Notes: This was Pocahontas inspired but has absolutely nothing to do with that. Also, so you don't get confused, when the word wolf is used just plain, it's referring to their wolf forms, but when it's used with an apostrophe, like 'wolf, it's short for werewolf and is referring to their population. As far as trigger warnings go, first, Tony is only seventeen here, which is a year below adulthood in his werewolf community. Second, while there isn't actually cheating, it may kind of seem like it, depending on your perspective. Third, there may be consent issues here, also depending on your perspective, because Tony is being pressured into a marriage he has not agreed to.

"Let go of me!" Tony demands.

"I'm sorry," Steve says and the hell of it is, he actually means it. "But I can't. I promised your father I'd bring you home."

Tony squirms, but it's futile; Steve's hand remains firmly collared around the back of his neck, tight enough to keep Tony in place and moving forward, not tight enough to hurt.

"He's not the boss of me," Tony says sullenly. "He doesn't even care if I'm out late. Hell, he didn't even give you this patrol; you volunteered for it!" It's both an accusation and an expression of incredulity. Steve is the most boring man on the planet and why on earth he would want to tramp around keeping Tony in line is beyond him.

"I did," Steve agrees. He pauses to readjust the hand that's currently collaring Tony, which gives Tony the opportunity to make a break for it. Steve, of course, gives chase. "Stop it!"

"Make me!" Tony taunts, ducking and dodging for all he's worth. He's slightly drunk, though, and Steve's legs are much longer than his, so he's back in Steve's relentless clutch in under two minutes. Still, that time's an improvement: last time Tony made a break for it, he only lasted a few seconds. He takes this as proof that the buzz is wearing off.

"I don't enjoy this, Tony," Steve tells him sadly once he's got a firm grip again.

"Then why are you doing it?" Tony really legitimately does not understand why Steve keeps coming after him like this. If Howard doesn't care (and he doesn't, Tony's got enough empirical evidence of that), then why the hell does Steve?

"I worry about you," Steve says (lies). "As your mate-"

"You are not my mate!" Tony spits before Steve can finish his sentence. "Look, just because we're betrothed does not make you my mate and even if it did, you're still not the boss of me! I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, and just because you keep dragging me home like a lost pup does not mean I'm ever going to fall all over myself to submit to you!"

"Of course not, Tony," Steve says earnestly. The liar. "I would never expect that from you and even if I did, I respect you enough to know that you're strong enough of a person to never let anyone do anything to you that you didn't want."

Steve doesn't expect his omega to submit to him. Steve is the most well-adjusted alpha in the pack. Steve is the most boring man on the planet. Tony hates him.

For some reason, probably due to the fact that Steve's going to be Alpha after Howard kicks the bucket, Howard's entrusted Steve with a set of keys to the manor. It means that when Steve finally gets Tony home, he doesn't have to ring the bell and wait like he used to. Tony supposes it probably says something about them that they've been doing this since high school. It's been four years now, four years since Steve turned eighteen and got his appointment as the next Alpha and Tony's betrothal by default, and Tony still hates it. He hates this whole town and he hates Steve most of all.

"You know, no one ever had to take care of me while I was in college," Tony says sullenly as Steve walks him to his room.

"Which is why Howard sent a bodyguard to follow you around," Steve says wryly.

"And you know," Tony continues doggedly, "Happy never collared me like this."

"Which is why he is no longer your bodyguard and is now driving your mother around," Steve says, which, hey, he kind of has a point. Still, for all that Happy was a lousy bodyguard, Tony came through all three years of college alive and whole and even with two degrees. Real degrees, too, and not the stupid art degree that Steve managed in his four years away. It's just more proof that Tony does not need a keeper.

"I'll be eighteen in a year," Tony says, reminding Steve in case he forgot. "Then I'll be of age and able to do whatever I want."

"Of course," Steve says, and he's not even being placating about it. This man's instinct for cruelty is so low it makes Tony sick. "And when you're eighteen and can legally make your own choice, I'll be there, waiting for you to make it." He says it like he's not even worried, like he doesn't think Tony will just ditch him and run away with any 'wolf who catches his fancy. Shows what he knows.

When they get to Tony's door on the third floor, Tony braces himself for Steve to demand they go inside and fuck. It's never happened before, but as an omega, Tony always has to be prepared for that kind of thing. Omega or not, though, Tony is the only one who decides where and when his sexual encounters take place (and he's got the homemade Taser to ensure it. Plus, of course, his teeth, should he feel like shifting). The only thing that happens, though, is that Steve lets go of Tony's neck and presses a kiss against his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow for work," he says, then adds, "I love you," just like he always does, every time he says goodbye to Tony.

"Sure, sure," Tony says and goes into his room. He could sneak out again through his window, go back to the party he'd been at, but Steve would know. Steve always knows. He'd find Tony (probably through the TonyTracker he no doubt placed somewhere on Tony's person) and then they'd have to start the whole process over again. Tony usually enjoys making people do things over, just for the pleasure of seeing them make annoyed faces, but Tony very much does not want to spend more time with Steve than absolutely necessary. They already have to work together and that's enough to be getting on with. Steve is the most boring man on the planet and Tony can't stand him.

Tony's job, officially, is the head of a research team in Stark Industries, the pack's company, where a solid half of the pack and just as many legit humans work. In reality, though, Tony's team consists solely of himself and Steve. Steve isn't a scientist, though, isn't a developer or a researcher, which means he's there mostly for moral support and because Howard thinks it's funny to make them work together. Tony really wishes the man would just get over this obsession he has with Steve being the next Alpha, because Tony doesn't care what tradition says, doesn't care that Starks and Stark spouses have been Alphas for centuries, because he's not going to marry Steve and that's the end of it. Howard insists, though, and pushes them together every chance he gets, which means every morning since Steve and Tony both graduated college six months ago, Tony wakes up, gets dressed, brushes his teeth and ignores his hair, then goes downstairs to wait for Steve to pick him up so they can drive the twenty minutes together to the edge of the reservation where the company headquarters is.

Really, the only service Steve provides, apart from driving them to work, is as a sounding board. Also a drawing board, if Tony needs one. Today, for example, Tony's spent the morning lazily spinning in his desk chair while describing the prototype for the jet he's been designing. Tony's got the schematics, of course, but sometimes it really does help to see a sketch of how the thing will look when it's finished. As he's describing the jet, the other half of his brain, the part he doesn't need to talk, is busy with another project, a missile system. He doesn't tell Steve about that one, though, doesn't ask for any help, because he knows how much Steve dislikes guns, which is a funny stance for someone who works at a weapons company. It's also kind of a funny stance for an alpha, but hey, Tony's an omega and he loves explosions, which just goes to show how fake gender stereotypes really are. The gun thing, though, is totally proof about how boring Steve is, which Tony already knew, so.

Anyway, they spend the morning like that, then in the afternoon, Steve goes to work with the marketing team on their new ad, leaving Tony alone to work on his schematics again. He gets lost in his work, like he always does, and by the time five o'clock rolls around, Steve has to physically drag him out of the lab. Tony puts up a real fight, because he's in the middle of a stroke of genius, but Steve wins, just like always.

"The genius will still be here when you come in tomorrow," Steve tells him, also just like always. Tony would preen about having someone acknowledge how smart he is, but he very firmly doesn't care what stupid Steve thinks about him. Really.

"I was thinking we could go check out the site," Steve says once they're in the car.

"Boo!" Tony says vehemently. Steve's been going on and on about this stupid plot of land ever since they got back to the reservation in May. He doesn't own it, not yet, but he's been saving up to buy it and planning the house he's going to build on it. It's not an entirely stupid project, Tony'll admit, but he's been resisting getting involved. He's no expert on houses, of course, though Tony definitely knows more about building houses than Steve, which is why it makes sense for Tony to help out. But the thing is, helping design and plan their future house would make it seem like Tony's actually on board with this whole engagement thing, which he very firmly is not.

"Okay," Steve says agreeably. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Maybe not," Tony says.

"Do you want to come over to my apartment for dinner? I can make spaghetti." Steve asks, changing tracks, trying to lure Tony in with his favorite food. Tony isn't fooled, though, he knows it's all a ploy to romance him.

"I'm not hungry," Tony lies. "And I've got plans. Actually, could you just drop me off at Bruce's place?"

"Sure," Steve says. He's sturdy like that, never gets mad when Tony blows him off for something else. Boring.

Bruce's door is unlocked, which is good, because Steve just hangs around, watching protectively until Tony gets inside. Tony very much does not appreciate it; jeez, one time, one single time he accidentally fell asleep outside and now he'll never be trusted to work a door by himself again.

"Bruce!" Tony calls as he enters the apartment. "You here, buddy?"

"In the kitchen!" Bruce yells back.

Tony sniffs the air as he goes through into the kitchen. "Smells like spaghetti. Got enough for two? I'm freaking starving."

"Sure do," Bruce says, flashing Tony one of his shy smiles. "I thought you might be stopping by. Steve try to take you to the site again?"

"Yes," Tony says grouchily, grabbing down two plates from the cupboard. "He never gives up. I tried to talk him into marrying Pepper instead or me the other day, but he just wasn't having it."

"I bet Pepper wasn't too thrilled about you pawning your fiancé off on her like that," Bruce says mildly.

"She didn't find out," Tony says. He plans to keep it that way, too. "It never got that far. Not that I expected it to. If Steve marries anyone but me, he won't get to be the Alpha, so of course he's not going to just let it go."

"I don't think it's about that," Bruce says, giving the pasta a final stir.

"Nah," Tony admits. "Me neither." Steve might have ambitions, but they're buried deep underneath the boringness that makes up 95% of his personality.

Bruce turns the stove off and reaches for the plates Tony hands him, fills them with hot and steaming and delicious spaghetti. Tony digs them out forks from the dishwasher and takes his plate back, then leads the way over to Bruce's tiny kitchen table, where they sit on opposite sides so they can see one another as they talk.

"I'd say your alpha/omega dynamics confuse me," Bruce says, as neutrally as only a beta can, "but I'm pretty sure it's not about that, either. I think he's just in love with you."

"Yeah," Tony agrees. And that, he thinks, stabbing viciously at his plate with his fork, is the very worst part about the whole thing.

The worst part about living on a reservation is that everyone knows everyone else's business. There's only one town, which consists primarily of one main street and a dozen or so other streets branching off it. The majority of the houses surround the town, some, like Tony's within walking distance, but others far enough to need to drive. Of course, all of them are within running distance, if one happens to feel like shifting.

Actually, the shifting is the best part about living on a reservation. Not only is there plenty of room to run around as a wolf, plenty of open land that no one lives on, but also, no one even looks twice if you shift right in the street. People usually do look twice when they see someone carrying a pup who shifts right in the street, but that's only to coo and say how cute the pup is. Pups are cute, Tony'll give them that, and he definitely wants some eventually, but he's pretty sure his puppy fever is nothing compared to Steve's.

"What are you doing?" Tony asks, coming up behind Steve at work one day. He's got some schematics half-finished but he needs to take a break for a while, maybe go get some lunch. Except, then he gets a good look at the screen of Steve's computer and recoils back slightly. "Oh my God, is that a pup being born?"

Steve jumps, stutters, "N-no," and minimizes YouTube as quickly as possible. When he glances over his shoulder at Tony, his face looks guilty.

"It was!" Tony accuses. "That was totally some bitch pushing out a pup. Is that a kink of yours now?"

"No," Steve says firmly. His cheeks turn slightly red, but he looks stern. "And don't use that word."

"What, 'bitch?'" Tony asks. They've had conversations like this before, where Tony uses derogatory language and Steve gets offended. It's ridiculous, because it's not like Tony means it. It's just a word. And besides, he of all people should be allowed to use it. "I'll say it if I want to. I am one, aren't I?"

"You're more than that," Steve tells him and he sounds so fucking earnest about it.

"Yeah," Tony agrees. "I am. I'm a goddamn genius. I'm also starving, so let's get some lunch, huh?"

"Tony," Steve says, standing to face him. "I mean it: you're no one's bitch. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."

"Okay, okay," Tony says. He doesn't roll his eyes because he knows Steve will take that as a sign that he's not taking the conversation seriously and then he'll want to go over it all again. It's ridiculous, though. Tony doesn't mind being called a bitch, doesn't feel demeaned by it. He's an omega, he likes being an omega, never wanted to be anything else. He likes his body and he likes his mind and sure it's kind of offensive whenever a knothead calls him a bitch on the street or whatever, but if Tony actually cared enough, he could totally fuck their shit up, one way or another. Tony gets shit a lot more than other omegas, he's pretty sure, because he's mouthy and he's got swag, but he can handle it.

Now, if someone were to treat him like glass, always stick up for him like he couldn't do it himself, he might be mad, might be legitimately offended. That's not what Steve is about, though, not really. He always lets Tony stick up for himself, always gives him that opportunity before he steps in and tells people to back off. No, what Steve is about is making sure Tony knows how loved and cherished he is, which is honestly disturbing on a lot of levels. Not to mention, there's not even any conflict here between them, which just leaves Steve with a whole lot of boring.

They end up going into town for lunch instead of ten floors down to the company cafeteria. They've got time, don't have any set time for lunch. They just go when they want and come back when they want and never worry about anything like clocking in or logging their hours. People whine and complain about Tony getting special treatment because he's the Alpha's son, but the truth is, Tony's special treatment has an entirely different source. People always seem to forget he's a genius, but it's true and that makes for a lot more leeway than the usual office drone gets. Tony does what he wants and gets what he wants, company-wise, anyway, because Howard knows that son or not, Tony would not hesitate to go find a better deal at some other company off the reservation if he had to work a regular nine-to-five job like the rest of the peons. That means as much time as he wants for lunch. And Steve, of course, has become Tony's de facto keeper, which means he goes along, too.

They go to one of the little cafes in town. There aren't that many to pick from, but Tony's pretty fond of Carol's place, and Steve never denies him anything, so they go there more often than not. Carol greets them with a warm smile and takes their orders. She's a good deal older than either of them, mid-thirties at least, and used to puppysit Steve when she was a teenager and he was a pup. Tony, of course, never had a puppysitter, but instead had a series of human nannies that he was constantly escaping. Carol, though, she's sweet enough that Tony forgives her for approving of his and Steve's engagement.

While they're waiting for their food, Steve starts up again about the damn house. "I was thinking bay windows," he says, face going wistful like he's imagining it. Steve, of course, comes from one of the poorer families of the pack. The pack takes care of their own, make sure no one ever goes hungry, but Steve's mother definitely hadn't been able to afford bay windows. And it's not that Tony thinks Steve's infatuation with him is about the money, but if Steve were to marry Tony, he'd be able to use Tony's money to build the biggest, fanciest house he could ever want. Tony doesn't care what goes into this house, as long as there's a lab for him to work in when he can't sleep at night. Not that this house is going to happen, because Tony isn't going to marry Steve. Steve is boring and Tony, he wants excitement.

"What would you do with bay windows?" Tony asks anyway, curiosity getting the better of him. Steve isn't the type of guy who wants things just because they look nice, so the windows must have a purpose.

"I'd like to curl up in the sun sometimes with our pups," Steve says, smiling a bit as he pictures the scene.

Tony can picture it, too, and even he can admit it's compelling. He can just see Steve with his light fur, all curled up around two little raven-colored pups, licking their noses and wagging his tail. He shakes his head, trying to get rid of the image.

"What if I didn't want pups?" he asks, trying to get a rise out of Steve.

"Then I'll coach Little League," Steve says at once, like he's been thinking about this. "Or maybe I'll puppysit for our friends."

"You are disgustingly well-adjusted," Tony tells him. "Doesn't anything bother you?"

Unsurprisingly, Steve is not bothered by the question. He just says calmly, "Some things do. But Tony, you have to know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you, nothing I wouldn't give up for you."

Tony's got a million responses, each more hurtful than the last, but he doesn't actually want to break Steve apart, just wants him to get over this stupid infatuation, so he says, "I'm going to the bathroom."

By the time he gets back, their food has arrived. Tony fears for a terrible moment that Steve will want to pick up the conversation where they left off, but all he gets is a genuinely pleased smile, the same one Steve wears every time he sees Tony.

"Anyway," Steve says, apparently deciding to continue their talk about the house, "I was thinking we should have a big garage, too. That way, we can park in half and you could use the other half as a lab."

"That might not end so well for the cars," Tony says, thinking back to the damage he'd done to Howard's favorite sports car during what was supposed to be a routine trial run for a flight stabilizer Tony designed. It's been over a year since the incident and Howard still hasn't forgiven him for it.

"Then we'll get new cars," Steve says. "Or we'll just run places. It's not that big a reservation."

Sometimes, Tony hates that Steve has an answer for everything. He's about to tell him so when something catches his eye over Steve's shoulder. "Don't move," Tony says, and shifts his seat over a few inches to get a better view. It's two 'wolves, a redheaded girl and a boy with dark blonde hair, and they're both staring right at Tony and Steve.

"What is it?" Steve asks.

"Don't look now," Tony tells him quietly, "but I think there's a couple of 'wolves over there scenting us."

Steve looks mildly intrigued, but not at all alarmed, which makes Tony feel better about the whole thing; Steve has excellent instincts about danger and if he's not worried, there's probably no threat. Tony takes the opportunity to scent the pair back, getting a feel for them. The redhead is an alpha and the blonde is an omega, but there's no mated scent between them. Neither of them smells dangerous, but they don't really smell like pack, either, which makes sense, since they're clearly new to the reservation if Tony doesn't already know them. It happens from time to time, just often enough to get the whole pack talking about it when a new 'wolf arrives from another reservation or one of the small packs that live off-reservation in the human world. Tony hasn't heard any gossip about this couple, but then, he hasn't been listening either.

As he's watching and scenting, the redhead gets up. She says something to her companion, then makes her way straight to Steve and Tony. Tony thinks for a moment it must be coincidence, that she's headed to the bathroom or something, but she stops right in front of them and smiles fiercely.

"My friend thinks you're attractive," she says and Tony feels a terrible flare of jealousy and possessiveness before he realizes she's talking to him and not Steve.

"Thanks," he says, eyeing up the stranger, trying very hard not to think about the emotions he's just had to tamp down. "He's pretty okay, too."

"Let me be specific," she says, slapping down a piece of paper with seven digits on it. "His name is Clint. He'd like to text you and quite possibly have sex with you. This is his number, for response at your leisure."

She doesn't wait for his answer, just turns and walks calmly back to her table.

"Well," Tony says, taking the paper and inspecting it. "That was kinda weird, huh?"

"Yeah," Steve says. He looks upset for some reason, but Tony ignores it. It's no business of his if Steve's got something on his mind. "Tony, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Sure it is," Tony says, programing the number into his phone. "What's the worst that can happen? They don't smell dangerous."

"That doesn't mean they're not," Steve says, quiet but forceful. He makes a show of checking his watch, then says, "We should get back to work."

"Right," Tony agrees. He takes out his wallet and throws down twenty bucks, then stands and lets himself be collared again so Steve can guide him out the door. He makes sure to wink at Clint and his redheaded lady friend, though, and is positively delighted when Clint gives him finger guns in return. Tony's not sure exactly what this is yet, but it looks like the start of something very beautiful and exciting.

Steve stays in the lab that afternoon, but Tony doesn't mind. He manages to get some work done, but doesn't get sucked into it like he sometimes can. Between moments of genius, he lets himself think of what he's going to text Clint. He's going to, of course, that's a given, but he's not sure what to say yet. At last, he decides simple is best and just texts, 'Hey cutie, what's up?' It's not original or witty, but there'll be time for both of those things later.

'Testing out my new bow,' is the response he gets less than five minutes later.

Ooh, Tony thinks. Archery is pretty exciting. Steve, Tony knows, is pretty into discus, even competed with other 'wolves nationally during college, but that's old hat by now, even if it's still pretty impressive to watch. Archery, though, archery is new and exciting. Tony doesn't know anyone who shoots arrows.

'Any good?' Tony asks, letting Clint take that as he will.

'They're okay,' Clint replies. 'But in my hands, they're boss.'

'Is that all your hands are good for?' Tony asks, grinning.

'Let's meet up tonight and you can find out,' Clint responds immediately.

Tony smiles, pleased with a man who doesn't beat around the bush. He quickly replies with the where and when. The finality of it doesn't stop the flirting, though, and Clint and Tony continue to exchange messages until around five, when Steve makes Tony pack up and head home.

"Hey, listen," Tony says once they're in the car. "I'm going out to meet that guy tonight. I need you to do me a favor and not follow me. I swear to you I'm not going to be doing anything dangerous. I'm not even going to be drinking. All I want is a few interrupted hours to have sex. Deal?"

"You're going to sleep with him?" Steve asks. "But you're both omegas."

"I know," Tony agrees dreamily. "Think of the possibilities. They say your heats align after you've been together for a while and I mean, they make inflatable knots for a reason, you know?"

"I didn't know you were into that," Steve says, looking extremely put-out.

"I'm into anything at least once," Tony says, shrugging. "I mean, a/o sex is great and all, but I think everyone should have at least one same-sex encounter in their lifetime."

Steve sighs, but nods. "Okay. I won't follow you. But you have to promise me that you'll keep your cell phone on you at all times. And if you need me to come pick you up, I'm just a phone call away."

"Got it," Tony says. He doesn't fist pump, but it's a close thing. He also doesn't point out that he's not helpless, because he knows that's not the point. Steve just worries; it's his thing.

Tony meets Clint in the old abandoned barn on the edge of his property. Since Tony's property is almost exactly in the middle of the reservation, bordered by the town on one side and pack lands on the other, the barn is running distance from all parts of the reservation. Tony gets there earlier than agreed, because he wants to get a glimpse of Clint in wolf form. He's not disappointed, either.
Clint is a beautiful wolf, his tawny fur catching in the moonlight, highlighting his lithe frame. He bounds right up to Tony, jumps up to stand on his hind legs and balances with his paws on Tony's shoulders.

"Wow," Tony says, putting his hands in the scruff of Clint's neck. "Look at you; you're freaking gorgeous!" He's rewarded by a happy bark and a lick to the face.

They play for a minute, Tony running his hands through Clint's fur and Clint basking in the attention, before Clint backs off and shifts. He's naked, of course, but not embarrassed. And he shouldn't be, either, not with his body. It's obvious to Tony's expert eye that the guy is definitely an athlete. He's got strong arms and a well-defined chest. He's got nothing on Steve, of course, but then, not many people do.

"Well," Clint says at last. "Are you just going to stand there all night looking at me or are you going to get naked so we can fuck?"

"By all means, let's fuck," Tony agrees. He leads Clint into the barn and up onto the loft, where there's a cot for exactly this purpose. Tony's no princess, but he doesn't appreciate the feel of hay or plywood on his human skin, and those two things are all that are up there apart from the cot. Tony gets his clothes off, not bothering to make it a show. He doesn't know Clint that well, but he seems like the rather impatient type.

He's right: Clint steps into his personal space the minute Tony's fully naked and kisses him. Tony likes a man willing to take the initiative. He opens his mouth easily, lets Clint's tongue inside, running his hands down Clint's back to grab his ass while he's at it. The kiss gets very heatedly very quickly and soon Tony's arching into Clint's body, pulling the other man against him, rubbing their bodies together. He feels Clint reaching between them, but pulls back before his knees can give out.

"Look, pal," he says, grinning. "I didn't bring you up here so we could ignore the bed."

Clint motions to it wordlessly, letting Tony go first then slaps Tony's ass once his back is turned. "You're feisty," Tony says between kisses once they're tangled up on the cot. "I like it."

"Glad I meet your approval," Clint says drily. He's definitely just as turned on, though, because Tony can feel his thighs getting wet from their slick mixing where their legs are intertwined. The thought makes his mouth water. The thing about being bisexual is that Tony likes pretty much any kind of sex. He likes it with an alpha and he likes it with an omega. There are some things he can only get from one or the other, though. With an alpha, it's a real knot. From an omega, it's the taste of slick. There are close substitutes, of course, because Tony knows from hours spent on online toy stores that they make both inflatable knots and slick-flavored lube. Still, Tony's not going to let this opportunity get away from him.

"Let me eat you out," Tony says.

Clint moans and obligingly rolls up onto his hands and knees. Tony climbs behind him, swallows when he gets a good look at what's being offered, then goes to town. The taste is just as good as he remembers from last time he was with an omega and he can't help but bring one hand down to jerk himself off while he's tonguing and sucking at Clint's hole. He sees Clint do the same, though, so it's cool.

It doesn't last long, not with how fucking hot this all is. Clint comes first, clenching around Tony's tongue and fingers, and Tony right after, biting down hard on Clint's left cheek. It leaves a mark, too, which makes Tony extremely happy. He doesn't want it to scar, of course, doesn't want that level of commitment, but it's always nice to know the person he's fucking won't forget him tomorrow.

Afterward, they lie together lazily on the cot, just making out. Clint gets pretty familiar with Tony's neck and Tony knows it'll cause a love bite, but that's fine. Fair's fair, after all.

Eventually, Clint pulls back and says, "So your alpha doesn't mind us doing this?"

Some alphas don't, Tony knows. They don't consider it a real relationship if it's between two omegas, and let their omegas mess around if they want. Steve's not one of those assholes, though. He's got too much respect for omegas in general and Tony in particular to ever think like that.

"He's not my alpha," Tony explains.

"Are you sure?" Clint asks. "Because, I mean, you don't smell like you've got a mate, but the rumor mill has it that you guys are engaged."

"We are," Tony agrees reluctantly. He doesn't especially want to talk about Steve when he's in bed with another 'wolf. "My father's the Alpha, you know? And since I'm an omega, the next Alpha will have to marry into the family. My father wants Steve to be that guy."

"But you don't?" Clint asks. He seems mostly curious, not particularly invested either way, which is good.

"No," Tony says firmly. "Steve's boring."

"Don't you feel trapped?" Clint asks. "You don't even get to pick your own mate."

"Nah," Tony says dismissively. "Even if they physically dragged me to the church and forced me at gunpoint to say 'I do,' it wouldn't hold up in court. You can't coerce someone into a legal agreement. And besides, I wouldn't let it get that far; I'd run away first, find some city and just blend in. They'd never find me if I didn't want them to." The truth, though, the truth he's not willing to share with anyone, is that sometimes he does feel just a little bit trapped. They're not going to force him at gunpoint, of course, but he does get a lot of pressure about it.

They get up after that and Tony gets dressed, then they head outside. Clint promises to text him tomorrow and they part ways, Clint headed west back toward town on four paws and Tony trudging the winding path back to his house on foot. As he climbs into bed a little bit later, Tony can't help but smile to himself. It was a good night and despite the fact that they've only just met, Tony can tell Clint is a good guy. He's exciting and that counts for everything.

When Tony gets into the car the next morning before work, Steve frowns at him from the driver's seat.

"What?" Tony asks.

"Nothing," Steve says grumpily, but his eyes linger on Tony's neck.

Tony brings a hand up and feels the spot Steve's glaring at, grinning wildly when he realizes it's the love bite. "It was a good night," he explains, even though Steve didn't ask.

"I'm glad," Steve says tersely. He sure doesn't sound glad, but Tony doesn't call him on it. He just lets the silence settle as they make the drive to work.

Steve ends up being grumpy the whole day, which is slightly upsetting in ways Tony doesn't want to qualify. They ignore each other, mostly, which is fine by Tony, because he's busy texting his new fling anyway.

Clint, as he finds out, is a pretty funny guy. He's exciting, too, which is the important thing. He's into all kinds of things Tony barely knows anything about. Wakeboarding, for example, and skydiving. It's not that Tony's some pup who's never been off the reservation, but he was never really into extreme sports. Clint's also a big fan of tattoos, which is something else Tony's never really given any thought to. He doesn't have that many yet, just one on his wrist Tony hadn't noticed last night, but Tony thinks the guy would look very attractive with a handful more, especially if they were on his biceps.

Less surprising, based on what Tony knows about him, is the fact that Clint's also kind of a slut. That is something Tony knows about intimately. He's extremely turned-on to find out that Clint and his redhead, whose name is Natasha, have, in fact, had sexual relations, though there's nothing serious between them. It's a compelling image, what with them both being so smoking hot, but Tony knows better than to ask for a threesome; Natasha looks like the type who would be just a little bit too evil for his tastes.

They make plans to hook up again two nights later. They meet at the barn again and Clint blows Tony then lets Tony jerk him off. It's extremely satisfying and very fun, which leads to them meeting again the night after, at which point they sixty-nine for a while then Tony gets the chance to fuck Clint. It's good, better than good, and Tony definitely plans on taking advantage of this situation for as long as possible.

Over the next few weeks, they text back and forth. It's nothing too deep, but it's exciting and it's hot, so Tony's all for it. They meet every few nights and have sex, too, which makes Tony's whole existence seem a little bit brighter; it's funny how much regular sex can improve someone's outlook. Before Tony even knows what's happening, he starts to get attached. And that, of course, is what leads to his downfall.

When the full moon rolls around, Tony starts to feel antsy. To be fair, Tony's antsy all the time. He knows some wolves, Steve for example, who seem like they barely feel the moon's pull. Tony, though, he feels it in his blood, in his skin and bones. He also definitely feels it in his cock, but that's another matter entirely. The point is, that as the full moon starts to get closer, Tony starts to get excited. He's never had a moon experience with a guy he's involved with before and he's liking Clint more and more these days, which makes the timing just perfect. He's read it brings you closer, running together under the moon, and he's eager to try it out.

Mysteriously, though, Clint stops texting back the day before the moon. At first Tony thinks he might be sleeping. The guy doesn't really have a job, has only been in town for a while, so he keeps kind of weird hours sometimes. It's perfectly reasonable, therefore, that he might be sleeping even though Tony's at work, and that's what Tony blames the lack of response on for the first few hours until lunch.

After lunch, it starts to get a little stranger, but heck, it could be anything. There could be an emergency, or maybe Clint left his phone somewhere and hasn't gotten it back yet. That excuse lasts Tony until the car ride home, when he decides that something must have happened to Clint's phone.

He has Steve drop him off at home and waits around a few hours there, giving Clint the chance to contact him. Even if Clint lost his phone or broke it, there are other ways he could get in touch with Tony. He keeps his own phone within arm's distance all throughout a stilted supper with his parents and then afterward when he's trying without success to distract himself from the moon's pull with a book. At last, as it starts to get dark, Tony decides, screw it, and takes the motorcycle out. He drives to the motel Clint's been staying at, but the curtains are all drawn and no one answers the door no matter how loudly Tony knocks. Finally, desperately, he takes out his phone and calls Steve.

"Do you want to run with me tonight?" he asks as soon as Steve picks up.

"Of course," Steve says. "Should we start at the manor? I can be right over."

"I'll meet you there," Tony tells him and hangs up, entirely grateful for once for Steve's sturdiness.

Howard's in a snit fit by the time Tony gets back to the manor, but Tony ignores him. He's got lots of practice with that, after all. Steve shows up only minutes after Tony, already shifted and ready to go out to the Clearing. Tony admires his creamy fur for only a moment, then shifts and joins him outside. They make a compelling pair, Tony knows, with Steve's light fur and Tony's dark. They're evenly matched, too, because Steve is stronger, but Tony is quicker. If they ever went for a mating run, like some couples do from time to time to renew their relationship, Tony knows he would lead Steve on a good, long chase before being pinned. Not that that's an option, since Tony and Steve aren't even together.

Most of the pack is already gathered in the Clearing by the time Steve and Tony get there. Heads turn when they enter the fray, just like they do no matter where Steve and Tony go. Sometimes Tony thinks the pack is nothing but a bunch of gossiping were-geese, but that's neither here nor there. The tradition is that the pack runs together, so rumors or not, Tony's present and accounted for. He nods excitedly to Pepper when he sees her in the crowd and to Bruce, who's lurking on the edge of the Clearing.

The Alpha comes striding in after everyone else is assembled, all self-important and commanding. It's his howl that starts the run and his wrath falls sharply on anyone who dares begin before that. It's a ridiculous system, and Tony's sure there's a better way to run a pack, but Tony's never going to be Alpha, so it doesn't really matter what he thinks.

Steve jostles Tony, moves so they're standing side by side, ready to run as soon as the signal comes. Tony's ready, too. He nips playfully at Steve's shoulder, wags his tail in anticipation. He breathes deeply once, twice, three times and then the signal comes.
The pack scatters. Tony's off like a shot, darting into the trees. He hears Steve right on his tail, barking at him. He won't catch Tony, though. Steve's fast, but not fast enough. Tony's got agility on his side, bounding around trees and boulders. He loses Steve for a few minutes when he darts through the patch of ferns but doesn't let himself get cocky. He keeps running, taking turns at random, never with a destination in mind. He runs and runs, feels the moon in his blood, in the pounding of his paws.

Steve gets back on his trail within two minutes of Tony giving him the slip, and Tony's glad for it. Steve's good at this, a good tracker and a good catcher. They'll need to eat later, need to hunt, but right now, they can just play. Tony'll be caught eventually, but he'll be damned if he doesn't lead Steve on a good long chase before that. He chooses his path carefully but quickly, picking dense sections of the forest where Tony might be able to slip through narrow gaps in trees that the larger wolf behind him might not.

After about an hour, Tony thinks he's lost his pursuer, takes the opportunity to catch his breath. He doesn't expect Steve to jump out of the undergrowth at him, has no idea how a wolf that size and with that coloring managed to hide in the plants so well. He does, though, and he catches Tony unawares. Tony lets himself be pinned, doesn't fight it, just rolls onto his back to show his belly, then licks at Steve's muzzle when he leans close.

Steve doesn't keep him pinned long, lets him up after a few minutes. Tony shakes the dead leaves out of his fur, then gives a playful little bow. He wags his tail and barks. Steve takes the bait, ready for another game. That's one of the best parts about Steve, Tony thinks as they start to wrestle, he always knows exactly what Tony needs.

Since it's the day after the full moon the next day, all SI employees, even the human ones, have the morning off. Tony sleeps until about noon, then gets up and showers, getting ready for work at one. He also brushes his teeth, because raw deer, like vodka, always tastes a lot worse the morning after. Steve arrives exactly on time and is in a very good mood as they drive to work. Tony's in a pretty good mood, too, until he gets a text from Clint, asking to meet after work.

Tony's still pretty pissed at Clint about last night, to be honest, but he agrees, anyway. He doesn't want to be one of those nagging boyfriends, but he feels like he at least deserves an apology. Steve notices his shift in moods but doesn't say anything about it, thankfully. The very last thing Tony wants to do is talk about his boyfriend problems with his fiancé.

Tony forces himself to get work done, but he's pretty anxious all day, wondering what Clint will have to say for himself. He goes straight over to the motel after work. The curtains are still drawn today, but Clint answers the door on the first knock.

"Come on in," he says, stepping out of the way. The room looks just like it always does, with one exception: it's noticeably tidier than usual.

"You cleaned," Tony says, confused. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm leaving," Clint says without preamble. "Me and Natasha are headed out."

"What?" Tony says, shocked. "But why? When are you coming back?"

"Look," Clint says, rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't been completely honest with you. Natasha and I were here for work. We finished up what we needed to last night and now we're being relocated. I don't know when we'll be back. Maybe never."

"I don't understand," Tony says, mind reeling. "What kind of work do you do?"

"I can't tell you that," Clint says uncomfortably.

"Well then how about you tell me why you decided to lead me on?" Tony says, moving out of shock and into pissed off.

"I didn't lead you on," Clint says at once.

"I thought you liked me," Tony spits.

"I did," Clint insists. "I do."

"Then why didn't you tell me it was only temporary, stop me from getting attached?" Tony asks angrily.

"I'm sorry," Clint says and he sounds like he means it, which just makes everything hurt so much worse. If he was a dick about this, Tony could just be mad, but Clint actually sounds like he regrets hurting Tony, which means Tony can't just hate him. "I didn't know you were thinking long-term. I thought we were only having some fun together."

Tony takes a deep breath, trying to calm the anger and hurt inside him. "Fine," he says tightly. "Fine. What the hell do I care if you leave? I've had better than you, anyway. In fact, I'm planning on having better tonight."

He turns and storms out of the room and into the street. He doesn't look back, just takes the motorcycle and goes over to Steve's place. By the time he gets there, he's over being pissed completely and mostly just feels like an idiot, instead.

Steve answers the door after one knock, like somehow he knew it would be Tony at the door. "Are you okay?" he asks, and the concern in his voice is what breaks Tony.

"No," he says quietly and surges forward for a hug he knows will be received.

"Hey," Steve says, rubbing his back and maneuvering him into the apartment at the same time. He somehow manages to shut the door with his elbow and get them both onto the couch. Tony just goes with it, clinging and clinging and never wanting to let go. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot," Tony admits. "I forgot the rule about loving something wild. They always leave. Everyone always leaves."

"I'm not going anywhere," Steve says at once.

"I know," Tony says. "I know that."

And he does, is the thing. Steve is the most stable, sturdy thing in Tony's life and though there are times Tony resents that, all Tony's anger and attitude has never really been about Steve.

"Do you want to lie down?" Steve asks.

"Yeah," Tony agrees. If he can sleep anywhere, it'll be in Steve's arms. Steve, who will never leave him; Steve, who loves Tony with everything he's got. He feels like he's been fighting this for so long, this attraction for Steve, these feelings he has for him. He's been telling himself Steve is boring, distracting himself with other things, exciting things, but it's undeniable, now, what's between them.

Steve takes him into the bedroom and they lie together, cuddle. It helps, lets Tony think. He never really loved Clint, he knows that. It was more the idea that he was attached to. Clint was new and exciting and a distraction from all the things Tony's expected to do in his life.

"Clint left the reservation," he says at last.

"I'm sorry," Steve says earnestly.

There's a pause, then Tony asks in a quiet voice, "Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" Steve asks, like he really doesn't know.

"I'm a bad mate," Tony says, a little curl of shame flaring in his gut. He hides his face in Steve's shoulder.

"Tony," Steve says, lifting Tony's face up gently so they can look into each other's eyes. "You're not a bad mate. You're not my mate. I know I act like you are, but you're not my mate until you agree to it. And after we get married- if, if we get married- then yeah, I'll be mad if you sleep with someone else. But right now, we're not even dating. This engagement doesn't mean anything unless you agree to it. And I know I've been trying to woo you all this time and obviously it hasn't been working so well, but if you never want to marry me, if you never want to be anything more than my friend, that's okay. I'll still love you. I want you to be happy. I want you to be safe. And I want you to be mine, but more than that, I want you to do what makes you happy."

"You're really in love with me, aren't you?" Tony asks. He's known for ages, but he never really understood just what that meant until this moment.

Steve nods. "I've loved you for as long as I can remember," he says. "I never thought I had a chance, not when we were pups, but then your dad said we were getting married and I just wanted it so bad. You always seemed like you hated me, though, so I've been trying to win you over. I never meant to make you feel pressured."

"I didn't hate you," Tony says and it's a relief to be able to say it. He's been trying to convince himself he hated Steve for so long he doesn't even remember what it feels like to bask in Steve's presence like he used to when they were pups. "It was never about you. I'm just an asshole. And I, you know, always kind of wanted my dad to look at me like he looks at you. And it's not even that I want to be pack Alpha. I just, you know…" He trails off.

"You'd be good at it," Steve assures him. "I'm sorry the law says you can't do it."

"I'm sorry the law says that, too," Tony says. "But I'm not sorry it's going to be you, instead. I don't want to be a leader. I just want to be your mate, if you'll have me."

"How can you even ask that?" Steve says, breaking into a crazy grin. "Of course I'll have you. I love you."

For the first time, Tony thinks he might be able to say it back. "I love you, too," he says.

And the thing is, Tony knows this isn't about Clint breaking his heart. This isn't some rebound. It's about Steve and how he's been there for Tony every time Tony's ever needed him. Steve's sturdy, and Tony's been trying to convince himself for years that sturdy was the same thing as boring. It's not, though, and Tony knows that now without a doubt.

"I'm going to kiss you," he warns Steve. He doesn't think Steve will object, but it's better safe than sorry or whatever.

Steve doesn't wait for it, though, just initiates the kiss himself. It's hot and wet and a little unpracticed, which makes sense since Tony knows Steve's only had a few conquests and none at all since they've been engaged. It makes the shame rise back up, because Tony's had more than his fair share over the last few years.

Steve must sense his shift in mood, because he reaches up and slides his fingers into Tony's hair, distracting him. Tony lets it go, lets himself just kiss and not worry about anything else. Steve is his mate, or will be soon, and no matter what's happened before this, that's all that matters now.

They break their kiss to breathe and Tony takes the opportunity to lick at the seam of Steve's lips like he might if they were shifted. Steve lets him, takes it as the act of affection and submission it's meant to be. He doesn't try to dominate Tony, doesn't try to force him to go faster. He just lets Tony take what he wants and gives a happy little growl to show he approves.

When Tony's had his fill of the licking, he starts the kissing again, little nips at first to one another's lips that turn into long, heated kisses. Tony can feel himself starting to get wet, can feel the hot slide of arousal in his belly. He wants to take this slow, though, make it good. He runs his hands over Steve's shoulders and down his sides, stopping at his waist where his shirt meets his pants. He works his hands up under the shirt, getting an appreciative growl from Steve at the sensation. They have to break the kiss to get the shirt off, but the effect is worth it when Tony has complete access to Steve's glorious chest, especially when Steve tugs off Tony's shirt, too. Tony contents himself with running his hands up and down Steve's naked back while they kiss, while Steve's hands play with the hair at the back of Tony's neck.

Suddenly, just as Tony's really getting into their kiss, Steve pulls back. Tony would protest, has the words ready and everything, except that Steve's mouth doesn't go far, just makes its way down to Tony's neck to start what Tony can already tell will be a fantastic love bite. Tony groans, lets his head fall back to give Steve more room. By this point, he can feel the slick practically dripping out of him, soaking his briefs, especially when he realizes that Steve is marking the exact spot that Clint left his bruise that first night.

"Take your pants off," Tony demands. Steve gives one last gentle bite to the spot on Tony's neck, then separates. His face is flushed and his pupils are dilated. He's panting, too, and Tony feels proud for having affected him like that, even though Tony himself isn't much better. They don't bother trying to undress one another, just take their own pants and underwear off by mutual silent agreement.
Then Steve's on him, moves without Tony even realizing it. He pins Tony to the bed and lays down full on top of him, letting their bodies touch from head to toe. Steve's taller, has at least four inches and thirty pounds of muscle on him, but the weight is comforting. Tony doesn't feel crushed or trapped, just safe, secure and warm. He can feel himself leaking down his inner thighs and onto the sheets, and he knows Steve will probably wash them in the morning, but his wolf instincts make it feel like a claim, like he's marking his territory. Steve's bed is his and any other bitch that tries to entice him here will face Tony's wrath.

Steve rocks against him and Tony can feel his cock, hard and huge, against his hip. He knows Steve can feel Tony, too, by the way he closes his eyes and growls. "How do you want it?" Steve asks, because he's courteous like that. Some 'wolves wouldn't even hesitate to just roll Tony over and fuck into him, but Steve cares enough to ask first.

"Like this," Tony says, gasping as Steve rocks against him again, giving Tony's cock the friction it wants between their bodies. He whines with disappointment when Steve pushes himself up on his hands and knees and backs off, but spreads his legs eagerly once he realizes what Steve's up to. Steve certainly takes his time about it, nuzzling Tony's belly and biting at his hips on the way down. Tony accidentally yips in excitement when Steve takes his cock in his mouth, but Steve doesn't laugh, just starts to suck. It's a bit fumbling, certainly not what Tony would call professional, but it's good, better than Tony's had in a long time, especially once Steve starts to finger him, too. Tony arches and swears, not sure whether he wants to move up into Steve's hot mouth or down to where his fingers are filling Tony up.

Steve takes his time, teasing and stretching Tony. Tony can feel it the second his body decides it's had enough of playing hard to get, can feel himself relax completely. "Okay," he says hoarsely. "I'm good. Just, come up here." He yanks on Steve's hair, making Steve pull off Tony's cock and withdraw his fingers.

"Are you sure?" Steve asks. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," Tony assures him. It's not a lie, either; Steve's big, maybe the biggest Tony's ever taken, but Tony's body was made for this, made to get fucked, made to be bred. Not if he didn't want it, never then, but he wants this, wants it so badly and he never even realized it before tonight.

Steve slithers up Tony's body with more grace than a man his size should possess, worms between Tony's spread legs and pushes his thighs up. Tony obliges him, wraps his legs around Steve's waist, angles his body upward so that Steve's cock is pressing just there, almost exactly where he wants it.

"Hurry up," Tony whines impatiently. Steve laughs, kisses him once and then reaches down between them to line himself up. The first slide in is always the most difficult, but Tony's wet enough and open enough that it goes smoothly. He can feel Steve inside him, opening him up inch by inch and can't help but clench down.

"Oh God," Steve breathes. "D-don't do that."

"Sorry," Tony says, but the look on Steve's face and the way he feels inside means Tony's not sorry at all.

When Steve bottoms out, he takes a moment to pant wetly into Tony's neck. Tony focuses on not clenching, not working his inner muscles. It's not easy, especially with Steve so big and solid inside him, but he resists, gives Steve the chance to recover. Steve doesn't need long, luckily, and within a minute he's giving a first tentative withdrawal and thrust back in.

Tony moans, can't help himself. Steve responds nicely to the noise, though, leans down and gives Tony a hot, messy kiss before pulling back and starting to fuck him in earnest. The rhythm he sets changes, varies, never settles into one thing long enough to let Tony get a grip on it. He's soft at first, with long, deep thrusts that make Tony's eyes roll back in his head. Then Steve switches it up, fuck him hard and fast and rough. He changes the angle, finds the spot inside that makes Tony's head spin and just keeps on hitting it. Tony just holds on for the ride, one hand bracing himself against the headboard, the other reaching down to jerk himself off. It's good, better than good. It's fantastic, and by the time Steve starts the tell-tale circle of his hips that means he's about to knot, Tony's almost to the edge, just barely hanging on by the skin of his teeth. When Steve knots and Tony feels the hot, wet spurt of come inside him, he knows he's done for. He comes, everything going white and hazy.

"Hot damn," Tony says lazily, coming down, even as he can still feel Steve coming inside him. Steve just grunts and breathes heavily into Tony's skin. The knotting lasts a good six minutes more and Tony's head floats the entire time. He's feeling pleasantly buzzed by the time Steve can pull out, and more than a little tired.

"We should clean up," Steve says after a moment, though he makes no moves to get up.

"Uh huh," Tony agrees absently. He yawns, rolls over so he's right up in Steve's space. "Whatever you say."

Steve puts an arm around him, pulls him so their bodies are flush, Steve's chest against Tony's back, with Steve's hand protectively and instinctively over Tony's belly. Tony doesn't even have the strength to protest, just lets himself slide easily into warm, comfortable sleep.

It's the subtle change in his pheromones that wakes Tony up. "Oh, shit!" he says, sitting bolt upright, hand flying to his belly.

Beside him, Steve jerks awake, too. "What is it?" he asks sleepily.

"Smell me," Tony says, flinging himself over and onto Steve's body so they're lying chest to chest.

Steve doesn't need to be told twice, just nuzzles into Tony's neck and takes a deep breath.

"Oh, God," he says, waking up completely, eyes going wide. "You're-. But how? You're not even in heat!"

"Oh my God, Steve," Tony says exasperatedly. "Didn't you pay attention in health class? It's virtually impossible not to get pregnant during heat unless you're on birth control, but that doesn't mean you can't at other times of the cycle."

"But you're on birth control," Steve says rather desperately. He wraps his arms around Tony, who's still laying right on top of him, and Tony can feel the faint tremors in his limbs. "I picked up your prescription last months when I got your allergy medicine."

"I stopped taking it," Tony admits. "With Clint, there didn't seem to be a point. I didn't expect to be having sex with anyone but another omega."

"What are we going to do?" Steve asks, even though they both know the answer.

"There's only one thing to do," Tony says. Abortions aren't legal on the reservation and Tony would be kicked out of the pack for going off-reservation for one. Not that Tony thinks he has it in him to kill a pup, anyway. "We'll have to get married. Soon."

"Tony, I'm sorry," Steve says. His face is still in Tony's neck, so Tony can't see his expression, but he certainly sounds sorry. "I never meant for this to happen. I wasn't trying to trap you."

"Don't be stupid," Tony says. "I already agreed last night to marry you."

Steve pulls his face back and prompts Tony to prop himself up on his elbows so they can look each other in the face. "I wasn't sure you meant it," he admits.

"I don't say things I don't mean," Tony says. The look Steve gives him at that is an incredulous one and even Tony can admit what a false statement that is. "Or well, sometimes I do, but that wasn't one of them," he amends. "I want to marry you. Let's do it today."

"Today?" Steve asks. "But what about the wedding? We'll have to have a ceremony, have the Alpha officiate."

"We can do that later," Tony says dismissively. "Let's just go down to the courthouse right now and get the paperwork. We can fill it out and get the judge's approval, and the rest will sort itself out."

"I don't think your father is going to be very happy about this," Steve says, but Tony notices he's not protesting.

"Screw Howard," Tony says. "Let's get married, you and me, right now."

"Okay," Steve says, breaking into a grin. "Let's do it."

It won't be easy, Tony knows, and Howard's going to have absolute kittens when he finds out his heir and his son eloped, but it'll all work out. He's certainly not going to disown either one of them, and even if he did, so what? Tony doesn't care about the title, never has. He only cares about Steve. He never realized, tried for so long to convince himself otherwise, but Steve has always been there, a handsome, sturdy friend waiting for Tony to wake up and realize he'd make a handsome, sturdy husband. Sturdy, it's not the same as boring, not by a long shot. And of course, the sex had certainly been exciting. The running, too, and the playing. All those things were there all along, all these years, just waiting for Tony to see them. And now that he has, he's never letting go.

Epilogue

"It's a funny story," Steve says, rubbing the back of his neck. The man in front of him does not look impressed.

"What do you mean, married?" Howard demands.

"Signed, sealed and delivered," Tony says, brandishing the marriage certificate. Strictly speaking, the Alpha has to approve all marriages, but that's a formality at best. The judge is an elected official, and it's he who decides who can get married and who can't. The Alpha presides over weddings, but if he ever actually tried to deny a couple the right to marry, there would probably be social unrest. The pack respects the Alpha, but they respect basic human rights even more. Besides that, though, Tony's not sure why Howard's having this little tantrum. He is the one who arranged their engagement, after all.

"Let me see that," Howard says crossly, stepping forward and snatching the document from Tony. His eyes go wide as soon as he's in Tony's space, and he takes a deep breath. "Are you pregnant?" he asks, scandalized.

Beside him, Maria bursts into tears.

Tony just shrugs.

"You are in so much trouble," Howard intones, deadly serious.

"What are you going to do, disown me?" Tony asks, scoffing. "That's fine; I can go off-reservation. Hope you weren't too attached to the idea of having an heir, though, because Steve goes where I go." Even as he says it he knows it's true. Steve would follow him to the ends of the Earth, would give up the title, the land, the pack for Tony.

"I'm giving you community service," Howard says decisively. "You'll be tutoring at the school for years to come, Anthony."
Tony can feel himself pale. "Wait!" he says, panicked, the thought of trying to teach high school freshmen basic algebra giving him hives. "No, I changed my mind: I'll take banishment."

"You'll take yourself out of my sight this instant is what you'll do," Howard says. "And you had better hope you get that house of yours built before the pup comes or there will be hell to pay, you mark my words."

He turns to his wife. "Come, Maria," he says tersely. "We have a wedding to plan." Then he strides out of the room without looking back at either Steve or Tony.

Maria wipes her tears away with her hands and comes to hug her son. "Your father will get over it," she assures him. "As soon as the wedding is over and done with he'll be perfectly happy, you'll see."

"Right," Tony says, "but until then there'll be no living with him."

"You won't have to," Steve says at once. "You can come live with me. We are married after all, and expecting."

That gets him a hug from Maria, as well.

"You boys sort it out," she says kindly. "I'm very happy for you both."

Then she follows her husband out of the room, leaving Steve and Tony alone.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Steve says, grabbing Tony's hand and swinging it gently.

"Speak for yourself," Tony says, shuddering at the thought of the tutoring to come. "And also, I'm not raising a pup in your tiny apartment, Steve. You only have one bathroom. One single bathroom."

"You're a diva," Steve informs him, but he smiles. "Do you want to go check out the site, then, maybe work on the plans for the new house?"

"Yeah," Tony agrees. "Sounds like fun."

And the best part is, it really does.