10. Sundowning

TEN

SUNDOWNING

Unsurprisingly, that evening Oliver didn’t feel like sparring or socialising—or even leaving his flat for that matter. The interview with Alfie left him feeling like a ship cast out to sea, directionless and without a clear way forward. The news about Patrick Coletta had been the icing on a shit-flavoured cake.

He went straight home after dumping the recording equipment back at the station. Fortunately Nancy agreed to de-brief management in his absence.

He’d pet and stroked and squeezed Roger the koala half a dozen times, but when the clock in his living room ticked over to eight, he was well and truly in the throes of a biscuit-eating frenzy. He paced around his flat, the soles of his bare feet leaving imprints on the carpet as he went from room to room.

Patrick Coletta. Patrick fucking Coletta. The alpha had been absent for just over six years—in fact, Oliver’d heard on the grapevine that he’d married an omega called Danny and the two had produced a litter of children. Why now? Why West Newton of all the fucking places?

Oliver’s jaw ached from grinding his teeth, and as he walked into his bedroom for the twentieth time, he was beyond agitated.

“ Shit ,” he muttered, throwing an empty packet of chocolate bourbons into the wastepaper bin.

Late evening was never a good time to shift, especially when one was not in the right frame of mind. Wolves—especially those past their middle years—were known to go missing in the woods after sundown, having strayed from the lamp-lit paths or lost the scent of their pack. Many times in Oliver’s career, dispatch sent him out to search for wandering shifters, only to find the human side cold and confused the following morning.

Regardless of the time, he couldn’t stay inside and refused to allow his racing thoughts to keep him up late into the night. Patrick Coletta had haunted his dreams for long enough, and he wouldn’t allow him to trespass there a moment longer. So, slipping on a hoodie and a pair of trainers, Oliver grabbed a bottle of water and headed down to the shifter park.

It was completely dark by the time he reached the changing rooms, the kind of blackness that cast the park in a heavy blanket of gloom. He wasted no time slipping out of his clothes, the bite of the British winter nipping at his skin. The abruptness of his shift made him shiver, and he skittered across the wooden floor as though a mouse were running between his legs. He was on edge. He knew it, and his ears knew in the way their white tips twitched back and forth.

Six years. Six fucking years since he’d been lying in a hospital bed, with medical staff flushing his system over and over again as they tried to save his life. How many times had he woken up to his mum crying, or his dad pacing up and down the corridor? And Matteus… even in Oliver’s half-conscious state, the look on his brother’s face at the side of his hospital bed still haunted him to that day.

Oliver shook his head, raising his hackles as he pushed open the hut door. The frigid evening air stung his chest as it hit his lungs, the wolf's body far more sensitive to change than the human. Huffing out a misty breath, he pushed his nose along the path and into the damp, earthy scent of the playing field. There’d be frost come morning. He could tell it in the way the grass stiffened.

Stalking across the park, he made his way to the treeline. The paths were lit, but beyond that the woods were like a dark abyss. Leaves crunched under his paws as he followed the lamps to the crest of a hill, taking a sharp left at a weather-worn bench. Although not a marked path, he had taken the trail many times before. He broke into a run as soon as he was off the path, relishing how much crisper the air felt at night, and how the atmosphere was less turbulent than in the day. It made clearing his head easier.

As the canopy thinned, he looked up at the moon hanging in the murky sky. The stars weren’t visible through the clouds, meaning there’d likely be rainfall before the frost set in. He shivered at the thought of waking up alone in his poorly heated flat.

Winding between the trees, he slowly increased his pace, tentatively avoiding roots and brambles underfoot. But the longer he ran, the less mind he paid to the undergrowth, and soon his paws thundered across the ground as loudly as the pulse ringing in his ears.

‘ Run…Run…Free…Forget,’ the wolf inside howled, longing to be as unchained as the wind.

He could feel himself floating away, the wolf's legs carrying him somewhere far from the designated path. His mind wanted to forget, wanted to leave behind the past and all the things that hurt him. But as he barrelled through a thicket of purple heather, he slid across the muddy ground and into a copse of silver birches. His wet nose twitched as something deep and familiar drifted into his nostrils, picking out the musky scent between the trees. The disorganised thoughts coursing through his brain slowed as he stopped to sniff the bark.

Rubbing his face across it, he stood up on hind legs and pressed his feet against the trunk, following the scent to the next tree, and the next. ‘Safe…Safe…Follow,’ his brain whispered, or was it—the echo of a voice thrummed across his senses like a bow drawn across a bass note. ‘Yes…’ he called back, ‘Yes…Follow.’ Then he was coursing through the trees again, head pressed low as the scent led him across the dips and brows of the forest floor.

A howl cut through the trees, making his head snap up and the empty branches shiver. The air burst from Oliver’s lungs as he smashed head on into something solid and dark, both of them landing in a clatter of limbs in the undergrowth. Pieces of disturbed brush flew everywhere as Oliver rolled onto his front, belly slung low to the ground.

The alpha snarled, teeth bared— no, not snarling. Growling. Softly. Purring, almost. Oliver darted to his feet, the dark wolf mimicking his movements. They circled one another for the briefest of moments, until recognition cut through the confusion.

“ Reed .”

The name tremored across their fragile bond, the flicker of something familiar. Then, “White?” he echoed back.

Lucas drummed his feet against the ground, spraying soil across the bushes. Oliver dropped to his belly again, pressing his muzzle to his paws as he stared up at the alpha with cautious eyes. The black wolf clacked his jaws, huffing out a clouded breath as he padded over the muddy ground. Lucas pressed his muzzle between Oliver’s ears, making the pounding in his head cease.

“ Why here? ” Lucas said, the words in Oliver’s mind still stunted but much clearer than before.

“ Escaping ,” he replied, pushing his nose into the thick mane covering Lucas’ chest. “ From my brain .”

Lucas let out a low whine as he slid his nose beneath Oliver’s ribs, flipping him over so his legs were pointing towards the sky. Then he stepped over him, covering Oliver completely. The alpha was warm. So impossibly warm that Oliver felt the urge to bury his face in the spray of grey fur across his belly.

“ Why didn’t you return with the beta? ” Lucas asked, licking Oliver’s ears and making the white fur stand on end.

“ Wanted to be alone, ” he said, wiggling beneath the alpha’s ministrations. He braced his paws against Lucas’ chest, pushing him back until their noses were touching. Letting his frustration and anger buzz across the bond, he said, “ Not happy with the alphas. Not happy with you.” He pictured Alfie, his rag-tag clothes and blank expression. Then the fear.

“ Cruel. Not how we do things. Pup should feel safe.”

Lucas’ hazel eyes were almost iridescent as pale moonlight shone through them. Oliver wasn’t lying; he was pissed off beyond belief. But in reality, he had been so spooked at seeing Patrick’s name again that his first instinct had been to run home and curl up under a blanket.

“ I’m sorry ,” Lucas said, dropping to his haunches. He slid his body alongside Oliver’s, dropping his head until his muzzle rested on the ground. Letting out another low whine, Lucas exposed his throat as the rest of his body went still. “ Right about Special Branch. Forget those left behind .”

Oliver huffed and ran his face along the expanse of the alpha’s throat, accepting the apology as he inhaled the deep, woody scent of Lucas’ fur.

“ Not pawns. ” he said, rolling over until the alpha’s enormous head was pinned between his front legs. “ Pups. ”

Lucas dropped his gaze. “ I know ,” he replied, shifting onto his back. “ Should have protected you. And pups. ”

Sighing, Oliver nipped the tip of Lucas’ ear. “ Forgiven.” Because how could he not? Lucas wasn’t a part of his world, just as Oliver wasn’t a part of Special Branch. It’s why he was so pissed off with Callahan and Blake. They knew it was wrong, but forced the issue anyway.

Lucas nipped him back, his huge fangs pinching the flesh of his barrel chest. “ Ouch! ” Oliver yelped, pulling back. “ Big teeth. ” He nipped Lucas again on the soft skin of his underbelly.

Lucas growled, though it was a playful sound that caused Oliver to bound backwards like an excitable puppy. The alpha followed, his immense body throwing up leaves as he rolled over. They circled one another again, playfulness fizzing through their bond and up Oliver’s spine. He leapt into the air and smashed his front paws onto the ground. Lucas accepted the invitation, ears swivelling forward as he slammed his own paws into the undergrowth.

“ You’re bigger. I’m faster, ” Oliver taunted, his tail swishing back and forth.

Lucas lurched forward. “ Think so? ”

“ Know so, ” Oliver replied, kicking up the cool soil. He let out a playful yap before turning on his paws and starting up the hill. “ Old man. ”

And then they were running, sprinting through the trees like a hurricane. A holly bush shook as they hurtled past, Lucas’ massive paws making the ground vibrate and Oliver’s heart race. All thoughts of Patrick Coletta evaporated as the alpha nudged his back legs, threatening to send him tumbling into the night. He responded by flacking him in the face with his tail.

“ Dirty tricks, ” Oliver yapped, feinting to the left, then ducking to the right as he slid under Lucas’ nose. Twisting, he pushed off from the ground and launched himself onto the alpha’s back, teeth bared, as he bit down onto his scruff.

Lucas barked as they both overbalanced and unceremoniously tumbled into a heap next to an algae infested pond. Then the alpha was over him again, bearing down on him with that intense gaze.

“ Trouble. ” he said, the bond thrumming as he shoved his muzzle into Oliver’s neck. “ Knew when I first saw you. ”

Oliver whimpered, the weight of the alpha bringing out something timid and prey-like in him. “ You knocked me down. ”

“ No ,” Lucas replied, roughly licking the cords of Oliver’s throat. “ Waiting room. Pacing. Notepad. ” And Oliver had been pacing up and down the waiting room with his notepad… but that’d been hours before the verdict. Had he truly not noticed the alpha?

Oliver felt light-headed, giddy almost, as Lucas’ masculine scent slammed into him with the force of a tidal wave. “ S-Stop that ,” he stuttered, unable to prevent a string of breathy whines escaping his mouth.

A sound rumbled deep within Lucas’ chest, something feral and possessive. “ Lucky we’re apart in the day ,” he said, opening his jaws to clamp around the entire width of Oliver’s abdomen. There was a rush of emotion across the bond, like liquid fire in Oliver’s belly. Lucas growled, his teeth grazing over Oliver’s soft flesh. “ Nose wrinkles when you concentrate. Stamp your foot when you’re angry. Freckles… Fucking freckles. ” Then the alpha’s tongue swiped across his skin, and Oliver could feel his self control slipping away. “ I want to devour you, ” Lucas said. The words felt bottomless. “ Consume you. Mine. ”

Shit, was he actually being eaten alive?

“ L-Lucas, ” Oliver panted, bracing his front feet against Lucas’ colossal skull. “ Alpha, you said… you promised. Friends. ” Lucas stilled, blinking several times. His hot breath warmed Oliver’s exposed belly until he dragged his mouth away. Oliver could see the sky again, the stars were finally out.

Cold, hard clarity cut through the dizzying haze of pheromones, and he shoved a back foot into Lucas’ chest, pushing him away. They were not friends . They would never be friends. Lucas wanted one thing, and one thing only.

“ Rut. Yes? My only worth? ” Oliver snarled, their bond pulling taut as a garrotte.

Lucas lurched forward, bringing their faces level. “ No .”

Oliver twisted under the alpha. “C onsume, devour . Control . Alpha’s always in control. ” Anger bubbled in his throat, spitting across his tongue like venom. “ Do it then! Have your way, and be done! ”

“ No ,” Lucas growled louder, pressing their skulls together so all Oliver could see were the alpha’s hazel eyes. But he was already arching and thrashing out of his grip, cursing himself for being so stupid. So very fucking stupid for baiting the alpha. Again.

He ran. And ran. And ran. Sprinting all the way back to the huts. He knew Lucas was behind him, following from a distance at half his speed.Bounding up the rickety steps, Oliver shoved open the wooden door and ripped his clothes from the locker with his teeth. He stalked into a partitioned cubicle, letting out a sharp breath as he shifted with such speed it was almost painful.

Then moonlight poured into the hut, as Lucas’ silhouette loomed in the doorway.

“Go away,” Oliver snapped, gritting his teeth as he quickly shut the cubicle door.

There was a low rumble, followed by shuffling, then bare feet padding across the wooden floor. “My clothes are in the lockers, Reed. Do you want me to walk back to the hotel naked?”

Oliver huffed. “I want you to go away.”

The door clicked as Lucas stepped into the adjacent cubicle. “And I want to take you to fucking dinner. But we can’t always get what we want.”

“Dinner?” Oliver spat, as he pulled the t-shirt over his head. “Dinner?”

“Yes, Reed,” Lucas growled, and Oliver could hear him pulling on his own clothes. “Is it so unimaginable that I should want to spend time with you outside of work? That I want to get to know Oliver . Not Detective Constable Reed. And that I want to have a conversation about something other than paedophiles?”

They did talk about paedophiles a lot…

“But most of all, I want to see you enjoy eating something other than biscuits or fucking toast.”

That sent a pang of guilt to Oliver’s belly. Because he did eat a lot of fucking biscuits. And also because the alpha’s voice cracked, giving his words a vulnerable edge. Oliver quietly pulled on his shorts and ran a hand through his hair. Silence hung between them, except for Lucas’ heavy breathing. Oliver could smell him through the partition, the thin plywood doing nothing to prevent Lucas’ scent drifting into his nostrils.

“Dinner,” Oliver eventually replied, hands braced against the door. “Not a date. Just dinner.” He heard Lucas let out a breath. “And I do eat things other than biscuits or toast. I like Italian.”

The alpha chuckled, the tension vibrating through the partition wall. Oliver pulled on his trainers, and the soft patting that followed suggested Lucas was doing the same.

“I know,” Lucas said, followed by the snap of a hair tie.

“What?”

“I said, I know you like Italian food.”

Oliver frowned, running his hand over his throat. “How?” Then it dawned on him. “ Matteus .”

“Don’t shoot the messenger, Reed.”

Oliver let out a sharp breath. “And just when did you find the time to speak to my brother?”

“Are you dressed?” Lucas said, the click of the adjacent cubicle door like a shotgun up his spine.

“W-What? Yes.”

“Then can we stop talking through the wall?”

“Tell me when you spoke to my brother and I’ll consider it.”

There was a hum, followed by Lucas’ heavy foot-fall across the wooden boards. “That’s top secret intelligence,” he said, voice farther away.

Oliver’s mouth twitched. “ He came to you . Didn’t he?”

“I’m afraid I’m not authorised to share that information.” Lucas chuckled.

Shoulders drooping, Oliver finally admitted defeat as he unlocked the door. Stepping into the dimly lit hut, he found Lucas holding open the door to the park. He letout an exhausted sigh before padding towards the alpha.

“Well, I’m afraid there’s only one Italian restaurant that I like. And it’s got a month-long waiting list. Even for takeaway.”

Lucas cocked an eyebrow as he let Oliver slip past. “Bella Italia, yes?”

“How do you—oh for fuck’s sake,” he said, taking a sharp left and immediately breaking into a jog.

“I’ve booked a table for eight o’clock tomorrow evening,” Lucas called after him. “I was going to ask you after work, but you never came back.”

Oliver slowed, then stopped as he turned on the spot. The alpha hadn’t followed.

“How the fuck did you get a table?” He called across the park.

Lucas tapped the side of his nose with a grin.“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty.”

Oliver flushed. “No! I’ll pick you up at seven thirty!”

Lucas tipped his head. “You have a car?”

Oliver gave a wolfish grin. “Oh yes, I have a car. A very nice car, actually!”

Because if he had learned anything in the short time he’d known the six foot five sexy mafia boss, it was that he needed an exit strategy if things turned fruity. That, and he wanted to watch Lucas try to squash himself into his little yellow Citroen.

“Seven thirty!” Oliver called, turning his back on the alpha. “Don’t be late.”