Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2022-06-15
Completed:
2022-06-20
Words:
17,433
Chapters:
4/4
Comments:
65
Kudos:
1,736
Bookmarks:
223
Hits:
36,892

I'll Protect You

Summary:

Ryan is bitten, but he's not acting like Nick...Something's wrong, or right?
Dylan wasn't sure, but he knew that Ryan wanted to protect him, in some weird possessive beastly way.

-
Where Ryan changes in a much different way and this is just an excuse for me to indulge in my newfound ship. (Really there is like one other smut fic of these two and it bothers the shit out of me)

Notes:

So, instead of being bit at the radio hut, Ryan is attacked outside of it.
I kind of head cannon the infection being like, the werewolf is more monstrous if you fight the change?
So, Ryan seems levelheaded to me, and I think it would be interesting to see if someone didn't 'fight' these new instincts or urges.
(Also the way Nick got possessive of Abi in a weird sexual kind of way gave me ideas).

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 1 

 

It happened when they were walking to the radio hut. Really it was dumb of them to let their guards down, even for light conversation between the two of them. Dylan had been in his own head thinking how nice it was to be honest with his camp crush. Ryan had been thinking about how different he saw Dylan, now he knew for sure that his smart ass remarks were for show. He had thought the guy had been overcompensating for something, but hadn’t figured out what. No matter how snarky Dylan had been, he’d never been malicious or outright mean to him. Ryan actually found he didn’t mind most of the time, sometimes he even found Dylan funny.

 

A stick snapping to their left jerked them back to the reality of their situation. Ryan gripped the shotgun, eyes scanning his surroundings; Dylan moving to stand behind him on the bridge. A shaky hand twisting the fabric of his shirt nearly made him jump, but Ryan eased back towards Dylan.

 

“We-we can make it if we run.”

 

Ryan ignored the part of his brain that immediately wanted to make a Jurassic Park joke. “Maybe…probably not.”

 

“Do-do bears chase their prey?”

 

“I think all predators do.” Ryan mutters, voice low as they get to the other half of the bridge. His skin crawled as another set of sticks broke, this time to their left. “Run, go, now!” They both turned, Ryan keeping Dylan in front of him as they raced to the hut. Dylan smashed against the door, struggling to get the door open.

 

“Open it!” Ryan hissed, turning around to see nothing there. The invisible eyes were burning holes into him though, he could feel it closing in. “Dylan!” He was cut off as a hard mass crashing into him from the side, sending him to the ground. Sharp claws dug into his arms and side, long teeth ripped at his shoulder. A scream erupted from Ryan's throat, shredding his vocal chords before a gunshot sounded.

 

Ears ringing and body shaking, Ryan finally noticed that the white monster was no longer on top of him. Ryan jumped as hands grabbed at him, a faint voice yelling and echoing that ‘we got to go! Get up!’.

 

Ryan stood, stumbling behind Dylan, who held the gun and helped him into the hut.

 

“Fuck fuck fuck!” Dylan mutters, dropping the gun on the table as he closes and locks the door behind them, before turning to Ryan. “Are-are you okay? What should I do?”

 

“I’m fine, just-just hurts.” Ryan heaved, pain ebbing away to numbness as he watched Dylan pace and panic. “Dylan,” He snapped, getting the other’s attention. “Radio…call for help.”

 

“Right!” Dylan nods, muttering under his breath. Ryan watched as Dylan went to the desks and fiddled with shit. With slow, deep breaths, Ryan got himself under control. Watching Dylan set the radio up gave him time to think. He had been attacked by something. Definitely not a bear. Looking down, he saw his wounds weren’t bleeding anymore. They instead were caked with blood and some sort of thick saliva. Black webbing crawled out from the open wounds, a tingling sensation under his skin caused him to get a bad feeling. Remembering back, he knew that Nick also had that same black veins, but Nick was still shaking with pain, and in shock. Ryan actually felt fine, if a bit numb.

 

“What do I say?” Dylan asks, turning to look at Ryan, radio at the ready.

 

“That there has been an animal attack in the wounds, with two people injured and in need of medical help.”

 

“A-and the monster thingy?” Dylan asks, eyes watering with stress, “And the hunter people that caked Jacob in blood?”

 

“Just that there has been an animal attack, with sightings of trespassers on the camp property, and we need medical help. That we are in danger.” Ryan explained, getting up from the floor and standing by Dylan, placing a hand on the other’s shoulder.

 

“R-right,” Dylan nods, voice shaking as he relays a message.

 

“Swarm of bears?” Ryan scoffs, but beneath the surface, he was more than amused. “ Herd of bears.”

 

“Yes, I’ve heard of bears.” Dylan huffs, completely serious and Ryan smirks as he turns to the window, feeling watched. Stalking to it, he peers out the glass, nose wrinkling in a snarl as he catches some movement. It’s humanoid, but with a gleam of white under the full moon. Ryan feels a heat under his skin. A ‘ Who are you? Why are you near me? This is my space’ feeling itching at the back of his brain.

 

“Ryan?” Dylan calls, nimble fingers twisting at the nobs as he flips the stations. “Check this out…” Static breaks to voices, conversing.

 

“Where are the counselors?”

 

“Dunno…hold on..”

 

“I’m gunna head to the stations and check it out.”

 

“Two males in the radio shack near the cabins…”

 

“Another-couple…unaccounted for.”

 

“Copy that, out.”

 

Ryan stood straighter, “They’re talking about us.” Dylan started to shake, mumbling a string of ‘fucks’ under his breath. Ryan could hear him as if he were screaming. Seeing how scared the other was, Ryan wanted to reach out and hold him, either to make the rapid pitter patter of his heart slow or actually help his nerves calm down.

 

“What do we do!?” Dylan asks, turning to Ryan as if he held all the answers. “They heard us on the radio, a-and Jacob said they didn’t seem friendly!” Dylan stood up, “They know where we are.”

 

“We can’t stay here…” Ryan shook his head, before looking out the window again.

 

“Shit!” Coming up beside him, eyes watering as he looked out the window beside Ryan. “What do we do? Those things are still out there. It wasn’t dead, that shot didn’t do anything but run it off.”

 

Ryan stepped closer to the window, seeing nothing. With a deep breath, and a nod, he turned to Dylan, picking up the gun and moving to the door. “I go out first, and you stick close behind me. No speaking, just follow me.” Dylan stares at him, eyes wide as his mouth falls open. “Hey…do you trust me?”

 

Dylan blinks before nodding, “Yeah-I…Yeah. I do.”

 

“Then stick close, I know a place we can go.” Ryan gives Dylan one last check before opening the door and aiming the gun. He heard the crunching of grass and gravel under Dylan’s shoes as he followed close behind him. Feeling a surge of protectiveness, Ryan led them to the woods. He was quick to take a familiar thin trail hidden behind the second cabin to the left of the hut.

 

Dylan kept his word, not speaking once as they moved down the trail, fisting Ryan’s shirt to keep track of him as they jumped and dodged around the trail. Ryan had long ago turned off the flashlight, much to the displeasure of Dylan.

 

Ryan stopped, about a fifteen minute walk into the woods, when he reached a cluster of trees. It was by a stream, the water trickling in his ear like an annoying leak in a sink that wouldn’t turn off. He nodded to Dylan, pushing the lanky boy towards the wooden ladder, herding him up to the treehouse high in the trees.

 

“Up, now .” Ryan bit out, voice deeper than before, a near growl rattling his chest. He caught Dylan giving him a look, a faint rush of blood under his cheeks. Ryan ignored the twitch his cock gave at the spike in…Ryan paused. Tilting his head as he leaned towards the space Dylan had been, taking a deep breath. Sweat, thick with fear, but the tang of need. He could smell Dylan, and while smelling another individual usually meant they needed to bathe, this was different. He could pick out differences in the scent, along with something that equated those particular scents to emotions.

 

Seeing Dylan make it half way up, Ryan climbed up after him after not hearing anything near them. Dylan opened the tree house trap door and climbed inside, before waiting for Ryan. Inside, while dark, there was a window that let in moon light. The treehouse was made of wood, filled with posters, photos, boxes, nick knacks, and a little bed. It was a thick mattress, with older sleeping bags and blankets to keep it comfy, with some lumpy pillows. It was old, and needed to have the sheets washed and pillows changed, but still loved and used.

 

“How did you know about this place?” Dylan asks, turning to see that Ryan had pulled up the latter and hung it on the hook under the treehouse. He stood after closing the trap door and locking it with a wooden latch.

 

“I used to hang out with Kaylee and Caleb, when we were younger, and sneak off with them to come here during camp.” Ryan muttered, voice low but noticeably at ease now that they were closed in. He went to the window and closed the wooden shutters, latching them with an old metal cabin hook. Dylan tensed, unable to see in the total darkness now engulfing him. He froze when a warm hand grabbed his arm, leading him to stand in a certain spot.

 

“Stay.” Obediently, Dylan stayed in the spot chosen for him. He listened as Ryan moved around the small space, shuffling and creaking following him wherever he went. Dylan frowned in confusion when he heard the battering of fabric, shuttering and shaking rhythmically before it got quiet. “There…that’s good.” Ryan’s deep voice was rough, before a small purr gave Dylan the naughty type of goose-bumps. “ Perfect .”

 

“Ryan?” Dylan breathes, bothered by the sounds his friend-fellow counselor?-had been making. His mind filled with debauched imagery of... Dylan shook his head, clearing his head of those thoughts. He yelped in shock as a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him forward. He stumbled into Ryan’s chest before being led somewhere. Dylan was pushed to his knees, and he blindly felt around as he was pushed again. Herded into a mess of blankets and pillows. A nest ?

 

“Ryan?” He tried again, gasping when he felt his crush press up against his side, nosing his left cheek.

 

“Is it good?” Ryan asks, voice tense, as if waiting for rejection. “They’re old blankets, and need washed but-”

 

“No no,” Dylan replies, sensing Ryan’s need for praise. “It’s good, great even. My feet were killing me with all that running.” He joked, still unable to see anything. He turns towards Ryan and feels the guy follow his neck, keeping his face lodged in his neck. “Are you okay?”

 

“M’fine.” The words were mumbled into his skin.

 

“You got attacked and hurt pretty bad…it doesn’t bother you?”

 

“Nah,” Ryan hums, resting his chin on Dylan’s shoulder, shuffling closer.

 

“That’s good,” Dylan squeaked, feeling Ryan nuzzle him again. “Are-are you sure you’re okay? I mean…you’re very…cuddly.” He felt Ryan chuckle, before a hand splayed against his chest and he was shoved down onto his back, pinned to the bed. Dylan yelled, hands flying up to hit a broad chest, thighs straddling his waist as Ryan crawled over him.

 

“And here I thought you liked me.” Ryan’s mirth was audible, Dylan could feel how his lips pulled and twisted into a grin as their noses brushed. Even as he talked, Dylan could feel the shape of the letters with each word in the darkness. “You do, don’t you Dylan?”

 

Dylan didn’t know when his eyes fell closed, the world just as dark behind his eyelids. “I do…but-I didn’t think…”

 

“Dylan, if I didn’t like you, would I do this?” A mouth pressed against his before he could guess what that ‘this’ was. Dylan grasped at Ryan, one hand on his shoulder, feeling bare skin under the shredded fabric, and the other pulling Ryan close by the back of his neck. With a whimper, Dylan completely let himself get swept up in Ryan. Tongues pressed together, lips working against one another.  The world faded away as they pushed and pulled at each other.

 

Moving his head, Dylan broke the kiss, chest heaving as he fought to get air. He gasped when Ryan trailed wet kisses along his jaw, down his neck, and lightly bit into his skin with surprisingly sharp teeth.

 

“Ry-ah!” Dylan yelped, hips jerking up to brush against Ryan’s front. Ryan bit harder and sucked a dark mark into his skin. Hot pleasure twisted in his gut, and Dylan couldn’t help but chase that feeling, grinding against Ryan shamelessly.

 

A deep rumble shook the two of them, and Dylan felt it resonating from Ryan’s chest. Pushing against Ryan’s shoulder, Dylan tried to get him to stop. Another growl, this time displeased, rattled in his ear as Ryan turned directly into his neck, as if threatening him.

 

“Ryan…” Dylan’s heart raced, sweating heavily as fear gripped him.

 

“It’s okay,” Ryan whispered, "I'll take care of you," Pressing their fronts together. “Smell so good, fuck .” Dylan flushed as he felt a hard member digging into his thigh with each roll of Ryan’s hips. Pulling back, Ryan leaned over Dylan, resting their foreheads together. “Take off your clothes…”

 

“W-” Dylan’s words got choked back, head foggy with pleasure. “You mean we…you want to…now?”

 

“Need to,” Ryan replied, breath fanning over Dylan’s face. “Want you, need you… mine , all mine. Show them all… ” Dylan wasn’t sure what exactly Ryan needed to show others, but he could guess. He could also feel Ryan’s limbs shaking, straining against something. The physical effort it was taking to hold back actually visible. “Mate, smell s’good.” Ryan slurred, nosing around Dylan’s temple, brushing his hair. Ryan was suddenly gone, before large hands took him by the hips in a painful grip, jerking him down while tugging his pants off and down his thighs. The button and zipper pulled, breaking open with a few more tugs. The seams of the jeans ripped, and Dylan was soon liberated from his jeans. Kicking off his shoes, he heard Ryan toss the pants away. Then hands were pushing his shirt up, necklace getting tangled around his neck. Dylan let him take it off, wanting something to wear after the night was up.

 

“Perfect,” Warm hands rubbed over his chest, caressing his stomach as they ventured down, down…

 

“Ah!” Dylan moaned, a tongue having flattened itself just above his underwear line. “Ryan!” Fingers curled around the hem, before ripping them open. Before Dylan could complain a mouth was around his cock. Ryan took him all the way down his throat before sucking and massaging him with his tongue. Dylan screamed, both in surprise and pleasure, hips jolting up and pressing further into Ryan’s mouth. Dylan reached down, blindly trying to pull him closer or push him off, Dylan couldn’t decide. “Ry-I can’t! Please…I-no! St-stop!” He couldn’t breathe with how intense the sensations were. Ryan was giving him his first blow job, and Dylan never thought something could be so good.

 

Ryan hummed around his shaft, bobbing his head with fluid movements, hands holding Dylan’s hips down as he gave a strong suck with each upward move. A quick swipe of a tongue over the tip of his dick made Dylan shudder, fingers tangling in Ryan’s hair. Dylan couldn’t stop his hips from fucking up into Ryan’s mouth, but with the strong hold on his hips, it wasn’t ‘fucking’ but more ‘shallow humping’. Dylan tensed, jerking up as he came in Ryan's mouth. Dylan was ashamed to say he came very quick. Almost virgin quick, but couldn’t defend his honor as he tried to catch his breath, body weak from the very strong orgasm. 

 

Ryan pulled off with one last strong suck, popping off his dick with a wet sound, milking everything he could from Dylan before letting the guy rest. Dylan felt him shuffle, before wet fingers explored between his cheeks. Dylan jerked away, still sensitive from his orgasm, instinctively turning from the invasive hands.

 

“No! Wait!” Turning onto his front, Dylan made to crawl away but was pinned down with a loud roar above him. He froze, a hand holding his head down with another on his hip. Ryan leaned over him, growling into his face before nosing at his neck, teeth bared in warning.

 

Submit .” The word was low, nearly inhuman, as Ryan pressed him harder into the bed. “Submit, mate.” Dylan’s eyes watered and he closed them, scrambling for what to do, what to say. Did he speak? Dylan bit his lip before arching his back and pressing his ass back to Ryan’s hips. Relaxing his upper half, he moves his shoulders down as if to stretch his neck out, baring it to Ryan in submission.

 

“Yours,” Dylan rasped, breathless as he felt Ryan grind into the curve of his ass. “All yours.”

 

“Mine.” Ryan smiled against his neck, licking his jugular. “Good boy,” Dylan cursed his own perverse kinks as his spent dick pulsed, lust coiling low in his belly at the praise. Ryan must have known, or saw, because he chuckled over him. The hand on his head relaxed, softly petting his hair before trailing down-up?-his back to his hips. “Presenting so pretty, all for me…gunna claim you.” Dylan really liked the sound of that, mind swarmed with indecent thoughts. Dylan gasped as he felt wet fingers dig between his cheeks, searching for his untouched hole.

 

“Ryan, please…” Dylan huffed against the dank blankets, “I’ve never…be gentle, please…”

 

A rumble, somehow completely smug, echoed behind him. “Yes, yes…gentle. Just for you.” Dylan pawed at the blankets, mouth falling open in a silent scream as two fingers pressed in, hips kept still with Ryan’s free hand.

 

“Gah! Ryan!”

 

“Perfect…” Dylan clenched around the fingers as Ryan placed a kiss on his left ass cheek. “So tight, all for me.” The pain of the stretch kept Dylan from moving, not wanting to invite more pain. It kept him locked in place just waiting for it to turn into pleasure. Fingers twisted, pressing in and out, before hitting something that made Dylan cry out, his hips pressing back into Ryan’s hands. “There…”

 

“Please!” The spike of pleasure shot up Dylan’s spine as he arched back into the fingers, chasing that feeling. Another finger pressed in, pushing deep and dragging over that bundle of nerves. “Ah! Ryan! Don’t stop.”

 

“Never.” Ryan growled, before pulling away and crawling over Dylan’s back, mounting him. Dylan whined as Ryan rested his chin on his shoulder, feeling something thick press against his entrance before catching on his rim. Ryan’s hands, fingers longer than usual, curled around his thighs, brushing Dylan’s hanging cock. Ryan pulled him back as he pushed forward, breaching Dylan. Dylan’s breath was knocked out of him as Ryan pressed in, in, in, in! Not stopping until his hip bones dug into Dylan’s ass. Dylan’s mouth fell open, heaving quietly like he was going to puke his guts. Ryan was so deep. In the dark it was impossible to actually see how big he was, but Dylan could only imagine based on how full he felt.

 

He heard mumbling in his ear, and realized Ryan had been talking the whole time he’d been entering him. A chorus of ‘so tight, perfect perfect perfect, need you, smell so good’ repeated in his ear as he tried to get used to the stretch. Ryan wasn’t helping though. Continuously pressing deeper into him, not necessarily pulling out but it was almost like he was trying to crawl up inside Dylan’s ass.

 

Dylan’s eyes snapped open when Ryan dragged his hips back, “Wait! Ryan! Not ye-” he was cut off with a harsh thrust, one that took his breath away and pushed him into the floor. Ryan was lost to anything that didn’t involve fucking Dylan. Gripping him tight and fucking down into his guts, putting all his weight into every thrust. Dylan couldn’t contain the little moans, or ‘ahs’, that were forced from him. Ryan’s cock punched his prostate with each thrust, mouthing over his neck. Dylan yelped, trying to jerk away from Ryan when the other had bit down with large protruding fangs.

 

Dylan relaxed, going limp in submission, having unknowingly challenged Ryan once again. He wasn’t sure if his friend would forgive him again if he did it again, he already seemed angry about it before. Ryan snarled, hips rutting hard as he snapped his jaws at Dylan’s neck. Clamping his teeth around the nape of his neck, pinning him in place as his arms, long and thin, wrapped around his torso. Thrusting fast, Ryan caressed over Dylan’s lower stomach with a large clawed hand, feeling it stretch with each deep thrust.

 

Dylan moaned when Ryan picked up speed, bucking into him, the strength of his grip bone shattering. Dylan held onto the sheets for dear life, nipples hardening with the pleasurable sensation of his prostate being battered. The teeth in his neck send him into a full body orgasm, shuddering and jerking back into Ryan with a throaty moan. Ryan roared, muffled around his neck, and pulled him back onto his cock before releasing deep inside Dylan.

 

The two calm down, labored breathing filling the darkness around them. Ryan is still hard, still inside him, cock still throbbing as it releases more and more cum inside him. Dylan reached down, feeling the bump in his stomach-Ryan’s cock pressing from the inside out-caused Dylan to clench around the cock in his ass. Ryan groaned, hips pressing flush against him, and Dylan felt the bulge in his stomach move with it.

 

“Ryan?” A grumble replied, before a nose pressed against his neck. Ryan took a deep breath, smelling Dylan for a few moments before huffing.

 

“Not enough.”

 

“What?” Dylan whimpered, “What’s-what’s not enough?” He froze when he heard crunching and snapping of bones, and felt Ryan change. Ryan's body heat skyrocketed, limbs elongated, nails became claws, face protruded to a short snout, and his teeth developed fangs with a long drooling tongue.

 

Dylan felt the beast cage him in, before it leaned down and growled into his neck. Dylan instinctively relaxed, baring his throat and keeping still. Sniffing him, it grumbled before the cock that was still inside of him-it was a strange experience to feel it shift inside him-was pulled out until just the tip remained and slammed back in. Dylan screamed as he was fucked again, unable to do anything but take . He could feel the bulge in his stomach. Dylan wondered if the beast went hard enough if it would break through his stomach. Death by monster fucking, not on his list of things to do this summer.

 

The beast roared, planting itself deep. Dylan screamed as the base of its cock inflated, forcing itself through his clenched rim, locking inside him. The beast humped into him, the pointed tip felt like it was piercing into his chest cavity. Dylan cried out at the hot seed flooding his insides. He whimpered, trying to weakly crawl away, but was pulled back onto the knotted cock. Dylan felt his mind fog before he blacked out. 

 

 

Round after round. Dylan was subjected to rough sex, borderline rape. Conscious or not, the beast would fuck him, knot him, sniff him, before beginning again. Dylan was soon unable to hold himself up, but the beast did that for him after round three. He’s come five times, before his dick settled for dry orgasms.

 

Dylan whined, stomach tight as the thrusts picked up again, belly swelled with over five loads. He wasn’t sure what was happening, or how the beast was going and going, but he knew it was looking for something. It would sniff him, right at the neck, before huffing like it was annoyed before starting again.

 

The beast sat up, pinning him at the shoulders and shifting his weight before thrusting down . Dylan screamed when he felt the large cock press into his warm walls before catching on something and then breaking through. Something inside him tore open, letting the beast explore a new cavern inside of him, one that wasn’t his ass. Feeling cramps in his stomach, he reached down to cradle himself, feeling the beasts cock bulge and move in and out as it fucked this new hole open.

 

A pleased rumble echoed above him, and the beast rolled its hips down into this new hole, and Dylan moaned like a whore as the pain gave way to pleasure. He clenched his insides, feeling every vein and throb the monstrous limb gave. The knot started to grow, catching on his stretched rim, popping in and out so nice that Dylan’s eyes rolled back.

 

“Ry-” Dylan cut off when it caught, and he felt the cock pulse as it unleashed inside of him, filling him so well. Dylan gave a breathless cry as he pressed back into the beast's hips. His own soft member twitching with a dry orgasm, eyes watering from overstimulation. With gruff grunts, the monster calmed itself, leaning down to nuzzle and lick at Dylan’s back. He was so sore, with scratches and bruises, and his legs going numb. With blood rushing to his head being face down and ass up for hours. By now, the blankets under them were soaked in cum, mostly from the sheer amount of seed from the monster Ryan behind him, but some of it was Dylan’s own sweat.

 

Some minutes later, the beast pulled out, excessive cum making the slide smooth. Dylan crumbled into the bed, muscles twitching here and there, but otherwise, he was keen to just close his eyes and sleep. He hummed when a cold nose brushed his cheek, before sniffing along his neck. Dylan held still, letting monster Ryan do his thing. Fully prepared for another round when he felt Ryan freeze.

 

Another deep breath, to confirm, before Ryan stood on his hind legs and threw his head back, letting out an ear piercing howl. Dylan winced at the volume but relaxed when the beast settled. He gasped when he felt a wet tongue at his ass. Nimble wet muscle cleaning his thighs, ass, and rim from the never ending stream of cum seeping from his entrance. It hurt, but felt so good as well, warm and soothing to his tense and overworked body.

 

“Are we done?” Dylan asks, voice half gone from screaming all night. He didn’t get an answer, unsurprising, but did get a long lick under his balls. The beast turned him over, gentle and slow, like Dylan was made of glass. Dylan sighed in bliss, feeling his front get cleaned, before feeling the tongue run across his lower hip, curving over his bloated stomach. Reaching down, Dylan felt how full he was, causing him to blush and be thankful it was dark so it wasn’t visible.

 

A purr vibrated Dylan, as the beast crawls over him, nuzzling him and pawing the blankets and pillows closer, as if to fix the sex crazed mess around them. Clawed hands caressed him, petting him softly, as if to show affection in any way it could. Dylan listened to it leave, moving around the treehouse before coming back. It licks his face in dog-like kisses, before settling down, curling around him protectively.

 

Dylan curled into the warm beast, eager to just fall asleep. He sighed, eyes falling closed as it nosed his neck, a hand curling protectively around his stomach. Dylan fell into a dreamless sleep, an echoing howl somewhere in the forest.