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Outbreak	By : Need2ScreamNow Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Avenged Sevenfold Views: 1987 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't know the boys in A7x, I'm not making any money and this is all fiction.

Chapter List
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            Johnny stuck to his wolf form even after they were in the car speeding toward Arizona. Zack stroked the velvety fur of his ears while the GPS barked directions at him. Johnny put his head on the center console and stretched his injured leg out with a whine. Zack glanced down at him, “It’ll be okay puppy. Matt and Brian will help Jimmy and we’ll have you at the doctor’s before sunrise.” He murmured. Johnny nodded but his tail stayed tucked tight against his belly. Coming up to a red light Zack patted his lap, “Come here puppy.”
            Johnny hesitated a second and then got up and curled himself up half on Zack’s lap and half on the center console. Even though he was the smallest wolf Zack had ever seen, Johnny was still close the size of a true wolf. Zack rolled his window down and Johnny stuck his head out with a quick wag from his tail. Zack worked his fingers through the coarse guard hairs of the puppy’s ruff to the downy fur of his undercoat. Johnny’s tail wagged again and his tense body began to relax.
*~*~*
            “Magnus, you should return to your pack.” Matt said hanging up on Brian’s answering machine. The other wolf looked like he was going to argue but then sighed and nodded. “I’ll take my sister home—”
            “And you’ll stay there with her. You can’t risk yourself to this, your pack and your niece need you. Brian and I will deal with Jimmy.” Matt said firmly. Magnus scowled, but sighed. “All right. I’ll be listening for news.” He took Matt’s hand and pulled him into a Kodiak hug. Matt smiled and hugged him back, “I hope the next time we meet it will be under better circumstances.” Magnus nodded and headed out the front door cautiously sniffing the air.
            Once he was safely in his car and on the road Matt tried Brian’s phone again and again it went to voicemail. Cursing his Beta he paced through the house trying to decide what to do. He couldn’t risk running around town looking for his wayward wolf, but if he didn’t find Brian there was a risk the Beta would find Jimmy. Pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes a frustrated growl rumbled out of him. Brian was old and smart, he would know immediately something was wrong with Jimmy. On the other hand, Jimmy was old and one of the wiliest wolves Matt had ever met and still he’d fallen to the illness. He pulled his hands away from his eyes and blinked out the stars and colors crowding his vision. Tossing his phone and catching it he quelled the urge to call Zack. He threw the phone onto the couch and began pacing the room waiting for Brian to call back.
*~*~*
            Moonlight shimmered on the inky waves, turning the froth to liquid light as they rolled over the rocks and sand. Water crept closer to his paws every wave as the tide crept higher. The briny water scent mixed with washed up seaweed and wet sand and rocks. Brian followed the movement of the water counting the seconds between waves, reaching for numbness. His stomach churned the longer he waited. For the past six months he’d been coming to this secluded beach and every night the water had soothed the ache in his chest. Tonight though, the waves didn’t share their serenity.
            When the water reached out and dampened the tips of his paws he got to his feet bristling from head to tail and barked at the ocean. It wasn’t fair. The waves kept coming in the same way they had since their creation. Their motion constant, predictable and they were content with it, unaware of change and passage of time. He was trapped knowing too much past and nothing of the future.

It wasn’t fair.

He snapped at the froth washing over his paws and clawed at the sand. He suffered through centuries, millennia, too much time. Too much time alone. He leaped into the next wave thrashing, snapping, and snarling until his fur was heavy with water and his chest heaved. Closer to the horizon the moon watched without comment. And why should she? She had the waves to keep her company on her sojourn across the sky. She had someone to keep the ache at bay. Water rushed over his paws, pulling sand from under him, sinking him further into the beach. They would have each other forever. Even if mankind choked themselves to death on their own fumes and poisoned the sea the moon would be there to lick the wounds. Like Matt and Zack or Jimmy and Johnny. They would always have each other.
Slogging out of the water to higher ground it felt like the sand was still pulling his paws down. Maybe it was lonely too. He folded his legs under him again on cool sand and put his nose on his paws watching the water play under the moon’s watchful gaze. Matt had watched him like that once. Had laughed and chased snowflakes with him, practiced hunting with him, and for awhile, loved him. Brian tucked his nose into his paws, he could remember a different sea a lifetime ago when Matt had curled next to him on the beach with his nose tucked against his side. It had been so long since he’d been home; seen the sapphire blue of the Aegean, smelled the sweet water, heard the creak of boats as the tide tried to pull them into the water, and felt the warm winter breeze. It had been so long since he felt the peace that came with someone curled next to him at night. Not since Matt had changed Zack or Jimmy found Johnny.
England, 1395



“It rains too much.” Brian grumbled shaking water from his tangled hair. A few steps ahead of him Matt chuckled and kicked a sapling as he passed sending a waterfall onto Brian. The black wolf growled and leaped onto Matt’s back nipping at his neck. Matt shook him off and pinned him against a larger tree nuzzling his collarbone, “You smell better when you’re wet.” He murmured and then darted away laughing when the black wolf snapped at him. Brian chased after him ducking trees and skirting bushes until he caught up to his companion.

            Before he could tackle the other wolf to the ground and beat him bloody Matt signaled for silence. Sniffing the wet breeze Brian didn’t smell anything but damp leaves and wet earth. He gave Matt a questioning look, they had felled a large buck the day before, they didn’t need to hunt. Matt ignored the look and his face scrunched some as he took in a deep breath. Brian sniffed again as well, if Matt wasn’t sure what had alarmed the wolf Brian’s keener nose had a better chance of identifying it. Closing his eyes he sorted through the myriad of scents coming in. The usual forest rodents, birds, deer had passed through not too long ago, mud, decaying leaves, and more rain was on the way.
            A twig snapped and Brian’s eyes shot open, he backed into a crouch ready for whatever was coming. Matt stood frozen, one foot forward and Brian scowled at him. The wolf was too old to making puppy mistakes, especially with Hunters not too far off their trail. Matt gave him a bashful look and then took another step forward, this time with more care. He stepped past a tree and water logged bush motioning for Brian to stay quiet.
            “Oh, I’m sorry; I didn’t know you were here. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Matt’s voice was soft and Brian scooted back further into the shadows of bushes and trees. Who the hell was the dog talking too? Had he finally gone mad? He sniffed again and after dismissing he’d come across before he caught it: Human. His eyes widened and he bit back a curse. He never would have caught that, if Matt hadn’t stopped him he would have gone running right into the damn thing.
“I-I didn’t kn-know anyone else kn-knew about this p-place” a hesitant voice stuttered. Brian rolled his eyes, this human sounded like he was afraid of his own shadow. Still, he was curious how this human could cover his scent so well, he could very well be a Hunter. With that thought his disregard turned to suspicion. Hunters could cloak themselves an innumerable amount of ways and they were always coming up with new tricks.
“Oh I didn’t, I must have gotten myself turned around, can you tell me where Lord Henry’s home is?”Matt said. Was he…courting? Brian clamped his teeth down on his tongue. Stupid Roman, only he would become infatuated with a threat. His lip lifted in a silent snarl as the human stuttered his response. “P-p-past the t-trees, the-there’s a d-deer p-path.”
“Thank you. What’s your name?”Matt’s voice was like honey and Brian resisted the urge to go charging through the bushes to shake some sense into the wolf.
“Z-Zachary.”
“Zachary what?”
“B-Baker, Z-Zachary B-B-Baker.”If Matt found that stutter endearing in any way, Brian was going to slap him until his mind returned. Brian could smell the human now, he reeked of fear.
“Zackary Baker, I’m not going to hurt you, calm down.”Matt had finally taken notice of the human’s cowardice and thought it was funny, too. That part of his mind was still intact. At least that’s what he thought until Matt spoke again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you angry.”Brian had to brace himself against a tree. Matt, Mathius the Great Roman didn’t apologize to anyone for anything. Brian realized he had left his crouch to stare at the other wolf when he saw part of Matt’s shirt through the bushes. He knew he should duck down again, in case this was a trap and there were Hunters in the area but now he had to know. What kind of human could make The Roman apologize. Taking a step forward he watched what little he could see of Matt for any signs the human was coming in his direction.
“Zachary, look at me.”
Brian froze and then resumed his movement. It hadn’t been a signal, Matt had probably forgotten all about him.
“Will you be here tomorrow?”It didn’t matter if the human was here tomorrow, they wouldn’t be. He was getting his wolf away from this human as fast as their paws could take them. Brian peered around the trunk of a tree prepared to see anything but what he saw. A small, dirty human staring at his feet trembling in fear. Brian gaped. This, this is what Matt apologized too?
“I’d like to talk to you again; will you be here tomorrow evening as the sun sets?”Brian’s head jerked around so fast he almost smacked his face against the tree. He couldn’t see Matt anymore but he saw the human’s hesitant nod. He looked up and Brian caught a glimpse of a round cheek smudged with dirt and a slender nose through his tangled black hair and then his face was gone again when he looked down.
“Until then Zachary.”Brian hadn’t heard Matt use that voice in several decades, he used to use it with him. Until Shasta. He shook away the memory and focused again on the human. He stared at the place Matt had been almost like he was trying to convince himself it had actually happened. He pushed his hair back and looked around the small clearing uncomfortably, as if he could feel Brian’s gaze. The human was pretty, in the fleeting way a thousand before him had been. Black hair, bright green eyes, and skin that would be pale if it was ever cleaned it wasn’t a unique combination. Matt’s warm scent drifted around him and they both watched the human as he turned and headed down a nearly invisible trail looking back at the clearing every few steps until he was out of sight.
Once he was gone Brian turned and pinned Matt with a glare that had sent more than one soldier running in his past life. Matt’s gaze stayed on the clearing a few seconds more and then he looked down. “What?” he murmured. Brian growled at him and Matt sighed before turning away. “Have you lost your mind?” Brian hissed. Matt faced him again and cocked his head to the side waiting for Brian to clarify. Brian pointed an angry finger at the clearing, “What was that? You could be walking into a Hunter pit. You can’t meet him again it’s not safe.”
Matt raised an eyebrow, a sign he was in the mood to be difficult. “He’s not a Hunter.” He said flatly. Brian snorted, “And, Apollo, just how do you know that?”
“He’s special.” Matt said as he stared over Brian’s shoulder at the trees blocking the clearing. Brian’s eye twitched, “He’s special? That’s your reasoning for getting us killed. This human is different from the thousands of others we’ve met.” Brian turned away waving a dismissive hand, “Fine, have your fun while you can. He’ll be dead in a decade anyway.”
“No he won’t.” Matt said softly. Brian tripped over his feet and wheeled around to face the other wolf again, fighting the change trying to overtake his body. “What?” the guttural word was all he could force out past his elongated teeth. Matt wasn’t looking at him again, “I want him with me. Now. Forever.”
Brian closed his eyes struggling for enough composure to speak, “You’ve met him only once and not even for a full conversation and you’ve decided you’ll curse him too?” The last words slurred as his teeth lengthened again. The closest thing the Roman wolf had to a wince trembled his skin. “I won’t force him. But I…I want him to say yes. I need him to say yes.” There was a tremor in his voice, uncertainty that Brian had never heard before. The black wolf stripped his clothes off, tossing them carelessly near a bush to find again later. Matt looked at him but didn’t ask where or why. “That thing is useless. Mighty Mathius takes a belly crawler for a mate,” he spat, “no one will take you seriously again.”
“It sounds like you’re afraid I’m going to run off and leave you alone.” There was no better archer than Matt. The nonchalant words slammed into Brian’s heart and his anger fell. Without a word he shifted and took off into the darkening woods.
*~*~*
            He ran circles around the village half the night before he found the human’s elusive scent. He didn’t risk moving too close to the one room hut, he could smell a cow and at least two goats inside, safe from predators and keeping the family warm in the fall night. There were seven other humans in the mud hut but all of them smelled like every other human; unwashed skin and hair, dirt, animal, and a flavoring of something that made each of them unique. Matt’s human was the only one that didn’t make the wolf’s ears lay back in disgust. Checking the wind and searching the night for any human stupid or drunk enough to be about this late he changed to his human form.
            “Special?” Brian murmured. Why was this human special? The thatch covered shack he slept in was in worse repair than the others in town, the cracked chinking was the only reason Brian had found his scent. If the holes had been patched he would have continued to run past the hovel. The small garden patch was water logged and the plants were giving in to drowning, their weak stems bowed and browned. He wrinkled his nose, the only thing that made the family special was their poverty in a relatively stable town.
            He retreated to his wolf form and the shadows when a light flared inside and the smell of smoke grew stronger as someone tended the fire. Mid-night. First sleep was over, now the humans would be up and about until the moon was lower. Settling back on his haunches Brian continued watching the house. The candlelight penetrated the night for a quick moment as someone slipped out of the house. Brian watched Matt’s human creep a few paces from the door and stare up into the sky. He didn’t seem aware that there were all sorts of things hiding in the shadows looking for an easy meal. The breeze picked up and the scent of cat reached Brian’s nose. The human stayed unaware until the cat yowled unexpectedly. Wolf and man jumped and turned to the sound but didn’t move more. Brian could imagine him staring into the blackness trying to find out where the sound had come from. His nose told him Matt was near, protecting his human.
            The door opened and the human flinched away from the light and sound. “Zachary.” A male boomed quieting the night and making Brian flatten his ears back. The male was much bigger than Matt’s human and stank of righteous authority. Father. The father scruffed Matt’s human and dragged him to the door before throwing him inside. The door slammed shut again, rattling more chinking loose, and muffled yells came from the hut. A high yelp of pain had Brian pricking his ears forward but after that peace returned to the night.
He stayed watching the quiet house, trying to guess what the humans were doing. Memories welled up and he tried to blink them away. The last time he had watched humans like this it had been Rai, his wife, as she mourned with his family. Not having his body had been an even worse blow, they had nothing to burn. They had assumed the Romans had taken the body, scattered it to the vultures and in a way they had. Matt hadn’t meant to change him, only save him from a legionnaire’s spear but even now he wished the spear would have gone through him. Seeing Rai suffer had been worse than death. Baring his teeth he turned and headed into the night again to find their deer cache.
*~*~*
            “He’s not going to say yes.” Brian said picking meat off a thigh bone. Matt was stretched out on his back watching the sun pass overhead. He turned his head some showing he was at least half listening. “No one wants immortality.” Brian said rubbing the scar on his shoulder where Matt’s teeth had torn into him, saving and killing him. Matt turned away and Brian had a hollow satisfied feeling that collapsed into guilt. Brian’s change hadn’t been intentional, just good intentions that had turned around to bite both of them. An apology balanced on his tongue a second before he swallowed it.
            “We’ll leave tonight and head to warmer land.” Matt said after a moment. Brian nodded and stared at the bone in his hand. What would his wife think if she saw him like this? A dark scowl warped his face and he tossed the bone at the carcass. “Don’t walk into a trap dog.” He snapped getting up and disappearing into the trees.
            He didn’t get far from Matt, he never did, and ended up in a tree staring at leaves and sunshine. Self-pity was threatening to drag him down and he was tempted to give in to it. He wanted to argue with Matt, keep him from even approaching the human again. The stupid Roman was stubborn though and wouldn’t listen to a word.
            “Brian.” Matt’s soft voice called from below. Brian bent a small limb back and looked down at the wolf waiting for him to say his piece. Matt leaned against his tree, “I can think of three reasons for you to be irritated with me, but none that would have you this upset.” He looked up and the sunlight caught his eyes making them shine like polished gold. Brian let the limb fall back into place. “It’s nothing Mathius.” He said. Matt sighed and Brian leaned his head back preparing to ignore him.
            “I’m sorry, Brian.” Matt said, just loud enough for the other wolf to hear. Brian clamped down on the urge to tear the branch back and stare at the wolf.
            “I didn’t mean to change you and if I could I would go back and change it all.” The words had been unspoken since Brian had woken far from battle and miraculously healed. He’d known, felt and smelled the guilt radiating from Matt for years but the wolf had never apologized for what he did. “I know, Mathius. I know.” Brian whispered.
            “I don’t want to hurt this little human like I hurt you.” The other wolf said, “But I can’t spend the rest of my life wondering if he would have said yes.” Brian pulled the branch back again and looked down at his friend and one time lover. “He would be a fool to say yes.” He said. Matt stared at the tree in front of him, “I know.” His whisper was pained, “And he’s not a fool.” He pushed away from the tree and glided into the trees, gone in a moment. Brian reclined against the trunk again and closed his eyes wishing he’d been softer.
*~*~*
            At sunset, Brian returned to the deer cache since the wolf was angry he had thrown away a perfectly chewable bone earlier. He came up short when he saw Matt sitting against a tree twisting a cleaned bone in his hands. Brian shifted to his human form, “You’re supposed to be meeting your human.” He said without preamble. Matt closed his eyes, “I can’t.” he said, he sounded weary and Brian settled in front of him. “And why not?” he asked softly. Matt’s gold eyes opened and Brian brushed a hand across his cheek smiling some when the other wolf nuzzled his palm.
            “I can’t do this to him.” Matt whispered. Brian got up and went over to the carcass searching for his discarded bone. “It’s his choice Mathius, and since he’s afraid of his own shadow you won’t be doing anything to him.” He found his bone and sighed when the wolf stopped nagging him, “Go bed your human for the night so we can leave.” He said shifting back and chewing his bone. During the moment Matt watched him he looked every bit the stoic Roman aristocrat, not a flicker of emotion showed through his poise and then he got up and disappeared into the trees.
            Now that the wolf was satisfied with his bone, Brian’s human mind started in on him. He was curious to see what Matt would do the other wolf’s fascination with the human was wearing on him. What did Matt see that made him so special? Picking up his bone he trotted into the trees following Matt’s scent until he reached the clearing.
            “Why don’t you wear shoes?” the human asked as Brian approached. He settled further back than he had the day before so the wolf could entertain itself with the bone while he listened. Matt’s soft laugh echoed Brian’s amused tail wag. “You know, most people don’t even notice that.I like to feel the earth beneath my feet, it’smore comfortable.”Matt explained. Had Brian been human he would have rolled his eyes. People didn’t notice his feet because they were too busy with his face, and the average human didn’t go around staring at the ground like this belly crawler.
            “Zachary Baker, you are a beautiful creature.” Matt whispered. Brian looked up from his bone, a little put out. In all the centuries they had spent together Matt had never called him beautiful. Not to his knowledge at least. The other wolf was fond of whispering things to him in Latin, which he didn’t fully grasp. The scent of lust wafted through the trees, both Matt’s and the human’s. Brian shook his head and continued stripping his bone of any last morsel. He didn’t blame the human for falling for the other wolf. Matt could be hard to deny when he turned on the Roman charm and chivalry.
            “Zachary! You’re supposed—” A child’s strident voice tore through the serenity of the woods and Brian jumped to his feet startled. Tail stiff behind him and hackles raised down his back he waited for any sign that Matt was in danger. Instead the human’s breathless stutter filled the heavy silence. “I-I know, I-I’m c-c-coming.”Leaves rustled and twigs broke as the two humans left the clearing and when the sounds faded Matt cursed quietly. Brian retrieved his dropped bone and trotted over to his companion settling by his feet. Matt was still staring down the path as if the human would come right back. Brian licked his leg once before returning to his toy. Matt left the clearing without a word and Brian watched him go, bone forgotten.
            Angry at himself and unsure why Brian left his bone after a few minutes and started down the path the human had taken. The sun was gone when he reached the end of it and found the human’s little hovel. The father was yelling again and there was another yelp. And another. And another. Brian growled, flashing his teeth at the house. The sounds stopped but the father continued bellowing, terror from the other humans and the livestock seeped from the cracks along with the sweeter scent of blood.
            The house grew quiet when the stars came out. Brian waited in the bushes, he needed to find Matt and hold him to his word that they would leave tonight, but instead he stretched out in the bushes and watched the house. A short time later the door swung open without the company of light and a figure stumbled out. He kicked the door closed and dragged himself to his feet. He stumbled a few steps and fell again, Brian got to his feet watching him. The scent of blood and the human’s distressed movements had the wolf interested. Brian shoved it aside and watched the human struggle to his hands and knees. From the darkness a silvery shadow stepped across the watery garden. Inside the cow and goats shifted uneasily as the scent of wolf and something other ghosted by them. Matt stopped before he came into the human’s line of sight, he seemed uncertain if he should approach. The human dragged himself a few feet more before collapsing again. He lay unmoving and Brian left the shelter of bushes to get a better look.
            Matt crept closer and licked the human’s cheek whimpering. Brian stayed back, the smell of blood was strong and the wolf was too eager to wet its muzzle. The human groaned and Matt backed away as he came back to consciousness.
            Brian didn’t know how the human did it, but he dragged himself to the clearing and finally collapsed near the stream dipping his hand in the cold water. Brian trotted past him and picked up his bone before camouflaging himself in the darkness under the bushes. Matt stayed with his human and when the boy rolled over he froze. Brian’s ears pricked forward and he waited for the human to scream. Tremors tore through the human but he stayed silent. Matt made a soft appeasing sound and Brian wrinkled his nose. The big silver and black wolf had no reason to make such a sound. Matt moved closer and the human was still quiet. Rank fear permeated the sweeter scent of the fall night. Matt licked his human’s cheek again and then his neck and his face cleaning the blood off. He settled next to his human with his head nuzzled against the boy’s chest. After a few moments the human’s trembling slowed and the fear stink disappeared. His breathing evened and he pressed closer to Matt’s warm body. Brian lay his head on his paws with a sigh watching the sleeping human. He still hadn’t found anything special about him.
*~*~*
Present Day
Brian stared into the waves and pushed himself to his feet. They weren’t going to help the ache tonight and being there with them was like a taunt. He trotted into the woods heading for home hoping the long run would exhaust him enough he could sleep, dreamless. In the distance the pack called to each other, they hadn’t had a successful night either. Woofing quietly he wished them luck the next time the sun set and lengthened his stride.
The sun was creeping over the horizon when he jumped the fence into his backyard. He padded over to the flagstone porch and lay down on the cool stone panting. He had wanted the backyard to be an oasis but it had turned into a pretty prison over the years. Colorful vines native to his homeland climbed the wood fence shedding their too sweet scent in the early morning. The wood couldn’t be seen anymore, he was walled in with greenery. A small koi pond was in the center of the yard surrounded by ground cover and two Japanese maples. Three large rocks that could double as sitting stones filled the places the trees didn’t block. A rod iron gate attached to a mossy stone pillar close to the house. The small flagstone walkway joined the back porch and the wide sweeping steps leading to the back door.
How many nights had he spent staring at the vines and fish waiting for exhaustion to overtake him. Once he had his breath back his shifted, stretching tired muscles and stumbled up the steps jerking the door open and all but falling inside.
The shrill ring of his cell had him snarling crankily. Checking the caller ID he hit TALK but before he could snarl at Matt for calling so damn early the alpha snapped at him. “Where the holy fuck have you been?” there was a strained edge to his angry voice and Brian’s attitude was cowed. “Out, what?” he said shortly rubbing his gritty eyes. “Lock everything and don’t leave. Jimmy’s rabid.” Matt said. Brian blinked, any thoughts of sleep gone with those words. “He’s what? How?” he demanded. A cold, sick feeling started in his stomach, “Where’s Johnny?”
“Zack’s taking him to The Doctor.” Matt said no longer angry. Brian sank down onto the hardwood floor, “How bad is it?” he closed his eyes and tried not to remember the ravaged wolves he’d seen in 1267. Matt sighed, “A bite on his arm. He’s okay, Brian. Terrified, but okay.” Matt said softly. Brian nodded and pulled his knees against his chest and thumped his head against the kitchen island. “We need to find him then.” The sick feeling was back, he could hear his stilted words and the pain he was trying to hide. Matt was quiet a moment and then, “I’ll be over in a minute, puppy.”
*~*~*
A/N: Sorry I didn’t update last week, I saw our boys in Cincinnati. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
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Outbreak