Archive of Our Own ^beta

Remus Lupin went stock still as he studied the wrapped gift sitting so innocently atop his nightstand.

A gift.

A Valentine’s day gift.

A Valentine’s day gift for Him.

He tried to mask his tension at the reminder of what he was, a werewolf.

Although not many knew of the complexities his life entailed, his gut told him this gift wasn’t as simple as an innocent love declaration or a childish infatuation.

More questions than answers assailed him, and he felt that familiar drowning feeling of worry and doubt.

Was it possible for someone to see him, the real him, despite his aloof attitude and the lengths he went to in order to avoid attracting attention?

He snagged the elegantly wrapped gift and frowned at the assault on his senses.

The scent he caught was one he had dreamed about; luscious and sweet, honey and musk, cinnamon and sugar.

It was a salient scent that conveyed its owner’s stellar presence.

He could swear he took a whiff of it before but he didn’t remember when or where.

He experienced both relief and sheer panic at the same time.  

Even as the logical part of him grasped for comprehension, his heart absolutely thrilled in the declaration this small article was sticking around.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Sirius whined from the adjoining bed and he tried quickly to hide the item before his nosy friend tried to squeeze all the information out of him.

Which begged the question, what was he going to do?

Shaking his head at this dilemma, he lifted the curtains and slid out of the bed:”We still have time. Try to wake up James while I take a quick shower.” He smirked as he tugged his nightshirt over his head.

Everyone knew that James was a heavy sleeper, trusting Sirius with this tedious chore was a fitting revenge for ruining his surprise.

“Moony! Why you…” Sirius groaned but he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door with a soft click.

The last thing he heard before he started the water, was a loud thud then a yell as James’ body hit the floor:“You’ll pay for it Padfoot!’’

Prongs was a real headache when separated from his favourite pastime, after quidditch and chasing Lily, that is.

Nevertheless, Remus decided to relax and enjoy his shower. He was teetering on the brink of something he didn’t fully understand and had no control over, and he needed his wits about him.

⋅☾ ☽⋅

Remus, Sirius and James were inching toward the Great Hall when they stumbled upon Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange, facing off and seemingly halfway through a heated argument.

In a swift move, Bellatrix snatched her wand’s handle and murmured under her breath.

A silver beam left her wand and lunged for Lestrange’s chest. Once it touched him, he cried and his big body slammed against the cold floor.

Remus felt his wolf’s excitement at the sprightly show of dominance.

Bellatrix Black twirled her wand nonchalantly while Rodolphus Lestrange growled and barreled out of his slumped position as he pushed off the floor:“You’ll pay for it, Bella. I’ll make sure of it when we sign the contract.”

“Begone Lestrange before I shred what meager honour you still hold.” She commanded in a throaty timbre and Remus stiffened.

The absolute domination and control she exuded was compacted into those short words.

It was as if she wanted to taunt Lestrange and couldn’t seem to wait to start another fight.

She always looked braced for war and ready to rumble.

The cadence of her speech, the alluring dip in that tenor…

His heart caved and missed a couple of beats, the Omega in him basking in this show of dominance.

Remus lowered his gaze in a display of respect and submission but he couldn’t dwell longer.

Sirius tugged on his robes with a muttered:’’Scary harpy.” And he shook his head at his uncanny musings.

He was a werewolf and would never be attracted to any female but his True Mate.

What was he doing there appreciating Bellatrix Black belittling her housemates?

Dark he could handle, but someone with Sirius’ cousin scary temper was another thing altogether.

“Wow Padfoot. Your cousin knows how to bring a wizard to his knees. She’s a spirited one.” James Whistled, his eyes glinting with amusement at the sight of the disheveled Rodolphus.

“She has a temper that one. Better not to cross her.” Sirius mumbled grudgingly, his tone carrying the unsavory opinion he had on the matter.

Since he left his ancestral home a year ago, his friend worked hard to separate himself from everything pertaining The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

Remus pitied him.

Even after he was bit, his father didn’t falter in his love. He still treated him the same, embracing his son; lycanthropy and all.

Sirius’ family was…complicated.

Remus shook his head and followed his friends, making sure not to steal another glance at Bellatrix Black.

⋅☾ ☽⋅

Licking suddenly parched lips, Remus took another look around before he closed the curtains and warded his bed.

He shoved his tattered, too-long sleeves to his elbows and combed his fingers through his mob of light brown hair.

Taking a deep breath, he untied the elegant silver ribbon and unwrapped the purple wrapping paper.

Nestled inside was a velvet jewelry box.

With a quacking hand, he lifted the lid and gasped.

Inside was a thin silver chain with a pendant.

A pendant that made his heart beat a tattoo in his chest, the tempo steady but increasing.

The room shifted as his vision changed and morphed. All sides of him wanted to make sure they weren’t being deceived.

They knew.

Whoever sent this gift knew what he was and proceeded to bestow this upon him.

It was a small half moon with a moonstone at the center.

The translucent gem glinted in the darkness with a hint of a periwinkle blue that matched the colour of his wolf’s eyes.

Judging by the timing and the nature of this gift, he understood what it represented.

A courting gift.

He allowed the feelings he buried for years to rise to the surface, contained only by the barrier of his skin.

A steady purr radiated from his chest, followed immediately by a throaty growl as his wolf basked in the attention.

His eyes were clouded as he secured the chain around his neck and shivered. It seemed whoever sent it, imbibed it with their own magic.

It was dark, fiery and seductive.

The magic of an Alpha.

He couldn’t care about his friends' taunts anymore for the message was clear as day.

An Alpha, his Alpha noticed him and was performing the first step of the mating waltz.

As a werewolf, he had waited all his life for this moment. It was the declaration that would cement his existence.

There was an invisible line that always existed for werewolves, an understanding that either you belonged among them or you didn’t.

A newly Bloodbonded couple was welcome among any pack, even the notorious Alpha Fenrir Greyback would have no saying on that.

The next morning, Remus smoothed his robes and didn’t bother with the stretched old collar.

He wanted everyone to see the mark of claim he wore.

He wanted to savour the gift he’d been given, show the entire world someone staked possession on poor, scarred Remus.

However, only few knew of his ‘furry problem’ and even less could recognize the gift for what it was.

As he slid into his sneakers, Sirius grabbed his shoulder firmly and studied his throat.

His voice was gruff as he said quietly:’’Remus, this is…”

“A courting gift.” James offered as he stared him in the eyes, “We researched everything pertaining werewolves and we know what it means Moony, so don’t look surprised.”

Everyone went quiet and eerily still after.

Remus didn’t know how to react.

To forge such peculiar bond with these guys…

‘’Yes.’’ He whispered thickly.

Sirius clapped his shoulder rather harshly:’’Then we should find them. What are you waiting for? Let’s get going.”

Remus smiled and nodded jerkily as James dragged him out, whistling a happy tune.

After yesterday, everything became primal and raw: his feelings, his reactions, his desires.

It was as if he as evolving in some way, becoming someone or something else.

Never had instinct played such a role in his decisions. If he was being honest with himself, he knew that nothing that had happened in the last twenty-four hours qualified as rational.

Something else was calling the shots, setting the pace, liberating him from a timid mousy novice to a fearless wolf.

Alas, it was easier said than done.

Remus and the Marauders spent the next days looking for any sign that might orient them toward their quest with no luck.

It seemed the gift-giver was as sneaky as they came.

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Bellatrix Black stifled a chuckle as her cousin studied a group of passing Ravenclaws, looking curious and intrigued.

She was aware that with his heightened senses he could detect whiffs that might direct him to his quarry, but she wasn’t Bellatrix for nothing.

It pained her to cause her Mate all this pain and prolong their separation, sadly it was a slanderous matter.

Bellatrix Black wasn’t in sooth a Black. She was her mother’s slide and her father’s secret.

Cygnus Black III was a dishonourable wizard, the worst. He developed a sick infatuation with the beautiful Druella Rosier since their Hogwarts days and made sure to secure a contract with her greedy father, despite her protests.

Druella was aware that she didn’t belong with him. Her path lied elsewhere, with her Mate.

But Cygnus' stubbornness and her father’s prejudices tore them apart and she was ushered to the wedding bed like the clout pureblood witches was sometimes considered.

Years after she birthed her older sister, Andromeda, she met Him again and her soul called for its other half.

The two broken Mates agreed to spend the night together, a singular night they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

She was the unplanned result of that night.

Bellatrix Greyback, the only offspring of Alpha Fenrir Greyback and his Heiress.

She was also, like her father, an Alpha.

Which brought this plight.

She recognized Remus Lupin as her Omega, her Mate since they matured seeing that Alphas senses were more developed than the rest of the pack.

She wondered for years about her next step.

She planned to guard this identity, and the Veil of magic concealing her real looks, until graduation.

Afterwards, she would join her real father and set her wolf free after years of suffering Cygnus Black’s ill treatment.

Only, it wouldn’t do to embark on the new journey without her Mate.

It all started with whispers.

As she was heading to the library, she crossed paths with a group of giggling Gryffindors. She recognized Lily Evans and Alice Fortescue.

However, what made her wolf thrash under her skin, asking for a way out, was Marlene McKinnon’s whispered words.

The bloody witch planned to ask Remus for a Valentine’s date in Hogsmeade and confess her feelings.

Her wolf lashed out at her like a cornered creature, scratching and clawing, kicking and slapping.

The Alpha in her bared its fangs as it wouldn’t back down from a challenge—couldn’t—and everyone knew how short her fuse was lately.

So, she bit down on her tongue tasting the metallic bitterness of her blood and murmured a ‘Trip jinx’, making sure that the beautiful McKinnon would be indisposed for the rest of the day.

She prowled across the corridors, each step accentuating the long, sinewy lines of her legs and carrying her toward the owlery.

There, she scribed a quick note to her father asking for a Courting gift, knowing that he would understand.

The next day, Alpha Fenrir Greyback sent the gift with an encouraging letter, asking his Heiress to jump haphazardly into the sky and trust in her Mate’s ability and readiness to catch her, for a True Mate would never let his other half fall.

Now, what remained was to corner her wayward Omega, alone, and take off her Veil to let him see her and recognize their bond.

Only if the bothersome Potter and Black would leave him alone for a bit.

Her calm façade belied her turbulent thoughts as she headed toward the common room, anticipating the next skirmish with Rodolphus Lestrange.

It might give her the leeway her wolf needed to let out some aggression.

Her tempting thoughts scattered to a halt as her sensitive senses picked a heavenly smell, the distinguished aroma of her Omega.

She flicked her wand and murmured a hasty ‘Human Revelio’, making sure they wouldn’t be interrupted.

She sagged in relied as her spell revealed none other than Remus Lupin.

With shaking hands, she took out her chain.

The Amethyst at the center of her half moon shone brighter than any star and she waited with a bated breath for him to notice her.

She was revealing a weakness she’d sworn not to without a second thought. If she didn’t watch it, he would know anything and everything about her.

But would it really matter?

From what she gathered about him he was honourable, brave and worthy of his red and gold tie.

Remus’ face paled, before it flamed in embarrassment the moment his eyes went to her throat.

‘’You…’’ His head tilted to the side and she detected the hope in his voice.

“Yes, it’s me Omega mine.’’ Her husky voice, with its commanding baritone, answered his unsaid question.

“But how?” He asked and licked his lips. It sounded like he groaned but she wasn’t sure.

“Because I am not who I pretend to be. Look at me.” She met his eyes and anything else she wanted to say died in her throat.

His irises were a pure vibrant blue. There was no way he could pass for a human, not with eyes like those.

Her own eyes twitched and she knew her wolf answered its Mate's call.

A soft shiver ran down her back and she felt the tips of her fingers itch to twine loosely in his hair.

With a wave of her wand, her Veil fell.

Remus didn’t waver. Admittedly, the blue ate at the white of his eyes and anticipation poured from his skin.

“Your scars...” He murmured with something akin to reverence and she nodded.

Giving him access to her insecurities, her emotional state was something else.

She might be fool and brash and not fitting in the house of the cunning, but her wolf trusted him.

She knew what he was seeing: the scars marring her neck and sliding under her robes’ collar, where they draw her identity on her own skin.

Her first transformations were harrowing, more so as her mother hid her in the underground cellar so her father and sisters wouldn’t witness her shame.

She was her secret, her beloved sin.

Things got better afterward but the scars remained like a talisman, a rune graved on her skin until the time comes when she shed her Veil and embraced her legacy.

Only Her parents and Dumbledore knew of her real identity.

Every month, Fenrir took her to Luna Silva forest where she ran free with the rest of the pack.

It was a pleasure that exceeded anything she tasted before.

She felt the moment Remus cornered her and locked her eyes with him unabashed:’’I am Alpha Fenrir Greyback’s Heiress and your Mate.”

‘’And I am your Omega, my Alpha.” Remus whispered against her cheek.

Placing one hand on either side of her body, he dipped his head, and just as he hoped, she rose up to meet him.

The blood in her veins turned to liquid fire, the tingling under her skin settling into the very marrow of her bones.

The connection as their lips met was immediate.

When she parted her lips, his tongue accepted the invitation to explore and pressed inside. The tip of her tongue met his, mating in a slow, sensuous dance.

She reversed their position, cornering him against the wall instead and establishing her dominance.

When he tried to return the favour she shook her head and stopped him, wrapping her fingers around his wrists.

“I’ve waited years to do this. I want you to keep your hands here.” She lowered his hands to his sides and let go, “and don’t move them.”

He trembled slightly but kept his hands were she placed them, fingers limp atop the cold stones.

She kissed him languidly, each time he retreated she followed, and each time she followed he captured her tongue in his teeth and sucked.

Their soft moans were swallowed the instant they escaped, the husky sounds vibrating against their lips.

Breaking away from the heat of his mouth, she lowered her head and breathed in the scent of his skin, starting at the hollow of his throat and moving toward his sternum.

When she darted her tongue out to taste that alluring combination of male and musk, she reveled in the sweet saltiness.

As she raised her head, her heart melted at the soft gaze meeting her.

The corners of his mouth quirked and she grinned.

His face was within inches of hers, lips so close she could feel the delicious heat of his breath against her nose.

She couldn’t look away, frozen in place by irises that seemed to shift from gold to vivid blue.

“Now what?” He asked as he nuzzled his nose with hers, the motions slow and intentional and reminiscent of their wolves.

She smirked as she pulled away:’’Now we finish this year, then head to Luna Silva.”

Remus nodded once and her eyes answered his unsaid questions.

It was time for them to fling their hearts open and stretch their arms toward the moon.

She would always guide him, lead him, aid him and help him bear the cost for she was the only one who knew his greatness.

She will always point him north and together, they shall never fail.