Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tank stared into the wintry forest, their breath rising like a will-o'-the-wisp. It called them forward in a silent siren song. With the solstice moon lighting up the world, even the biting ice of jackfrost struggled to penetrate their skin. Hot blood pumped over tensed muscles, roaring in their ears.

They'd settled themselves on the outskirts of the Shaw Pack, too nervous to butt into a conversation they weren't explicitly invited to. David had surrounded himself with all of the younger pack members, including Asher, and had made it crystal clear that Tank was welcome to stay precisely where they were standing. Gabe was mingling himself with the remaining pack members.

Tank feared that Gabe might have forgotten they were there. It was already nerve-wracking enough to be out in the woods with David at night.

Then Gabe cleared his throat, and the pack immediately quieted. "My family, my pack," he began, "tonight, we celebrate the night when the moon most closely binds us together. It's an honor to be here with you all."

Frank, who Tank had learned over three months was pack Beta and Asher's father, let out an unsolicited hoot of approval. Asher followed suit. Gabe flashed them an amused grin.

"We've all had our own struggles and triumphs that've led us to this moment we're sharing. This pack was built on the foundation of shifters who lost their way on their journey through life."

A man who looked suspiciously like Milo raised a mug into the cold night. Tank didn't miss Milo wince at the gesture.

"What makes our pack strong comes from the strength we draw from each other. It's the bond we share, the trust we build, and the understanding that no one stands alone."

Gabe's gaze shifted to Tank, his expression softening. "I know better than anyone that it takes time to build trust and feel truly at home. But I want you all to know that if you're here, you are already a part of this family. We are stronger with you here, and tonight, as we hunt together, I hope you'll feel the bond that unites us all."

Then he shifted his gaze back to the pack in total. Tank was grateful - they didn't want anyone to notice them. "Let's show our newest member what it means to be a member of the Shaw Pack."

The pack responded with a collective uproar that diverted into playful howls that echoed through the forest. Tank felt a warmth spreading through them as they followed after the pack to the edge of the woods. They almost didn't even acknowledge the several dirty looks Chris and David had sent their way. Almost.

They kept their distance, shifting at the edge of their group. The world changed around them until they could see with their ears and nose. Cold, crisp night air opened up their lungs and pumped them full of energy. Gabe's voice whispered in their mind over the droning of several quieter voices.

The plan was supposed to be straightforward: herd the buck toward a specific location to corner it and leave the attack to Gabe and Frank so no one would be at risk of getting hurt.

Then Tank noticed Christian slipping away from the pack.

No one else seemed to notice, and Tank felt their sprint slow to a jog. They followed Chris with a bowed head, stepping lightly in the pearlescent snow. Wherever the older boy was heading, he didn't seem overly concerned with being followed.

Tank didn't realize what was happening until they spotted the deer; by then, it was too late. Christian was lurching from the undergrowth and snarling at the deer, long before the rest of the pack had arrived to help. The buck reared onto its hind legs, cloven hooves kicking wildly before lowering its head in a defensive position.

Their body moved on its own, shoving Christian out of the way as the stag charged forward. Then the world fell from under them as Tank lost their footing and rolled, narrowly avoiding the stag's hooves. It trudged off through the ice, leaving Tank and Chris in silence.

After a moment, Gabe's voice echoed in Tank's head. "Don't move. We're on our way to find you."

Tank didn't answer, their vision swimming. They shifted back into their human form to ease the dizziness.

Christian quickly followed suit, bright red and glaring at Tank with venom. "I had that under control," he hissed.

"That thing almost ran you over," Tank said in disbelief.

He only sneered in response. "You were just in the way."

Tank's hands balled into fists by their sides. By the time the rest of the pack arrived, the stag was long gone. All that was left to do was for Milo's mom, Marie, to look Tank and Christian over.

"What happened?" Gabe asked, panting into the cold night air. He looked between the two of them with furrowed brows.

"They left the trail," Chris declared before Tank could even muster the words to speak. They snapped their mouth shut to keep from growling deep in their throat. "Almost got us both killed under the stag's hooves."

Even if Tank could come up with the words to defend themselves, the shifters around them seemed to have already bought into Christian's story. They clenched their teeth and looked at Gabe desperately.

"Maybe you should stick to you know best," Chris mumbled. "Some places are just harder to leave behind."

Was he talking about-

Before Tank could think too much about it, their fist socked into Chris' jaw like a sack of rocks. Then they were straddling him on the ground, planting more knuckles into his skin.

Gabe hooked his arms beneath theirs and dragged them backward while Frank pulled Christian to his feet.

"Say that shit again!" Tank shouted. They didn't care who was watching now. The rest of the pack never liked them anyway. Gabe's grip only tightened as they struggled to reach Christian. "I'll rearrange your face you fuckin' aussie !"

"Gabe!" another australian accent, older than Chris's, cut over Tanks. He must've been his father or something. He looked... incredulous. Tank knew exactly what he was preparing to say long before it left his mouth. They'd seen that expression before.

"I'll take them home," Gabe said amicably before Chris's dad could continue. "Marie, I'd appreciate if you looked at that. Frank and David will take over for me."

No one argued - didn't have the time - as Gabe hauled Tank away. His grip on their arm was almost too tight as they trudged through the trees. As soon as the pack was out of sight, Gabe let go.

Tank's face was hot with rage and eyes wet with unshed tears. They weren't even sure if Gabe cared to hear their side of the story, but they needed him, of all people, to know the truth anyway. "I didn't mean-"

Gabe moved sharply, cutting them off with the opening of his truck door. They resisted the urge to flinch, gripping the end of their sleeve.

This was it. They'd pushed their luck, and now Gabe hated them. Now, all that was left was to be dropped off exactly where Gabe had picked them up - far from home.

Except when Tank finally accepted their fate, numbly sitting in the truck shotgun seat, Gabe didn't retrace the steps he had taken to get to the park.

Instead, Gabe pulled into an old diner still lit up with a flickering old sign.