Warmth of the Sun

Part 3

Loud talking erupted from the werewolf pack as they surrounded their alpha leader. Anton looked between each of them, all of them speaking over each other, bombarding him with questions that he was having a hard time answering, because as soon as he goes to answer, another asks a question or bicker with each other, unable to get a word in edgewise because of it.
"Why the heck is he here?!" Clifton asked rather harshly, glaring at the alpha in front of him, who didn't much like his tone.
"He's here-,"
"Shouldn't he be asleep right now?" Dion asked next, looking around with a frown. "The sun could get him."
"Why is that your worry!?" Clifton snapped glaring at Dion who flinched at his harshness. "You should be worried about him sucking your blood!"
"Now hold on just a minute-,"
"I don't think he would do that," Nathan M argued, ignoring Clifton's glare with an unbothered shrug. "He doesn't like our smell so he might not like our blood either."
"Guys would you just-,"
"Well if he's starving then he wouldn't be so picky now would he?" Clifton snarked as he turned to Nathan M who just rolled his eyes.
"Guys-?"
"But didn't Anton say he already ate?" Nathan G added, pointing to an agitated Anton.
Anton let out a frustrated sigh as they continued to argue over each other, glaring at each of them as they got louder and louder. He needed to get a handle on this otherwise it could all turn sideways.
"If you would all just-,"
"Besides, isn't Viago the nice one?" Nathan G pointed out, looking directly at Clifton, who seems to be the only one who has a problem.
"None of them are nice!" Clifton snapped and pointed behind himself. "Even he insults us!"
"He doesn't mean to."
"But he does anyway. Intentional or not!" Clifton snapped before running his hands through his face, taking in a breath before he spoke. "Look I'm telling you, that this is all fishy! He's spying on us to get information to use against us!"
"Okay, now you're just being paranoid."        
"I am NOT being paranoid! Why else would the bloodsucker-?!"
"Alright, that's ENOUGH!" Anton barked, a booming growl escaping him as he spoke, sounding like thunder as he glared at the pack. His eyes glowed bright yellow with anger. He watched as the others yelped before going silent cowering their heads at the sound of his growl, keeping their eyes to the ground to avoid his angered glare. After they were silent, Anton squinted his eyes shut and shook his head, taking slow breaths to get his anger under control. Once he stopped growling, he opened his now human eyes to glare at the others who still had their heads down, all looking very guilty except for Clifton who was just glaring at the ground. He let out a sigh putting his hands together as he spoke.
"Okay, like I said before," He began watching as they cautiously looked up at him. "The reason that Viago is here is because he was hunting by himself and after he decided to go on a stroll. But he didn't realize the sun was coming up so he ended up getting burned."
"Oh no, is he okay?" Dion asked with a gasp looking up at Anton with genuine worry.
Anton ignored Clifton's scoff and eye roll as he looked at Dion. "He's fine, but he did get badly burned," He explained, looking at the others. "He managed to make it to my house to heal, that's why the aloe vera is out and why his vest was on the couch," He answered glaring at Clifton. "His shirt needed cleaning and I helped him with his wounds and once the sun was up I knew it was too dangerous to get him home so I offered to let him stay until the sun went down. So he will be joining us today... Okay? Up to speed now?" He asked, looking between the pack members who nodded their heads, before Nathan M lifted his hand, causing Anton to sigh. "Yes, Nathan?"
"Uh, why are we having this conversation outside?" He questioned.
Sure enough, all of the wolves besides Stu were outside in front of Anton's yard. Cars were slowly driving past them, making it hard for some of the pack members to resist the urge to chase after them, they could have sworn they heard a squirrel in one of the trees somewhere also.
"Because I don't want Vi to hear this conversation because some of us," He began, glaring at Clifton the whole time. "Like to say some pretty hurtful things when it comes to him and his kind."
"Why is everyone looking at me?" Clifton snapped looking at Anton in clear annoyance.
"Because you're the only one that saying hurtful things, Clifton!" Dion snapped. "Damn! You can't be that unaware."
Clifton squints his eyes looking right at Dion with a growl. "Oh fuck off!"
"Hey! Stop swearing!"
Meanwhile, Stu and Viago were sitting on the couch in the now-empty living room. Both were able to hear the others bickering outside from where they were, which made it very awkward for both of them. Stu had his hands clasped together while his elbows rested on his legs, able to hear Dion and Clifton growling at each other before he heard their alpha let out another bark, causing him to stifle a flinch. He didn't like it when Anton had to snap to get them all in line. To distract himself he looked over to Viago a frown form at the sight of the vampire.
Viago wasn't sitting up straight. Prim and proper like he usually does. Now he was curled into the couch, his legs pressed tightly together and frozen still like a statue. He was hidden in Anton's hoodie his hood up to hide his face but from where Stu was sitting, he could see a deep frown carved into his features. A look of sadness and worry lay bare in his dark eyes. His hands were hidden in the hoodie sleeves and his arms were wrapped tightly around each other, hugging himself closely. Almost like he was trying to hide in Anton's hoodie or make himself small. Like he was trying to make himself disappear.
Stu stared at him for a long time before reaching out and resting a gentle hand on Viago's shoulder. He ignored how the vampire flinched before looking up at him with those big eyes. Puppy eyes he remembers hearing Anton call them. Telling him how he could never resist them, saying that he would fold instantly every time the vampire used them on him to get his way. Stu pushed that thought aside, as he smiled at Viago, giving his arm a comforting squeeze.
"You alright, Vi?" He questioned, pulling his hand away and leaning forward, waiting for the vampire's answer.
Viago let out a sigh, sitting up a bit as he stared ahead with a frown, playing with his arm sleeves as he spoke. "I don't think they want me here for guys' day." He whispered his frown only deepening.
"Nah I wouldn't say that," Stu disagreed looking from him to the front door able to still hear them all bickering. "From what it sounds like the only one who has a problem with it is Clifton."
"But still, what if the others think he's right and follow suit?" Viago then looked at the door in worry. "What if they try to get me to leave when the sun is out?"
"Oh they wouldn't do that Vi," Stu shook his head, getting the vampire's attention. "They aren't cruel. They would never send you out when it's most dangerous. And if they did try Anton would never let that happen. He loves you too much for that."
Viago looked at Stu with a frown, nodding his head but another worry only seemed to come up. "But what if they decide to leave because they don't want to have a boys' day with me here? I don't want to be the reason Anton can't hang out with his pack/friends!"
"If they decide to leave just because their alpha leader has a vampire for a boyfriend and wants him to spend boys' day with them, then they weren't good friends or pack members, to begin with. You have every right to join boys' day like anyone else. No matter what creature of the night you are," Stu watched as Viago bit his lower lip casting his eyes to the ground with a nod, soaking in his words. Stu then placed his hand back on Viago's shoulder causing him to look up at him. He gave him a comforting smile shaking his shoulder lightly as he spoke. "Anton loves you very much and is lucky to have you as his boyfriend. That means you're part of the pack now. The others will see that soon enough and if they don't then we can have a good boys day without them. But know that I'm here for you and support you and Anton completely."
Viago couldn't help but get a little misty-eyed at Stu's words. He was such a kind person, through and through. He couldn't help but sniffle, reaching up to rest a hand on the werewolf's arm giving it a gentle squeeze. "Danke very much Stu. I'm so glad my flatmates and I didn't eat you."
Stu chuckled at that. If Stu had heard that when he first met the group of vampires and was human, he would have been kind of unnerved and slightly scared. But after getting to know the kind vampire before him along with his flatmates he kind of took it as a complement. "I'm glad you guys didn't either. I wouldn't have had the chance to be friends with you guys or never would have met Anton and the others."
"Ah that is true," Viago agreed as Stu pulled his hand away. He then let out a gasp before his eyes grew wide. "And if you weren't here, we wouldn't have made friends with the werewolves, and Anton and I wouldn't have been together! It's crazy how fate works like that!"
Stu couldn't help but chuckle at that, feeling like he had a case of deja vu just now. "Nah, I feel like you would have found each other anyway." He began, saying the same thing he said to Anton, only he wanted the vampire's perspective on this. "You're like soulmates."
The vampire's features softened at that, looking directly at Stu. "You really think so?" He asked softly, hugging Anton's hoodie close.
"Yeah I do," Stu answered with a grin, leaning back on the couch still looking at Viago. "There's this pull between you two every time you're around each other, even before you were friends, like magnets. I don't know it's like you're destined for each other."
Viago thought long and hard about his words, a bright smile forming on his face as he leaned forward. "You know, I think that you are right, Stu. I felt it too. I felt it every time was around him like a force pulling me in." He then nods his head looking over at Stu with a big toothy grin. "It's fate I believe."
"Hmm, so you believe and fate and soulmates?" Stu questioned crossing his leg over the other.
"Ja, always have. Deacon and Vlad think I'm ridiculous for believing in that sort of thing but... In my heart, I always knew it was true," A small smile formed on his face as he cast his eyes to the ground, centuries-old memories beginning to resurface. "My mother, she believed in it as well. I got it from her, I know I did... She'd tell me when I was really little about fate, soulmates and what they mean, and how closely they worked together. She said a soulmate is fate's way of finding your true love, finding the one person that brings you eternal happiness. She'd tell me to let fate guide me to them and when you'd find them, you'll know."
Stu smiled at that, listening intently as the vampire looked back on his memories.
"I never strayed from her words. For centuries I always believed that fate would guide me to my one true love. Even through the dark times, I believed. Even after I've been turned unwillingly-." Viago suddenly froze, his warm smile turning into a frown, not wanting to share that much with the werewolf just yet, hoping he wouldn't say anything but, his prayers were left unanswered (as always).     
"Wait you were turned unwillingly?" Stu asked with a frown, looking at Viago in concern.
Viago pressed his lips together, as unpleasant memories resurfaced. He remembered it happened at night, traveling alone, heading to someone's house... a lover. A soulmate he thought, but he was wrong. He remembered a smile but with an unloving gaze, and pointed teeth he never noticed before. He remembered pain in his neck, unable to get away and growing weaker by the second. He felt cold, really cold. Cold as he was now but he wasn't used to it then, he hated it, he hated the cold. It made his limbs numb. He remembered a metallic taste, trying to pull away to spit it out but he was held there unable to breathe, and forced to drink. He remembered his strength returning tenfold but he was still cold. So very cold. He wanted to go home. He wanted his mother, he wanted the ever-growing hunger to stop, and he wanted to drink-.
Viago shook his head off the memory, pulling himself back into the present but his frown was unchanging. He hadn't thought about that night in so long, for decades he tried to push that memory out of his mind, thinking that it would be lost with time but he knew in the back of his mind it would always be there to remind him of how he became what he was. Of what was taken from him.
"Yes, I was turned... against my will," Viago softly answered, involuntarily curling in on himself as he spoke. "My sire was... known for changing his victims without their consent."
"Ah, man that..that's horrible," Stu whispered receiving a nod from the vampire. "How did it happen?"
"I uh, rather not talk about this right now," The vampire whispered, rubbing his shoulders and turning to Stu. "It's... a very unpleasant story. I'm... Not ready to share."
"Oh Vi, I'm sorry," Stu placed a hand on Viago's knee as a sign of comfort. "I shouldn't have asked."
"Oh, it's quite alright, Stu. You didn't know," The vampire offered the werewolf a kind smile to show that he was okay. "I... I will tell you and Anton about it eventually it's just... I'm not ready to rehash that part of my history."
"I understand," Stu whispered as he pulled away once more, noticing that Viago began to frown again. "Must have been really hard."
"It... was," A sigh escaped the vampire, but a small smile formed on his face anyway. "But it got easier when I got away from my sire... I never lost hope. I always told myself that it was fate's way of keeping me alive long enough to find my other half. That's why I've always been a hopeless romantic you see, that's what Deacon and Vlad call me. Anyway, I kept going, pushing myself forward until I'd find my soulmate. At first, I thought I found my soulmate in Kathrine, thinking she was the one but sadly I was mistaken. But you were there, ended on a good note," He said looking at Stu with a nod who gave him a nod back. Viago then looked down at a picture of Anton, a smile forming on his face as he reached for the photo holding it in his hands. "Then my sweet Anton came along and right then I knew it was him. Like you said before, it felt like magnets pulling us together. I never felt that pull with any other lover until I met him, not even with Kathrine," He then smiled a Stu, setting the picture back down on the table as he spoke. "So yeah, I believe in fate. Without it, I probably would still be under my sire's thumb and never would have met you, Nick, my flatmates, or Anton."
Stu couldn't help at smile at that, grateful that Viago was away from a sire so cruel and was now safe, surrounded by friends who cared for him deeply. "I admire how you can take a bleak part of your past and turn it into something hopeful."
  "Yeah well, I always try to see the good in everything," Viago whispered before he stared ahead, sitting in silence for a moment before he shrugged. "In truth, I never understood why werewolves and vampires hate each other. I was always told to never trust them but never given a reason why."
"Yeah, I wouldn't know anything about that," Stu sighed. "I tried asking Anton, but he said he didn't know either."
"Hmm, well like I said before, I'm glad you were here to change that," Viago smiled patting Stu on the shoulder. "You're still the reason Anton and I are together in this life and for that you have my gratitude."
"No need to thank me, mate." Stu shrugged him off with a grin before looking at the vampire who seemed much more relaxed than before. "You feel better now?"
"I do," Viago whispered, looking from Stu to the door with a sigh. "But I'm hoping this works out."
Meanwhile, while Stu and Viago were talking, the werewolf pack was still arguing with Anton, who had his hands pressed together toward his lips letting out a frustrated sigh.
"I'm not calling him dad," Clifton grumbled under his breath, looking at the ground with his arms crossed.
"I'm not expecting you to call him dad," Anton whispered with a sigh rubbing his forehead before he paused, squinting his eyes at Clifton. "Why would you even call him dad?"
He waited for an answer, but Clifton was silent, avoiding his gaze by looking anywhere but the alpha werewolf in front of him, causing Anton to glare at him as he spoke. "Do you call me dad?"
"... Sometimes," Clifton answered still avoiding Anton's gaze while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Why on earth would you call me that?!"
"Well, you kind of are... In a way," Dion chimed in with a shrug. "Alpha werewolves are like the dad and moms of the group most of the time."
"We're all around the same age!" Anton snapped looking between the two. "You can't just go around saying that I-," He paused before letting out a sigh, placing his pointing finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Look you don't have to call him dad okay? So just drop it."
He then pulled his hand away from his face, looking up at his pack who was watching him closely, his eyes full of sincerity as he spoke. "I don't ask for much from you guys, only what is expected... Please just try to get to know Vi before you pass judgment... I haven't been in a relationship like this in so long and I'm... I'm actually happy with him and he genuinely cares about me. Please be nice to him," He looked between each pack member watching as they nodded their heads in agreement but when he looked a Clifton he still had his arms crossed, glaring at Anton. The alpha's shoulders fell slightly as he frowned looking Clifton directly in the eye. "Clif, please."
Clifton stared at the alpha in front of him for the longest time, able to feel the other pack members' eyes on him but he kept focused on Anton, who was frowning at him waiting for him to speak. He wanted to shoot his request down, not wanting to be in the same room with the vampire, afraid that the bloodsucker was there to plot something. But the longer he looked at Anton the more harder it was for him to tell him no straight up. In truth, he noticed a change in Anton ever since he got with Viago. He noticed that he was a lot happier with him around. Anton would go out more, no longer locking himself up in his room to sleep the day away and he no longer sulked when the others dragged him around. He was acting like his old self before he was a werewolf. Before he and Anton were attacked one fateful night and cursed to become a beast at the sight of a full moon.
Clifton let out a sigh, uncrossing his arms as he looked at Anton. He looked from one eye then the other before he began to speak. "Fine," He grumbled, gently shuffling one foot as he spoke. "I won't like it, but I'll play nice."
"Thank you, Clifton. That's all I ask." Anton whispered with a sigh, receiving a shrug from the other. "Okay. Are there any more questions before we go back in?... No?... Okay now, we are gonna go in there and make sure Vi feels welcomed on our boys' day okay?" He questioned watching as the others nodded their heads with a smile, aside from Clifton who just nodded his head. "Alright."
With that, Anton began to walk back toward the door the others following suit. Clifton however, paused for a moment watching as the others walked back into the house where the vampire resided. He still didn't like this, having a really bad feeling. Sure, he was fine with the pack going out to hang with the vampires but now there was one in one of their packs members home. And not just any pack member's home, it was their alpha's home. Something could happen, one of them could get seriously hurt if Viago was plotting against them. Maybe this was the vampire's plan all along. Maybe if he got in good with the alpha he could gain easy access into their pack to hurt them. He'll just have to keep an eye on the vampire while he's here, not wanting anything to happen to his pack, and certainly not wanting anything to happen to Anton. So he tugged his jacket close, beginning to follow the others inside, wanting to be there to protect Anton if anything went wrong.