Closed: When no one has your back
It was very late or very early depending on perception when it happened. Sebastian had spent most of the night as a wolf, curled up in the study around Reid, anxiously headbutting him any time some sound from outside the thick walls of the manor sounded out of place. That had been the theme of the full moon, more and more often.
Reid had made it clear he was going to be around for this horror show, and Sebastian was too comforted by it to argue anymore, especially with how worried Reid had been lately. He was always worried - panicky and concerned to a fault - but it had been worse since the anti-werewolf sentiment had been increasing in both volume and tenacity.
It wasn't until the sun was near rising that Sebastian gave into the pull. He'd feel better, he hoped, if he ran for just a bit. One round of the grounds was all it would take. He had plenty of time to pull that off before the sun rose. He wasn't as fast as his sister, but he was large enough that his strides took him farther with each one.
The night was still and quiet, the way most of them were around Daley Manor. Sebastian wasn't concerned about anything, confident in his charms and the safety of being so far away from the fanatics and the hate-groups. He was complacent. He knew better.
The attack came from out of no where. The large copper wolf launching itself over the wall at the far back end of the estate. By the time Sebastian heard it, it was already on him. Teeth and claws scraped for purchase, going for his throat and soft underbelly.
Sebastian rallied, leaping away and snapping his jaws, teeth catching fur and pushing farther until they pierced skin and the sharp tang of blood filled his mouth. The mindless killer that was held at bay by wolfsbane fought for control and, briefly, Sebastian let it. He took that rage and added it to the anger he felt nearly always as a human these days.
It was with a flurry of motion and a cacophony of pained howls and enraged snarls that the sun began to peak over the horizon. The pull was as intense as - if more welcomed than - the change from a man to a monster. The instant rigidity made Sebastian freeze. The wolf that had been attacking froze when he did. After the initial pause, the wolf turned to run. Sebastian had enough time to see the way the legs were shifting on the other werewolf before he was running in the opposite direction.
He made it as far as the back landing before he couldn't hold it off any longer and the change took over. There was so much pain that howling with the pain was restrained to low woofs and growls, transitioning to agonized groans and huffs as he reformed. It took everything in him to pull himself up to his feet, legs shaky and torso on fire.
Sebastian's chest was burning by the time he pulled himself to his feet and made his way back to the study. It was shockingly empty, at least at the moment. His muscles ached more than usual from the attack - surely related to the pack that had started this whole mess, but possibly a fight for retribution over something other werewolves in hiding thought he had some role in starting - and pulling his shirt off too more energy than he had.
All he wanted was a glass of water and to cling to Reid for a few hours while he passed out. As he looked down at his chest, he realized that wasn't going to be an option, not with the blood oozing from the wounds that transferred instead of healed during his change back. They didn't feel as deep, he thought, which was a small miracle.
With his hands gripping the edge of the sofa, Sebastian tried to breathe through the pain, repeatedly reminding himself that he'd had worse. The first bite was worse than anything. He could make it through this.
It didn't matter in the end, when all he could manage was a pained sound in the back of his throat when he tried to push himself up and fell back again, forced to give up the dream if climbing the wide stairs to his soft bed in his oversized suite. He was considering calling out or tipping over and waiting it out when there were footsteps and a shadow cutting through the early morning sun.
Reid had made it clear he was going to be around for this horror show, and Sebastian was too comforted by it to argue anymore, especially with how worried Reid had been lately. He was always worried - panicky and concerned to a fault - but it had been worse since the anti-werewolf sentiment had been increasing in both volume and tenacity.
It wasn't until the sun was near rising that Sebastian gave into the pull. He'd feel better, he hoped, if he ran for just a bit. One round of the grounds was all it would take. He had plenty of time to pull that off before the sun rose. He wasn't as fast as his sister, but he was large enough that his strides took him farther with each one.
The night was still and quiet, the way most of them were around Daley Manor. Sebastian wasn't concerned about anything, confident in his charms and the safety of being so far away from the fanatics and the hate-groups. He was complacent. He knew better.
The attack came from out of no where. The large copper wolf launching itself over the wall at the far back end of the estate. By the time Sebastian heard it, it was already on him. Teeth and claws scraped for purchase, going for his throat and soft underbelly.
Sebastian rallied, leaping away and snapping his jaws, teeth catching fur and pushing farther until they pierced skin and the sharp tang of blood filled his mouth. The mindless killer that was held at bay by wolfsbane fought for control and, briefly, Sebastian let it. He took that rage and added it to the anger he felt nearly always as a human these days.
It was with a flurry of motion and a cacophony of pained howls and enraged snarls that the sun began to peak over the horizon. The pull was as intense as - if more welcomed than - the change from a man to a monster. The instant rigidity made Sebastian freeze. The wolf that had been attacking froze when he did. After the initial pause, the wolf turned to run. Sebastian had enough time to see the way the legs were shifting on the other werewolf before he was running in the opposite direction.
He made it as far as the back landing before he couldn't hold it off any longer and the change took over. There was so much pain that howling with the pain was restrained to low woofs and growls, transitioning to agonized groans and huffs as he reformed. It took everything in him to pull himself up to his feet, legs shaky and torso on fire.
Sebastian's chest was burning by the time he pulled himself to his feet and made his way back to the study. It was shockingly empty, at least at the moment. His muscles ached more than usual from the attack - surely related to the pack that had started this whole mess, but possibly a fight for retribution over something other werewolves in hiding thought he had some role in starting - and pulling his shirt off too more energy than he had.
All he wanted was a glass of water and to cling to Reid for a few hours while he passed out. As he looked down at his chest, he realized that wasn't going to be an option, not with the blood oozing from the wounds that transferred instead of healed during his change back. They didn't feel as deep, he thought, which was a small miracle.
With his hands gripping the edge of the sofa, Sebastian tried to breathe through the pain, repeatedly reminding himself that he'd had worse. The first bite was worse than anything. He could make it through this.
It didn't matter in the end, when all he could manage was a pained sound in the back of his throat when he tried to push himself up and fell back again, forced to give up the dream if climbing the wide stairs to his soft bed in his oversized suite. He was considering calling out or tipping over and waiting it out when there were footsteps and a shadow cutting through the early morning sun.