36. The wonderful life of Anthony Hale (Peter Hale)...
(Author’s Notes: Canon is played with as technically Tony would be older than Peter Hale but that didn’t fit with the story I was writing so I reversed the eight-year theoretical age gap so Peter is 26 and Tony is 18 when the story starts.)
Anthony Hale often wondered how differently his life might have gone if he hadn’t been married to Peter Hale.
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Tony couldn’t believe the words that had just come out of his father’s mouth and had to clarify. “You are marrying me off for a business deal?”His Dad frowned not seeing the problem, and that was the most tragic part in Tony’s mind. His Dad confirmed it saying, “The deal is done and signed.”
Tony coughed in disbelief. This was a practical joke, or something, an arranged marriage was unheard of nowadays. “Who does this in this day and age?”
His father picked up his Blazer and Tony knew what that meant. When his Dad picked up his suit jacket he considered his meeting over. Senior stood up trying to act imperious and in charge. “You will do this for the family because if you don’t Junior, we are done and the family will be bankrupt.”Tony wanted to curse, growl, lash out. There were so many things he wanted to do but he was bone weary tired. His childhood hadn’t been great but he never imagined this could happen. He wasn’t going to let his Dad off the hook for throwing away his future. “Just like that? What about college? What about my life? My career plans?”
Then a new guy came in and he was the type to focus all attention on him as soon as he entered the room. Tony thought his Dad should take lessons, Senior wanted to act authoritative, this guy just was naturally. “DiNozzo get out ... I want to talk to my fiance.”
Tony sized him up, cocking his head to the side as if he was contemplating a great mystery. “Do I get the name of my fiance ?”His fiance and Tony was still struggling to wrap that fact around his mind, flashed him a wicked smirk. “I’m Peter Hale. Junior Lawyer.”Tony met his handshake. “Anthony DiNozzo. College Student.”
Peter grinned. “Don’t worry toyboy, I won’t stop you going to college ... In fact, I kind of want to get out of the state and you are a perfectly hot excuse for me to go.”Tony was impressed by the bluntness and could match his snark. “Well, if you are going to be calling me toyboy ... be prepared for me to call you Sugar Daddy .”Peter’s eyes went dark and Tony felt his pants tighten, which was crazy - he wasn’t into guys. “Oh baby, you can call me Daddy any time you like.”
“I’m not gay,” Tony said almost reflexively.
“Baby, I am everyone’s type, just give it time.” Peter assured him with the type of cocksure attitude of someone who had always got his way in life.
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Damn Peter in all his attractive asshole glory, he was right. Tony wasn’t willing to cheat on his spouse, not wanting to turn out like his father. Tony had rationed it out, he was hot, Peter was hot and how did he know if he liked gay sex or not - unless he tried it. Tony found on that first night that he didn’t just like it, he loved it. Peter had adored showing him all about gay sex and Tony turned into a willing student. Although, Peter had to be exceptional in bed for Tony to call him Daddy .
They lived off campus and slowly their lives started to entwine. The apartment they shared spoke of casual wealth; they had their bedroom and two offices for them to work in separately and not distract each other from their work or studies. Peter was a vicious lawyer and when Tony wasn’t in class, studying or training for his football he made a point of watching his husband in the courtroom. The victory sex with Peter was extra hot.
Life was fun but they were insulated in Ohio and they knew it. In Tony’s second year as they approached Christmas Peter became tense and stressed and Tony was concerned enough to find out why. “What’s wrong?”“We have to go to California for the holiday.” Peter replied and Tony knew that the relationship between Peter and the rest of the family was tense.
So this was not going to be fun - Joy!
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It got tenser too after Talia decided that Tony needed to take the bite if he was to remain part of the family as she wouldn’t have a weak member of the pack. The verbal fight between the siblings had been vicious and Tony had winced.
Tony’s mind was still trying to wrap around the idea of werewolves. And yet, he found himself asking, “Could I die?”That stopped the argument cold and even Talia flushed. As the Alpha, she had to live by her choices and answer the question as it came from one of her ‘orders’. “There is a chance, yes.”
“And you being Alpha of the pack gives you the right to order my potential death. It wasn’t enough to force a marriage on Peter and me.” Tony countered immediately.Peter looked at him as if he was the second coming and Tony just squeezed his hand. He may be only twenty years old but he knew his own mind. Their marriage may have started out as an arranged marriage but he no inclination to get a divorce and he knew Peter felt the same. He hoped it never happened but it would be their decision.
Talia didn’t like the questioning of her authority, or the reminder that she could get her hands dirty. She liked to pretend she was above it leaving the dirty work to Peter, as her left hand (enforcer). “Don’t pretend you don’t care for each other. I have a sensitive nose.”Tony showed his own teeth. “I love my husband which is why I don’t want to check out early because of a rash decision.”
She looked at the couple and chuckled and remembered the saying be careful what you wish for. She had wanted Peter married because she was hoping the distraction of a mate would civilize him a little. She had assumed that Anthony DiNozzo would be moldable and meek, the age-gap helping. What she hadn’t expected was for the newly married couple to circle each other and form a true partnership. The younger man was a rising star in his sports career which concerned her.
“Your sports career presents me with a worry.” Talia answered calmly and honestly.Tony frowned but asked a reasonable question. “Erm, how?”Peter sighed knowing why. “Your career is going places, places like NFL potentially and that would bring out a lot of scrutiny on our family. We live in public but try and avoid the limelight so as not to attract hunters.”Tony nodded, understanding what his husband was saying and his heart froze. He’d loved football and sports for so long. It had offered him an escape from his home life and he was good at it. Now he was with Peter and his studies were going well, there wasn’t the same urgency but he would miss it as it was something he excelled at. He asked a few questions trying to see what the hell she wanted. “So you want me to quit? Not go Pro? ... What exactly do you want Alpha Hale?”She smiled at him because considering he’d only just learnt about werewolves - he was doing remarkably well, she could see how he and Peter worked. “A bite would bind you to this pack but would make playing sports a problem.”“Why? Anger issues?” Tony asked already guessing the answer.
“Yes.”Tony had one last argument to make before he would decide. He’d learned a few things about arguing with Peter as his husband, the man was an exceptional wolf. “What about being Pro is a bad thing? Yes, we would be in the spotlight but I have always had exceptional control of my emotions.” With a smirk, “As you can imagine, being married to Peter has helped me refine it.”
Talia sighed and for once, gave in, she was impressed by the united front and by that, she meant the fact that Peter had let his younger husband argue. If he didn’t like sports, he could have a good career following Peter into law. “Yes the bite is not without dangers but the advantages are numerous. You would be stronger and more importantly, if a hunter targets you as a way to get to Peter - you would be less breakable.”
Tony could feel Peter’s hand clutch his at just the thought of it. “Is that a problem?”Peter shrugged as there was no easy answer there. “There is a council and theoretically they follow a code. We should be left alone as we are a good pack but ... Fanatics are everywhere and some hunters consider us monsters for just existing.”Tony could just hear the loathing in his voice. “You are a bastard, Peter, and self-professed but my husband is no monster and I won’t let him become one.”
Peter’s eyes flashed yellow for the first time in Tony’s presence and Tony didn’t shy away. He leaned into his husband. “Don’t make me hot and bothered in front of your sister. She said already she has a sensitive nose.”
Peter chuckled at his audacious mate. “You are the light of my life.”Tony asked him seriously. “Do you want me to get the bite?”Peter sighed because he wished his husband wouldn’t ask him such a question. “You really shouldn’t give a lawyer such an opening.”Tony pulled him close so he could see into Peter’s eyes. “Don’t give me the lawyer, give me my husband.”
Peter chuckled ruefully, never imagining he would come to care for his arranged bride husband the way he did. “There is part of me that wants to say yes for selfish reasons but Anthony, I want what you want. I want your life to be happy and fulfilled. That is not a cop-out - that is the truth.”Tony looked back at his sister-in-law who didn’t look too impressed that he had all but ignored her to have a private conversation with his husband. Too bad . It was her unreasonable demand that started this in the first place.
Tony asked his next question but tied the two results together because if he could, he wanted Peter and football. “If you bite me and I can prove I have my emotions under control, I want Peter and me to continue our lives ... even if that takes me to the NFL. We would be in the spotlight but that scrutiny provides its own protection.”She hummed but explained a few things. “Peter is my enforcer.”Tony snorted but didn’t back down. “You don’t need us close to hand but we will always help pack. It’s what you do for family, and now I have it, I will always fight for it.”
She smiled because she could hear an agreement there. She might not like his argumentative side but when he was her beta things would change (even an Alpha could be naive.)
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Talia had bitten Tony during the off-season, wanting to give him the most time to get his wolfy-side under control. When he woke up, having healed from the bite -- the first thing he saw was Peter. Tony thought he knew Peter but now Tony could see and smell so much more.
“Hello toyboy,” Peter teased.
Tony snickered. “Not now Daddy, your sister bit me, and everything is so much more.”
Peter smiled because he could see the joy in Tony’s eyes. “More? Focus on me.”Oh, Tony was, he was using each of his senses and was glutting on Peter because once he did - he could filter other senses. “It is helping, I can hear your heartbeat.”Peter looked at Tony and Tony frowned. “It just sped up and you smell of cinnamon.”
Peter grinned and it was like their first few weeks of marriage. “Lesson one. Arousal.”
Tony perked up smiling slyly, “Is that so.”Talia shook her head because nearly every beta ever bitten into the family struggled and shifted into beta form out of shock. Tony had seemingly taken to being a werewolf with ridiculous ease. She wouldn’t hold her breath - but the outlook was promising.
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Tony was gritting his teeth. He was blocking his healing which was exhausting but he promised his Alpha that he would never reveal the secret. Damn Pitt, bastard thought it was a good idea to break his leg.
Peter had rushed to his side with a humorous grin. “You would do anything to get out of a family reunion.”Tony gritted his teeth. “Hey, I’m the in-law, they’re your family.”Peter smirked at his husband knowing just why he was frustrated. Whilst Peter would never want Tony hurt - he would continue to play the ridiculous sport. It had gotten better since he took the bite but the amount of damage he could sustain in one game was ridiculous. “Well, you will play the game and you know you want to go back to see your nieces and nephews.”Tony snorted because Laura, Derek, and Cora were way more fun than their mother.
Peter growled at the nurse who suggested he couldn’t sleep in the same bed. It was a good idea because when they were in a dreamless slumber they were woken to searing pain through the pack bonds - something was very wrong.
And then Peter’s eyes turned Red.
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The fire had gutted the Pack House and Peter growled with anger. He and Tony could smell the wolfsbane. Here they were, Talia’s kids shivering in the snow and the smell of wolfsbane thick in the air. This was no accident, this was the work of hunters.
Tony and Peter shared a look - they would get the hunters responsible but the Pack came first.
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Tony looked at himself and had always imagined a different kind of uniform going to work. Peter approved, the red eye and the burst of arousal spoke volumes. “Stop staring at my ass, I have to go to work.”
“Yes, you do Deputy Hale.”
Tony flushed and stepped away from Peter recognising that tone. “You have work too. DA Hale.”
They hadn’t done things the wolfy way but the takedown of the Argent’s had been all the more complete by using the law. It meant that what remained of the pack had flourished in safety and the Argent family had moved away post-haste.
Tony had always assumed he’d go back to his football having miraculously recovered from his injury but the fire changed everything. He’d finished his degree with only the exams left to take and in his off hours he’d worked on piecing together the clues about the fire. It bugged at both Peter and Tony because whilst they were away - they still worked as enforcers and had an active network to warn of threats.
No one could plan for the bitch, Kate Argent. A hunter who supposedly hunted monsters but was the worst type herself - a sexual predator.
Derek had been devastated to realise how he’d been targeted and it would take years of therapy to fix it. They were lucky that Marin Morrell was in town - she had agreed to take over from her brother as the Pack Emissary as Peter had fired Deaton.
Tony’s work on the case had brought him to the attention of the police department and the newly elected sheriff, Stilinski, suggested he should join up with the force. Tony had thought long and hard about it and after many discussions with Peter, he did just that.
Anthony Hale often wondered how differently his life might have gone if he hadn’t been married to Peter Hale - The intriguing part was despite how many things changed - it was what stayed the same that was poignant and spoke to the heart of his character.