When Love Bites (LokixReader)

Chapter Nineteen

(Your Pov)

That night the team settled around the living room for a quiet night in. A real one, rather. Not to be disturbed by Fury, missions, or anything of the like. After your evaluation, a proper night away from werewolf magic was the only logical response.

"So, movie?" Clint asked, as the Avengers settled on the couches. It was Bruce's turn to make dinner, and promptly ordered Mediterranean food. That was quite the theme around here it seemed. Ordering food was the safer bet than actually trying to make it.

"Do not ask me, I only know two." Thor laughed as Clint made the mistake of handing him the remote. He changed pace, giving in and picking himself. Thor, Steve, Loki, and you didn't know movies all too well, so that eliminated half the team. Bruce was busy picking up food, no one liked Tony's movies, and Natasha would always pick some random channel. But to her benefit, when she landed on the Animal Channel it wasn't too horrible.

So that left Clint to choose. "Cinderella?"

"No!" Tony burst, throwing his head back. "Nothing with magic, I beg of you."

"That's literally any Disney movie." Natasha laughed, and you smiled along with her. You were sitting next to Loki on the couch, blankets curled around you. It's not that you were cold- in fact, most wolves' body temperatures were naturally high- but it was a nice substitute for the feeling of being smothered by cuddles. Humans... didn't always like cuddles. Or physical contact. Not as much as you did, anyway.

Clint sighed, flicking through movies. "At least pick a genre. Drama, Action, Sci-fi, Romance..." he listed the options until the elevator beeped in arrival. Bruce entered carrying many to-go bags. "Bruce, pick a movie!"

Bruce laughed, as the Avengers greeted him for their nightly sustenance. "You've got mail."

Thor perked up. "Who has mail?"

"It's a movie." Natasha laughed, grabbing her bag of food from Bruce. How she knew which was hers, you would never know. Banner set the rest on the middle table, before walking off to find drinks. "A rather gushy one. I didn't take you for a romantic, Brucey!" She shouted after him.

His voice echoed back with a laugh. "I find it funny."

"Comedy, then." Clint muttered, skimming over the titles. "A dog's purpose... How is that a comedy? Whoever organized these must've been heartless."

"A dog's purpose?" You chuckle at the title, "Do tell me what humans think is a dog's purpose."

Silence engulfed the room for a long few seconds. "It's about a dog reincarnated over and over to live out life with 'his person'. But you get to see how dogs are treated in all sorts of circumstances. " Tony explained, "It's generally described as quite the sad movie, though."

Oh. Well then.

You didn't know the kinds of 'circumstances' domesticated dogs ended up in through the mortal world, but from his tone, you didn't want to know. You assumed they couldn't all be bad, just as packs were, but how someone could mistreat an innocent animal...

"You've got mail, then." Tony turned back around, fishing out his meal from the to-go containers on the table. "There's no magic, right?"

"Just cheesy 90's tech." Natasha teased another groan out of Tony, as Clint started the film. You wondered what the difference of technology was between the decades, noticing instantly the blocky computers. No wonder screens are 'flat' nowadays.

You exited your blankets to grab food, handing the last box to your couchmate. Loki smiled in thanks, but you caught a hesitancy. Ever since the evaluation he's been off, in one way or another. At first you thought he was just shaken up a bit, as were you all. There was tension between you and Tony at first, though that had melted away by now. The same with the others: they shrugged off the event and moved on.

But with Loki, it seemed his emotions were changing every other minute.

So, with nothing more to lose, you sneak a hand to rest against his own. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' His glance caught your eyes, and he broke it instantly. What? Was it something you had done? The rest of the team were watching the movie, making jokes and overall enjoying themselves.

'Bullshit. Look at me.' You wait until he at least sneaks another glance in your direction, continuing. 'What happened in training?'

Loki stifled a sigh, using his other hand to run through his hair. 'I don't know. I... I could still feel your magic from the other room.' Shit. You knew something like this had happened, but you hoped it wasn't directly because of your Alpha that Loki acted that way. 'I knew it was just an evaluation and you had asked the Avengers to participate, but...' Loki paused, as you could see his mind whirling to find the words. 'But you were afraid. You didn't let it show, but somehow I knew and I couldn't stand by and do nothing.'

'Oh, Loki.' Screw the others, you grabbed his hand to hold it tight. He smiled from your support.

'And then the fear turned into rage. I knew it had to stop.'

'I'm sorry.' You sigh, now trailing lines on the back of his hand. You needed skin-to-skin contact to converse telepathically, but no one said in what way. 'I thought you would've been safe outside of the room.'

'A normal assumption.'

'I should've known something would happen, though.' You pause, 'Was it your own fear? Or...'

'Or yours.' He finished your sentence, answering your question along the way. 'Love, there's something I've been meaning to ask you.'

'Yeah?' At this point, anything would be better than this topic. You wondered how such a thing could even happen; Loki feeling your emotions, that is. Your fear, your anger. Has he felt anything else? He didn't mention any others, but you didn't exclude them.

You'd never heard of this happening before. Not between packs, soulmates, anyone! Not to this extent. If one of your pack was in danger, there was a chance you might feel a bit strange. Unease.

Not sharing emotions.

'Your wolf was afraid of me. During the full moon.' What? 'But it wasn't just the caution for humans or strangers, Darling.' By now he had returned the favor, holding your hand. It was a small reassurance through this news, as you tried to piece together what he was saying. You thought your wolf would have loved him. 'She was afraid of me.'

'What?' Why? Your wolf had no reason to fear Loki- Hell, she's barely even met him! She experienced what you did, and then was in control during full moons. And in your experience, there was no reason to fear Loki. Not for you, and definitely not for your wolf. But if it wasn't Loki, then what memory had been summoned in his presence? What had happened to you without you knowing? 'I didn't know. I thought she would have loved you.'

He smirked, squeezing your hand. 'I don't want you to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. But if you ever want to talk...'

'I know. You're here. Thank you, Loki.' You lean your head against his shoulder, cuddling to his side. Even if the team bothered to look away from the screen for two seconds, they would only see a bundle of blankets against Loki's side. 'I don't know what happened. But I'm very sure that it wasn't you she was afraid of. Maybe just... something you reminded her of.'