Title: The Inner Wolf

Author: Xandria

Rating: NC17+ m/m

Pairings: Xander/Oz

Spoiler: Pack, Halloween, Phases, Any Oz stories

Fandom: Buffy

Summary: What if Xander wore a Wolf costume on Halloween.

Warning: violence

Archive: Ooh, if you like. Anywhere at all. Just let me know so I can look.

Date: Wednesday, December 26, 2000

Feedback: Yes please. I love it. And it leads to more stories usually.

Notes: nuqDach yuch Dapol

Notes 2: AUs are involved, kinda.

Notes 3: This story was inspired by Voracity's great fiction. I finally got to write the story I've been trying to for months now.

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, they belong to Joss, and that's that. *SOB!*. Heck, if I did own them, I'd be in Queensland with all the boys attending to my every little whim! {I can dream can't I?} The plot, however? That's mine *EG* and I have an army of feral Smurfs and rabid teddybears to back me up.

Chance.

Fate.

Karma.

Flip a coin, and it lands heads or tails. Mathematical odds are that it falls on each side an equal amount of times. In reality, it's different. But the odds are still one in two it will be Heads.

Alternate realities, other dimensions.

The theory goes that every time a decision is made, a small universe pops up that will behave as if the other option had been taken. Some people feel that this happens for every single decision made by any person at any time.

Others feel that these are created instead when the outcome will affect more people, the overall history of the world. What if Lincoln went to another theatre? What if the Prime Minster of Australia decided to stay at home instead of going swimming? What if one night Xander wears a different costume at Halloween?

The Inner Wolf

"So what do you think?" Xander said eagerly, holding it up. Willow groaned and turned away while Buffy frowned in puzzlement.

"A wolf mask? That's what your costume is?" Xander's face fell and he put it away. Willow sighed and explained.

"When we were kids we saw the video of TeenWolf and Xander loved it! He stopped playing soldiers all the time and he pretended to be that instead. He's nuts about it."

"I...see. So you're gonna be Wolf Guy for Halloween?" Xander smiled and put his arms around both girls.

"Yeah, it'll be great fun. The ghost, the werewolf and the hey, have you found a costume yet?"

"No. I want something...special. I want to be a girl."

"But you are girl, Buf."

"No, a girl. I want..."

"Buffy wants to be a princess." Willow interjected.

"I don't know if I..."

"No, look." Willow pointed then led the way towards the dress. It was beautiful. Layers of silk and lace, in pink, a full length gown in the style of two centuries earlier. Buffy stared at it, her eyes wide.

"It's beautiful. But I could never afford this." She touched it, smiling sadly at the feel of the material under her fingers. Sighing, she turned, to jump a little at the man standing behind them.

"Such a dress deserves to be worn. And you would do it justice. I can give you a special price on it." He said. Buffy smiled and they went to negotiate.

TWO DAYS LATER

They sat around a table in the Bronze discussing Halloween Night.

"I'm glad you did the Wolf man thing, Xan. I don't know what we would have done without you to hold Spike and his minions back. "

"That's okay. For once, I was the one doing the biting. Hey! Would that turn them into were vamps? Is there such a thing?"

"I don't think Ethan's spell would go that far. As for the other, why don't you ask Giles." Buffy laughed.

"Good idea."

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER

Giles was sipping his tea and reading the local paper when the article caught his eye and he spit it out in surprise.

"Oh dear." Sighing, he picked up the phone and dialed. "Buffy? Remember when we talked about Halloween? I think what I feared has happened. No, I don't think so. There is actually a psychological condition in which the person thinks they have...lycanthropy... Yes, it means Xander thinks he's a werewolf. No, I don't think so... Well, actually, I think it's a combination of that and the Hyena...no, he says he doesn't remember...Buffy, just bring him to the library will you?"

He put it down and glared at the phone.

Sighing again he went to make sure the book cage was strong enough. It was going to be a long night if he was right. He hoped so, because it would be even longer if they had to go out and hunt a real were wolf.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

"Hey G-man, what's the problem?" Xander asked with a smile.

"Xander, get in the book cage." He stared at the Watcher and at his friend. Then he started to back away.

"Oookaaay. Why don't I come back later? Buffy?!" The Slayer grabbed her friend and dragged him over to the book cage, shoving him in. Giles quickly locked it and sighed in relief.

"Five minutes to go."

"Giles?! Buffy?! What's going on?! Let me out!" Xander shook the door angrily.

"I'm sorry Xander." Buffy said sadly before going over to sit down at the table.

"So am I. Xander, there was an attack last night, the paper said it was dogs. I think it was a werewolf. Or someone who thinks they are."

"Werewolf?! You think I went and attacked someone last night? Giles, last night I was comforting Willow. You know that Oz guy? They went on a date two nights ago and he spent the whole time asking her about m...someone else. I don't care how cute he is, no one hurts my Willow!"

"Cute? You think he's cute?"

"Yeah, if you like the elfin redheaded look. Why? And that's not important, Willow is!"

"Why didn't she say anything?"

"Buf, you had your own things to do last night. And I'm still the one she comes to first. I spent half the night telling her there was nothing wrong with her."

"And the other half?"

"We slept. It was three in the morning by then." Giles looked at his watch suddenly.

"Well, you aren't the werewolf, the moon rose ten minutes ago."

"Well, thank you. Can I go now?"

"Yes, I suppose you can. But Buffy and I need help in finding the wolf if..."

"I don't think so. I had plans for tonight. And at the moment, they're a little more important to me than finding some wild dog!" Xander said acidly before stalking out.

"Way to go Giles. It'll be days before he gets over this." Buffy said, staring at the tabletop like she had done since she sat down.

"Oh dear." The Watcher took off his glasses and pinched his nose. "I guess I could have handled it better, but if he was one, then there was no time, really. And now, we had better go hunting for the actual werewolf."

OUTSIDE

He was furious. Never felt this angry before.

//How could they think I would do that? The Hyena? I pretended to forget so this wouldn't happen. Unfortunately Buffy remembers what she was and Willow, too, so I can't do that with the Wolf stuff.

//Why animals? Other people get possessed by people, but me, no. First the Hyena, then the wolf. At least the wolf was male.//

Something else he hadn't cared to share, the girls would never have let him forget. The leader of a Hyena pack was female. A female spirit. As if he wasn't already confused about things. He liked girls, yeah, but he had some of the same feelings about boys too.

"No no no. Bad thoughts Xander. Not that way at all."

"Talking to yourself?" Xander jumped and pulled his stake out, looking around him for the speaker. It was Angel and he relaxed a little, but kept the stake in his hand.

"Just thinking out loud Deadboy. So, what are you doing here?" Angel looked at the stake in his hand.

"Taking a walk. Why don't you trust me Xander?"

"Because you are a vampire. You kill people. And you smell like death."

"Wait a minute, how would you know what I smell like?" Angel said, eyebrows raised.

"Damn, I said that last bit out loud, didn't I? Okay, may as well tell you. Remember Halloween? I still have a bit of that. At least, on the full moon, I can see better, smell more, and no, not gonna tell you any more."

//Deadboy is so not the one to tell I can hold on longer and recover faster.//

"Ah. So why aren't you with Buffy tonight? I would have thought they could use you, especially looking for the werewolf." Xander waved his arms and started pacing up and down in front of the vampire. Angel smiled slightly as he watched him.

"Well, it seems at first they thought I was the wolf. And I have more important things to do then go help em find the guy! They locked me up! All they had to do was say, and I would have gone in. I like to help. But no, not tonight. Tonight I'm gonna go home, and listen to some tapes."

"Xander?"

"A little Patsy Cline, or maybe some Reba. Or there's that Dolly tape..." Angel grabbed the boy and threw him over his shoulder before taking off. "What the hell?!" Xander looked up to see the werewolf chasing after them both.

"Faster, Deadboy!"

"You need to lose weight, Harris!" Angel said as he ran back to the school.

The wolf snarled behind them as the vampire ran, faster than humanly possible. Gradually, the vampire drew ahead, but the wolf was still close when they arrived at the school. Without breaking his stride Angel ran straight for the doors and easily broke open the locks. The alarm blared as he ran through the halls, the growling of the werewolf growing louder as if to compete.

Running around a corner and up some stairs, Angel stopped by a closet door suddenly and opened it, shoving Xander inside and locking it from the outside.

"Hey!"

"Stay quiet! I'll come back for you later!" The vampire turned around and went back, to find the
werewolf had disappeared. Sighing, he went on a quick search of the school before the alarm suddenly stopped and he heard voices. Fading into the shadows, he waited until the humans left before starting to head out.

Xander banged his head against the door of the closet.

//This is way too close to what I was thinking about. If I come out of the closet, there's a wolf out there ready to...eat me or something. But I'm locked in until I figure out a way out. Wait a minute, why am I thinking of a way out if that werewolf is after me? And how do I know that? I almost understood those growls. Is there a light switch in here?//

He felt around the wall, feeling for the light. His hand went up and down the side of the door. As it went lower it brushed against something furry and he jumped back, falling against a pile of wooden objects that fell down with a clatter.

"Rats!" A growl answered him and he froze. How did the wolf get in? Just then another object fell on him and he yelped. Grabbing it, he ran his fingers over it, tracing a large square object and he realised it was a vent cover. //And how come I didn't hear it come through that thing?//

The growling was moving closer and he didn't know what to do. It was dark, he was tangled up in the brooms and mops he'd fallen against, and the wolf could keep up with a Master vampire running at full speed.

But the growling seemed...friendly? Reassuring. Xander tilted his head to the side and listened, really hard. The tone of it was...

Just then a cold nose touched his neck and he yelped again. It pushed at him and he resisted until the growling got more intense. The second time it pushed he lay down, uncomfortably, on and under the mess he'd made. The wolf leant its weight against him and sniffed him.

It reached out a tongue and tasted him, under the neck, and Xander giggled. The werewolf wouffed before licking his face. Xander started to laugh and put his hands up to push it away and the werewolf growled again.

//Okay. Lay still and let it...him? Scent me. And taste. Oh man, I hope it's not to see if I taste good for dinner!//

The werewolf continued until it had run it's nose and tongue over every inch of the boy as he lay there. And then it pushed at him with its nose at his side. Then again when he didn't immediately move, growling.

Slowly, Xander sat up, wincing as he moved away from the things he had been lying on. The head of the werewolf was suddenly under his arm as if to help him up and shakily, Xander stood. All of a sudden there was silence and a sudden light as Angel opened the door.

"Sorry it took so long. I couldn't find the werewolf and then the police came. Xander?" Angel walked closer to the boy, who stared at him, silently, eyes wide. And then Angel smelt it. The werewolf had been in here. But Xander was untouched.

LIBRARY

"So the werewolf didn't bite him? But got in there with him. What was it doing then?" Giles said as he stared at the silent boy. Xander ignored him and spoke directly to Angel.

"I'm gonna go home now. Thanks Deadboy." He stood up and shakily began to walk out the door.

"Stop right there! Xander, you are not going home without someone with you."

"Angel, could you please take me home?" The vampire nodded and they walked together out the door. Giles stared after them, a hurt expression on his face. Buffy smiled sadly at him before speaking.

"Told you it'll be a while, Giles. Angel will see him safe home. Me, I'm going to se if I can get some sleep before school tomorrow." Turning, she left the Watcher alone with his thoughts.

LOCKER ROOM NEXT DAY

Xander sat down on a bench and stared at Larry's back as he left.

//I so did not need to know that about him. And now he thinks I am too! Why did I say I know what you are? I know what you're going through? Why not say Larry, are you a werewolf? Now he thinks I'm gay. Damn. I don't know what I am.//

Looking down, he stared at the floor and noticed a pair of sneakers suddenly, standing in front of him. Moving his eyes up he saw a compact, well made body, topped up by a face with grey green eyes and red hair. He eeped and jumped up, running his hand through his hair.

"Oz. How are you?" The older man stared at him, silently, a half smile on his face. Xander looked down again, only to look up in surprise when he felt Oz's hand on his chin, tilting his head up slightly.

"Fine. I heard." Xander jerked his head back and stepped away, only to fall back on the bench.

"Heard what? Ah...Larry and I were acting out a part! Remember last year's talent show? We thought we could make an early start and..." Oz put his hand over the other boy's mouth and he stopped, staring up at him.

"I know what you are. I can smell it."

"Sm...smell? I wear deodorant and..." Xander stopped babbling when Oz sat down. On Xander. He froze, wondering what Oz would do next, not sure whether to throw him off or pull him closer. Oz slowly put his hands around Xander's neck and leaned in.

"Your arousal. Do you think you like girls?"

"I do like girls! A lot! I even have a girlmmmmph!" Oz leaned in closer and kissed him, slowly. Xander moved his hands up to push the other boy away but stopped as the kiss continued. And then he kissed him back. Oz stood up suddenly and Xander looked up at him, panting.

"I thought so." Oz left and Xander groaned, laying down on the bench and putting his arm over his eyes.

//Gahhh. That was...nice. I really liked that. Oh wait! That's what Willow meant! He was asking her about me! Oz likes me?! Umm, now what?// A group of boys entered the locker room and Xander quickly got up and left, heading for the library to report on Larry.

THAT NIGHT

After fidgeting endlessly Giles had finally sent Xander home. They needed quiet to hunt the werewolf and stealth to avoid the hunter. So Xander slowly wandered home, stake out just in case, but otherwise deep in thought.

A guy had kissed him.

And he decided he liked the kiss.

Was it the being kissed by a guy or being kissed by a particular guy?

//Giles? Cute, in a tweedy kind of way, but he's like my father or something. Deadboy? Oh yeah, he's Buff! But he's Buffy's. Spike. Wait a minute, Deadboy Junior? Definitely, if you're into pain. Oz then? Okay, nice body, short but strong. Eyes you could fall into and that hair...//

He walked past a street corner, absently noting that it was the one Oz's house was on. A clatter was heard and he stopped, listening.

Silence.

He moved forward again and walked a few more steps before stopping when he heard a scraping sound. Turning around, he saw nothing. Shrugging, he took another few steps when there was a sudden growl.

Looking up, he saw the werewolf.

It moved slowly forward and Xander began to slowly back away. Growling, the werewolf moved closer as the boy walked backwards down the street. It moved to the side and Xander turned around, keeping his eyes on the beast.

Still backing away, the boy walked into something. He felt behind him and touched brick. Risking a quick glance, he saw it was a house. Looking back at the wolf he saw it had moved much closer in the small time he had looked away. Xander began to move to his left and the werewolf growled at a higher pitch.

The boy froze as it moved closer. And then it was close enough to touch him. A cold nose touched his hand and he jumped. The werewolf pushed him and Xander slowly moved sideways to his right this time. Looking down he stared at his grey green eyes as he was herded down the side of the house and around the corner, leading to the backyard.

Stopping suddenly, the werewolf growled again as Xander kept moving and put his mouth around the boy's hand. He froze, staring at the wolf as the pressure of his jaws slowly increased. And then the teeth finally went through the skin, drawing blood.

Xander cried out and fell on his knees, hand still in the werewolf's mouth. The bite only just drew blood but it tingled.

Like a small electric shock it buzzed through his hand. It began to feel strangely numb, as if the
circulation had been cut off, as if it was pins and needles.

The feeling began to spread up his arm as he knelt there. As it began to move through his shoulder he put his free hand down to support himself.

It spread up to his neck, his head. Down his chest and over to his other shoulder down that arm. And it bent under his weight, unable to support him. Xander lay down, one arm bent under him the other stretched out as the werewolf bit down a little harder.

The boy cried out again, quieter this time, as the feeling went through his hand again and began to move faster this time. And Xander lay there as the numbness went down his spine and his legs.

The werewolf let go of his hand finally, and it dropped, deadweight, to the ground. Xander was unable to move as the werewolf lay on top of him and bit the back of his neck, causing the blood to run down it.

This time Xander didn't cry out, the feeling having spread to his jaw. He felt the werewolf lick at the wound it had caused. And then there was darkness.

MORNING

Xander woke up and stretched before turning over and snuggling under the blankets. Then sat up with a shock and looked around him in surprise.

He was in bed. A strange bed. In a strange room.

//Okay. What am I doing here?! And where is here anyway?//

He scratched the back of his neck and winced at the soreness there before freezing.

//Okaay. What's going on?// Just then a woman came in, carrying a tray of food.

"Alex. You're up." She said with a smile. She put the back of her hand against his forehead.

"What's going on?" //Why can't I remember?//

"You're not well, dear."

"I don't remember what happened. There was a dog, but I think..." He frowned, trying to remember. Not really a dog. What was it?

"Anyway, you still have a fever so you're staying here today. Oz has brought some homework for you when you're a little better."

"Oz? He brought me here?"

"Oh no. He found you, but you were already here. Lying in our back yard. And it was a week ago Alex. You've had a fever for a week now, I had to get the doctor to come. You were delirious, too. I don't know if your parents should let you watch any more of those horror movies if that's how you react. It's a wonder you don't have nightmares with all the vampires and demons you were yelling about." Xander stared at her.

"I've been sick for a week?"

"Yes dear. But it's almost gone now."

//Oz? He brought me here? I last saw him at school. Didn't I?// Xander felt tired all of a sudden so lay down and went to sleep.

Waking up he kept his eyes shut. Someone was in the room with him. Slowly opening them he looked straight into Oz's eyes as he stared at him, quietly.

"Oz?"

"Hey. You're getting better." The other boy's eyes almost seemed to glow in the semidarkness of the room.

"I guess. Your Mom said you brought me here? Thanks. I don't remember anything. Just a growling." Oz moved until he was laying on top of the other boy, under the covers. His arms trapped under the covers, Xander couldn't move and he stared up at the other boy.

"Oz?" //what's going on?// He ignored him and slowly brought his head down till his lips gently touched the other boy’s. Xander sighed and shut his eyes as he surrendered. He couldn't move, the kiss was nice, why not just let him do it?

Oz sat up suddenly and moved off the bed. The next second, his Mom entered with another tray of food and drinks for the two of them. She stayed as Xander ate, chatting. Taking the tray away, she left, and Xander lay down, tired again.

Feeling a sudden weight on him, he opened them again to find Oz was laying on top of him again. His arms free this time, he reached for Oz, only to find his wrists pinned down by the stronger man.

He looked up at him in surprise and Oz smiled slightly again. Xander smiled back and tilted his head back. Oz kissed him again, harder this time. Xander struggled, to try and move his hands closer.

Oz lifted his head up and stared at him before moving his lips down to the other boys' neck. He sucked gently and then bit. Xander moaned and went limp. Oz let go of his wrists and Xander kept still, leaving his arms where Oz had placed them.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

"Why me?" Xander whispered. The older boy looked over at him from where he lay beside him and smiled slightly.

"You fit."

"Gee you're talkative. We just had a very heavy session of kissing there. I liked it. But I'm still
figuring out who I am. Why me?"

"We fit. We're the same."

"Ummm, we are?"

"The wolf." Xander sat up and stared at him.

"You're the werewolf? But...but..." Oz sat up too and gently pushed him down before laying on top of him again. Xander stared up at him as he spoke.

"I can see it in you. Your animal. And we fit."

"My animal? You saw the Hyena?"

"I saw the wolf. On Halloween. And I wanted you."

"You've been the werewolf a while?"

"A year now. My cousin bit me." Oz began to kiss the other boy again.

"A..and until this month no one was hurt?"

"That wasn't me. My family knows how to control it. I'll teach you." Xander stared up at him and tried to push him off. Oz wouldn't move, just growled. And the younger boy went limp, staring up at the older one.

"What's happening?"

"I bit you. The wolf knows I am the leader so submits."

"The wolf?" Xander looked at Oz with wide eyes.

"The one you have inside." Oz bent his head down and bit Xander under his chin. He sighed and let Oz do what he would.

//Oooh, it feels so good. He kisses way better than Cordy.// "And the other one? There's this Hunter Guy out there after werewolves."

"It was some girl, Veronica, Vera. She left town. The Hunter did too."

"Why...?" Oz bit him again.

"Go to sleep." Xander stared up the older boy as his eyes began to close.

"Mine. My wolf. My werewolf. My beta." Oz whispered before falling asleep as well, arms around the younger boy.

LIBRARY

Giles paced up and down while Willow was busily working at the computer and Buffy stared at the tabletop. Angel leant on the table next to her, his arms crossed, watching the Englishman.

"And there's no sign of him?"

"No. None of my contacts have heard anything. Whatever the cause for Xander's disappearance, I would have heard by now if the vampire or demon community was involved."

"His Mom and Dad haven't seen him either. And there's no one answering his description in the hospital, or the m...morgue." Buffy pushed her chair back and began to walk up and down as well."

"Where is he?! Why...How did he suddenly disappear like that? Could irt be anything to do with that werewolf?"

"No. My contacts say she left town alone."

"So what happened? Where is Xander?"

"Did anything strange happen to him lately?"

"You mean apart from Larry coming out to him? Or the werewolf marking him like that? Or are you talking about earlier when..."

"Yes, thank you Buffy. Is there a possibility he could have done it himself?"

"What? Why would Xander run away?"

"Perhaps Larry's revelation made him think."

"But...Xander's not gay! I'd know, he's my nest friend."

"No, come on, Willow, he might be. Or Bi at least. But why would he run away if he was?"

"'Cause his father is very strict."

"Mr. Harris would beat him?"

"No! He loves Xander. His job makes him travel a lot, Buffy. It's just that if Xander is, it would rip their family apart. Mr Harris is very religious."

"It looks more and more as if Xander would run away if he discovered that about himself."

"Look, this is getting us nowhere. Willow, what about the bus station?"

"No one answering that description Buffy. It's like he just disappeared off the face of the Earth." The other three stared at her. "Except not."

EVENING

Xander woke again, alone this time. He couldn't sleep any longer, he had to go to the bathroom. Wobbling slightly, he unsteadily made his way to the door.Turning it, he frowned when it wouldn't open. He started to bang on it.

"Umm, Hello? The door's locked. I gotta go to the bathroom." Oz's Mom opened it and he charged past her then stopped. She pointed, smiling, and he went in that direction.

Finished, he sighed then looked at himself in the mirror. //Weird. Weren't my eyes a darker brown?// They looked lighter, somehow, almost yellow. Xander frowned and turned on the shower. Getting in he sighed as the cool water ran down his body.

//That's so much better. Didn't realise I felt so sticky before.// As he rinsed off the shower curtain
was pulled open and he yelped in surprise. Turning, he saw the lead singer of the Dingoes, standing there, watching him, a smile on his face.

"What the?!" Xander exclaimed. Devon smirked and suddenly pulled Xander towards him, ignoring his yell of outrage. He kissed the smaller boy, dominating him, as he grabbed his wrists and then bit his neck. Xander slumped again, struggling no longer. Devon looked up momentarily, his eyes gleaming before bending his head again.

And then Oz was there, growling, as he flung Devon across the floor and grabbing Xander before he could fall. Sitting him down gently on the side of the bath, Oz went over to the dazed singer and grabbed him around the neck, snarling. Devon went limp and Xander realised that he must be a werewolf as well.

"What are you doing?" Oz growled into his face, his teeth suddenly sharper and his voice harder.

"He's a cub, subject to everyone in the pack." Devon growled back, also changing a little. But he stayed still in Oz's hold.

"No he isn't. He's mine. Mine to claim alone." Oz said, changing a little more into the wolf as his grip hardened.

"Then you better do it quick, Oz. You know the rules. And I wont be the only one eager to have a taste of this cute puppy." Devon said. Oz stared at him and dropped him. Then he turned to look at Xander, who watched them both with wide eyes.

"Devon's a werewolf too? Does that mean the whole band is."

"I turned them soon after I was changed. My pack. But there are rules, Xander. My pack is just a part of the larger, Sunnydale group. All my family of course. And Devon's right. I better finish claiming you." Oz stalked towards the younger boy and pulled him up.

"Claiming me? Umm, I'm not property." Oz pulled his head down and kissed him. Xander went weak in the knees and held on to him for support.

"No, you're a cub. Like Devon said, anyone can have you. Unless you're claimed first. And since I turned you to be mine, no one but me is going to do that." Oz began to walk Xander out of the bathroom when he stopped suddenly.

"What are you going to do?" He said nervously. Oz smiled and kissed him again, running his hands up and down his back before taking a hold of his cheeks and gripping them, squeezing hard before pulling Xander to him to feel his erection.

"This."

"Oh." And Xander, dazed, walked meekly back with Oz to his bedroom. Only realising when the door was shut and Oz began to undress that he was still naked from his shower. He groaned and sat down, hiding his face in his hands.

"What's the matter?" Oz said as he sat beside the other boy and began to rub his shoulders. Xander sighed and dropped his hands, tilting his head back.

"You make me forget so much. Like not having a towel. Or hey! Wait a minute!" Xander stood up suddenly, pulling away from Oz who growled slightly.

"Come back here." Xander looked at him, startled. He sat down again, letting the older boy touch him again.

"Sorry. You know when you suddenly think of something and you have to move?"

"No."

"Well that's me. Hyperactive boy. I gotta move. Anyway, I just realised. If I've been here a week what about school? And my parents. And friends. Not necessarily in that order." Oz smiled and pushed Xander a little so he lay down on his stomach.

Standing, he grabbed a small bottle of massage oil and climbed back on the bed, straddling Xander's hips. Pouring some oil on his hands before rubbing them together, he began to smooth it onto Xander's muscles.

"Well, the school knows you've been away sick. Never bothered about your friends. My Mom spoke to your parents, at least, she left a message for them. They travel a lot don't they?" Xander sighed and began to relax, stiff muscles enjoying the firm strokes of Oz's hands as they kneaded his body.

"Yeah. Dad works hard and now I'm older Mom can go with him to support him. His job means he has to travel a lot."

"What about you?" Oz said, pouring more oil on his hands and stroking lower.

"Hey I have my friends. And Mom and Dad always leave me plenty of money." Xander said, stiffening a little. "And sometimes my Uncle Rory looks after me. But he travels a lot too."

"So that's why you eat a lot of junk food."

"Yeah. Wait a minute, how do you know I eat a lot of junk food?" Xander tried to turn over to see Oz, beginning to struggle a little when he couldn't move the other man.

"Lay still. I told you I've been watching you for a while. I wanted to be certain you were Gay or Bi first. I want a mate, not an unwilling partner. That's why I changed Devon and the others. My closest friends, and sometimes, we experimented together. But they weren't right. On Halloween, when I saw you, you were right. But it was a spell."

"Mate?"

"We mate for life, Xander. When I claim you, there will be no other. That's why I waited. And you fit."

"Hey! I'm not gay! Or Bi!" Xander protested, struggling a little again.

"I know what job your Dad does Xander. Your friend is not the only one who can use a computer. And you are. You just haven't admitted it yet. That's alright. I don't want you to lose touch with your family. Okay, I'm done. Now you can turn over." Oz moved over slightly, allowing Xander to turn on to his back but not allowing him to move away. Oz straddled him again, sitting lower this time so their erections touched.

"Oooo. Are you gonna.?"

"Massage this side? Yes." Oz said, smiling slightly when Xander groaned. Time to claim Xander. Make him his. But he was in control and would stay that way. It was Xander who was about to be driven mad by the feelings he was going to arouse.

He moved his hands down over Xander's shoulders first, smoothing away the last remaining bits of tension in them. Then he moved on to his arms, concentrating first on his left. Using both hands he pressed his thumbs down and ran them down to the wrist. He moved them back up and repeated it, lighter. Xander watched, his wide open eyes staring as Oz's hands moved over
him.

///Why am I just letting him do this? I've only just figured I probably like guys, maybe even Oz himself. And I'm just jumping right in here. Am I always this stupid? I don't know this guy. I liked the way he looks. The way he smells. Yeah, the way he smells. Almost like the Pack. No, he is the Pack. Another Pack, not mine though. His.

///His Pack. And he's Alpha. But I'm Alpha. In my Pack. How can I be Beta when I'm Alpha?///

"How can I be Beta when I am Alpha?" He repeated out loud. Oz stopped and stared at him.

"What?" Xander repeated it.

"I am Alpha. I can't be Beta. I had a Pack, my Pack. I was Alpha. I was Leader." Xander stared at Oz and the werewolf stared back. Then he stood up suddenly. The younger man knelt up and reached his hand out, putting it down again when Oz moved away.

"Wait here." He left the room and Xander stared at the door in frustration. And began to argue with himself.

//You couldn't keep your mouth shut could you!//

{This was wrong.}

//It wasn't it was so so right. And it felt so good.//

{That was right. Lying to the Mate is wrong.}

//I wasn't lying!//

{Not telling the Mate about Pack is lying. The Bond cannot be made if the Mate doesn't know about Pack.}

//I don't understand.//

{The Mate is Pack. A different Pack. A different way. For the Mating Bond to be right the Claiming is different.}

//Mating Bond?//

{Yes.}

//Like married?! But I'm seventeen!//

{I know. It is lucky the Mate is willing to have you when you are so old.}

//Hey, that's not what I...a joke?// "Oh God, now even the voices in my own head are mocking me." Xander moaned out loud and squeezed his eyes shut as he lay back down again.

After a few minutes Xander sighed and stood up, to look around the room he was in. The bed he had been on was a queen size, with an iron work headboard shaped into an ivy pattern. On the wall opposite the door was an area obviously set aside for Oz to practice his music.

Two guitar stands held a bass and an acoustic guitar while a third guitar lay on a table next to a pile of paper. Wandering over to it Xander saw some scribbled words, a few guitar chords written down, and a pencil thrown down as if in frustration.

On the left wall was a wardrobe, fitted in with a series of shelves holding a small TV, a CD player and a computer. The right wall had the bed up against it, with a nightstand on either side. Opening up a few drawers aimlessly, he found a pair of boxers that looked as if they might fit. The wardrobe revealed clothes that Xander was too big for and he stared at them in shock.

//He's smaller than me. But he's so big!//

{The Mate is Alpha. He is bigger.}

//Why do you keep saying Mate?!//

{That is what he is. When you finish the Bond}

//This Bond isn't gonna involve me being tied up or anything is it?//

{Not unless you want it to.}

"Again with the mockery! Why..." Swinging around Xander stopped when he saw Oz had returned, bringing an older man with him. "Uh...hi. I was just rehearsing for..." The man interrupted him, staring at him while he spoke to Oz.

"You were right to call me. Why didn't you do so earlier?"

"I didn't know. All I knew was I saw him that time and he was right. I had to have him." Oz replied.

"He is. But the Mating bond will be different. Do you remember the Hyena? Does she speak to you?"

"I don't remember that time!" Xander said automatically, then changed it at the look on the man's face. "No I do. But I pretend not to. It's helped me a lot the past year."

"She would. Tell me about her."

"You keep saying she? Why do you say she?" Xander said nervously. //Oh god, he knows. He knows that...//

"The pack leader of Hyenas are female, Alexander. Oz tells me you were pack leader. That means you had a female spirit. Oz also tells me you were sick for a week after he bit you. That's unusual as well. The virus doesn't affect people that way. Some get a mild fever for a couple of days, but not to the extent you had. That was the Hyena fighting the Wolf."

{We didn't fight. There were many things to discuss. Many things to decide.}

//Decide?//

{About you. How much you will be Wolf, how much you will be Hyena.//

"What?!"

"I said that was the Hyena fighting..."

"Not you, the voice in my head! I'm going crazy I think!" Xander said, crossing his arms over his chest and bending his head. Taking a deep, shaky breath he turned his back and stared at the guitar on the table. It had something written on it. Sweet Jay. And then all of a sudden there were arms around him ,holding him, and he leaned back against them, feeling safe.

"So you still have the Hyena Spirit inside, Alexander. What has she been saying?"

"Something about a Mating Bond? And just now that the Wolf and Hyena didn't fight, they just had to decide how much of me would be Wolf, and how much Hyena. And she keeps making fun of me!" The arms tightened slightly and then he was turned around, to look into Oz's eyes. He stared at them, only looking away when the man spoke again.

"He will be a fine Mate for you, Oz. Not Beta, but Alpha as well."

"How...?"

"The female. You know; if you had chosen a female Mate she would become the Alpha female of the pack. That is the way with Xander too. He will only be Beta to you."

"Alpha? Beta? I don't understand? Why did Oz pick me? And who are you anyway?"

"This is Garad, Xander. He's helped me a lot the past year."

"I am Oz's...advisor. He is too young yet and not experienced enough, but he will be Pack leader of Sunnydale one day. He must learn how to behave as a good leader, to protect the Pack."