veiðr (Loki's Son)

Chapter Five

AS THEY WALKED UPON THE COMPOUND ANDERS WAS A LITTLE MORE NERVOUS FOR MORGAN'S SAFETY. The wolves watched them as they made their way to the throne that the Alpha sat, it was made of softwood, there were runes carved into it, and it overlooked the whole compound. Children stopped playing with one another to watch, they were told to be careful around outsiders for they could not be trusted. Fenrir looked the same from all those years but there was a scruff of a beard on his face, his sword propped up against the wooden throne. There were groans from the Avengers as they started fighting the sleep darts they were shot with. Wolves started to bind their hands behind, when a wolf approached Anders snarled at him, making the wolf bow his head and walk away. Forced away by a wolf with more status and dominance. Morgan looked at him thankfully and Anders nodded in return. When all of the Avengers were standing they were kneeling respectfully in front of the older and more powerful wolf.

"Alpha, the intruders; Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, Anthony Stark, Natasha Romanoff of the Avengers. Prince Thor Odinson, God of Thunder, Arne Thorson, God of Storms, and Loki Laufeyson, God of Mischief and Lies, of Asgard. Morgan Stark is with the Avengers but I vouch for her." Anders says and kneels in front of the man who raised him. A fist placed over his heart. "Avengers, Morgan, and Princes, may I present Fenrir of the Alpha Wolf Pack, the god of wolves, and the alpha of all wolves."

"Fenrir?!" the Asgardian brothers demand at the same time, Fenrir ignores them and looks at Anders with concern. Knowing the haunted look in Anders' as memories come back and haunt him, his mask to hide his hidden emotions was impressive but his eyes gave it away.

"My child, are you ok?" Fenrir asks concerned for his well being. The Avengers saw the warmth in the older wolf's eyes as they looked at Anders. They looked away in guilt and shame. Arne had tear stains on his cheeks from the dagger that still hadn't been removed. Who was Anders to think that he was better than him, he would ensure that he lost everything. He would challenge, it was a dominance thing that wolves were all about, he'll accept. Anders was like that and he smirked subtly as he thought of his plan.

"I am fine, Grandfather." Anders answered, Fenrir turns his attention to the Avengers and his eyes show an air of surprise when they see the Asgardians.

"Asgardians, I thought after the treaties that we made with your Allfather you would keep to them. I thought that you had more honour than this, but I guess I was mistaken. You have intruded in our territory, no tell me why I should not have you executed." Fenrir asks, this was how it went with most intruders, he would give them a fair chance to convince him to let them live. "Nonetheless of the soul wounds that you have caused my Warrior."

"Please, Fenrir, we only wanted to bring my son home." Maximoff says Anders' eyes were filled with mirth as he let out a sardonic laugh. That's what card they were playing, everyone turned to the 16 year old. Daniel placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Daniel was one of the wolves that knew of his past.

"8 years, after 8 years you come back and demand after all of those years that I should help. You," he points to Maximoff, "called your own son a monster saying it would be better if I was dead." he points to Arne, "were an annoying, ignorant, bastard that you could make me listen to you." he walked over to him and ripped the dagger out of his shoulder, Arne responds with a pained yell and clutched his shoulder. "I will not help, not after all the things you have done."

"Listen to me, nephew, you have hurt my son more times than one. There are consequences for such things." Thor says angrily, Loki rolls his eyes how many examples must he have laid out in front of him to not raise a child to hate certain things and then tell them years later he is one of them. It destroys them. Thor should have treated him better, but he was just like Odin.

"God of Thunder your son is a stuck up bastard and mewling quim. So please tell me why I should not treat him any differently than I already have." Anders snarled in reply, Loki sends his son a smirk of praise. He was proud of his son, that much was true for the small amount of time that they have met. He was met with a subtle bow of his head toward him from his son. "I will not help you so piss off!"

"Language!"

"English," Anders answered Rogers' comment, which got a couple of amused grins in reply.

Where are you manners, you don't say that in front of me! I raised you better than that!" Maximoff growled and Anders turned slowly toward, he did a fake polite bow, with a grim smile on his face.

"Oh where are my manners, piss off, please." he put heavy sarcasm on the word 'please'. Barton and Romanoff watched everything with an amused smile on their face, they were the two that were closest with Anders besides Morgan.

"Enough!" Fenrir says, Anders falls silent and everyone looks back at him, "is it true that you want his help, right?" all of them nod and Fenrir leans back a finger rubbing his chin as he thinks. Anders looks at Fenrir attentively as the old wolf thinks. "We are having trouble with rogues, if we were to help you then we will help you. Everyone wins."

"So if we were to help you then, would you help us?" Romanoff elaborates, Fenrir nods.

"Seems fair to me." Barton shrugs, Fenrir gave the ok for the wolves to untie them, they stood up rubbing their wrists and Thor worried over his son. Anders rolled his eyes when Arne sent him a glare.

"Now that everyone agrees, Anders, can you show them around the compound and tell them anything that they need to know?" Fenrir commands, Daniel gives Anders a sympathetic look and a bright look comes over his face and he grins at him, Anders knew that look. Daniel had an idea, the boy grins back at the other teen.

"Alpha, apologies but we still have a challenge to attend to, it is against honour to delay said challenge and longer than needed." Daniel says, Fenrir sighs again and nods, several minutes later they were back in the arena. Where this crazy messed up day began.

"You gonna be ok? I bet this is kind of rough, you know. I'm here if you need me." Daniel says, placing his hand on Anders' shoulder. Ander laughed and shook his head, looking at his best friend.

"I'll be alright, we'll beat Charlie and Marco. It's just an off day with them there."

The chief elder came through the curtain, the wolf was older with long gray hair that was braided neatly with clay beads. They were something that were traditional with age, and occupation. The chief elders' job was to retain history and teach children the history of the pack. Before each challenge they would get cultural pain spread across their face. It wasn't something that Anders understood that well but he obeyed that rule because it was the way of the pack, and they way of the pack was law.

"Good luck you two. Those young ones need to learn their place. Even if it is with violence." the elder says, Anders bowed his head in respect and thanks toward the elder wolf.

"Thank you, elder." Daniel said, the elder nods with a smile and places her hand on his shoulder. The partial shift began as they walked out, the red pain on his chest was oddly warm on his chest. His canines lengthed, his claws were sharpened and deadly, red ears appeared on his head. The same with Daniel, Marco, and Charlie.

"The challenge has been acknowledged and accepted by Daniel Hawthorne and Anders Lokison, they will agree to fight until yield or death. May the challenge begin!" Fenrir's voice echoes through the arena. It was time for the actual fight and they would not lose.