A/N:: Um...yes... About this story, well, I've wanted to write it for a while now. So I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! ^_^ These are actually my favorite two pairings in the games. Don't ask, I'm a twisted little bastard, I know. And to all of you people out there afraid of alien/human relations, leave now. This is rated MATURE for adult language and situations. Please run away now if you are easily offended by either. You've been warned. Mass Effect is not the game for you… I don't even know where this crap comes from anymore.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect nor its characters. I am just abusing them horribly in an attempt at pleasing my upset brain when I discovered that Grunt was in fact, not a romance option.

One of a Kind

She was staring at him again. He could feel her eyes upon him like hands, touching, caressing, running over every inch of him. He wasn't sure of how he felt about that. But, he refused to look over at her. Instead he continued to stare down that older, larger Krogan that sat dominantly before him. The tan skinned, red crested, scarred battlemaster looked strong, stronger than any other Krogan that Grunt had encountered before, including his creator, Okeer. There was a knowing, unwavering calculation in those bloody eyes that both reassured the Tankbred male and unnerved him. He could easily see why Shepard respected Urdnot Wrex so much. The younger Krogan was surprised to feel a slight flare of jealousy burn in his chest.

"So, you're still alive, are you, boy?" Wrex chuckled, his rough, dark voice filled with a pride that had the younger Krogan blinking in surprise, " Good. Can't have you getting killed by one of Shepard's damn missions just yet."

"Tch, of course he's alive. I told you I'd bring him back in one piece," The human woman grumbled, her smooth, musical tone contrasting vividly to their rubble laden surroundings. Grunt had found her voice...pleasing, even when she had spoken that first time. He'd been in the tank, of course, but he'd heard her, heard her commanding that he be released. His gaze flitted over to take in her profile as she strode close to the head of Clan Urdnot. Her body was lithe, sleek, and every movement that she made was fluid. She conjured images of a great hunting cat that had been in Okeer's memories. A streamline, deadly killer that was deceptively small and beautiful. He couldn't help the soft rumble that filled his throat as she seated herself on a slab of concrete right at the older Krogan's feet.

Wrex smirked faintly as he turned his attention from the young kid that stood tensely before him. The boy had it bad. Poor bastard. His red eyes landed upon Shepard fondly, a small smile gracing his rough features. He'd been surprised to see her come back so soon, though he was far from complaining. Shepard was one of the few individuals that he could stand talking to for longer than a few seconds. And he missed their adventures terribly. He wanted to go with her so badly, but he had a responsibility to the clan now that he could not abandon. A satisfied sigh left him when the human leaned against his calf, something she had taken to doing when they'd sat in the underbelly of the Normandy bullshitting for hours on end.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Wrex asked her, pointedly ignoring the heated glare he was getting from the tankbred. She shrugged her shoulders weakly, sagging in a worn manner as she yawned.

"To be honest, I was thinking about disappearing for a while. As far as the rest of the Galaxy knows, I am dead. The Council could care less about me and because I haven't exactly checked in with them, they most likely think that I am dead. As for Cerberus, I just bet the Illusive man is just DYING to get his hands on me. I sorta blew up humanity's chance at becoming the superpower of the universe," She explained, smirking roguishly at the thought of the asshole's face.

Grunt chuckled in amusement, brilliant blue eyes blazing with mirth. It had been funny to see that crazy human's dreams crash and burn. And satisfying.

"Well, you are welcome here, Shepard, you know that," Wrex replied with a laugh of his own, "Cerberus should have known that you weren't going to be their little pet. Hell, you are responsible for destroying nearly every base in the Terminus systems and beyond. I'm surprised that they didn't bring you back for the sake of killing you themselves."

"You know that would have only pissed her off more," Grunt commented, folding his muscled arms across his chest.

"True," Wrex chuckled fondly as he ruffled the young woman's hair roughly, earning a growl of protest from her. She swatted halfheartedly at his hand, trying to look angry, but the amused glint in her eyes gave her away.

"Hn, what better place to lay low for a while than on the planet of my heart?" She stated finally, earning a surprised look from Grunt. She rolled her head to the side to look at Grunt, a dark, borderline sadistic look crossing her features that still bore the faint outlines of glowing orange. He felt a tremor roll through his muscled form, "Besides, what better way to get you settled into your new family than getting these stupid bastards to listen to Wrex, huh?"

Grunt swallowed hard, unable to get words past the lump in his throat. He nodded sharply, a grin of his own lighting his features. Something...odd, something that O'keer's imprinting could not explain stirred in him. Shepard blinked in mild confusion when Grunt's expression took on an almost hungry tint. Wrex let out a snort and rolled his eyes.

"Good luck with that," He growled out on a scoff. The older Krogan could attest to how thick headed and set in the old ways the bulls on Tuchunka were. Then again, knowing Shepard, she'd convince them or blow them to hell. Either way, things worked out for Wrex in the long run. His clan was still small compared to the most of the others, but they were a force to be feared and every Krogan on Tuchunka was giving them a wide berth now that Urdnot Wrex was back in his rightful place. Shepard and her new charge, Grunt wiping out a few vermin recently had also gained them a few more allies. If the red haired human turned Krogan wanted to take on the whole planet, he wasn't about to stop her, " Boy, I need to speak with your BattleMaster for a moment. Go speak with the Shaman about setting up a place for you and Shepard to stay."

Grunt looked ready to protest, knowing full well that he had the capacity to hold his own against the older Krogan. He did not like the idea of leaving Shepard alone with anyone, especially Urdnot Wrex. However, the firm, yet reassuring nod from Shepard had his hackles lowering slightly.

"Find me later, BattleMaster," He let out in a rich rumble that bordered on possessive. Wrex watched in amusement as the young Krogan left them reluctantly. He motioned to the four armed guards to give them space and then turned his attention to the red head. For a long moment he simply studied her from his perch.

Wrex didn't like humans. He found them to be too soft, too...small and well, breakable. Shepard was like an antihuman. Sure, she was small, but she was powerful, durable, and hard muscle beneath silk. How did he know this? With a longing touch to her hair, he recalled their closeness in the past, the few times when he had let himself go to the attraction he'd felt for her. And she had let him, had felt just as drawn to him as he had been to her. They were so similar in thought, in honor, in battle. It was natural that he'd wanted her. And she looked to him as a guide, a strong anchor that was reassuring and never far from her side. They'd messed around a bit, but he'd never actually mated with her. They'd been too busy stomping Saren and his little machines into the dirt. He'd fantasized about it for a long time though. Even at present he'd have moments in which his mind would replay some of their more...interesting encounters and what would have happened if things had gone differently.

"What's wrong with him?" He voice roused him from his thoughts and the scarred Krogan let out a scoff.

"Hormones. Let's just say that he's finally realized that he has a dick and he's starting to figure out what it's for," Wrex responded bluntly, causing Shepard to tilt her head back in an odd angle to look at him. His suddenly heated eyes had a faint blush rushing to stain her cheeks. She let a slow, playful smirk stretch her full lips as she turned and folded her arms across his left upper leg.

"Is that your problem too, Wrex?" She purred out his name and a jolt of heat shot straight to his crotch.

"When isn't that my problem with you, Shepard?" He growled, snatching her up and sitting her in his lap. She let out a squeal and laughed despite the rough handling. The Krogan clan leader squeezed her hind quarters in appreciation, delighting in the little noises that escaped her throat. His hard stare caught sight of the slight hesitation in her features and a toothy grin crossed his mouth, " You like him, don't you?"

She looked up at Wrex blankly beneath the weight of his accusation. He didn't seem angry about it at all, if anything he seemed...pleased? Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean? I can't like him," She replied in firm denial. He didn't buy it. Wrex fisted his hand at the nap of her neck, knowing that she really liked it and forced her head to the side, leaning in to rub his snout along the line of her slim neck. She gasped and her heart kicked up into her throat as his hot breath fanned over her skin. Gooseflesh raced down her spine when his tongue snaked out to run over the soft skin, tasting her. "I can taste it on you, Shepard."

"B-but, what about..."She trailed off. She had never really been sure as to what had gone on between the two of them. Some exploring, some teasing, some rough petting but it hadn't gone beyond that. Did that make them...something other than friends? He let out a soft rumble.

"Us?" At her slight nod, he grazed her neck with his blunt teeth and she squirmed in his grasp. He sat up again and released his grasp on her, the human woman trying to get her feelings sorted out as she looked up at him through heavy lashes. "You already know that Krogan in our time share women. I'm old, Shepard. But I am not a follower of the ancient ways. Before the Genophage, Krogan took the Rite of Honor to find a life mate, now we take it to breed with any female that accepts. I've had sons and daughters, more than most. I have to as Clan Leader."

She bit her lower lip. Logically, she had already known that Wrex was a practitioner of the free Krogan breeding process and she also knew that as Clan leader, he was the most sought after and qualified. But it still stung in her chest knowing that she'd never have him to herself.

"I know that you are too damn possessive to handle that." He chuckled and she blushed darker.

"Of course. What is mine is mine and everyone else can back the fuck off or I'll kill them. It's that simple," She growled out impressively. A little flutter of excitement filled his chest at the thought of being possessed by the powerful woman. The thought of her fighting and destroying others for him, to keep him, had the veteran stirring to attention in certain places.

"The boy feels that way toward you," He murmured knowingly, earning a squawk of denial from her, " I see it in how he looks at you and I can smell it from him even from here. He wants you for himself and I can't say that I blame him. What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean what am I going to do? He's...he's Grunt for crying out loud! I...I haven't even really thought about that toward him because I was..." She broke off with an embarrassed sigh.

"Waiting for me?" He offered softly. She was grateful that he wasn't mocking her, "Well, either way, he needs to get himself under control; otherwise, he's going to be dangerous, especially to you. Just... watch yourself. Don't do anything to set him off. I'll have a talk with him."

She nodded, grateful that Wrex was so willing to help Grunt. Shaken, Shepard slid down from his lap and he was sad to let her go.

"And Shepard... just a warning; whether you accept him or not, you're mine first," Wrex growled out in a hungry tone that had a visible shiver rolling down her heated flesh. The old Krogan had more than one reason for his statement. He knew that as inexperienced as Grunt was and as fragile as Shepard was that the younger male had a damn good chance of hurting her. Wrex would need to break her in a little so that she'd be able to handle the more muscular Krogan. He just wondered how well the Shaman would take the idea of Grunt not being a part of the breeding population. O'keer would be rolling in his grave.

His words echoing in her mind, she strode off to seek out her Krogan partner. As she walked, her pace was slow and a little on the aimless side. She chewed on Wrex's words. She had to admit, Grunt was a beautiful piece of work. His body was so different from the hunched, bulky shouldered males that made up most of the Krogan race. Tight, corded muscle, lining a large, perfectly shaped frame beneath thick sunset colored scales that held an iridescent tone were molded together to form his handsome figure. Even his hard, armor like plates were different, all of them disjointed unlike the smooth, connected crests and back plating of the others. And his were gunmetal silver. She adored that hue. But it was his eyes, gorgeous, breath taking blue, that had her captivated.

Even when she'd seen him asleep in O'keer's lab as the doctor shook her hand in his almost painful grip she'd found him beautiful. She licked her lips and scratched at her left palm as it tingled in memory of the sharp bite of one of the doctor's claws. Damn she was fucked up in the head. And at the same time in that moment, she'd felt a strange sort of resentment towards the "perfect" Krogan in the tube. What about all of the others; the thousands that O'keer had tossed away without a thought simply because they had not been as perfect. Because of the treatment of those unfortunate, devoted children that had been cruely abandoned by their "father," Shepard had wanted nothing to do with O'keer aside from putting a bullet through his eye. They hadn't meant to be imperfect. They hadn't had any control over that. It had been all O'keer's fault and yet the old bastard hadn't taken responsibility for them, hadn't even treated them like Krogan!

She was so focused on her dark thoughts of the past that she slammed head long into a wall of armor and muscle. The jolt of surprise had a strange, abrupt burst of anger surging through her veins and a dangerous, almost inhuman snarl rushing from her lips as she turned her narrowed amber glare upon whoever had been stupid enough to stand in her way. Curious, questioning blue met her and she blinked out of her stupor, realizing who exactly she'd run into. Her anger flushed from her system so fast that she felt dizzy.

"Grunt?" She asked lamely, moving back a step to give herself some space as her pulse jumped. He let out a semi concerned grumble, cocking his head to look her over as she fidgeted.

"You losing your edge, Shepard?" He asked a playful teasing in his rough tone that had an uncharacteristic flush spreading over her features. It wasn't like her to be so distracted.

"Something like that. Wrex wanted to see you. I wouldn't keep him waiting," She responded hastily, dropping his probing stare and moving to step around him. His hand shot out, capturing her upper arm firmly. His darkening stare, piercing, insisting held her wide eyes as she felt that unfamiliar anger tickling at her again.

"Did he do something to you?" He demanded in a snarl, his stare becoming harsh, angry. Her eyes clouded over in a sadness that wasn't lost on the Krogan. He felt that anger double. She had been hurt by Wrex's admission that they could never truly have any sort of relationship in a romantic sense, despite already knowing that it would have been unlikely for the attraction between them to go anywhere. And yeah, she still felt that attraction, but it was more of an attraction to his personality, his strength, and to the comfort she found in him, not so much physically. She also knew that she'd never be able to give him the one time romp he wanted with her. It wasn't her style to do one night flings. She was too devoted to her lovers and she needed someone that wouldn't skip off after the sex was over. The red haired woman blinked away the growing moisture in her eyes, surprised that she'd let it get to her so much and shook her head at the large male that loomed over her.

"No, nothing that I didn't already expect," Her words were bitter sweet and they tore at the tankbred's insides as she bit her lower lip. And then that usual fire, that hard, commanding expression returned to her features as "Commander Shepard, the Specter" once again regained control and in a dominant tone she stated, "Besides, it's nothing that is any of your business. Get down there to see the Clan Leader. I have to contact Garrus and update him on our status."

He didn't release her and in fact, tightened his grip on her armor clad form as a low, possessive growl left his lips.

"If it has to deal with you, then it is MY business, Shepard," He hissed out darkly. The red haired woman saw red. He had outright ignored her order, invaded her personal space in a domineering way, and not so subtly stated his claim over her and her affairs. It was then that the white hot anger, the violent need exploded within her. In the space of a few heartbeats Grunt found himself tossed none too gently through a nearby stone wall with enough force to shatter said wall and gain the attention of every nearby Krogan. He groaned in pain, grasping at the crumbled stone to pull himself up into a seated position. His confused, angry glare swept through the dust clouds that had begun to settle and focused on his attacker in shock. Shepard stood where he'd detained her mere moments before, arms falling back down to her heaving sides. She looked positively feral. Her eyes were two blazing orbs of molten orange, red hair messy and falling slightly into her tanned, sweat lined face as she sucked in deep breaths to fill her lungs.

The air crackled with her hostility and the energy she'd used to chuck the nearly one ton Krogan warrior like a ragdoll. Clansmen nearby gapped openly at the display. The small, deceptively petite female righted herself and swiped a few strands of hair from her eyes before stalking toward the flabbergasted male she'd thrown without the use of her biotic power. He swallowed hard, unable to stop himself from being aroused by her display of strength and the way her hips swayed as she stood over his fallen form dominantly.

A soft, warning growl fell from her lips and she placed her booted foot in the center of his chest, roughly forcing him back to the ground with a grunt. The stone gave a shudder as the weight of the big male left a tangle of cracks spidering over its surface. She moved her feet to straddle the prone Krogan, bending at the waist to grip the front of his armor and jerk his head forward until their faces were inches apart.

"Who is your BattleMaster, Grunt?" She demanded, fury powering her voice. He could taste her rage in the air and it was intoxicating. He shook slightly beneath her, swallowing hard as he ran an appreciative gaze along the sleek planes of her body.

"You are, BattleMaster," He answered, feeling suddenly meek. He was appalled by the overwhelming need to submit. He'd never felt anything like it and it confused him greatly.

"Exactly. So when I tell you that something is NOT your business, then you had damn well better listen!" She snapped out before releasing him and storming away angrily. Several curious Krogan jumped out of her way in fear as she strode in the direction of the small shuttle that they'd arrived in, the pissed off woman punting an unfortunate pyjack on her way down the metal steps. Grunt remained where he was for a long moment before slowly picking himself up out of the rubble. He'd never seen the human woman use that much strength before, hadn't even been aware that a human COULD lift that much so easily. It was pretty common knowledge that even the strongest of humans could barely lift twice their own body weight, especially the females. A few Krogan moved closer to their thoroughly thrashed brother, looks of awe and admiration on their faces.

"Your BattleMaster is strong for a human," One said reverently.

"You...you think she falls under the Rite of Honor?" Another asked tentatively, the others voicing acknowledgement.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Grunt all but growled, his gaze heated as he stared off in the direction Shepard had gone.