Primal Instinct

"I feel like this happens more often then it should," Dipper said.

The pond sloshed with his little kicks. Curling his pruney toes beneath the cool water. The air was light, and the buzzing had ceased long ago. Bill was working on Dipper's newest injury. A small cut that wrapped around the length of his forearm. It was puffed up, probably would've been infected hadn't he got it looked at so soon. He had caught his arm on a thorn during their little escape. A small hiss fled his lips when something dabbed against it. Bill worked as gently as he could. Pressing the damp rag against the smaller one's arm.

"Right on the nose," Bill agreed with a wide grin.

Bill's grin was very...ominous. Teeth that crowded together in perfect alignment. To some it would seem pleasant, almost charming. Only if you looked closely, and I mean closely. You'd see the way the edges of his lips curled back. the certain sharpness of every pearly tooth. If Dipper had to compare it to something,
anything. It would be a predator's grin.

"Yeah," Dipper replied lamely long after Bill spoke. The small kicks stopped, and the water calmed.

Once again Dipper adorned a makeshift bandage. Bill had actually brought along an extra top this time. He said it was for if things got messy, but it was almost as if he knew Dipper would hurt himself once again. This thought went unspoken, but if he had said something it probably would've been snarky. Something along the lines of, 'If you knew I was gonna bust my ass, why didn't you bring actual bandages?'

Of course a snarky comment hadn't even wandered onto the tip of his tongue since their meeting yesterday. As crazy as it sounded, he though it had something to do with the fact he was Alpha. Still, Dipper never got this way around other Alphas. It only built up the walls he was slowly forming around himself. A form of protection that would hopefully hold strong if Bill got to close.

Bill stood back, admiring his work with that pointy grin. Dipper looked down to run his thumb over the fabric secured around his arm. He stiffly held his arm forward. The pain was practically non existent, he smiled too.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Pine tree."

The smile was soon replaced with a scowl at the sound of that dreadful nickname. Bill's grin only deepened as he held out a hand. Dipper took it in his own, still cold. Bill helped the Omega down down the log he had been settled on, careful not to let the kid tumble into the shallow pond below. (Although it would've been a riot to witness the boy pop out of the water with his teeth bared, like an angry wet kitten.)

Everything sounded so alive in that moment with Bill's hands wrapped securely around his own. Even if they numbed his finger's with their icy touch, every sense was heightened.

Dipper thought he could hear the other's heart beat. It was calm, and steady. A total opposite to his own. Dipper pulled his hands free like the devil himself had touched him. Bill didn't seem to notice, or care. Instead he crossed his arms firmly over his broad chest, the horizon casting warm shades across them. Red, orange, and gold. Dipper swiped his hands furiously at his vest as Bill spoke again.

"Whats next?"

Dipper thought that over, his brows knitting together. The only thing he had planned for today was their little investigation. The one that had so ended with them tumbling into a thorn filled bush. Surely he didn't think they would push forward, not when it was getting so late into the evening. Soon night would fall, and the residents in this forest would no longer be very friendly. Dipper shook his head swiftly, "No way, it's getting late."

The hands holding his fell away. Golden eyes that once seemed warm and friendly turned a little cold, barely noticeable. It just seemed like one of those things you really had to look for, and it was a shame Dipper wasn't looking at that moment. Seeing the small, but thinly hidden thoughts that seemed to slip onto the Alpha's face. He clicked his tongue. If Dipper had been paying attention he would've seen that look.

The one that said, Oh no this won't do at all.

Dipper glanced back up, flinching at the tiny shock when his hands were released. It felt like a scolding slap on the wrist. As if he was being chastised by some unseen force for not keeping those hands in his. Dipper didn't like it one bit.

"You're right about that. I'll walk you home, if you haven't noticed you're a bit clumsy." Bill teased, the smile even more unnerving as the sky around them was slowly consumed by darkness.

Small teeth clamped down on his bottom lip, he nodded. Even if Bill wasn't all bad he definitely didn't want to be in this forest when lights went out, not with him. So much so he couldn't even gather a proper reaction at the, 'clumsy' comment. Bill stood tall, he leaned over Dipper to push away the low hanging branching, and brush. Getting close enough for his scent to drench the poor Omega. That little button nose scrunched up as he marched forward. Passing the opening Bill had made for him without another word.

Bill walked from behind, his fingers interlocked behind his back. It had happened again, his teeth were revealed. The sun had gone, but the moonlight bathed them. Each tooth gleamed with malice as he trailed closely behind. Watching the way the Omega's steps seemed to speed up. As if there was a threat in the air, he could almost smell it.

Right on the nose, Bills words ghosted over his ear.

Dipper's breath hitched. He threw a fleeting glance over his shoulder, hand cupped over his ear. Expecting to be greeted with that eerie smile, up close and personal this time. Only Bill kept up stride from a respectable distance, a pleasant smile as he looked beyond. Dipper's shoulders sagged with relief. The hand dropped from his ear, instead curling them into tiny fist by his sides. A giggle bubbled up within his throat, he was acting terribly paranoid.

The woods always seemed more alive at night. That wasn't always a good thing. Dipper could remembered his sister sitting across from him on their grunkle's porch, both leaned back and watching the moonlight dance across the trees. This was long before Dipper had worked up the nerve to explore, when his curiosity was stilling burning. There had been a noise, a feral cry. Dipper jumped, leaning forward with apt attention as the forest once again stilled.

Mabel had shut her eyes tightly, lips thinned. For a moment Dipper feared she would cry. Those chestnut orbs once
again revealed themselves, wide and clear. Mabel spun around to snatch up her brother's wrist and he didn't move. Only watching with mild alarm as she looked up at him with that frantic gaze. "You stay out of there after dark, bro-bro. It's not safe for us, that sound." She paused, and dropped her forehead against his hands.

"That sound was primal."

Soon enough he was back in the those woods. No longer on that porch with his sister, but instead with Bill.

Maybe it had been his running thoughts, maybe the darkness. Because before Dipper knew it, he was falling. A scream tore through the forest that night, but this time it was his own. Bill simply stood behind, hands still behind his back as the Omega tumbled down. Watching the boy cry out in pain. The smell of blood pooled the air unexpectedly, Bill inhaled deeply. Those lips once again curled back, the top of his lip peeling back into an almost predatory sneer.

Dipper had knocked his head against the tree on his way down. His leg felt numb, and trapped. His sneaker had been kicked straight off his foot during the fall. The front of his leg had been pierced by a sharp stump protruding from the ground. Dipper silently wept from the ground, biting back more cries as Bill finally rushed to his aid. Dropping to his knee beside him, and clutching the other's shoulder to turn him over.

Dipper let out a pained yelp, swinging his uninjured arm towards the Alpha. Bill caught it easily, curling his long fingers over much smaller ones. They were trembling, An ugly mixture of blood, and dirt smeared across the side of his tear stained face. Wide brown eyes filled with overwhelming fear, and distrust. To some it probably did seem ugly, but Bill found it to be an arousing sight.

"Pine tree," Bill said softly. Patience clear on his face, the boy wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The small hand in his relaxed at their voice, uncurling themselves. Dipper hiccuped, humiliation clear in his voice as he spoke, "I fell."

Bill had to tuck his bottom lip between his teeth to bury a laugh. Moving his hand from Dipper's shoulder, to run his fingers soothingly through the mess of curly locks on top of his head. Dipper couldn't of brushed it aside if he wanted to. His biggest focus at the moment was not passing out in pain. Very slowly he tried to move his leg, he moaned.

"I know, but We're gonna have to get that leg free."

"No!"

Yes." Bill said slowly, as if he was talking to a small child.

Dipper curled his fingers into their arm with surprising force. Digging his blunt nails into the hunter's bare forearm. Dipper was trying to control his breathing a bit, find some sort of grip besides that man's arm. "You don't understand. There is wood inside my leg." He hissed between clenched teeth, tightening his hold.

Bill didn't even flinched, instead his leaned down closer. Still holding his loose fist, and burying his fingers deeper into the omega's hair. Bill clicked his tongue for the second time that night, shaking his head, "This just won't do."

Dipper cried once again, because without warning his leg was ripped free.

The splinters tearing through his flesh, and no doubt tearing up the outline of his gash. Bill's fingers were curled around the top of his knee, holding it high as Dipper withered around. The Alpha looked at it closely A patch of skin, maybe the size of a dime had been tore open. A lazy trail seeping down the length of his leg, it would definitely need stitches. It would be hell to fix it, seeing at the edges were shredded up and littered with splinters. Still, he grinned.

the brunette was sprawled backwards, and panting. Trying to scrub away the layers of filth that covered his face; blood, dirt, and now sweat. "Is it bad?" He finally asked. Peeking over his hands nervously, eyes puffy from crying.

The Alpha squinted in the dark, as if considering this. "It's not life threatening if that's what your worried about."

Dipper was finally able to breath, for a moment.

"Well—for now."

Dipper's brows shot up, he blinked at the other with pulsing concern. Urging the other to continue with his wide frightful gaze. The forest had never seemed so loud in that moment, every little noise made the Omega's heart stop. A wounded animal surrounded by starved predators, that's what he felt like. Sure he had spent his days out here exploring, but only that. When the sun was out, his phone was charged, and not in the presence of an Alpha.

"You'll need stitches." Bill said simply, perfected sympathy touching his voice. "Lucky for you, I have all the supplies at my house!"

Dipper's mouth dried up. Every alarm in his head was screeching for him to decline, and fast. These cries were muffled. All he could think of was Mabel's fearful gaze, the promise he had made so many years ago on that porch. She's ban him from the forest. Lock him inside and swallow the key. No more journals, mythical creatures, or exploring. A deep part of him froze up, panic curled around his heart and squeezed it.

No more Bill.

"Alright, lets go." Dipper agreed.

That was all Bill needed to hear, he carefully curled his arm under the other leg as well. Before Dipper could ask what he was doing, Bill had hoisted up. To tired to scream, yelp, or sock the man in the face. Dipper only sighed, dropping his weary head against the other's shoulder. Bill started to walk, and talk. Dipper wanted to tell him to hush, but his attention was elsewhere. The spot where he had fallen. There wasn't a root, or even a stray branch in sight. This struck him as odd.

It was to late to run his choices over, to mull over every wrong step he had taken since that dreaded fall. With heavy eyes, and heavier worries he dozed off against the Alpha's shoulder. The wicked smell of cigars, and rum floated in the air. It blended with the faint rumble of Bill's chest as he spoke. It wasn't a delicate scent, but it warmed him all the same. This was enough to lull him into a deep sleep, despite the dull throbbing pain below his knee.

Holding the boy close, those amber eyes gleamed more than ever.

It hadn't been a stray branch, or a root. It had been Bill's own foot.