Lycan 26 (Patreon)

Authors note: Hey everyone! I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your incredible support. I’m currently 164 subscribers away from being able to cover my medical school tuition, which is a huge milestone for me. I’m not sharing this because I’m asking anyone to contribute more, but rather to see if you could help spread the word by reposting so I can get more reach on Tumblr. Sharing my posts and helping me reach new people would make a world of difference, and I’d be so grateful for your help. Thanks again for everything!

 Sienna led Y/N down the quiet hallways of the Iron Claw Pack’s main house, the sound of their footsteps soft against the polished wood. The walls were adorned with framed photographs of past Alphas and Lunas, adding a sense of history and weight to the space that made Y/N’s chest tighten. She wasn’t sure what she would find in those records, or if she even wanted to know. But something about Sienna’s warm presence beside her was reassuring.

Sienna paused at a door, pushing it open gently, revealing an old, dimly lit library lined with shelves that stretched to the ceiling. Books and old leather-bound volumes were crammed into every space, and in the center of the room stood a large oak table covered with scrolls and yellowed papers.

“This is where we keep the family histories,” Sienna said softly, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet room. “It might take a while to sift through everything, but I thought we could start here.”

Y/N nodded, her fingers nervously twisting together. “Thank you for helping,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn’t shake the fear that gripped her heart—the fear of what they might find. And the fear of her father, who had somehow escaped the hospital. That reality still hadn’t fully sunk in, and she felt a knot in her stomach every time she thought about it.

Sienna pulled out a chair and sat down beside Y/N, offering her a soft smile. “I’m happy to help,” she said. “And you don’t have to go through this alone.”

Y/N sat down, letting out a long breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. She glanced at Sienna, feeling a surge of gratitude. They’d only just met, but Sienna’s calming energy made her feel at ease—like she didn’t have to pretend to be brave all the time.

As they began flipping through the records, Y/N found her thoughts drifting. “I don’t even know if we’ll find anything,” she murmured, her voice tinged with doubt. “I’ve never really known much about my family’s past… and now with my dad escaping… I just…” Her voice trailed off, her fear slipping into the open, her insecurities laid bare.

Sienna looked up from the pages, her expression gentle but firm. “It’s okay to be scared,” she said. “You’ve been through a lot, and it’s normal to feel that way. But no matter what we find, you’re not alone in this.”

Y/N swallowed, feeling her chest tighten again. She had always kept her emotions close, never letting anyone see her fears. But here, in this old library, surrounded by pack history and Sienna’s quiet support, she let her guard slip just a little. “I just don’t know what to do,” she admitted, her voice wavering. “I’m scared of what I might find… and I’m even more scared of my dad. I don’t know why he escaped or what he’s planning, but it terrifies me.”

Sienna reached across the table, her hand resting on Y/N’s for a moment. “We’ll figure it out,” she said softly. “One step at a time. We’ll search the records and see if we can learn anything. And as for your dad… you’ve got Harry, me, the entire Iron Claw Pack and your own pack looking out for you. You’re not alone in this.”

Y/N nodded, feeling a flicker of comfort in Sienna’s words, but the fear still lingered beneath the surface. They returned to the records, the weight of the pack’s history filling the air, and Y/N found herself clinging to the hope that maybe, just maybe, they’d find answers that could ease the growing dread inside her.

As they sifted through stacks of records, flipping past old photographs and worn documents, Y/N could feel herself relaxing, even laughing softly as she listened to Sienna’s stories about life in the Iron Claw Pack. Sienna had a knack for lightening the mood, and Y/N found herself drawn into the warmth of her presence.

“So,” Sienna said with a mischievous grin, glancing over at Y/N. “You and Harry. The bond is true isn’t it? He doesn’t exactly bring people around, let alone someone like you.”

Y/N’s cheeks warmed at the question, and she looked down at the book in front of her, pretending to concentrate on it. “I honestly don’t know,” she admitted, trying to sound casual. “It’s… complicated. I thought he was just the mayor of the town.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer. “Complicated? Isn’t that code for ‘undeniable attraction but both are too stubborn to give yourself completely’?”

A laugh escaped Y/N, and she shook her head. “Maybe a little. But he’s… he’s different. I feel safe around him, and there’s this connection I can’t explain.”

“Tell me about it,” Sienna sighed, nodding knowingly. “Radcliffe acts like he’s untouchable, but then the moment I get frustrated with him, he turns all soft and sweet. Sometimes I think the tough exterior is just to keep people at a distance.”

Y/N smiled, feeling a sense of kinship with Sienna. “It sounds like they’re more similar than I realized,” she mused. “Maybe all Alphas have that streak—they can be fierce and intimidating, but they care fiercely, too.”

Sienna’s gaze softened, a far-off look in her eyes. “Exactly. They’d do anything to protect us, but they also need someone to keep them grounded. It’s a lot of responsibility, but I wouldn’t trade it.”

The conversation drifted for a moment as they continued combing through the records. Y/N felt lighter, enjoying the easy camaraderie she hadn’t realized she was missing. But then she noticed Sienna had gone oddly quiet. Glancing over, Y/N saw that Sienna had stopped flipping through the pages, her eyes locked on a single file.

“Y/N…” Sienna’s voice trembled slightly as she pushed the book toward her. “I think you need to see this.”

Y/N's heart jumped in her chest as she looked down at the document. Her last name was printed clearly across the top in bold ink. But it wasn’t her immediate family. She blinked, her eyes scanning further. It was her aunt.

“My aunt…,” Y/N said softly, disbelief flooding her. “She lived here?”

Sienna nodded slowly, her fingers trembling as she pointed to the details in the file. “Apparently. She was part of Iron Claw Pack, Y/N. I had no idea.”

Y/N felt the air leave her lungs. Her aunt had never been mentioned as part of their family’s story. Her father never spoke about her, not even in passing. She remembered seeing her once, but that was a long time ago.

Sienna’s expression was filled with concern. “Did your father ever talk about her? Mention anything about the Iron Claw Pack?”

Y/N shook her head, her throat tight. “No, never. It was like she didn’t exist. I just thought she left or… I don’t know. We were never close.”

Sienna leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “Whatever she was a part of here, it’s linked to why your father’s been hiding things. This could be a key to finding out the truth.”

Y/N stared at the page, her mind racing. Why had her father kept this hidden? Why had no one ever told her about the connection between her aunt and the Iron Claw Pack? She felt a mixture of fear and frustration brewing inside her. This revelation was just the beginning of something much bigger.

Sienna squeezed her arm gently, sensing her turmoil. “We’ll figure this out, Y/N. Whatever your father didn’t tell you, we’ll find the answers here.”

Y/N nodded, though the weight of the discovery was heavy on her chest. Her father’s escape, the missing pieces of her past, and now this… her aunt’s involvement with Iron Claw. It felt like her world was unraveling in ways she wasn’t prepared for.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Y/N whispered, more to herself than Sienna, her voice shaking. “What else could he be hiding?”

Y/N made her way toward the bedroom, her mind spinning with the weight of what she and Sienna had uncovered. Her heart felt heavy, her emotions swirling in a confusing mix of fear, frustration, and sorrow. As she pushed open the door to the bedroom, she found Harry sitting on the edge of the bed, a book in his hands. He looked up just as she entered, his expression softening when he saw her.

“Hey,” he greeted her quietly, closing the book and setting it aside on the nightstand. The gentle tone in his voice made the knot in her chest tighten.

Y/N blinked rapidly, trying to keep her emotions in check, but the tears were already welling up in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the sense of being lost, like the ground beneath her had shifted, or maybe it was just all the dust from the records room. She let out a shaky breath, standing in the doorway, unsure of how to even begin explaining what she’d just discovered.

Harry’s brow furrowed, concern flashing across his face as he stood up and crossed the room toward her. “What’s wrong?”

Y/N shook her head, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears wouldn’t stop. “I… I don’t even know, Harry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “The file we found… it wasn’t just anyone. It’s about my mother’s sister—my aunt. She lived here, Harry, in Iron Claw. And I had no idea.”

Harry’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him, but he remained quiet, letting her continue.

“She died years ago, but there are records of her being here. I always thought my mom didn’t have any family. My dad never mentioned her, and now…” Y/N’s voice cracked, and she paused, struggling to hold herself together. “What else don’t I know? My father kept so many things hidden from me.”

Harry’s hand found her shoulder, squeezing gently as he led her to sit down on the edge of the bed. “Why would he hide something like that?” he asked softly, as if piecing it together himself.

Y/N shook her head, wiping away the last of her tears. “I don’t know. Sienna found the file, and we read through it. My aunt died when I was just a kid. My mother never mentioned her once. And now, after finding out about my father escaping from the hospital… I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Harry’s gaze darkened slightly at the mention of her father, but he kept his focus on Y/N. “It sounds like your father has kept a lot more from you than you ever imagined. But we’ll figure it out.”

Y/N’s heart ached. She hadn’t just been grieving for the aunt she never knew; she was mourning the life she thought she understood, only to realize it was full of shadows. “I feel like everything I thought I knew is crumbling. Why did my mother leave this pack? Why didn’t anyone ever talk about her sister? And now with my dad gone, I just—” Her voice cracked again, the weight of her family’s secrets pressing down on her.

Harry’s hand slid down her back, rubbing soothing circles. “We’ll get the answers. This changes things, but it doesn’t change us.”

Harry’s fingers traced soft, soothing circles on Y/N’s back, his touch grounding her as she let out a slow breath. The weight of everything—the secrets, the unanswered questions—hung between them, but in this moment, it was just them. The room felt quiet, intimate, like a safe haven from the storm of emotions swirling in her mind.

“I’m tired,” she whispered, barely audible, her forehead resting against his chest. She could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under her cheek, a constant, reassuring beat amidst the chaos of her thoughts.

He shifted slightly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “I know,” he murmured, his voice low and comforting.

Y/N pulled back just enough to look up at him, her gaze searching his face, finding the softness in his green eyes that made her heart stutter. She’d always found solace in the way he looked at her, like she was the only person that mattered in his world. And right now, that was all she needed.

Harry’s thumb brushed the side of her face, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped. His touch was so tender, so full of quiet affection, that it sent a shiver down her spine. Her breath hitched slightly as he leaned closer, his forehead resting against hers. His lips were just inches from hers, and the tension between them thickened like a tangible force, heavy and charged.

“Y/N…” he whispered her name, and the way it rolled off his lips sent a wave of warmth through her.

She didn’t respond, couldn’t find the words, but the look in her eyes said enough. Slowly, she closed the small distance between them, her lips brushing his in the softest, most hesitant of kisses. It was gentle, almost tentative, but it made her heart race. The world outside faded away, the weight of her worries momentarily forgotten as his lips pressed against hers with a quiet intensity.

The kiss deepened, becoming something more as Harry’s hands slipped to her waist, pulling her closer, his fingers digging into her hips like he couldn’t bear to let her go. Y/N’s hands found their way into his hair, tugging lightly as the kiss became more urgent, more desperate, like they were both trying to lose themselves in each other. Every brush of his lips against hers sent sparks down her spine, making her pulse quicken, her body aching for more.

He pulled away, just enough to let them catch their breath, but his forehead stayed pressed against hers. Their breaths mingled in the space between them, ragged and uneven, and for a moment, all they did was hold each other, the air thick with unspoken words and the promise of more.

“Harry…” Y/N’s voice was breathless, her fingers still tangled in his hair, and the way she said his name made something in him snap.

Before she could say anything more, he kissed her again, harder this time, his hands roaming up her back, pulling her flush against him. The kiss was hungry, full of need, and Y/N felt like she was drowning in him, in the way he touched her, kissed her like he couldn’t get enough.

Her body pressed against his as they fell back onto the bed, the soft sheets beneath them crumpling as he hovered over her, his eyes dark with desire. His lips trailed down her jaw, her neck, leaving a burning trail in their wake, and Y/N’s breath hitched, her fingers clutching at his shirt, pulling him closer, wanting—no, needing—more.

But just as things started to escalate, Harry paused, pulling back slightly to look down at her. His eyes were softer now, full of something deeper, something more tender than just lust.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice low, like a confession, and the sincerity in his tone made Y/N’s heart swell in her chest. “You don’t have to say it back, but I - I need you to know”.

Her breath caught in her throat, her hands sliding up to cup his face as she smiled up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.