Chapter 1

Full moons. The time of the month where the crazies come out. There were more people arrested on full moons than the general public realized. Some called it the full moon haze while others said people were just plain crazy. Only a select few knew the truth.

Everett Coombs walked down the busy party street, hands tucked in his pockets to ward off the fall chill. With Halloween in two days, parties were in full swing. It made it so much easier for people in his line of work to do their jobs.

He pushed his way through the crowd at the front door of Club Tails. This place catered to people with much different interests, and Halloween brought out the playfulness in them. He saw plenty of nudity and tails all over the place, and some other things he'd felt better not even knowing.

He walked to the back of the club through a door marked 'Private'. He headed up the stairs and down the hall to the last door on the right. Unlocking it, he went inside.

Dumping his bag on the counter, he rifled through the various wallets he'd confiscated. He found eight hundred dollars between them and several credit cards that were undoubtedly maxed out. Good thing he wasn't interested in any of those. He could have had his way with all of his victims if he so chose, but he did have a code. Cash only.

Everett put the wallets back in his bag then put the money in the safe. He'd drop the wallets off at the end of the alley and one of his colleagues would make sure they got home to their owners.

He sat down at his computer and logged on to the dark web. He was used to this life. Not because he was poor and needed the money. Far from it actually. He was wealthy in his own right due to his invention of several video games put out by BioWare. He didn't need the money at all.

So why did he steall wallets for cash only? He was working that way to see how long it took for him to get caught. He wanted to see how long it took the police before they found a pickpocket in the city. He kept the money as a treasure, pocket money if you will. Since he didn't steal from banks, no one would have the serial numbers to the cash. It would be damn hard to trace unless he was caught on camera.

There was only one small problem with his thieving ways. The only reason he hadn't gotten caught yet was because one person knew what he was up to, and that person had always known. It was his contact to get the wallets and whatever else he lifted back to their rightful owners.

That contact was calling him now.

"Where are you?" the voice growled on the other end.

"I just got home. Why?" Everett asked. He closed the safe and made sure it was locked. He pulled the phone away from his ear and checked the call log. Five missed calls. "Shit. Sorry. I was out."

There was a sigh on the other end followed by a deep growl."Bring the bag of things you undoubtedly stole and come to my house."

Everett checked his watch. "It's only two. Are you sure you're up for company?"

"Do you want me to arrest your ass?"

This time the owner of the apartment sighed and started to gather his things. The person on the other end would hear and would know what he was doing. He gathered his laptop and various chargers. He wouldn't be home for the rest of the night and part of the next day once he left. He grabbed his bag and stuffed it all in it.

"I'm on my way. Give me thirty minutes," he said.

"You have fifteen."

He looked at his watch again. "You live on the other side of town!"

"Do you want me to make ten?"

The thief sighed. "Fine. I'll be there in fifteen."

The line cut off, and Everett finished packing. He was stupid to get involved with the idiot who'd just hung up. It was the full moon. He shouldn't even be home!

He grabbed the bag of wallets and left the way he'd come. Instead of going out the front door, he went out the back. He found his motorcycle parked in the alley where he'd left it. When he was pickpocketing, he needed an easy getaway, and riding a motorcycle was a dead giveaway. He needed to blend into the crowd, so he usually left it at home.

Swinging his leg over, he pulled his helmet on then started the engine. The moon blazed overhead, a mixture of silver and blue on his skin. Everett had always loved full moons. They'd always made his dark world lighter. It wasn't until he'd started thieving that he realized what really came out at night. He'd only believed they existed in fairy tales and folklore. He'd had too many run-ins with the darker world for him not to believe in it.

His first run-in had been a year or so ago with a vampire. He'd been in a club on the posh side of town uninvited to a private party. He hadn't been doing anything except talking to the manager he had known since his college days. The vampire host had bared his fangs and demanded he leave, saying something about his smell being a memory of his past. Everett hadn't understood what he'd meant, but he'd left either way.

Then there had been the fae woman who had tried to lure him to her home simply because he looked good. Everett had had that happen once before and the woman had been a Black Widow, and not the superhero. So except for people he knew, he tried to steer clear of the supernatural world.

Unfortunately that didn't say much considering the one he was heading to see was in the higher ranks of the supernatural world. He really should get his head checked.

Somehow he made it in fifteen minutes. He pulled into the driveway of a modest Victorian house. The door was wide open, and an imposing figure waiting.

Everett gulped in anticipation as he walked up the front walk. He'd rarely seen him like this. Usually he waited to call him after the full moon. This was day two. He shouldn't be upright. At the least he should be locked tightly in his house.

He made it up the steps, legs weak as excitement flooded through him. When he was three steps away, the other man reached forward and yanked him in the door. Everett gasped once before his mouth was covered, a seeking tongue demanding entrance.

He dropped the bag of wallets as he clung to the bigger man. His hands trailed up a well-defined back and wrapped around a thick neck. He couldn't help but respond to the questing mouth. He felt his nipples tingle as they rubbed against the man's toned chest, becoming tender as the fabric of his shirt excited him even more. His body started to heat up as desire flooded through him.

After several minutes, Everett pushed at the heavy chest. It took a moment, but he was released. He stepped back to look at the aggressor as he caught his breath.

Usually, Detective Malcolm Danvers was in control of his faculties. He was a tense young man who worked by the book. He rarely deviated and always followed the rules. He had a dry sense of humor and everyone liked him. He was a good man who would do anything for those he cared for.

But underneath it all, he was a reserved guy. He had to be. He had a beast living in him, one he wasn't born with.

Everett looked at him closely. He was agitated and every vein in his neck was throbbing. His eyes weren't his usual cool blue. Instead they were fiery golden. His whole body thrummed with pent up energy. Everett made himself as small as possible as he slowly took off his backpack.

"Mal, shouldn't you be with the others?" he asked. His tone was pitched low and slow so he didn't entice the beast to the surface.

"One of the others got injured. We had to cut the hunt short befroe he became the hunted," the other man said. He reached forward and drew him to him. He pressed his nose right behind his ear and inhaled deeply. "You've been working."

"Hmm." Everett tilted his head back so Mal could scent him without thinking he was challenging him. "I figured it was a good night to try again. All the Halloween parties are going on. People wouldn't be watching."

Mal nipped his neck in repriman, making him flinch. "You know you have to tell me when you do so. It's the only way I can protect you."

"I know. I'm sorry." He yelped when Mal leaned down and picked him up by the knees. He held his shoulders to keep from losing it. "Mal, please. Not tonight."

"You don't get it." He carried Everett to his bedroom and dumped him on the bed. "You know the rules. You have to tell me when you do this, and I can protect you. You didn't follow them, so now you have to be punished."

Even though he knew Mal would never hurt him intentionally. Everett's body was starting to react. He was nervous but excited. They'd never done anything during a full moon. Mal was way too volatile during that time. He wasn't sure how in control he was going to be.

~~~~~~~

Malcolm Danvers woke up with a splitting headache. He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to alleviate it. That helped a little but not by much. Not being able to do what his instincts told him to do always took its toll. He could only do it every so often or he would become a disastrous mess.

He sat up and looked around. His room was the same, except an extra pair of clothes was on the floor. He knew what it meant, and he groaned because of it. He didn't know what he had done. He didn't smell any blood but that didn't mean it hadn't been cleaned up yet.

He got up and found his abandoned pajama pants. Drawing them on, he left his room. There was a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen so he followed it down the hall. His own culinary skills were limited to chili, omelette and anything he could put in the Instant Pot. So to have a warm breakfast without having to do it himself meant he was starting his day off somewhat right even if he wasn't sure what he'd done.

Mal stopped as he saw Everett standing at the stove. His back was covered in bite marks and scratches. He swore gently at his inability to control himself. He loved leaving marks on Everett, but those were usually just to show he was taken. These were deeper, almost bruise-like. He had bitten down hard and used his full nail to score his back. He had lost control.

He crossed the room and gently wrapped his arms around Everett's waist. The other man jumped slightly but plressed his back into Mal's front. He wasn't scared; simply shocked.

"I'm sorry." Mal pressed several kisses to some of the marks he'd left.

Everett reached up and rubbed his head. "It's alright. You weren't so horrible."

"But these…"

"Are superficial. I'm really okay." He cut the gas and pulled the skillet off. "Breakfast is ready. Get the coffee and sit down."

Mal did as he was asked. He sat facing the door and poured two cups of coffee. As he doctored them, Everett served eggs, ham, and biscuits with gravy. He ran water in the skillet then sat down. Mal didn't miss the wince as he adjusted his hips.

"I thought you said you were fine," he groused.

Everett cast him an irritated look. "Listen, was I surprised by your animalistic side? A little, but you can't control that right now. Was I scared? Absolutely. But I know part of you is always around despite your other half popping up. As long as I don't panic, your animal side remains calm."

Mal frowned. "You shouldn't have to worry about that."

"Want to know something? I don't. I don't worry about you hurting me. You never have before, and if you ever do, that would be the end of it. I think all of you knows that."

The detective ate in silence. He didn't like hurting Everett. The younger man had never sought him out, always waiting for him. Mal enjoyed seeing him. The young guy was crazy, opting to pickoocket people to help with his real job.

Their sex was explosive. Everett played with Mal more than the other way around. He could be insatiable, enjoying the way Mal made him feel. He always claimed the detective knew how to make his body sing. Mal wasn't so sure about that, but Everett had never turned him down.

He also never backed down from his darker side. He'd learned how to coexist witht the animal, and he'd somehow learned how to treat Mal's other half when he was at the surface. As far as he knew, Mal had never been around Everet when he hadn't been fully in control.

Until last night.

Everett looked at him. "The bag of wallets is by the door. Are you going to take them with you to work?"

Mal nodded. "I'll say I found them in a seedy alley somewhere. You'll have to do something different than last time. People will get suspicious if I keep showing up with so many."

The other man laughed. "Or you can just say you have an interesting partner."

The detective looked up sharply. "Everett…"

"Yeah, I know. We're just sex friends."

"Ev…" Mal didn't like the look on his face. He was used to the happy- go-lucky kid. This Everett he rarely saw. This version was more emotional than what he usually saw.

"I'm going to shower then I'll be out of your hair."

"Wait a minute." He grabbed Everett's wrist to stop him. "Do you really think I have no feelings for you? Why else would I sleep with you on a regular basis?"

"That's what this started as. I scratch your itch and you scratch mine," the young man replied.

"You know a lot more goes with all of this. I just don't want to throw you into this. More goes on than you think."

"Mal, you're a werewolf. I've done a lot of research to know what it means."

"Then you know I'm affiliated with a pack?" Everett nodded like was talking to a five year old. "You're not even supposed to know about me."

The thief pulled his arm away then crossed them over his chest. "You shouldn't have shown up at my door then."

Several months ago, Mal had been shot while hunting in the city. He'd been chasing a rat through an alley when he'd come around the corner. His nose had been busy so he hadn't seen the patrol officer until too late.

He;d been shot with a .9mm in his hindquarters. Yelping, he'd taken off back the way he'd come. Blood had trailed after him, and he'd hoped he wouldn't bleed out before he'd gotten help.

He had run to Club Tails because he'd known one of his packmates often frequented the club. Since the Alpha had taken the new pups on their first hunt, most of them had opted to stay in the city. If he was still human, he'd scent him.

Mal had lain down at the back door, wishing desperately for help. He couldn't change back for fear of ripping his muscles as his body elongated. So he was stuck as an animal until help came.

Headlights had blinded him as a bike had pulled up. The man who had gotten off had smelled like silicon and cigarettes. He'd unblocked the door and had been about to step inside when the creature had whined.

Mal had wanted to run, but Everettt had already seen the blood. He'd scooped him up and had taken him inside. He hadn't known that the creature in his arms would have been able tomkill him with one blow. Mal had been equally surprised at the ease in which the young man had been able to lift him. He wasn't a real dog, but he wasn't small either.

Everett had taken him up to a small apartment and had tended to him. Somehow, he'd removed the bullet from his leg, cursing the entire time. Then he'd wrapped it and set him on a heating pad while he'd cooked.

The gentleness in the man had surprised him. He'd done his best even with what little medical knowledge he had. He'd gotten the bullet with minimum damage and had made sure he'd eaten.

When Mal had fallen asleep, Everett had been working on his computer. He'd woken up as a human several hours later. In his haste to clothe himself and leave, he'd seen the wallets and other things Everett had lifted. The man had been asleep so Mal had taken the wallets and had found his number as well.

Several days after when he was better he'd called Everett. The man hadn't been too worried about them since that's what he'd thought Mal had called about. Mal had laughed and had simply said thank you. He hadn't admitted what he was until much later, and that had been on a random whim.

They'd started sleeping together not too long after that. The first time had been at Everett's place after he'd lifted some phones. Mal had come looking for him after numerous calls of missing items. One thing led to another and they had been naked in Everett's bed.

Soon Mal realized he liked being with Everett more than simply fucking around. He was smart even if he used being a thief to cure his boredom, and he had a good heart.

"Mal?" He looked up. Everett was still standing with his arms crossed. "I'm not just some random guy. I've been sleeping with you for four months. I'm the one who waits for you to come back hoping it's in one piece. So don't tell me I'm simply your fuckboy."

He left him to go shower. Mal sat at the table a little longer before he got up to do the dishes. Everett finished before he did and packed his stuff. He left the bag of wallets as he walked out the door.

Mal listened as the motorcycle left his driveway. Everett was right. He wasn't just a fuck boy. He meant more than Mal could admit. Right now things were tense. He'd have to tread carefully. Everett didn't lose his temper with him that easily. His feelings must be really hurt for him to lash out.

Sighing, he finally decided he might need to go to work. He got up to shower, hoping the hot water washed away whatever he was feeling.