On the Outskirts of Manhattan

“ARGHH!” Ryder let out a loud growl, threw everything off the desk in front of him, stomped around and then eventually ended up in front of the petite blonde. He advanced on her until she had backed up enough for her back to hit the wall and slammed his hands against the wall on either side of her head, effectively denting the smooth plaster.

“YOU LET HER GET AWAY!” he screamed at her. “HER!”

“I-I-I...I didn't have a choice!” the girl squeaked out. “She was killing everyone. She had a partner. There was no way—”

“Why didn't you take the boy?!” Ryder growled in her face.

“She was blocking him. He was in a room. There wasn't an entrance. She would have killed me!” she insisted.

“If you're not going to take this job seriously, then you don't need it,” Ryder's voice dipped low to a menacing growl.

“What do you mean? Of course I take this job seriously!” she insisted, frantically looking around the office for some form of escape or assistance from the angry man before her.

“Carly, this is a job you take to your grave,” Ryder told her slowly.

“Of-of course!” she nodded quickly, pressing as far back against the wall as she possibly could. He was terrifying her, acting as if he'd rip her apart at any moment. “I love this job. I work hard! I swear! I told you about her, I found the file for you!”

“Yes,” Ryder pondered. “But you didn't risk your life to bring her to me.” He removed his hands from encompassing her frame. “If I were you,” he said, “I'd run.” And with that, he closed his eyes and felt the transformation take over his body. When his eyes opened his sight was more distinct, his smell was heightened, and he could hear everything, including his prey running away through the woods. He took off after her with full intentions of ripping her to shreds painfully. She wouldn't get away with leaving her behind. But maybe, just maybe he'd keep her alive. He might have to use her afterall.

***

Ava understood Riley's strength now. She also understood that her wolf wasn't the least bit scared of the older man; at some point her protective instincts kicked in and any value for her own life went out the window. He had resources and skills, he even had a great deal of dominance that she had never encountered before; but she was not scared of him. What she was, though, was pissed off at Dawson; and she knew Dawson was pissed off at her.

By the time she got back to the hospital room where she had left Nolan, she was steaming. She was more than pissed off at Dawson. She didn't want to see him or even be near him if he didn't understand that she was just doing what her instincts told her to do. It wasn't only her body but her brain that knew how powerful she was. She was simply more powerful than him and if that put his ego in a rut, then he could go to hell. And how could she have gotten him into that situation anyways? It wasn't like she had told Dawson to pick a fight with Riley, or whatever he had been doing with Riley. She wasn't the one who told him to be her bodyguard. She was the one who had the instincts, he knew that when he met her, he had her file, he knew that her wolf took control of her. He knew.

Yes, years before Greyson had taught her how to keep her wolf under control. He had taught her to let her wolf out periodically, train with her, fight with her and hunt with her. However, Ava's wolf was just as strong as before and strong emotions still brought the animal to the forefront. That was in her file, she knew it was in there.

Nolan looked up from his colouring book on the bed as Ava sauntered in. He grinned at her in her wolf form as she paced back and forth at the end of the bed.

“Hi Mommy!” Nolan grinned at her, hopping down and running over to her. Ava had to rear in her wolf to keep from growling at the advancing human, but at the same time, her wolf felt that protective need over the little boy more than anyone else in the world. She huffed at him as he ran his fingers through her fur and scratched behind her ears. She nudged him with her snout, then huffed to lay down on the floor. He curled up with her, running his fingers through her fur, not saying a word as she calmed down with his comfortable, little boy reassurance.

When his soothing hands had calmed her down enough to transform back, he quickly grabbed some spare clothes from the closet for her. He had seen her do it time and time again while he was growing up. Being helpful towards his Mommy was in his nature. The clothing he handed her were generic hospital pants and shirt, but she took them and changed quickly.

“Come on baby, lets go home.” She didn't want to be there anymore. She didn't want to be in the same room or the same building as these people. These people were training her to kill and then expecting her to reign in her protective instincts when she had been trained to fight and protect. Her brain told her to fight and protect. Her body listened.

“Can we go home home?” Nolan asked. “Or Base home?”

“Lets go home, home. Just for the night,” Ava nodded, gathering the colouring books up that were scattered around, and piled them neatly in a corner.

Jane walked in just then. “Feeling better?” she asked with a small, concerned smile.

“Yeah, we're going to head home,” Ava told her.

“Sure, just let me call Caroline to check you over and fill out some paperwork, and Riley to let him know you're heading home, and Dawson to drive you,” the young woman grinned.

Ava shook her head. “That's not necessary. Caroline can check me over, but don't call Dawson. I'll just catch a cab.”

“Taxi's don't go out to the Base.” Jane's smile faltered.

“We're not going to the Base. We're going to my apartment.”

Jane's mouth opened and shut for a few seconds. “I-I'm...I don't think you can do that. I really need to call one of the Councilmen!” she blubbered some more before running over to the wall phone and pressing several buttons.

“Luther?” she asked when someone picked up. “Ava has...Ava wants to go home...to her apartment.”

There was excited chatter on the other end before Jane nodded, made a noise of agreement, then hung up. “You'll have to wait here. They're on their way.”

Two minutes later, Riley, followed by Felix, Luther, Gabriel and Gregory all stalked into the room. They looked important, standing up straight and walking with a purpose as they entered the room. They wore their customary three-piece suits that they wore in the Council Chambers. Felix was the only one who wore his dark cloak, the hood draping down his back.

Ava didn't give them time to speak to her. She knew they were all there to bully her into staying at the Base, or worse, in the castle.

“I want out,” she told them. “If I'm going to do this; if I'm going to save your asses from a bunch of cannibal werewolves on a mission to devour the human race and take over the Council, then you're going to let me leave. You're going to let me live in the human world, as a human, raising my son as a human. You're going to do that. You're not going to make me stay. We're not staying. He's not being subjected to this anymore. It's going to stop.”

Several of the Councilmen glanced over at Riley who had his jaw set firmly, head lifted in a defiant manner and his chest puffed out slightly, as if to show his dominance. Ava stood relaxed, ignoring his body language.

Felix opened his mouth to speak up, “We'll have to discuss.”

“We know she can do it,” Riley stated out loud. “She's lived by herself for years. She doesn't need the social setting like everyone else.” He turned to her, “if we're going to do this, I expect you to return to the pack once Nolan reaches maturity. He needs someone—men—to help him with his change. He's going to need the society. Partaking in this battle ensures that you will live in the human world until the time comes when Nolan must enter the werewolf community.”

“No,” Ava stated.

“Yes,” Riley countered. “You have the power and control to live outside of a werewolf community, but until that has been decided for in regards to Nolan, I am not putting his life in danger.”

Ava stiffened. She understood the underlying implication that she was suggesting putting her son in danger once he reached puberty and suffered through his first change.

“He will visit a community daily for lessons. He will live in the human world,” Ava countered.

“No. He will live in the werewolf community with or without you Ava Wilkinson. Take your pick,” Riley growled out to her.

The other Councilmen converged behind Riley in a triangle formation, adopting a very formal look of agreement to what Riley said.

Ava pursed her lips and glanced down for a second. She looked back up at the Council as her mouth opened. “When the time comes, Nolan will be properly taken care of,” she said.

Riley understood that it wasn't in complete agreement with what he said, but he also understood that the Council had complete control over the werewolf community, and when the time came, if need be, he would take Nolan from the woman and put him into a pack.

“Deal.”

***

“So, the little Prince Nolan saved the life of the fair maiden Mommy and brought her home safe and sound to live happily every after. The end,” Ava pulled the covers up to Nolan's chin. His eyes were sliding shut and his little face showed contentment—whether it was for being in his own home, in his own bed or even just because Ava had told him a familiar, soothing story, she wasn't sure. But the second her lips left his forehead, he was out like a light. She smiled down at the sleeping boy. “And the fair maiden will protect you. Always.”

She was just stepping out of his room, leaving the door open just a crack, when her front door burst open. Her wolf flared up like a protective mother and snarled at the intruder. Dawson stood in the doorway, glaring at her.

“What are you doing here?” he growled out.

“I live here,” she responded curtly, turning from him and heading to the kitchen to put on the kettle for some tea.

“Not right now you don't. Not unprotected. You live at the Base, where you are an Alpha and have responsibilities,” Dawson growled out.

“There is a very capable Alpha at the Base who is running the show quite nicely, and I have permission to be here without protection. Is there something you wanted? Or can I show you to the door?” Ava asked him.

Dawson growled and paced. “I'm your protection. I protect you. I do!”

Ava blinked at him.

“I protect me. I can protect me and my son. You don't have to. You just get mad at me. You simply blame me for any situation you get yourself in, well guess what Dawson? I don't have the time. I don't have the patience and I'm not going to put myself through anything with you if that's the way you're going to be treating me and talking to me. There are more important people in my life, Dawson. I can't and I won't sit around while you blame me for protecting you; for following a natural instinct of mine. I'm not going to do it. So please, leave. I don't have the energy. I don't have the patience and I don't have the time—”

Dawson took three strides across the floor to reach her and cupped the side of her face. He pulled her against him and pressed his lips to hers forcefully.

Ava melted into the kiss. All of her earlier worries were out the window; instead she was wondering if her lips were moving the right way against Dawson's, if she should slide her tongue into his open mouth. She wondered if her hands were in the right place, if they were touching him at all. She wondered if she was any good at kissing and wondering if his lips and hands were supposed to cause such a reaction within her. She had, after all, only ever kissed Greyson. Greyson taught her everything she knew concerning love, kissing, affection and sex.

She felt the tears falling down her face, felt the ache in her heart as she pulled away from Dawson. He frowned at her, reaching up to wipe the tears from her face.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered through her tears.

“It's okay to miss him,” Dawson told her. “It's okay to weep at his absence. You had this connection—this deep, profound connection that no one else can give to you. Not even me. Even though he's gone, you're never going to feel that same kind of connection again, but you can feel love. You won't be replacing him. You won't be tainting his memory. I want to be with you. I don't want to take his place.”

Ava sighed, wiping at her face furiously to get rid of the tears. “Then why did you yell at me?” she whispered.

Dawson let out a noise that was somewhere between a sigh and choking, and hung his head before glancing up at the young woman. She was still so young, so fragile, so naive. He had to remind himself of that.

“I've been around a lot longer than you,” Dawson finally let out. “I was around during the time when men always opened a door for women, where the man wore the pants in the house and put their foot down; when the man brought home the bacon and the woman was there to be delicate and loving and take care of the man on the emotional level. Don't get me wrong, I love the women's movement. I love that you want to be independent above anything else—that a man will never define you and that you can fight your own battles. But there's something in me that will feel angry and humiliated if you try and fight my battles for me. Just like you'd be angry and humiliated if I tried to fight yours for you. So yes, I got angry and jealous and humiliated, and I blamed you. But I still want to be with you, and only you.”

Ava nodded, letting a sad smile cross her face. “Once I win this battle,” she started. “I'm leaving the werewolf community. I don't need to be surrounded by wolves, I don't need that and I want Nolan to grow up in a good world—in a world where women are equal to men. And I will raise him right,” Ava told Dawson, a determined note to her voice.

“I will follow you wherever you need to go.”