Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pearl did not know where she was going. Except, far, far away from Sunny Side Cliffs. Her Pack, her family called that place home for decades, but one sloppy hunt snowballs and snowballs into silver bullets lodged in her dads’ heads and her siblings' hearts. Her Pack was not a conventional one, her fathers had taken in Pearl and her brother Grian after they were abandoned shortly beyond their turning. And their Pack only grew from then; Gem, then Scar had joined their found family, and they should have lived happily-ever-after, but losing control for one night. One. Night. And slaying one lone human– He was practically asking for it! No one believed his daughter’s cries of werewolves for so long, but after she had left the townsfolk grew smart to the pack underneath their noses, and ruined their perfect life.

So she ran, foot over paw over foot, she ran. Until she saw light, until she saw Oakhurst, but the silver scent stayed lodged in her nose despite the time. Candles and humans alike were hard to tell apart. A vampire could be in this town and she would not be able to tell!

< > < > < >

Renhardt had been on his own for quite some time. Some part of him had called to the wild and the forest, and on his hunt of Oakhurst he was happy to indulge. While his journey was saddened by the death of his mother, he was still able to enjoy it. The nights underneath the full moon became less strange. The oddly placed scent of blood rarely ever came up– other than the food he had hunted– and he need not worry about the deaths that plagued his home town in The Capitol. (He could not help but worry that his mother held the same claw marks as the deceased or the blood under his nails or the blood on his tongue or the blood–)

When Ren finally found Oakhurst, he was expecting more, but the dilapidated, little town still held people. He supposes that this might be for the best, it would be easier to warm up to thirteen people rather than a whole town. Even if some smelled odd, Scott and Owen, and then Pyro and Shelby carried the scent of blood wherever they walked, and Pearl always gave him de-ja-vu, but surely that meant nothing.

Chapter Text

When Renhardt moved out of the town, he expected less visitors. Everyone was so boisterous, and even when he was able to return home, he was not able to shut his weary eyes as the noise carried through his walls and into his pounding skull. While he missed human connection, all the noise and smells were too much for his senses. So now he resided outside of town, he always felt safer closer to the forest, don’t’cha know.

He was settling down for the night, making sure to open the curtains so the moon could shine through, when quite the racket sound from outside his humble home

“Ren! You have to help– I don’t know what to do!” Drift’s voice, nearly on the verge of tears, carried into his home.

Ren stood, his knees creaking as he did, and quickly (well, as quickly as he could) strode to his door. Paying caution to silver, as it always made him uneasy, he opened the door. Drift’s wide eyes found his, but leaning on her shoulder, the young Avid’s eyes stared into nothing. The lad had silent tears flowing down his cheeks and trembled under his friend's touch.

“Well, oh– uh, come on in,” Ren gestured to the duo, but only Drift responded.

“Thank you,” She huffed, and attempted to lead Avid through the door, but he just stood there, shock still.

“Ye need some help there, lass?” Ren offered.

“Please,” she said, and with that Ren looped around to Avid’s other side. Ren carefully supported Avid’s side, but was answered with nothing but a flinch.

The duo gingerly maneuvered Avid onto Ren’s threadbare couch. Drift remained at Avid’s side.

“What’s wrong with him, Ren?” Drift asked, still supporting Avid, “I couldn’t find the doctor, and he’s been acting weird since he burned down Shelby’s house…”

“Well, first of all,” Ren began, his voice softening naturally in front of the younger two, “I don’t think all the contact will be helping young Avideh, don’t’cha know?”

Drift hesitated, “Are you sure?” Her gaze would not leave her friend, “What if he needs it? Like, the help.”

Ren inhaled, putting a guiding hand on Drift’s shoulder, “He does need help, but not that kind.”

The young lass took another glance at her friend, but still carefully propped Avid up against the couch. She stood up and stepped next to Ren, hands fidgeting in front of her. Ren took this opportunity to crouch in front of the lad, to get a good look at him

“Ye said he’s been acting all out of sorts since the Shelby incident?” Ren questioned.

“Yeah, but he just kept getting worse and worse, and now he won't respond,” she explained, now fidgeting with her monocle.

“I see, I see,” Ren said, before turning his gaze back to Avid on the couch, “Alright lad, it's normal that ye are feeling all up and out of sorts. Losing a friend, especially to forces of the dark, can be tough, but I’m gonna need ye to listen to me.”

Ren did not know how long he stood in front of the couch, talking to the lad in a low voice, trying to guide his breathing. Eventually Drift joined him in his drabbles, eager to help her friend. The moon was high in the sky before the young Avid’s breaths settled into something normal. By the time he was ready to speak the two joined Avid on the couch, alongside Ren’s old quilt from his bed.

“What was that?” Drift’s question was as equally as directed at Ren as it to Avid.

“That was something I’ seen before,” Ren started before Avid could, sparing him the effort of speech, “Something of a ‘panic attack,’ don’t’cha know?”

“No I don’t think I do know…” Drift trailed off in thought.

“No, no, its happened before,” Avid finally spoke up, voice hoarse from the ordeal, “I just go quiet and freak out… my– partner would help then. I’m sorry for bothering you Ren, I–”

“Ye have no need for apologies, young Avideh.”

Drift added on, “Yeah, Avid, you’re fine!”

“Sorry–” Avid cut himself off with giggles.

The trio lapsed into silence, only broken by the soothing noises of the forest. Ren chose the location for its serenity and it seemed to be working its magic on the young adults.

“Well, we should be getting out of your hair now,” Avid prattled.

Something deep inside Ren growled at the thought of the two walking defenseless back to the town. Afterall pups the young should be protected.

“I think ye should stay back, the horrors of the night may follow ye, don’t’cha know?” Ren said, trying to keep his worry from his voice, “I have an extra bed for one of ye, and I can take the couch.”

“If that’s alright with you, I’d like to stay,” Drift said, then nudged Avid for his lack of response.

“Oh– uh– yeah!” the lad stuttered out, clearly worried about the aforementioned horrors of the night.

“Don’t’cha worry, ye lot are safe here”