Whoever it was, was smart enough to keep their distance. Which made Brandon assume that it wasn't the same Lycan that had antagonized Lobo but someone who was warry to intrude on a freshly marked couple.

Someone who had been warned not to antagonize a certain Lycan again.

It only displayed Lobo's remarkable self-control; Anyone who had just marked their intended would be extremely protective of them and given the fact that Brandon was the intended of a lycan...Brandon had a sneaking suspicion that if the wrong Lycan presented themselves and annoyed Lobo or worse, went after Brandon, Lobo would have no qualms with putting their head through the wall.

"For sta rters." The man snarled whilst keeping his ears pinned to where the Lycan was hiding. Just thinking of that brat was making Lobo's blood boil cause he had that feeling, that instinctual guess that if that brat of a lycan was the one watching, he'd have gone out of his way to pester Brandon.

Perhaps even tried to see what made Brandon so special in order to be marked by a Lycan.

Brandon didn't move from where he was nuzzled against Jamie's throat, nor did Jamie pause a moment from weaving his fingers through the Alpha's hair. A low grumble vibrated through Brandon's throat, the inner beast virtually purring at the attention they were receiving. Enjoying the light scrapes of Jamie's nails over his scalp.

The beast also noticed Jamie's flush and slight smile and grumbled contently, sounding more like a feline shifter instead of a werewolf. Both beast and Brandon liked sharing a little moment of affection and comfort with Jamie and they didn't mind sharing that notion over their link.

Because wanted to be completely honest with the community. Lies and deceit would only destroy their bond, the trust they were developing between one another. He could sense their appreciation before moving along when Jamie shifted their position slightly.

A yawn escaped Brandon before he could stop it, gaining a chuckle from Jamie. The Beta's scent sweetened and Brandon felt a brush of lips against his forehead before he opened his eyes. Meanwhile in their shared mindscape, his beast was belly up and enjoying some pets from the rest of the community.

Part of Brandon could sense Jamie's worry still lingering in his mind. After all, the Beta worried about the lack of physical interactions between them and how that could potentially put a strain on their developing bond.

Brandon nearly flushed as the community sensed his reply and fell even harder for him. That the young Alpha would never push for sexual physicality, would gladly take any kind of affection Jamie and the others were comfortable with. In fact, the slight scratches of Jamie's fingernails scraping over his scalp were absolute bliss and Brandon would gladly take them.

Petrichor softened and sweetened under his nose as Brandon's flush heated his face before the Alpha felt nothing better than to hide his face in the crook of Jamie's neck. Like a distressed damsel about to swoon from getting a hint of affection from their crush.

Something that filled the Beta with both amusement and affection as he nuzzled Brandon's hair with a low chuckle. Warmth and appreciation flooding over the link whilst Brandon could sense that simmering worry disappear from Jamie's thoughts.

This is enough. We are enough.

Yet that brief moment of peace and quiet was interrupted when they both heard an audible scuff of shoes against the floor. As if the Lycan was making their presence known before approaching, uncomfortable to intrude and potentially startle the pair. Even Jamie let out a low, frustrated growl from where he still held onto Brandon, briefly nuzzling the man's hair before they both turned towards the approaching Lycan.

Or rather, Lycans.

Brandon could feel the low vibration of Jamie's growl and shared in the Beta's frustration. Petrichor soured and combined with Ozone when another Lycan came around the corner before Brandon was pulled closer just a tad tighter.

And the Alpha surprised everyone when he was the one to growl at the Lycan that had annoyed and irritated Lobo. Teeth gritting and eyes narrowing as they found the Lycan that smelled the youngest, that reacted first on the slight sound with a smirk before lowering his gaze when his leader levelled him with one of her own.

Brandon might be weakened, could feel his muscles shiver from exertion with the slightest move he made. But the young Alpha would be damned if he let some upstart brat try to mess with his loved ones.

"We mean no harm, Alpha Brandon." Enya murmured, pitching her voice soft and soothing as she turned her scarred face back towards the wary pair. Even with her reassurance, Brandon glared at the younger Lycan behind her, as if daring the brat to open his mouth again.

And he had a feeling that if Enya and the other Lycan wasn't there, he would've. Even now when he had just been quietly scolded, the pup had a slight smirk on his lips that he couldn't quite hide. And when that brat looked up, locked eyes with Brandon and deepened his smirk, the young Alpha swore that if he had felt better, he would've vaulted across the room, Lycans be damned.

Instead, he inhaled the soothing petrichor under his nose as even Jamie slightly turned in his seat. To his surprise, the Beta kept his attention on Enya with a raised eyebrow. "Forgive me if I speak out of term but last time we met, you assured that you had your pack under control. Either you were lying then or some in your pack don't respect your leadership." Jamie stated, slowly flitting this eyes to the bratty Lycan behind her before dismissing him in the same motion.

"I thought that you, as leader of the Lycans, were highly respected. Both among regular packs and among yourselves." Jamie added, ignoring how the brat was now gritting his teeth in barely controlled anger. Glaring daggers at Jamie and Brandon whilst the young Alpha could detect the slightest change in Jamie's scent. Slowly, ever so gently, ozone was mixing in with the petrichor into its own potent blend.

It made Brandon realize that Lobo had detected Jamie's stress even whilst confronting the Lycans and was slowly but surely taking over. Allowing Jamie the reigns of control for now, a thinly veiled image of the Beta in the front as Lobo waited right underneath, knowing what was to come.

Even with Lobo's sweltering annoyance and anger, the nails mindlessly scraping over Brandon's scalp remained gentle and soothing as the young Alpha struggled not to arch into the gesture. The slight smirk on Lobo's lip showed that he had noticed as his scent sweetened with amusement.

Setting off the younger Lycan, who assumed the smirk was directed at him.

Before he could even vault past Enya, canines bared at Lobo and Brandon with rage burning in his eyes, he was slammed down on the floor in the blink of an eye.

Brandon didn't even know when Lobo had gently placed him down on the bench, nor how the Lycan had moved that quickly. The young Alpha's eyes flitted towards the shredded clothes twirling to the floor and then towards fully shifted Lobo keeping a firm grip on the younger Lycan's head.

"First, you demean me. Then you disrespect my intended, attempting to rile him up while he's weakened and now you dare to go after him?" Lobo's voice was a low growl, fur bristling in his nape as his tail swished angrily. "I think I realize why I dislike you..."

Lobo leaned down, ignoring the other Lycans who had rushed closer to defend their pack member, only to pause at Enya's gesture. Demanding them to stay back, even as Lobo now slowly lifted the struggling Lycan pup, seemingly without effort.

Ozone filled the air with an electric charge, as if a heavy thunderstorm was overhead just waiting to unleash hell. "Yeah... I remember this stench, this behaviour. You stink of Corrupted." Lobo snarled lowly before throwing the pup at Enya, who managed to catch him with a low sigh.

"He's a recent addition-"

Lobo snorted dismissively, crossing his arms in front of his chest and taking a step back to stand in front of Brandon. "If you want to start with those excuses, do remember that I am younger than him. Both as a Lycan and at existing."

Motioning with his chin towards the now silent brat, Lobo added "He was the first to call me out, seemingly protective of the Corrupted I was maiming. Has been nothing but a hassle and targeting both myself and Brandon. Hell, his first instinct when he noticed I was with my freshly marked intended, was to pick a fight. I'd hate to see what he'd do when introduced with anyone else under my care." Lobo's voice grew ice-cold, fur bristling as he barely restrained himself.

"He's behaving exactly like a Corrupted would. I have half a mind to simply erase this issue all together, considering his behaviour to someone on equal footing as himself." Lobo added with grin that was more a barely veiled threat instead of a sign of warmth and comfort.

As Lobo had pointed out, if this Lycan brat was willing to antagonize Lobo, a fellow Lycan who was fresher to the world than he was... how would he react to an easily panicked and triggered Sean or worse, deal with Noah?

Even Brandon didn't like the idea, as he could only imagine how the immature Lycan would corner Sean or Noah if given the chance. Just in order to antagonize Lobo further, simply because he felt threatened by the pup.

"If he's already willing to antagonize and piss off Lobo because of his own sense of satisfaction, how far would he push Sean? Would press his luck on being around me whilst freshly marked?" Brandon mused, glaring at the pup with a barely suppressed growl of his own.

"With all due respect Ma'am, control your lover before I'm forced to protect my family and my intended." Lobo snarled, giving Enya a pointed look whilst the young pup beside her flushed, shocked gaze flitting towards his leader. "I don't give a damn how your pack mechanics work but you better keep your pack under control instead of letting one run rampant simply because he interests you."

In Enya's defence, she didn't even offer a hint of protest or anger as she lowered her head respectfully and nodded. Everyone present knew that Lobo was speaking the truth but their situation was rather painful: it was akin to Enya being admonished by a baby, considering Lobo's relatively short moment of existence so far.

Lobo's voice was firm as he pointed a clawed finger at the brat. "Keep that away from us. He so much as breathes wrong, I will put him in his place and neither of you are going to like it." His words were followed by silence as Enya simply nodded once more.

Brandon blinked with surprise when Lobo turned to him and flushed when he was lifted and plopped down in the Lycan's lap as the man sat down on their former seat with an annoyed grumble. Though the young Alpha couldn't help but smile when he felt Lobo relax, heard him taking a silent few whiffs of Brandon's scent as Lobo's nose rested inches away from his mark.

And Brandon could swear he heard Lobo purr when he leaned back against the man's chest, letting his own hands rest on the arms tucked around his stomach. "Why did you even bring him here, if you already suspected it would set Lobo off?" Brandon questioned, keeping his tone neutral even though his skin twitched and sparked whenever Lobo's nose barely brushed against his mark.

"I wanted Arlo to stop acting like a toddler and apologize." Enya clacked her tongue with a pointed look to her lover, who at least had the decency to look sheepish. "We might be a unique pack but that doesn't mean the pack members can act as they want. I had hoped Arlo would show some maturity and be able to admit his mistakes but clearly I was mistaken."

Her lilac scent grew bitter with her annoyance and frustration before it calmed once more when Arlo's own myrrh scent turned earthier and lacked its spicy punch. Much to Brandon's surprise, Arlo finally swallowed his pride and bowed towards him and Lobo.

It took the Lycan pup a few moments to mull over his words before he sighed, "I have no excuses. At least none that matter. When I first met Lobo, I was worried about Enya and also wanted to prove that I was worthy to stand by her side. I guess a part of me saw Lobo as a threat considering he is more capable than I am and he reminded me of my lack of control." Arlo lowered his head further, baring his nape for all to see. A sign of submission, as he was baring a critical area to Lobo and Brandon. "I don't know why I felt the need to irritate you further with your Intended here. I..." He sighed before shaking his head, scent growing bitter with self-loathing. "I have much to learn."

"At least he fucking knows that." Lobo snarled over their link, forcing Brandon to bite his tongue in order to hold back his snort of amusement.

Brandon relaxed further against Lobo, not even bothering to hide that he was tired and frustrated. "So to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?" The young Alpha grumbled with a pointed look at Enya. "Normally a newly marked couple is left alone for a week at the very minimum so they can bond properly." He added, allowing his frustration to leak into his tone, sandalwood turning bitter with annoyance.

This time Enya took a step forwards, pushing Alto behind her with the gesture. "That would be my mistake in judgement. When we heard that you had emerged once more, I wanted to inquire if you were willing to transfer to our pack-"

"No."

Lobo's deadpan tone came to no surprise and Brandon chuckled at the looks of the Lycans, as this was undoubtedly the first time someone had rejected them that quickly. "I wouldn't want to touch your pack with a ten foot pole, let alone join it. First Alto objectifies me, then my family is only interesting enough when I re-emerge?" Lobo scoffed, pulling Brandon closer to his chest. "I have everything I want and need right here."

Now that made Brandon's Beast purr in delight while the young Alpha's blush grew to epic proportions. Because he could tell there wasn't a single lie tainting Lobo's words, not a hint of deception souring his scent like mildew in the air.

The flood of emotions that came from the rest of the community, all confirming what Lobo said, had Brandon flush even further. His heart thumped violently at the warmth and acceptance of the entire community, their mutual interest in him. Scent intensifying until sandalwood seeped through his clothes, slick dampening his pants whilst Lobo's breathing stuttered for a brief moment.

Lips pressed against Brandon's temple when his relaxed state briefly made way for shock and embarrassment before he was scooped up, blankets and all. "Leave." Lobo snarled at the gathered Lycans, lifting Brandon further into his arms before taking his intended back into the room and kicked the door shut behind them.

The wooden door rattled back open from the force before slamming into the lock with Lobo's second kick as Brandon's pheromone filled slick filled the air with his scent.

The young Alpha's confused apologies were instantly hushed as Lobo guided him to the bathroom. "It's alright, Alpha Ryker had informed me this could happen. Let's get you washed and into some new clothes, alright? Don't worry about a thing."

Brandon swallowed thickly before nodding, unfamiliar with the heated glow in his abdominal muscles or the sensation of slick trickling down his legs. It would take some time getting used to it.

Yet the young Alpha couldn't deny that being pampered by the Lycan, who was copying what Brandon had done for Sean not too long ago, felt good.

He was washed and dressed within moments, wrapped in one of Jamie's hoodies and one of Sean's soft throw blankets tucked in his lap. It was an unfamiliar feeling to be held against Lobo's chest and have the Lycan be so protective of him.

But Brandon would be lying if he said he didn't like it. He liked it... He liked it a lot.