In My Veins

Jesse emerged with an arm around the shoulders of a newcomer some of the pack had not yet seen.
The other day they had been out hunting and came across a rabid coyote. Upon closer look however, it turned out to be a werewolf, like them, that was stuck in animal form. The pack had taken him in and the past few days he'd been living with Jesse while Roman taught him how to behave.
He was now dressed in some of Zach’s old clothes. He’d been bathed properly and his hair brushed. It was now much longer, passed his shoulders entirely.
“Guys, this is Jordan.” Jesse spoke up. “He’s been shifted into that animal form for almost ten years so he isn’t very used to normal human conventions. You’re going to have to bear with him until he gets the hang of things.”
“But why was he stuck like that for so long?” Bane questioned.
“I don’t know and he has chosen not to share any information with us yet so we’ll get to that when we get to it.” Jesse shrugged. “For now, I’d just like him to get used to everyone if he’s going to stay with the pack.”

"There's no guarantee he's going to stay." Chandler spoke from his spot on the couch, his lips twisted in amusement. "He could just kill us all in our sleep one night." He was watching Bane, knowing how the young hunter was already wary of the new comer. Roman's teeth clanked together in threat, his feet leading him over to the couch.
"Can't you just keep your damn mouth shut?" The new pup didn't deserve this.
"Or what? You gonna make me?" It was a taunt, both of them knowing Zach wouldn't allow an altercation. But if given the chance, Roman would break Chandlers neck.

Zach groaned, moving to stand and gently nudge his lover's chest.
"Chandler, stop being an ass. Roman... just don't kill him." He sighed, turning back to the new boy at Jesse's side.
"You can go get to know everyone if you want, kid." Jesse nudged him forward.
Jordan glanced at all the staring faces before making his way to the one person who didn't seem like he was waiting for him to do something; Chandler. He approached the couch where Chandler sat and knelt on the cushion beside him, leaning close and pressing his face into the crook of Chandler's neck, inhaling deeply to get his scent.

Chandler's body tensed immediately, his smell of disinterest shifting to discomfort. "Woah! Back the f*ck up!" With one hand he pressed back against Jordan's chest, shoving the new coyote out of his space just as Roman was able to seize the boys arm.
"Jordan! Remember you're not in the wild anymore, you can't just sniff people." His fingers loosened around the boys arm. As much as he wanted Chandler dead he didn't want to see how his mate would handle it. Chandler's upper lip had curled in a snarl, his teeth bared in obvious frustration. He didn't like anyone that close to him, breathing his air. "Didn't even f*cking buy me dinner before trying to...whatever the hell you were trying to do."

Jordan's immediate reaction as he was shoved was to shift. He bared his teeth at Chandler, eyes flashing cobalt blue before he let Roman tug him back.
"My bad." He murmured, sighing softly to Roman. He really didn't want to disappoint the man. He remembered how Roman had said he was supposed to greet people so he stuck out a hand towards the boy although he was wary now. Chandler didn't seem to be very welcoming.
"Hello." He forced an awkward smile. "I'm Jordan."

"And im the jolly green giant, you owe me for coping that feel." Chandler took the boys hand, listening carefully as they touched. His irritation had fizzled down into a dull curiosity, wondering what made Jordan tick. He had never met another wolf like him, and maybe it was Zach rubbing off on him but because of that Chandler wanted to know more.
Roman cleared his throat, patting Jordan gently on his back. "Do you want to meet everyone else? He's a bad influence." The hatred between Chandler and Roman proved to be mutual, and Roman had his nose in the air while talking about the other man.
"Hey shitface, its good to be bad. The way I hear it Zach has feelings for the baddest bitch around." Chandler detested Trever, but that happened to be something he and Roman shared.
"He does not!" It was pitiful but that's all Roman could snap back with, unsure of his mates true feelings for his old teacher.
But just like that Roman and Chandler were back at each others throats.

"Damnit you two!" Zach snapped at them, mostly at Chandler. "You leave me and Trever out of this." He thumped his student in the back of the head gruffly before looking up at Roman. "And you, don't let him bother you so much." He smiled gently at his lover. "I can't break up a fight between you two every five minutes."
Jordan did not appear to pay much attention to the argument, simply watching Chandler. He smelled the discomfort he had caused the boy by getting so close and now the smell had turned into interest.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He informed, placing his hands by his side once more.

"Uncomfortable?" Chandler blinked at him, his mouth opening as though he were going to deny it but instead he finally let out a groan. "You're one of those mutts." He liked being able to read minds but when someone else is able to call him out he doesn't care for it. He likes to be snarky and mysterious, keeping to himself. "I just don't want any of you f*ckers breathing my air." The discomfort was back, but so was the interest. While he didn't like Jordan smelling his emotions he appreciated the talent. "What does he smell like?" Chandler gestured to Roman who radiated waves of jealousy, Zach and Trever weighing heavy on his mind.

Jordan did not even have to pause to determine what Roman was feeling, the scent was extremely strong.
"Jealousy." He nodded. "It's really strong." He wrinkled his nose lightly.
"Is this true?" Zach arched an eyebrow at his lover, frowning.

Roman let out a warning growl, glaring at Jordan and Chandler through piercing blue eyes. "Its not." The man stepped closer to Chandler and Jordan, elbowing the new wolf roughly in his side. "I am not jealous and if they persist they will not be living." Roman in no way appreciated his mate hearing about how he smelled, it would only cause Zach to feel bad and that provoked the beast in Roman.
"Chill, its not a secret your jealous. Everyone knows....including Trever." Chandler's snide comment had Roman's face reddening with fury. He looked as though he would explode at any moment.
"Zach, he's dead. Thats all you need to know. Maybe not today or tomorrow but I f*cking swear he's a dead man." Roman's jaws snapped, he was struggling not to shift, and upon deciding he had better leave before things got violent he made his out the front door.

"I'm leaving, but don't think I'm done with you." Zach warned Chandler before he made his way out the door after his lover.
Jordan blinked after the two of them, a hand on his side where he had been elbowed. He was quite irritated. He had just been answering Chandler's question after all. He eyed the seat beside Chandler.
"I'm sitting here." He informed as he took the seat beside the boy. He didn't care enough to ask but telling the boy was more than he would have usually done. He just didn't want to make the boy uncomfortable again. As he sat, he was only thinking of how this human thing seemed like a hell of a lot of work. He wished he could just go back to his pack.

"Awh come on, im sure you can ask a hell of a lot nicer than that pad foot." One of Chandler's legs shot out, pushing against Jordan's and scooting him one seat down. "Now, try again." He was snickering, leaning back into the couch and patting the spot beside him. "Lay it on me." He tuned himself into Jordan's thoughts, and using them he attempted to make the boy comfortable yet still tease him.

Jordan stared at Chandler for a moment when he was scooted. It was quite obvious he was still uncomfortable but he was pretty sure Chandler was trying to be nice now. People were odd.
"I'd like to sit here." He spoke again, small smirk on his face as he plopped back into the seat, nudging Chandler aside.

"And i'd like a piece of Zach's ass but we don't all get what we want." Chandle pushed back against Jordan, making more room for himself. "So, you had another pack?" He never cared to talk to anyone but Zach, not caring what other people had going on but it was easy for him to find things to ask Jordan. The coyote could never get boring.

"Yeah, I did." Jordan nodded, pleased to talk about something he understood. "It wasn't like this one, though... this is more like a family. My pack didn't love each other. It was more for protection. Power in numbers, that sort of thing..." He trailed off, nodding slightly. Honestly, he was still thinking about what a "piece of Zach's ass" could mean. He figured it couldn't be literal. Humans had a lot of expressions he was not used to, apparently. He was also still watching Chandler intently. There was something about the boy that had him unable to look away. The way his lips moved when he talked, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled... he was kind of cute, really.

"Yeah, these f*ckers have a lot of love. As you can see im kinda not included but thats expected, I hate them all." Chandler was bitter, though he had spent much of his life trying not to be. "So, like the way my eyes crinkle when I smile?" As he spoke his eyebrows danced. "I don't think im too bad on the eyes myself." At this point he couldn't keep a straight face, and found himself in near hysterics.

Jordan did not take well to being laughed at. His cheeks flushed red but he acted more angry than embarrassed.He had still not completely shifted back from earlier and now he was on edge once more.
"What are you talking about?" He snapped, instinctively leaning closer to Chandler as if to intimidate him. He hadn't said that out loud, right?

"I'm talking about how seductive my lips are and how you wish you were back with your pack. The real question is, what have I heard?" Chandler had never known when to stop because he was fearless. To him the only thing that could kill Chandler was Chandler. "I'll let you in on a little secret." Chandler straightened himself up, though his snide smirk never left him. "Nothing you think is safe from me. I can hear you." And he left it at that, winking in satisfaction.

"Can you tell what I'm thinking now?" Jordan snapped as he full on lunged for Chandler, swiping him across the abdomen. His claws tore through the man's shirt and left long angry red lines across his flesh. His thoughts were something along the lines of "You're a fucking asshole."
Luckily for Chandler, Jordan drew attention before he could injure the boy any more. Jesse was over in seconds, pinning the boy's arms behind his back as he snarled. He did not have the best control over his temper.

Chandler's immediate reaction was to curse Jordan to hell and back, but after regaining his bearing he wanted to do more than cuss him. "Let that tenderfooted mutt go Jesse, I could take his mangy ass anyday!" Chandler had made it to his feet and was standing at the ready. Besides the anger rolling off of him, there was also disappointment. He had almost felt connected to that damn wolf.
"Why don't you just go somewhere and oh wow, cool off?" Danny spoke from the other couch. He could hear the argument taking place, and hoped to help Jesse ease the tension.
"Why don't you go out and see the world?!" Chandler paused a moment before adding "Oh yeah, you can't." It was easy to hit Danny in his sore spot. With that said he stalked off into the kitchen, leaving most of the pack unhappy in his wake.

Nearly an hour passed before the sound of soft footsteps could be heard coming near the kitchen. The only thing that had brought Jordan back was the fact that Chandler didn't smell just pissed. He smelled disappointed to... like he had wanted to keep talking to Jordan. And Jordan could use someone who didn't think he was so weird.
"I'm kind of sorry." He spoke as he entered the kitchen, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest.

"Why? Im not." Chandler had made himself comfortable sitting at the island bar, not bothering to look up when he heard Jordan's voice. "Your a shit head for scratching me up but I had it coming." He never apologized, not even to Zach, for anything. "Its cool you came back though instead of sulking and hating my guts." That's what usually happened.

Jordan let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank God you're not. I felt like I was supposed to be sorry but... I mean, you just pissed me off." He trailed off lightly. "It does kind of suck I made you bleed though." He nodded, taking a step forward. "I can... help." He gently placed his hand over the boy's stomach, black slowly trailing up the veins in his arm as he took away Chandler's pain.

Chandler swallowed hard as Jordan placed a hand over his chest, leeching his pain. No one had ever done that for him before, kindness was something foreign to him. "Thanks tender foot." He wasnt sure how he felt about this new wolf, he was confusing and a piss head but he was touching him and no one was allowed to touch him but Jordan was okay.
Chandler's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the black creep up Jordan's veins.

"No problem, it doesn't hurt too bad." Jordan nodded, glancing up to meet Chandler's gaze and giving a small smile. "So... you can hear thoughts, huh?" he questioned. He was really curious about this, honestly.