"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost control like that. My control is usually a lot better," you told him softly, embarrassed.

Gods, this was such an off day. It was true you shouldn't have lost control and shifted like that. Equally as concerning was that your wolf should not have been calmed by just a few kind words, especially from a relative stranger. Granted, your wolf was more reasonable than most, especially the alpha males who were just incorrigible, but she still should not have given up that easily. There were quite a few alpha wolves who couldn't get you to obey, they would have had no chance of performing the same feat Loki had just done.

Unless... unless... your wolf liked and trusted him, but that was impossible. You'd just met him for pete's sake. Wolves were finicky creatures. Bad Wolf. You thought firmly at her. Don't get attached to your new friend. I can't stay even if I wanted to. You'll probably never see him again after today.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the reminder that there were more strangers around, strangers your wolf hadn't met and didn't approve of yet. "Hey Reindeer Games, where are you hiding the wolf? Jarvis said he let you out of the cell!" Came Tony Stark's voice, sans the ironman suit this time.

Loki rolled his eyes, but turned to you. "Stay calm, little wolf, they won't hurt you," he reminded you softly. You nodded in reply, and bravely followed him back to the living room where all of the strangers were gathered. Somehow you even managed to keep your hands to yourself and not hold on to Loki for comfort. Wolves were very physical beings.

The Avengers were strangers in that you'd never officially met them, but you knew who they all were. Who hadn't seen the Avengers on TV? "You were looking for us, Stark?" Loki asked pleasantly, calmly, for your sake, not his own, you realized. He would have antagonized Stark, but he was doing his job of protecting you. "Thor? Why have you returned early?" Loki demanded, staring at his brother who was still decked out in armor, holding Mjolnir.

"Heimdall said I was needed here. He said you had been attacked by some kind of wolf creature," Thor explained, his voice booming, his tone concerned.

Loki rolled his eyes, but took a step closer to you defensively. It seemed to soothe your wolf when he did. Bad Wolf needed to not get attached to her new friend. "Heimdall was mistaken, Brother. I have been taking care of a charming, interesting lady who happens to be able to turn into a wolf," Loki replied pleasantly, but firmly. You sneezed your tiny adorable sneeze as Loki's casual use of magic tickled your nose. You saw that he had vanished the bandage on his hand, had used an illusion to hide the last of your teeth marks in his skin. He was going above and beyond to protect you.

"So, kid, you're the wolf?" Tony started conversationally, making your wolf bristle.

"I'm not a kid!" you snapped at him, fighting back your wolf's reaction. It was difficult, she remembered being carried downstairs by him and thrown in a cell. She didn't much appreciate the experience, and didn't much trust Tony. "I'm your intern. You should know that puts me in college," you continued less snapishly, but still grumpy.

"How about we start with your name?" Captain America asked kindly, gently, in a 'team mom' kind of tone. "And then you can tell us your story,"

"How about we all sit down, first?" Hawkeye asked, exasperated. Captain America agreed with that plan and was the one who led the way into the dining room. You were tempted to bolt right then, get out of here and go home, but you knew you couldn't. You were stuck here until you gave them some explanations.

You sighed heavily, resigned and made your way back to the dining room. The head of the table was the chair left open for you. Loki pulled the chair out for you and pushed it in as you sat, earning him confused looks from the others, especially Thor. Thor looked even more confused when Loki stood behind your chair instead of leaving or finding a seat. "What are you up to, brother?" Thor asked, concerned.

"I have sworn my protection to Lady Y/N while she is here," Loki replied formally. "For all that you think me nothing but a Trickster, I do take my oaths seriously," he added before Stark could comment. Thor was the only one who seemed to think anything of those words, and not just that Loki was being silly or mischievous. You were somehow reassured by the words and sat back in your chair instead of sitting at the very edge, ready to bolt. The team went around the room, officially introducing themselves.

"So, it's Y/N, is it?" Cap prompted kindly.

You nodded. "My name is Y/N. I'm a senior at NYC University and an intern at Stark Industries. I also happen to be a member of the Hudson River werewolf pack," you started slowly, looking at your lap and twining your fingers together nervously, wishing for something better to do with your hands.

"Werewolves are real?" Hawkeye demanded, incredulously.

"I didn't think there were any female wolves," Natasha added. You looked at her surprised. You hadn't expected any of them to believe in werewolves before today. "I've seen things," she shrugged. That was apparently all the explanation you were getting from her.

"Female wolves are rare. Women don't take to the change as well as men do for some reason, no one quite understands why. So most of the females are born werewolves, like I was, not made. Those there are... stay at the center of the pack as housewives and mothers,"

"You don't seem to be doing that," Clint joked.

"Though you do look young, what are you, 15?" Tony quipped too, seemingly unable to stay out of the joking once it had started.

You growled and Loki tightened his grip on your shoulder. You were sorely tempted to turn your head and lick his hand, but that would be inappropriate among the humans. It would have told a wolf that you were in control and not stupid. "Damn baby face. I'm 22. I haven't aged a day since I turned 18, nor will I. Werewolves are immortal unless someone goes out of their way to kill us, which is why I could safely take the bullets. A few led rounds aren't going to stop me, where they'd have killed Pepper." You turned your attention to Clint. "Not everyone wants to be a housewife, and the Alpha couldn't order me to stay. Granted he thinks I'm just delaying my return until after I graduate from college... but I have no intention on going back," you blurted out more about your life story than you'd meant to tell them. You unfairly blamed Loki's calming comforting hand on your shoulder. Damn wolf liked him too much and made your tongue loose.

"I thought the Alpha could order you to stay," Natasha chimed in again, unhelpfully. You weren't sure if she actually knew, or had just read werewolf fiction.

You decided to assume that she knew somehow. You had a feeling it was a safe assumption. "Normally, yes, but I'm an Omega, outside of the pack hierarchy. So I went around orders and signed up for school. He saved face by claiming I would come back after I wore out my independent streak..." that wasn't going to happen. You were going to finish school, hopefully get a job at Stark Industries, and comfortably enjoy your life as a lone wolf. Omegas were rare and he wouldn't let you go easily, but he couldn't order you to stay either.

"I don't think you'll be hiding what you are anymore, kid," Tony said, not unkindly. "The story has been all over the news all afternoon. Every news outlet in the world has footage of you turning into a wolf and tearing that guy's throat out,"

"He was going to kill Pepper, going to kill all of them. I didn't have much choice," you replied firmly, back to twining your hands in your lap out of nerves and anxiety. It was taking effort not to borrow strength from your wolf, but if you did that, at least something would shift and they would think you a monster. You had to stay human through this interrogation.

"We know, and we're not denying what you did was brave and the right thing," Cap added kindly. "It's just... you probably can't go back to your normal life. Tony's been putting our PR fires all afternoon, but there was only so much we can do..."

You blanched, horrified by what he was saying. "What do you mean?"

Tony pulled up the video, somehow projecting it on the wall. Some of the news was calling you some kind of enhanced, a mutant. Others were calling you a dangerous monster that should be in custody or put down. Either way, they all wanted you away from the public.

You just watched the footage with tears in your eyes. Your life outside was over. You'd have to go home.

You'd rather die.

"No," you managed softly, the tears spilling down your cheeks. Loki moved his hand from your shoulder to wrapped around you in a half-hug to the surprise of everyone in the room, except your wolf, smug wolf had been expecting it. You clutched onto his arm, trying to stop the tears, but your world was crashing around you from one rash, though correct, decision.

"Don't cry, Y/N," Cap told you softly, hurriedly. You fought back the tears, not realizing that even the humans would react to an Omega's tears and emotions. "There's a way out of this, Tony already came up with a cover story and has hinted at it through all of the PR he's been doing. If you don't want to go to the wolves, you can stay here, join the team. One little press conference and we'll convince the world you've been working for us this entire time, undercover at Stark Industries. Nat's already done undercover work there before, it's a sound cover story. We'll claim you're an enhanced. No one needs to learn about the werewolves," his voice was the same calm, caring, and gentle tone that it had been so far.

"You're making the girl who saved my life cry, Tony?" Pepper's voice demanded from the doorway as she stepped into the room. Everyone looked up at her confused. No one had heard her come. "What do you think you're up to?"

"You saw the news, Pepper! We had to let her know that she can't just go back to her life as it was!" Tony replied hotly.

Pepper stepped forward. "How about I get to thank my intern for saving my life? Then you can finish having a conversation with her, without interrogating her, or scaring her, or being stupid," she asked overly pleasantly.

"Pepper-" Tony started when she got too close to you. You got up from your chair to face her, scared she was going to reject you too, think you were a monster too.

Pepper ignored Tony in what seemed like a usual manner and hugged you before you were even prepared for it. You didn't mind. She was so nice and sweet, plus you had saved her life today. You even hugged her back. The sensation of a hug made you realize how starved you'd been for physical contact since you left home. Normal humans weren't physical creatures, at least not in American society. You did remember to break the hug before it would have gotten too long by human standards. "I can't thank you enough for what you did today-" she started.

You shook your head. "There's no need to-"

She gave you a look and you shut your mouth. You knew that firm set of her mouth just from seeing her around the office. "There is every need to thank you. You saved my life and took those bullets yourself," she looked at your bandaged arm, which was the only visible wound.

"I heal fast, don't worry. I should be healed by tomorrow," you told her with a smile. Provided you got some sleep, maybe shifted again, you would definitely be healed by tomorrow. "Um... am I still allowed to come back to work tomorrow?" you asked. You really did not want to lose your internship. You wanted to be hired on after you graduated in a few months.

"Of course you are!" Pepper exclaimed

"That remains to be seen," Tony said at the same time.

"My company, my employees," Pepper replied firmly. "I will see you back at the office tomorrow, Y/N. Though if you need time off to recover-" You shook your head firmly. You didn't need time off. She turned to Tony. "Figure it out, Tony. She's my best intern. I don't want to lose her over your inability to bullshit something about what happened today,"

"We're going to claim she's an enhanced who has been working undercover for the Avengers as an intern at Stark Industries," Tony told her quickly.

"It's your choice, Y/N, but from what you've said, this sounds like the best way for everyone, especially you," Cap said kindly.

You weighed your choices, but knew you really didn't have one. You were going to have to stay here or go back to the pack. You were not going back to the pack. You refused to have no life beyond being a mother. You refused to submit to an arranged marriage.

So you nodded, shyly. "Thank you for letting me stay," you told them softly.

"Thank you for saving my life. The least they can do is make sure you're safe in return," Pepper told you kindly.

"And can have the life you want here, and not the life someone dictates you should have," Cap added, reading your backstory a little too well.

"Welcome to the family of misfits," Clint said brightly, lifting an invisible drink to your honor, eliciting cheers of welcome from the others. You smiled and were surprised that this actually felt like home, moreso than the pack ever had.

"Looks like you're under my protection for quite a while longer, little wolf," Loki whispered in your ear, sending a shiver down your spine, and a feeling of...elation?...from your wolf.