Lycan 23 (Patreon)

Author’s note: hello everyone, I am so so sorry I haven’t posted but med school is kicking my ass. I’m trying my best to write in between classes. Tomorrow will get out medical rotation sites. Hopefully things will calm down and I’ll be able to write more for all of you. Meanwhile, here is a new chapter of Lycan. Enjoy!

Word count: 2.4K

Terror spread across everyone's faces like wildfire. Harry felt the intense surge of fear ripple through the pack link, amplifying his own sense of urgency. Murmurs of panic started to rise, the air thick with dread, but no one dared to leave the pack house without their Alpha leading the way.

Harry’s heart pounded in his chest as he took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. Determined to protect his pack, he descended the steps with purposeful strides. Each step felt heavy, burdened by the weight of their collective fear and trust in him.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Harry could feel the tension in the room, the mix of anxiety and anticipation palpable. Every face he passed reflected a range of emotions – wide eyes filled with terror, furrowed brows of concern, and lips pressed tightly in silent prayers for safety.

As he reached the front of the pack house, Harry's mind raced with possibilities, his senses heightened and alert. He knew he had to project confidence and strength, even though the scream had unnerved him as much as everyone else.

Harry followed a faint scent in the air, leading him toward the center of the town. Niall trailed closely behind him, both moving with a sense of urgency and dread. The only sound accompanying them was the crunch of leaves under their shoes, echoing ominously in the otherwise silent night.

As they approached the heart of the town, Harry's heart sank at the sight before him.

A body.

It hung from one of the light poles, swinging slightly in the night breeze. The lifeless figure was gruesomely displayed, meant to be seen by everyone. The harsh light from the pole cast eerie shadows on the body, highlighting the macabre scene in stark detail. Harry's breath caught in his throat, the shock and horror of the sight momentarily paralyzing him.

Niall stopped beside him, his face pale and eyes wide with disbelief. The gravity of the situation hit them both like a tidal wave, a mixture of rage and sorrow welling up inside.

Harry clenched his fists, a surge of determination flooding through him. This was a brutal message, a challenge to his leadership and the pack's unit

“Mom?” a voice trembled behind them, breaking the heavy silence. It was followed by a heart-wrenching cry. “Mom!”

Her name was Cara Levine. She had been one of Harry’s teachers in high school. Her son, Peter, now a senior, was in the graduating class. Peter sprinted toward the light pole, desperation in his eyes, intent on removing her from such a horrific display.

“Bring her down immediately!” Harry commanded his men. Peter sobbed uncontrollably at the base of the light pole as Niall, Axel, and a few other men carefully untied her body and brought her down.

“Find him!” Harry ordered, struggling to contain his fury. The men swiftly shifted into their wolf forms and bolted toward the woods, their senses heightened and ready for the hunt.

Y/N stayed behind, watching as Peter desperately tried to shield his mother's body with his own. She turned to look at the women standing nearby, all wearing the same weary and sorrowful expressions. Her eyes met with another woman’s.

"Hi. Do you live close by? Do you perhaps have a sheet to cover her?" Y/N asked gently.

The young woman nodded quickly and sprinted toward her home.

"Can someone call Michaela?" Y/N asked aloud. "She should be picked up for a proper burial." The women around her nodded, quickly scrambling to find the doctor's phone number.

"Here, Luna," the young woman from earlier said, handing her a folded white sheet. Y/N smiled warmly as she took it from her.

"Thank you," Y/N replied, her voice gentle. She approached Peter with great care, not wanting to intrude on his grief. If it had been her own mother, she wouldn't have wanted her body to be gawked at by others. Y/N crouched down beside Peter, doing her best to avoid looking too closely at the body out of respect and, truthfully, because she was scared.

"Peter," she said softly, her heart breaking for him, "let's cover her, okay?"

Peter looked up at Y/N, his tear-streaked face a mixture of sorrow and gratitude. He nodded slowly, his hands trembling as he helped Y/N drape the sheet over his mother's body. Y/N made sure the sheet covered her fully, providing a semblance of dignity in this tragic moment.

The murmurs of the gathered crowd quieted as everyone felt the weight of the loss. Y/N stood up and allowed Peter to hug her tightly. "We’re here for you, Peter," she said softly. "We’ll get through this together."

Michaela arrived shortly after, her face a mask of professional calm. "Luna," she acknowledged Y/N with a nod.

"Please take care of her," Y/N said softly to Michaela, still holding Peter close. Michaela nodded back, then stepped aside as Y/N gently guided Peter toward the pack house, offering him comfort and support as they walked.

---

Harry returned to the pack house nearly five hours later, his exhaustion evident in every step. His muscles ached, and his back throbbed from hours of relentless running. Despite their efforts, they hadn't caught the perpetrator, but they finally had a lead.

"Hey," he greeted softly as he found Y/N submerged up to her neck in the bathtub. She had a hot towel over her eyes, trying to ease the pounding headache caused by the day’s events.

“Hardest day ever,” she murmured, her voice muffled by the towel. Harry nodded in understanding as he began to strip off his sweaty, dirt-streaked clothes. He, too, desperately needed a hot bath.

As he undressed, Y/N glanced at him, noting it was the first time she had seen him completely naked. But with the weight of the day still pressing heavily on them, it wasn’t the time for such thoughts. They both needed the comfort and solace of the bath to wash away the day's burdens.

Harry sank into the bathtub, the hot water enveloping him and soothing his aching muscles. He let out a deep sigh of relief as the heat worked its magic. Y/N shifted slightly, carefully lowering the towel from her eyes and glancing at him with a mix of concern and empathy.

“How did it go?” she asked softly.

Harry rubbed his face, his expression weary. “We followed the lead, and it’s not good news. The scent we were tracking crossed into another pack's territory.”

Y/N’s eyes widened slightly. “Another pack? What does that mean for us?”

“It means,” Harry said, his voice heavy with frustration, “we’re dealing with a bigger situation than we anticipated. We didn’t catch the culprit, but we now know they’ve crossed into another pack’s territory. It’s a lead, but it complicates things.”

Y/N’s gaze softened, and she reached out to place a reassuring hand on his arm.

"How is he?" Harry finally asked, his voice heavy with concern. "I haven’t been able to face him," he admitted, referring to Peter.

Y/N sighed softly. "He finally settled down and fell asleep. We gave him a room in the pack house. I thought it would be best so he wasn’t alone. What happens to him now?"

"Nothing changes for him," Harry said firmly. "The pack will take care of him. We'll adopt him into our family and try to keep his life as normal as possible. He'll move into the pack house, and he’ll continue attending school. We’ll make sure he has the support and stability he needs."

Y/N's heart warmed at Harry's words. She couldn’t help but think about all the other kids in her previous life who were left behind and ignored after their parents had passed away. The pack was a huge family that took care of everyone, coming together in difficult times. Today, she had felt sorrow, but she had also witnessed incredible solidarity.

In the pack, no one was ever truly alone. They rallied around each other, offering support and comfort in ways that made Y/N’s old world seem cold and distant. Seeing the way the pack embraced Peter in his time of need filled her with a profound sense of belonging.

“Did Michaela pick up any clues on the body?” Y/N asked, her curiosity piqued, hoping she could help piece everything together.

“She hasn’t gotten back to me,” Harry revealed. “I’ll talk to her first thing tomorrow.”

Y/N sat up in the bathtub, reaching out to Harry, seeking comfort. Harry couldn’t help but smile, feeling desired and wanted by her. It was a comforting feeling that brought joy to his wolf, even after the long and grueling day he had endured.

He gently grabbed her forearm and turned her so that her back was against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely, and feeling her heartbeat against his, as if they were one.

Harry held Y/N tightly, the warmth of their shared embrace easing some of the tension from the day. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat against his chest was soothing, a reminder of the connection they shared.

"Tomorrow we need to go into town," Harry murmured into Y/N's hair. "We have to visit the other pack."

Y/N leaned into him, finding comfort in his embrace. "Town as in Alsfield?"

Harry sighed, his breath warm against her skin. "Yes, Alsfield. It's the only way we can reach the Iron Claw Pack, our neighboring pack. If we cross into their territory without proper authorization, we risk being mistaken for rogues."

He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "It's a delicate situation. We need to approach this carefully to avoid any misunderstandings. We have to show that we're there with good intentions and not as a threat."

Y/N nodded, understanding that things were about to get more complicated than she ever expected.

As the morning sun began to rise, casting a warm golden glow over the pack territory, Harry and Y/N prepared to leave for Alsfield. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation as they approached the sleek black SUV parked outside the pack house.

They drove through the winding roads of the pack’s lush forest, the dense canopy overhead creating a tunnel of green. As they neared the boundary of their territory, Y/N glanced back, taking one last look at the place that had become her sanctuary.

The transition from the dense, wild beauty of the pack’s land to the more structured, human world of Alsfield was stark. The trees thinned out, replaced by paved roads and neatly trimmed lawns. As they crossed into Alsfield, the small town gradually came to life around them with shops opening and people beginning their day. The quaint charm of Alsfield, with its brick storefronts and cobblestone streets, contrasted sharply with the gravity of their mission.

Harry’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, a silent promise to protect Y/N and their pack. Y/N, feeling the weight of the journey ahead, reached over and placed her hand on Harry’s arm, a gesture of solidarity and support.

As they drove deeper into town, the realization of what lay ahead settled over them like a shroud. The meeting with the Iron Claw Pack was crucial, and the air between them was thick with unspoken fears and hopes.

They approached a busy intersection, and he slowed the SUV to a stop at a red light. The momentary pause allowed Y/N to take in her surroundings more closely. Her eyes wandered, catching sight of a worn poster plastered on a light pole just ahead. Her breath caught in her throat as she read the bold letters at the top: MISSING. Below the headline was a picture of her, looking slightly younger but unmistakably her.

Shock flooded through her veins, her pulse quickening as she stared at the image. The poster looked aged and weathered, but the details were clear enough: her name, a description, and a plea for information. Memories she had buried deep resurfaced in an instant, the pain and fear of her past life crashing over her like a tidal wave. She glanced at Harry, who was focused on the road, unaware of her sudden turmoil. She felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. Who was looking for her?

"Harry," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Look at that poster."

Harry turned his head, his eyes narrowing as he followed her gaze. The red light cast a stark, almost surreal glow over the scene. When he saw the poster, his expression shifted from curiosity to concern. He reached out and squeezed her hand reassuringly, but the underlying tension in his grip mirrored her own.

Who do you think is murdering the wolves? Who is looking for Y/N?