They ate in silence for a time, before Mark got up and told him lightly. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Then I think we should get moving." Giving a slight nod, Sean tried to finish up the last of his hot meal. Leaning over his shoulder in passing though, Mark added a bit protectively. "Make sure you put on the scent blocker. Put it on heavy. Just in case." Raising an eyebrow, Sean watched the way Mark scanned the little restaurant before heading out of sight. Mark was nervous? Reaching into the bag at his feet, he removed the scent blocker and discreetly squirted his neck. The humans didn't pay him any mind and from what he had heard about them. Humans didn't have a strong sense of smell like they did. He'd seen the humans spraying themselves in strange scents that had made him sneeze and guessed it was normal for them to do. Rubbing the scent blocker along his neck, he jumped as he noticed a man standing beside the table now.

The man was tall and scruffy. His scent was strong and almost overpowering. Sliding into the scent across from him, the man rested his muscular arms on the table. His dark eyes looking him over when he asked him in a deep voice. "Hello. What are you doing around here?" Sean gave him a confused look that made the man grin brightly before telling him. "We don't get many strangers. Especially of..." The man leaned closer, his eyes briefly flashing a bright wolfish yellow. Upon leaning back, the man told him confidently. "I'm not one for claiming territories... but I'd like to know why you're here." Swallowing, Sean mumbled out. "Visiting a relative. Our car broke down." The man's eyes narrowed, before he leaned closer and drawled out in a heavy Romanian accent. "You're gonna have to lie better than that, little wolf. The only sign of civilized life around here comes from the castle. You don't look like a royal to me."

Sean felt someone sniff his neck from behind, causing him to jump up from his chair. The chair clattered to the floor, drawing the attention of a few humans. Getting to his feet, the man glanced at the humans, and they hurriedly left with worried faces. The man who had sniffed Sean, chuckled and teased out. He acts too jumpy for a Beta, Morris. You don't think he's one of those... Omegas, do you? Escaped from the castle?" Morris stepped closer, reaching out to snatch Sean's throat, he pulled him closer. Staring him down, Morris told him gruffly. "One way to find out." Morris barred his teeth, starting to let out a growl... but it was drowned out by a much deeper and louder one. The growl made Sean quiver all over, but the other men were no longer looking at him. From somewhere behind them, Mark snarled aloud in a voice far more threatening than he'd ever heard. "Release him. Or lose your arm."

Morris' hand released Sean and Sean quickly backed away from him. Stepping past him, Mark kept his eyes locked on Morris as he told him bitterly with bared teeth. "He's a subordinate. You want something. You talk to me. Or back off." Morris looked to his buddy, before telling Mark sourly. "I was no informed that you were an Alpha." The other man slunk away with a whimper. Leaving Morris to tell Mark darkly. "You're from the castle?" Stepping closer to Morris, Mark told him sternly. "A guard. On patrol. Trying to find a lost Omega." Lunging forward, Mark made a show of sniffing Morris before asking. "You seen him?" Morris stepped back from Mark, answering uneasily. "No. I take in Betas. Omegas don't last out here." Mark snapped his fingers in Sean's direction, causing him to flinch. Pointing to their stuff, Mark ordered him sternly. "Get our things. He's not here. We're moving on." Sean rushed to obey, collecting all their stuff and staying close to Mark.

Refusing to turn his back on Morris, Mark circled him and told him seriously. "If you see him. Let us know. He's... valuable." Backing out of the restaurant, Mark guided Sean out in front of him. The moment they were far enough down the road to not be heard, Sean mumbled out. "I'm sorry. I... They surprised me." Rubbing his shoulder, Mark told him nicely. "It's not your fault. You've never impersonated a Beta before. That... slipped my mind." Slowing to walk beside him, he asked nervously. "Did you know they were there?" Mark nodded, answering as he glanced around the woods. "Yes. I saw them in the outdoor store. They were talking about you. Caught your scent at the clothing store..." Sean gawked at him, blurting out. "And we stayed? You should have said something!" Stopping short, Mark grabbed his arm and told him seriously. "THAT would have been a bad idea. You NEVER run from a predator. It only makes them chase you because you are acknowledging that THEY are top of the food chain."

Sean opened his mouth, but Mark put a hand over it, finishing firmly. "By staying, we confused them. They didn't know what you were. They'll think the sent of an Omega rubbed off on you from the castle. They'll see you now as an obedient pup in training under MY command. If we had run... They would have fought over you." Lowering his hand, Mark huffed out over his shoulder. "What do they teach you Omegas... For Luna's sake. Then they wonder why Omegas keep getting attacked and raped." Rolling his eyes, Sean followed him, muttering out pitifully in return. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that in this dog-eat-dog world... Omegas were so useless to you." Stopping again, Mark shot over his shoulder. "I didn't say that. I'm just saying that if Omegas were trained, maybe they wouldn't be such a meal." Narrowing his eyes on him, Sean retorted with mild amusement. "A meal, am I? Dare I ask how I taste to you?"

Mark let out a low growl, mumbling under his breath. "Oh, great luna spare me. One mating and he's a- AH!" Sean grinned as Mark dusted off the remains of the snowball that he'd hit him with. Turning around, Mark growled out. "What did you do THAT for?!" Scooping up some more snow, Sean playfully answered. "You deserved it." Shaking off the snow, Mark growled back at him. "Sean, starting a fight with me is the last thing you want to do." Rolling his eyes, Sean teased back innocently. "I'm not fighting you. You're not hurt." Throwing another snowball, he hit Mark in the chest, causing Mark to stagger back in shock. Jumping to a new spot, Sean scooped up snow to make another ball. Just before throwing it, Sean stopped. Mark looked... confused. Dusting the snow off, Mark scolded him. "Stop it. If we fight. I'll kill you." Blinking perplexed, Sean gasped out. "Oh, great Luna... you don't know how to play."

Turning away from him, Mark grumbled out. "We don't have time for this. If we keep following the road, we should be alright. I'll get my bearings by the stars tonight." Trailing after him, Sean talked over him as he blurted out. "I don't believe it... they trained the fun out of you!" Mark scoffed, growling back lightly. "You don't know what you're talking about. We have fun." Rushing out to stand in front of him, Sean stopped him with his hand and said softly. "The coordinated dance thing. The survival training. Learning to fight. Mark... did you ever just... play in the snow? Splash around in the puddles in the pouring rain?" Stepping around him, Mark mumbled out neutrally. "Puppies do that, Sean. My job is to protect the pack. To lead them. What purpose would any of that serve?" Shrugging, Sean joked back innocently. "It would dislodge that stick from your ass for one thing." From farther up, Mark asked a bit defensively. "What did you say?"

Smirking, Sean turned on his heel and restated. "I said, think fast." Mark turned around just in time to get a face full of snow. Snorting, Sean told him playfully. "How do you plan to protect us with reflexes that slow?" Flicking the snow off, Mark growled out with frustration. "Sean... Don't make me hurt you." Throwing another snowball at him, Sean stuck his tongue out at him. Until Mark started running at him! With a yelp, Sean dashed down the road and round the trees with Mark right on his heels. He couldn't tell if Mark was playing or not and didn't want to risk it. Dashing around a tree for the fourth time, Mark acted like he was going to cut him off, so he turned back. A mistake. Mark had practically herded him where he wanted to go. Running him down and tackling him into the snow. Sending up a puff of fresh snow all around them. Sean yelped as he felt Mark's teeth press against his throat, causing him to still himself.

Panting hard, they both stayed there, until Mark pulled his teeth away and licked the light bite. The bite hadn't pieced his skin. It had just scared him. Staring down at him, Mark panted lightly in a deep calm voice. "I can punish you for disobeying your Alpha's orders. I should swat you across the ass like a disobedient pup. Since you like acting like one." Leaning up to kiss Mark's cold cheek, he bashfully panted out much harder than Mark. "You're not my Alpha... yet. But... you could be." Easing off him, Mark grimly told him. "I can't. Not in the way you want. I have to be with Cecilla." Getting to his feet, Mark started to walk away, causing Sean to jump up and ask him with mild curiosity. "You know her name? What else do you know?" Shrugging, Mark leaned his back against a tree as he said. "Not much. I've heard she's strong and cares deeply about her pack. I've heard she takes in stray pups to keep them from starving on their own."

Sean shifted nervously, mumbling out. "She... She sounds nice." Giving him a nod, Mark inhaled and exhaled as his only answer. Patting Mark's arm, Sean coaxed him to start walking again as he tried to cheer him up by saying. "Well... A lot could happen between then and now." Sniffing the air, Sean began to tell Mark. "Home is this way. If we cut through here, we can- HEY!" Sean jerked as snow burst over his shoulder. Smirking, Mark walked past him, sassily stating over his shoulder. "You deserved it." Kicking snow at Mark, he watched Mark jump away with a hearty laugh that caused Sean to feel warm and fuzzy inside. For hours they tracked through the snow and stayed more alert as it grew darker. Until Sean slowed and asked Mark hopefully. "Can we stop for the night? My legs are tired... and cold." Looking up at the night sky, Mark told him coolly. "We can keep going. The more ground we cover the better."

Panting out waves of hot breath into the cold air, Sean pleaded aloud. "Mark... I'm an Omega. I can't keep going like this... I'm cold and hungry. My legs feel like Jello held up by frost! Please?" Groaning, Mark gestured to a more level spot, telling him reluctantly. "Oh, alright. We'll camp there. I'll get some firewood. You dig us some spots for the tents and the firepit. Sean nodded but only managed to dig out the firepit before Mark got back. It took Mark no time at all to get a nice fire going. While Sean did his best to dig out a spot of a tent. His fingers felt so frozen and his back hurt from trying to dig deep into the hard frosted earth. When Mark touched his waist and told him nicely. "Go sit by the fire. Warm up. I'll take over." Thanking him, Sean took a seat on a tree stump by the fire. The warmth felt amazing... but the sight of Mark working made him feel the most content. After watching him for a few more minutes though, he straightened up. Something was different about Mark.

He could sense it. Was it the trick of the firelight, or had Mark gotten more muscular? His arms appeared to be more defined than before. Even the grunts and light snarls that he made while digging felt... deeper. Stronger. Sniffing the air, Sean glanced around. This part of the woods were so quiet. The animals knew that a predator was present. They could sense them. Yet, he somehow felt like they weren't quiet because of his presence... but Mark's.  To Be Continued...