Delia was slumped over her desk when Bucky came up behind her, wrapping both arms around his fiancée’s waist as he buried his bearded face into the crook of her neck. Her growl was rewarded with a tiny squeeze and a playful nip against her throat, before the tall blonde took a step back, brushing a hand against her hair.

“You okay?”

Delia visibly stiffened. She knew that Bucky had heard her exchange with their Alpha that morning. Shrugging, she stayed focused on her laptop and continued typing away. She was the one in charge of keeping track of the Pack’s affairs and sometimes that meant running some press for their businesses. Since Ophelia had taken over, The Crescent had become quite popular. Delia had created and now managed the bar’s webpage. She was rather proud of the logo she had designed. Focusing on it now, she barely noticed as Bucky pulled up another chair and sat down beside her, patiently waiting for her to turn her attention on him.

Finally, the clicking stopped and she sighed, rolling her eyes as she shifted in her seat to face him. “What?”

Bucky was leaning against the edge of the desk, tapping both hands against the wood. “Well you never came down for breakfast….or lunch. Did you want to talk about it?”

Delia arched one perfect eyebrow. “There really isn’t anything to talk about okay?”

Bucky didn’t say anything for a moment. “You know she didn’t mean anything by it, right? I mean…she left wearing the necklace you got her so…”

“Oh well that’s great…couldn’t even open it in front of me, not even a fucking thank you, but hey, yay! She wore it out. Awesome…”

Ignoring her sarcasm, Bucky turned his attention onto the ad Delia was working on on the computer. It always impressed him, how easy it seemed for Cordelia to work her way around the computers. His place had always been in the kitchen, he could never be bothered with things like technology. “Page is looking good.”

Delia grunted in reply, but he caught sight of the corners of her mouth twitching upwards slightly. “Thanks.” She finally mumbled.

After a beat, she turned sharply in her seat, facing him. “I just don’t understand why she is so damn distant lately!”

“There it is…”

Ignoring his comment, she continued. “It’s just, after Hank’s death…everyone sort of left…and there’s so few of us still here…it makes things seem smaller with her being so closed off.”

She had a point. During Hank’s time, if you were Pack, you had to live at the Manor or at least on the grounds. But once he was gone, Ophelia had changed things up, allowing the Pack to finally faction off into their own separate family homes. Each group had someone in charge who reported back to the Alpha regularly. The loyalty of the Danvers pack remained strong, but there was finally more freedom. Now, there was maybe ten of them still occupying the huge house, and even Bucky had had a difficult time adjusting to the emptiness of it at first.

“Delia…” Bucky moved his chair closer to hers, smiling gently. “Just give her some time okay? I get it. I’m frustrated too, but I think she needs us more than we need her. She’ll get there. Have faith, I do…”

Delia finally smiled, nodding slowly. Sighing, she reached out and brushed a hand against his cheek, her fingers tangling in his beard playfully.

“I love you.”

“I know.” Bucky grinned widely, knowing he’d be rewarded with another eye roll of hers. He was surprised when she tackled him, knocking him from his seat. Laughing as she started covering his face and neck with kisses and playful little bites. Her eyes had gone golden, and seeing this, he growled. Whatever Delia had left to do on that computer of hers would have to wait. He barely had time to kick the door shut with his foot…

It was getting close to closing time, and Ophelia was starting to clean up, drying some of the glasses she had washed from that night’s shift as the few remaining patrons were finishing their last round, still arguing over the score of that night’s hockey game. It was the little things, the normal things that made her truly appreciate her time here.

The last of her customers had left as she started moving to get another glass to dry. The quiet was pierced by the tiny bell over the door as it chimed followed by a slight brush of cold as more people wandered in. Too invested in her task, it wasn’t until she heard them move behind her, that Ophelia could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up on edge and a low growl escaped her before she could help herself. She could smell the mutts without even having to turn around.

“Oh barkeep? How about a little service over here for me and my friends?” The voice was light, but taunting, in a sing-song like manner. The hand that had been holding the glass twitched, tightening around the cool surface and Ophelia could feel it start to crack under her fingers.

She recognized the owner of that voice instantly.

That bitch…

The wide, toothy grin on Astrid Malone’s face spoke volumes, and Ophelia wanted to rip it right off from her face. It didn’t meet her cold blue eyes, which had narrowed, watching every step the Alpha took as Ophelia turned to face her and the other two mutts from behind the bar.

Astrid had been one of the first of her kind to submit to Hank when he started rounding up the Mutts in the area. It had disgusted Ophelia then, how the young wolf threw herself at her father, making it known of her interests to become his new mate. She had also been the first one to run away in terror when Ophelia had brought Hank down, taking all of the Mutts with her. It was said that those who hadn’t fled the state, had formed a Pack of their own. Ophelia wouldn’t be surprised if she had come up with that plan herself. That wolf had always been out for herself. Just seeing her now brought up even more bad memories from the past, and Ophelia wanted them gone.

“You shouldn’t be here.” It was a simple fact, but it came out more like a warning and for a moment, Astrid looked visibly shaken, but she didn’t move.

“A round of drinks, if you would be so kind.”

“Sorry. But we’re closing…”

Astrid turned and looked at the large clock over one of the pool tables and laughed softly. “I’m pretty sure you don’t close for another hour…C’mon Ophelia, now don’t be like that…” The blonde pushed her hair back as she slid onto one of the barstools.

Her hand visibly shook as she slowly placed the empty glass on the bar, never taking her eyes off of the three Mutts before her. There hadn’t been any issues with their kind so far aside from the concern of territory. And one of the places they had been told to avoid had been The Crescent…

Ophelia just didn’t trust them.

Clenching her jaw, she eyed the two males with Astrid. She recognized the one as Astrid’s mate, Rivon Daniels. He had also been a follower of her father’s. Of course, he had been one of the more reluctant ones. The jagged scar going through his left eye had been Hank’s handy work. Rivon caught her staring and smirked, offering her a wink.

Ophelia could feel a vile taste rising in her mouth. Without saying a word, she reached under the bar for three beers and flipped the caps off. She slid each one across the bar with a little force, smiling to herself when Astrid struggled to catch hers, the slippery glass refusing to stay in her manicured hands.

“What the fuc-“ The blonde pushed her chair back and snarled, and Ophelia turned to face her, readying for a fight.

“Is there a problem here?”

Silas had come up behind them all. Ophelia hadn’t even seen him enter the bar. He stood with his arms crossed over his wide chest, the muscles in his arms bulging slightly under his tight grey shirt. His eyes looked golden, and as his lip curled up in a snarl, Ophelia could see the faint hint of extending canines. He hated the Mutts just as much as she did.

“No problem at all handsome…just old friends catching up over some beers.” Astrid smiled at him, batting her false lashes. “ You should join us.” It took everything in her, for Ophelia to not leap over the bar and rip into her with tooth and nail.

Ignoring her offer, Silas came up behind the bar and put an arm around Ophelia’s waist, resting his lips against the top of her head. “I just came to pick up Phee…I’m pretty sure she was closing early tonight.”

“Right…yeah, she mentioned something like that...” Rivon snorted and rolled his eyes. His friend chuckled darkly and the smile on Astrid’s face only grew.

“Then I think that means you should be leaving.” Silas held in his growl.

“You know I think it’s cute how protective he is of you…” Astrid finished off her beer and looked Ophelia over. “The Alpha’s own personal protector.” She ran a hand through her golden locks and laughed darkly. “I just hope no one ever gets the wrong idea…the way he just jumps to your defense like that…you wouldn’t want someone thinking you couldn’t handle your own battles, would you?”

Rivon and the other Mutt laughed along with her. He was scrawny looking, with straw-like red hair, She could smell the faintest bit of human still lingering on him, and figured he must have been turned recently, most likely by one of the two Mutts he was with now. Another thing the Mutts had been warned against doing, making more of their kind. They may not be a true pack, but Ophelia was still concerned with keeping their numbers small and controlled.

“You should leave.”

Astrid arched her eyebrow once more, raising her hands in mock surrender.

“Okay Harris, we get it…dirty blood a’int welcome here, but maybe…” there was a gleam of mischief in her cold blue eyes, the faintest bit of red swirling among them. “-next time you should really let your bitch speak for herself.”

Ophelia couldn’t control herself. Before anyone could even react, she was over the bar, grabbing Astrid by the throat. The blonde’s eyes bulged, her words being cut off off in a wet gurgling sound. Her back met the wall hard as Ophelia slammed her into the brick.

Nobody moved.

Ophelia’s eyes had gone fully golden, feral. Her canines had lengthened, and as her hand tightened, her nails started to sharpen into claws, gliding against the soft skin of Astrid’s throat, watching as she began to submit under her gaze. As Rivon moved to help her, Silas growled loudly, stopping the Mutt in his tracks. His buddy still stood, frozen on the spot, his body shaking visibly. Ophelia struggled to keep from smiling.

This, the sudden rush of power…it felt good. Too good almost.

Leaning in, her face mere inches from the other female’s, she growled. It was low, rumbling in her chest, and it was a warning.

“Get. Out. Now.”

Pushing back from Astrid, the Mutt started to drop to the floor but caught herself. Her eyes were red now, her own canines having lengthened. “You…are going to seriously regret that Danvers.” Snapping her fingers at the other two, they left the bar, slamming the door behind them.

Once they were gone, Silas rushed over. “Fuck! Are you alright?!”

Smiling, Ophelia nodded. Her hands were shaking. Her claws and teeth had retreated, and the gold was slowly fading from her green eyes. The rush remained, she could hear her heart hammering away in her chest. This was the first time, the first true time, that she had ever really grasped her Alpha role. And it had felt amazing.

Laughing now, she turned to face her mate. Even he could see the sudden change in her.