What Now?

"What did you do pup?" I hear my dad through the mind link.

I've been laying on my bed for about a hour frantically trying to figure out what to do.

"Dad! I'm so sorry! How did you know?! I don't even know what happened. Ever since my first shift I'm different. I can't act like it's all ok! I get mad! I have way too much courage. I actually stood up to him. So stupid!..." I ramble to him.

"Slow down. Alpha Lilly is working on it. Your foster...mmmm... the human called the government saying you attacked him. He wants you gone. They will be there in the morning. What happened?" He explains.

"He started ordering me around and I told him no, that I wasn't his so he couldn't make me serve him. He grabbed me by my neck and I snapped. I bit his arm and he dropped me. Who does that? I bit him! Is he gonna be a werewolf now? Oh please no he..." I say and dad cuts me off.

"Wow pup. You really could give Bray a run for his money! Calm down. It takes more than a bite to change someone. Buddy listen most of that is your wolf. All pups have trouble controlling it at first... honestly it's impressive that you didn't completely wolf out and rip his arm off." He says then pauses for a few seconds "Alpha Aaron wants to talk to you."

"Hay Alic how ya doin'?" I hear Alpha Aaron say.

"Alpha!!! I'm soooo sorry. I didn't mean to. I promise I'll be good! please say I can still come! Am I still part of the pack? I don't want them to take me! I want to come home! Please don't leave me!" I ramble.

"Pup calm down! You're still a part of the pack. We are coming for you. Lilly is trying to get a man inside to take care of you so just breath. This is important Alaric. Don't talk to anyone but the man we send." Alpha Aaron says.

"How will I know who it is?" I ask.

"You'll know, trust me. Also be careful you need to stay calm so your wolf doesn't take over. Right now I need you to look like a sweet shy kid... from what Ruby says that shouldn't be too difficult. If you fight or get aggressive they will believe the human that you're dangerous. We are trying to get you off but you have to stay calm." Alpha Aaron says.

"What if I can't control him! How do I?... what if I shift in front of them!?" I ask.

"Grab your hand when you feel your wolf trying to take over squeeze tight. It will let some anger out and the pain will keep you grounded." Alpha Aaron says.

"Just try not to break your hand." My Dad throws in.

"Can I do that?" I ask... I didn't think I was that strong.

"Ruby did frequently... it heals in a couple days but still... a broken hand is rather inconvenient." Dad says with a laugh. His laugh calmed me. If he can laugh maybe it will be ok.

"I'll do my best." I mumble through the link.

"I know you will... I can't hold the link much longer buddy... I'll see you soon... I love you." And with those words I could feel my father leave my mind.

"Love you too Dad." I whisper to myself and roll over trying to get some sleep.

●○●○●○●○●○

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my door being unlocked. A group of men barged in and I sat up in the bed moving away from them.

"Come on kid." One of the men says roughly "get up."

"Come on now Bruce be nice!" A thin man says placing  a hand on Bruce's shoulder.

"No room for nice. They say this boy  attacked his father." Bruce replies.

"Now now. That bite was obviously made by a dog no human could do that." The man responds with a smile. "Anyway he don't look like much. Probably couldn't hurt a fly."

My wolf starts to growl at the comment but I shut him up. The sound was soft... short and barley audible but I'm sure the man heard it because he glanced over at me and smirked.

"Can't take any chances B." Bruce says.

"How about I handle him then?" The man B? says and Bruce nods "good!" He responds then walks over and sits on the bed. It shakes under him but he doesn't pay attention to it. As he sits down I smell something... I think he's a wolf. My eyes widen and the man smiles.

"Are you...ummm with Lilly?" I ask in a whisper.

"Ha ha I know a Lilly... it may be a while before you get to meet her tho." He says. "What happened to your neck little guy?" He asks and I instantly cover my neck with my hands.

"Ummm... well..." I don't how what to say... how much can I say with the humans around. He said my bite looks like a dog's so I can't tell everything.

"Did someone in this house do that to you?" He asks and I nod. I can see the man's joyful demeanor shift. He turns  to the other men "I don't think the boy is at fault in this... let's get him out of here." The men at the door stay silent "come on Alic let's go." He says holding a hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me up placing me in front of him with his hands on my shoulders. We walk downstairs. As we pass the living room we are stopped by a voice.

"Shouldn't he be cuffed?" I hear poppa Jay yell as we pass him. Unnaturally fast the man's hands leave my shoulders and pin him to the wall.

"If anyone here should be in chains it's you!" He says then lets poppa Jay go and returns to me. I can see the amazement in poppa Jay's face.  "Let's go!" The man says taking my hand and leading me out the front door.

"I'll take the kid with me. Meet you guys at the police station." The man says and puts me in his car. He seems powerful.

"He's an Alpha." My wolf says

"How do you know?" I ask

"I can feel it" he responds

"How ya doin' pup?" The man asks

"Fine... better... I don't know." I say.

"Well I'm Brayden. It's nice to meet you Alic." He says

"You too Alpha." I say. His eyes widen with my recognition of his status and he laughs.

"Just Brayden for now... we're still in the human world." Brayden says.

"Alpha Aaron mentioned you before." I say recognizing his name.

"And what exactly did Ari tell you?" He asks... Ari? I doubt anyone calls him that!

"That I remind him of you." I answer.

"Hmmmm..." he says glancing over at me as he drives. "I don't see it."

"Sooooo.... when can I go home?" I ask nervously.

"I don't know... were working on it." Brayden says.

I stare out the window as the city passes. We were on the outskirts of town. Lots of open spaces. Now I feel boxed in as the buildings get taller.

"Everyone keeps saying that..." I sigh feeling hopeless "it's not really an answer."

"It's the best one I got pup." He says. I keep my eyes on the passing buildings. Through my cracked window all I smell is smoke, garbage, and futility.

"I'm never going back am I?" I feel defeated. I only had one day with my family. I feel a strong pull to be with them... not just them but the pack. Its tearing me apart. The longer I'm away the harder it gets. "I wanna go back to the pack Brayden. why can't I just go back?"

"Your foster father is trying to get you locked up. We were trying to figure out a way to stop that.... seeing you today I know how to get it dropped." Brayden says as we pull up to the station. "Don't speak. Don't make eye contact. Stay close to me. I know that your wolf keeps flaring up but I need you to act like you did before you shifted. Weak, shy, scared."

I still feel that way... I don't want to feel weak any more. It may be my wolf but I like him. He makes me strong!

"I don't want to be like that any more!" I yell and pull away from him stopping on the sidewalk. Brayden kneels down so he is eye to eye with me.

"You are stronger than you even know... but right now... in front of them" he says gesturing to the police station "don't act like it. They will be watching you so just trust me... remember everything they did to you how scared and helpless you felt and focus on it. They need to see that version of you... just let me do the talking ok?"

I nod and he stands up leading me to the front door. I don't like this but I do trust Brayden. Hopefully I can keep it together.

We walk in. Bruce and the goons are directly behind us.

I'll never admit it to anyone but I didn't have to act scared as we enter the station. Everything makes me feel even smaller. Men in uniform with guns pepper the halls. Thugs with gang tats curse at us as we walk by. No one looks happy. I find myself gripping Brayden's hand tighter and tighter and hiding behind him. My flashes of pride and courage nowhere in sight as we reach our destination.

"This the kid?" A big man says to Bruce.

"Yea... this guy won't let us arrest him tho." Bruce answers gesturing to Brayden.

"Why's that councilor...or is it doctor... or are you with social services today?" The man says to Brayden still paying attention to the papers on his desk.

"What ever I need to be to protect kids from getting railroaded by the system." Brayden responds. The man finally looks up at us.

"This kid attacked someone." The man says angrily and I tuck myself further behind Brayden.

"Look at him and tell me what you think happened!" Brayden shouts pulling me out to stand in front of the man. I shrink away from him as he looks at my thin frame and his eyes stopping on my neck.

"Have you taken him to the hospital yet?" The man says all anger gone from his voice.

"Haven't had the chance since you wanted him here." Brayden says.

"I don't want to go to the hospital Brayden!" I whisper frantically. I remember being there before and it scares me even more than this place.

"We have to get him checked out and photos taken for the file." The man says no longer looking at me.

"Give me a conference room we can close off.. I'll call a doctor buddy of mine and we'll get you what you need." Brayden says.

"Take C." The man offers "its quieter. Get away from all this commotion." The man looks at me but his gaze is soft now almost kind.

"Thanks Cap." Brayden says and takes me away.

We walk down a long hallway and turn into the last room. Brayden opens the door and guides me in.

"Have a seat. Doc Green will be here soon." He says as he closes the door. I give him a quizzical look... he didn't call anyone.

"Mind link." He says sensing my question. "I have a man back at Ari's they are sending the pack Doctor."

"Why do I have to see a Doctor anyway? I'll be healed soon I don't need to see him." I say... I really hate doctors. Every bruise and every scar just show how weak I am. I wish they would just heal so no one would know.

"That's how we get them to drop charges against you... they have to document your injuries to prove you are the victim and not the aggressor." Brayden says.

"No! Then people will know!" I yell.

"And what's so bad about that? It's not your fault he hurt you." He says trying to comfort me.

""Because!... because it proves I'm weak... useless... even as a wolf he hurt me... what if they change their mind? Alpha and dad saw them before but it looks worse now. If I can't even take care of myself... what if they don't want me any more? I'm not a strong wolf... I'm nothing...." by the end I am crying speaking in a low whisper. Brayden hugs me tight then pulls back and looks me in the eye.

"You are not weak. You are a kid. A little pup that should be taken care of not taken advantage of. Your dad loves you and so does Alpha Aaron... he wouldn't have brought you into the pack if he didn't now would he? We will get you home dont worry." I sob into Brayden's shirt as he tells me this. I'm not sure I believe him but its good to hear.

The doctor comes in a few minutes later. He is young. About Brayden's age if I had to guess. Early 20s? He walks in and Brayden stands up.

"Not the Doc Green I remember... you look like a little punk!" Brayden laughs.

"And your supposed to be an Alpha? I think someone screwed up!" Doc Green replies and they do this hand shake hug thing. As they release they turn to me.

"This is Alic." Brayden introduces me.

"Nice to meet you I'm Doctor Green." The Doc says kneeling down to me. "Now the police need photos of all the injuries your foster family caused you. And in gonna check you out... make sure nothing is broken or needs treatment."

"Ruby said my wolf can heal anything. Why do you need to check me out? Can't you just take your pictures and go away!" I start to growl at the end of that I can feel my wolf itching to come out... man I really hate doctors they say they are here to help but their "help" just hurts.

"Alaric CALM DOWN!" Brayden orders. I feel my heart rate drop and start calming down. Now I see why they sent an Alpha after me, To keep me under control.

"Most things your wolf will heal." Doc says as if I hadn't just yelled at him. "But sometimes it can't and sometimes a bone may need set so it heals properly. I just need to make sure you are Ok... why don't you have a seat pup."

I reluctantly agree and slide into a chair  around the long table. The Doc checks me out making sure I can move easily and that my reflexes are good. He checks my eyes, ears, and throat. His hands on my neck send pain through my body and I flinch.

"Sorry buddy I'm trying to be gentle... Now I gotta take the pictures. Alpha says you are pretty well covered in bruises... I'm gonna need you to take your shirt off." Doc says.

I look at Brayden and he nods. I don't like this at all. I remove the hoodie and then the T-shirt. The clothes Alpha Lilly gave me... the nicest things I own are now caked in mud and blood. As soon as Scotty saw me yesterday he beat on me. I took it no problem. Why did I explode on poppa Jay? If I hadn't I wouldn't be here. It would have been so much simpler. I mess everything up.

"All done." Doc says breaking me from my thoughts. "Go ahead and get dressed Alic." I do so and then curl back up on the chair not looking at him. "I'm gonna go give these to the captain Bray... do you need anything else before I head home?"

"Na Jack we'll be fine." Brayden says and Doc Green walks out the door.

"How ya doin'?" Brayden asks as he sits in the chair next to me. I don't look up at him. I don't say anything. I just stare at the ground "You're a good kid you know that?"

"What makes you say that?" I mumble.

"You listen well, your smart, you keep control of yourself better than most, you're honest even when you're upset or embarrassed... I think you'll be alright." He says.

As soon as Brayden is done talking the door opens.

"Well I think this is pretty well settled Brayden just have to get a judge to sign off. We just need to figure out where to put the boy for the night. I'll call child ser... " the Captain says as he enters but Brayden cuts him off.

"That won't be necessary Cap. He's got to see the judge in the morning anyway so as his child advocate I'll take him. I got an apartment a couple streets over." Brayden says.

"I'm not sure that's proper procedure..." the Captain responds.

"It will be fine" Brayden assures him "this kids been through enough don't you think?"

"Fine... but if anyone comes askin' questions it's on you." He responds and walks out.

"Come on Alic let's go." Brayden says and we walk out.