"That can't be good," you commented stupidly at the silver you had thrown up. The bowl vanished and Loki led you back to the bed in the med room.

"It's alright, little wolf. It's actually a good thing," Loki told you gently as he got you settled again.

"How can it possibly be a good thing? I didn't eat the stuff," you grumbled, but let him take care of you. He chuckled and seemed relieved that you were feeling better enough to grumble and snarl at him.

He brushed his hand against the bare skin of your arm and showed you that it came back shimmering with a slightly silver metallic sheen. "Your body is doing its job and trying to get rid of the silver any way it can. You'll be fine," he told you warmly.

"Good, cuz I hate this room," you grumbled.

He chuckled as he placed a hand gently on your forehead. "I know, darling," he told you softly. You sneezed at his use of magic, and saw the green glow around his hand. You should have known, you realized as your eyes were growing heavy.

"You realize I hate when you do that?" you grumbled at him sleepily as he helped you lay back on the bed.

"I'm sorry, little wolf, but I do not wish for you to suffer unduly. It's just for a couple hours for the antidote to kick in," he told you softly.

"Stay with me?" you murmured, unable to open your eyes again.

"Always, darling. Sleep now. You'll feel better when you wake," he promised you. Reassured by his words, you allowed sleep to claim you.

*

You woke again to the sound of Loki reading aloud. He had a particular cadence to his voice when he was reading and you recognized it at once. It seemed perfectly normal except.

Except...

"And the wolf, noticing the very little girl all alone in his woods, made his way very carefully over to her. He was moved to help her, but didn't want to frighten the child, for silly humans are scared of wolves. She was wearing a bright red cape and carried a basket full of...sweets and snacks, his nose told him. She looked so very alone and so very very young to be in his woods without a guardian. His woods were dangerous, and not just because of him. So the wolf gallantly stepped out onto the path in front of him. 'Hello, little girl,' he greeted her kindly. 'Why are you in my woods all alone?'

'I'm not sposed to talk to strangers' replied the little girl, not afraid of him, beyond the fact that he was a stranger.

The wolf smiled reassuringly. 'That is quite wise-"

You opened your eyes at the familiar children's tale. At least the werewolf version of it was familiar to you. You sat up slowly and Loki didn't pause his reading. You realized why an instant later. He was sitting in the chair next to your bed, the little five year old wolf puppy was in his lap, her wolf-ears and tail out, enthralled by the tale and Loki's rendition of it. The older puppy was sitting on the floor at Loki's feet listening too, and he held the book tilted in such a way that she could see the pictures too while he read. You realized that she was younger than your original assessment, since she had her wolf-ears and tail out too. That would put her in her early teens to not be affected by winter's moon.

The sight of Loki reading so patiently and caringly to the puppies warmed your heart and it was so adorable.

You had an unbidden, but wonderful image of him reading to your own puppies in a comfy chair in front of a fire.

You shook that image away quickly. You didn't need to think about imaginary puppies right now. You didn't want to interrupt the adorable scene, but Loki had noticed you move the second you woke. He kept reading, but it didn't take long for the puppies to notice you too. "Mega!" the little puppy called and scrambled off of Loki's lap to join you on the bed. You laughed as she crawled into your arms. "Mr. Loki said no cuddles until you woke," she pouted.

You kissed the top of her head. "Mr. Loki was right. You would have been sad that I was sick," you told her gently, then looked over her to give Loki a warm smile. Loki petted the other puppy on the head as he got up.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked you as he looked you over with medical professionalism.

"Much. Can we leave now?" you asked, reaching over automatically for the IV in your arm.

He sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. "Yes, but let me do that. You'll hurt yourself." You held the puppy tightly in your arms and she looked away from the needle as he was removed from your skin.

"Did the puppies bother you too much?" you asked him. Puppies could be a handful.

"These little princesses? Hardly. They were excellent company," he replied warmly. He lifted the puppy from your arms and held her on his hip so you could climb out of the bed. Her little arms were wrapped around his neck and your heart melted due to sheer adorable. You climbed out of the bed while the older puppy picked up the picture book and took Loki's free hand. He smiled warmly at her and shot you an apologetic look. He had no more free arms to offer you.

You laughed and kissed his cheek. "You've acquired a couple of new admirers," you told him warmly.

"Their guardian is waiting in the living room," he told you and managed to kiss your forehead without interrupting his charges. You led them to the living room where Fenrir was waiting. Fenrir rose from the couch and came over to you, wrapping you in too tight of a hug.

You made a small eep when he squeezed you too tightly. "You're ok," his voice was the relief of someone who had been truly worried. "What you did to save those girls was extrodinarily brave," he told you. "I heard how much extra danger you put yourself in to save them. It will not be forgotten, daughter. Nor will the actions of your friends,"

"What of the puppies?" you asked him, tears in your eyes at his words, as his hug finally loosened enough for you to step back.

"They will be coming to live with me and my mate. I have already brought them into the pack," he added, knowing your senses were off right now.

The puppies were sad when they had to leave you and Loki. You were an Omega and they adored Loki. You didn't blame them. You both gave them hugs goodbye and promised to visit.

You were still happily surprised that Loki was so good with the puppies and so patient.

*

"That still looks like it hurts," you told Loki mournfully that evening when you were supposed to be going to sleep. He was sitting against the pillows with his book, but mysteriously missing his shirt. The mark you had left stuck out on his pale skin.

He laughed and kissed you, tilting your face to his with his long cold fingers. "I have told you already, the enjoyment of its creation was well worth any discomfort. You know I do not lie to you, little wolf," he told you warmly and kissed you again. "I do not mind wearing your mark," he added, his voice a warm whispered purr, his lips brushing your ear.

You flushed, but decided to tease him back. "I'll have to do it again sometime, since you liked it so much," you teased. You saw his mischievous smirk.

He gestured to his body. "Be my guest," he teased, not expecting you to take him up on his offer...or was it a bluff?

*

"Why in the nine realms did I let you mark my ass?" Loki whispered the growl in your ear as he passed your seat at the breakfast table the next morning to get to his chair.

You laughed and nearly choked on your breakfast. You didn't know what you were expecting this morning, but that quesiton hadn't been it. "Couldn't have you forgetting about it," you told him with too innocent of a smile. He tried to glare, but was laughing too hard. You were smirking as he sat ever so carefully. Yep. He was not going to be forgetting about that anytime soon. He glared over at you and your too innocent return to your breakfast.

"Annoying puppy,"

"High and mighty god," you teased right back.

"Do I even want to know what you two are laughing about?" Tony asked sleepily from his end of the table.

"Probably yes, since you'd find it hillarious, but I'm not telling." Tony perked up with interest. He liked secrets and funny things. "I'm not telling," you repeated firmly.

"I'm not telling either," Loki growled and gave Tony a proper glare. Loki turned to where you were still very innocently eating your breakfast. "I must love you darling," he finally told you.

You smirked at him. "Oh, like you didn't enjoy it," you whispered so only he would hear you. You wouldn't embarrass him in front of the others. He huffed and couldn't argue with that. Suddenly a little ring box appeared in front of your plate.

"I was going to wait to give that to you, little wolf," he said loudly enough that everyone could hear, then leaned down to your ear. "But I wish to mark you as mine as well," his words and lips against your ear sent a shiver down your spine.

"If that's an engagement ring, you're doing it wrong," Tony informed Loki dryly.

"Good thing it is a promsie ring, then," Loki replied pleasantly. You opened the box and pulled out the Claddagh ring that was a perfect match to the one you had given Loki.

"Thank you, love, it's perfect," you told him and kissed him.

*

The rest of winter's moon was fairly uneventful. You went shopping and had a lovely dinner with Samuel and Rachel. You spent nearly every single moment with Loki. He still carried you to bed each night, but left a clone to keep guard if he didn't stay with you himself. He wasn't taking any risks with your safety.

It was all going smoothly until the bright-red envelope arrived for you a couple days before the full moon. "Wolf-girl, a letter came for you. Javis said there was nothing dangerous..." Tony said as he handed it to you. He didn't sound convinced.

You stared in horror at it.

The envelope was plain, just had your address on it, no return address. But you still knew. Only one type of letter came in these envelopes.

"I can't believe Jareth," you glared at the envelope. Loki tried to take it from you.

"Darling-" he started.

You shook your head and tore the envelope open. "I have to open it, Lo. It's important and not inherently dangerous on its own. The message inside, however..." The letter was printed on heavy parchment, very official.

'You have been summoned to a dominance challenge by Jareth, Alpha of the Hudson River pack. The challenge will take place two days after the full moon. Combat will take place in human form.'

There was a location listed too. Some place on neutral territory. You handed the letter to Loki while you glared. You hadn't been expecting Jareth to be happy that you were out of his grasp, but you hadn't expected him to do this.

"Just ignore it, love," Loki suggested.

"I can't. I can't ignore an official summons. He hasn't done anything wrong either. He's allowed to challenge me as long as the challenge itself doesn't take place during winter's moon,"

"He's not in your pack anymore," Loki growled. "Dominance challenges are-" he stopped, realizing.

"Are within packs. Fenrir killing Ferris made Jareth Alpha, and he's now part of Fenrir's pack too. He is within his rights to challenge me," you repeated as dread filled you.

Jareth could kill you legitimately during the challenge. Dominance challenges weren't supposed to be to the death, but they would be if the loser didn't yield. Jareth wouldn't let you yield. He would fight you to the death.

But that also meant, if you were very lucky and fought really well, you could kill him instead.