Title: Moonlight Sonata

Author: The Emcee

Rating: M

Summary: Steve is the alpha of his werewolf pack. When his pack is threatened and his mate and territory are taken from him, Steve is forced to take action. But how high of a price is he willing to pay?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, actors, or the fandom.

A/N: Ahem…apparently, I have a thing for werewolves. My friend's words, not my own. There will be some sexy fun times in this story, so ye be warned. Also, this contains slash, so if you don't like then don't read. For those of you who are pressing on, tell me what you think. R&R. Enjoy!

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Chapter One

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Steve paused for a moment, listening to the forest around him. A soft breeze brushed gently through his tan fur. It was a cool, chilly wind, one of autumn's first, but the cold didn't bother him at all. Being a werewolf, the weather didn't affect him like it used to. But that was how it was for every werewolf after puberty. Before that they were just like normal humans. Afterwards, however, they were something more. Centuries ago, that alone would get them killed. Nowadays, it took a lot to get the Hunters to investigate a pack, and even more so to wipe one out. His pack may have been dysfunction and strange, but they were a pack and that was all that mattered.

Shaking himself, Steve began a slow trot back to the mansion. His pack had formed a little over a year ago and he disliked leaving them alone for too long. They were all outcasts, despised and feared, and had been rejected and disowned by their old packs. Steve knew that they each had deep wounds that would take time to heal, but he was confident that they would, in fact, heal. Now that they had each other, anyway. Had they remained parted and unable to find a pack to call their own, Steve was pretty sure that they wouldn't have made it very far. Not that any of them were incapable of managing themselves, because they all were. But the loneliness itself would become incredibly unbearable. He knew that all too well.

As he began his trek home, Steve's sharp ears picked up the sound of growling. It was followed by the sound of a body being slammed down on the ground and Steve began to run. If his pack was sparring, that was one thing, but he wasn't sure if that was the case. Not yet, anyway. The mansion that they lived in, courtesy of Tony, was separated from the nearby towns. Located in the woods, it was sheltered and protected from the outside world. Intruders weren't really a problem, but their territory was protected from that threat as well. Again, thanks in large part to Tony, who had a lot to do with that as well.

Steve shook his head and picked up his pace. He wasn't that far from the mansion now and the last thing he needed was to be distracted. The last time his thoughts had wandered to Tony, he had run into a tree. Thank God for his hard head. But he should have expected that, considering that he's been thinking about Tony a lot here of late. How could he not? Tony was a presence that was hard to ignore, mainly because he absolutely refused to be ignored. However, that was one of the things that Steve loved about him, as crazy as it sounds. Of course, Tony didn't know that. Well, not yet. Being the alpha of the pack, one that was still fairly new at that, entailed a lot of responsibilities, so striking up a relationship so early in the game probably wasn't the best idea.

As the trees around him began to thin out, the mansion came into view. Steve slowed down and cautiously edged closer. The growling and snarling grew louder and as Steve entered the clearing he saw what was happening. Thor was sparring with Bruce in a mingle of dark and light brown fur. They usually did this when Bruce's anger got out of hand. It helped the older man out a lot and Thor was always up for a romp. Knowing that his pack wasn't endangered, Steve stopped and watched in amusement.

Bruce always appeared calm and collected, mostly because he bottled his anger and frustration up. On occasion, it would get bad enough that even the slightest noise would set him off and he'd wolf-out. However, he had been getting better at it and Steve had a feeling that that had a lot to do with Clint. Although Bruce had been with the pack since it first formed, Clint was a relatively new arrival. He had stumbled into their territory about five months ago or so and had barely been able to stand on his feet. Natasha found him about ready to pass out and brought him to the house. Steve still didn't know Clint's story and he had a feeling that he may never know. But one thing was for sure: Clint had become attached to Bruce. Very attached, and the smaller wolf had been able to prevent Bruce from completing losing it a few times.

Obviously, he hadn't been able to do so today. But as he watched Thor and Bruce fight, he noticed that the older wolf's stamina was dwindling, which was a good thing. It usually meant that he was calming down and would be returning to himself in no time. As he watched, the back door opened up and out walked Clint, Tony, Natasha, and Pepper. Steve barked at them, his tail wagging, and he returned to his human form. One of the downfalls of being a werewolf was that they were naked when they returned to their human forms. For the most part, the pack was content with this, but Steve still had a hard time adjusting. Even with his old pack, he disliked showing himself to the others, and that hadn't really changed all that much. However, he usually prepared for that because he always stripped down before turning into a wolf, so his clothes were already waiting for him.

He slipped them on as Thor and Bruce finished their fight. His eyes moved past them and towards the other members of his pack. Natasha looked almost bored with the fight taking place while Pepper looked mildly concerned. Clint was definitely on edge, but he tried to appear calm and pacified. Tony watched with amusement and Steve couldn't help but laugh a little. A fight between Thor and Bruce always managed to amuse the billionaire and Steve kind of liked seeing him amused and preoccupied. It meant that he wasn't getting into trouble or causing it or just being an ass.

When Thor shoved Bruce backward hard enough that the older wolf hit a tree, Steve knew the fight was over. Bruce didn't usually let anyone push him around when he was angry enough, but he was a bit of a pushover when he was his normal self. So Thro being able to push him around told Steve that Bruce was done fighting. Steve watched as Thor backed off, panting slightly and smiling. Well, as much as a werewolf could smile, but Steve was pretty sure that, had Thor been in his human form, he would have been grinning. On the other hand, Bruce's head was down and he looked sad. He returned to his human form and stood up, looking guilty and unsure.

"Sorry about that… Lost my cool for a minute." Bruce's voice quavered a little bit. Thor turned back into his own human form and grinned brightly at the shorter man. With a strong pat on the back, Thor pulled Bruce back towards the mansion and Steve followed them.

"Fret not, for I have had a joyous time fighting with you!" Thor released him and headed into the mansion.

"Aside from your snarling and growling like a caveman, we never would have guessed. Glad you got it out of your system though." Tony sent Bruce a smirk, but Steve knew that he was relieved that Bruce hadn't hurt himself or something like that. Clint straightened up as Bruce made his way slowly to the back door.

"What happened, Bruce?" Steve asked him, wondering what exactly had upset the good doctor so much that not even Clint could calm him down. Natasha and Pepper headed inside while Steve, Tony, Clint, and Bruce remained outside for the moment. The breeze picked up again and ruffled Bruce's already messy hair.

"I guess…I've just been a bit stressed. I was probably working in the lab for too long and got tired and cranky. I didn't mean to startle anyone." Bruce's eyes went from Steve to Tony and finally landed on Clint before they turned to the ground. Steve clapped him on the back comfortingly and gave him a reassuring smile.

"No harm, no foul. We've all got out issues, Bruce." Steve felt some of the tension slip away from Bruce's shoulders. They entered the kitchen and Tony made his way over to the frig.

"Steve's right, Brucey. And why didn't you tell me that you needed a break? If you would have told me that, I would've let Clint put you down for a nap." Tony teased him and Bruce gave him his little, awkward smile in return.

"I guess it just slipped my mind." Steve leaned against one of the counters and watched as Tony examined the contents. Looking over at the clock, he noticed that it was almost four in the afternoon. Getting dinner started was definitely a good idea.

"Yeah, well, you need the rest. So go get some. And let Clint cuddle up with you and all that jazz. Who knows? Getting laid might help with your stress level." Tony flashed Bruce and Clint a grin. Bruce merely chuckled, but Clint's cheeks turned a soft red. However, he seemed to like the idea.

"I like that idea. C'mon, Bruce. Let's get started on that 'nap'." Clint shot Tony a mischievous grin as he dragged Bruce out of the kitchen. The older wolf followed him without making a sound and Steve watched them go with a small smile on his face.

"Well, now that we know that the upstairs is officially out of bounds for the time being, I'll…" Tony stopped and puffed out a breath, his brown eyes taking in the contents of the frig. Steve made his way over to him and peered over his shoulder. Chuckling softly, his blue eyes moved to Tony and he stepped back a little.

"Maybe we should let Pepper handle dinner tonight. You're not that great of a cook unless there are instructions on the box." Tony nodded and closed the frig door.

"Excellent point, Cap'n." Steve watched as Tony sent Pepper a quick text.

"So how was your little stroll through the forest, Little Red Riding Hood?" Tony's eyes glanced over at him for a moment before they returned to his phone. Steve smiled at him.

"Just what the doctor ordered."

A comfortable silence fell upon them. The scents of the house rolled through the kitchen and Steve took in every single one of them. There was the usual aroma of the mansion which was coupled with the smell of autumn that was quickly falling upon them. But there were also other scents that kind of put Steve on edge, if only because he still hadn't gotten used to them. Autumn brought the transition of summer into winter, of light into darkness, but it also brought something else. It brought the mating season as well, and things were starting to heat up, quite literally as a matter of fact.

Natasha already had Pepper, so there wasn't much to worry about there. They had hit it off from the start and Steve was more than happy for them. Bruce had Clint, although Steve had no idea if they had actually cemented the relationship or not. Clint didn't smell like he had been claimed, so maybe they were waiting. Then again, Steve's nose wasn't the strongest in the pack. That privilege was Natasha's, and thank the good Lord for that because she was much better suited for it. Thor didn't really have anyone. From what he had told Steve and the others, there had been someone, but they had a falling out and hadn't kept in touch since. And that left Steve and Tony.

Steve liked Tony. A lot. Underneath all of the narcissism, sarcasm, and self-absorbed nature that Tony loved to display, there was a good man. A great man, as a matter of fact. Tony may not believe it, but Steve definitely saw it. He saw how much Tony cared and looked out for everyone and that he was insecure and unsure about a lot of things. One of those things included getting into a relationship with Steve.

Like normal wolves, werewolves mated for life. Werewolf mating pairs were predetermined as well, so when that special connection was felt, there was no going back. And Steve had definitely felt it when he first met Tony and he knew that Tony had felt it as well. He had seen those brown eyes widen and the smaller male tense up when they first shook hands. But Steve was still new to the alpha role and their pack was still in its testing stages. Besides, they had barely known each other and hadn't been comfortable with each other when they first met and shook hands. Now, though, they were, but Steve still wasn't sure. By nature, Tony was possessive, clingy, and overprotective, and Steve was the alpha, whose job was to ensure the pack's safety and make sure that they were all doing okay. Steve had no idea how Tony would handle being his mate and he didn't want to put unneeded stress on the smaller wolf.

So he kept his distance until Tony was ready. Or until he was ready. Or until they were ready. It was hard, he wasn't going to lie. Not having that contact and connection with his mate drove Steve insane on occasion, but he had handled it well until now. Now, it was getting closer to mating season and he wasn't sure if he could hold out much longer. And, to be honest, he wasn't sure if he wanted to either.