, far outstripping the speed of the rest of the pack. His treadmill was positioned ahead of theirs as if in a hunting formation, so they ran as one, their expressions lit up with excitement, then Angela flicked the switch on the wall that Crowley had asked her to, and suddenly projectors from the ceiling pointing at each of the bare white walls around them illuminated them with rushing forest footage, making it like a 3D immersive hunt simulation. Crowley had explained that someone in a pack up in Scotland had shot the footage by running through the forest wearing a harness with a 360 degree camera mounted on the top, and sold it as a download for other lycanthropes to use at home for treadmill run scenarios like this, so you could feel as if you were really running through the wilderness. Aziraphale sat on the floor and watched in fascination as the pack ran as if free, they didn’t howl while running - all their breath was taken up with the energy of keeping up such a breakneck speed, but seeing the single-minded determination of the wolves in full-on hunting mode was incredible to see. Anyone else might have found it intimidating, but for Aziraphale, it just stirred up ancestral memories and feelings from her wolf side, and made her wish she could join in. Shax began to visibly tire and slowed her pace at the back of the pack, then Maggie, Newt, and Furfur began to slacken off, and the younger wolves slowed as well, until it was clear that those closest in strength to Crowley’s speed and endurance were Muriel, Eric, and Uriel. As the other wolves slowed to a panting trot, Angela stood, beckoning Aziraphale, to help unclip the harnesses so they could step down off the treadmills, and they went to some bowls of cool tonic which Anathema had laid out ready for them, laced with the sedative for later, which would take a little while to kick in. She had the timing down to perfection now. Soon Crowley was the only one still running, but seeing his pack all loose and drinking, he slowed to a stop, ribs heaving and tongue lolling as he panted hard to catch his breath. Aziraphale held up a bowl of Anathema’s drink for him to lap at thirstily, while Angela unclipped his harness. Once all the wolves had drunk, they headed upstairs to where the cow carcass was laid out on the tarp, with Crowley pouncing on it first, growling and tearing into the open ribcage, while Muriel grabbed at the neck of the carcass, holding it in strong jaws by instinct, as if suffocating a kill. They held on firmly for a minute or two while Crowley ripped into the offal packed inside the cavity, yanking out the fresh liver and gulping it down, growling at any other wolf who dared come close. Muriel let go of the neck, and began to chew on it, apparently a signal that the rest of the pack could begin to inch forward in hierarchy order to start taking food for themselves. Crowley now ignored those wolves dining either side of him, and the entire pack got down to polishing off every last morsel. The youngest tugged at the leg bones, but Adam bravely pushed in and shouldered Crowley aside a little to shove his head into the cow to grab at some of the offal packed there. Crowley growled and snapped at him, nipping Adam’s ruff and making him yelp - but it was clear there was no real malice in it, and the bite didn’t even break the skin. Adam symbolically cowered but Crowley bowled him over and pinned him down for a moment, then sneezed,  turned away, and left him to it, licking his lips. He’d just needed to make a point. He picked up a lump of prime meat and offered it up to Aziraphale who smiled and asked him to eat it for her. He swallowed it happily, but she appreciated the gesture. Crowley lay down between Aziraphale and the pack, licking at his bloodied paws. When another wolf left the feast and came closer to Aziraphale, Crowley grumbled and curled a lip, clearly grumpy and protective. Aziraphale reached out to stroke his head, and Crowley closed his eyes and pushed into the contact, then rested his head on her lap with a sigh, relaxing. Night was close to falling as the pack finished up cracking the bones for the marrow inside, then at Crowley’s low howl, they left off, and headed to the roof with him, where they sat arrayed in a loose circle around the altar to Lunus in the centre, where Anathema sat, her back to the setting sun, facing where the moon would rise. Aziraphale and Angela came up and sat on the cushions that Anathema had put up there earlier for their comfort, to watch. As the last rays of the sun fled the sky, and the moon began to rise, Anathema tipped her head back and began to sing. The opening notes of her howled song grew deeper and louder as her body - and the rest of the wolves’ bodies - began to change, growing larger and more fearsome, until they were all in their part wolf, part man, beast crinos-shape, in which they would remain until dawn. The whole pack raised their voices, including Angela, who nudged Aziraphale, encouraging her to join in. Letting go of her inhibitions, she did so, and with each howl, her mind felt freer, a huge surge of joy lifted up inside, like a weight lifted from her soul, then she felt Crowley’s clawed, but gentle hand on her shoulder, and he sat down by her and they howled together. She could feel the strength of the moon rising within her - the urge to run and hunt, a fractious energy, like restless legs all over her body, and understood just a little now why the pack had needed to exhaust themselves and drink the sedative to control those urges. Aziraphale began to think that perhaps next time she might partake of a little as well, so she’d feel more relaxed. From the surrounding areas, they could hear other packs also lifting their voices to the moon, and it went on for a few minutes, before the pack began to grow quieter - all visibly more tired - exhausted from their hard run, and sleepy from the soporific effects of Anathema’s sedative, and full bellies. The smaller wolves lay down first and began to nod off, Crowley laid his head on Aziraphale’s lap, and she stroked his ears as he drifted to sleep, until last of all Muriel lay down and began to snore. Aziraphale laid back and cuddled up to Crowley, then felt something draped over her. She looked up and saw Angela laying a tartan blanket over them. “Get some rest too,” Angela told her. “You’ll be safe up here.”“What would they do if they weren’t sedated?” Aziraphale whispered. “Rampage. If they didn’t exhaust themselves with the exercise first, the physiological stand-in for a hunt, followed by the fresh meat, then they’d have an uncontrollable urge to leave the den and hunt, but they wouldn’t necessarily be able to constrain themselves to just rabbits and rats. They might go for livestock, they can lose their inhibitions as to what’s appropriate to hunt and what’s not. But more importantly, in cities, they simply can’t risk running wild through the streets in crinos form. As a wolf they can get away with being an off-lead dog. But they have to know when they have no control over their shape, they have absolute control over where that shape remains. Over the centuries, they’re honed it to a fine art. Every pack has different techniques for dealing with it, but most are similar to this.”Angela wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and reclined on a beanbag. “Get some sleep, I’ll sit up and keep watch for a while. I miss watching the moon.”Aziraphale drifted off, feeling safe and warm being snuggled up to the huge form of Crowley.

Towards dawn, Aziraphale woke, feeling Crowley stirring, evidently the sedative had worn off, and he was still under the influence of the moon. He nosed at her shoulder from behind, his strong arm wrapped around her middle, and he let out a contented rumble, hugging her tighter, he ground against her, and she could feel him growing hard. Her skirt had rucked up a little, and she could feel him against her panties.“No,” she whispered. “Not here, not now. The whole pack is here.”Crowley whined, but he still let go straight away and put a little space between them. He reached out once more just to stroke her shoulder softly, then rolled over so they were back to back, still snuggled for warmth, but less embarrassingly intimate. Aziraphale was pleasantly surprised. Knowing that Crowley was less able to adhere to rational thought at this time, and yet even in this state, he didn’t hesitate to listen to her. It seemed that once bonded, it was the omega who was in control of her alpha, not the other way around. Crowley was still a little restless however, fidgeting as he dozed, until clearly he gave up and got to his feet, tugging the corner of the blanket into place so Aziraphale didn’t get cold, before dropping to all fours and pacing the perimeter of the roof. He got to a corner and scent marked, then carried on. He circled the sleeping pack, watching over them, and occasionally raising his head to sniff the drifting scents on the air, scanning for any potential threats. Occasionally he circled back to Aziraphale and sniffed her, nudged her gently or licked her, and received a soothing stroke in response, then he moved on again, resuming his restless patrol as the moon sank in the sky. Finally the sky began to glow in the East as dawn crept upon them, and once the shifting pinks and purples suffused into a pale blue, Crowley paused, yawned, stretched out, and shrank back down to a regular wolf shape again, then came and curled up next to Aziraphale and rested his head on her hip, closed his eyes, and dozed off once more. Aziraphale joined him, her hand resting on the soft fur of his head.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale awoke again, the sun too bright now, and saw the pack stirring around her. As they woke, they shifted into wolf form, although still loath to let go of a lupine shape entirely and look human, so they whined and stretched, and ambled around the rooftop, sniffing where Crowley had scent marked now and then. Anathema had also patrolled a little, then paced back to the altar she’d set up the day before, sat down before it, and touched it with her nose, then lay down and dipped her head, and finally changed back into a human shape. She began to methodically disassemble it reverently. Aziraphale approached cautiously, respectfully, and held out the blanket to her. “Would you like this?” she asked, mindful that Anathema, like the rest of the pack, hadn’t got a change of clothes up here with her.“Oh, thanks,” Anathema took it and draped it around herself loosely. “We wouldn’t usually bother, we don’t really care about covering up, it’s not relevant, I forget we have type twos with us sometimes, sorry.”“No need to apologise, I wasn’t sure if you’d like it or not, I don’t mind.” Although that wasn’t entirely true, Aziraphale was still trying to unlearn the human way of thinking about things. Werewolves are used to being naked - it means nothing to them, regardless of which shape they’re in - they don’t have the same hangups as humans do. But it was still hard to let go of ingrained feelings about it from her own upbringing. She knew she should work on it - and get used to things without feeling awkward. “Can I help you with anything?” Aziraphale wasn’t sure if there might be any customs or beliefs about who was allowed to handle the parts of the altar, or how - in case only Anathema should take care of it as the pack’s assigned spiritual leader.  Aziraphale hadn’t got around to the books about the specifics of the Lunus traditions yet, and decided to make it her priority, before the next full moon. “Oh, if you like yes - if you could take those evergreen tree boughs downstairs it’d be helpful.” Aziraphale gathered them up, and then as Anathema carried the other pieces and the bones, she asked about the significance and customs as they walked back down off the roof to the penthouse. The other wolves followed them down and moved off to their own spaces, some remaining wolf shaped a while longer, others changing into a human shape and heading off to get a shower - it seemed like everyone went for a shower or bath to ensure no residual mess from the raw meat feast the night before was left anywhere - walking down the street with blood in your hair was one way to startle the humans.

Crowley stalked down still in wolf shape and went to sniff at the remains of the beef carcass, picking up a bone to crack in his teeth, but once Anathema had finished packing away the altar pieces and the penthouse was empty again save for him and Aziraphale, he caught her eye with a mischievous look. While making direct eye contact, Crowley went into a mock stalking pose, and inched toward her, step by careful step. Aziraphale could barely keep from giggling.“I can see you, you know.”Crowley paused, then inched behind a potted plant, peering from between the leaves at her comically. After a moment, he put his head down and carried on creeping forwards, until he was only a couple of feet away, and then he bounced up and leapt at Aziraphale, paws on her shoulders, and licked her face enthusiastically, his tail wagging with joy as she went down, falling back on the pile of soft cushions they’d brought down again from the roof, laughing so hard she could barely draw breath, ruffling his fur as he wiggled happily. Then suddenly she was no longer grappling with an enormous red and black maned wolf hybrid, but with a fully human shaped and very naked Crowley, who laughed with her, festooning her face and neck with kisses. “Were you wanting to carry on where you left off earlier?” Aziraphale asked with a mischievous grin. “Huh?”“This morning, you got a little amorous until I told you it was best not to with the pack all around.”Crowley looked blank. “Was I still in crinos form?”“Yes.”“Ah, that explains it. We can’t quite think the same while in that shape and under the influence of the full moon. I don’t remember that, what did I do? Are you ok?”“Of course I’m alright, darling. You didn’t do anything except for hug up against me a bit more… suggestively. But you stopped straight away when I said no. Nothing happened.”Crowley looked visibly relieved. “If we’d been alone, I certainly wouldn’t have dissuaded you, dear.” Aziraphale whispered in his ear. “I’m more than ready now.”“Sorry the wolf brain doesn’t exactly consider things like public displays of affection when it’s a full moon - human ways of thinking just don’t compute any more, it’s not something that wolves care about, like nakedness, so it wouldn’t have occurred to me in that state that you’d feel awkward about it.”“Well whichever shape you’re in, I know I can trust you, Crowley. You’re not a monster. You still understand what ‘no’ means, so why should I be afraid? I wasn’t even afraid earlier, only a little embarrassed, wondering if you did continue, if the others might wake up and see, but I’m more than happy to carry on now.”“Good,” Crowley replied, his voice deliciously low and sensual. “Because I need to be inside you.” He slid his hand up Aziraphale’s soft thigh under her skirt, then between her legs. His questing fingers tugged her panties aside and explored what lay beneath, as Aziraphale squirmed with delight and grew wetter. Evidently too impatient to remove all of her clothes, Crowley instead hitched the hem of Aziraphale’s skirt up to her waist, then repositioned slightly, slotting his narrow hips between her thighs. He lined up, tugging her panties a little more to the side, and slid in with a satisfied groan of pleasure, echoed by his omega. “Fuck, you’re so wet, so tight, so fucking perfect…” Crowley whispered in her ear. “Going to fill you up so well, make you mine all over again…”“Bite me, please darling,” Aziraphale begged. “I need you to bite me, it feels so good.” She undid the top buttons of her blouse to reveal more skin for his attentions. Crowley growled in agreement and nosed into the soft skin where her shoulder met her neck, sniffing, licking, tasting, and gently nibbling in anticipation. The real euphoria for them both would come when he climaxed and they became tied together. In that moment, he would bite, and their orgasm would reach a new high.Aziraphale let out a soft whimper feeling the hardness of his body moving against the softness of her own. Crowley moved in a way that showed how conflicted he felt - part of him wanted to ravish her with a hungry ferocity, yet the other part of him wanted to give her a drawn-out languid lovemaking. He clutched at her desperately, and she clawed at his back in response, driving him to give in to his more animalistic side. Abandoning his restraint, he redoubled his efforts with a passionate urgency. “How… how attached are you to this shirt?” He grunted, tugging at it with his teeth. “Not particularly, why?”“I’ll buy you a new one,” Crowley declared, and promptly ripped it from her, so that he could better access her body, nuzzling against the softness of her breasts, biting at them ever so gently, even as his hips thrust ever more desperately against hers. Aziraphale was trembling with the inevitable build-up of her climax approaching, tantalisingly close. She begged in incoherent fractions of words, which Crowley instinctively understood. His movements growing more urgent, he began mouthing at her shoulder, but the urge to bite rising, and his knot swelling rapidly inside her.As Aziraphale tensed up, her hips bucking against his, Crowley stopped holding back and thrust deep, his knot now tying them together, and moments after his omega climaxed, Crowley began shuddering through his own, grinding deep as he bit into her shoulder, holding on gently, but just enough to break the skin, growling with lust. He kept thrusting a few more times before he stilled, but his teeth remained gripping her shoulder, and one of Aziraphale’s hands wound into his hair held his head there, not wanting him to let go.

Crowley lay pinning Aziraphale to the cushions, and relaxed his grip, then began rubbing his chin and cheek over his claiming bite with a contented rumble deep in his chest. It wasn’t as deep as the first time, only just enough to break the skin so he could give Aziraphale what she craved, and share their scents, giving her the euphoric high that an omega bonded to an alpha lived for. She kissed his forehead tenderly and stroked his back, her legs wrapped around his waist, and enjoying the sensation of being locked together with her beloved mate, as he nuzzled against her, both of them finding their mingled scent intoxicating. After a while, Crowley simply laid his head on her shoulder and gazed at her. “You’re coming into heat,” he murmured. “Pardon?”“Your scent is changing, very subtle, it’s early days yet, but the heat part of your cycle should be starting soon.”“I wish I’d had you around years ago to help me predict things like this. I’ve been in a perpetual state of incomprehension over when my body would decide to spring a period on me, knowing what’s coming when would have been useful.”“Well you have me now,” he smiled. “Are you ready to experience your first heat with a rampant alpha determined to service your every demand day and night?”“Honestly I’m fascinated to find out what it will be like.”“I’ll be off work and by your side until your heat breaks, I promise you. Nothing and no one will be able to keep me from you when you want me. It will be intense, but I won’t rest so long as you need me.”“Would I be in danger again?”“No. Not now that you’re mine. You’re bonded. No one would dare. You smell of me. And it won’t just be me, but the entire pack would protect you with their lives anyway, but it would never come to that, because the most dangerous thing in the world is an alpha whose omega is in heat. Not a soul would come near the den until it’s over. Not even an alpha who’s usually my friend would come close.”“Do you know how long before I come into heat then?”Crowley licked her skin and looked contemplative, then shrugged. “Hard to say exactly, everybody’s different. I could be fairly accurate with Lucy to within a day or so, but then she had a very regular cycle as well. It'll take me time to learn how your scent changes in intensity, but based on what you smelled like when I met you, maybe a week or so? I’m not sure yet, but I’ll get better at it.”“So I still have time to do the pack welcome gift party tomorrow night?”“Yup. You’d better be, anyway. The whole pack is excited about it. Better than Christmas for us - everyone gets presents for everyone else. And it’s not too common for this many pack members to be welcomed at once, as well as a new omega.”“You haven’t told me what you’ve got them yet.”“That’s because everyone is getting the same gift from me,” Crowley winked. “So if I tell you too, it’ll spoil the surprise.”“Tease.” Aziraphale whispered in his ear. “You like my teasing,” he whispered back, then kissed her.

After snuggling for a while, Crowley wriggled his hips experimentally, and finding his knot finally subsided enough to allow him to pull out, disengaged, and helped Aziraphale to her feet, taking in her dishevelled appearance. “We should go for a shower,” he suggested with a wry grin. “I appear to have thoroughly despoiled your virtue.”Neither of them could keep a straight face for more than a couple of seconds before devolving into laughter. “I have many virtues, but chastity isn’t one of them,” she pointed out. “And certainly not with you around, you irresistible fiend.”Crowley took a bow. “One does one’s best.”They headed for a shower together, then Crowley carefully rubbed her dry with his own towel, and they snuggled together on the bed afterwards, while he rubbed his scent all over her afresh, twining their naked bodies together thoroughly, until he began to grow hard once more. “You’re insatiable,” Aziraphale whispered, not minding in the least.“You will be again too next week,”“True.”“I can’t help it if you smell delicious.”“We’ve just taken a shower and now you’re going to get us all hot and sweaty again.”“Not if we take it slow, and you deserve some nice slow loving this time. I was a bit rushed before.”“You make a convincing argument, my love,” Aziraphale agreed, wrapping her legs around him, but Crowley wriggled out of her grasp with a devious grin, leaving her confused. “Uh-uh. When I say you deserve some nice slow loving, I mean that you get to enjoy the delights of my tongue for at least half an hour first,” he told her, slithering down between her legs, and kissing her clit playfully. “I need to make up for not taking my time earlier.”Aziraphale didn’t complain in the slightest, and sank her fingers into his hair as he got to work, with a satisfied sigh. It seemed like a delightful way to while away the day, just the two of them, and all the time in the world. They didn’t emerge from Crowley’s penthouse until dinner that night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale had been having fun organising the party with Shax’s help, she’d followed the brief of keeping gifts small and simple, thoughtful little items, and she’d planned a dinner with plenty of delicious roast meat dishes, including getting the butcher to prepare a multi-layer roast as the centrepiece, which everyone could enjoy together. While the pack enjoyed raw meat, they still loved roasted meat as well, just as dogs would. Sometimes you just couldn’t beat human food. For the multi-layer roast, they’d gone with a quail in chicken, duck, goose, lamb, pork, and beef, each deboned and wrapped tightly around the layer below, and each layer sandwiched with herbs and spices. None of the pack had tried the speciality before, so when the caterer Aziraphale had hired to cook it in their industrial oven brought the enormous platter in (which took four people to carry it), every mouth was watering at the enticing scent. As the human caterers left, Aziraphale uncovered the roast, toasted the new members, and invited Crowley to carve. For dessert, Aziraphale had baked a multi-layer cake herself. Then she brought out a fruit bowl and placed it in front of Crowley. He looked intrigued, his nose working overtime as he inspected the curious fruits she’d arranged there, along with more recognisable ones like avocados and pears. “What’s this?” He asked, picking up one of the strange fruits. “It smells amazing.” His mouth was watering already. “It’s a wolf apple, from Brazil,” Aziraphale explained. “Try it. I got some especially for you, I read somewhere that maned wolves love these and it can make up to half their diet. Apparently they also love avocados.”“You’re not wrong there,” Crowley agreed. “Eric once brought me home an avocado that weighed nearly half a kilo because he knew I’d like it.”“Yup, that was one big avocado,” Eric agreed, watching Crowley take a bite out of the wolf apple. His face lit up, and he reached for another one. “This is delicious!”“I’m glad you like it. I made a smoothie for you as well with wolf apple, pear, and avocado. Here…” She passed him a tall glass with a green drink in it. Crowley munched and swallowed the last of the wolf apple, then tasted the smoothie. His eyes closed in bliss. “Angel, you’re a bloody genius,” he said, and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. “I love you.”

After they’d eaten, the pack withdrew to Crowley’s huge lounge for the gift exchange. Crowley was right, there was a kind of Christmassy vibe to the occasion, and the gifts were all small but thoughtful items, at least until they got to Crowley’s. “Well school holidays are coming up, so I’m taking the opportunity to take you lot…” he nodded at the teens, “along with the rest of the pack, except for Shax, who will be staying behind to mind the den with some help from Mutt’s pack, for two weeks away in the Scottish forest, miles from anywhere, so that you can all be free wolves the entire time you’re there.”He paused to let the excited reactions die down before continuing again.“There’ll be no human stuff needed if you don’t want to. There’ll be cabins in the woods as well with nice comfy beds, a pool, jacuzzi, and things for the type twos, and any of the rest of you who want to use them, but there’s also a traditional forest den next to the cabins if you’d prefer to sleep as our ancestors did. I’ve signed up for five red deer stag culls, so each of you will get the chance to get a stag, if not the red deer, then another species. We can have some of the carcasses dressed and frozen, then shipped down to London in a chilled lorry to go in the larder, but one of them will need to go to the host pack as a tithe.”There was another excited babble at the prospect, but Crowley waved them to quiet again. “We can also take a couple each of reindeer, roe and fallow deer, and there’s no limit on the sika deer as they’re not native, and no limit on rabbits, grey squirrels, pheasants, or grouse, but obviously strictly no hares, ptarmigan, capercaillie, or red squirrels.  They’ve been reintroducing beavers up there and those are protected as well so strictly off-limits, but there’s some feral wild boar which again are unlimited, but if we catch more than one, then the host pack will get at least one in tithe as well.”There was a sudden excited chorus of celebratory yips and howls, and the teens high fived one another.“And you can tell your teachers you spent your holidays camping and doing wild survival training in Scotland. And if you’re really lucky, you might be able to hunt your first haggis,” Crowley told the teens with a grin. “A haggis?” Brian piped up. “Sure. crafty wee fellas. Got one leg shorter than the other, so the trick to catching them is to sneak around the hill and take them by surprise so they turn around to run the other way, then their short leg is on the downside and they roll down to the bottom where you can grab them easy.”“There’s no such thing as haggis,” Wensleydale pointed out. “Sure there is. Where d’you think tartan wool comes from? What d’you think the humans eat on Burns night?”“He’s got a point,” Warlock said. “I’ve seen people eat haggis. They have to come from somewhere.”“I’ve eaten haggis,” Adam piped up. “It can’t be real - there’s no bones in it.”“There’s no bones in chicken nuggets either,” Crowley countered. “There’s loads of bones in the little buggers, that’s why you de-bone them before cooking, obviously.  You’ve only had the prepared ones, all dressed for the cooking pot, you’ll have to try a nice crunchy raw one, if you can catch one, that is. I’ll tell you if I spot one.”“What do they smell like?”“Irn bru.” Crowley replied shortly. “Because they put haggis blood in the drink for flavouring.”Aziraphale hid her smile behind her hand and tried not to giggle. Pepper just rolled her eyes. “Aaah, I remember when I bagged my first haggis,” Furfur reminisced fondly. “Gave him such a fright he rolled right on down the hill and I nearly broke my leg sprinting down over the rocks to catch him before my sister did. It were a right big bugger too, almost the size of a football.”Adam, who had been wearing a cynical look up until this point, began to waver at another adult joining in, then when Dagon chipped in about her first haggis catch as well, the teens didn’t know what to think.

Aziraphale, having now taken over the bookshop, spent most of her weekdays there, while Crowley worked at the garage. Much as they loved each other, it was important for Crowley to run the business for the pack, and for Aziraphale to have her own independence. Besides, she loved the bookshop and enjoyed spending time there when she wasn’t at the den, which felt woefully empty when Crowley and the pack were out at work or school. So that she wouldn’t need to take the bus, either Crowley or someone else in the pack would drop her off and pick her up at work in one of the cars or the van, depending who was free. In addition, Crowley, Furfur, Ligur, and Dagon were taking turns giving the younger pack members driving lessons. Eric had offered but been firmly told that until he got more experience himself, he shouldn’t be thinking about teaching his bad habits to others. Pepper had asked Newt if he’d give her some lessons, but despite being probably the most sensible driver in the pack, he’d been too nervous to want the responsibility of teaching someone else. Having picked up Adam after school and given him a driving lesson, Furfur had him drive to the bookshop, before moving Adam to the back seat and taking the wheel himself, so they could pick up Aziraphale and take her home. Once she got in the car, she noticed that Adam went unusually quiet, and not in a sulky teenager sort of way either. Glancing at him in the rear view mirror she could see he was looking distinctly uncomfortable. “Is everything alright, Adam?”He shrugged and nodded, but still gave the impression he’d rather be anywhere else but in the car with them all of a sudden. Aziraphale made eye contact with Furfur, giving him a questioning look, wondering if something had happened to Adam at school. Furfur pulled an answering expression which seemed to say ‘it’s complicated’, so she resolved to ask him once they’d got home. Perhaps it was something which Adam didn’t want to talk about. When they pulled up outside the apartment block which housed the den, Warlock was just getting out of Dagon’s car, having had his lesson, and rushed over to Furfur’s to see Adam, excited. “I got the hang of parallel parking at last!” He said as Adam got out of the back seat, then when Aziraphale opened her door, Warlock stopped abruptly, his expression changed, then he stepped back respectfully. “Sorry,” he said, his entire body language changing in an instant. His shoulders hunched, his head dropped, and he avoided eye contact.“What for? What’s wrong?” Aziraphale asked. “Uh, nothing.” Warlock turned and ran back inside, and Adam followed suit without any further explanation. “What on earth has got into them?” She asked Furfur. Dagon came over, having seen the odd exchange. “Aziraphale, I know it’s hard to smell yourself, but we can all smell it, and it’s got the young alpha boys on edge. It’s an awkward time for young wolves who are technically old enough to start fighting to establish their own pack. Centuries ago, any young alphas would have been driven from the pack as soon as they matured. Nowadays they stay longer, but that puts their instincts in conflict.”“In what way?”“Well, they’ll feel very uncomfortable because they’ll get this sort of low-grade feeling of fear that their pack alpha might drive them out, or be angry, if any other alpha spends too much time near his omega when she’s in heat. So they start to want to withdraw, to hide away until things blow over. It’s not your fault, it’s just in their nature. They’re trying to be respectful by not interacting with you at all.” “Would Crowley drive them out?”“Of course not, he cares about them too, even though they aren’t his pups. But rational brain versus instinct is always a tricky line to walk in our world. The only time he might get more threatening toward them would be if your heat coincided with a full moon, then he might revert back to more primitive instincts, but the younger alphas would be smart enough to make themselves scarce in the first place if that were the case.”“Thanks for explaining for her,” Furfur said as he grabbed a bag from the boot of his car. “I wasn’t sure how to put it politely.”“What should I do?” Aziraphale asked as they headed indoors to the lift. “You don’t need to do anything,” Dagon explained. “Just be yourself, maybe don’t try to ask those two to have to spend much time near you until it’s over, like don’t ask them to help you with things, or expect them to spend time around you, maybe if you see them relaxing in an area, give them a wide berth, perhaps don’t go in there as they’ll feel obliged to leave, if you need something from the space they’re in, ask one of us to get it for you. Obviously if you really need to be where they are, then it’s your home as much as theirs, but be aware that they’ll likely leave the moment you walk in, and don’t take offence at it. They’ll honestly be trying to show respect by doing so.”“I feel like it should be me apologising to them,” she said sadly. “I feel so bad to be making them feel uncomfortable, when they’re just getting settled in.”“It’s fine,” Furfur chimed in. “Really don’t worry about it, it’s perfectly normal, and they’ll be fine with you again afterwards. If you make too much of it you’ll just make them feel more awkward, so best to just ignore it and carry on as normal. You know how drawing attention to things makes any teen feel weird anyway, human or lycanthrope.”“Anyway,” Dagon said as they reached the floor below the penthouse and went to get out of the lift. “What should we send up for dinner?”“Send up?”“I get a feeling that once Crowley smells you today, the pair of you won’t be leaving your bedroom for some time. Should I let Angela know she can cover the shop for you this week?”“You think it’ll be that bad?”“You’ve never spent a heat bonded with an alpha before, have you?” Dagon winked with a devious grin. “Not so much ‘bad’ as ‘good’.”“Oh, um…” Aziraphale blushed, and found that she was starting to feel that a week in bed with her handsome alpha sounded like a very enjoyable proposal indeed. Her heat hadn’t spiked just yet, but clearly if everyone could smell it coming, it must be imminent.

Aziraphale went up to the final floor alone. She could already smell Crowley up there, and had butterflies in her stomach knowing the reception that would be waiting for her. Sure enough, the moment she stepped from the lift, Aziraphale found herself wrapped in a passionate embrace from a very naked and amorous Crowley, who took her bag from her shoulder and set it aside, then scrambled to help Aziraphale out of her coat with fumbling hands, his breathing harsh. “You’re overdressed for the occasion,” he grumbled, as Aziraphale helped divest herself of the rest of her clothes before he lost patience and began to tear things by accident. Perhaps he was frustrated that she wasn’t as adept at quick changes of clothing as type ones had learned to be, and thought that she had better start practising, for her wardrobe’s sake if nothing else. “You certainly aren’t,” she countered. “Smelled you,” he replied shortly. “When you pulled up. I was right.” His short, choppy sentences indicative of his animalistic lust growing stronger in the presence of her intoxicating scent. “You weren’t like this when we first met, not that I’m complaining,” Aziraphale whispered, kissing his neck and holding him close as he walked her backwards towards the sofa. “Wasn’t bonded to you then,” he replied. “Need you.”“The feeling is mutual,” Aziraphale told him, “obviously,” and pushed Crowley back onto the sofa herself, before straddling his hips, and sinking down onto his waiting shaft, shuddering at the sweet stretch of him. “Wait till you see what it feels like tomorrow,” Crowley commented, gripping her hips and starting to thrust up against her movement. “Now you’re mated, you’re going to be insatiable.”“I was before.”“Not like this, you’ll be in for a surprise,” he grinned and caressed her breasts as she rode him, hips rocking eagerly. “I look forward to it. Are you ready to help me through it?”“You know I am.” Crowley’s hips moved faster. “I’m yours. All yours. Love you. Love you so much.” His teeth were bared and sharp, and he was fighting against the urge for his body to change shape, she could tell, but she didn’t care if he did or didn’t. All Aziraphale wanted was to be his. She bent forward, a hand either side of his head, and kissed him deeply, her body undulating against his. Crowley’s strong hands were around her, stroking her bare skin, caressing her soft buttocks, clinging to her desperately. She could feel the familiar stretch of him swelling inside her - it was too late to change positions easily now, so she braced her arms and carried on. Crowley was growling with pleasure, and lost control of his body as he climaxed with a triumphant howl, so Aziraphale found herself suddenly straddling his huge crinos form instead of his smaller, leaner human shape at the end, but with her own body responding with a surge of euphoric pleasure, it took her a moment to even register what had changed, before collapsing down onto the warm familiarity of his body, and holding him tight. On the floors below, she could just make out the answering howls of the pack.“Urgh, I changed, sorry,” Crowley groaned, still lightheaded, his cock still twitching slightly inside her. “No need to apologise darling, you’re still handsome, and you still feel amazing.”“But I want to practise staying one shape and not losing it when I get carried away.”“I told you before, love. I like it when you get carried away. You mustn’t feel the need to restrain yourself, to hide yourself from me.”“I know. I just want to know that I can, if I want to.”“But why should you want to? You can be you around me. I love you however you look.”“I love you too, beautiful Angel. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”“You were just you. Perfect, gorgeous, loving, caring, handsome, thoughtful you.” Aziraphale kissed his nose. Crowley concentrated, and changed into a human shape again regardless, then kissed her deeply. She laid in his arms and they dozed off for a while, eventually able to part a little later, then staying wrapped around each other regardless.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crowley woke, nose wrinkling at the tantalising smell on the air - not quite as tantalising as his sleeping omega, but his stomach rumbled, and he remembered that they’d need to keep their strength up for the coming week, which was going to take a lot of energy from them both. He disentangled himself from Aziraphale’s sleepy embrace, and went to find that Dagon had sneaked some dinner in covered dishes up to the penthouse and left it for them. He took it through to Aziraphale and stroked her arm. “Angel? Dinner.”She woke and stretched, then sat up on the sofa and accepted the bowl of stew gratefully. Crowley sat next to her, munching on a wolf apple from the fruit bowl. They watched a little TV together until they’d finished, then Crowley pulled on his jeans and took the empty dishes downstairs - still bare chested, and very much smelling of his mate. As soon as he walked into Ligur’s kitchen to put the dishes in the industrial dishwasher there, he spotted Warlock putting cutlery away, and paused, frowning. Warlock went wide-eyed, and rapidly retreated, not just leaving Ligur’s flat, but going down another floor to the flat he shared with Adam. Crowley wasn’t angry with Warlock, but his instincts made him at least less happy to have the young alpha in his personal space for a little while. He checked in briefly with the rest of the pack, then grabbed a pile of snacks and drinks and went back upstairs, where he set up a snack and rehydration station next to his enormous bed, piled up some towels and wet wipes, and generally made a cosy nest area there which they wouldn’t have to leave much if they didn’t want to over the next few days. And he knew that Aziraphale was unlikely to want to leave it, or him, much at all for a while. He’d missed this since he’d lost Lucy - caring for his beautiful omega through her heat, catering to her every whim and generally doting on her. He was excited to be able to do it again, to feel that connection, to feel needed, to feel loved so urgently, so deeply, and to be able to love so intensely in return. His next most overwhelming instinct was to scent mark. Having set up a cosy space for his mate to rest, Crowley headed out of the bedroom and began to scent the door to the penthouse, and then headed downstairs into the darkening evening light, and proceeded to refresh the scent marks by the outside doors of the building, then around the perimeter of the footprint of it, then around the edges of the property boundary and car park. He wanted there to be no doubt for anyone nearby that the omega within belonged solely to him. Only once he was satisfied that his immediate territory was sufficiently marked did he return to the top floor to his waiting mate.   Aziraphale squirmed and gasped through the third intense orgasm Crowley had given her, he was in crinos shape, with his head between her thighs and his long tongue working tirelessly at her vulva and clit, with the perfect speed and pressure, occasionally plunging that talented tongue deep inside her. She gripped the fur of his ruff and keened with pleasured frustration. Much as she loved his devotion to duty, she longed for more.“Please,” she cried out. “This is torture.” “Making you orgasm is torture?” Crowley lifted his head to ask with a maddeningly amused grin.“You know what I mean. I need you. Inside me. Please!” “How about just one more, hmm? He lapped at her clit sharply, making her hips jolt reflexively. “I can do this all day.”Aziraphale felt a growl rising up through her chest.  Frustrated, and hornier than she could ever remember being in her life, she quickly sat up then pounced on her lover, rolling over together, she bit and grabbed hold of his scruff, still growling as she held his neck in the grip of her teeth. She let go only to glare down at him. “Anthony J. Crowley, if you don’t mount me this minute…” Crowley laughed joyously. “There she is! I knew your inner wolf would wake up fully with your first mated heat! Oh aren’t you gorgeous?” Aziraphale growled again in frustration then turned her back on him, on all fours, knees braced wide and ready for him, her vulva dripping with need.“Well there’s a sight I couldn’t possibly resist,” Crowley chuckled, then pounced on her in turn. He mounted her from behind fast and urgent, thrusting in deep on the first stroke, finding her beautifully wet and ready, he seized the back of her neck between strong jaws, but held only gently, not breaking the skin, as he began to fuck into her. Aziraphale howled with satisfaction.The alpha uttered bestial grunts as he mated his beautiful omega, gripping her right and giving her exactly the desperate fucking she begged him for. It may have looked rough, but it was precisely what Aziraphale wanted in that moment, and would likely insist on for the duration of her heat, now she had a willing alpha on hand to provide it for her. Slow, gentle lovemaking could come another time. For now, their more animalistic instincts ruled their bodies and minds. Aziraphale could feel Crowley’s knot swelling fast, and ground back onto him, hungry for more, making desperate noises. Crowley tried to keep pounding and hold back his own orgasm until his mate had screamed through her own, and once she had, he finally let go with a roar, clinging tight, then biting down and holding fast while his hips spasmed through the aftershocks. They rocked together gently a few moments more, before Aziraphale collapsed down onto the soft bed, Crowley stuck inside her and falling down with her. He began licking her shoulder as she let out contented post-orgasmic happy sounds. He rumbled happily while he rubbed his chin over the claiming bite, gifting her his scent anew.

They both dozed off, only for Aziraphale to wake a while later, somehow still hungry for more. If her ‘heats’ before had left her feeling horny, it was nothing like this. She’d at least been able to function and get by with some self-gratification when she got home after work, and ingrained restraints of human decency had meant she could keep her urges mostly within her head. Or at least wait until she could escape to a bathroom or somewhere private for some manual pleasure to take the edge off for a while, or perhaps a wearable toy with a remote control. It had been hard, and frustrating. She’d occasionally hooked up with other people, more often when she was in heat - but despite giving some temporary sexual relief, none had ever been able to satisfy that deep-down, primal urge she had to be mated by an alpha, leaving her perpetually frustrated, and constantly searching for something that she knew was missing from her life. She’d never known what it was until she’d met Crowley.But now she was bonded to him, her wolf aspect had fully come to the surface, and her heat was intensified alarmingly. She was insatiable, her body simply demanding constant attention from her mate, and she was enjoying every moment. Crowley’s knot may have subsided, but she wanted more, so began to wriggle underneath him, teasing him back to hardness again. “You want more,” he murmured in an amused tone, kissing her shoulder gently. “Mmm,” she agreed. “I knew you’d be insatiable,” Crowley whispered with a smile. “And that was not a complaint.”He began to grind against her again, growing harder, but getting frustrated with the position, he withdrew and rolled her over, kissed her deeply, then slid in again as Aziraphale wrapped her legs around his waist.

Aziraphale blinked into wakefulness, disorientated. Crowley was lying on her, asleep, and the sun was rising. They’d been at it all night, off and on. She realised what had made her stir, the bedroom door was swinging closed as someone left - Anathema by the smell of her - leaving behind a tray with some breakfast on it for the both of them, and some icy cold bottles of fresh water sat next to it on the bedside table, along with steaming hot cups of tea and coffee for Aziraphale and Crowley respectively, in insulated mugs. Her stomach rumbled. As she stretched, Crowley roused and yawned wide, then rolled off, blinking in the rising light. “‘Nathema brought br’kf’st,” he mumbled, sniffing. “Hungry.” He stretched out, body rippling, then shook and leaned over to grab the coffee first, while Aziraphale sat up and reached for the water first to gulp down before addressing the choice of foods laid out on the tray. There was a little of everything with a note to text Anathema if they’d like more of anything bringing up.They sat in comfortable silence for a while side by side as they ate. Aziraphale felt peculiar - in that she still felt like she should be tired, and yet her body was still demanding more action. She felt conflicted however, they were both a sweaty mess, and between her legs rather messier still, they should go for a shower, and yet, what was the point? They were just going to be at each other again like rabbits straight afterwards. Still, she supposed, they could shower anyway, and have more fun in the shower, and then again afterwards, and… … Aziraphale stood, stretched again, then made her way to the bathroom, Crowley following close behind, stepping into the shower with her without needing to be asked, and sure enough, soon they were working out how to get comfortable in a wet shower stall while tied together in the most intimate way possible. They eventually managed to get rinsed and mostly dried off, but the rest of the day ended up passing much as the night had - in a sex-addicted haze of unrelenting pleasure, broken only occasionally by another pack member visiting to take away the last tray, and bring a fresh one laden with more food and drink to keep them going. While Aziraphale hid under the sheet when this happened, Crowley didn’t seem to care too much. He explained again that wolves honestly didn’t take much notice of nudity, it didn’t bother them either way, so while she was welcome to cover up if she felt self conscious, Aziraphale was welcome to relax around them as well, if and when she felt ready to. They lost track of time, days melding into nights, sleeping between sessions then waking and starting over again. Crowley may have been exhausted too, but he seemed determined and eager to please his mate over and over, as often as she demanded, and all over the penthouse, in all sorts of ways. If his flesh wasn’t willing again fast enough, he’d grab a vibrator or other toy and tease her manually while he recovered, before taking over once more when he was ready. Eventually, Aziraphale’s heat broke. Her body allowed her to sleep through more than just a few hours, the demand petering off, so while she still wanted more, it wasn’t as incessant as at the peak of her hormonal disruption. She was able to resist pouncing on Crowley for several hours at a time now, and they caught up on sleep as they tried to get back to normality. After a while, she found it reasonable to even get dressed again, without fear that she’d be ripping her own clothes off, or begging Crowley to do it for her, to succumb to more pleasure. She set about changing the bed, washing the towels, and the cushion covers, shampooing and wet vacuuming some unlucky rugs which got caught up in things, and cleaning in general. A few tables and work surfaces didn’t escape their impromptu lovemaking and got thoroughly scrubbed and disinfected. Crowley tried to persuade her to let other pack members help with the cleaning, but Aziraphale was too embarrassed for that and was determined to do it all herself, although Crowley helped when she said she wouldn’t let anyone else.

She opened all the windows and doors out onto the balconies to let the fresh air in, and got back to normality once more…

… Or so she thought. It had been several hours since they’d woken, made love, showered, dressed, breakfasted, and cleaned some more. Aziraphale was sitting reading while Crowley worked on his laptop, sprawled out on the sofa next to her, occasionally reaching out to stroke her thigh. But Aziraphale was becoming increasingly restless. It seemed her heat wasn’t going to give up without a fight - it wasn’t going to just stop abruptly and let her get some rest. Her hormones were petering out gradually, and still wanted to make themselves known via her libido. Her need to be mated may not be continual now, but it was still making itself known, just less frequently. She realised she’d read the same line five times and not taken it in at all, and kept getting distracted eyeing up Crowley. She whined gently under her breath, aching with need.Crowley continued to tap at his keyboard, but the corner of his lip quirked into a smile. “I can smell it,” he murmured. “You’re not done yet.”Aziraphale whined again, setting her book aside, she sat up and shuffled closer, then leaned in to nose up against his cheek, smelling the tantalising alpha scent on his skin, closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, the smell making her feel dizzy with desire. “Alpha…” she whispered in his ear. Crowley reached out to stroke her breast as he hit enter on his work, and clicked away. “With you in a second, my beautiful Omega,” he reassured her, then closed his laptop and set it aside to give her his full attention. “I’m all yours, love.”Aziraphale kissed him ravenously, climbing onto his lap and wrapping her arms around him, grinding against his crotch. He indulged her in a deep and filthy kiss before the pair of them fumbled with trembling hands in his lap, tugging at his zip and jeans, then Aziraphale raised herself up on her knees and hoisted her skirt higher. Crowley, having freed his rapidly growing erection, reached out to tug her panties aside, sinking his fingers deep inside her, and feeling the ready wetness waiting for him there, making Aziraphale gasp out then grind down onto his hand. “Please, I need you,” she sobbed, her voice was hoarse and desperate, so he held his shaft ready for her to lower herself down onto it, then she clutched at his shoulders as she rode him urgently, making helpless choked-off noises with every impact of her alpha’s thick cock plunging deep inside her. Grabbing his face in her hands, Aziraphale almost devoured his mouth in an eager kiss, as if wanting to consume his entire soul, then broke off and tipped her head back as her body shuddered through an intense climax, but she couldn’t stop. Aziraphale carried on, and Crowley’s hands were on her hips now, helping raise her up and slam her back down onto him, his hips bucking up to meet hers with urgent thrusts, and a fiercely possessive growl rumbling through his chest. Soon Aziraphale was screaming out with every impact, not caring who could hear, in fact wanting the world to know how much pleasure her handsome mate could give her. She trembled then her entire body jerked through an intense spasm as another climax hit her like a freight train, yet still Crowley kept on pounding her through it, knowing she still needed more. Aziraphale clutched his head to her breasts, grinding down deep onto him with a harsh, high-pitched cry, incoherent, and yet Crowley could understand exactly what she needed. He seized her by the waist and lifted then twisted, to deposit her on her back on the sofa, so he was on top once more, then carried on, his body working hard to give his lover what she so desperately demanded of him, feeling his own climax rising with an almost painful inevitability, his knot swelling fast, locking him into her, the sweet intensity of his orgasm flooding his body, muscles clenching tight, and then that glorious moment of release, his whole body shuddering, hips jerking with each pulse as he came with a guttural growl, teeth bared. He wasn’t biting this time, and Aziraphale hadn’t begged him to either, or he would have. She’d had enough bites and scent marks for her body to be satiated on that front over the past few days, and the bite marks were rapidly healing over as usual. Then a moment after Crowley’s orgasm came to an end, Aziraphale was hit by an intense aftershock, making her body jolt, her back arch, and a flood of wetness squirted out, soaking them both, and the recently cleaned sofa. Part of her had the resigned thought that she’d need to wash the cushions again, and probably order one of those special absorbent blankets marketed for just this sort of activity, or perhaps a few, to scatter over the furniture when she was in heat. Crowley lay on her, his chest heaving, getting his breath back. Both of them were hot and sticky again, but glowing with satisfaction. “Fuck, I love you so much,” Crowley rasped, his voice husky. “How are you so fucking perfect? So beautiful? So insatiable?” He chuckled at the last one, and kissed her cheek. “I can’t believe I found you.”“I’m very glad you did,” Aziraphale whispered. “I don’t know what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you. I love you too, darling.”“Sorry we messed up the sofa again,” Crowley sighed. “Not your fault, I jumped you, It’ll wash… again.”“Hmm,” he agreed, sounding exhausted. “I was thinking I should get some of those absorbent sex towels, or blankets, whatever you call them, it might make things a bit easier.”“Good idea,” Crowley mumbled, already dozing off. Then his breathing slowed, and she knew he was asleep. Aziraphale stroked his hair tenderly, feeling utterly content to be surrounded by his scent, feeling safe, and still feeling very full. She’d wake him when his knot subsided, then they could clean up once more.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale’s heat had subsided gradually over the next couple of days, until she found herself resisting Crowley’s charms far easier, and her libido was no longer in charge of everything. They began taking meals with the rest of the pack again, and they all seemed eager to hug, snuggle up, and exchange scents again after their pack leaders’ period of isolation. Only the young teen alphas were still a little cautious and held back, wary of Crowley. Instead they waited for him to offer a hug and cheek rub, then they began to relax once more.Crowley had been spending enough energy on Aziraphale to not have missed out on the walks, and now he had recovered as well, he was keen to get out and about with his pack. First of all, doing his regular scent marking around their new expanded territory boundary, but also getting to go for a run in the park or on the heath, to really stretch his long legs. Aziraphale and Angela were happy to continue being the designated ‘dog walkers’ for the pack, and strolled arm in arm, catching up on things Aziraphale had missed. Angela had been minding the bookshop for her, and shared the gossip from Whickber Street, as well as lycanthrope gossip they’d picked up from surrounding packs. It seemed that after recovering from remedial surgery, the newly neutered Gabriel had indeed sold his old pack home and moved away from London altogether. Too ashamed to return to his home pack in the USA, there was speculation that he’d left the UK altogether and possibly headed Eastwards, keen to be forgotten. Perhaps he’d pass himself off as a beta and beg to join some European pack. The younger pack members had also been improving their hunting skills under the tutelage of Dagon and Shax mostly, getting even better at bringing home rabbits, and apparently they’d been finding scent of invasive muntjac deer on Hampstead Heath and were keen to try to get one as practise before they headed to Scotland on holiday. Angela said they’d tried the past three nights but not managed it, but perhaps now Crowley was back he could help them finally catch one. They sat on their favourite bench looking out over the night-time London skyline, and chatted. After a little while, they could hear a commotion of excited yips, followed by a triumphant howl. Aziraphale could recognise each pack member’s distinctive voice by now, and could pick out Crowley’s among them easily. “Well someone’s happy, that’s not just a rabbit, I wonder if they got the deer they were after?” Aziraphale mused. “It sounds likely.”Aziraphale could smell the pack returning, and the sharp tang of blood on the air along with them. She could pick up the venison scent similar to when they’d bought the butchered one before, and sure enough, soon Pepper trotted into view, proudly dragging another invasive species - a Chinese water deer - in her jaws. Due to the weight of it though, Crowley had grabbed a haunch in his strong jaws and was helping to carry it, while letting Pepper take the head end to show that she had the credit for the kill. It was only a small deer, but still a significant moment for the young wolf, so Aziraphale and Angela both heaped praise on Pepper for her skill.

They managed to sneak the deer carcass back to the van without being noticed by any humans, and Crowley changed shape in the cab to drive home with both type twos up front, and the rest of the pack riding in the back as usual. “How did she manage it?” Aziraphale asked, leaning her head on his shoulder from her place next to him on the bench seat. “Well I did help them corner it. It nearly got away but instead of grabbing it’s throat, instead I turned it back towards them, and Pepper just happened to be faster than the rest. Once she had the throat though, the lads moved in to get the belly as they should. Pretty good job. I think they’ll do great in Scotland next week.”When they got home, Ligur took the youngsters up to the game larder, and quizzed them on the correct way to gut and store a deer, saying they’d leave it in the chiller and have it for raw dinner the next evening. At least the younger pack members would share it, as there wasn’t enough of it to feed the whole pack, but it would make a nice treat for them.

The next day, Aziraphale was back at work in the bookshop as usual, she’d missed it, even though she’d thoroughly enjoyed spending her heat with her beloved Crowley, it was nice to get back to normality again. As usual, Crowley or one of the pack would drop her off and pick her up from work. On her third day back, Furfur picked her up again, and seemed quieter than usual, as if he had something he wanted to say, but wasn’t quite sure how to broach the subject. “Is everything alright?” Aziraphale asked, seeing him fidget as they waited at the lights. “Well…” Furfur scrunched his face up a little. Then the lights changed and he moved off, driving on for a moment or two before continuing. “You might find Crowley a bit… out of sorts in the next few days. Me too, if I’m honest.”Aziraphale put two and two together rather quickly. “Lucy?” She asked quietly. Furfur nodded. “It’s the anniversary of when we lost her tomorrow. I thought you should know, in case Crowley doesn’t explain why, in case you wondered why he might not be his usual self. I know he gets choked up talking about her sometimes.”“And you?”“Not as much as he does. It still hurts, she was my sister after all, but I’ve kind of come to terms with it, as much as I can, anyway.”“Is it something that you’re able to talk about? If Crowley’s not?” Aziraphale asked, hesitant. “Not if it’s too painful of course, but I just feel like if I could understand a little better, I could support both of you better.”Furfur considered a moment, then eyed up a supermarket car park and pulled off the road, parking up, and stilling the engine, before half turning in his seat to face her. “Ok,” he said. “Would Crowley be angry with you for telling me?”“No, she was my sister, it’s as much my story to tell as his. He’ll probably be grateful he doesn’t have to go through the ordeal of telling you himself. It hurts him, I know he wouldn’t find it easy.”“I don’t want you upsetting yourself either,” Aziraphale reminded him. “It’s ok. You should know, as you said, then you might find it easier to understand.”She nodded, and waited, as Furfur drew a breath. “We lost two good wolves that day - not just Lucy, but her best friend, Bea. Lucy did rally driving, and Bea was her co driver - navigator, she read out the pace notes - that’s a rapid-fire set of instructions they’ve prepared beforehand, which lets the driver know what’s coming up next - hazards, hills, turns and how steep they are - that kind of thing. A good team, well you could almost drive blindfolded if you have a great co-driver, and they were a great team together. You know Lucy’s nickname was ‘Lucy-fur’, well Bea was ‘Bee-lzebub’, they thought it was funny, nicknamed their car the ‘Bat out of Hell.’” Furfur smiled fondly at the memory. “Anyway, there’d been an incident up ahead - an earlier car had smashed through a fence, the car had been recovered and the drivers were ok, and no one thought much more about it. But no one realised that there had been livestock in that field, a load of cows - they’d been way up the other end of the field I suppose, and no one had noticed, so when they got spooked and stampeded towards the end of the field by the track, they just flooded through the gap in the busted fence and all over the road. There was no time to warn Lucy and Bea, so they crested the hill and suddenly there’s cows everywhere - but also a load of people - trying their best to herd the livestock off the track to make it safe again.”Aziraphale listened on, aghast. “Lucy would never have risked hitting the people, so she turned too hard, the car hit a rock and launched off over the cliff, the rock ripped the fuel tank open and they just went down that nearly vertical slope in a fireball, fell all the way down in flames. They never stood a chance.”“Oh Furfur, I’m so sorry…” Aziraphale laid a hand on his arm, and he nodded, taking comfort from it. “Well Crowley was part of her pit crew, as soon as they heard, one of the tv choppers just landed at the pit and grabbed him, took him up with them and straight to the site, they landed on the road and he ran out to try to help save them, but it was too late. He injured himself trying to get to them, damaged his hips skidding down the escarpment, and got burned trying to rescue them, but they were gone before he even got there. He may or may not tell you this, but he does have PTSD, particularly about fire. It’s why he doesn’t do motorsport himself. He loves cars still, he restores them, shows them off, but he doesn’t compete or do any track stuff.”Aziraphale fished in her handbag and brought out a packet of tissues, handing one to Furfur, who took it gratefully, and wiped his eyes. “Thanks,” he said. “Well: now you know. It’s been six years now, it’s been tough on him, on all of us - losing our omega, it’s why we were so happy he found you. He needs someone to love him, to bring him out of himself, and we’ve never seen him happier than with you. You’ve done him the world of good, so thank you.”Aziraphale threw her arms around Furfur and hugged him.

When they got home again, Crowley was a little subdued, but his face still lit up when he saw Aziraphale, and he drew her close to kiss her as usual, and asked about her day just as he always did. After dinner, the whole pack wanted to dog pile (well, wolf-pile, as Aziraphale kept self-correcting whenever she thought of it), and snuggle up on Crowley’s extra huge bed, just hugging together, mostly in wolf form, and watch tv together. Simply because they craved the closeness as a group, and sharing scents with hugs. Then Aziraphale realised that it was likely also because they knew that Crowley and Furfur especially could use the support right now, so she hugged all those in reach, and Crowley leaned against her, nuzzling in close. She rubbed his ears with one hand, while scratching Furfur’s ruff with her other. After a while, Muriel rolled on their back to ask for belly rubs, so Aziraphale did that for a while, before returning to massaging Crowley’s ears, while his eyes drifted closed, and he rested his head on her lap in bliss. Eventually people began to fall asleep, so it looked like an all-nighter. Neither she nor Crowley had given any indication that they wanted privacy, so the pack wanted to sleep over, and that was fine with her - the more support Crowley and Furfur had, especially when they awoke tomorrow - the better.

When the pack stirred in the morning, they began to yawn and stretch then trot off to their own areas to get ready for the day ahead, finally leaving Aziraphale alone with Crowley. He was unusually withdrawn, but at least she knew why, and hugged him tight, stroking his hair. “Can I do anything for you, love?”Crowley shrugged, and kissed her cheek. “Just be you.”“Furfur told me about today,” she whispered. “I understand now, I’m here for you if you want to talk, and if you don’t.”Crowley met her gaze with mild surprise. “He told you about Lucy?”“Yes, and what happened, to her, and Bea, and you. I’m sorry you had to go through that, darling. I can’t imagine how awful it must be. Would it be better if you took the day off work?”“Thanks, but no. I’d rather work through it, takes my mind off it.”“Tonight, would you like to sit up on the roof together then? We can look at the moon, and the stars, and you can remember her.”Crowley smiled and sniffed, and hugged her. “I’d like that.” He kissed her forehead fondly. “What did I do to deserve you, eh?”“You were just you, perfect as you are,” Aziraphale said.

And so they did. Aziraphale and Maggie decided to cook for the pack that night, then Aziraphale took Crowley up to the roof, where Brian and Wensleydale had taken some of the cushions up there for them to lie on, and Pepper had put out some drinks for them. Aziraphale invited Furfur up as well, then they sat there under the stars, as Lucy’s widower and brother shared stories about her, and reminisced as they drank and raised a toast to her memory. Crowley and Furfur raised their voices to howl up to the stars. After a moment, Aziraphale joined in too. Eventually the three of them fell asleep up there, under the stars, hugging one another. Come morning, Shax came up with hot coffee and porridge for them. “Two more days and you get to go on holiday,” she reminded them. “That’s something to look forward to anyway, you can show the young’uns all your favourite hunting spots, that’ll be fun.”Crowley nodded, feeling better than he had for a while. Having Aziraphale there had helped take the pain from the worst day of the year. His pack was bigger than ever, and he was surrounded by love and support. Lucy would be proud of him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next day, Crowley came to pick up Aziraphale from work, locking the bookshop door behind him and tugging the shades down over the windows with a conspiratorial wink. “You’re up to no good,” Aziraphale commented, cashing up the till. “Obviously. And you are up to good, I take it? Lots of good deeds?” He finished tugging down the blinds, then wrapped her up in a hug from behind, nosing into her neck and kissing her lightly there. “Just parting people from their hard-earned cash in exchange for the gift of knowledge, as usual,” Aziraphale said, wriggling against him, then closing the till with a clang. “Are you going to let me put this in the safe before you ravish me, darling?”“Maybe,” Crowley murmured playfully, nibbling at her neck, before letting her go, and sprawling across the sofa, watching his omega hungrily as she put the takings in the safe and locked it up, then turned to him with a mischievous smile, taking in the slight bulge already visible in his tight trousers. “You are definitely up to no good,” Aziraphale smiled, approaching slowly, she slipped her beige cashmere cardigan off and let it fall on the office chair as she came closer, unbuttoning her blouse. “Was that a complaint?” Crowley asked, stroking himself through his trousers, biting his lip as he watched Aziraphale open her blouse, then began to tug up her skirt to her waist, exposing the fact she was wearing stockings and suspenders that day. “Not in the slightest,” Aziraphale replied, kneeling between Crowley’s thighs, then tugging at his belt, deftly slipping it undone then unzipping his fly. Crowley shifted slightly to allow her to tug his trousers down enough to free his erection, gazing down at her, his expression clouded with lust. “Glad to hear it,” he breathed, then gasped out as Aziraphale licked up his shaft with a devious tongue. He sank his fingers into her soft blonde curls, and she began to suck her way down as far as she could. “Angel, you feel amazing. You’re divine.”Aziraphale continued on a little longer, then clambered onto the sofa, tugging her panties aside, and straddling Crowley’s lap, she lowered herself down onto him, sinking down with a satisfied breathy whimper. “Oh love, you’re so good.”“So are you,” Crowley leaned in and buried his face between her soft breasts appreciatively, and held her carefully in his strong arms as she rocked her hips, in a slow but tantalising rhythm. “I love you so much, Angel,” he mumbled, partially muffled by her breasts, but sounding delighted by it. “So soft, you smell so damn good…”“I smell yours,” Aziraphale reminded him. “Hmm,” Crowley agreed, and lifted his head to smile at her. “Which is why it’s even better than before.”Aziraphale rocked against him, their lovemaking languid and unhurried, relishing every tiny sensation with quiet murmurs and whimpers. Aziraphale began to moan as Crowley’s knot swelled and began to stretch her in the most delicious way, and his panted grunts grew closer together, his hands gripping her a little more firmly, his hips twitching, then he shuddered as he came, head tipped back, hissing through his teeth at the sweet release of his climax. Aziraphale cradled his face in her hands and kissed him deeply, with a contented sigh as they relaxed together in a post-orgasmic cloud of bliss. “I made a mess of you,” Crowley apologised, stroking her thighs reverently. “I enjoy it, darling.”“Mmm, me too,” Crowley nuzzled against her shoulder. Aziraphale kissed the top of his head. “Should we head home once we can get apart again?”“We should do, yes. Eric told me that he’s cooking dinner tonight, and he has a jollof rice recipe from his great auntie that’ll blow our socks off. I suggest having some milk on standby just in case.”Crowley stroked her hair, and looked into her eyes. “Thank you, by the way, for being there for me these past couple of days. You’ve made it so much easier than it ever was before.”“Crowley, I’m here for you whatever you need. I love you.”They remained locked together, whispering, holding one another, for a while longer, until Aziraphale found she was able to wriggle up and off him, then grabbed some tissues to clean up as best she could before going to the bathroom to finish the job. Then she locked up the shop, and they headed home in the Bentley.

Fortunately, Eric had prepared an alternative dish for any pack members who found the spicy one a bit too much, although the youngsters and Uriel seemed to be challenging one another over who could stand the heat better, adding extra sauce to see who would chicken out first. Uriel won, looking fairly unfazed, and asked Eric for the recipe so she could make it as well. “So Alpha Crowley,” Brian piped up, “What should we pack for tomorrow? We’ve never been away on something like this before.”“Just Crowley,” he replied gently, he’d been trying to get them to relax a bit more, and he’d also been trying to stop calling them all ‘kid’ by default as they were nearly adults. “And honestly, just human clothes for travelling and some easy to get in-and-out of tracksuits, dressing gown or whatever makes you feel comfortable when you’re not wolf. We’re going to spend most of our time as wolves up in Scotland, miles from any humans, so no need to try to fit in.”There were delighted smiles all around, especially for the younger wolves who had never had the opportunity to run free for such an extended period of time before.“Oh,” Crowley continued, “and Maggie has got some flea and tick spot-on for all of us, the deer ticks up there are nasty things, so we don’t want to give them an opportunity.”Aziraphale hadn’t considered that a regular part of their medicine cabinet would include flea treatment. She learned something new every day. Crowley turned to Aziraphale and Angela. “Our hosts who own the site are used to hosting type twos as well, so there’ll be some basic human food in the chalet for you - bread, milk, tea, sugar, butter, some breakfast and lunch type things, but we can pop to a local shop a few miles away and pick up any extra things for the self-catering, or take them with us. You should bring some all weather clothing and sensible walking shoes as well though, if you’d like to join us now and then.”He took Aziraphale’s hand gently and leaned in to whisper: “and I’d very much like you to join us, so you get to experience what it’s really like, as much as we can.”

They took the van along with two of the cars, although Uriel had suggested hiring a minibus, Crowley said he’d travel in style or not at all. Even his van was faster and more luxurious than most, and subtly modified to suit his style, a Mercedes Sprinter van with soft leather seats in the front, and the comfy dog beds in the back for the rest of the pack to travel in wolf form - with luggage suspended from luggage racks above them. Ligur drove the van, while Crowley drove the Bentely with Aziraphale, Anglea, and Maggie as passengers. Dagon drove a Mercedes limousine with the youngest pack members riding in human shape. Everyone else was in the van. It was still a long drive to Scotland, so they stopped for lunch and a rest at a motorway services before carrying on. Aziraphale may not have owned a car when they met, but she did have a licence, so Crowley had been letting her drive some of the other cars, including the van, to see how she did. Being a little out of practice, she wasn’t confident enough to tackle his vintage Bentley yet, however, but he had said they could practise with that later when she felt ready. Nearly ten hours after leaving London, they were winding their way through remote highland lanes in the dark, before turning down a rutted track, where Crowley slowed to a crawl so as not to damage the Bentley. They continued on for a while, coming to a padlocked gate with “NO TRESPASSING: PRIVATE PROPERTY” printed on a large sign attached to it. Crowley got out, consulted a piece of paper from his pocket, then entered a code into the key safe, unlocked the gate, then once all three vehicles were through, locked it again behind them. They carried on down the track for another half an hour, descending from moorland into thick forest, before finally coming to a small clearing which contained two wooden log cabins next to a rocky escarpment. Crowley parked up and got out of the car, stretching wide and yawning, as the rest of the pack emerged from the other vehicles, similarly tired. “Ok you lot,” Crowley called out towards the younger pack members. “Remember this isn’t our home territory, urinate only on the piles you find, don’t go scent marking as if you own the place, that’s just rude. We’re guests, don’t forget that.”Several pack members in wolf shape began sniffing about, until evidently identifying one of the toilet piles, and lifting legs to relieve themselves. Having stretched their legs a little, everyone re-took human shape and began carrying luggage into the cabins, which were joined by a courtyard which was partially covered by a pergola hung with vines for shade in the summer, and trellises hung with wisteria for privacy. Aziraphale was surprised to see how luxurious the cabins were inside, compared to the simple rustic exterior. There were a couple of bedrooms with super king-sized beds, plenty of comfy dog beds strewn around, a modern kitchen, cellar steps led down to a large game larder and walk-in chiller. Large modular sofas in the lounge framed the log fire, over which was a huge flat screen TV. Off the courtyard was a pretty garden sloping down to a swimming pool, and a large hot tub, with views out over the forest, and the moorland in the distance. As she unloaded the food shopping into the fridge and freezer, Aziraphale found some thoughtful touches left behind by their host pack, which included packets of dog treats in the cupboards, and in one of the fridges, a pile of raw beef bones, full of marrow. She took some out while Angela finished stacking the fridge, and put them in a pile on the kitchen floor for the pack to choose one each before bed. “Come and see this,” Crowley told her, taking Aziraphale by the arm, he led her out towards the rocky outcrop next to the log cabins, and pointed out a wide fissure in the base of the rock - easily large enough for a human to go through on all fours. “Come on, there’s even lights in there, I’ll put them on for you.”  He went halfway in, and flipped a switch, then she followed him, surprised to find the floor clean and dry, and strewn with fresh soft heather and fragrant wildflowers and herbs. The entrance opened out under the rocks into a large space softly lit with LED fairy lights, and a deep layer of the fragrant hay mix on the floor. A few pack members were already curled up there, each with a bone between their paws. While some were chewing at their treats, others had fallen asleep already, exhausted. “You’re welcome to try hanging out with us in here as well if you like, or in the big bed in the cabin, it’s up to you. Most of us are likely to want to spend as much time as possible wolf-shaped, and sleeping in here, to reconnect with our roots, but I don’t want you to feel alone, so I can split my time between being in here with the pack, or up there with you.”  Crowley crawled on, indicating an exit to the den. Aziraphale followed. The tunnel was wide and not claustrophobic at all, the fairy lights continued along it, the floor sloping upwards, until they came out in the cellar of the first log cabin, next to the pantry area and the stairs up to the main cabin floor. “So we can all come and go as we please,” Crowley explained. “No need to go outside especially if it’s raining.”Aziraphale sat by the cabin entrance to the natural den, pondering. “I think, after the long drive, I’d like to sleep in the human bed tonight, for a good rest, but then tomorrow, I’d like to try snuggling up with you all in the den, to see what it’s like,” she said at last. Crowley leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Sounds good. Would you like me to sleep with you in the cabin for the first night? It’s no trouble - whatever you want. This is as much a holiday for you as it is for us.”“Perhaps, a compromise, just until I fall asleep, then if you’d like to go into the den and join the others for the rest of the night, that’s fine.”“Of course, beautiful,” Crowley smiled. “We can finish setting up the cabin as we like it in the morning. Have a lie-in tomorrow, no urgency to get up and do anything, we can have a leisurely brunch. Then I’ll take the pack exploring in the afternoon, and you too.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale woke to the smell of sizzling bacon. She blinked to wakefulness, to see Maggie coming into the bedroom carrying a cup of tea. “We’ve put together a brunch buffet through there,” Maggie said, passing over the tea once Aziraphale had stretched and sat up in bed. Crowley had snuggled up to her until she’d nodded off last night, then at some point gone to sleep with the pack in wolf form in the den. “Thank you, Maggie,” Aziraphale sipped the tea gratefully. “Did you have a good night?”“Oh it was wonderful! A perfect den, and it smells so lovely too. Just being able to sleep in a natural kind of den like that, feeling like a real wolf, it’s a fabulous feeling. I’m really looking forward to relaxing this week, and being human shaped as little as possible.”“Well don’t feel the need to be human shaped to pamper me, it should be my turn to spoil all of you - I can do all the human things with Angela while you lot relax and be your favourite selves. We can do all the food preparation and such like. Go on,” she encouraged. Maggie smiled gratefully, and shimmied into her wolf form and out of her dressing gown, then trotted through to the kitchen with her tail held high. Aziraphale got out of bed and carried her tea through, to find most of the pack also wolf-shaped. An exception was Newt, who was frying up bacon, eggs, black pudding, sliced haggis, and square sausage, then Angela was plating it up and setting the plates on the floor for each wolf. Crowley was licking his plate clean, then seeing Aziraphale awake, rushed over and jumped up at her to lick her cheek fondly, then looked at his empty plate and back at her with a pathetic whine. “Seconds?” She asked. Crowley yipped in agreement, so she picked up his plate, and took over from Newt, who slipped happily into his own wolf shape to enjoy his brunch, while Aziraphale continued frying more, and Angela served up other treats for the pack. Crowley sat next to Aziraphale, mouth watering, occasionally nosing at her thigh. She reached down with one hand to ruffle his ears. “Patience, love. It tastes better once it’s fried crispy, and you deserve the best.”Crowley licked his lips again, tail wagging slowly in anticipation. Finally, Aziraphale plated up his second serving and placed it on the floor for him, then in a bowl, put together some mashed banana and blueberries and cracked a raw egg into it, dropping the eggshell on the top, and placed it down for him as well. She then prepared similar bowls for the rest of the pack too, then put together a plate for herself, while Angela took over frying up seconds for anyone else who wanted some before their fruit bowl. As an afterthought, she grabbed a couple of wolf apples from the fridge to add to Crowley’s bowl for him.Once everyone had finished, Newt and Muriel changed back and tugged on dressing gowns to start collecting plates and bowls, but Aziraphale put her spoon down to stop them. “Leave it, it’s fine, it’s my turn to look after you, relax, I can take care of this.”They hesitated, but then smiled and re-took their wolf shapes again, while Aziraphale loaded the dishwasher, smiling to see the pack licking paws, or stretching out and helping clean their pack-mates, it was lovely to see them all so content.

Everyone sprawled out for a little while their food went down, some half-watching tv, others just napping a little more. Crowley sprawled out across the sofa with his head on Aziraphale’s lap while she stroked his ears, closing his eyes, with a contented rumble, almost like a purr, reverberating through his chest from time to time. He wriggled, then rolled on his back, paws in the air, for belly rubs, which Aziraphale indulged him in happily. After a while, he rolled onto his stomach again, and re-took his human shape. “Want to put some outdoor clothing and walking boots on? We can go for an explore,” he suggested. “I’d like you to come with us, if you want to?”“Of course I’d like to, darling. Should I get the leashes to carry?”“Nope. No need, as far as the eye can see here is exclusively ours while we’re here - and the host pack’s territory circles the outer perimeter as well, so any human would have to get past them before even getting anywhere near us, we can be completely free here - in wolf shape or even in crinos shape, and no one will ever see us.”The pack had perked up, hearing they were about to head out, and began to stir, tails wagging, circling the room, while Aziraphale went to get some suitable clothing and boots on. Angela decided to stay back and catch up on some reading. Walking out with the pack like this was a revelation, seeing them all completely at ease, not on edge, not watchful for humans or dogs. They moved differently, with a loose, swinging gait, relaxed tails, and active noses, sifting through the tantalising new scents wafting on the air. The young wolves sprinted off from time to time, delighted to be able to let off steam so freely, chasing scent trails through the heather. Brian yelped and recoiled as a pheasant exploded up out of the thick ground cover virtually under his nose, making a sudden racket with loud alarm calls and clapping wings as it rocketed skywards, but Muriel was faster on the uptake and immediately leapt up after it, snatching the bird from the air before it even got into its stride, they crunched its neck, swiftly putting an end to it, save for the reflex flapping for a moment afterwards. Brian sniffed at the bird in Muriel’s jaws, but they growled at him around their mouthful, then turned their back and trotted away a few steps to start pulling feathers out with their teeth, then devoured it before catching up with the pack again, sneezing and shaking their head, and occasionally pawing at their face to flick away the feathers stuck to their muzzle. Crowley raised his head, tasting the air, then shouldered his way ahead, curling a lip when Warlock went to lope ahead of him, ensuring Crowley remained at the head of the pack. He moved forward and to the left decisively, then stopped, one paw raised, staring intently like a pointer. He looked over his shoulder toward Wensleydale, then forward again, and dropped back a pace, encouraging Wensleydale to advance, nose busy. He crept slowly toward whatever Crowley had found for him. When Eric crept forward, catching up with Wensleydale, Crowley growled low, then gently grabbed hold of Eric’s tail tip and held him back, to let the younger wolf pursue the quarry alone. Wensleydale paused, all muscles quivering, nose twitching, then he crouched low, intently focussed on one patch of heather. Suddenly he leapt high, nose pointed down, and descended on top of the unseen target, like a fox leaping on rodents under snow. Evidently he miscalculated a fraction, as another pheasant exploded out of the undergrowth.  With a quick side-snap of his head, his jaws closed on its tail, but the momentum of the bird was enough to keep it going, and Wensleydale was left with nothing but a mouthful of long tail feathers, as the now bald-tailed bird flew for its life with a raucous cry. Wensleydale spat the feathers out in disgust, but Crowley came forward and licked his muzzle consolingly, and led the way on to find the next target. Off to the right, Anathema let out a short yip, casting about around where she was standing, and calling the rest of the pack over. From context, it seemed that the pack had picked up not just one potential snack this time, but a group of them. With innate understanding, the pack began to circle around where the scent was strongest, surrounding the area that Anathema had pinpointed, all of them tense and excited. Aziraphale noticed that the older wolves were holding back, and letting the youngsters take the lead to give them confidence. Aziraphale was starting to pick up on scents better now, and it seemed that it was still more pheasants - a little cluster of them hiding, unseen, under the ground cover, where they would cower down until the last moment. You almost had to stand on them before they’d panic and flee. This time the young wolves knew what to expect, and were adjusting their approach accordingly. They waited for Pepper to make the first move - she pounced, grabbing a bird for herself as another few took off, right into the waiting jaws of the other wolves, in a frenzy of snapping jaws, and while Warlock missed his first bite, Adam snatched that bird from above his head, then Brian managed to get the next one in the chaos. Aziraphale applauded to see six of the pack with birds in their jaws, while only one of the birds got away, and every one of the teens managed to catch one. Once their birds had stilled, the young wolves dropped them between their paws and raised their voices to howl with joy, and the rest of the pack joined in. “If you’re still full from brunch, I can take those for you and carry them home,” Aziraphale offered. The wolves wagged their tails and carried their prizes up to her one by one. Having learned from Angela how to bind the birds together for easier carrying, she shouldered them over her sensible tweed jacket.

They walked on, pausing now and then as Aziraphale took photos of the stunning views, and photos of the pack enjoying themselves, but then Crowley picked up something interesting on the air. He raised his head, and called to the pack to stop, lest the front runners cross and confuse the trail ahead. He chivvied the youngsters back toward Aziraphale, then, with an unspoken gesture, summoned Dagon and Furfur, who flanked either side of him, spreading out to help pinpoint the direction of the scent easier. Dagon stopped, tail high, so Crowley and Furfur came over and they continued forwards, with the rest of the pack creeping forward behind them only slowly. Clearly confident that the hunt was on, Crowley paused, and everyone stopped. He changed, not into his human form, but his crinos one, in which not only was he larger, but he could also speak. “Dagon and Furfur are going to head this one and show the youngsters what to do. It’s reindeer, a few of them, a good fresh trail, and there’s a good chance of us getting more than one if we split into a couple of groups. The youngsters will get first go, then Muriel, Maggie, Uriel, Eric, and Newt - you take the next, then the rest of us will take the last, and then any others we might get chance of after that.” He turned to Aziraphale. “Ready to have fun?” He dropped to all fours, still enormous. “Climb on,” he grinned. “What… ride you?” Aziraphale exclaimed. “... Like a horse?”“Yup. This way you get to join in on the fun as well - your first hunt.”“You’re sure?”“Of course, come on. I’ve wanted to give you a ride for ages, but I can’t exactly run around easily in crinos form in the park at home can I?”Aziraphale ensured the bundle of pheasants was held securely over her shoulder, then gingerly climbed aboard Crowley’s intimidatingly huge crinos frame, sinking her fingers into his thick fur. Once she was on board, Crowley let out a low howl, and the pack moved off.

Riding a werewolf was nothing like riding a horse or pony, Crowley seemed to flow over the ground, surging forwards, muscles rippling, easily keeping pace with the rest in their pure wolf forms easily, especially as he was so much larger than them in his crinos shape, and could cover the ground more easily. In fact he was holding back on purpose, to allow the first group to take the lead. The pack was moving at a steady lope which was an easy, free-flowing gait which could eat up the miles with very little energy, saving their real speed for when the hunt itself began. Soon, Aziraphale could pick up the scent they were following as well, and it was growing stronger - a small herd of reindeer. Soon they breasted a hill, and there they were below the pack. The deer raised their heads in alarm, and began to run. The pack split into three. The youngsters at the front, running alongside the deer, eyeing them up to identify the weakest individual to target, while Muriel’s group ran on the other side, preventing them from turning, and keeping the herd running straight exactly as they wanted them, also selecting a second target from the middle section of the herd. Crowley’s group brought up the tail end, with a good choice of targets from the slowest deer. An elderly doe in particular seemed to have attracted their attention, her footfalls weren’t regular, with a slight drop of the shoulder on each stride - an obvious choice for a cull. Aziraphale’s wolfish instincts were alive with excitement to be part of things. She’d been worried that carrying her extra weight would have hampered Crowley and slowed him down, but had underestimated just how much stronger he was in this shape, so she didn’t affect his speed at all. She felt like she was waking up an ancient memory, as if she’d done this before, long ago, in a previous life, on her own four paws. She was focussed entirely on the weakest doe, and her mouth watered. She felt the instinct to bite, to feel the meat between her teeth, and to use her strength to hold it until the struggles stopped…… She could feel it now more than ever: she was a wolf. She belonged. Seeing the herd trying to veer to the right, Crowley called out and Muriel’s group surged forwards, straightening up the column as they stampeded down the hill and leapt over a small brook. Crowley sailed over it as if he were flying, then they saw Adam and Pepper flanking their chosen target, an older male, harrying him away from the group, snapping at his heels, then Warlock lunged at the soft underbelly and held on grimly, then Brian grabbed a back leg, and the deer staggered, slowed, and stopped, snorting. Adam was on its nose straight away, and Pepper seized its throat, then Wensleydale snapped at a foreleg to stop the deer from lashing out with that, and finally Dagon grabbed the other rear leg, keeping the rest of the wolves safer from kicks. Aziraphale saw the second group were bringing down their target, and seeing that both of those were successful, only then did Crowley’s group close in on their lame doe. She ducked and dived, but was tiring fast. Crowley was holding back to allow his pack members to get the chance to take her down. He paused, and crouched low. “Time to get off, this will get messy,” he told Aziraphale, then once she’d dismounted, he lunged forwards toward the thrashing reindeer, as Ligur held her by the throat, and he tore into her soft underbelly, ripping into the intestines and in toward the heart and lungs to put an end to it quickly, then began devouring the choicest pieces. The soft innards would have to be removed even if they stored the rest of the carcass anyway, so all three groups were now growling and ripping into their catches, while the surviving herd had come to a stop a quarter of a mile away, standing on a hill watching them, their exhausted breaths and sweat-soaked hides causing a cloud of steam to rise off them into the air. Muriel let go of their team’s deer, and eyed up the group on the hill, but Dagon spotted and yipped over at Muriel to let them know not to try their luck on a fourth kill. They’d been amazingly lucky to get more than one as it was, but that was presumably a testament to Crowley’s pack’s teamwork and experience, particularly in how they’d trained the new pack members, and set them up for success, with the other two teams as a back-up in case the first missed. Crowley was growling as he devoured his favourite pieces of their kill, and while the others maintained the same grip on the carcass that they’d used to bring it down, none dared let go to start eating, especially as their alpha was in his crinos shape and his blood lust was fully up. Only once he finally lifted his head and began to lick his lips clean, did the others let go and rush forward to take their share of the organ meat. Crowley picked something up from between his paws and carried it over to Aziraphale, presenting her with a small token chunk of liver, placing it carefully at her feet. “Oh thank you darling, but you have it for me,” Aziraphale told him, understanding the custom, it was a symbolic gesture. Crowley winked at her and gulped it down. It was the thought that counted, and they both knew it. He then sat by her side, cleaning his face, while they waited for the others to finish gutting their own kills. Once they had, Crowley stood and called out to them. “Right, that’ll do for the day, three volunteers, take crinos form and carry the carcasses back to the cabin for the chiller. One of them will go to the host pack so I’ll let them know so someone can come and collect the tithe. In fact one of you can take the pheasants from Aziraphale too, so she can have a comfier ride home.”The teens offered to carry the deer and birds back, all excited to have killed their first deer. It wasn’t the red deer they had their heart set on, but it was still an unexpected thrill, and they had nearly two weeks to realise that dream. Aziraphale congratulated them all, and was interested to see what the teens looked like in their crinos form - as she hadn’t seen them take that shape before. They still clearly looked younger than the others, and their muscle wasn’t as bulked up yet, but they were close. She climbed onto Crowley’s back again and they returned to the cabins at a steady, ground-covering trot.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When they got back to the cabin, Angela had laid and lit the log fire, and had drinks ready for everyone. She had mixed up a refreshing herbal drink from a mix that Anathema had left for her, which she’d put out in several large bowls ready for the pack, knowing they’d likely be enjoying remaining wolf-shaped for as long as possible during their holiday. Angela’s face lit up to see them returning with so many kills from their very first outing, and offered to help them finish cleaning up the carcasses to store them properly. They laid one out on the patio for dinner later that evening, then the pack began diving into the heated pool and swimming around - either in wolf or crinos shape, enjoying the water, while Crowley joined them for a while, he then climbed into the hot tub instead and lay back with a contented sigh. Aziraphale had never seen him look so relaxed in his crinos form before. “I’m going to get my swimming costume, then I’ll join you,” she bent over to whisper in his ear, then kissed his cheek, and headed to her room to change. The water was wonderfully relaxing, and watching the pack play in the pool, chasing balls and splashing one another was a joy. She felt sad that Shax had to miss it, having remained at home in charge of the territory until they got back, but Crowley promised that Shax had volunteered, and would get to come with them next time while someone else remained in charge. It was a badge of honour to be asked to keep watch over the den while the alpha was away. Aziraphale relaxed against Crowley’s sturdy warmth in the hot tub, and he nuzzled into her neck. “Steady on,” she murmured. “We’re not alone, remember?” “But you smell so good,” Crowley whined, licking her with the tip of his tongue playfully. “You did say when you spend more time in your crinos form, you get a little more… feisty,” she nudged him with a giggle. Crowley grumbled slightly, but immediately changed back into a human shape, then hugged her. “You’re right,” he agreed. “Darling, you’re naked,” she reminded him. “I was before as well. Everyone is except for you, and Angela indoors. Nobody minds, least of all out here, besides the bits humans get embarrassed about are under the water.”Aziraphale realised that things had been getting quieter, and the other pack members were starting to drift away - leaving the pool to explore the garden, or ambling indoors, until, almost by accident, they’d left their alpha and omega alone. “They do have a knack for that, don’t they?” Aziraphale whispered, “Yup,” Crowley agreed, and began to tug at her swimming costume, pulling the straps off her shoulders. “They’re good at knowing when a bit of alone time is needed.”“We should make the most of it,” she suggested, wriggling her hips to help Crowley slip her costume down her thighs and off. “Right as always,” he agreed, then sat back and tugged her onto his lap. “Did you enjoy your first hunt today then?”“Absolutely, but especially my prize at the end,” she murmured, and settled herself down onto him, letting out a filthy little moan as she did. “Remind me to install a hot tub on the roof when we get home,” Crowley panted, getting into his stride.

They sat together in the hot tub holding one another and exchanging gentle kisses afterwards for a while, before disentangling. Crowley flowed into his wolf shape as he climbed out of the hot tub, shook his fur off, then went to retrieve a towel and brought it back for Aziraphale as she stepped out, for her to wrap up in to go indoors. “Thank you, darling.” Aziraphale bent over and kissed the top of his head. “Although perhaps we should get you some shampoo, you’re smelling a little like a wet dog.”Crowley growled a little at the insult, then shook himself again, and sniffed theatrically, and sneezed, then play bowed and grabbed the corner of her towel in his teeth and tugged it off, bounding away and dragging it along. “Hey!”Crowley wagged his tail, and backed off a little more. “I refuse to play naked tug of war with a towel,” Aziraphale said, crossing her arms primly across her bust. Crowley dropped his tail, then carried the towel back and lifted his head to hand it back to her. She took it with a smile and wrapped up again. “Thank you.” Crowley trotted after her as she walked indoors, occasionally gently grabbing a corner of the towel as he went, carrying it along but not tugging at it. Once indoors, Crowley leapt into the shower and stood expectantly. It took Aziraphale a moment to realise he was actually waiting for his wolf fur to be shampooed, as washing his human shape didn’t help when he wasn’t covered in fur at the time, so she stepped in and washed him then conditioned her own hair. She got out again and towelled herself dry, but Crowley stepped out of the shower, grinned, then shook vigorously, absolutely soaking her all over again. Aziraphale gasped out in alarm.“You’ve got me all wet!”Crowley re-took his human shape with a devious cackle. “Yeah, I’m good at that,” he winked. “Anthony J. Crowley, you are an absolute FIEND!”He wrapped her in a hug and kissed her. “Yup, it’s why you love me, remember?”Crowley raised his head and sniffed the air. He went through to the bedroom and tugged on some trousers. “I think our host is on his way, smell that?”Aziraphale inhaled deeply, pulling on her own clothes.“Car? An old car? It smells like the Bentley… Oh. Yes, and I smell a beta.” There was the honk of an old car horn and the crunching of tyres on gravel. Crowley headed out of the front door with an easy smile, and waved. An old Land Rover 130 crew cab pulled up. It was in camouflage colours and splattered with mud. The smell of game and meat came from the empty load bed which must be used to carry stags, pheasants, and grouse. A tall muscular beta stepped out, dressed in tweed trousers, Barbour jacket, and Hunter wellingtons. “You must be Crowley,” he called out with a friendly wave. “I’m Rory.”“Yeah, Cameron said you might be stopping by.”“How are you finding the place?”“Fantastic thanks.”“Your type twos got everything they need as well? I can do a run to the shops in the morning if there’s anything I can pick up for you while I’m down the village?”“We’re ok, but thanks. I texted Cameron that we got three reindeer today, you here to collect one?”“Yup, unless you’d rather wait until the end of the week then pick what you’d like to hand over?”“No, it's fine. We got some pheasants too, would you like any?”“No, you can keep all of those, sometimes it feels like we have pheasant three meals a day, we have more than enough of those, so keep as many as you like. We farm those here and have a hatchery on the big farm, then we release them once they’re old enough to survive on their own. They really thrive on the estate.”Crowley invited him in, and Rory gave Aziraphale a polite nod, but kept a respectful distance, as she’d noticed when they met Mutt’s pack. Crowley led him down to the cooler where the two remaining reindeer carcasses were hung, and Rory hefted one easily over his shoulder, despite being in human form, then carried it upstairs and slung it into the bed of the Land Rover, then turned to Crowley again who had followed him out. “If you check the OS map and head over to the Cullachie side, that’s the way we’ve tracked the red deer most recently so you should be able to pick up a trail there.”“Thanks, we’ll check it out.”“Glad your pups got their first deer on their first day though,” he grinned with a wink. “You knew they were there too,” Crowley said, "I could smell you around before I got their trail.”“We may have given them a bit of a nudge to push them closer to the cabins the night before,” Rory agreed. “Call it a welcome gift. When you said the pups had never been allowed to hunt much before, we wanted to help start their holiday with a bang. You have a nice week, call us if we can help with anything, have fun, and goodnight.”“Will do, night.”Rory trundled off down the track in the Land Rover, and Crowley went back to the patio where they’d laid out the other carcass for dinner, and let out a few short barks to call the rest of the pack for food, while Aziraphale and Angela had some roasted pheasant. After dinner, the wolves carried various bones back to the den to chew on, and Aziraphale changed into some pyjamas and joined them, interested to see how comfortable it might be, and deciding she could always return to her bed in the cabin if she found it not to her tastes. But once curled up amongst the pile of warm furry bodies, and lying on the soft fragrant meadow hay and heather, after the excitement of the day, she found herself falling asleep quickly, and feeling utterly content. She may not be able to change into a wolf, but they were right - sleeping amongst her new family in a natural den felt so incredibly right, that she slept the best she had in years.

Aziraphale dreamed of being a wolf. She felt pine needles crunch under her paws, Crowley was pacing at her side as they travelled through the forest, the drifting map of scents flowed through her sensitive nose, more real than the image her eyes gave her. She closed her eyes and saw the world entirely through smell. It was tantalising - everything formed a 3D map before her, she could see in stereo - scents left and right, high and low, close and far, fresh and old.  She could triangulate a squirrel seven feet up in a pine tree to her right - a female. The scent of a hedgehog’s resting place below some tree roots behind her on the left, currently vacant, for a few hours at least. She smelled five deer had passed across the trail ahead, left to right, three does, two fawns, an hour ago perhaps. She opened her eyes. Crowley trotted ahead with his casual, hip-swinging gait as distinct in his wolf shape as in his human one, and just as tantalising. She couldn’t help but drink in the musk of his sex hungrily, and whined, speeding up a little. She darted ahead of him and swung her hindquarters in front of his face, her tail lifted over his head. He nosed her briefly but then trotted on, so she followed. They picked up their pace, moving into a ground-covering lope, eating up the miles easily side by side, and then broke out of the tree line, and up through scratchy gorse and thick heather to a hill overlooking a long, clear loch below. Crowley sat down, tipped his head back, and howled. Aziraphale followed suit, her voice rising alongside his in a beautiful duet…

Aziraphale woke, confused, to Crowley licking her face, looking concerned in the dim light of the den, still surrounded by warm bodies, who were mostly awake now as well and equally confused and concerned, heads tipped on one side and regarding Aziraphale in puzzlement. Muriel nudged her shoulder with a wet nose. Crowley shifted into a human shape and reached out to stroke Aziraphale’s cheek. “Are you alright love? You were howling in your sleep.”“I was? Sorry, I was dreaming…”“Don’t apologise, you have a beautiful voice. What were you dreaming?”“That I was one of you.”“You are one of us, gorgeous."“No, I mean a wolf. A type one, we were wolves together, running through the forest, it was beautiful.”Crowley beamed. “The more time you spend with your own kind, the more your inner wolf wakes up, and your body and mind remember what it is to be a wolf.”“Would I ever get the ability to change?” She sounded hopeful, but Crowley looked sad. “I’m afraid not, that’s not how it works, but you can still join in with us as much as your human shaped body allows, and none of us would ever make you feel any the less for it. You can act as wolfish as you feel, and no one will laugh, or make you feel silly. I promise.”There were whimpered noises of gentle agreement from around them, and affectionate licks and nudges from many noses as the pack showed their support too. “Thank you all,” Aziraphale told them, and hugged as many furry bodies as she could reach.

They lay in the den together a while longer before the wolves gradually began to rouse and stretch, bowing and yawning wide, toes spread, tail in the air, and then shifting their weight to their fore-paws, tucking their chins to their chests, and stretching first one, then the other hindleg out behind them. Then they’d lick their muzzles and head to the exit that led out into the forest clearing, meandering off to the designated areas for toileting. It was a courtesy thing as much as anything - they could, in theory - soil anywhere they pleased, and could if they needed to, but it was important not to act as if you were scent marking and laying a claim on the area, when they were just visitors. The host pack, not to mention subsequent guests from other packs, could be made to feel uncomfortable if it smelled like another pack had been laying claim to the place. Aziraphale used the other exit to go to the cabin, where she washed and dressed for the day, in rugged layers again in case the weather grew unseasonably chilly or wet when it got overcast. Then she woke Angela with a cup of coffee, and set about preparing breakfast for the whole pack. She laid out portions in stainless steel food bowls on the floor, making sure to serve Crowley’s first. Then she took the pheasants from yesterday to the back porch and sat there with Angela plucking the feathers out, before cleaning the birds and chopping them into quarters and packing them in a cool bag to pass around as snacks for the wolves for lunch later. Finally she made some sandwiches for herself and Angela, who wanted to join in on the hunt today as well instead of staying at the cabin again. Once everyone was ready, Uriel and Crowley took their crinos forms so that Aziraphale and Angela could ride alongside the pack, so they wouldn’t feel like they were slowing them down with a human walking pace, then they set off towards the area of the estate where Rory had said they’d last spotted the resident red deer herd.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The pack moved at a steady pace through the forested area immediately surrounding the cabins, gaining altitude and then breaking out of the tree line and heading on up onto the moors. Although they scented pheasant and grouse along the way, they ignored these in favour of finding something better this time, and Crowley yipped at the younger wolves to get them back on track whenever they got distracted. The host pack had occasional marker posts left out at key points of their territory around the estate, wooden stakes with scent marks, and location names carved and painted into them as reference points to aid in navigation. Crowley found one and sniffed it, then changed course afterward and set off Northwards, down the hill, and splashing along a shallow burn for a while. The pack paused to drink the fresh, peaty water, and Aziraphale tried some as well - it was delicious, refreshing, and icy cold. Crowley paused again a short time later, inspecting some hoof prints in the mud - they were deer, but roe, not red. They had the option to simply follow the new trail instead, and he briefly considered it, but he’d promised the pack red deer, and he was determined to give them that experience if he could, so he left the tracks, and soldiered on. After a couple of hours they paused in the lee of some gorse bushes by another burn, drank, and laid down for a while to rest. Aziraphale unshouldered the cool bag and passed each wolf a serving of pheasant, then washed her hands in the stream and had a sandwich, watching curlews fly overhead. Suddenly Angela clapped a hand to her shoulder. “Aziraphale, look! Up there! A golden eagle!”Aziraphale squinted, mistaking the silhouette for a red kite at first, or a buzzard, until seeing the distinctive shape. She watched, fascinated, as it circled high over their heads, and then stooped sharply, landing in the gorse somewhere a few hundred yards away, presumably having pounced on its own lunch. After a while, some pale feathers puffed into the wind and blew away from the spot where they’d seen it land in the undergrowth, likely feathers it was plucking out of the bird it had killed before it began to eat. The pack stood and prepared to move on, so the type twos took their seats on Crowley and Uriel once more, and they rode on, as the overcast sky began to clear and let the sunshine through better. Maggie, off to the right, paused, and began to circle, nose to the ground and tail flagging high in the air, catching the attention of the rest, who began to move closer. The older wolves who had hunted red deer before confirmed what she’d found, and they cast about to find the freshest direction of the trail. Adam was proud to pick it up a little to the left and ahead, and so the pack spread out and criss-crossed the trail until they had a good heading, and sped up, moving with a silent determination now. It took longer than Aziraphale had thought, but eventually Eric paused, head up, staring fixedly on the horizon. Everybody else froze once they spotted his posture, and looked the same way. On a ridge, first Aziraphale saw just the head of a single stag - but not the archetypical “monarch of the glen” full rack of antlers atop his head - it was the wrong time of year for that - instead he had peculiar, thick, lumpy growths atop his head still covered in thick velvet, which wouldn’t be shed until the antlers had finished growing and all the tines had hardened in the autumn ready for the rut. Then his head went down again - they were downwind and evidently he hadn’t seen them yet. Another head came up, another, younger stag, with short, velvet-covered spikes, probably in his first year, no more than prickles. Another head rose, chewing - a doe this time, then both heads went down again. Without the heads outlined against the horizon, it was hard to pick out their well-camouflaged bodies against the background of the vegetation, unless you concentrated, and waited for them to move. The pack split into three - a couple of youngsters and a couple of old hands in each group. One split off to the left to flank out and around the deer from that side - aiming to get ahead of them and lay in wait. Another group split off to the right to go and hold position there, while the last - Crowley’s group - lay down to wait for the other two to get into position, and then, when enough time had passed, began to move forward in a straight line, still downwind, but now keeping low to the ground. Muriel remained right at the very back of Crowley’s group, and had to work hardest at keeping hidden by vegetation or the other wolves - as Muriel’s natural bright white fur was not well suited to remaining hidden on anything but a snow-covered winter hunt. It was painstaking, slow work, which got more difficult the closer they got to the deer. They couldn’t rush, and had to pause frequently to check the body language of the herd, to ensure they hadn’t been spotted. At one point, Crowley’s entire group had to freeze, then lie down stock-still for a good twenty minutes. Each time, Aziraphale and Angela lay low and clung tight to their wolves’ fur, grateful for choosing natural coloured tweeds and wool which didn’t stand out against the natural environment. Aziraphale began to think that a ghyllie-suit might be even better in future. When they got closer still, Muriel stopped altogether, and lay down in a patch of bracken, staying back to give the rest of the pack a better chance without their bright white fur blowing their cover. “Should I get off now?” Aziraphale whispered close in Crowley’s ear, but he gave a subtle shake of his head. They continued to creep forwards.

Because they were still downwind, it wasn’t Crowley’s group which first caught the herd’s attention, but all of a sudden, all their heads shot up at once, looking away from them, and towards the first group who had circled around, ensuring the herd was pinned between two groups, each of whom could split further to encircle them whichever way they stampeded. They’d picked up the scent of Furfur’s group, they snorted, spun, and fled, directly toward Crowley’s group. The herd wasn’t large, but they were much faster than the reindeer had been, incredibly agile, bounding toward them. Crowley’s group stayed low, then she spied Ligur’s group off to the side burst out of the bracken, splitting in two directions to start to encircle that third to head them off, but still Crowley remained in a crouch, muscles trembling, laser-focussed on the movement ahead. Aziraphale clung on for dear life, anticipating that when he moved, it was going to be sudden and incredibly fast. Then he was up, leaping high and the rest of the wolves with him, splitting left and right to cut off both directions, and the herd was spooked, turning to circle back the way they came in confusion, with the first group, whose scent had startled them in the first place, spread wide to cut off the final third of the circle. Not fast enough though, there was still a wide gap to the left where the deer could get out before any wolves could catch up, and they made a dash for it, managing to break through and away. So instead of managing to completely surround the herd, the pack was left giving chase, meaning the hunt was going to be a lot slower than they’d hoped. As they ran, a few of the pack decided to shift into their crinos forms as well, bounding along with longer strides thanks to their larger size, but most remained as regular wolves. The deer may have been faster, but the wolves had more stamina, and could continue to trail them until the deer began to tire and slow down. And so the pursuit dragged on, the pack seemed content to follow patiently, knowing that eventually the herd would slow and stop, then make a last stand, when they’d be able to pick them off. But things were not going to go to plan. A marker post came and went unnoticed, until a howl from behind them caught Aziraphale’s attention. She looked back and saw Muriel, who had picked up the pursuit behind them now their fur colour was no longer an issue, but Muriel had also paused to inspect the marker post, and was now redoubling their pace, sprinting flat out to catch up with Crowley, changing into crinos form in the last few strides so they could speak to him. “Road…” they panted. “Edge… estate…” they swallowed. “Quarter mile.”Crowley looked conflicted, they hadn’t been running long enough for the perimeter fence to be enough to stop the deer, who could easily leap over it once they reached the road. Technically, so could the wolves, but they absolutely could not be in wolf, and certainly not crinos, shape outside the safety of the host pack’s territory. All it would take would be one human in a car passing by seeing them to blow their cover, and the guest lodge rules were strict about not being seen as a wolf by members of the public beyond the boundaries of the estate. They weren’t fast enough to catch up and overtake to turn the herd, so if they didn’t get them before the fence, they’d lose them. He kept running. There was a chance. The tall wire perimeter fence loomed in the distance surprisingly fast. Crowley called out for the pack to back off, and they stopped running, hoping the deer would turn at the fence instead of jumping, then they waited. The deer jumped, each sailing easily over the wire, skittering across the road, leaping the dry stone wall on the other side, and disappearing into the fields beyond. Crowley lay down, panting hard, and Aziraphale rolled off him to let him breathe easier. The rest of the pack stood, chests heaving, tongues lolling. The chase had been thrilling, but even Aziraphale knew that you couldn’t be successful on every hunt. Once the pack had got their breaths back, Crowley sat up. “It’s only the second day, we’ve got nearly two weeks to bag one, we’ll find others, or that lot might find their way back into the estate in their own time.” He looked around. “We’re a long way from the cabins. We could camp out here tonight and start looking for others over this side of the estate later tonight, or in the early morning. This side is furthest from the host camp’s home, so I’d guess they don’t hunt over this side as often as they do closer to home. So we have more chance of finding more game here. Not worth going all the way back to the cabins, only to slog all the way out here again tomorrow to search.” He turned to Aziraphale and Angela. “Are you alright camping out with us here tonight? If not, then Muriel could carry both of you back to the cabins.”“I’d like to stay with you,” Aziraphale insisted. “Angela?”“I’d prefer to go back, if that’s alright, would you mind, Muriel?”“Not a problem at all,” Muriel beamed, forgetting just how big and intimidating their teeth were in their crinos shape. “I’d have to hold back on a hunt anyway, I’m too visible, I don’t mind taking you home, I can hunt some smaller food closer to the den.”“Ok,” Crowley said. “Muriel, carry Angela back. Eric, scout out to the West, find us a water source. Anathema, North, Newt, South, and Uriel, East. The rest of you scout between those directions, find us options for a good sheltered spot to den for the night, then we’ll go with whichever den and water source are closest together.”

They located a clearing in a wooded area downslope near a water source. Crowley sent the youngest out with Ligur and Anathema to catch some easier game, and some others to fetch firewood, then he and the last of them collected soft grass and heather to make a comfortable bed in a scraped out hollow, shielded on three sides by tree roots, where they could curl up to sleep later around Aziraphale to keep her warm and cosy. After a while, the pack members returned, laid a fire, and made things tidy and comfortable for Aziraphale’s sake, as most of the home comforts they set up, the wolves had no need for. When the last of the pack returned with some rabbits and grouse, they set about skinning, gutting, and cleaning them, then skewered them over the fire to roast. Aziraphale enjoyed a delicious wild-caught and wild-cooked dinner, while the wolves enjoyed eating their meat roasted as much as raw, and polished off every scrap left over. Aziraphale worried that it wasn’t enough food for them all, but Crowley explained that it was better for them to be hungry on a hunt, and it was a good incentive to make the next day a success. Once everyone had eaten, the wolves set up the den, inviting Aziraphale to curl up on the soft heather mattress they’d created, then Crowley curled up next to her in his crinos form still - far larger than his wolf shape, with thick warm fur to cuddle up to. After that, Anathema, Maggie, Dagon, Uriel, and Pepper began to pile themselves around and over the top of her, like enormous soft fur weighted blankets. Finally, the rest of the pack piled in around and over them, until if anything, Aziraphale was starting to feel a little too warm, and stuck an arm and leg out of the pile to cool down a little. Once again, her inner wolf was content to sleep as they did, and she felt more loved and cared for than ever.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Aziraphale woke to a smaller pile of wolves than when she’d fallen asleep. Dagon had wriggled out of the pile and re-lit the fire, and was roasting a grouse over it, sitting in her crinos form, where she had clawed hands instead of paws, and had more dexterity. When Brian nosed forward with interest, Dagon snarled and warned him off. “This is for Aziraphale’s breakfast,” she told him. “You’ll have to catch your own food today like the rest of us.”

Aziraphale was grateful for the consideration, and extracted herself from the pile of waking wolves to sit next to the fire until the grouse was ready.

Once everyone was ready, and the impromptu campsite returned to rights, the fire extinguished, water poured over the coals, and then pine needles scattered over everything else to return it to how they found it, Crowley invited Aziraphale to ride again, and they set off through the wooded area, seeking out new scents.

While they didn’t find any red deer scent, they soon picked up on something else - the wild boar which the host pack had said they had some of on the estate. They were feral and escaped from farmed populations. They hadn’t been native to the British Isles since the 17th Century, but seemed to be taking off again in some remote areas, and adapting well.

The pack had free rein to take as many as they liked, but it was a risky proposition - they were notoriously ferocious, and extremely fast. Crowley hadn’t hunted them before, and was worried about the younger wolves getting injured. Instead he positioned them at the back of the pack, and warned them only to come to the front once the older wolves had already pinned one, if they did indeed catch up with one. He also warned them not to go after piglets under any circumstances - not just because it was a waste of energy and the little blighters were too fast, but because a furious sow would stop at nothing to defend them, and could be more vicious than an adult boar without offspring to protect.

“Wensleydale, you take crinos form and carry Aziraphale for me. Your job is to keep her safe, stay at the back of the pack, and if things go wrong, I want you to turn around and run away FAST, got it? Our omega’s safety is in your paws.”

Wensleydale nodded seriously, and took his crinos form. He was the smallest of the pack, and he didn’t look disappointed to be asked not to go head-to-head with a wild boar, so he was probably one of the more sensible members as well. He also looked both shy and proud to have been tasked with Aziraphale’s safety.

“In fact, all of you - everyone take crinos form - boar are not to be trifled with and we need all the size and power and resilience at our disposal for this one. It’s a challenge, but it’s not one I want to deny you the opportunity to try.”

Ground rules set, the rest of the pack shifted into their huge monstrous crinos shapes, looking serious. They followed the trail. Crowley explained he was hoping they could catch a sow, as the boars themselves would be afflicted by ‘boar taint’ and have an unpleasant taste to the meat. The wolves wouldn’t be as bothered by it, but it was distasteful to humans and type twos, and a nice tasting sow would be better for everyone to enjoy.

The scent built up rapidly as they followed the trail. Aziraphale could feel Wensleydale’s apprehension and his tense, nervous gait, and was glad to be behind all her pack-mates for protection.

It didn’t take long to find the source of the smell - a boar and three sows. Two sows fled immediately, startled, but one sow and the boar stood their ground and made threatening noises. Crowley headed the charge and the pack closed in. It said much about the boar’s confidence that even faced with an entire pack of werewolves, he didn’t feel the need to flee.

The boar spun on the spot, head slashing left and right with his vicious tusks, as the pack tried to dart around to grab at his hind legs, and the other half of the pack went for the remaining sow - the other two having disappeared into the forest. Wensleydale, with Aziraphale on board, held back nervously, keeping out of the way of the action. When the snarling, grunting melee of wolf and boar crashed towards them, Wensleydale sidestepped then turned and ran a few yards further back to keep clear, before turning again to watch, but still poised to start running again if needed.

Dagon had grabbed the hock of the boar, and stopped it spinning, while Uriel grabbed an ear. Eric went for a foreleg, and Brian bravely charged in to go for the belly, as Crowley went for the throat - closest to the sharp tusks. The squeals were deafening, but soon both groups had their quarry pinned to the ground in several places, and the squeals silenced.

Crowley held on grimly to the boar’s throat to make sure it was really dead, snarling, while Anathema had the sow with her group. Only once they were certain the job was finished, did Crowley finally relinquish his grip, then sat back and howled in triumph, with the rest of the pack joining in, re-taking their smaller wolf shapes as they did. Crowley remained crinos however, and sniffed at the carcasses, looking thoughtful.

“We’ll gut them here,” he announced, “and carry both back to the cabins. We’ll need to give one to our hosts, I’m just wondering if it would be rude to give them the boar and keep the sow for ourselves, I don’t want to insult their hospitality.”

“Well you said that you don’t mind the taste of male boar,” Aziraphale chipped in. “So eat that one and gift the sow.”

“But you wouldn’t like the taste,” Crowley objected.

“I don’t mind giving it a miss, besides, you might catch another sow before the week is up.”

Crowley nodded, then appointed two pack members to carry the boars home. He licked himself clean, and offered Aziraphale a ride home himself.

When they got home, Aziraphale had a nice relaxing bath, and was pleased that Muriel had prepared a nice big batch of stew and fresh-baked bread along with Angela. Everyone had a hearty dinner and retired to bed. Crowley nudged Aziraphale toward the large comfy bed in the bedroom, and followed her, rather than join the pack in the den, cuddling up next to her in his human shape, and both slept soundly.

She woke to Crowley spooned up behind her, rock hard and eager, so they made love, slow and languid, as dawn broke.

Over the next few days, the pack enjoyed roaming far and wide across the estate, determined to find the red deer. They caught a few other things, including some other deer species, and another sow, so they prepared it as a whole hog roast over a large barbeque fire pit in the garden, so Aziraphale and Angela got to enjoy some of the delicious meat.

Aziraphale had alternated joining them on their explorations, being carried by Crowley, or sometimes one of the other pack members, but sometimes she stayed behind at the cabin, lounging in the pool, or reading on the patio, or on the large comfy sofas in the lounge.

One evening, the pack were in the lounge watching a movie, some still in wolf shape, but several, including the youngest, in human shape for a change. Aziraphale heard some giggling from the next room, then Adam and Warlock came in, grinning widely.

“Crowley!” Adam called out, holding his cupped hands in front of him. “I caught one!”

“One what?” Crowley looked quizzical.

“A haggis! Just a little baby one, look!”

Crowley was now thoroughly confused, wondering what on earth the boys might have caught which they’d mistaken for an immature ‘haggis’, so he moved closer and peered in as Adam slowly opened his hands…

Things moved a bit too fast all of a sudden. Something brown and furry rocketed up out of Adam’s hands, and on sheer instinct, Crowley snapped at the small, rapidly-moving thing, but whatever it was lodged in his throat and he started coughing and spluttering. Warlock and Adam looked alarmed and began thumping him on the back, then Aziraphale leapt to her feet and gave him the heimlich manoeuvre, and the thing shot out of his mouth and fell on the floor.

It was a small brown furry pom-pom from a hat, to which Adam had stuck a little spring. He’d held it squashed in his hands so that when he opened them, the spring released and launched it up and out, then Crowley’s instincts had kicked in.

“You devious little

shits!”

Crowley yelled, but he was laughing as he said it. “When did you work it out?”

“We googled it on the drive up here and found out you were winding us up about it, so decided to get revenge. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, it’s exactly the kind of thing I’d have done.”

“We just meant to surprise you, we didn’t think you’d try to eat it,” Warlock apologised.

“Not your fault, I didn’t mean to either, but I’ve been hunting small, fast-moving furry things all week and I couldn’t help it - you see something dart in front of you like that, wolf brain just snaps at it.” He grinned and collapsed back on the sofa again, his head resting on Aziraphale’s lap. “And thank you for the first aid,” he told her. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Choke on haggis, apparently,” Aziraphale smiled, and stroked his hair.

The next day, Crowley took Aziraphale for a walk in the forest, just the two of them. He’d chosen to be human shaped today, and they walked hand in hand through the peaceful tranquillity of their surroundings. Crowley sniffed the air curiously, then shifted into wolf shape and followed his nose a little further, and dug by the roots of a tree, then re-took his human shape again and gently lifted something out of the soil, holding it up triumphantly.

“Truffle!” He exclaimed with excitement, “Look!”

Aziraphale inspected his prize in amazement. “We can grate that over some pasta or something to go with dinner - perhaps infuse the remainder in some good olive oil to make truffle oil to make it go further. What a find!”

“You might be able to find them too, here, get the scent of this…” He encouraged her to sniff it, to become familiarised with the scent, then he stepped back several paces and made encouraging motions. “Go on, I can smell another nearby, follow your nose, I bet you can get close.”

Aziraphale tried to ignore the scent of the one in his hands a few yards away now, and stepped in the direction he’d indicated. It was very faint, she ignored the hole where he’d dug up the first, and dropped onto hands and knees to get closer to the ground, then she picked up a faint whiff of the familiar scent. She moved toward it - another tree a couple of yards away, the smell growing stronger, and picked up a fallen piece of branch to start digging. She scraped away the fallen leaves and the topsoil, then worked a little deeper. Crowley rejoined her and took wolf form to help dig with his paws - and there it was: another truffle. He changed back and kissed her cheek.

“You did it! I told you you should be able to find it! You have a new skill, you can go truffling in the woods when you like, something you can enjoy doing while we run around as wolves! You could even sell some to restaurants.”

Aziraphale carefully extracted the second truffle, very proud of herself, then hugged Crowley happily.

“Now you know your sense of smell is better than humans, there’s other things you could help with if you ever wanted to - search and rescue, if the mood took you, you can probably, like us, also detect if someone has low blood sugar, or even cancer detection, and at least let people know to consult a doctor if you smell something suspicious. I’ve even heard of a woman who could smell Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, and cancer - I’ll bet she’s a type two as well, even if she isn’t aware of it. You could be like her.”

Crowley tugged his clothes on again which he’d wriggled out of when he changed, then stood and kissed his omega once more. “You’re wonderful.” He told her.

Aziraphale was thrilled at the prospect that she may be able to help others with her gift. She dusted off the truffles and pocketed them, then took Crowley’s hand again, and they walked on through the woodland.

Eventually they left the tree line at an escarpment which looked out over the glen below. The sun was out, warming everything, and turning a distant stream into a ribbon of shimmering gold. They sat down side by side and basked in the sunlight, admiring the stunning view.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Crowley asked quietly. “I feel like you’ve been having to take a back seat during this holiday, but I really wanted to treat the rest of the pack, especially the youngsters, they’ve never been given an opportunity like this before.”

“I’m having a wonderful time so long as I’m with you, darling,” Aziraphale reassured him. “And it’s lovely to see the young wolves enjoying themselves as well. I never knew just how thrilling it would be to be able to come along as part of the pack on a hunt, to feel what it’s like to be a wolf, to sleep in a den with you. A bed might be luxury, but for belonging - it feels good to be myself - the myself which I never knew existed before. It’s like there was a hole in my life, and I never knew what the puzzle piece was that would fill it and complete me, but now I do.”

Crowley beamed at that, he leaned in and kissed her softly.

“I’m glad. I want my beautiful Omega to feel like she belongs, I want to give you all the things you deserve...” He was trembling slightly, and took her hands in his, stroking her fingers with his thumbs. He seemed to be marshalling his thoughts, and swallowed, about to speak, then his brow furrowed, and he looked up and away sharply, nose twitching.

Aziraphale knew better than to make a sound. He’d smelled something important. His entire body tensed. He let go of her hands and crept forwards, head high, nose working hard, then froze, and looked down, focussing on a part of the glen below.

Then Aziraphale saw it - a small herd of red deer, with two stags with growing antlers in velvet.

“Aziraphale, can you find your way back to the cabin?” He whispered.

“Of course I can, darling, I can follow our trail.”

“Go get the pack, tell them to come quick, I’ll keep tabs on the deer until you get back.”

“Of course,” Aziraphale stood and headed back to the cabin as fast as she could, determined that the young wolves wouldn’t miss out on what might be their final chance of the trip to do what Crowley had promised them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Maggie had taken crinos form and offered to give Aziraphale a ride back to rendezvous with Crowley with the rest of the pack. They followed Aziraphale’s back trail and found Crowley still laying low, watching the small herd of red deer who hadn’t moved more than a few yards from when she’d left. Crowley addressed Ligur. “I want to let Maggie join in, so you take Aziraphale for me and head off to the West, there’s a rise up there which will place you two between the herd and the perimeter fence in that direction, plus you should have a good view looking down over the valley - you should be able to watch most of the pursuit from there, and if they do happen to turn towards you, you’ll be best placed to turn them back for us. You ok with that?”“Sure,” Ligur replied with an easy smile, shaking himself into his crinos form. “I’ve been doing this for years, I’ve hunted plenty myself, the newbies deserve a crack at it, enjoy yourselves.” Maggie re-took her regular wolf shape and joined the rest, then Crowley handed Aziraphale his bundle of clothes to keep hold of while he hunted in wolf shape. She folded them into a little bundle and into her bag. She’d grown accustomed to occasionally carrying clothing for Crowley or other pack members when they were in between shapes, either in, or slung over her bag, so it wasn’t unusual. Ligur carried Aziraphale off to the West, making a very wide detour so as not to be smelled, heard, or seen by the deer. The pack was patient, knowing it would be better to surround the group on more sides as they had before, which was easier given their position in a low-lying area, like a bowl surrounded by hills with good thick gorse cover to hide in, and thick bracken so they could crawl closer before charging. As Ligur got into position, and Aziraphale wished she’d thought to grab some binoculars, she couldn’t see any of the wolves except for a fleeting glimpse of white fur, holding back, which must be Muriel - presumably Crowley had sent them to block off another direction, rather than being part of the spearhead group, which would include the younger wolves. Ligur lay down and cautioned Aziraphale to keep her head down from the horizon as well just in case. They’d only stand up if needed to startle and turn the deer if they headed up toward the perimeter fence.

Patience was the key, but it felt like an hour before Aziraphale spotted movement which couldn’t be passed off as just random movements of foliage in the breeze. Every now and then she’d glimpsed vegetation moving, but never been able to see what caused it. Now she could finally see a wolf or two starting to lose cover, getting as close as they could to start with an ambush to reduce the amount of pursuit they should have to do. It looked like Uriel and Maggie, about ten yards apart. A few minutes later, more shapes became visible - Dagon, Eric, Newt, Anathema - then Furfur and Crowley, and with them, Pepper, Adam, Warlock, and off to their right, Brian and Wensleydale. They were spread fairly well in a circle around the herd, leaving only a sliver directly upwind to the last moment to close off - as that would be when there’d be no more hiding. The only reason Aziraphale could see them was because she was far higher up looking down into the glen below, but the deer had no such angle to see the danger creeping around and towards them, screened by the undergrowth. Aziraphale was frankly amazed at just how smoothly the pack had been able to get into position and close in on the unsuspecting deer without detection so far, but knew it wouldn’t last much longer, and sure enough, finally one of the stags smelled something, and his head shot up. He snorted, and stomped his hoof. All of the other deer looked in the same direction - upwind, where finally the wind had blown the wolf scent toward them. More wolves were downwind, waiting for exactly this moment - for one of those upwind to show themselves, causing a stampede directly into the path of the rest of the pack, ready to leap up and scatter the deer into confusion, and to bring one, or possibly more, down as they did. Crowley leapt up, flanked by the young wolves, with his more experienced pack members holding the line either side to keep the deer from fleeing past them this time - with the exception of the young stag who had no tines to his budding antlers yet - they purposefully let him go, knowing they should only take the older ones who had several years of breeding already taken care of. That way, the next generation would have an opportunity to take over.

(Art by JL Illustration. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 As the young buck bounded away, ignored by all, the rest of the herd weren’t so lucky. Adam and Pepper lunged for the biggest stag, with Brian following up by grabbing a hindleg, narrowly avoiding being kicked. Crowley spooked an old doe towards Warlock and Wensleydale, while Eric helped them secure her. Uriel managed to grab a third, and the rest of the pack piled on, with the commotion startling a grouse up out of the bracken, and Maggie leapt at it and brought it down more by luck than by judgement. Ligur and Aziraphale on the hill lifted their voices to howl with happiness to see their pack have such a successful hunt, and soon those in the glen below who weren’t actively still holding onto their prey, raised their voices as well. “Hop on,” Ligur said, then sprinted with Aziraphale down the hill to join them. She laughed, the wind in her blonde hair, and they caught up with the pack just as the deer were going slack. Adam lifted his head to howl, but Newt noticed his stag twitching once the young wolf had let go of its throat, and pounced on to grab it and finish the job, with a warning look at Adam for letting go too soon. Adam stopped howling and looked contrite. Crowley paced around the kills, sniffing and checking, then sat down in the middle of them all and changed into his crinos shape. “Well done everyone, that’s more than we could have hoped for, and good job on the bonus grouse, Maggie,” he grinned at her, and Maggie wagged her tail happily at the recognition. She picked up her grouse and carried it over to Crowley, laying it at his feet. “It’s ok, you keep it, you earned it,” he told her. “The rest of you, dig in - help yourself to the innards, then you youngsters can carry these three carcasses back to the cabin for dressing and hanging in the game larder.”The younger wolves immediately dived in to rip into their deer, but Warlock had the foresight to yank out the liver of the stag, and carried it over to present to Crowley, who nodded in thanks, and bit off a chunk, then tossed the rest back to him again. “Enjoy the rest,” Crowley told him. He turned to Aziraphale. “Would you like a taste?”“You have it for me, darling,” she replied. Crowley winked at her and devoured it ravenously.

Once they had gutted and field dressed the deer, Crowley told the pack to go on ahead and carry them back home, hanging back with Aziraphale. He moved over to the burn and washed his face and hands with the ice cold water, before taking his pile of clothing back from Aziraphale’s bag and changing back into a human shape to get dressed again. They sat side by side on the grass and watched some carrion crows who had been circling overhead descend to peck over any scraps left behind in the grass. “You just made their entire year, I think,” Aziraphale nodded after the specks in the distance which were the retreating pack. “I’ve never seen them so happy.”“It’ll be a memorable moment for them for sure,” he agreed. “It always is for a young wolf. I can’t believe their old alpha” (Aziraphale noted that Crowley disliked uttering the name ‘Gabriel’), “never taught them how to hunt properly, It’s part of who - of what - we are. It’s important to being a wolf. To deny them the opportunity to make their first big wild kill like that is just…” he fumbled for words, hands waving vaguely. “... It doesn’t make sense,” he finished. “How could you expect to raise a future alpha, or a future adult wolf of any type, without letting them BE a wolf? It’s almost like raising a human kid without allowing them the chance to learn to read or write. Sure you can do it, but they’ll miss out on so much of life without it.”“You’re a good alpha,” Aziraphale told him, resting her head on his shoulder. Crowley turned his head and kissed the top of hers tenderly. “Thanks, gorgeous.”He appeared to be thinking about something, then shifted awkwardly, and fumbled in his pocket, looking relieved when he found what he was looking for. “Thank fuck, I was worried it might have dropped out while you were carrying my clothes and being carried around at speed during all of that.” He paused, the thing hidden in his hands, and he appeared to be trembling slightly again. “I was going to do this earlier,” he said apologetically, “but then I sniffed out the deer.”He opened his hands, and revealed a small black velvet box, which he opened, while shifting to face Aziraphale on one knee. “Will you marry me Aziraphale? Like the humans do?”Aziraphale’s heart leapt into her mouth. Although they were already mated, and a pair in every way which mattered to wolfkind, and of course she knew that Crowley had bought her a ring at some point to fulfil her desire for a human wedding as well, she hadn’t known which ring he’d got, or when he had planned to propose. Of course doing so in the beautiful Scottish scenery on holiday was a perfect opportunity, and she should have seen it coming, but somehow it was still a surprise. “Of course I will!” Aziraphale exclaimed happily. Crowley took out the ring with shaking hands, and slid it onto her finger. Because they’d sized her ring finger already, it fit perfectly of course - no need for resizing. It was a beautiful gold ring with a larger diamond than she’d been looking at - because of course Crowley had decided to choose a bigger stone - the setting had a v shape at the bottom which resembled an open book cradling the diamond, with chips of sapphire around the edges, which Crowley said reminded him of her eyes. It glittered beautifully in the sunshine. Aziraphale admired it for a moment, then seized Crowley and kissed him for all she was worth.

They walked home hand in hand, not hurrying, but enjoying the day. Aziraphale lifted her head and sniffed off to her right. “Rabbit,” Crowley confirmed, having smelled it too. “Actually, I have an idea, stay here a second…”He changed into wolf form and wriggled out of his clothes again, then stalked after the scent in the thick grass. A few minutes and a brief commotion later, rabbits scattered in all directions, then Crowley emerged from a thicket of gorse with a large one held in his jaws. He changed back, and carried it slung over his shoulder. “I have a plan,” he told her. “You’re up to something devious again,” she said with a wry smile. “Naturally,” he grinned. “Revenge is a dish best served cold… and slightly furry.”

When they got home, Crowley took his rabbit off to the game larder, then grabbed something from the back of the fridge, and took it downstairs again with some scissors and string from the kitchen drawer. The rest of the pack were mostly relaxing in the garden, and looking forward to devouring the rest of one of their deer carcasses for dinner in a couple of hours. After a while, Crowley handed his mobile phone to Aziraphale and told her to video the young wolves playing in the garden. She sat down on a sun lounger with a good view out over the patio and the lawn, hiding the phone behind her book to discreetly watch. A minute or so later, there was a rustle in the undergrowth at the edge of the garden closest to Adam and Warlock, then a brownish-grey furry ball launched out of the hedge at high speed and bounced across the lawn between the two young wolves. It was about the size of a football and smelled gamey and meaty. But the young wolves, like Crowley before, simply fixated immediately on the small, rapidly-moving furball, and both of them pounced at the same time, almost bashing their heads together as they did. Adam took an undignified somersault over his nose, landing spread-eagled on the grass, while Warlock bit into the furry ball triumphantly, growling when Adam picked himself up and moved closer, sniffing. Warlock began tearing into the strange furry, meaty ball, clearly confused, and yet delighted at the taste, while Adam sat down, his head cocked on one side, looking puzzled. He reached out a paw and batted at the mangled thing experimentally, but Warlock growled at him again and bared his teeth. Adam drew his paw back, and glanced into the bushes. Crowley gave up hiding and sauntered out in human shape. “You caught a haggis then, lads?” He asked innocently. Just then, Warlock bit into the very centre of the raw haggis which Crowley had wrapped in the rabbit skin, and found the flaming hot Cheeto that he’d hidden in the middle. Warlock paused at the unexpected crunch, then yelped and leapt back, pawing at his tongue desperately, running backwards in circles as if trying to escape from his own mouth, whimpering. Crowley, not a complete bastard, reached back into the bush and pulled out a carton of milk, which he held out to Warlock, who changed back into a human shape to gulp at desperately, trying to quench the burning sensation in his mouth. Adam, meanwhile, rolled on his back in the grass grinning widely. If wolves could laugh, he would have been. “It’s alright,” Crowley told Adam. “There was only one Cheeto, the rest is safe to eat if you wanted to finish it.”Adam looked wary and declined the offer, but the other young wolves had seen the commotion and came over to see what the fuss was. Having been reassured by Crowley that he had no more tricks up his sleeve, the others tucked in to the remains of the haggis. It was Anathema who first noticed something different, and came trotting over to Aziraphale, and sniffed at the new ring on her finger. Her eyes lit up and she let out a celebratory howl, drawing the attention of the rest of the pack, who quickly picked up on the new development, and soon she was overwhelmed by a horde of furry bodies, wagging tails, and licking tongues. Angela heard the noise and came out, quickly spotting Aziraphale’s new ring, and hugging her joyously. Soon, other pack members began changing into human shape to hug her and Crowley as well. Crowley declared it time to celebrate, and hauled one of the deer carcasses out onto the lawn for the pack to eat for dinner.  Aziraphale and Angela sat to the side at the patio table and had their own meal, consisting of some venison sausages which Angela had made with some roe deer that Ligur had caught earlier in the week. At one point Newt, shoved to the side by the larger wolves, crept up to the table with a curious sniff, so Aziraphale ‘accidentally’ dropped one of her sausages for him. He then lay down and decided that his position by the table was a tastier option than trying to wriggle his way in between the other wolves at the deer. A little while later, however, Anathema pulled over a lump of raw venison to her squish and stood guard while Newt enjoyed it, so no one else would try to take it away from him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The pack headed home, having handed over a couple of carcasses in tithes to their hosts, but still with a good amount frozen and sent by temperature-controlled transport down to London to meet them there for storage in their own walk-in freezer, to enjoy as special treats over the coming months. The young wolves were on a high, having finished their holiday with a couple of other deer species as well as the highlight of their first red deer stag. Shax was eager to hear all about their adventures, and reported that she hadn’t experienced any issues while they’d been away. Mutt’s pack had been helping patrol Crowley’s pack’s new extended borders, but everything seemed to have settled down now. She was equally excited to see Aziraphale’s engagement ring, and almost immediately began planning suggestions for wedding things with Angela and Anathema.Aziraphale sat down to hear her out and discuss plans, when all of a sudden, a tiny furry ball of grey-tabby fluff scampered out from under Shax’s desk and climbed up Aziraphale’s leg. “Oh!” She exclaimed, as did Maggie, who looked up at Shax in surprise. “Once your boss Joan had the little mite stabilised, she asked if I’d like some company while you were all away - she needed bottle feeding at first, but now I’m weaning her onto soft foods,” Shax explained, as Maggie scooped up the tiny kitten in her hands to cuddle it. “Once she’s on solids, we can look into finding her a permanent home, unless…?” Shax gave Maggie a sly grin, and then glanced at Crowley. Crowley leaned in and tickled the kitten behind her ears, then sighed. “Well Maggie, Shax, if you want to keep her, it’ll be easier for a kitten to learn to live with a bunch of wolves than for a grown cat. Have you picked out a name for her, Shax?”“I’ve been calling her Rowan, as you found her under a rowan bush on the heath,” Shax explained, as the kitten licked Crowley’s finger, then reached out a miniscule paw to pat at it playfully. Crowley gently picked her up from Maggie’s hands, and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Welcome to the pack, Rowan,” he told the kitten, then kissed the soft fur on her head.

Having let off steam with their first real holiday, Maggie stressed to the young wolves that they now needed to get down to working hard on finishing their A-levels in order to get the grades they needed to apply for the universities they wanted. Since they’d joined the pack, Maggie had taken on a maternal role for them once more, and the youngsters seemed grateful to have their favourite parental figure back again. Crowley, meanwhile, did his best to be a good alpha for them to provide stability when they needed it most - it had been tough on them to undergo a pack move in the middle of studying for the final year of their A-levels, and the whole pack had worked hard to try to smooth things over for them. It seemed to have worked, as Maggie reported back from a meeting with their teachers, that apparently their work had improved since leaving Gabriel’s pack, presumably as they had less stress at home and more support in their learning, especially from Anathema, who took on the role of private tutor to supplement the areas where they needed more help. Shax had already begun to research host packs in the cities where the universities were located that the younger wolves wanted to apply for. It was common for young lycanthropes going away to university to temporarily move in with a host pack nearby, so they could continue to live in a community who understood them, especially important when there was a full moon. In return, Crowley’s pack extended a reciprocal invitation to any future young wolves from those packs who may wish to study in London. Anathema explained to Aziraphale that it was important to lycanthrope society as a whole to support each other in such ways, as some things which could risk exposure of the reality or existence of werewolves to humans, could harm the entire species, not just an individual, or even one pack. They all shouldered the responsibility to protect each other, despite any local territory-level disputes they may have from time to time. Keeping their reality a secret took precedence above all other considerations, and cooperation was vital to that. Rowan the kitten routinely curled up with any pack member she felt like and when a huge wolf tongue licked her clean, she’d do her best to reciprocate, her little tongue making a token effort to clean a patch of giant wolf leg. She would occasionally leap onto the back of an unsuspecting pack member as they walked by below wherever she was hiding on furniture, and hitch a lift around the flats on their back, sometimes jumping off onto another wolf if it looked like they were going somewhere more interesting. Aziraphale would smile to see Rowan pounce on Crowley’s head as he dozed in wolf form, and bite his ear. He’d yelp dramatically and roll over, pretending to let her win, then shake his head after a while to jostle her loose, pin her down with one huge paw, and lick her clean, while she squeaked in protest.  Muriel, meanwhile, had found that their application to join the police had been approved, and they were due to head to Hendon for basic training in a couple of months, but in the meantime, they decided to get ahead on things by studying themselves, so as to be ahead of the rest of their intake when they got there. They may not be able to make use of their wolf shape in the context of their work, but it didn’t mean that they couldn’t use their other skills, like their sense of smell, which would come in handy for ‘having a knack’ for finding out where a criminal may be hiding during a foot pursuit, or where contraband might be hidden. Once Mutt’s spouse, Andrea, learned that Crowley and Aziraphale planned to have a human wedding ceremony as well to cement their lupine bonding publicly, they insisted on taking Aziraphale out shopping to try on wedding dresses. When they got home again later that afternoon, Anathema suggested a wedding blessing at a ‘tree cathedral’ - a planted woodland in the shape of a cathedral, where the trunks resembled pillars, and the boughs arching high overhead formed a green ‘roof’. She showed Aziraphale photos online, and she was immediately enchanted, rushing through to where Crowley was lounging on the sofa on his laptop to show him. “It’s perfect!”“And as it’s just a ‘blessing’ with any denomination you like, not the civil ceremony part at the registry office, it means we can have an officiator of our choosing, so Anathema can officiate for us.”“That’s even better. You’re a genius,” Crowley pushed his laptop aside and tugged her into his lap to kiss her. “I can’t take the credit, it was Anathema’s idea.”“I should have known.” He tipped his head back to yell towards the door. “GOOD JOB, ANATHEMA!”“And they have cherry, apple, and plum trees lining part of it, so if we can book the right time of year next spring, then we’ll have pretty white and pink blossoms and natural confetti.”“Oh we are absofuckinglutely doing that then,” Crowley grinned. “Marrying you in the woods, under the cherry blossom. Couldn’t be more perfect.”“But in every way that counts, I’m already yours,” Aziraphale assured him. “It’s just that I’d really like a nice simple wedding too.”“And you shall have one, because whatever my beautiful Omega wants, my beautiful Omega gets.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

Time rolled on, Aziraphale enjoyed running the bookshop, while Angela happily took over if she needed a break, such as a holiday, or whenever she went into heat. The rest of the time, Angela helped Anathema to run their little school from the expanded suite that Crowley had given them, where other packs could send their members, old and young alike, to learn more about lycanthrope history and culture. Rowan the kitten decided that she was clearly a wolf puppy, and happily played with her new pack fearlessly, constantly pouncing on tails, or sleeping curled up and purring in the middle of a huge furry wolf pile. As she grew bolder, she’d even push in to nab some of the tastiest meat when they had a carcass on the floor, ignoring Crowley’s growls, and digging in regardless, hissing back at him. It became habit as well, whenever Crowley brought Aziraphale a choice morsel from some raw meat as a  symbolic gesture to his omega, for Aziraphale to take it and give it to Rowan instead. The rapidly growing kitten loved best of all to creep up on Crowley, or at least she thought she was creeping up on him, but the way he’d begin twitching his tail-tip to tease her showed that he absolutely knew she was there, and was baiting her to pounce.

(Illustration: Elwyst. Can’t see the image? Click here.)

Then she’d launch at his tantalising tail-tip and act as if she were mauling it, at least until Crowley grew tired of her sharp teeth and claws, and gently picked her up by the scruff and desposited her on the floor, then curled up around her, licked her clean for a moment, and went to sleep. Warlock, Pepper, Brian, and Wensleydale headed off to university, while Adam chose instead to take a gap year, and went to train as a ghyllie with the host pack in Scotland where they’d spent their holiday.  All of the wolves returned to Crowley’s pack during the holidays however, when Crowley taught the young alphas more about how to run a pack and a territory, in preparation for the day when they’d have their own. The seasons rolled on, and Spring came around once more, with the flowers bursting into bloom along with the fruit blossoms, creating a whimsical cascade of pink and white as Aziraphale walked up the aisle to join Crowley at the naturalistic altar which Anathema had put together using wood and animal bones, much like the one she arranged on the rooftop each time there was a full moon. Aziraphale wore a cream silk gown with blue Swarovski crystal accents, while Crowley wore a slim-fitting black damask tailored suit with red silk cravat. He was barely able to hold in his joy at seeing his gorgeous omega walking down the grass path, scattered with natural confetti, towards him. There were no humans present, the staff respecting their request for privacy for their ceremony, so both Crowley’s pack, and friends from other packs, could relax a little around how freely they spoke.Crowley had decorated the Bentley in cream ribbons and sprigs of blossom. He allowed only Muriel to drive Aziraphale, along with Angela, who had offered to give Aziraphale away, to the ceremony in it, while Eric drove Crowley in one of Mutt’s black Maybach pullman limousines.   At Anathema’s altar, Crowley slipped a gold ring onto Aziraphale’s finger, decorated on the inside of the band with some wolf paw prints. The gold band he’d selected for Aziraphale to give him, when she held it out, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a sturdy gold chain, and threaded the ring onto it, then bent his head toward her. “This way I can wear it all the time, regardless of changing, it will always be around my neck, and the closest I’ll ever be to being ‘collared’ - and I want you to do it, because I’m yours. I want a reminder of you next to my heart always.”Aziraphale beamed, and fastened the necklace around his neck, then tugged him close to kiss him. Everyone present raised their voices in a celebratory howl, and after they’d finished indulging in their kiss, so did the happy couple. They did drive from the ceremony to the reception in the Bentley together, and they’d also drive off on honeymoon in it the day after.

After the ceremony, a local pack from a forested area a few miles away allowed them to use a barn and part of their woodland for the party.  They’d strung lights from the trees, and organised the catering with plenty of wild game for the type ones to enjoy, along with more traditional fare for the type twos, set out on long tables in a clearing. With being in the woods, no one had to feel obliged to remain human shaped if they didn’t want to, and many did not. The host pack had set up a series of ‘glamping’ canvas bell tents strung with fairy lights, with carpets and piles of cushions and blankets inside which were comfortable for the wedding guests to sprawl on regardless of shape, but with an extra-large yurt with a king sized bed set a little off to the side, especially for Aziraphale and Crowley to use once the festivities had died down. Aziraphale was sitting giggling with Andrea, Maggie, and some of the betas from Mutt’s pack, when she noticed Crowley yawning where he sat with a friend from their host pack. She excused herself and headed over to her husband.  Husband. She was going to enjoy getting used to that. Not just partner, not ‘mate’ or ‘Alpha’ : terms she could not use in public around humans. Crowley was her husband. And her Alpha, and her mate. And her best friend. Her best friend who was starting to get tired. That wouldn’t do. She sidled over to him and put an arm around his shoulder, bending low to kiss his neck. “Perhaps we ought to retire to our lodgings for the night, darling? I’d rather like to get to you alone before you get too tired to… enjoy things …” she whispered in his ear. Crowley smiled and slid his hand up her thigh, giving a subtle nod. “Should we say goodnight to everyone first?” Aziraphale asked. “I think they’ll get the idea where we’ve gone,” Crowley reassured her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Come on, let’s go.”He slipped his hand into hers, and they slipped away. Others did notice them of course, but they were able to smell Crowley’s intentions clearly enough, and just smiled to themselves, and it wouldn’t even occur to them to attempt to delay an alpha taking his omega away for some alone time, especially on their wedding night. Crowley led her to the large tent set apart from the others, and opened the flap of the door to reveal the cosy interior, twinkling with fairy lights. Champagne sat in an ice bucket with two fluted glasses, and a bowl of strawberries. He kissed Aziraphale and spun her gently, encouraging her to sit on the bed, then passed her a strawberry, which she ate from his fingertips with a smile. He popped the champagne cork and poured them each a glass, handing Aziraphale one, then sat on the bed himself. Aziraphale nibbled a few strawberries, then began to make herself more comfortable. She stripped to her lingerie while Crowley watched, rapt. Occasionally she took another sip of champagne, before removing something else, until Crowley spoke up in a soft voice. “Stop,” he said. “That’ll do for now. Leave me something to unwrap.” His golden eyes glittered in the warm glow of the subtle twinkling lights.Crowley set his own glass aside, then stood, and stripped, in a regular human way. While it was faster for them usually to shed their clothes by moving into wolf shape and wriggling out of them, he was still a master of the quick change in any shape, but chose to take his time for once, and Aziraphale sat on the bed to watch. It was fascinating to see her handsome Alpha revealed piece by piece, and to not be ashamed of admiring his naked form. She was used to trying to ignore nakedness, particularly between shape changes, now, and knowing that nakedness never held the same mystique for lycanthropes as it did for those raised with humans. But Crowley knew what his wife wanted, and what made her feel hot under the collar. Soon, all he wore was the glittering gold chain around his neck, with his wedding ring strung on it, gleaming against his skin.Once he was undressed, he crawled onto the bed over his blushing bride, and took her empty glass from her unresisting hand, placing it aside. Then he kissed her, and reached around to undo the clasp of her bra, slipping it off. Aziraphale lay back against the cushions, and watched as he kissed and caressed her breasts, then worked his way down her body, kissing as he went, until he reached her panties, kissing lightly over the lacy fabric, he skimmed a hand down her thigh to undo her stockings first, then slid them off her legs one by one, and then returned to her underwear, gipping them in his teeth at the front, and with a little help from his hands at her hips, he tugged them down and off with a wicked look at her as he did. Crowley then nudged her thighs apart, nibbling at them gently, then nuzzled up to her clit and nosed at it, his devious tongue darting out to lap at her teasingly. “Darling, I need you inside me,” Aziraphale protested. “I refuse to allow my bride to have anything less than a perfect ravishing on her wedding night,” Crowley replied, and then set about licking some more.“But what about letting me lick you too?” Aziraphale squirmed despite herself, and let out a filthy little moan, sinking her fingers into Crowley’s hair. “Not tonight, maybe tomorrow. I want to spoil you, without you being distracted by trying to spoil me at the same time. Tonight is your night. I want it to be special.”“You always make it special, love… ohhhhh!”Crowley chuckled to himself, and carried on, determined to do his best, applying his skill with utter devotion, until Aziraphale was writhing on the bed, helpless and weak. Her thighs quivered, and her hips jolted off the bed now and then, accompanied by loud gasps and cries, yet Crowley simply held her hips in strong hands, and carried on, redoubling his efforts, until she couldn’t stand it any more and climaxed hard, her whole body spasming. And still he wasn’t finished. Crowley lay beside her, stroking her skin as Azirapale drifted in a haze of pleasure, gradually regaining her senses with a lovesick smile. Then he leaned in close to kiss her. “Water, or champagne?” He whispered. “Water.”He reached across to the bedside table and grabbed a bottle of water there, then passed it to her, followed by another strawberry, and a kiss. Aziraphale reached down and stroked at his erection, as yet untouched. “I haven’t worn you out yet then? Even after everything today?” He grinned and set the water aside again. “Not until I’ve had all of you, darling.” Aziraphale tugged him down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him closer. “Well, when you put it like that…” Crowley kissed her, and wriggled his hips to line up properly, and slid in with a contented sigh. “Uhhhh, I’ve wanted to do this all day,” he confessed. “Perhaps you should have - oh! - sneaked me away to ravish me somewhere earlier,” Aziraphale suggested. “I might never have stopped, and didn’t want to put a spanner in the works for your big day,” he rasped, his voice hoarse. “And you deserve better than a quickie in a dark corner on a day like today. You deserve to be spoiled.”“Darling you always spoil me.”“And I never want to stop.” He was clutching her tight now, rocking close together, grinding in deep just to feel her squirm and hear her unrestrained yelps at every thrust. “Too much?” he asked, anxious not to overdo it. “More,” she demanded with a growl she was becoming rather good at using nowadays. “You got it,” Crowley replied, and repositioned slightly, picking up the pace. His knot had begun to swell, and soon he wouldn’t be able to pull out any more anyway. Aziraphale’s nails were raking his back, and her heels behind his buttocks encouraged him on, not that he needed it, although Aziraphale was impressed at how much better he was at remaining one shape when he grew close to climax, and he more often than not remained human shaped now, unless Aziraphale demanded otherwise. Crowley’s knot was now too big to allow him to withdraw any more, they were tied together, and his orgasm was imminent. The sweet stretch of him drove Aziraphale into a squealing climax as well, soon after followed by her alpha, howling through his own, then covering her body closely with his own once more, and gripping her shoulder in his teeth, growling, hips still spasming against her, then coming to a shuddering stop. Aziraphale tugged him down on top of her, encouraging him to rest his entire body weight on hers, and getting him to relax his arms. He kissed her tenderly. “Thank you for the best day of my life,” Crowley whispered in her ear. “Funny, I was about to tell you the same thing,” she giggled. They lay together a while longer, whispering words of love, laughing quietly over events of the day, reminiscing, and enjoying the moment. Eventually, Crowley’s knot went down and he slid out, then got off and lay next to his wife, hugging her as they fell asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The following morning, Dagon brought them breakfast in bed, while the rest of the pack helped clean up the party site. Aziraphale had a wash and sat on the bed in her dressing gown, while Crowley sprawled out with her in his wolf shape. She picked up a pot of paw balm from the bedside table and massaged it into his paw pads for him, in a relaxing massaging motion which was one of his favourite indulgences. She’d taken to doing it for him after walks, and he loved sprawling on his back and being pampered. After a while, he yawned wide, rolled over, and stretched, then re-took human shape, watching his wife with loving eyes as she got dressed, then finally joined her, tugging on some clothes, then wrapped her in a hug and a kiss, before going out to bid farewell to their pack and guests, thanking everyone for coming. Afterwards, Aziraphale and Crowley got in the Bentley, and drove off on their honeymoon. Crowley took them back to Scotland, to the same place where he’d proposed. This time just the two of them, and to spend their time together in the luxury of the cabin with the pool and hot tub instead. They only planned to be away together for a couple of days, eager to get back to London again as Muriel had successfully completed their basic training for the police and was due to graduate - Crowley and Dagon especially wanted to be there for their adopted sibling, as did Aziraphale, even if the full pack couldn’t attend the ceremony, they still planned a party afterwards to celebrate. Muriel’s instructors had been impressed with their knack for always finding hidden evidence - so much so, that Muriel had to make a conscious effort to not get it right every single time, so as not to draw undue suspicion. They also had a good trick of giving an apprehended criminal a subtle growl in their ear which was enough to send a primal fear signal down most humans’ spines and ensure sudden compliance without the human quite understanding why the diminutive constable suddenly seemed so terrifying.

On the drive up to Scotland, they had plenty of time to chat between themselves in the car, and something had been on Aziraphale’s mind. “Darling?”“Hmm?” Crowley laid his hand on her thigh with a smile. “You know when you adopted the younger wolves from Angela and Maggie’s old pack?” (She avoided uttering Gabriel’s name on purpose.) “You told Warlock you’d hold Westminster for him until he’s old enough, and offered Adam Mayfair as your heir?”“Yup. But he wants Tadfield, and that’s his right to fight for it if he wants to. I’ll train him up all I can to prepare for it.”“So what happens with Mayfair then?”“Well…” Crowley put his head on one side. “I mean, I’ve had various thoughts about it. If I just give it to a beta in the pack, then another alpha would storm in and take over. If I want to have a say over who is in charge, then it’s up to me to appoint an heir.”“If alphas fight for territories, what will happen when you get too old to keep Mayfair safe then? Someone could just take it from you, and leave us all homeless?”“Well, yes that could happen, if I let it. But most old alphas hand their territory down to someone else of their choosing before it gets to that, if they can. I’d hope to do the same.”“So who?”“Well don’t tell Warlock this, but right now I’m holding Mayfair, part of Soho, and Westminster all together, and our pack is strong and big enough to do so. He’s taking Westminster when he’s old enough anyway, so after I’ve seen how he controls Westminster for a few years, if Adam has succeeded in taking back Tadfield, then my plan is that when I want to retire, to hand the rest of it over to Warlock too. That way we would still live there.”“So an alpha can retire, he doesn’t have to be deposed by force?”“Nowadays, yes, although it can be either. I mean, Adam is a great lad, and it’s a shame he’s got his heart set on Tadfield, because I really think he’d do a great job with Mayfair. If his plan doesn’t work out then it can still be a back-up plan for him at least.”“What would your plan have been before the young wolves came into your life?”Crowley shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know, I was kind of wondering if any of Mutt and Andrea’s adopted pups might grow into suitable candidates, they have a couple, but they’re too young yet - younger than Adam and Warlock. I was kind of hoping that some kind of solution would show itself in due course, and what d’you know? It did.” He smiled at her. “But that’s for the future, Angel. For now we live in the moment. Me, you, a log cabin in the woods, and lots…” his hand slid from atop her thigh, to between them “... lots of us time.”“I’m looking forward to it,” Aziraphale smiled, squirming slightly. “But please do concentrate on the road, darling.”Crowley withdrew his hand with a smile, and they drove on.

Their first night back at the cabin entirely on their own, was the night before the full moon. Crowley sat in the hot tub in his crinos form, relaxing from the long drive, and looked up to see his beautiful bride stepping across the garden in bare feet, dressed only in her bikini. He smiled, interest growing as she stepped down to sit on the edge of the tub, admiring his nakedness.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “Am I overdressed?” She asked playfully. Crowley reached down to stroke his erection under the water and nodded, watching her with hungry eyes. Aziraphale held eye contact as she removed her bikini and sat down once more with a playful smile. “And now?”

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 “I’d say you’re exactly the right amount of dressed for what I had in mind… wife.” Crowley grinned. “But you’ll get enough of this shape tomorrow.” With that he shifted back into his human shape, then tugged her closer for a kiss, pulling her into his lap, and down onto his waiting cock. Her arms wrapped around his neck and they rocked together slowly, with gentle panted breaths, murmured words of love, soft kisses, and quiet moans. Aziraphale’s moans soon ceased to be quiet, as she remembered they were truly alone, with no one for miles around, so as she picked up the pace, rocking on Crowley’s engorged shaft, she threw her head back and gave voice to her passion in loud cries, hips moving faster, while Crowley grunted and groaned with pleasure, his hands gripping her waist, knot swelling, a hot inevitability building in his loins.

(Illustration by IneffableChocolateCheeseCake. Can’t see the image? Click here.)
 Aziraphale bucked her hips and screamed loudly as she climaxed, her nails raking her husband’s back. Crowley couldn’t help it, he transformed into his crinos shape as he came too, and let out a loud howl of triumph, thrusting up roughly with each exquisite pulse of his orgasm, releasing deep inside his beautiful omega. They relaxed together once more as evening turned to night and the first stars made their appearance in the clear night sky overhead - unhidden by London haze. Aziraphale rested her head against Crowley’s and got her breath back, while he kissed her skin and whispered how much he loved her.   It was no coincidence that Crowley and Aziraphale’s honeymoon coincided with a full moon, while they were in the one place where Crowley could comfortably be entirely himself for that night, unrestrained, with no sedatives, no treadmill or shop-bought carcass to give him a replicated experience. On the proviso that Aziraphale was with him - a bonded omega being the only person capable of controlling her alpha during a full moon, as he’d obey her every word - the host pack made the exception to allow him to spend Lunus on the estate. All Aziraphale had to do was ensure he remained within the boundary. And so Crowley was able to run out in the wild under the full moon, and track and hunt for himself in his crinos form, while Aziraphale rode, rushing through the forest in the dark, under the glittering stars and light of the moon shining down on them. She was able to experience the primal thrill of being part of a wolf tradition dating back through the ages, and felt wilder than ever. All Crowley had asked her to do, was to give him a reminder if he was getting too close to the edge of the estate - with Aziraphale the only creature in creation who had any control over him like this. One word from her could stop him in his tracks if needed - something no one else would ever be able to achieve. But an omega ruled her alpha without question, and an alpha would do anything - anything - for his omega. His hunt was successful, despite not having a pack with him to help, and he brought down a roe deer with ease. He ripped into it, and still, despite being under the thrall of the moon, and not having his human wits about him, retained his instinct to appease his omega, by bringing her a lump of the liver as an offering. She laid her hands on the blood-splashed fur of his monstrous head with a fond smile as always, unafraid of this beast entirely devoted to her. “Why don’t you eat it for me, darling? I had dinner at the cabin.”He gulped it down, and returned to his kill to devour more, then they made their way back to the cabin together. Aziraphale helped him clean off, even though he grumbled about it in his crinos shape, she shushed him gently and pushed him into the shower - fortunately large enough to accommodate him at this size - and washed him down. His wedding ring glittered on the chain about his neck as always, and she laid a hand on it, gazing up at him. “I love you, my handsome alpha,” she reminded him. Crowley licked her cheek. “Love you too,” he growled - speaking was harder for him under the influence of the moon, but he managed it. She looked down, seeing that his other primal instinct on a night like this was eager to be fulfilled, and reached down to stroke his swelling shaft teasingly, eager to finish the night’s activities in the same way she knew that he was, and ready for the deliciously rough mating that she enjoyed. There was something beautifully savage about how he’d take her at such times, and she was looking forward to it. Turning off the shower, Aziraphale led him out to the garden again, miles from anywhere, with no one to see, and got on hands and knees, casting a teasing look over her shoulder at him. Crowley needed no further encouragement, and got behind her, his claws gentle on her skin despite how delightfully rough things were about to get. Aziraphale knew that no matter what, he’d never hurt her, even like this. In fact even when he bit at her shoulder at the peak of his passion, he didn’t break the skin - he never would unless she begged him to, even in this state.Afterwards, they lay under the moon together for a while, a novelty for Aziraphale to enjoy it with her husband with him completely awake instead of falling asleep. Then once they could part again, they howled to Lunus together, hearing their host pack howling in the distance, and then curled up on a pile of cushions and blankets under the stars, to sleep until dawn.

With the setting of the moon and the rising of the sun, Crowley had shifted back into a human shape as he slept - sometimes he did, sometimes he woke still in crinos form and had to consciously change back. Either way, Aziraphale didn’t mind. It was nice to hold him like this though, feeling his warm bare skin against hers. Aziraphale cuddled up to Crowley from behind, her arm wrapped around his slender ribcage, hugging him close. He made a sleepy, contented little sound, and laid his hand over hers, stroking it. She kissed the back of his neck, and watched goosebumps break out on his skin with a little smile. “It’s amazing how just the slightest touch from you can get me hard as a rock,” Crowley murmured in an amused voice. He took her hand in his, and led it down his abdomen to feel where his cock was rapidly filling. She stroked it gently. “It’d be a shame to let this go to waste,” she suggested.“Hmm,” he agreed, and twisted his head around to meet her lips in a soft kiss. “It would indeed.”He shuffled onto his back and kissed her again, allowing his fingers to brush over her nipple as he did, making it stiffen into a little peak, desperate for more touch. “Roll over,” he whispered.She did, rolling onto her other side, and felt him nestle up behind her, the hardness of his erection poking against her soft buttocks, and he reached around to play with her nipples some more while kissing the back of her neck. “I want you like this,” Crowley growled low in her ear. Aziraphale nodded eagerly, pushing her backside against him in invitation, lifting her thigh a little to allow him to line up easier, then felt the head of his cock nudging between her folds, then sliding in, stretching her wide and making her shiver with lust. He began to move steadily, driving a little deeper each time, and she moved against him, eager for more. Aziraphale gasped out as Crowley plunged into her again and again, spearing her open with slick wet sounds as their bodies came together. His body was writhing against hers, clutching her tight, his hot breath on the back of her neck, resisting the urge to bite, emitting feral snarls with each urgent thrust. She wanted those teeth now though; she lusted to be seized in those strong but gentle jaws, knowing her Alpha would only ever give her pleasure. Crowley’s knot was swelling, and he drove in deep, stretching her wide, and now locked in. Aziraphale screamed out in euphoria and climaxed around him, her body jolting with the intense waves of pleasure, but still she demanded more.“Please, Alpha…” she cried out. “Please…” “Please what?” Crowley growled in her ear.“Bite me, darling. Please, I need it.”Crowley grinned and gently closed his jaws around her shoulder, but didn’t bite down. “Crowley,” she whined, desperately. “Please.” But he wasn’t finished yet, his hips were jerking against her soft buttocks, despite not being able to withdraw any more to thrust fully, he couldn’t help the urge to pound against her the little he still could whilst tied together, his knot tugging at them both in the most exquisite sensation. Finally, Crowley climaxed, hips stuttering, cock flexing inside her, and then he gave her his teeth at last, barely breaking the skin with perfect restraint, at the same time as he unloaded deep inside, in long, quivering spurts. His golden eyes closed tight at the almost pain-sweet paroxysm of his release. Aziraphale’s vagina gripped right around his cock with exquisite tightness, and both of their minds went blank in the perfect euphoria of their orgasms. They lay there, breathing heavily, Crowley clinging tight to his beloved mate, still growling quietly. He gently released the grip of his teeth, then rubbed his chin over the small punctures, giving his omega his scent anew, just as she craved. Aziraphale closed her eyes in bliss, feeling complete once again. “I love you,” she murmured happily.Crowley licked her bite. “I love you too,” he whispered.He rested his chin on her shoulder, and closed his eyes in contentment, arm wrapped around  Aziraphale and hand cradling her soft breasts. The pair of them drifted off into a doze, still tied together, in the sweetest intimacy.Aziraphale shifted position slightly as she dozed, causing a sharp tug which made both of them jolt at the pull where they were stuck together. Crowley yelped.“Sorry,” Aziraphale apologised, reaching up to stroke his hand on her breast. His huge knot pulling at her entrance had also been a slight shock, although not an entirely unpleasant one. She squirmed against him. “You feel good.”“Always feels good being inside you,” Crowley agreed. “All warm and wet and tight…” he let out a contented rumble. “At this rate instead of going soft you’re going to keep me rock hard and I’ll fill you all over again.” He nosed up against her neck and nibbled gently. “I wouldn’t object to that,” she replied playfully, wriggling against him again.“Is that so?” Crowley began moving his hips rhythmically, rocking back and forth inside her. The stretch of each tug of his knot made her groan, her voice shaky. “Fuck, you feel so good,” Crowley rasped. “So fucking good…” He quickly became incoherent, before freezing, body shuddering through another intense climax with a deep groan. Aziraphale shivered with delight to feel him filling her again so beautifully, and feeling the headying rush of his alpha hormones pulsing through her bloodstream from Crowley scent marking his bite made it all the more intense. She’d never felt so completely and utterly bonded to anyone in her life, like two pieces of a puzzle, with their pack completing the picture.  She belonged. They lay there, nestled together in the afterglow once more, feeling the thump of each other’s hearts beating against their bodies, entirely enveloped in love, and a completness which went down to the depths of their very souls. Alpha and Omega, together as one.