Title: Wolf Pack
Chapter Title: The Promise
Author: Baby Blues
E-mail: purely_blissful@hotmail.com
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine, but the story is.
Summary: Buffy and Angelus get attacked by the Initiative, and a new power is discovered within Buffy.
Dedication: To my Sare Bear . . . thank you, for understanding me and for helping me through all the tough times in my life. All in all . . . thank you for lending me your support and your love. ^__^
Excerpt:
~Angelus: I’ll protect you . . . even if it means my death.
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"Aww . . . isn’t this the most touching scene you‘ve ever witnessed?"
Buffy and Angelus quickly gathered themselves and sat up, staring into the cold brown eyes of their intruder. They quickly got on their feet, Angelus pushing Buffy behind him as he gazed at the strange man with suspicious and dangerous eyes.
The man took out a small black radio, smirking as he held up his large gun at them in warning. "Walsh, we found the alpha male and the alpha female. Awaiting orders."
"I’ll be there in a moment, Forest. Keep them at bay. Do not hurt them," a voice replied back through the radio.
"Run, Buffy," Angelus snarled.
"What!" Buffy squeaked back, eyeing him as though he was the craziest man she had ever laid eyes on.
He shot her a look that was supposed to cause fear, but made her stare at him even more defiantly. "I’m not leaving you here," she snarled.
"Go," Angelus growled dangerously while keeping an eye on their unwanted guests.
"No!" Buffy said rebelliously, "I told you I’m not leaving you here."
"That’s right. No one’s going no where," Forest answered, glaring at the pair before placing a finger on the trigger of his gun.
Angelus covered Buffy with his body, jaws clenching and unclenching in worry and anger as the group of young college males followed Forest and held up their own guns at them as they surrounded the two of them.
"Go. Get the others," Angelues ordered.
But Buffy shook her head and shot the group a frightened expression. "I’m not leaving you here," she cried and then stared at Tiger, who gazed at them with a mixture of fright and concern.
Panic ceased Buffy as the feeling of more danger arriving surged through her body, giving off vibes of death. The werewolf blood inside her veins screamed as her heart pounded against her chest.
She stared at the dog and her eyes flashed a color of bright silver. Tiger barked and sprinted off into the night and disappeared in the dark woods.
A few of the men chuckled. "Go get ‘em, Lassie," they laughed.
Angelus frowned at her, not knowing what the hell just happened.
"Order!" Forest shouted, causing the men to stop.
"No one’s leaving," a woman’s voice called out, "Forest. Restrain the subjects." She held out a small radio. "Finn, prepare the team for male and female alpha. Arrange the lab and gather the doctors. I want everyone and everything ready by the time we get there. Understood?"
"Yes, Professor," a voice replied back.
"You are not restraining anyone," Angelus growled as he roared and threw his head skywards as he called on the powers of the Moon and Shadow for a change.
The sound of bones crunching, muscles melding, teeth and jaws rattling echoed in the human‘s ears. Angelus slowly morphed into wolf form, his black coat matching the sky, his eyes glowing as he crouched down in an attack position, snarling and showing off his sharp and deadly teeth.
The concern for the threat finding out his identity didn’t cross him mind. This was about survival and protection now. Angelus‘ instincts had not only taken over . . . but his true feelings had to do with it as well. And all he wanted to do was to defend and guard Buffy. That was all that mattered at the moment. His life be damned, he’d die before any harm came her way.
"How extraordinary," the woman commented breathlessly, furiously writing notes on her clipboard.
An echo of roars reverberated in the distance. The woman turned in time to see the rest of the pack, all in their wolf forms and growling gravely at them. Buffy sighed in relief and changed as well, joining her fellow clan members.
"Professor Walsh . . . awaiting orders," Forest stated a bit shakily as the pack began to advance towards them.
"Attack," she said simply, as if it was the answer to everything.
But before her men could react to her command, the group of werewolves had pounced on them. Snarling, biting, and nipping carelessly at their opponents with much strength and power. The Shadow King sang and the Mother Moon danced in their bodies as they fought on. The instinct of survival and will power resilient and tough in their blood.
Wolves were thrown off, but the easily got back on their feet and attacked once again. It was an endless tango between the two species, similar and yet so much more different in many ways.
"Retreat! Retreat!" Walsh cried as Xander tore at her white lab coat with glossy white teeth that he showed off quite proudly.
Angelus let out a loud roar . . . and the pack instantly moved back, still sending off warning growls at the group of beaten and bleeding assembly of humans.
Angelus slowly changed half way into human form before snarling out, "Run . . . "
And that was all it took for the Initiative . . .
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Angelus hissed in pain as he felt the stinging sensation of the alcohol scorching his back. "I’m sorry," Buffy whispered and lightly blew on the deep wound on his shoulder blade before hesitantly touching the deep red welt.
Angelus captured her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing her knuckles with tenderness and clearly enjoying the soft feel of her creamy and smooth skin. "It’s fine," he insisted gently.
Buffy shook her head. "It’s not."
Tiger barked his agreement on the floor of Angelus’ study room.
"I knew I shouldn’t have bought you," Angelus scolded the dog who just replied by wagging his tail. "What did you do?" Angel suddenly remembered, "When he went and got the others."
Buffy shrugged. "I’m not sure," she answered truthfully. "Probably some unknown power from the family."
"Possibly," he smiled, letting his gaze wander back up at Buffy. He sighed when he noticed the utter worry written in her azure eyes. "You could’ve died tonight . . . " he said softly.
"Same with you," Buffy cupped his face and kissed him softly on his also wounded cheek.
"I could’ve lost you . . . " he added, ignoring the sting of hot tears that would soon fall from his eyes if he wasn’t careful. " . . . when I just had you."
"You’ve always had me," Buffy said, staring deep into his brown orbs.
Angelus closed his eyes and leaned against the touch of her hand against his face.
"I’m not going to loose you, Buffy," he said firmly, opening his eyes to capture her blue ones. "I promise . . . " he pledged gallantly, "I’ll protect you . . . even if it means my death."
Buffy looked away and continued to tend his wound as he sat casually on his desk in nothing but a pair of black sweat pants. "Don’t talk as if you’re gonna die, Angelus. You’re not . . . you won’t," she said fiercely, her lips trembling at the terrifying thought.
"You don’t know that," he sighed, and then hissed as she purposely poured more alcohol on his injury. She threw her supplies on his desk and rubbed her eyes, wiping away the tears that would soon and definitely flow.
"We don’t even know who they are yet. They may not be as dangerous as they seem . . . "
Angelus stood up and soothingly grabbed her hands. "They’re called The Initiative . . . and they’re as dangerous as a group of serial killers."
"How do you know them?"
Angelus looked away and stared outside the window of his study room. "It doesn’t matter."
Buffy placed a hand on his arm, a comforting gesture that made him close his eyes. "Tell me."
"Gunn . . . " he said simply, taking her hand in his own as he stared at the contrast of smallness of hers and the largeness of his. " . . . He had a sister . . . let’s just say they took her. Gunn wasn’t able to function properly for some time after that. He blamed it on himself."
"Doesn’t mean you have to blame yourself either," Buffy said.
"It’s not that . . . " Angelus sighed, gripping her hand tighter in his own as he remembered the sweet and young face of the young woman. "I loved Alana like she was my own sister . . . but-but the things they did to her. All the tests and torture she went through . . . " He turned to look at Buffy, "I don’t want that to happen to you."
Buffy leaned against him and rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as Angelus softly caressed her golden spun hair.
"I trust you . . . my angel," she said breathlessly.
Angelus smiled and caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Angel, huh?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood, "Seems kind of girly . . . don’t you think?"
Buffy chuckled against him and stared up at his soft brown eyes, her chin pressed firmly against his chest. "Nothing wrong with it . . . a lot of men in Mexico are named Angel."
"It’s pronounced differently," Angelus argued.
"Whatever," she shrugged. "I like that nickname, so you’re gonna keep it."
Angel smiled. "Alright, you win . . . whatever you want, my love," he said, kissing her crown, "Whatever you want."
Continue to Chapter 22: The Changes
Back to Chapter 20: The Life