He watches her through the trees, silent as any jungle cat. She's less careful. Faye has always been fearless. She doesn't worry about being tracked.

"I know you're there, Adam." She calls out in a singsong voice, her fingertips ghosting across a rose bush. He narrows his eyes as he smells blood in the air: she's pricked a finger.

"You should be more careful." He advises smoothly, stepping out from between two tall pines. Adam can hardly be surprised she detected his presence. Beside himself, she's probably the most skilled wolf in the pack. The others tend to underestimate her (it's a masculine society, what can he say?) but he knows better: she's lithe, clever, quick as a whip and one of their best hunters.

She would be perfect if she weren't so stubborn.

"So sweet." Faye laughs, a low chuckle, lip curled with a dark sweetness. "Always looking out for your pack, aren't you?" She turns eyes the color of dusk on him. She holds his gaze, a false flirtation, and carefully licks the blood from the pad of her finger.

"Just you." He responds with a smirk, stepping closer. She arches an eyebrow, amused but not taken with him. Not yet.

"Why?" She tilts her head playfully, "Because I'm your favorite?"

"Because you're mine."

Her smile drops. He can see her fight rolling her eyes.

"We've discussed this. I'm not accepting that offer." Faye practically spits out the last word, nose wrinkles with disdain.

"It's not really an offer, Faye." Adam replies patiently. "I'm Alpha, remember? I get to choose my mate. And it means you'll get to be Alpha, too – isn't that what you want?"

"I'm not going to be your concubine, Adam. I deserve to be the leader of the pack of my own accord."

"You know that'll never happen. And you're attracted to me," He steps closer, one smooth step into her personal space. Adam slides his hand around her waist and pulls her close, their hips pressing together. Faye's hand clamps down on his shoulder. Adam leans in close, nose against her cheek.

"You'll have all the power you want." He says lowly, caressing her back. She arches just slightly into him, and when she relaxes he swears he can almost feel her eyelashes flutter against his cheek.

Faye is impatient, a quality which normally is an annoyance. Today it is a blessing. She grabs his face between her hands and kisses him; with supernatural strength she has him back against a tree. The cold bark is rough through his clothing, but all he cares about feeling is her.

But the fickle tides turn, and soon she's dancing away from his hands. His fingertips brush the edge of her cloak in vain. Faye's looking at him, part smooth disdain and part amusement.

"Oh no, Adam," She says lightly, shaking her head at him. Her smile is dangerous. "I know what happens if I get carried away with you."

"Ah, Faye. What's a little lifelong bond?" Adam grins, takes a step forward. Faye arches a brow.

"You wish."

"So I do." He takes another step, and the sound of leaves crunching under his boot crackles, satisfying, into the air. If he can't have her he'll rip these woods apart eventually; he may as well start with the ground up. But - he can be patient. Faye wants him, she's just…stubborn. Willful, and proud, and Adam will be damned but it's what he likes about her.

"You could make this so much easier on yourself, Adam." Faye advises, and it's genuine for once. "Most of the other she-wolves would have you and be grateful-"

"I don't want them. You know I don't." He frowns.

Faye sighs and starts to turn, but he grabs for her arm. Within seconds he's pinned to the ground, before he even registers her snarl. Adam opens his eyes just in time to see her skin shutter and shift; smooth paleness gives way to blossoms of brown fur. Her body opens itself up and becomes greater than its whole. In a moment, Faye is gone and he is left with this sleek, dark creature sitting on his chest.

She bears her teeth at him, craning her neck down so his eyes meet hers. That's the way to spot a werewolf – the eyes, even in canine shape, look so much more human than their non-supernatural counterparts. Faye is still in those eyes, and it stops him from tearing the best to shreds.

"Stop playing games, Faye." Adam says, attempting to keep his tone smooth. If he's non-reactant she'll get bored. "I want you, you want me, and you're the one that's making this harder than it has to be."

Faye growls, digs her claws into his chest. It's an insult he can't, as pack leader, accept. He doesn't want to hurt her – but it's his job – it's his life, she has to respect him.

Naturally, he's a bigger wolf than she is, and once he's shifted it's simply a matter of leverage to roll her over. If anyone had been watching, their fight would probably be nothing more than a blink, a blur of steel grey and chocolate brown, but it feels endless to him. He hates losing control like this. Hates having to resort to physical violence – especially with Faye.

But that just makes Adam angrier, and when he's angry it's so easy to let the wolf take over. He snaps at her throat and she twists: Faye is agile where he is strong and it is an even match. They grapple with each other for a while: swipes and bites that never quite hit their mark, bodies colliding, until they fall apart too tired to continue.

Faye shifts back first, and he lets her have a moment of quiet before he joins her back in human form. There is an angry welt on her shoulder, and Adam thinks numbly, I did that. He is not proud.

"That was my favorite cloak." Faye says bitterly. Their clothing is in tatters around the clearing. He can't even appreciate her naked beauty; he's too disappointed in himself and the bruises and scratches he's given her.

"I'm sorry." Adam says, gently. He may be Alpha but he prides himself in not being like the other hyper-masculine wolves in their pack – he's the rational one, the smart, cool-headed guy everyone can turn to in a time of crisis. Not this child who throws tantrums because he can't have what he wants. Not an angry beast that hurts the things it loves.

But Faye makes him absolutely crazy sometimes.

"Yeah, tell it to our tailor." She rolls her eye and stands up. They don't have a tailor, but he'll find a way to get her a new cloak. Adam will steal it if he has to – he owes her that much.

"I – I mean it, Faye." Adam insists. "I know I should respect your choice. But I wish you'd see how happy we could both be if you just…said yes."

Faye pauses and looks at him evenly for a few seconds, lips pursed just the slightest bit. It looks like she's about to reconsider – but -

"I'm sorry, too, Adam." She says instead, and turns away from him. He watches her walk into the woods until the fair expanse of her back has disappeared into the leaves, and frowns.

It isn't over, he thinks, not for him.