There was a soft knock on Loki'd bedroom door that woke you from your dreams of Asgard. You reached automatically under Loki's pillow for one of the daggers he kept scattered around everywhere. Between his daggers and Nat's guns, the entire tower was an armory. Loki chuckled and kissed your hair. "Easy, darling. Let me see who it is before you decide to kill them," he told you, still chuckling softly. He climbed out of the bed and you rolled over to watched, though your eyes were only open a crack, so the person at the door wouldn't tell that you were awake. You would be the surprise attack, backup for Loki if he needed it.

"Brother, is Lady Y/N with you? She is not in her room." Thor's voice sounded worried.

"Yes, she's here. I finally got her calmed down. Go away," Loki's voice was pleasant, despite his order to go away.

"Has she told you any more of what happened tonight?"

"No. Now go away before you wake her," Loki replied, sounding like he was enjoying his game of telling Thor to go away.

"We saw the footage, Jarvis was able to see through the magic and record what happened. You cannot be considering marrying her, Brother. You have just met her," Thor's voice was still worried and concerned.

"'Were there more time before graduation, I might entertain that option,'" Loki recited your words, mulling them over. He must have either forgotten you were awake or through you'd fallen back asleep. You blatantly eavesdropped on them since he made that mistake and wasn't guarding his words. "Something she said when Joshua mentioned there was a way for her to get the pack to leave her alone," Loki explained to Thor quickly. "She knew. Dammit. She knew that was an option. Yes, I would marry her Brother, in a heartbeat, and not just to keep her safe,"

"You actually care for her," Thor sounded shocked. "By Odin's beard, you actually love her,"

"Of course I do, witless oaf," Loki grumbled. "Did you think this just a dalliance? I'm not like you. Have you ever known me to have a dalliance? And before you mention time again, might I remind you that you fell in love with your mortal over, what, a weekend? And my love is not mortal," he sighed and actually opened up further. Thor must have been glaring or something to get Loki to be open about his feelings. "I would marry her tomorrow if I could, but that-" what he called Jareth wasn't in English, but the elegance and emotion behind the swear was impressive. "-was right about one thing. She will not accept the proposal unless she believes it is entirely for love. After his words tonight, I fear it will be a very long time indeed to rebuild the trust he destroyed enough for her to ever accept it... Even my silver tongue is unlikely to have a chance to make that happen before May. So we will have to come up with another way,"

"Besides, Brother, you could have to bring her home to get Mother's approval," Thor teased.

"I am a grown man," Loki growled.

"You are a Prince of Asgard, and it would sadden Mother to not meet the woman you wish to wed. Besides, she will love the little wolf who can keep you on your toes and can somehow get even you to relax your formal, stoic demeanor. Mother will be glad to see you so happy. I must admit that I am surprised that wolf has survived the night,"

Loki growled. "He would not have, save that my lady wishes to fight her own battles. I cannot deny her the right to prove to herself that she is capable," he sighed in frustration. "All I can do is offer my help and love and hope my stubborn darling will accept our aid. If we push her too hard she will run from us too. And unless I can break the spell of silence, it will be neigh impossible to get to... what was my lady's term of endearment for him?"

"I believe the term was 'asshat'," Thor replied proudly. Your ears were as traumatized as Cap's to hear that word come out of Thor's mouth.

"Ah, yes, that was it. So I will bide my time and come up with a plan. That is what I do after all," Loki replied with a malicious edge to his words.

"Do try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum. It is so tedious explaining to Mother how you feel so many deserve to die,"

"It will only be those who deserve it, Brother,"

"Yes. That is exactly what I am afraid of,"

It was time to remind them of your presence. They were getting unhelpfully off track. "Loki?" you asked softly, feigning waking to find the bed without a Loki in it. You looked toward the door to the boys and climbed out of the bed. You went to the door and ducked under Loki's arm so it was around you and wrapping your arms around his waist, sleepily laying your head on his chest. Loki kissed the top of your head automatically. It said a lot that the gesture had become automatic.

"Sorry, love. Thor was worried and came to check on you. Your family was worried," he added softly, a reminder that the entire team of misfits had adopted you as family. You smiled and kissed his cheek, then turned your attention to Thor.

"Hi, Thor," you said with a small smile.

"Lady Wolf, I'm glad you are feeling better," Thor told you warmly, smiling at how adorable you were with his brother.

Loki kissed the top of your head again. "Go back to bed, love. I'll be there in a moment, as soon as I get rid of my idiot brother,"

"Is the rest of the team still up?" you asked Thor as you both ignored Loki calling him an idiot.

"Yes. They would like to see you if you're up to it," Thor replied.

"And hound you for information," Loki added sourly. You kissed his cheek again.

"Hush, love. They deserve answers too," you told him softly, warmly. He huffed, but stopped complaining and let you drag him past the threshold and into the hall.

The entire team was waiting downstairs in their pajamas. You smiled at the team unwinding from the extravagant party by drinking hot chocolate together in the living room in their pajamas. It was adorably unexpected. They all raised their mugs to the three of you in greeting as you joined them. Your mugs were already waiting at your usual places. You smiled at your coffee mug with the silhouette of a wolf on it howling at the moon.

"I think that was the most exciting party since the first one we brought Reindeer Games to," Tony commented jovially.

"There were robots attacking last year's," Nat countered.

"That doesn't beat Reindeer Games turning into a woman halfway through the party so the women at the party would stop throwing themselves at him," Tony quipped back. You raised an eyebrow at Loki who flushed at the reminder.

"Shapeshifter," he explained with a shrug. "And it didn't help. They were even more intrigued if that were possible," he grumbled, making you laugh.

"I think the werewolf battle wins the most entertaining," Clint commented. "Also you two are terrifying when you fight together. You should not be that terrifying while you hold hands during battle... it's too adorable to be that terrifying. Remind me to never get on your collective bad side." You and Loki both inclined your heads in an identical manner, accepting the praise.

"Cap, before we begin the inquisition-" you started, knowing that it was coming. "J, can you pull up the lunar calendar? Please let me know what the date is the for the last new moon before the spring equinox,"

"It is March 5th, miss,"

"And the next full moon from then?"

"March 20th, miss. The day of the equinox,"

"Thanks, Jarvis," you replied. You turned to Cap. "I'm going to be completely unavailable for missions of an kind, including emergencies and backup, from March 5th through the 20th. I can't tell you why. I swear I would, but there are certain orders that even I have to obey," you told him.

He thought over your words. "Will you still be in the tower? Or going out of town or something?"

"I'll be here. At least that's the plan,"

"I'll make sure you're off duty. Let us know if you need any help or anything for...whatever it is," Cap said kindly.

Tony glared. "You're not going to demand she tell us?"

Cap shook his head. "Just because you can't help pushing and prodding a mystery, doesn't mean we're all that bad. She said she can't. She'd tell us if she could. It would do no good to upset her by asking questions she can't answer. We'll deal with whatever it is when it comes. If you don't push and prod and make her uncomfortable and scared, she might give us hints to help her, or ask for help,"

Tony still grumbled, but let the question drop. "So that was the wolf you were supposed to marry?"

"I have recently been informed that the correct term for that male is 'asshat'," Loki informed Stark with a smirk while Cap looked scandalized at the language.

Tony roared in laughter. "About time you two learned how to curse properly,"

"That was the asshat who tried to force himself on me and the reason I left the pack..." you answered softly.

"Real charmer that one," Nat replied dryly. "Wane me to kill him?" she offered casually.

You shook your head. "You can't get past the silence to get to him. I need to come up with a diplomatic way to deal with the pack," you added before the rest of them started jumping to murder.

"What is the silence?" Clint asked. He hadn't been there for the last explanation, so you explained it at the five year rule for everyone.

"But if you got married?" Tony pressed.

"Then I'd be off limits to all of the wolves. It's ancient pack law to keep the fighting over the females to a minimum. The rule still applies even if I marry a human...or Asgardian," you nodded at Thor before he could ask, refusing to look at Loki when you answered the unasked question. "But that's not an option," you explained quickly. "Not before graduation. I refuse to tie anyone to what would at best be the equivalent of a green card wedding,"

"So, are you going to finally tell us what Winter's Moon is?" Tony teased.

"NO!" you and Loki both exclaimed at the same time, with more volume that truly necessary.

"Does he know?" Tony demanded, gesturing at Loki.

"Pieces," Loki finally said after a long hesitation.

"I can't tell any of you, even him. Ancient, ancient werewolf law. It's one of the biggest secrets of the wolves. Like I said, there are orders that even I'm bound to, and the consequences for breaking them hurt,"

"But-," Tony gestured to Loki again.

"He's observant, looking for the clues, and asking smart questions," you explained quickly. Loki looked pleased with your assessment and defense of him.

"Would it hurt you if he tells us what he's learned?" Cap asked. You shook your head, then laid it on Loki's shoulder. It was late and you'd already been through enough emotions. Cap gave Loki a 'well, tell us' look.

Loki paused carefully, then finally said. "The only thing I know for certain is that whatever it is will take place between March 5th and the 20th. As for the rest, I have my suspicions. I will not share them without confirmation, as it is not my secret and I refuse to risk harming my lady with speculation about her secrets," he finally said. You had a strong feeling that his suspicions were accurate, especially since he refused to share them with the others.

You kissed his cheek. "Thank you," you whispered.

"I love you, little wolf, I'm not about to hurt you. You'll tell us what you can, and we'll get through this together," he replied. He kissed you, then in a brave move for him, pulled you from your spot next to him, to curled in his lap, his arms contently around you as you laid your head on his shoulder.