Trees whipped past the beast's view as it ran through the forest, basked in the fading light of the impending dusk. It's breath came in short, sharp bursts, it's muscles straining as it darted around obstacles, hoping to lose it's predator. It hadn't been chased in a very long time. It was exhilarating.

Slinking behind a boulder, the beast used it's raven fur to disappear into the shadows, using it's power to hide in the thick tendrils of darkness. It slowed it's breathing, listening out to the sounds of the forest, searching for any sign that it's pursuer was closing in.

It knew it had to keep moving, had to use the receding light to it's advantage. But it knew it's predator could see just as well after nightfall, it's heightened senses far surpassing that of the beast's. It would be difficult to keep the distance between the two beings and near impossible to lose the pursuer altogether.

Surveying the forest to it's right, the beast's heart skipped a beat and it very nearly flinched at the sight of two eyes looking right back at it. The citrine and cinnabar iris' looked as though they were glowing, subtle glints flickering over them every so often as they caught the evening sun.

The beast remained deathly still, even going so far as to hold it's breath, unsure of whether the vampire had noticed him. It's face was almost completely concealed in the shadows it too hid in, with only the eyes visible. The beast knew the vampire was also manipulating the shadows, bathing himself in the darkness, using it as a cloak that whipped around his fingers.

It mesmerised the beast, how skillfully the vampire could contort the darkness into his palms, making it liquid or solid or something in between. It was as though he had always practised for years yet the beast was still struggling merely with summoning the darkness toward him.

The vampire's gaze drifted elsewhere, scanning it's immediate surroundings for the beast, giving the wolf it's very slim chance. It inhaled very slowly, before thrusting the tendrils of shadow to it's right and bolting to the left. It only managed a few meters then was knocked onto it's side, held down by the smirking vampire.

"I think that means I'm faster, puppy," Dante looked smug, his fangs glistening in the evening sunlight.

"Whatever," the beast squirmed out of Dante's grip, sitting up and rubbing it's snout against the vampire's cheek. It almost purred as Dante ran his fingers through the thick, dark fur covering it's ears.

"You really do have magic hands," the beast rested it's head on Dante's shoulder, closing it's eyes as the vampire stroked it.

"Your wolf is so beautiful," Dante murmured, trailing his fingers absently down the back of the beast's neck, "I've never seen another like you, you're truly bewitching, Fi," the beast moved it's head slightly, licking gently over the scar it had put on Dante's face, whining softly. It hated that scar. It hated that it had caused it, that it would be there for the remainder of Dante's eternal life, forever reminding it that it had the capability to do such damage.

The beast suddenly pulled away from Dante, hearing movement to it's right. Dropping into a more guarded stance, it crept toward the noise, baring it's teeth yet remaining completely silent. It knew the vampire hadn't moved, instead choosing to watch the wolf deal with the problem from afar. The beast thought that was best, it didn't want to do any more damage.

As the beast rounded a small bush, a tiny cub leapt out, yipping and barking at the enormous wolf. The cub had steel grey fur, with crimson paws, as though it was wearing little socks.

"We need to go, there's real wolves here and they have a cub, I don't want to hurt any of them," the beast padded back over to Dante, brushing against the vampire as they walked away together.

"It's following us," Dante murmured.

"It will turn around in a minute, it won't go far from their den," the beast growled quietly, hoping to scare the cub, yet could hear it running along behind them still. Turning on it's heel, the beast snarled, baring it's teeth. The cub yipped, falling onto it's back and holding up it's paws, whimpering and whining, staring up at the beast with it's golden eyes.

"You're scaring it," the beast leant down it's head, examining the colour of the cub's iris'. When it's head was low enough, the cub jumped up, holding onto the beast's snout and trying to balance on it's hind legs as it licked all over the elder wolf's nose.

"It's not a wolf cub. It's a werewolf cub. But I don't understand, I thought we were in vampire territory."

"We are. Maybe it just wandered away from it's pack, it could be lost," the beast laid down, stretching out it's paws in front of it. Immediately, the cub clambered onto the beast's outstretched legs, curling into a ball against it's chest, hidden under it's throat.

"I don't think it has a pack. I can't smell any other wolves on it. And it must only be a few months old, it's tiny. Wolf cubs aren't allowed to roam anywhere by themselves until they can control their shift and defend themselves. Eloise won't be allowed until she's at least 13. I think it was abandoned," the beast saw Dante crouched down nearby, far enough away that he wouldn't frighten the cub but close enough to watch it drifting off to sleep.

"What do we do with it?"

"There must be a pack nearby, they might either know the parents or be willing to take it in. We'll have to go talk to them, maybe you can ask whoever owns this territory if we can have the alpha's details," the beast rested it's head very lightly on the cub, completely concealing it from view.

"I'll call Hanson now, how are we going to get that back into the hotel? Can you force it to turn?" Dante rose to his feet, taking his phone from his back pocket.

"It's too young to be able to control it's shifting, we just have to wait it out. It could take a few hours or- wait," the beast lifted it's head and, in the place of the cub, was a small toddler sound asleep, "he trusts me. This must be the first time he's had a decent sleep since he was abandoned. Poor little guy," a soft whimper slipped from the beast as it gazed down at the child curled up on it's legs. Dante took Fionn's t-shirt out of his rucksack and laid it over the child. His caramel hair was short, falling over his eyes in the most adorable manner. The beast couldn't comprehend how anyone could have simply thrown away the child like he was nothing. He was a baby, probably no older than two. Cruelty truly did have a multitude of forms.

"You suit having a child, Fi," Kastor piped up, glancing from the book he was reading to Fionn, cradling the toddler in his arms.

"Thanks, Kas," Fionn said with a chuckle.

"He looks a little like you, I think," Kastor placed his book on the bedside table and moved to sit next to Fionn, "if that's at all possible, maybe my mind is just finding patterns where there is none."

"I don't understand how someone could have just left him out there like that, he's a child, how the hell is he supposed to defend himself?" Fionn couldn't help frowning, never lifting his eyes from the slumbering child in his lap.

"Maybe they did it to keep him safe. I mean, we're immediately assuming that he was abandoned for malicious reasons but maybe it was for his own good. There might have been hunters pursuing the mother, and or father, and they may have left him there to protect him.

"Hanson said there had always been a wolf den on his land, the child might have been left there in wolf form for months, raised by those wolves. You and my father may have been the first people he has seen since his parents left him. That could be why he has taken to you so easily," Kastor had a point, Fionn thought, maybe the child's parents were out there somewhere worrying about his safety.

Fionn opened his mouth to speak but stopped when the toddler began to stir. He glanced at Kastor, thankful that the vampire had hidden his fangs, he wasn't sure how the child would react to them.

"Hey, little guy," Fionn spoke very softly, rubbing the child's back as his eyes flickered over the elder wolf's face. He didn't look scared, he actually looked quite content.

"Eyes," the child sat up slowly, mesmerised by Fionn's heterochromic eyes, seeming to have not even noticed Kastor, "red," the child touched just below Fionn's right eye, then moved his hand to his left, "yellow," Fionn couldn't suppress the smile that curled his mouth at the child's wonderment.

"That's right, little guy. Do you remember your name?"

"Arlo," the child said, though the l sounded more like a w.

"Arlo, that's a very pretty name, my name is Fionn. Do you remember your mommy and daddy's names?" Arlo didn't answer, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Fionn," he said very slowly, "Fionn," he repeated with more confidence, beaming up at Fionn.

"Good job, buddy," Fionn praised, his smile broadening.

"Daddy Fionn," Fionn's eyes widened as Arlo flung his arms around his neck, holding tight onto him.

"Fuck," he mouthed to Kastor, "what do I do?" Kastor began to laugh and Arlo whipped around to look at him.

"Eyes," he pointed at Kastor, "red."

"My eyes are red, you're very clever, Arlo. My name is Kas, can you say Kas?" Kastor leant forward so Arlo could brush his fingers over the vampire's cheek.

"Kasi," Arlo said softly, then looked up at Fionn, "juice," Fionn glanced at Kastor, though the vampire was no help.

"Juice? You want a drink, buddy?" Fionn asked.

"Juice," Arlo replied a little louder. Kastor rose from the bed and took a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. Arlo reached out for it, taking big gulps as Kastor held it to his lips.

"Dante's back," Kastor put the bottle on the bedside table, opening the door for Dante and helping him with the bags.

"Dinner," Arlo returned his gaze to Fionn, who smiled down at him still.

"You hungry, buddy? Dante should have got you some dinner," Fionn rose to his feet, sitting Arlo on his hip and happily receiving a chaste kiss from Dante, "Arlo, can you say Dante?"

"Line," Dante's brows furrowed slightly, though the smile never left his lips, "line," Arlo leant forward on Fionn's hip, tracing his fingers down the pale scar on Dante's face.

"That's called a scar, Arlo," Dante corrected, listening as the child stated what colour his eyes were.

"Dinner," Arlo repeated, resting his head on Fionn's shoulder.

"I got some toddler meal thing, something with chicken that you just microwave, I'm sure they would let you heat it in the kitchen," Dante took the meal from the bag and Kastor left to go find the hotel kitchen, "so, Arlo? Did you give him that name?"

"Nope, he remembered it," Fionn dropped his voice lower, "and he thinks I'm his dad," Dante chuckled, turning on the tv as Fionn sat Arlo in front of it.

"Arlo Isamar sounds nice," Fionn regarded Dante with a stunned expression, "I told you I always wanted a big family, Fi. Someone will have to take him if his parents can't be found, since he already thinks you're his father it would make sense for us to raise him," Fionn leant against Dante as the vampire wrapped his arms around his waist, both watching Arlo. He hadn't even fathomed the possibility that they would keep Arlo but now the thought was in his mind, a little part of him began to hope the parents couldn't be found.