Broken Pieces

Chapter Two

By Roofles

The entire block they lived on had been remade over the past year and belonged to the wolves.

Alan had thought of it like the backyard of the house. Initially, it was a wreck, but they had gotten it together with some tender, caring love. The entire block was just a fixer-upper; it looked like it needed the same care. A LOT of TLC. The potholes had been filled in. The roads were repaved. New fencing had been installed in the lawns, with fresh turf rolled out over each. The block had new trees planted and several new bushes giving it some much-needed life from the crack den look it had appeared to be before. 

A lot of work could get done when you have a pack of wolves on the job.

Nearly all the windows had been replaced in every house. Crooked doors and hinges had been fixed or replaced, metal screen doors were installed on every house, and several cameras were fixed into each corner. They had eyes, ears, and noses on every corner of the block. Add in the patrols, the guards standing nearby, and the several "sniffers," whatever that meant, and the whole block had been well fortified for the pack's new home.

It kind of ruined the nice neighborhood look they had been going for. Looking instead like some militia camp out in the middle of a once abandoned field. Looking as if the wolves were preparing for war.

For what? Or from whom? Alan didn't know as he loaded up in one of the wolves' SUVs. One day his car was missing, and then the next, he had a new SUV with bulletproof windows and armored doors. Alan wasn't sure what to say or do, seeing as they had not only managed to sell his old car but also gotten a new one in his name…

"Don't worry, Alan, I'll tell you everything. No secrets between us, promise."

Was ignorance bliss? Alan wasn't sure as he loaded Salt and Pepper in the back as took the driver's seat. Barreth soon joined them in the passenger seat without a word. He had one of those nice black vests on, though, to most, it looked like a suit. Alan knew better after looking inside one once. They were lined with some kind of new Kevlar mesh, giving them a far more bulky appearance. It also helped hide the gun he knew Barreth had gotten out for the trip.

Though Alan had never asked for it, Barreth was his appointed bodyguard and knew the wolf would take a bullet for him. Which only made him more awkward around the large wolf. Unsure what to say to a man willing to give their life for you on the spot. 

"I’m driving.” Alan made it clear to the wolf who wouldn’t leave him be. He saw more of Barreth these days than he did of Reese. “You can hang out or whatever, but you do NOT drive for me.” Alan had to put his foot down somewhere, or his entire life would be stolen. Taken from him and changed.

Again… by these wolves.

He shook the disturbing thought away, grabbing his left arm as he pulled out, heading down the street before being stopped at the gate around the block. Alan sighed in annoyance, unable to believe he had to deal with all this. Let alone daily. 

They checked who he was and what he was doing, and Alan frankly had enough by the time he was sniffed for the fourth time after answering their questions.

“Oi,” Alan half shouted at the wolf, lifting a shaking finger. “I can go where I damn well please without signing in and out of my own goddamn house!” And despite being smaller than the wolf, Alan could be twice as fierce when push came to shove. With Barreth backing him up, giving the guard a single look, the gate guard didn’t question further and opened the gate for them to go.

“That was badass.” Salt spoke up.

“Should’ve punched him,” Pepper added. “I’ll punch him. If you want…?”

“Or told Reese.” Barreth offered. Alan rolled his eyes at all three.

“Look, I get it. Wolves. Right.” Alan tried to keep his voice even as he spoke, glancing up in the rearview mirror at the two in the back. “But that’s not going to fly out in society, boys.” He cringed a bit, saying the word but kept hoping Barreth didn’t notice. “Violence doesn’t always solve things and can complicate matters much more.”

“It does in the pack?” Salt was brought up.

“Yes. But as you noticed, we’re not in the pack anymore.” Alan quickly added, gesturing out the window around the other neighborhoods they were entering. “Outside Wolf Street,” he hated that name. “The world isn’t your oyster. It’s not your friend. If you try and bite, it’ll bite back twice as hard. And trust me. They outnumber any of us.”

Barreth cocked an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, so Alan directed the last part toward him.

“I should know what wolf politics lead to.” Alan left it at that, letting the bitter tone convey his feelings. Barreth didn’t question it as they drove.

“So… we aren’t allowed to do things?” Salt asked his brother, and Alan’s heart went to the wolf. It wasn’t their fault they were born… no, that wasn’t right to say. It wasn’t their fault at all; Alan corrected in his head; it wasn’t their fault society treated them the way it does because they were wolves.

Just because their ancestors did things centuries ago didn’t mean kids and pups, like Salt and Pepper, had to deal with their wrongdoings.

“Sins of the father.” The words stung as Alan recalled them. He hated them. He hated his father.

“It means,” Alan brought up. “You must approach the situation differently than you would with the pack. It’s all about knowing who you’re around and who you’re with. Many wolves stick with their pack because they don’t know how to handle the outside world. The real world…” Alan brought up. It was a conversation he’d had multiple times with the two. “That, in itself, causes issues and problems. You can’t treat, say, a cat as you would a dog. A mouse to a bull. A human to a wolf.” Alan frowned a bit at the end.

Barreth lifted an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

“We can talk to you, though.” Pepper was the one to bring up, his voice shaking a bit as if worried they’d been wrong that they weren’t allowed to speak, to talk, like back in their old pack. That Alan would be like the others they grew up with. That he didn’t accept them as they had thought, hoped, and even feared that a human might…

That someone outside their pack could be nice to them for a change.

“That’s different. I grew up with wolves. I’m a, uh, special case.” Alan just shrugged a shoulder. “Plus, I am with Reese.”

“Alpha.” Barreth corrected out of habit and got shot the stink eye for that. Barreth dismissed it with a wave of a hand, though a smirk played on his face as if not worried about Alan. He, along with everyone else, was far more intimidated by Reese.

“Yes, well, I knew him far before he was Alpha.” Alan just rolled his eyes with a shake of his head as he shifted gears and went onto the highway. Only to abruptly stop in traffic. “Fuck…” He cursed. Today wasn’t going to be his day. “You boys bring your phone?”

“Yes.” They both said in unison.

“Good, 'cause it looks like we’re going to be here for a while… thanks for getting gas, by the way.” He added, looking over at Barreth, who had just rested back in his seat. Tipping down his glasses, the wolf gave him a single look before resting back. “Right, riveting conversation as ever. Thanks.”

He got a snort in reply to the smart-ass remark.

“How does that work…” Salt began asking his brother in a low voice. The car might’ve been far larger than Alan’s old one, but the two weren’t quiet, and he could hear them over the radio.

“I don’t know. Ask him.” Pepper just grumbled in reply, tapping away on the large phone Alan had bought the two. That had been a trip in and of itself. Heading downtown to the Orange store to pick up their iorange.

“Ask him?” Salt ears splayed out, and he lowered his head. “What if he gets mad again…?” Salt’s voice was no more than a breath.

“Sucks to be you then.” Pepper snorted a reply but went silent as Alan felt their eyes turn to him.

“Salt, if you have something to ask me.” Alan was getting used to being their go-to on most things. Even being the one to introduce them to the internet. Alan found the two coming to him more than not to ask about everything, making the human question their upbringing but never daring to ask about it. “What do we do?”

And Salt raised his hand, making Alan want to facepalm. Barreth snorted next to him, and Alan shot him another stink eye.

“Don’t you dare start? Salt, you can just ask me. Only raise your hand at school when the opportunity presents itself, and you need help.” Alan just grumbled near the end, having already gone over this a hundred and a half times with the two.

Alan wasn’t familiar with their situation. Just that Reese had shown back up after it all with two more mouths to feed, he claimed they were his brothers, and that was that. Alan had thought all his siblings were dead, but it was clear Reese’s family was bigger than he knew, and he assumed they were only his half-brothers.

Without questioning it further, Alan had reluctantly taken them in as well. Unfortunately, the two had attached themselves to the human once they learned he was their elder brother’s mate.

“I rather just come to you for school help… The teachers don’t like me.” Pepper mumbled at the end. He always started strong but would falter, and his insecurities would show. According to some other wolves, Pepper had never talked like this before. Other than to his mother and Salt.

The fact Pepper was talking as much as he was something to be impressed with.

“Well, yes. As I told you, Pepper.” Alan glanced up in the rearview mirror at him. “You can always come to me for schoolwork. Or any other issues you two are having. I’ll always gladly help you both out.” Unlike my father, Alan wanted to add but couldn’t. “What was your question about, Salt?” Alan would be nothing like his father, no matter what.

“Well… You’re a human, right?” Salt asked but continued quickly, his ears splaying out. “And you’re, like, really nice to us wolves. Are others going to be like that? You bought us this!” Salt snatched the phone away and held it up as if it were some kind of luxury item instead of a necessity nowadays.

“Well…” Alan was the one to start up with, frowning as he glanced at Barreth, who was ignoring them. “You’d be surprised what a little bit of kindness can bring you. Treating others how you would be treated… The golden rule. Can go a long way.”

Alan could only frown after saying those words. It was something he’d been taught and raised to believe. The golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It was so simple, and yet, throughout his life, all the people who told him that taught him that he would end up being hypocrites about it. Unable to live up to their lessons. Their lies.

It was the simplest thing to do. Just be a good person. Be kind to others. And yet, he didn’t see that. All he saw was the ever-growing divide between the different groups. Alan just didn’t want to be a part of that group.

“When the going gets tough,” Alan started.

“Bite back!” Pepper jumped in, gleeful that he seemed to know the answer. Pepper even snapped his teeth loudly, showing off his fangs. No wonder the teacher was having such difficulties with him.

“Uh…” Alan worried; the young wolf meant literally. “Not exactly. Just if something like that does happen? Is someone bullying you, or are there difficulties in life or school? You have people you can come to. Us. Reese and I. Barreth, even.” Alan added in and got a look from the wolf. “That’s what a pack, a family, is about. To be there for each other. Especially for the challenging times.”

Alan promised, planning to be there for them when his parents weren’t there for him when he needed them most.

“Even with today?” Salt sat up, his tail thumping against the sofa.

“Well, yeah.” Alan chuckled, seeing how he drove them to this arcade because they wanted to on his day off.

“I heard it’s super expensive!” Pepper nodded along, making Alan’s smile faltered at the news.

“Oh…” Alan grimaced at hearing that. The two wolves wondered if they could afford this outing, not about the seriousness life would bring them as Alan had thought. This was a whole other issue. Salt and Pepper were just worried about the financial restraints, not the social ones. “Well…” Alan could already see what little savings he did have to go up in smoke after this trip.

“Relax.” Barreth sat up. “Reese said to cover it.” And he pulled out a black credit card as if it were a weapon. “Everything will be taken care of.”

“Oh, Reese!” Alan smiled before it faltered, the edges of his smile dipping ever so slightly. “You had to check in with the alpha to go on this trip. Didn’t you?” Alan hated to ask the question he didn’t want to know the answer to. 

Barreth just gave him a look before keeping an eye out once more.

“Of course.” Alan sighed heavily. He doubted he’d ever figure them out.

Here he was, hoping Salt and Pepper understood the situation they were born into, only for them to just be worried about having fun. And Barreth had thought it was a generous offer that Reese, their Alpha, offered his support… only to realize it was more wolf bullshit politics.

It seemed you couldn’t even take a shit without informing the alpha.

A part of Alan had hoped Reese would be interested in what he was doing today. Keeping informed about what he was doing enough for the wolf to offer him a helping hand. Even if they couldn’t be together, for a split second, Alan had thought, maybe Reese-

“He sends his regards,” Barreth added as he stared out the side window.

“I… okay.” Alan just nodded, not realizing Barreth had noticed his concern. “Thank you for that…”

“What?” Salt removed his seat belt and leaned forward to the front seat, looking between the two. “Thanks for what?”

“Reese wants to make sure we’d have a good day. And put your seat belt back on, mister!” Alan snapped at the Salt and Pepper furred wolf, who only snickered as he sat back. “We’ll be there in an hour or so. Just play games with the phone. Make sure to share, you two! Don’t make me turn this car around.”

Barreth snorted at that.

“Oh, shut up,” Alan grumbled as they slowly made their way through traffic. Starting yet another chapter in his life. “Did Reese… say anything else?” Alan asked thirty minutes later, in a voice so soft he thought the radio had drowned him out.

Barreth’s ear twitched, and he glanced at the two in the backseat. Salt and Pepper were trying to beat each other’s score on the phone game that Alan had helped them install.

“He wanted to make sure you had fun today.” Barreth just said.

“I… Right. Of course.” Alan shook his head, unsure why he was worrying, why there were lingering fears of doubt, and why he couldn’t just be happy with what he had.

There was a moment when the duo just listened to the commercial playing. Alan wouldn’t have been able to explain what it was about, lost in his thoughts.

“He cares. For you.” Barreth grumbled, trying to formulate the words. It was so difficult working with a human or non-canine. All the subtle smells and body language were lost on them. It was so much easier to talk to another fellow wolf.

Just another issue Alan would have with being in this pack.

“I know.” Alan tried to laugh it off, but his smile didn’t meet his eyes. “I just wish he were here, you know?” Alan took a moment, unsure how much he wanted to divulge or share with this other wolf. “You know we went to a Halloween party once.”

Barreth didn’t say anything, but from his ears' cue, Alan suspected he was at least willing to listen.

“He invited me to tag along with the other dogs. We all dressed up. We wore silly matching outfits even. It was a lot of fun. Despite the risk that it brought.” Alan took a second. “I’d like to do that again with him. Sometime. Is all. That’s all.”

The car seemed to grow uncomfortably silent after his words as if the radio had gone quiet. The two in the back exchanged looks, motioning with their ears and whiskers as they communicated without words.

“We could do something.” Salt offered after a brief canine talk with his brother.

“We. We can. Do. Costumes?” Pepper offered, shrugging at the end, unsure about that but willing to try.

“And we got the arcade today!” Salt jumped at the chance. “We’ll do so much stuff that big brother,”

“Alpha.” Barreth corrected with a growl.

“That Alpha will want to come along, also.” Salt just grinned toothily in a very wolf-like smile.

Alan just chuckled at that. “Thanks.” He added, glancing at Barreth. “I just meant I’d like to do more things with Reese. And, of course, you two are invited… outside the basement!” He made sure to add on.

“What do you two do down there all the time?” Salt grumbled, pouting in his chair as Pepper rolled his eyes. Taking advantage of his brother’s weakness, he snatched the phone from his hand and started a new round erasing his game.

Barreth snorted. “Yeah, Alpha-mate, what do you two do down there all the time?”

“We hold hands. Shut up.” Alan just said, his face turning cherry red.

It took them another thirty minutes to arrive at the arcade and find a parking space for the large SUV. Barreth got out of the car first, doing a perimeter check to make sure the coast was clear, while Alan laid down some ground rules for the two brothers in the back seat and what kind of behavior they needed to have while they were here.

“I am not afraid to drag you both back by your tails if I have to!” Alan just warned at the end. “We will be here as long as you two behave. And, of course, have fun.”

And they eagerly nodded along at that.

The arcade turned out to be a bowling alley crossed with an arcade with several token games that Alan was just glad Reese was paying for. Several claw machines and other token eaters were in the middle of the carpeted room. Each looked like it had eastern influences on them, and Alan could only surmise the place had copied something over in Japan or Korea. Gacha machine, he thought they were called, lined one of the far walls and went up the side of it to the very top.

Bright, colorful figures were on each of the machines, each of different mascots from animals to literal objects with mouths and eyes. The carpet was neon blue with confetti-style markings. Even the walls had been done in a similar style, with low lights that gave the whole place an almost 80s club vibe. 

And he hated how many of the cute objects inside he wanted as they walked past several of the machines to a token exchange. Alan’s jaw dropped at how little a twenty got them in tokens.

“How much will that cost me…?” Alan was already trying to figure it out, eying a nearby claw machine and the small, cute wolf plushies inside.

“No.” Barreth just said behind him, making the human jump. The wolf folded his arms before him, watching everyone around them without looking at Alan. “I will buy you each one if necessary. Don’t waste your money on these.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Alan tried to wave him off, unconvincingly as he kept looking at them. One reminded him of a certain wolf, and he’d love to see Reese's face when he showed it to him.

“We can try for you then!” Salt gladly jumped in to play at the machine. The wolf snarled at the young boar at it, and Alan had to flick his ear, apologizing for Salt’s rudeness.

“Wait your turn!” Alan warned the wolf and said the same thing to Pepper. It wasn’t needed as the boar, and his friend quickly vacated the machine, practically in tears as they made their way across the room. Several others took note and distanced themselves from the predators in their midst.

Barreth seemed to approve of this, making his job much easier as the others looked the machine over.

“Okay. So. How do I do this?” Salt just asked, staring at the two buttons like alien objects.

“Well, each button moves the crane. One horizontally and the other vertically.” Alan just said. Salt gave him a blank look, and Alan had to teach him the controls, unsure what kind of kid had never played a claw machine before.

He needed to ask Reese about their past.

“I’ll do it!” Pepper shoved his smaller brother out of the way. “How. Do I? Do it…” He asked Alan as Salt got off the floor, rubbing his side. He growled at his brother, who just snarled back; the two wolves' fur lifted as they bared their fangs, and Alan regretted bringing them out in public.

“You, well... Here. Let me just show you. It’ll be quicker.” Alan stepped closer, making the wolf tense. “The claw in these things is always off. It makes you spend the first few quarters, oh, in this case, tokens, trying to learn its alignment. Here. Like this, Pepper.”

And Alan placed his hand on top of Pepper’s, assisting him with moving and controlling the claw. Shifting it back and forth and telling him about these machines.

“They’re designed to try and take as much money as you can. The prizes inside are a lot more than a few tokens. The way they get you,” Alan said, letting Pepper finish and push the button before the timer went up. The claw lowered but missed the stuffed animal before rocking back and forth on its way up. “Is to get you to try it as many times as possible. That’s all. Just have fun. Don’t worry too much if you don’t get something.”

And Alan slapped him friendly on the back, stepping aside to give him his space again. The three wolves just stared at him.

“Uh… what? Was that too much?” Alan asked, worried he might have overstepped his boundaries. He was too used to hanging out with the dogs and Reese to notice how close he’d been to Pepper.

Even with his eyes closed, he could smell the wolf’s musk and know who it was. Maybe he’d been hanging out with Reese’s siblings too much.

Salt stepped in, elbowing his brother and knocking him over to replace him. “My turn!” The wolf just wagged quickly, grinning toothily. “Show me. Show me. Show me!” Salt didn’t even wait for Alan’s reply before dragging him over by his arm. “Just like you did with Pepper.”

For being so much younger than Alan was, Salt was surprisingly strong, and the human just went along with it rather than risk losing an arm.

It took Alan far longer than he was proud to admit to figure out why the two wanted him to help them. Nearly everyone else in the establishment, besides a pair of hippos and a moose, avoided the wolves as if they carried the plague. Keeping an arm’s length away from the predators in their midst.

Whereas Alan didn’t have a single issue about moving into their personal space, everyone else did. Placing a hand on the back of their own. Standing beside them, so close, Alan could feel their fur brush against his arm and smell their musky scent, feeling the warmth of their breath on his face when they turned to talk to him.

Anyone else would’ve thought the human was being held hostage by the duo, with a third older wolf watching them. Alan kept a close eye on the two, with Barreth trailing behind, carrying all their winnings from one game after another.

It was that close intimacy canines craved that these two desired more than playing at an arcade. Wolf bonding could only be done with those in the pack. The idea of coming here was probably something they had gotten while at school, hearing about it from someone else. They had wanted to come here with Alan, to experience things in a very canine-like fashion. Sniffing around, competing for attention, eating until they nearly hurled, and then doing it all over again with Alan as close as possible before the day came to an end.

The four of them had gotten a bowling lane at the far corner, away from everyone else. Alan had forced Barreth to play along with them; the wolf only agreed after talking to Pepper. The two seem to agree to take turns watching their back while they bowled. For a wolf that was supposed to be on duty, Barreth was extremely good at it and easily beat the other three. Even if they combined their scores, it wouldn’t have been close.

While they took turns, Alan found Salt or Pepper sitting directly beside him. Talking with the human without caring about anyone else in the room. They swapped places after Salt had gotten another gutter ball. The younger, smaller wolf bragged about how he would beat his brother the entire time as he took Pepper’s spot. The wolf was practically nestled up against the human as Pepper had been. The larger of the two got up to take his turn before keeping watch again.

Despite the bubble the wolves seemed to create around them, Alan was beginning to discover that it wasn’t that they didn’t want people to enter their personal space but that they only wanted those they chose to enter it. It reminded him of the dogs at the house. Overgrown, feral dogs, that is. Everyone else at the arcade was just happy that Alan was keeping the three wolves occupied and that they didn’t need to watch out for their kids while the human appeared to be their main course.

“That was a lot more enjoyable than I remembered it being. I haven’t been to one of these since I was a kid.” Alan told Barreth as their small group returned to the car after several hours of fun together. Barreth was still forced to carry their winnings, Alan helping out at this point. Bags and arms full of stuffed animals and useless cute trinkets Alan was already planning to set up inside.

Only once securely inside the vehicle did they dish out food and drink.

“I say it’s okay.” Alan just told Barreth after the wolf had tried to get on him for eating inside the vehicle.

“See. It’s always fun when Alan is around.” Salt gladly bit into his burger, shoving a handful of saltless fries in after and wolfing them down. Alan just watched with a morbid curiosity, understanding where the description came from now.

Reese tended to eat things far more human-like, and, at times, Alan forgot how wild they could be. 

Pepper just nodded along, drool and ketchup dripping from his lips, terrifyingly looking like blood. The wolf was snacking on his third burger and was already reaching for the fourth by the time Alan started the car. He couldn’t believe how much the two could put away as if they’d been starving, dying dogs on the street taken in. Alan was extremely thankful all of this would be covered by pack funds instead of his savings.

The two boys would’ve eaten him out of the house and home by now!

“Make sure to buckle up, you two.” Alan just got on them as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. He was feeling more and more like their dad than their brother’s mate these days.

The two bickered in the back, bragging loudly about who had won more things during their day. It was just common for wolves to constantly compete with each other for rankings in the pack. With Alan around, the two seemed to be vying for his attention and constantly bringing their “kills” up before him, sometimes even dropping the toy or item onto Alan’s lap, covered in drool.

Alan couldn’t lie, though. By the end, he was enjoying himself. Laughing along with the two as he ushered them out because they “had school in the morning!”

Barreth gave him another look, but Alan just pretended to ignore it.

Today had been far better than he thought it would be. He wished Reese had been able to come along but understood such luxuries were beyond him right now. Hoping, wishing that things could change in the future so the two could hang out as they used to. Alan would have to do something special with the four of them. Salt, Pepper, Alan, and Reese. And then he’d get some alone time with Reese to do something special with just the two of him.

Maybe dinner? Something small and quiet. They’d have to do it in pack territory, but he’d be okay if everyone else gave them some space. Alan could make steak! Fresh potatoes from the garden. Then Alan would take Reese back down to their basement, and maybe he’d-

But things never stay the same.

“Taxes and death, son.”

Things are forever cursed to change as time continues to flow. 

And such hopeful thoughts trailed away as they came up to the gate out front of their community. The guards were on edge, and Alan was uncomfortable to see their guns out as they pulled up to get checked in.

“Sir,” one of the two guards addressed Barreth as he rolled down the window just enough to hear them. “We have unexpected company.” They explained quickly, glancing over at Alan as he did so. “We’re dealing with the issue now...”

“Dangerous?” Barreth just asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

The guard wasn’t sure how to answer. “Maybe it’s best if he goes to the safe house while we deal with it…?”

“If it isn’t dangerous.” Alan just started up, hating when they spoke about him like this. He was in the room! Or, in this case, a car. Alan could hear every word the guard was saying. He wasn’t just some baggage to be tossed around and moved aside as need be. “We’re just going to go home. Go inside. And just let you guys do your own thing, as usual. Now. Open the damn gate.”

“Yes, Alpha-mate.” The guard bowed his head, unsure what else to say, as he and Barreth exchanged a worried look. “Please proceed inside safely. I’ll inform alpha of your arrival.”

Alan was tired.

He was sore.

It was hard keeping up with Salt and Pepper. The two had an endless supply of energy, and here he was, just a couple of years away from the big four O. Alan wanted to just head inside and soak in a hot tub with some bubble bath and watch his shows until he retired for the night.

Hopefully, Reese will be there tonight. He needed someone to snuggle and be with. No matter how much fun he’d had, Alan wasn’t getting any younger as he slowed down in front of their three-story house.

It’d grown over the years. Rising above the other houses as they added onto it. Creating a larger garage, building it onto the side lawn, and even adding a place above it. But it wasn’t the house that drew his eye. It was all the wolves out front.

Gathered together like that made Alan shudder, but he wasn’t sure why.

The wolves had created a half-circle in front of Alan’s home and were staring at those in the middle. They only parted enough for Alan to pull into his parking spot. He glanced out the tinted windows with a frown, unsure what all the fuss was about. Several wolves raised their hackles; others were growling and baring their teeth in warning. At least they didn’t draw their guns as Alan stepped out, helping Salt and Pepper out with him.

“Just stay behind me, boys. We’ll head around the side, go through the back door, and just-” Alan started up, taking charge of the two before he faltered. The crowd parted just enough for him to glimpse those in the middle of the circle.

On the front lawn were several brown wolf pups, which was extremely rare to see. Due to the draconian breeding restrictions of the previous Alphas, it was uncommon for there to be wolf pups outside of “season.” Alan had never seen any since the wolves had moved in despite them being there for nearly two years.

Some old habits died hard. He had figured and couldn’t place a finger on where these had come from. Maybe up north? He heard there was a nearby pack Reese was in contact with. Maybe they… But all those thoughts went up like smoke as Alan’s eyes widened and his jaw opened slightly, without a sound escaping him.

Until he saw their nutty brown fur, Alan could’ve assumed they were other pack members. Or neighboring pack. But those bright eyes, turning towards the human, were too captivating to be anyone else’s. They sparkled with so much life that Alan found it hard to breathe.

“Alan?” Salt whined.

“Alpha-mate?” Pepper growled at the strange, foreign puppies.

But Alan couldn’t hear their voices as he took another step towards the wolf at the door, trying to escape from the wolves surrounding them. Surrounding him. Threatening him. Harassing and criticizing him and his puppies. 

Alan couldn’t find the words to say as he looked back, and their eyes met.

His fur had once been the richest color of brown. Bright and vibrant. It was dulled now, but Alan could see it. See the fields of brown fur flowing in the breeze that chilled him to the bone, seeing him again. Those eyes had held so much hope in them, dreaming of the future the two had wanted to run away to just like his puppies did now. Such a childish dream it had been. A dream, a fantasy Alan now knew to be just that. And all the heartache it brought. One eye was tinted with a milky white film, and Alan knew he had to step to the other side for the wolf to see him properly.

The dull brown-furred wolf didn’t say a word as their eyes widened, seeing Alan. Recognizing him amongst the masses of angry bodies circling them. Their damaged muzzle opened, and their broken nose twitched as he sniffed Alan, and he could see that their fangs were slightly off.

As if all the pieces didn’t fit properly.

But, seeing him here, now, of all times, took Alan’s breath away. No matter how ugly he must’ve looked to everyone else there. No matter how they glared and snarled at this intruder invading their lives. This wolf was the most breathtaking thing Alan had ever known or seen.

He wasn’t an intruder, no. It couldn’t be.

Even after all these painful years apart…

And no matter how ragged and tired he looked, his pelt sagged a bit, the brown long since losing its luster… Alan would’ve recognized him no matter what time of day it was. What year it was. No matter how long it had been, how far the two had been apart… Through rain or shine, sleet, and snow. Alan would never forget the wolf standing before him on his doorstep.

“PB…”

The one that had started it all.

“What are you doing here?”

….