Chapter One

“Alec, please come in and take a seat,” Hodge stated as Alec entered, nodding for the agent to shut the door behind him. His boss gestured toward a chair in front of his desk. Alec fell into parade rest instead and he watched Hodge sigh. “Alright, have it your way. I think you’d be more comfortable sitting down when you hear what I am about to say."

 

“Sir?” 

 

His boss studied him for a moment before he spoke again. “I assume you’re aware of the bodies that have been turning up over the past few weeks?” He asked, and Alec could only blink. How could he not have heard about the case that has been the talk of the Institute? Multiple bodies were turning up at various sites across the state of New York, getting increasingly more mutilated as time went on. As far as anyone working the case could tell, there was no obvious link between any of the victims — they represented the diversity that made up the melting pot that was the city. And while they learned little from the bodies that they found, they knew even less about the killer.  They had not had even a single lead since the first crime scene was found, and the citizens of New York were becoming increasingly more concerned as time went on with no sense of relief. They’d started to pull more and more agents onto the case, trying to prove to all critical eyes that they were taking these attacks seriously and were working to bring the killer to justice.

 

“It’s hard to not hear about it, Sir. It’s all anyone is talking about. Do we have any new information?” He asked, trying not to show too much interest in a case that he wasn’t working but curious as to where Hodge was going with this line of thought. 

 

His boss raised an eyebrow. “Not yet but if the pattern of bodies is followed, we’ll have another one show up in two days time. We're working with local and state police to increase patrols but I don’t see it doing us any good when it hasn’t before. Let’s just say that I’m trying to get ahead of the problem before it happens. I’m assigning you to the team,” he said as Alec opened his mouth to ask for more information. “And you’re getting a new partner.”

 

“Meaning no disrespect, Sir. I work alone. If it’s for safety reasons that you want to give me a partner, I’ll gladly work with Jace or Isabelle. You know that we make an effective team.”

 

“While I won’t deny that you and your siblings are an unstoppable force, I had something different in mind for this assignment as desperate times call for desperate measures, so to speak. How would you feel about working with one of the wolves?”

 

Alec’s brain came to a grinding halt because whatever he’d expected Hodge to say, it certainly wasn’t that. Werewolves had made themselves known to the world a few years ago when a string of tornadoes had ripped through a small town in rural America. Dozens were missing and presumed dead and national news was calling it one of the worst disasters of its kind in over a hundred years. In an effort to prevent the tragedy from only claiming more lives, unexpected heroes had risen to the occasion and had announced their existence to everyone at the risk of their own safety. 

 

The world had learned that humans weren’t alone - werewolves walked among them and had for hundreds of years.

 

Society had erupted - even as the pack that had come to offer their assistance in looking for any survivors had taken their canine forms and used their heightened sense of smell to locate those buried below and their paws and claws to dig through the rubble to reach them. In the end, they’d rescued more people than had lost their lives but the focus had already shifted from the terrible disaster that had occurred to what had been learned in the midst of the tragedy. 

 

From there, the world appeared to be split. While it seemed the majority of people were willing to accept their supernatural neighbors, there were those out there who were vocally calling for their termination - calling them unholy monsters among other, more horrific, things. Anti-wolf groups, like the Society for a Bright Future, had become more of a presence as time went on, even as other segments of the population found new uses for people who were stronger and faster than an average human with heightened senses to boot.

 

The Institute was one of those divisions who saw the benefit to bringing werewolves among their agents. While the wolves who had made themselves known to the world were few and far between, Alec’s employers had gone out of their way to recruit as many as they could. 

 

As far as he knew, their particular branch of the Institute only had a handful of wolves on staff and he’d personally never really gotten to know any of them very well, though he’d occasionally seen them around the building or had a brief but polite conversation with whoever he bumped into. They tended to be sent into the field only with specific handlers or agents and only for very particular cases. Alec had never even remotely considered himself one of those people who would be given the opportunity. 

 

There were risks working with any wolf, Alec knew. His parents had been some of the first people to join Bright Future and they remained active in the group to this very day. They’d tried to raise their children the same way but Jace and Isabelle (and Alec himself, though, to a different degree) had chosen to blaze their own paths and form opinions for themselves. He was willing to give the wolves at the Institute a shot — it would be rude of him not to but he still had to admit that there were dangers. What if this wolf lost control of their instincts and attacked an innocent bystander? What if they weren’t truly as tame as their Institute handlers claimed they were?

 

They still knew so little about what caused lycanthropy and the CDC were still researching the side effects of what they termed an incurable virus. The wolves themselves had been hesitant to become research subjects (and Alec couldn’t say that he blamed them) so most of what had been learned had come straight from the werewolves that had been willing to talk to them at all.

 

“Are you sure I’m the best person for this assignment, Sir? I’ve never worked with one of them before. I’m not on the list of approved handlers, and this is a high-profile case. I’d hate to make a mistake when we’ve got a serial killer on the loose.”

 

“That’s exactly why I want to assign you two as partners and while, yes, you haven’t gone through the training program, exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances. Obviously what we’ve been doing hasn’t worked. We need to try something new if we have any hope of catching them. This is your shot, Alec. Everyone already thinks you’re one of our top agents. This will prove it - this will be the highlight of your career.”

 

Alec could tell by the tone in Hodge’s voice that there was no arguing with him. The decision had already been made, no matter what his own opinion on the matter was. “And exactly who are you pairing me with?”

 

There were five wolves at their branch of the Institute, Alec knew. Luke was the first to join and he had actually been an Agent at the Institute before he'd come out to his employers. They'd rewritten internal policies for his new position and it was with his help that the others they would hire were eased into their new roles. for him, Ragnor was the oldest — and the first that had been recruited. When not in the field, he usually assisted the research teams as he’d been a history professor before he was turned. After him came Catarina, who had recently been let go from her job at the hospital when the truth about her species had come out. A few short weeks after her, they’d found Raphael. Alec didn’t know too much about him outside of the fact that he always appeared perpetually grumpy. The newest to the Institute’s pack was Magnus Bane, a man who Alec had only seen once when he’d stopped by Luke’s office to deliver some paperwork at the request of Hodge.

 

Magnus Bane was…nothing like Alec had expected a werewolf to be. With his colored hair, glitter make-up, tight jeans and silk shirts, the man was so unlike the other wolves that made up the Institute’s pack. Alec had frozen in place and had found himself staring as Magnus passed him with a slight nod of his head as he scurried out of the way. He stared after him until he disappeared around the corner and Luke had coughed to get Alec’s attention. He hadn’t been able to put the other man out of his mind since that day though he hadn't seen in much in the weeks that followed. 

 

“I thought I would try you with Magnus. He’s still young for one of his kind but he’s showing a remarkable aptitude for the work and Luke tells me he’s quite easy going. I think the two of you will make a truly exceptional team,” Hodge replied.

 

Alec had to admit that the fact that Magnus was both the youngest of the bunch and the newest in the pack worried him the slightest bit even if he had been instinctively drawn to him upon their first encounter. He’d had less training than the others and less time with his instincts. If any single one of them were going to lose control, well, Magnus was going to be a ticking time bomb, so to speak. He stifled the urge to grit his teeth. “I’m not entirely certain that’s a good idea, Sir. You said yourself this is a high profile case. We have absolutely no margin for error here.”

 

“And I have nothing but high hopes for what the two of you will accomplish. It’s already been decided and the paperwork has been signed and approved so there are no negotiations here. I just wanted to give you a heads up so that you have a chance to introduce yourself properly before the two of you are called into the field.”

 

“How am I supposed to work with someone that I know nothing about?” He asked, trying to keep himself from sounding like a petulant child. “I don’t know what his strengths or weaknesses are. Does he work in his human form or as a wolf?”

 

Hodge raised an eyebrow. “Those are excellent questions for you to ask him before the next body turns up…and if you have concerns that you don’t feel comfortable addressing with him, you can always go to Luke. He’d be more than happy to answer anything that you may ask.”

 

He didn’t know how to respond but his boss’ expression and previous words told Alec everything that he needed to know. This conversation was over and there was nothing that he could do or say that would change the outcome. He would be working the serial killer case and he would be working it with Magnus Bane. 

 

“Very well, Sir,” he said finally, recognizing the dismissal for what it was. He nodded to Hodge before he let himself out of the room and let the reality of the situation come crashing down upon him. 

 

Fuck.

 

He needed…he needed to talk to Jace and Isabelle. He needed to voice all the thoughts swirling around in his head to someone who wouldn’t immediately shut him down before he went crazy. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told him that it was nearly ten in the morning. Knowing that neither of his siblings were working on active cases or out in the field at the moment, that meant there was only one place that they were likely to be - the training room. And, well, if Alec were honest, it wouldn’t hurt if he worked his emotions out physically either. 

 

Now that he had a plan in mind, Alec made his way to the locker room to change into a pair of sweatpants, sneakers, and a plain black t-shirt. At this time of day, this part of the building seemed almost empty and he was relieved that he didn’t have to try and make small talk with his coworkers while his mind was still racing. He grabbed a bottle of water from the break room as he passed and was pleased to find that his siblings were right where he expected them to be. 

 

Jace and Isabelle were sparring and his brother’s back was to the door though his sister saw him enter. “Hey big brother,” she said loudly, causing Jace to misstep as he turned his head toward the door. Isabelle used the distraction to sweep her leg behind his feet and knock him to the floor. “Fancy seeing you here. You’re usually in the range practicing right now.”

 

His brother groaned from his place on the ground but tilted his head back toward the door. “Really, Alec? You couldn’t wait five more minutes? I was just about to win.”

 

Izzy snorted but offered a hand to help him back to his feet. “Sure you were. You keep telling yourself that and maybe one day it’ll be true.” She turned her attention back to her other brother. “Point still stands, Alec. You’re gracing us with your presence at a truly bizarre time of day. What’s going on?”

 

He hadn’t exactly planned how this conversation was going to go so he said the first thing that came to mind. “I’ve been assigned to the Runecarver case.”

 

Both of his siblings froze in place and Alec watched his sister’s eyes widen. “Really? That’s the most high-profile case that’s ever come through our Institute’s doors. Everyone wants to work that case — it’ll be the highlight of your career, especially if you catch him. Just imagine your name all over the papers: ‘Brave Agent Stops Serial Killer.’

 

Alec resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “People are dying, Izzy. This isn’t about fame and publicity. This is about stopping a mass murderer before more lives are lost. Besides, that’s not the biggest issue,” he replied with a sigh, setting his water bottle to the side so that he could start taping his hands. “They’ve assigned me a partner. They didn’t even ask who I wanted. Hodge told me and there was no room for discussion.”

 

“I’m assuming that one of us isn't your assigned partner?” Jace asked and he could hear the pout in his brother’s voice. While Alec himself might not care about the notoriety that would come with working this case, Jace loved the publicity. He was, no doubt, hoping he’d have a chance to be by Alec’s side through the entire thing.

 

“They assigned a wolf to me,” Alec said simply, watching his siblings' faces for any sort of reaction.

 

His sister gasped but Jace crossed his arms with a growl. “You aren’t a handler,” he said, like the same thought already hadn’t crossed Alec’s mind about a dozen times since Hodge had given him the news. 

 

“I know. I had the same thought but Hodge doesn’t seem to see a problem…apparently ‘exceptions can occasionally be made' and this is one of them. I…I don’t know what to do. How am I supposed to work with someone, hell, something I know nothing about. The general public knows next to nothing about wolves and I know even less. Are there specific things I’m not supposed to do or say? Certain actions or smells that set their instincts off? This case is already dangerous with a serial killer on the loose…throwing a wolf into the mix is a recipe for disaster.”

 

“You don’t seriously believe that,” Isabelle said with a huff. “Come on, Alec. Now you’re sounding like our parents and I know that you’re better than that.”

 

“No, our parents would say and do a lot worse. Cut me some slack, Iz. This is big, alright? Think about it from my perspective — I’m…I’m afraid, okay? I knew when I took this job that it was going to have its risks. We all did…but is this taking on too much danger all at once? We have no idea what’s going to happen with this serial killer. There have been twelve bodies thus far and we know there are going to be more. You’ve heard the same things that I have about the case. There have been no leads. No suspects. Nothing.” He’d finished wrapping his hands and passed his siblings to head toward the punching bag.

 

He threw a few punches before Jace stepped around to hold the bag for him. “Any of those things would be enough to make this job even more dangerous than normal but then you add in wolves? That’s just adding more fuel to the fire. More risk doesn't necessarily mean a better chance at success.”

 

“Who did they partner you with?” Izzy’s voice came from behind him, filled with the sort of curiosity only a younger sister could have. 

 

Alec hit the bag a couple more times, the last two eliciting an ‘oof’ from his brother in the process. He was hesitant to speak the words out loud, knowing the minute that he did it would become more of a reality than it already was. When he said nothing, she stepped into his space and grabbed his arm. “Alec, who is it?”

 

He waited a few more seconds before he responded, steeling himself for whatever was to come. “Magnus Bane.”

 

His sister squealed and Jace swore under his breath about the noise. “Well, there’s a silver lining if you’re going to be going after a serial killer, at least you have some eye candy.”

 

“I highly doubt that’s what he’s concerned about, Iz. Alec, what’s really the issue here? It’s not like you to beat around the bush,” Jace said, coming around from the punching bag to join their conversation.

 

“He’s a new wolf and he hasn’t been an agent that long. What if he loses control? What if he can’t cut it in the field? What if a serial killer is too much for him to handle? I don’t want my life even more at risk because of that. I don’t understand why Hodge had to choose this case for this,” Alec replied with a sigh, squeezing his fists because his hands just felt the need to do something as his anxiety rose. 

 

“So? Do you really think Luke would let him into the field if either of those things were the case? What’s really the issue here?” His sister asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow in true stubborn Lightwood fashion. 

 

He tried to push his concerns to the side and get his thoughts together. His sister was right. What was his concern here? Was it his own safety? He was a fully qualified agent. He had top marks with any handgun handed to him. He was even better with his bow though it was only once in a blue moon they let him take that into the field. He was well-versed in various styles of hand to hand combat. Even if Magnus did go feral, it wasn’t like Alec was completely defenseless. He could take care of himself - he wouldn’t be one of the best up and coming agents at the Institute if he couldn’t. 

 

“I’m scared,” he found himself admitting with a whisper. 

 

“And it’s okay for you to feel that way, Alec,” Isabelle replied as she squeezed his arm. “This case is pretty serious. We’ve found a dozen bodies and we know there will be more before we stop this guy. It’s an incredibly dangerous situation, no one will argue that. A healthy dose of fear is normal. Hell, that fear will probably keep you safe. Don’t let that fear keep you from doing what you know is the right thing to do.”

 

“You’re right,” Alec replied with a sigh, pulling his little sister into a hug. “When did you get to be so smart?”

 

“When I realized someone in this family needed a lick of sense about them,” she said with a snort. “Now, enough with all of this. You’ll be fine. You and Magnus will make a great team and I think you'll get along splendidly in the process. The killer will be found. In the meantime, spar with me? I’ve beaten Jace up enough today, I think. I could use a real challenge.”

 

Alec laughed despite his brother’s protests. He could use a distraction before he got lost in his own head again. “Alright, you’re on. Show me what you’ve got, little sis.”

 

----------

 

He sparred with his siblings for a little over an hour before he finally called it quits. He took a quick shower and changed back into more appropriate clothes for a field agent (black pants, a black button-up shirt, and a grey tie) before making his way back to his desk to tackle the ever-growing pile of paperwork and case files. He managed to make it through three after-action reports before he glanced at the clock with a sigh. The day was still young and he’d wasted enough time…he was going to have to go talk to Luke.

 

The Alpha’s office was in the lower level of the building, not far off from the common area the wolves typically hung out in. No one gave Alec any strange looks as he made his way through the halls. Luke’s door was open and he probably heard his approach but Alec knocked anyway to be polite. “Alec, Hodge told me that I should be expecting you. Why don’t you come in, close the door, and have a seat.”

 

Alec did as he was told, settling into a chair across from Luke and folding his hands nervously in his lap. “I hear they’ve decided to pair you up with Magnus. I think this will be a good opportunity for you both. I know you’ll make a good team.”

 

That was, in fact, the second time today that Alec had heard that and he was getting very tired of people making statements like that and not providing any further information. “Why?” He asked, trying not to sound like he was whining. “You’re not the first person to say that to me but I don’t understand why everyone seems to think that. I’ve never even met Magnus properly.”

 

Luke chuckled at him. “I’ve known Magnus for a while now. In fact, I’d even go as far to say he’s like a son to me. You and he might have your differences on the surface, but underneath, you’re a lot alike.”

 

“You don’t know me,” Alec replied with a scowl.

 

“I don’t,” Luke agreed with a raise of his eyebrow. “You’re right but I have talked to your siblings often. They have a lot of good things to say about their big brother.”

 

Of course, his source was Jace and Izzy. Who else could it be? “I think their opinion of me is slightly skewed.”

 

The werewolf chuckled and Alec resisted the urge to growl in response. This was a serious situation so why was no one around him actually taking this seriously?
 

“I don’t believe that's true,” Luke replied, studying Alec in a way that would have made anyone else uncomfortable. “Often I find that learning about someone through the eyes of others is one of the best ways to get to know someone.” Alec couldn’t help but huff in response, getting a chuckle out of the older man. “But you’re not here to talk about yourself now, are you? What can I help you with today, Lightwood?”

 

He’d rehearsed this conversation with Luke time and time again in his mind over the course of the last few hours but he suddenly found all of his practiced words entirely missing. He rubbed his hands nervously on his jeans as he tried to figure out the best place to start his line of questioning. Luke waited patiently but finally Alec sighed. “I…I don’t know what I’m doing.”

 

“Hopefully solving a serial killer case,” Luke replied with a raise of his eyebrow. “But I’m sure that’s not why the Institute’s Rising Star is in my office right now. What’s on your mind, kid?”

 

Alec took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts before he began. “I don’t know the first thing about working with a wolf. I don’t… I was still young when they came out to the world. They don’t teach us much in the Academy…and what they do teach us is mainly focused on subduing an out of control werewolf.” And destroying them if necessary, he added silently. He certainly didn’t want Luke thinking that he was trying to kill his new partner before he even met him.

 

“Are you worried that Magnus is going to lose control and you’ll have to deploy some of those techniques you learned during class?” Luke asked casually, almost like he had a direct link into Alec’s mind. 

 

The agent huffed. “No,” he started, resisting the urge to get up and pace the room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to stop this entire conversation from spinning out of control before they even got it started. “Yes…I don’t know. I’m used to working with Jace and Isabelle. We went through training together and I know I can count on them to have my back. But now we’re up against a serial killer so it’s not just my life on the line. There’s no room for mistakes. How can I trust someone that I know nothing about? Not only as a person but…”

 

“But as a wolf?” The other man continued when it was clear that Alec was not going to say any more. 

 

“Yes,” he sighed, running his hand through his hair nervously. “I just… I don’t know what to expect and I really don’t want to let anyone down, especially when there’s so much on the line.”

 

“You’re a good kid, Alec, and I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You and Magnus will get along fine.” Luke paused for a moment as he studied Alec before he began speaking again. “You know, when I said Magnus is like a son to me, I meant it. I didn’t raise him, not really, but he did find his way to me after he was turned. When Hodge came to me about partnering you with a wolf, I was the one who suggested Magnus.”

 

“What made you pick him over anyone else? I know a little about the others. Ragnor used to be a professor before he started working for the Institute and Catarina was a nurse until they passed that legislation about wolves in the medical field. We’re after a serial killer here, surely either of their previous experiences would be helpful at the next scene.”

 

Luke chuckled. “Ragnor doesn’t quite have the stomach for it and while I can’t argue that Cat’s knowledge would be helpful, she doesn’t quite have Magnus’ drive. He’s tenacious, like you, and he’ll go out of his way to protect people. He’s got a big heart and I know he’s been following the case closely. He wants to see this killer brought to justice just as much as you do.”

 

“Alright,” Alec replied with a sigh, knowing that Luke made a good case and there was no point in trying to argue. It was only fair that he gave the wolf a chance - the same way someone had once given him a chance when he was fresh out of the academy. “Magnus and I will be fine but I still have no idea how a werewolf works in the field? Are there guidelines that I can read? Procedures that I need to follow?”

 

The older man barked out a laugh. “I think you’re looking into this too deeply. Come on, let’s take a walk and I’ll give you a crash course on Werewolf 101.”

 

----------

 

Two days later, Alec found himself slightly more informed on modern day werewolves, though he had to wade through a sea of absolute garbage and misinformation on the internet to get there. He felt much more comfortable about having Magnus as his new partner, safer even if he had to face a serial killer sometime in the near future. Alec only had his gun to protect himself if things got hairy - and there were plenty of ways, though he could only pray it didn’t happen, that he could be disarmed. Magnus was lucky, in that sense. Of course, being faced with a madman with your weapons out of reach wasn’t ideal but the werewolf would always have his teeth and claws in a pinch. 

 

He’d still had yet to actually meet Magnus in person but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. He’d stopped by the Den twice hoping to officially introduce himself but Magnus was nowhere to be seen. Isabelle had tried to invite Alec to her typical Wednesday lunch but Alec had been in the field most of the past few days, trying to help Jace tie up a few loose ends on his open cases so they could all focus on the main problem at hand.

 

All in all, it really was no surprise to him when Hodge called them to report that another body had been found. The timeline was right and Alec had known it was coming any day now, he’d just hoped it would be after he’d had a chance to sit down with his new partner. 

 

Oh well, he supposed, they’d have to work with what they had, even if it wasn’t the most ideal situation. 

 

He grabbed his gun and his badge from his desk, shot a quick text to Jace and Isabelle with the address of the scene, before heading off to make sure Magnus was ready to go. 

 

All of the werewolves employed by the Institute resided in an isolated underground wing that was affectionately known as the Den. It wasn’t off limits to non-shifter agents but Alec still felt out of place as he traversed the halls in their sacred space. He paused outside the main entrance, his hand raised to knock when the door swung open before him, to reveal a very displeased Raphael. “Lightwood. Why are you here?”

 

He frowned. “I’m here for Magnus. Hodge partnered us up to work the Runecarver case. Did Luke not tell you?”

 

The werewolf crossed his arms. “He did. Nearly three days ago. It didn’t cross your mind to come by sooner? Didn’t want to slum it with the mutts? You just think you’re too good to—”

 

“Raphael,” came a stern voice from inside the room before the other man was pushed aside and quickly replaced by Catarina. The woman gave him a kind smile.”It’s nice to see you again, Alec. Come inside. Luke rang a few minutes ago and said that another body had been found so Magnus went to change. He should be done any second now and then the two of you can get going.”

 

She stepped aside to let Alec enter. “Change?” The room was simple but cozy, with a number of worn couches and bookshelves lining the wall filled with hundreds of books. There was a wooden door in the back covered in deep scratches that sent a shiver down Alec’s spine. “What do you mean change?”

 

“Shifting isn’t a pretty process to watch and it takes a lot longer than you think. It always leaves the wolf pretty grumpy for a minute or two after,” she nodded her head toward the door he’d noticed a moment ago. “We have a room specifically set up where we can go take care of the process in private.”

 

Alec’s eyes drifted back to the door. He squinted, making a futile attempt to see through the door.  “I didn’t realize,” he said after a moment, knowing that Catarina was expecting some sort of answer.

 

“Why do you think that is, Lightwood?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. “Humans already think we’re monsters. Why would we give your kind even more ammunition to hate us? We keep our own secrets to keep ourselves safe.”

 

He wanted to push further as a thousand questions flashed through his mind rapid fire. He opened his mouth to speak when the sound of a handle being hit hard and a door being pushed open with force pulled him from his thoughts. Alec turned to the source to find that the room Catarina had pointed out earlier was no longer closed. In the entry stood a wolf - solid black with captivating golden eyes. The canine was smaller than the other wolves that Alec had seen before, though not by much, with shoulders that more closely resembled a big cat than any normal wolf. His bright eyes watched Alec with a curious and calm expression and he gave a nearly silent huff of acknowledgement. 

 

“Magnus?” Alec asked as the wolf dipped his head slightly in response. He took a step closer but was stopped as a backpack was shoved against his chest. 

 

“Here,” Catarina said sharply. “You’ll need this just in case he needs to change. The clothes don’t change with us and public nudity is still a thing,” she explained before Alec could ask. “Magnus, come here.”

 

The wolf padded across the room and took a seat in front of Catarina’s feet. For the first time, Alec noticed she was holding a large leather band in her hand. She knelt down and fastened it around his neck. “We can’t quite carry our badges to provide our credentials when we’re on four feet. The last thing we need is animal control trying to pick us up when we’re working.”

 

Magnus sneezed and despite this being their first official meeting, Alec could tell that he was agreeing with Catarina. The other wolf stood and turned back to him with raised eyebrows. “Well, don’t you have a crime scene to get to? Those murders won’t solve themselves, boys.”

 

Alec huffed and shouldered the bag.”Do you need anything else?” He asked, glancing down at Magnus, feeling only slightly put off that he was talking to someone who currently couldn’t speak back to him. The wolf shook his head and Alec led him to the door, pushing it open and holding it until he passed through. Magnus’ claws were loud on the tile floor as they walked through the halls and Alec bit back a wince. Heads turned toward them as they made their way to the parking deck and for a long few moments, it felt like every person they passed was focused on them. 

 

He should have listened to Hodge, he thought as he silently cursed himself. He should have made more of an effort to meet with Magnus before they were sent out in the field.

 

His car was on the second level — a standard bureau-issued black sedan parked at the end of the row surrounded by dozens of other identical vehicles. Alec paused, looking between Magnus and his car. “Uh…sorry, I’m not entirely sure how this works,” He said as he scratched the back of his neck unsurely. “Do you want the front seat? Back seat? Do wolves wear seatbelts?”

 

The wolf sneezed and lolled his tongue out of the side of his mouth. Alec felt a blush rise to his face as he realized his partner was laughing at him — or doing the best that he could given his canine body at the moment. “Look, I’m new to this. Cut me some slack, alright?”

 

Magnus padded to the passenger’s seat and nudged the door with his nose. Alec opened the door and the wolf jumped in, the car dipping a little under his weight. He threw Magnus’ bag in the back seat before shutting the door and walking around to his side of the car, doing a quick mental inventory of what he had on him to make sure he had everything he needed. He climbed in and eyed Magnus. “So, was that a yes or a no on the seatbelt?”

 

The wolf shook his head and Alec let out a sigh of relief that he wouldn't have to make a fool out of himself figuring out exactly how to buckle a wolf into the seat. “Alright then, let’s get going. I don’t trust those idiots who work for the city to not contaminate our crime scene.”

 

The victim had been found, unsurprisingly, in an empty warehouse by the docks. “I assume you had a chance to look over the case?” He asked, glancing at Magnus out of the corner of his eye. The wolf dipped his head and Alec took that as a yes. “You’ve probably already been informed but I’ll tell you what Hodge told me before we left in case he had any additional intel that Luke didn’t get a chance to share.”

 

“The body was found by two teenagers around 9 am this morning. They entered through a broken window hoping to find a place they could kill some time after cutting class. The victim is male — looks to be in his fifties, I’m told, though we’ll let the coroner determine that. The man appears to be homeless though, like the others, he was found nude with no identification.” He reached into the backseat and grabbed a folder, opening it up to photos of the previous crime scenes and placing it on the center console between them.

 

“Local police confirmed that there was another chalk circle and more symbols carved into his flesh but didn’t get close enough to see them with any clarity. They pretty much called us immediately after that.” He flipped through the pictures, giving Magnus a few seconds to study each one. “Right now they’ve got the scene taped off. They’re waiting for us to get there since we’re taking point. I did call in my siblings just in case we needed the extra back up and I’m sure they’ll try to get themselves involved at some point anyway.”

 

He closed the folder and threw it once again into the back seat. “Hodge said that they haven’t searched any of the other sites with a wolf. They brought in dogs but obviously, the dogs can’t speak back to their handlers. If you think it will help, we can possibly visit some of the older crime scenes after we process this one.”

 

They arrived at the warehouse and Alec could already see the place was swarming with local law enforcement and Institute agents alike. He found his siblings in the crowd quickly and parked next to Isabelle’s identical sedan. “Talk to me,” he said without greeting as he climbed out of the car and walked to the other side to open Magnus’ door for him. The wolf jumped out and gave himself a shake. 

 

Isabelle blinked, like she’d expected Magnus in his human form, but quickly recovered. “No one’s been in since they confirmed it was one of ours,” she replied, following Alec and Magnus as they walked toward the door of the warehouse. “Local PD says they’ll assist if we want them to but they’re more than happy to entirely hand this one off to us.”

 

“I called Hodge to see who they were sending to collect the body,” Jace’s voice came from behind him as his brother jogged a few steps to catch up with them. “I was hoping Lilly was available but she’s on another call. Unfortunately, that means that they’re sending Raj.”

 

Alec grimaced at that. Raj wasn’t one of his favorite people to deal with. He’d asked Alec out once and after he’d turned him down,the other man seemingly went out of his way to make his life miserable. 

 

“I know,” Jace continued with a roll of his eyes. “Trust me, that was my reaction too. I asked him if he had literally anyone else to send us — hell, I’d even take a trainee, but he shot me down.”

 

Alec ducked under the crime scene tape as Magnus walked right underneath it, his nose already to the ground and his ears perked. The wolf trotted off ahead as Alec was stopped by a familiar and unwelcome face. Raj scowled at him from his place by the door. “Lightwood, you’re late. I suppose you had to stop so the mangy mutt could chase a rabbit or something?”

 

He narrowed his eyes at the other agent’s words and he felt Jace and Isabelle tense up behind him, ready to come to their brother’s aid should the need arise. He waited a beat until Magnus disappeared from sight, unwilling to hurt his partner with his own words, even unintentionally. “Raj. Need I remind you that the wolf works for the Institute the same as you and I and his name is Magnus. If I hear you call him what you just did one more time, I won’t hesitate to call Hodge and have you reassigned. I have no problem shutting this entire crime scene down and making everyone wait until Lilly is free from her other job. If you want to stay, you’ll show him the same respect that you show anyone else here.”

 

Raj snarled and opened his mouth to say something else but Alec stopped him with a hand. “I would watch what you say next, Raj. I’m not above taking this to HR, either. I’m sure they’d just love to hear all the vitriol you’re spouting about your coworkers. Now stand aside and get to work. You’re here to collect a body and tell us what you can about it, nothing more. You do your job and let us do ours.”

 

“Then go make sure he doesn’t shed all over my crime scene, Lightwood,” the coroner replied. Alec pushed past him and stalked into the building, expecting his siblings to follow him. Magnus was standing just inside the door, his head cocked and his tail low as he watched his partner enter. The wolf’s posture seemed timid (though Alec couldn’t consider himself an expert in canine body language by any means.) Despite his best efforts, Magnus had overheard what Raj had said about him.

 

Alec sighed and rubbed his eyes before glancing around the room, his eyes landing on the body that had been found almost instantly. “Don’t worry about him,” Alec said to Magnus with a wry smile. “He’s just a dick.”

 

Jace snorted in response. “That’s putting it lightly. He’s had a stick up his ass ever since Alec said he had taste when Raj asked him out.”

 

Alec rolled his eyes and shoved his brother. “I didn’t say that.”

 

“No, but you implied it,” Isabelle cut in with a wicked grin on her face. “His shock was priceless. I’ll never forget it.”

 

“Alright, enough about my love life or lack thereof,” he said, trying to rein his siblings back in before things escalated more than they already had. “We’re here to do a job, remember? Investigate a crime scene, find a killer…so let’s try to be professional about this. You two go talk to the kids so we can finally let them go home. Magnus,” he paused to glance down at the wolf by his feet. His partner was staring back at him with patient, golden eyes. “Let’s go see what we can glean from the body before Raj takes it away. Then we can reconvene with Jace and Isabelle and get a grid search going.”

 

Magnus stared at him for a moment longer and Alec began to wonder if he said something wrong. “Is that alright with you?” This time Magnus sneezed and trotted off toward where a field tech waited with the body. “Well then, I’ll take that as a yes.”

 

----------

 

As soon as Alec had opened the car door for him, his senses were assaulted by the crime scene. The cry of the seagulls diving for their lunches was nearly deafening and he bit back a growl at his displeasure. There were flashing lights and moving bodies everywhere the eye could see — and it was dizzying. Magnus had been at crime scenes in his canine form before but none of them could hold a candle to what he was experiencing here. 

 

Before he could begin to sort through what his senses were telling him, they were joined by two others and Magnus found himself instantly shifting closer to his partner in case the other man needed his protection. Alec might be new to him but every single one of Magnus’ canine instincts were telling him to take care of his pack. The other agent might not be a wolf but ever since Luke and Hodge had assigned the two together, Alec belonged to Magnus and vice versa.

 

Alec didn’t seem to notice Magnus’ shift in position (and he supposed that made sense - his partner was only human, afterall) and turned to greet his siblings. This close, Magnus recognized Jace Wayland and Isabelle Lightwood though they were not as much of a stranger to him as Alec was. The woman reached her hand out like she wanted to pet him before instantly catching herself and folding her arms instead and turning her attention toward her brother to answer the question that he’d asked.

 

Jace picked up where Isabelle had left off, explaining to Alec (and Magnus by extension) that they weren’t the only ones at the Institute to respond — the coroner on duty was none other than Magnus’ least favorite person to deal with on a day to day basis, Raj.

 

He wrinkled his snout in disgust, the best expression that he could manage in his four-footed form. He wasn’t entirely certain what Raj’s problem with him was. Granted, the coroner seemed to have problems with everyone in the Institute’s pack but sometimes it seemed that he went out of his way to make Magnus’ life a living hell. 

 

When he had finished his training and had officially moved into the Den, the others had gotten permission to take him out for a celebratory dinner at Taki’s. They’d all been minding their own business — Magnus himself was halfway through the biggest strawberry and vanilla sundae (with rainbow sprinkles, of course) he’d ever seen in his life, when a shadow had loomed over the table. He’d looked up, expecting to find their waitress coming by to refill their drinks. Instead, he’d found the scowling face of one of one of the Institute’s coroners.

 

He’d spent the next fifteen minutes or so insulting all of them (though much of his attention had been focused on Magnus) before Catarina had chased him off with a fairly vocal growl. Ever since then, Raj seemed to appear out of the shadows to give him a hard time. Hopefully, however, the other man could remain professional when on a job. At least, Magnus could cross his fingers that was the case. (Well, his paws he supposed.)

 

He trotted ahead, his nose to the ground as he tried to mentally begin a catalog of the various scents of the crime scene. Alec’s addicting sandalwood scent stood out the strongest, so he tried to put some distance between him and his partner. He took a brief moment to catalog the scents of Alec’s siblings. Jace smelled like that overly strong commercial deodorant so many young men seemed fond of these days while Isabelle smelled a bit like vanilla and bergamot.

 

Every other trace he started to pick up was new. NYPD, for the most part, always smelled the same. Their personal scents were mostly hidden by the smell of coffee, gunpowder, and leather. He could pick out about eight but he had no way of knowing if they were there currently, earlier today, or in days prior. He filed away those scents for later and continued to explore. Alec pushed open the door for him and the small group stepped inside. 

 

It was obvious that the building hadn’t been occupied for some time. A fine layer of dust covered the floor though dozens of footprints back and forward had disturbed it. The windows were broken and boarded up but the sun shining in through the missing panes was enough to illuminate the room (which obviously hadn’t had power in quite some time.) The body was laying in the center of the room surrounded by a circle and symbols made with fresh, red paint. Even from this distance, Magnus could smell the blood from the body’s wounds.

 

Raj stepped up beside them, now dressed in a white Tyvek suit, carrying his kit at his side. “Let’s get this over with,” the man nearly growled and Magnus could practically hear him rolling his eyes. “I’ve got real work to do. Some of us don’t get to play cops and robbers all day.”

 

“You know that’s not what I do,” Alec scoffed, following the coroner over to the middle of the room.

 

“Oh, is that so? Well, you could have fooled me. You even have your cute little sniffer dog at your side. Do you reward him with a squeaky toy when he’s done a good job?”

 

Alec came to an immediate stop, causing Jace to have to sidestep quickly to avoid running into him. He reached out and grabbed the coroner’s arm and swung himself in front so the other man was forced to come to a halt. “I said what I said out there, Raj, and I meant every single word. Magnus is just as much of an agent as you and I are. He wears the badge just like we do and the wolves haven’t done anything wrong. We all have our skill sets. You don’t see me trying to do your job and neither of us can do the job that Magnus is here to do. Lay off. You won’t hear me ask again.” He reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone, holding it up in clear view of the other man’s face. Magnus watched as Alec’s thumb hovered over the dial button. “I’ll call Hodge right now. I’m sure Izzy can pack things up here with some help.”

 

The man hissed and pulled his arm free from Alec’s grasp to stalk to the body. Magnus watched as Raj set his kit down and opened it up, grabbed a pair of gloves and pulled them on. Raj’s assistant, a young woman with dark hair pulled into a severe pony tail that Magnus hadn’t seen before, stepped into the circle with him. A camera hung around her neck and she bent to start taking photos of specific things that the coroner pointed out., 

 

They talked quietly amongst themselves and while Magnus could pick up on their soft words with his sharp hearing, he chose to ignore them. Now that Raj was distracted, Magnus put his nose to the ground and stalked around the perimeter of the circle, examining the design and trying to recall the previous ones that Alec had showed him in the car. He wouldn’t call his memory perfect in any sense but even he noticed a pattern after studying the photos for the last couple of days.

 

Some of the symbols he recognized from the previous crime scenes but some of them he didn’t think he had seen before. Alec stepped up beside him and glanced around. “This one is new,” he said, tapping the ground in front of the jagged symbol that had initially caught Magnus’ eye. “I went through each of the previous scenes and documented every single symbol. I can show you when we get back to the Institute. I don’t know if any good will come out of it. I’ve spent the last few days pouring over books. I thought they might be Nordic runes but none of them are quite matching up exactly. Maybe two heads are better than one.”

 

“Lightwood,” Raj’s voice snapped from inside the circle, drawing both their attention back to the body in the middle. “Come look at this.”

 

Alec took a few steps closer and Magnus followed at his heels. Raj tapped the concrete by the man’s body, pointing out a paw print in dried blood. “Seems like the wolves might not be as innocent as you think.”

 

Magnus glanced down at the print, expecting to find one very similar to his own. Instead, however, he found something entirely unexpected - very noticeable and deep claw marks.

 

He heard his partner huff. “A paw print doesn’t mean it was a wolf, Raj, seriously. This part of town there are dozens of stray dogs. Whose to say one of them didn’t wander through here looking for an easy meal or a place to stay warm. It’s November in New York. We’re by the docks. I’m sure any animal would be looking for a place to get out of the chill and the wind.”

 

“I doubt a stray dog would have attacked a man, even if he was dead or dying. They tend to be skittish in this part of town I do believe. And I doubt they’d target a specific area of his body and leave the rest. Look, his heart is missing, Lightwood. What dog that you know of would do that?”

 

It was times like this that Magnus absolutely detested being in a form that was not able to communicate. If Alec had been part of his pack, he could have conveyed his sentiment through small gestures and feelings through the pack bonds. Hell, if any other wolf had been in the vicinity, they likely could have translated. Be that as it may, Magnus knew something about what they were looking at that his partner and the coroner didn’t know - and now he had to find a way to share that information before things got too far out of hand.

 

He nudged Alec’s leg with his nose and the agent glanced down at him with a look of concern on his face. “Everything alright? Do you smell something?”

 

Magnus rolled his eyes to the best of his ability, placing his own paw on the unmarked concrete next to the print that had been left. Alec looked between them for a moment, obviously trying to figure out what Magnus was shopping him before his eyes widened. “Oh — the one that was left is nearly twice as big.”

 

Magnus nearly huffed in frustration but Raj’s assistance stepped closer. “Your wolf has no claws," she said, kneeling to get a closer look. When he was sure he had her full attention, Magnus shifted his weight to reveal his own claws. The woman gasped before glancing up at Alec and his siblings. "The wolf’s paws are more like a cat’s. Did anyone here know that werewolves had retractable claws?”

 

At least someone here understood what he was trying to say. 

 

Alec knelt down and held out his hand, ignoring Raj’s snide comment about him asking his dog to shake. Magnus held out his paw and let Alec take a closer look. “May I?” Alec asked, even though he had clearly already been given permission. Magnus dipped his head. With the slightest pressure on one of his toes, Magnus’ claws sprang forth. His partner glanced between them and the ones on the ground for a few moments before releasing Magnus’ paw. He pushed himself back to his feet. “Magnus’ claws aren’t the right shape. Even if they were, look at the size of those prints. Even a wolf bigger than him would need to be significantly larger to even attempt to make that print.”

 

The coroner scoffed. “So? All that proves is that your mutt didn’t make those marks. What else could, Lightwood? You think a lion is roaming free in New York City?”

 

“Obviously not, Raj. Besides, a big cat has retractable claws. I don’t think a dog made those marks nor do I think it was a werewolf.”

 

“Then what do you suggest it was?”

 

Magnus felt his partner tense. The agent’s posture shifted in a way that had the wolf instantly on guard. “I don’t know,” he said slowly and Magnus could tell immediately that he was tired of playing the other man’s games. “But that’s our job to find out, not yours. Your job is to remove the body, bring it back to the lab, and tell us exactly how and when he died. I suggest you start doing that while we continue to take a look around.”

 

Since Alec was obviously done with Raj and what he had to say, Magnus followed him back outside the painted circle to where Jace and Isabelle were waiting for them. “Charming as usual,” he muttered to his siblings with a roll of his eyes. “What did the two of you find out?”

 

“Oliver Holmes and Elliot Grey — both in twelfth grade at Stuyvesant High School. The new Hell Hunter 5: Monsters in the Mists came out today and they decided to skip school so they could be the first ones in their class to see it. Worked out well for them, I guess. The matinee showing was at 12 and school started at 8 so they had a couple of hours to kill and decided to spend some time skateboarding around the docks figuring at this hour, there would be no one around to yell at them,” Isabelle explained, nodding her head to where the two boys were visible outside of the door, both holding skateboards and standing with their parents. 

 

“Elliot noticed the door open. They’d been past this building a dozen times so they both knew that was unusual. They figured someone else broke him - maybe some of their classmates were looking for a place to drink and party where their parents wouldn’t find them.”

 

“Neither of them obviously expected to come across an empty room and a dead body,” Jace continued, picking up where Isabelle had left off. “NYPD confirmed that the boot prints leading up to and into the circle belonged to Elliott - they matched the shoes he has on and a quick visual examination corroborated the boys’ story. Neither of them appear to have any blood spatter on their clothing though local PD is leaving it to us to confiscate their clothes and run the actual tests. As far as anyone can tell they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elliott said he nudged the man with his shoe and confirmed he was dead - though he did say the gaping hole in his chest was sort of a dead giveaway. Once it was obvious the man was not going to be recovering, the two left the warehouse and gave 9-1-1 a call.”

 

The wind shifted slightly, like it was working in their favor, and Magnus caught the scent of both boys and their parents. What Jace had said seemed to be true - Oliver’s distinct earthy smell lingered by the open door while Elliott’s had ventured inside. Alec sighed and rubbed his eyes and Magnus could tell his partner was getting frustrated. “Alright, spread out,” Alec finally said as he waved a few other agents Magnus vaguely recognized from the Institute over. “As soon as Raj and his assistant finish their work and get the body out of here, we’ll start from the back and work our way towards the door. If you find anything that looks even remotely out of place, you stop and let me know.” 

 

Alec glanced down at the wolf by his feet. “Magnus, do you want to go ahead and do your own search before we further contaminate any scent trails with the search?”

 

That he could do. Magnus put his nose to the ground and began to weave back and forth throughout the building, letting the instinctual part of his brain do most of the work. He picked up the scent of the deceased. It was heavy and tinged with blood but the man had spent some time in here before his untimely demise. There were a couple of faded trails of various people and stray animals who had crossed through days or even weeks ago as well as the handful of responding officers he’d picked up on outside.

 

Other than that there seemed to be nothing too out of the ordinary…

 

Except…

 

Magnus came to a stop, his snout raised in the air as he tried to pinpoint the source of what he was picking up.

 

Something truly evil had passed through here.

 

It was an unspoken fact among the wolves that emotions and intentions had specific smells. Magnus had picked up on Alec’s disappointment and frustration at Raj being the coroner on duty without even needing to look at his partner’s face. He could tell if someone was a good person seconds upon meeting them based purely on the pheromones they were giving off. Compared to Alec and his siblings, Raj’s personal earthy scent had a bit of a pungent under layer — as did those individuals that the other man tended to surround himself with.

 

This, though, was different and while Magnus was still fairly new to his position at the Institute, he recognized what had hit his nose. Evil - pure, unadulterated evil.

 

Underneath the acrid scent, there was something else, however - something cold and sharp that burned Magnus’ sensitive nose. It sent a chill down his spine and he resisted the urge to turn tail and run like his instincts were screaming at him today. Instead, he put his snout back to the ground and slowly followed the trail around the room. It was obvious to him that the source of the scent had spent some time here prior to the murder. There were layers upon layers of the stranger’s scent going back days from what Magnus could tell. 

 

He made a note of his and trotted through the open door, following the trail around the corner and into an alley to where it disappeared. Someone had gotten in a car and driven off. Magnus heard footsteps behind him and he turned his head to find that Alec had followed him. “Find something?” His partner asked and Magnus dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I’m guessing this is where someone parked?” Alec continued almost as if he could read Magnus’ mind. 

 

The other agent turned and shouted for his brother. Jace appeared around the corner moments later. “Looks like we need to add the alley to the search. Can you and Iz start processing it and we’ll pick up with the grid search once Raj is out of the way?”

 

The blond agreed and Alec glanced down at Magnus. “Come on, let’s go take another look around while we wait.”