TITLE: DARK HEART

(REWRITE)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters except the ones I make up. They are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is made. My story is only for entertainment purposes.

DISTRIBUTION: Please let me know if it goes anywhere.

SUMMARY: Mostly A/U -

No vampires just other mystical creatures of the dark. Angelus & Buffy are wolves. (Much larger than normal wolves but not as big as werewolves)

Buffy is a lone wolf who has just moved to Los Angeles into Angelus' turf disturbing his pack.

PAIRINGS:

BUFFY/ANGELUS

WILLOW/TARA

CORDELIA/GRU

ALYSSA / LARK

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS:

LARK – MEMBER OF ANGELUS' PACK. ALYSSA'S HUSBAND

ALYSSA – LARK'S WIFE. MORGAN AND COOPER'S MOTHER

COOPER AND MORGAN – YOUNG KIDS/PUPS OF ANGELUS' PACK. LARK & ALLYSSA'S KIDS, 5 YEARS OLD

AUSTIN – MEMBER OF ANGELUS' PACK, 23 YEARS OLD

BRODY – MEMBER OF ANGELUS' PACK, 26 YEARS OLD

QHUINN – MEMBER OF ANGELUS' PACK, 24 YEARS OLD

RATING: T (PG 13?) AT FIRST, LATER PARTS WILL BE RATED M, BUT INDICATED AT BEGINNING OF CHAPTERS. PLEASE DON'T READ IF YOU ARE UNDERAGE, I ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU DO.

FEEDBACK: Yes Please! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE NEW (HOPEFULLY IMPROVED) VERSION!

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my first fan fiction and any reviews will be greatly appreciated.

I'm busy re-writing the story because I'm not totally satisfied with the first draft I posted. I hope the new additions will help to fill out the story a bit better.

The first few chapters are a bit slow; I'm just establishing some background on the characters in the first few chapters.

CHAPTER ONE

SUNNYDALE, CA

BUFFY sat silently in her usual spot at the only coffee shop in the small town. Sunnydale might not have all the fancy shops and boutiques the bigger cities have, but the Espresso Pump had the best coffee in the business. Like most people living in Sunnydale, Buffy was a regular, coming in almost every day for her caffeine fix. The place was usually buzzing with people, but at the moment there were only a few people in the shop. Buffy now always came in when the popular shop wasn't as busy anymore; preferring to avoid people and unwanted attention.

Slowly sipping on her cooling vanilla latte, her eyes scanned the familiar scenery. In the twenty three years that she'd lived in Sunnydale, not much had changed and she doubted it ever would. Familiar faces smiled and laughed around her, enjoying the hot summer day, while she sat isolated and withdrawn as far away as possible. Some people she knew from school and others from work. Although the faces were familiar, she was still separate from them; not really belonging or fitting in, and hadn't for the past several months.

As the people walked by, going about their day, she couldn't help but contemplate the direction her life had taken. Just a few months ago everything seemed so simple, easy and manageable; not anymore though. Now she was in a world that was constantly changing and she could barely keep up. It was futile to try and stop it; all that she could do was tag along for the ride.

Even trying to fit in was more a chore than it should have been. Life was supposed to be manageable; not easy, but bearable at the least. Happiness and joy, eagerness and excitement were now totally alien emotions for her; and at one point in time, she'd believed nothing could get her down. Always optimistic and seeing the good in everything, how she wished she could regain that sense of perspective.

Until a few days ago, she'd been strung along on this wild ride that was life; but now she'd decided to take matters into her own hands and change the direction her life was headed in. The decision was extreme, especially for her, but she knew that if she didn't take the leap now, she never would, and then she had no one else to blame for the lack of meaning and adventure in her life, but herself.

Buffy always appreciated familiarity, secure in the comfort zone that was her life; so to make the decision to move to Los Angeles wasn't one she made lightly. What helped her decide was the fact that she felt life was passing her by…and also the terrible memories that held her captured in Sunnydale. Nothing would change unless she made them and that's exactly she planned on doing, one step at a time.

After placing a few bills on the table, Buffy walked out of the coffee shop with optimism and a sense of excitement coursing through her veins for the first time in ages. Her stuff was mostly packed and she just finished her last day at Sunnydale High as the guidance councilor. By this time tomorrow, she would be in Los Angeles, in her new apartment, starting her new life.

It was hard for her to leave her old life behind, her friends and the place she called home for all these years; but she knew it was the right thing to do. She'd isolated herself and withdrawn from her friends over the past several months, never going out with them anymore and over time they stopped asking her to.

They understood to some degree that she wasn't ready to integrate back into society just yet, but their understanding and acceptance only went so far. She felt guilty for what she'd put them through, and would probably continue feeling like that for a long time, until she felt she could make it up to them in some way. But she just wasn't at that point yet; she couldn't make things right until she herself had come to terms with what happened.

As Buffy stepped into her childhood home, memories flooded her, trampling on her previously excited mood. Over the last couple of days, she'd weighed her decision more times than she could count. Doubt was the biggest issue, and it had almost won her over.

As she handed over the keys of her house to the agent, she couldn't help but think that she was also handing her memories over to a person who would not appreciate them. This house had once been the centre of her world, a sort of basis to her existence, and it all had been ripped away in the blink of an eye. Her most cherished memories were now overshadowed and tainted by something she would never be able to correct.

She could recall everything to perfection…her first puppy; picnics with her mother; sleepovers with friends; playing outside with her dad; the first scrape on her knee when she fell with her brand new bike; her fist day of junior high; her first date; news of her job.

Then, the bad ones started to overshadow all that, draining and polluting them…her father leaving; watching her mother cry herself to sleep; debt collectors carrying their furniture out; her mother dead on their favorite coach, her hollow eyes staring at Buffy…the medics announcing her dead on arrival…the guilt and self loathing eating away at her because she'd been too blind to notice her mother's sickness.

Buffy shook her head in an attempt to dislodge the painful memories; it would do her no good to think of them now. After all, the sale was already finalized; even if she hadn't decided on moving to L.A. she would have been unable to keep the house. On her small salary she could barely afford a decent apartment, much less a house. Selling was the only option available.

Buffy would have liked to keep the house, to start her own family and raise her children here like she'd been raised. But that wasn't in the foreseeable future, if ever. After her last romantic relationship went sour, she'd never felt the need to see any other men. Her interest in the opposite sex just wasn't what it should be. Most people her age were out dating up a storm, enjoying everything there was, but she'd never been like that. Sure she'd had boyfriends, but she never went wild like most people her age did…they called her uptight, she preferred reserved and cautious.

As Buffy got into her mother's…no, it's hers now…she threw one last glance at the place she'd spent her life. The house looked the same as it always did; it didn't carry the scars Buffy's heart did, if only she could look as polished and unfazed as the house. Her car roared to life and Buffy ease out into the traffic. The drive to L.A. would take her a little over two hours…just a few more hours to go before her new life started.

When Buffy first made her 'impulsive' decision, she'd made sure everything would be waiting for her as soon as she arrived. The first of her belongings had been delivered a few days ago and she was bringing the last in her car. Unpacking was the first thing waiting for her when she arrived.

Then she would start her new job. She'd been for the interview only three weeks ago and was beyond surprised when they called her back and said she got the position. Even though it wasn't her dream job, it was better than not having one, and she would use it as a stepping stone to gain experience.

Working as a researcher wasn't something she'd ever considered, but it sounded fun and interesting enough to draw her attention to the ad in the paper. When they wanted her to begin a week after the interview, she'd been shocked and had to tell them she was still living in Sunnydale. To her relief, they'd given her two more weeks to sort out her things.

The woman who interviewed her, Lauren, was a bit uptight but she'd been impressed enough with Buffy to give her extra time. Buffy felt nervous about it though; Lauren was a very stern person and very work orientated, some of the employees said she'd a workaholic and never gave her employees any time off. Not that Buffy minded or cared about that; she enjoyed keeping busy and if she got paid to do it, she'd plaster a smile on her face and do it. It wasn't like she had anything better to do with her time anyway. Maybe it was good to focus all her attention on work; it would defiantly keep her mind off other less pleasant things.

Los Angeles was a wonderful place; she'd visited her father there a few times to remember how much she liked it. Although the large city and the buzz did intimidate her, she saw it as a challenge, and one she was more than willing to conquer.

Buffy passed the "NOW LEAVING SUNNYDALE" sign and felt a pang of nervousness shoot through her. Gripping the steering wheel with firm hands, she steeled her resolve and pushed her foot down on the gas. The sooner she was out of there the better.

NEARLY three hours later, Buffy finally arrived at her apartment. Parking in the street, she took a deep breath and got out of her car. As she looked at the building, a small smile graced her features. The apartment might not be much, but to her it would be home, the start of her new life.

Looking over to her left, she saw the land lord, a cranky old lady in her sixties, arguing with one of the tenants. When she first met the woman it was clear she didn't like people and Buffy was sure the old lady got off on being mean with people. She didn't pay the woman much mind, and resolved herself to try and stay on the woman's good side, how successful she would be would yet be seen.

Stepping into the small apartment, Buffy carefully maneuvered around the boxes littering her floor. Luckily she didn't have too much unpacking to do. When she'd sold her mother's house, most of the furniture had to be sold with it and Buffy only kept the things of most value to her. Her mother had never been rich, but she'd provided Buffy with a good and stable life.

Her bed and dresser were already placed in her room and most of her clothing was either in the closet or her bed. After sorting her room to open up some space for her to sleep, Buffy moved over to unpack the rest.

When she was finally done, it was well after one in the morning. Buffy stifled a yawn as she stretched her sore back. She quickly made herself a microwave meal and grabbed a glass of milk before settling in front of her small TV. The meal didn't taste like much and Buffy thought about what wonderful food her mother used to prepare. Unfortunately, Buffy didn't inherit that trait form her mother and the high light of her cooking was lasagna; but that took time and usually she wasn't in the mood to spend hours cooking a meal she would just eat alone, so microwave dinners had become her forte over the past few months.

When Buffy finally made her way back to her room to get some much needed rest, she paused at the photos on the mantel. Smiling as she looked at the captured memories, she went to bed, smiling and peaceful for the first time in nearly a year.

END CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER 2

LOS ANGELES

ONE WEEK LATER

EVERYTHING was much bigger than she remembered. The last time she'd been in Los Angeles were eight years ago when she'd visited her dad for a weekend, and even then she'd only seen parts of the suburb he'd lived in. Despite his claims about how exciting it was to have her over and taking her out to have a good time, the little she'd seen when she was visiting him were when she went out on her own to explore.

When most parents would have freaked if they found out their teenage child was wandering out on the streets alone, Hank Summers didn't even pay her any mind. He'd always preferred spending time with his female companions than spending time with his daughter he only got to see once a month. Buffy never told her mother that she had actually spend the entire weekend in front of the television eating unhealthy food, or discovery L.A. on her own when Hank told her they had been out to carnivals and the park.

Joyce would have freaked if she knew and Buffy didn't want to upset her mother so she kept quiet and went along with whatever her dad said. Hank never even seemed remorseful about his lies or his lack of interest. He always acted like it was a huge chore to have her over for the weekend and couldn't wait to drop her off at his place so that he could get back to doing whatever it was he did.

Then as Buffy grew older and started to understand things better, she started feeling guilty about lying to her mother; and playing along with Hank's lies infuriated her. After the last visit with her dad, she'd told her mother that she didn't want to go to her father's anymore. Hank didn't even utter one word of protest; without her around it freed up his weekends even more to do whatever he please, without the pretense of having to care for a teenage child.

Buffy didn't speak to her father much after that and over time they didn't speak at all; except for the birthday card he sent her each year, they didn't talk at all. Yet in the back of her mind she'd always believed that her father cared about her and was only going through a phase. Divorce sent lots of men into a tailspin and they spent all their time acting like teenagers. She believed he'd come to his senses and try to reconnect with her. Only he never did; in fact, the one time she tried to make contact with him, the time she needed him the most, he'd turned his back on her, just like he turned his back on her mother all those years ago.

After the death of her mother, Buffy had called her father, grief stricken and at her wits end; she'd turned to him for help. His only answer was, 'Sorry Buffy but I can't help you. You and your mother are not my concern anymore. Sort it out yourself.' Those hurtful words would never be erased from her memory. So what he meant that even though she was his flesh and blood, he still didn't care about her or what happened to her, or the woman he once loved and had been married to for nearly seventeen years.

Those had been the last words they spoke to each other and she never regretted her decision to sever ties with her dad. She was shocked at how insensitive he was. Surely he loved her mother at one stage? Could he not have showed some final respect and helped his daughter lay her mother to rest peacefully? Hank didn't even come to the funeral, which didn't surprise her; she hadn't expected him to after what he said to her.

Buffy had to handle the entire ordeal on her own. If it hadn't been for her friends she didn't know what she would have done. They helped plan the funeral and choose a coffin. They pulled her from her bed when she couldn't muster the energy to wake up. It was her friends who stood next to her at the grave and held her up when her legs finally gave out. They took her home and made sure she ate and didn't neglect herself.

Buffy was finally settling into a routine after just a few days. She'd gotten lost on her way to work the first day but thanks to some helpful construction workers, she'd arrived with time to spare. Settling in at her new job was no effort at all as everyone she worked with was very nice and helpful. Most supermarkets were within walking distance from her apartment and she enjoyed walking there whenever she needed anything.

Wednesday afternoon after work, Buffy decided to run out to the store as her TV dinners were a bit low. It was still light out when she was strolling back home, carrying two shopping bags in her hand and eating a delicious vanilla ice cream when she noticed an alley she hadn't before. The entrance was rather small and seemed like a dead end but her eyes caught light behind the dumpster and a half broken wall. Despite her better judgment, she'd wandered in and nudged the dumpster aside…then she saw the most breathtaking view.

Where the alley concrete ended, plush green grass stretch out into a fast, majestic forest, seemingly as large as the town. Large trees obscured the rest of her view but she knew what lay beyond them was just as magnificent.

Instinctively, Buffy closed her eyes and inhaled the rich scent surrounding the forest. An array of smells assaulted her starved senses and she felt exhilaration surge through her body. Before she could take a step inside a car horn sounded, jolting her from her dream like state.

Throwing one last longing glance at the forest, she pushed the dumpster back in place and headed out of the alley. She didn't know there were any forests or landscapes like that in the city; as far as he knew the closest thing to a forest or woods were well outside the city borders. Was that maybe why it was concealed, so no one found out about it? When she'd stood at the entrance of the forest, it had felt almost 'guarded' in a way she could explain.

Buffy smiled as she thought of the possibilities. This meant she wouldn't have to go to Sunnydale or an out of town trip if she wanted to shift. There was an actual, larger than life forest not too far from her apartment. And whenever she felt the need, all she had to do was walk across the street and she would be free.

NEXT DAY

LOS ANGELES TIMES OFFICE BUILDING

BUFFY rubbed her temples in frustration for the hundredth time. Concentration seemed to be eluding her for the better part of the day. It wasn't that she was preoccupied with other things, she was fully focused on her work; the only problem was that her pain medication wasn't working. Her shoulder was killing her and nothing seemed to be working, not even the massaging the doctor recommended.

Heading over to the office kitchen, Buffy poured herself a much needed coffee and sipped slowly on the hot liquid. Maybe a short break and caffeine would help to freshen up her memory and help her concentrate.

"Buffy, there you are. I need this article added to the layout, front page darling." Lauren said as she threw said article at the table. Without bothering to wait for a reply, she walked away, leaving a frustrated Buffy behind. Buffy silently cursed for the tenth time in less than twenty minutes. Leave it to Lauren to ruin all the progress she'd made so far with the current layout.

She sighed as she looked at the article she should add. No wonder they wanted it front page; Angelus O'Rourke always made the front page, no matter what the story was about, they always sold more copies when he was featured.

Every single paper in town tried featuring the handsome bachelor in their weekly pages. This time he won another high profile case for his law firm, Wolfram and Hart. It was through all the media that Buffy had gotten to 'know' Angelus O'Rourke. Well, she and most of the female population of L.A. that is; every woman with eyes appreciated it when he was featured.

With his smoldering good looks, mysterious dark eyes and muscular physique, he was the epitome of every woman's fantasy…including Buffy's. Not that she was under any illusion about him; she knew he was rich and famous and could have any woman he desired, and probably did, but still, it was nice to dream sometimes.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy refocused her attention at the matter at hand, and started the new layout…again.

END CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER THREE

LOS ANGELES

WOLFRAM & HART OFFICES

CHARLES Gunn grinned at his employer as he stepped into his office, "Well done Angelus, Wolfram & Hart scores another one, not bad for a day's work" he said as he humorously bumped his fist against Angelus'.

After years and years, Gunn finally managed to get Angelus to lighten up and actually participate in everyday, fun bantering. When he first met Angelus O'Rourke years ago, the man was uptight and strung way too tight, not even laughing at the funnies jokes. Now, after years and years of practice, Angelus was one of the most laid back and open minded people he knew; hence the fist pounding, a 'street move'.

Now when Gunn said laid back and open minded, he also meant Angelus was a force to be reckoned with. He had a temper like he'd never seen before that had even him running for the hills; Angelus took no crap from anybody, and crushed anyone who dared stand against him…along with the caring side that few people knew about.

It was only behind closed doors at the Hyperion that the calmer, softer side of Angelus emerged. Behind those doors, he was a totally different person, looking out for the people he held dear, caring for and proving for each and every one of them. But when he stepped out and into the outside world, people knew to steer clear and never get on his bad side. As a well respected business man in the corporate world, few people ever got to see the lighter side of him, and there was only one reason Gunn was one of those people.

"Hey English" Gunn said as Wesley stepped in after Angelus and was rewarded with a smile and a nod of his head. Wesley Wyndham Price was a tough shell to crack. The Brit was the stuffiest person he'd ever met in his life…and he'd met some seriously strange people in his life. And no matter how he tried, he just couldn't get the man to loosen up a bit, no that he was going to give up trying. Wesley was merely taking longer than usual to crack, but Gunn was sure he'll come around some time.

Wesley placed his teacup on top of the table as he turned to his two friends and college's, "Indeed it was a great win Angelus. Congratulations. The client is very pleased with the outcome & has already revered some very powerful people to the firm." He said in his English accent.

Like everyone at the firm, Wesley admired Angelus greatly. He'd been working with Angelus for nearly fifteen years and he never seized to amaze him. Wesley met Angelus when his firm was still but a small blip on the map.

Over the years Angelus had turned the small firm into an internationally acclaimed agency that catered to the elite and famous all over the world. The once one man business was now a multibillion dollar organization with more than fifty lawyers in its employ. Angelus had done what few could, and proved wrong every single person that said he would fail.

Even though Angelus came from a very wealthy background, he'd wanted to make his own name and money and he'd achieved that in less time it would take most. It was also the place that employed the largest amount of 'Other'; more precisely, mythical creatures such as wolves.

Angelus smiled, satisfied as well with the outcome of the case he'd been working on, "Thank you guys. It was good, but I'm glad it's over" he said as he fell back in his chair. His current case had kept him busy for months on end and he was elated it was finally over.

He closed his eyes for a few minutes until he heard the all too familiar, all too irritating sound of his secretary's heels march towards him. "Harmony, can I please get a black coffee?" he asked before she could say anything. He heaved a sigh of relief when he heard her heals retreat in the opposite direction again.

When he had the cup and the warm liquid was sliding down his throat, he felt his body slowly starting to unwind. Looking at his watch, he saw it was still two hours before the day ended, and he couldn't wait for this day to finally be over. He'd been functioning on little to zero sleep and obscene amounts of caffeine for weeks, and he was really feeling the effects; not a good combination for a temperamental male like himself.

Well now that that was out of the way, on to the next order of business, "Wesley could you please gather the men in the boardroom, I would like to make some final arrangements for tonight's trip." Just thinking about what was to come later had him all pumped with adrenaline and renewed energy.

Wesley stood up from his chair and nodded, "Certainly, we will be ready in 15 minutes" he said then exited the office, just as eager as everyone else to get things going. Everyone was in some serious need of 'down time', and in their case, that meant going out for a good run in the forest.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was assembled in the boardroom and going over the final plans for the evening. Looking around, you would have through it was just another board meeting with most of the firm's employees, but actually, every single person inside that room carried with them a second entity. The majority of the people assembled were males but there were also a few females in the mix, and just like the males, they were equally strong of heart and soul.

As soon as everyone was assembled, the final arrangements were discussed and orders were given out to the respective members. Some members were staying in tonight but would be going out later in the week. Angelus and a few of the males always did a sweep of the grounds to check for safety before he took the entire pack out.

The strongest and more experienced males would be scouting out all over the forest and especially along the borders of the forest. Angelus didn't need reminding that Lark's wife and their pups had managed to turn his arm into letting them out along with them that night, and for that reason they had to be extra careful.

The forest was very safe but Angelus never took any chances regarding the safety of his pack and every night there were at least four wolves out in the forest scouting out for activity. There were always one or more of his pack members out in their forest at night and for that reason he always knew what was going on in his territory.

But especially now that the pups were shifting, they wanted to go out more than the others did to experience their newly discovered forms. Lark and Alyssa's children, Morgan and Cooper just recently shifted for the first time, and they were driving everyone insane, to put it mildly. Not that Angelus minded, he adored the twins and often took them out for runs himself when their parents weren't able to. They were like the pride of the pack and everyone was very protective of them. In a wolf pack, the pups didn't only have their biological parents, but the entire pack acted as their guardians and caregivers; and those two milked it for all it was worth, they had everyone wrapped around their small fingers.

Angelus smiled fondly as he thought of the two kids. Ever since they arrived five years ago, the pack had gone into instant maternal mode, even the younger males who didn't have girlfriends or mates yet. That was just another testament to how much his pack had grown over the few years since he'd become Alpha Male. Even though everyone wasn't liked by blood, they truly were a family in every sense…a very, very large family.

If it weren't for his pack, he had no idea where he would have been. They gave purpose and meaning to his life in more ways imaginable. Just like his parents and ancestors before him, he was walking the path of success and fulfillment.

When everyone finally disbursed, Angelus took a deep breath and soaked in the joy of what he'd accomplished. Looking at his watch, he saw it was finally time to close up shop. Alyssa would already have dinner prepared and he was starved. She'd make everyone sit down and eat before they headed out later that night; not that he minded, he operated better on a full stomach anyway.

LATER THAT NIGHT

AFTER a wonderful filling meal and a hot shower, everyone was ready and eager to head out and shift. He was one of the first to step out into the warm air; he inhaled, taking the wonderful scents deep into his starved nostrils. Feeling the transformation shifting & re-shaping his bones gave Angelus an adrenaline rush, his blood rushing through his system at record speed, accommodating the transformation. 'It's been too long since we came out here for a good run.' he thought to himself as his senses took in everything around him, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness.

Now standing on all fours in his wolf form, Angelus shook out his thick black fur, feeling his senses shift into over drive as he scouted the area. The scent of other wolves floated all around him, and be knew Gunn was behind him before he even came into view. One by one the wolves approach and filtered out. Scanning the area, he sensed nothing but darkness, signaling that everything was clear. With sharp eyes, he saw the males filter out and each head into their assigned directions.

In full Alpha wolf form he lead the pack to their roaming grounds. 'It's good to be back' he thought as he let out a howl into the night, his large form melting into the shadows of the woods as he ran out, swallowing him and the pack whole as they ran out into the night.

END CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

BUFFY sighed in relief as she finally pushed inside her apartment at 7PM Friday night. Rubbing gently over her aching shoulder, she walked to the kitchen and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. The long working hours were finally starting to catch up on her. She didn't mind working over time, but actually appreciated the distraction in fact; it kept her busy and mind off unnecessary things.

An hour later, a freshly showered Buffy stepped out of her apartment. She walked briskly across the street towards her destination, a smile on her face and giddy with excitement. Throwing a cautionary glance in both directions to make sure no one saw her, she blended into the shadows the alley provided.

Buffy undressed hastily and hid her clothing where she sure it wouldn't be found; then she squeezed herself between the dumpster and wall. The sound of cracking bones filled the night air as Buffy shifted into her wolf form. Streaks of moonlight slipped through the clouds, glinting off her silvery blond coat as she stretched out her sore muscles and adapted to her 'new' body.

Her evergreen eyes scanned with sharp accuracy, taking in her surroundings, surveying for potential danger or threats. Finding none, she gave a tentative step forward to test her limbs. The green grass crunched beneath her small paws as she slowly strolled deeper into the forest. Her limbs were still a bit sore and stiff, but they were always like that. Her instincts screamed at her to dash off at full speed, but she knew better and kept to a pace she knew wouldn't cause her any pain.

Buffy's senses shifted into over drive as she took in everything around her. The fastness of the forest was breathtaking and magnificent, offering scents and sounds she'd never experienced before. She was only taking a wild guess but she was sure to say the forest was much larger and even Sunnydale itself.

As she strolled deeper and deeper into the forest, Buffy's keen eyes missed nothing. After wondering around for what felt like hours but could only have been a few minutes, Buffy reached a large open meadow with a small trail of water leading to a river. A whimper left her as she made her way to the water. The cold water soothed her burning throat and aching limbs; even the slow stroll exerted her to the point of her shoulder and leg screaming in pain.

Pushing the pain aside, Buffy lowered herself to the ground and settled down onto the plush green grass. She wasn't going to let her injuries spoil her evening as she was determined to enjoy the time she had. All around her sounds from nature rose up, drowning out everything else around her, swallowing her whole into the wonderful atmosphere.

OTHER PART OF THE FOREST

ADRENALINE coursed through Angelus' veins as he finally came to a stop from his run; his body sang in appreciation at being set free again. All around him wolves were wandering around, some running, some walking and others playing. Angelus felt a deep sense of pride settle in his stomach as he gazed out at his pack.

Gunn and Graham finally arrived, both breathing hard and their tongues hanging out from exertion. He chuckled to himself; despite their best efforts, they couldn't keep up with him. The two took off again, and Angelus was left alone to take a stroll around. As much fun as it was beating Gunn and Graham in a bout of running, he enjoyed the few minutes of solitude to wander and gather his thoughts.

Angelus was making his way his favorite part of the forest, the meadow, when he picked up the scent of another animal nearby. A growl lodged in his throat as he silently prowled closer and looked around for the offending party. His eyes instantly located what he was looking for, and to his astonishment and anger, he saw a striking silver wolf lazing in the grass at the river. Her vibrant coat stood out among the darkness and landscape like a bright beacon, drawing attention instantly.

Never in his life had he seen such a striking color of fur; most members of his pack had dark fur, like his jet black coat and a few had a light brown color, but nothing like the silver of this small wolf. From its size he could only guess that it was a young pup or female; but even for a female she was small. As per pack law, if a new wolf entered the city, he or she was to report to him as this was his territory. Seeing as this wolf failed to do so, it sent warning bells ringing in his head and his temper soaring.

From his position he could see her every move, and the downcast wind ensured that she wouldn't pick up his scent. The wolf continued resting in the grass and he thought that it might be sleeping; until he saw a butterfly fly down and land on her nose. Then he felt his eyes bulge as he saw her slowly lift her head and move it up and down, the butterfly never dislodging from its position and only flew away after long minutes after 'playing' with the wolf.

Not wanting to let the wolf know of his presence, Angelus silently moved back, taking great care to remain undetected. His eyes remained trained on her until he was far enough out of earshot to run back to his pack.

Anger and fear coursed through him as he reached his pack and barked at them to get back to the safety of the hotel. His hackles rose as he rushed over to Alyssa and the pups. Scanning the area around them for any unknown wolves, he was mindful of every movement, every smell and every sound. Lark, Graham and Forrest flanked him as they ushered the mother and pups back to safety.

Angelus fought the urge to head back out to the meadow and rip that unwelcome wolf to shreds for daring to trespass on his territory and putting his pack at risk. Shifting back to his wolf form he relayed what happened to the male members of the pack, "Keep everyone out of the woods until further notice. I don't want anyone out unaccompanied whatsoever. Gunn, take Graham, Lark, and Groo with you back out to the woods and watch that wolf's. I don't need to tell you to make yourselves invincible. Follow it home and have one of the men ready for when it shifts back to human.

Austin, find out everything you can about any newcomers to the surrounding neighborhoods. Check halfway houses and everything. I want to know who that is in my territory." Angelus bellowed as the members scrambled to do as ordered. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he moved back into the Hyperion. He wanted to be out there with his men but he knew he was no good to them in his current state. His anger and rage was almost consuming him and they needed information before making any rash decisions.

Instead he focused his attention to guarding the pack at the hotel, checking in on each and every one of them. Orders were given out to tighten up security and surveillance was to be broadcast to his study so he also could check things out from there. At least he could rest assured that Gunn and the others would handle the situation from there until they could report in. The thought of that wolf prancing around in his territory made him growl, despite being human, the sound escaped him.

Making one last stop before heading to his study to survey what was going on; he stopped off at the pups' room to check in. He knew he scared them and Alyssa half to death when he charged at them and barked that they get inside; Alyssa even snapped at him when he moved to nudge Morgan on faster. Not that he blamed her, a mother wolf would do anything to protect her young, even take on the pack alpha if she felt he was mistreating them.

When he knocked on their door and he heard Alyssa call through the door, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Morgan and Cooper scattered from the window and rushed back to their beds. Curious little creatures, he couldn't help but chuckled at their pitiful attempt at looking innocent.

Alyssa smiled at him as she walked over to the door. He could see the guilt and regret shining in her eyes because of her earlier actions. "Don't even worry about it. I'm sorry I scared you." He whispered to her when she stood before him, reassuring her that all was well and he didn't blame her for what happened. Her eyes softened in relief as she squeezed his hand in thanks and left the room.

The twins stared at him with huge curious eyes and he could just smell their wonder in the air.

"What's going on Angel?" Morgan asked in her sweet voice, making him feel an ever larger sense of protection surge through him. He would never forgive himself if anything ever happened to them and he would willingly give his last breath to protect them.

He sighed as he sat down on her bed, he didn't really want to tell them, frightening them, but he didn't believe in lying to them either. They needed to know how severe the situation was and lying about it to protect them might cause more harm than good, "There's someone out in the meadow. It's another wolf we don't know and we just want to find out who it is before we go back out again." He said in explanation. He was pretty sure Alyssa also warned them so that spared him from a too intense conversation.

"Oh" they said, silent for a few minutes, but he waited because he knew there was something more coming, they always had more questions. Cooper frowned, "Is it someone new coming to join the pack?" he asked. The twins were young but very smart, even for their age. They'd been taught everything about pack laws and rules at a young age, ensuring they knew how things worked.

Angelus smiled at their enthusiasm, "Nope, we don't have any new members joining the pack. I'm sure it's only a wolf passing by and that it'll be moving along quickly." He reassured them, even though he wasn't feeling very sure about the answer himself. After tucking them in…again…he left for his study.

Austin was waiting for him when he arrived but by the look on the younger male's face, Angelus knew there was nothing new to report, "I'm running the database check, so far there's nothing."

Angelus wished he could have been in the forest along with his men, scouting out and protecting his pack. If only he could phone Gunn and get an update. Since they weren't back yet he knew they were still out there watching the trespasser. "Willow is also running a check in the residential and local databases. I'll let you know as soon as I get anything. Brody is ready to be dispatched the minute the wolf leaves. I still can't think where she could have entered, as far as I know the only entrance in behind the Hyperion." Austin said.

Angelus merely nodded, knowing that if there was something to be found, either Austin or Willow would pick it up. He felt slightly better knowing they would have a tail on the intruder as soon as it left the forest, that way they could get her address and run it to get identification.

When Austin finally left, Angelus took a seat behind his table and switched on the monitor, there was nothing to be see; only the landscape and the hotel. But the knowledge about what was going on outside his view had him tensing and raging in silence. Thinking rationally had always been his strong suit, but not at the moment. He wanted this situation handled immediately.

The number of possibilities were endless, but the one that bothered him most was the possibility that the wolf could be scouting out for another pack wanting to take over his territory and do him and his pack harm. As Alpha of the pack he would never stand down to allow that to happen.

A fool had tried that once and he didn't life to tell the tale about what happened; the only ones who knew were him and his pack, and they weren't about to go spreading the news. But they had also lost a member of their pack and the wounds from that loss was still very raw. Angelus had sworn that he won't let that happen again and he wasn't about to break that vow.

If that wolf in his forest thought about taking from him, they had another thing coming…and they would find out in the worst possible way.

END CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

WOLFRAM AND HART

EARLY the next morning, Gunn and Austin were already waiting for Angelus when he stepped into his office. Gunn handed the folder containing the information over to Angelus then took a seat and waited for him to look through everything. After the wolf left the forest the night before, he gave Angelus a small briefing about what happened.

"She stayed in the meadow nearly the entire night and only left at about four this morning. She didn't wander around or anything; just stayed in the meadow and sniffed around a bit but she slept for most of the night. She entered the forest through an alley on Main Street; there's a broken down wall hidden behind a dumpster. Brody followed her as soon as she shifted back.

She lives in the apartment building on 17th and Main, room number 217. Her name's Buffy Summers, aged 23 and she just moved here from Sunnydale. She's working at the Los Angeles Times. No family members in the area. Her mother Joyce Summers passed away 9 months ago; father Hank Summers living in the Caribbean with Wife Lucy with their daughter Gabriel. Buffy was the only child from his first marriage.

No criminal record, but she was hospitalized once for a few days due to a nasty biking accident. I'm having some trouble getting the full medical report from the hospital she was treated at, but I'll let you know when I have it in my possession.

Man, she spotless, not even so much as a speeding ticket" Gunn said. He'd expected to find some incriminating information on the woman but there was nothing. Either she really was spotless or her people did a good job at hiding her. But they had the most advanced technology and it was nearly impossible to hide information from them. If there was something to be found on someone, Gunn would sniff it out sooner or later, no matter what.

"Broody tailed her last night and stayed with her till Qhuinn took over from him. So far there's nothing new, she's at work now. They'll keep watching her in shifts and notify us if anything happens." Gunn said in reassurance. He'd seen how Angelus reacted the night before when they found her, and because of what that they weren't going to take any chances. She wouldn't be able to make a move without Gunn knowing about it first.

Angelus remained silent as he leaved through the folder containing Buffy's information; she looked harmless enough but he'd learned the hard way that looks could be very deceiving. Her petite physique explained her small wolf from, but to some extent he still couldn't understand why she was so small in build. Some of the females in his pack where of similar build as Buffy, but their wolf forms were much larger than hers. That could only mean then that her ancestors were also small in build and carried that on to her. Her blond locks didn't resemble the silver of her coat though, but that wasn't odd; once again it could be genetics'. In all honesty, she was very pretty as he looked at the photo's they had taken of her.

She seemed oblivious to the men tailing her, or she was just a very good actress and was playing her role as unsuspecting woman very well. "Keep watching her. I want someone tailing her 24 hours a day until we decide what to do. Let me know if she meets with anyone. Can you get her phone records? We need everything we can get; maybe they slipped up with their planning somewhere. Check out what she is doing, if she's hunting or maybe keeping a look out for another pack wanting to come into the city." Angelus said as he threw the open folder down on his desk.

Gunn nodded, "I'm waiting for her phone records now. My contact is just running her number and printing it out. She has no land line but it was easy getting her mobile number. I thought I might run a check on her friends and people in Sunnydale as well; maybe we can pick something up from there?" Gunn asked. There was a very good reason Gunn was his head of security, nothing slipped past him and he was always one step ahead.

Angel nodded, "Good idea. I want a few more people watching the forest at night as well; maybe she's meeting out there with them? Just make sure they are careful and don't blow their cover. I don't want her finding out and running before we find anything out. Have some of your street contacts keep their ears open." Angelus said. He didn't care how many people they had to utilize to get information, he had the resources for a reason after all.

With a curt nod of his head, Gunn left his office with Austin following shortly on his heels.

TWO WEEKS LATER

BUFFY remained oblivious the entire time as Gunn and his men watched her and followed her every move. Just like Gunn said, he knew every single move she made…well, except for when she was in the shower. Two men were permanently tailing her and Gunn kept a close eye on her phone records; not that there was much to look for, she rarely used her phone, if at all, so she either had another way of contacting her people or she wasn't talking to them at the moment, maybe to keep up appearances.

But, in all honesty, and he wouldn't voice that to anyone, least of all Angelus, he believed the woman was harmless. They hadn't picked up anything out of the ordinary the entire time they have been watching her; and she really didn't seem like someone who was pretending or hiding something. The thought that she might be watching out for another pack also seemed unlike her.

Gunn sighed as she made his way to Angelus' office. The past two weeks hadn't been easy. Angelus was stressed and tense, keeping the entire pack under lock and key, not even letting anyone out without an escort or bodyguard.

Every night, Angelus watched the entrance to the forest from his private office at the Hyperion, which had a view over nearly the entire landscape. Their property stretched for miles and they would never be able to cover the distance in a day. Angel wanted a big place to expand if they later wanted to, but that also made it a bit harder to keep tabs on every square inch of the land. Seeing as they were a big pack, they had more than enough members to watch at the most important areas and had surveillance camera's installed everywhere.

So far, Angelus managed to 'behave' himself, relieving most of his frustration in the gym, but everyone knew it wasn't really helping anymore. He and three other men had to stop Angelus one night when Angelus almost charged after the wolf when they saw her entering the forest.

Like every night, they'd been watching her as she entered the forest from the entrance on Main street. The air had been thick with Angelus' hostile mood, but he hadn't thought much of it at first. They'd sat in silence for more than an hour before Angelus shot out of his chair and charged to the door.

Angelus was halfway across the hotel before they managed to catch up to him. First he'd tried blocking Angelus with his body but it did little to help and he found himself being dragged along, Angelus growling hard enough to make his hair stand on end.

Finally Brody, who's the most muscular in their pack, and Lark stepped into help him and after struggling for a few minutes, they managed to subdue him enough for Gunn to talk to him, "Stop it man. If you kill her, her people will wonder where she is and come looking for her; bringing down more trouble on our heads that can be avoided. You have to think clearly about this. I understand how angry you are, but right now she isn't hurting anyone."

It seemed to get through to him for a few minutes but then he started growling again. Then Brody stepped in and shoved Angelus hard enough to send him staggering back a few steps, through clenched teeth he ground out, "Cut it out, the kids will see." That finally managed to do the trick.

No one ever stepped up to Angelus like that but it needed to be done, and Gunn knew Angelus allowed Brody to push him. Even though Brody was more muscular and taller than Angelus, he still wouldn't have been able to match the Alpha's strength. "They watch from their window every night. If you go after her they'll see you and you know they will have questions you can't answer; so just calm down." Brody said after a few minutes.

Slowly they let Angelus go and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he relaxed and apologized. If it hadn't been for Brody's harsh interjection, Angelus would have been chopping down on a bloody corpse, the pups looking on and seeing everything.

After the struggle, the four of them headed back to the study and went back to watching, acting like nothing ever happened. The females must have heard them because Alyssa stepped in a while later with four cups of hot chocolate, just what they needed to soothe them a bit.

Everyone knew how protective Angelus was of their pack, they each felt it and experienced it in their own way as well, but Gunn and the other men knew that the small female would never survive an attack from Angelus; her body too frail and weak and he wouldn't even break a sweat as he snapped her body like a twig. And attacking her would bring them no closers to the answers they needed.

Gunn finally spoke up, breaking the silence, "I've found nothing to be suspicious about her. She keeps to herself and doesn't go out or even visits friends. Her routine is the same every day, just going to work and home and then goes for a walk in the forest. Her phone records are clean and I found nothing on her friends in Sunnydale." In fact, Gunn was really starting to think that this woman didn't have anyone in her life.

Angelus nodded, his eyes never leaving the forest, "I'll be joining you tomorrow night. I want Groo, Spike, Lark and Brody to go with us. I want to settle this and if she has nothing to hide, then she won't run from us. If she is scoping out the territory for another pack, it's time we send them a message that this territory is taken and they aren't welcome here." His words were controlled but Gunn could hear he was still having trouble reigning in his temper.

Gunn nodded as the final orders were given. He left immediately to notify everyone of the plan. At least Angelus wouldn't be charging after her alone and the other members would be present in case they needed to intervene. He just hoped that the little girl playing in their field didn't have any ulterior motives, otherwise she might not life to see the next day.

Without Angelus' knowledge, Gunn took the liberty of having someone watch him; leaving him alone could prove fatal for the young woman and a split second decision could cause some very nasty results. The only way out that Gunn could see would be to question her and get the answers they needed; if she would cooperate that is.

Everyone was anxious and stressed and wishing for this to end soon. No one wanted a repeat of what happened the last time they had trespassers on their territory. If Angelus attacked the female wolf she would defiantly not survive, and he was sure he and his men would be acting as protection for her instead of back up for Angelus.

Sitting back down in his chair he rubbed his temple and closed his eyes for a few minutes, hoping and praying that things wouldn't end in disaster.

END CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

BUFFY couldn't believe how well things were going for her so far. She'd been very skeptical about her decision to move to L.A, but now she was very happy about the decision she'd made. Working at the L.A. Times was great as she got along well with her co workers and it kept her busy and her mind active, she actually enjoyed go to work every day.

Even though she missed Sunnydale and her friends, she never once regretted her decision. She hadn't made any friends except those at work, but that she was comfortable just the way she was at the moment, enjoying the independence and soltitude.

What made everything worth the while, was the wonderful forest she could roam around in every night; it was practically like her playground. Now, for the first time since she'd been turned, she understood and appreciated what it meant to be free and wild in her wolf form, and she embraced it rather than seeing it as a curse like she always had.

Even when she'd been in Sunnydale's woods, she'd never been able to enjoy the total freedom that she did here. In the forest, she actually felt safe and relaxed; when she shifted, all her problem seemed to disappear for a short while; it also made the pain in her body and heart fade away, just for a few precious moments. When she was shifted and in the forest, everything around her seized to exist and she could life and roam freely.

Buffy heaved a sigh of relief as she finished up the last of her work that Friday afternoon. In just a few short hours, she'd be locking up her apartment for the weekend and loosing herself in the forest. She'd never spent an entire weekend out before and she couldn't wait to get to it.

The week seemed to drag on without end and the fact that she was in constant pain and had trouble sleeping only worsened it. Pain killers and sleeping pills had no effect on her anymore so she could do nothing but grin and bear the pain. Despite the doctor's claims that the pain would worsen over time and that she might lose all mobility in her arm and shoulder, Buffy chose not to dwell on it and rather enjoy her time than waste it worry about something she had no control over.

Initially she hadn't thought the damage was so bad, she suffered a bit from pain every now and then but nothing too serious; until one day when she collapsed from pain. One doctor's appointment later and she found out that damage was in fact, severe, so severe that they predicted her arm would start to draw in on itself and later lose all mobility.

She'd been devastated by the news, saddened to know she only had a short amount of time left to be able to use her arm, and then eventually lose it. But she knew wallowing in sorrow would do her no good, it wouldn't heal her; the damage was done and she could only enjoy it until it finally came to an end.

She cursed her attacker countless times, more than she could count, but that also didn't help. Two years ago she'd been a normal healthy young woman, and in the blink of an eye, that wolf took everything away from her. Not only that but that wolf wrecked her entire life, and she still felt the after effects.

But then, when she was in her wolf form, the pain was better, not gone, but manageable; even though she couldn't run and jump like she was supposed to, the shift helped. It gave her a sense of freedom and calmness to enjoy everything around her and not rush by everything like most others did. Day to day life was fast passed enough and it felt good to take it easy for a bit.

As Buffy rushed home, her blood laced with excitement and adrenaline, she couldn't wait for her weekend to get started.

SMALL paws left an unmistakable path across the pasture as she strolled into the forest a few minutes later. An array of scents assaulted her sensitive nostrils as she inhaled the air after the light rain that graced L.A. Everything around her was pitch black, the only sound carrying were the crickets and the gentle breeze flowing past her. Large trees loomed ahead, beckoning her to them, and she gladly accepted. Glancing around one final time, she slowly made her way to the meadow. As she disappeared into the darkness, she never picked up change in the air, or saw the large menacing wolves lurking behind and finally following the path she just walked.

A snarl sounded as Angelus watched with hooded eyes as the silver wolf strolled into the forest and make her way to the meadow she visited nearly every night. After days and days of waiting, he could stand it no more and decided to make a move. Everyone was just as anxious as him to find out what the wolf wanted, and he wasn't going to allow this to carry on another night.

The deadly darkness surrounded him and the male's wolves tracking her, blanketing them and concealing them as they watched her. The pack was spread out over the entire forest, keeping lookout from every angle. She didn't pick up their scent and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She could either be playing to fool them, or she was just really unaware of their presence. If she planned on keeping them busy while her pack attacked, their plan would seriously blow up in their faces, because his pack was on high alert, no one missing anything.

As his eyes trailed her, he noticed that she moved around slowly, calculated almost, not putting her weight on her right paw for too long and her right rear leg seemed almost shorter, more restrained than the other. When he saw her lower herself carefully to the ground, extending her right leg carefully, he knew his observation was spot on. A injury maybe? He doubted someone would be able to fake the way she moved. He could use that to his advantage if need be; always know your opponents weakness and use it to your benefit. Not very admirable but he would do anything to protect his pack, even fight dirty.

He watched as she stood up again and began moving around, sniffing at things as she moved along. Something must have caught her attentions because she remained at a heap of fallen leaves and sniffed. When she reared her head back, Angelus' body tensed.

Buffy pressed her nose deeper into the bunch of fallen leaves as a sweet scent tickled her nose. When something wet and cold pressed against her nose, she started and reared her head back in surprise. She regarded he fallen leaves in wonder as a small rabbit poked its head out and looked at her. When the rabbit tentatively emerged from its hiding place, Buffy looked at the small animal in wonder; she'd never seen one up close before and it was even prettier than she would have imagined.

She knew it was risky for the skittish animal to come out of its hiding place, especially as she, a predator, stood right in front of it. But she didn't want to chase it, or harm the frail creature; instead, she'd rather look and study the creature while it was up close, appreciating the beauty of this small thing. This creature deserved a place just like she and every other organism did.

When the rabbit made no move to retreat, Buffy lowered her head towards it and inhaled its sweet scent. The rabbit met her half way and also smelled her, then hopped forward an inch and smelled at her paws. Buffy was content to let the small animal sniff her and she held still as it moved all around her, sniffing at her feet, then her tail and continued around her in a circle.

From his hiding place, Angelus stared at the sight before him, baffled and mouth nearly hanging agape in wonder. Why didn't she attack the rabbit? It was right in front of her and she could easily catch it with just a swipe of her paw or a nip with her strong jaw and sharp teeth. Unable to come up with an explanation, he decided to move closer to get a better look. Blending into the darkness, he silently crept closer.

When the rabbit's head reared up suddenly and then changed course and bolted back into his hole, Buffy felt her skin start to crawl with the sudden change in the atmosphere. Looking ahead, she saw a large, breathtaking wolf stand merely a few feet away from her. His jet black fur made him melt into the darkness that surrounded them, his golden eyes nearly all indication of his presence.

Danger and menace seeped off him, making Buffy take a step back from him in fear. His eyes remained glued to her, boring into her and gauging her every move. Pulling her ears back against her head in uncertainty and panic, she watched the wolf before her with her senses on alert. It made no move towards her but that didn't put her at ease at all, he seemed to be waiting for her to make a move.

Buffy knew she would be no match for him should a fight break out; he was more than double her size and she could feel the power and strength radiating off him in strong waves. When he pulled his lips back, baring his sharp teeth, fear pounded through her, memories of that night two years ago rushing to the front. Only this time, there would be no one to help her.

Taking a cautious step, her body froze over with fear as she saw him in turn take a step forward. She didn't dare take her eyes off him, in case he decided to use her distraction and leap at her. But then her muscles coiled tight and her blood started pumping faster, ringing in her ears. Instinct took over and she did the only thing she could think of…she turned and ran for her life.

END CHAPTER 6