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Chapter Text

Nobody had ever suspected that Remus J. Lupin—the sweet, quiet book lover known for his reasonableness—could be capable of violence. The truth was, Remus was capable of violence; the joke was on them, as he had fooled everyone in the Order of the Phoenix. Remus has fooled James, Lily, Dorcas, Peter, Marlene, Albus Dumbledore, and, best of all, Sirius Black. His ex-boyfriend was the one who was fooled the most. They were all unaware of the truth.

However, everything changed that day when Regulus stood up in the middle of a Death Eater meeting and finally spoke. "I'm done. I'm leaving."

Regulus's words lingered in the air as he declared that he was done being a Death Eater. Remus' hand was already on his wand as he stood up with his loyal wolf pack by his side. He didn't aim his wand at Regulus; instead, he smirked while pointing it at every other Death Eater present. "You all heard him," Remus said softly, but his tone was as calm yet dangerous as still water before a storm. As he wrapped his arm around Regulus's wrist, he pulled him closer.

"He's done, and so am I. I was only here for him and him alone," Remus said to the Death Eaters. A tense silence filled the room, as everyone seemed unsure whether to laugh or unleash their spells. A woman with unkempt curly black hair and piercing dark brown eyes locked her gaze on them. The man beside her narrowed his eyes as they both stood up from their seats. Remus recognized them immediately: Bellatrix Lestrange and Rodolphus Lestrange.

They sneered at him and remarked, "Oh, so you're Lupin. What's the little wolf going to do now?" A smirk on Remus's face, unlike any they had ever seen. The only person who saw Remus wear that type of smirk is dead now. Remus had killed Fenrir Greyback after he had tortured and harmed his mate.

"Kill both of you," Remus said firmly, and in an instant, he did just that. In less than ten seconds, Remus J. Lupin killed Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. There was no hesitation, there was no mercy. Everyone looked at Remus Lupin as he snapped his finger, and two of the wolves took the dead bodies of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange out of the Malfoy Manor and walked back to him. Regulus stood there wide-eyed, and he bit down on his lip.

"This is why I love this man," Regulus thought. Remus returned to Regulus, gently placing his thumb over Regulus's lip, teasingly brushing it away. Leaning in, he whispered, "Don't do that, love. You'll hurt yourself." Then, turning to the wolves, he commanded, "Let's go."

Remus kept his hand around Regulus's wrist as they walked out of the Malfoy Manor. Nobody could fathom why Remus had been marked for nearly three years. It wasn't due to his loyalty to Voldemort, but because Remus shared none of his beliefs. It's because Regulus Black, his mate, asked him to get marked after telling him about the torment he was enduring at the hands of Greyback.

When Remus learned that Greyback was cruelly abusing Regulus, Remus killed Greyback without hesitation upon discovering that the werewolf was torturing his mate. For Remus, Regulus was everything he desired and needed; he was the only one who held Remus back from unleashing chaos upon the world.

When Remus, Regulus, and his wolf pack arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place, they were filthy and bloodied. Sirius stared at them as if they were ghosts. Remus looked at him with a cold smirk. As Regulus stood next to him, the white-haired wolf and a blackish-blue-haired wolf stared Sirius Black down. "Y-You, Moony, not you," Sirius stuttered. Remus met his gaze.

"Yeah, Sirius. It’s me," he said to him like it was nothing as he brushes his hand through Regulus’s hair while still locking eyes with Sirius. "Turns out I’m not as soft as you, or James, or Peter, or the rest thought," Remus added. Regulus stayed silent, observing Remus’s unwavering gaze fixed on Sirius.

James, Lily, and Peter stood behind Sirius, looking pale at the sight of Remus with Regulus. Lily broke the tense silence, asking, "You've been working for him all this time? Remus?" Remus tilted his head, his amber eyes shifting to her. "No, Lily, not for him—never for him. It’s for Regulus," he answered her as he stared at them, and Regulus remained quiet, not denying the truth. As the white-haired wolf and the blackish-blue-haired wolf advanced closer to Regulus, they positioned themselves protectively, ready to defend him.

As James grabbed Lily's hand, he pulled her behind him. "You could have killed us, Moony," James said to him in horror etched on his face as he regarded Remus's cold smirk. Leaning forward, "Yes, James, without hesitation, if Regulus had commanded me to," Remus said to him.

Lily, Peter, and Sirius exchanged glances, stunned by his words. Sirius had turned his gaze to his younger brother, who remained silent during this conversation, and then faced Remus. "You're insane. You realize that, right, Moony?" Sirius challenged him. Remus merely smirked in response. "Funny, coming from you. But aren’t we all a bit insane, Sirius?" he said to him as his amber eyes looked at Sirius. James stood between Remus and Sirius, his hand resting on his wand for protection.

The white-haired wolf and the blackish-blue-haired wolf growled menacingly at James, and Remus cast a stern look their way. "Don’t move," he commanded in his Alpha voice. The two wolves retreated slightly, positioning themselves beside Regulus once more.

It took Albus Dumbledore himself stepping in to ease the tension. He positioned himself between the two groups, his eyes sharp and assessing the situation. "You will return to the Order," Dumbledore stated firmly. As Regulus stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. "And if I choose not to?" he asked, the challenge evident in his tone. Remus's hand twitched on his wand as the wolves growled, and he declared, "Then we won’t." His amber eyes flashed, his wolf signaling the threat they posed.

Dumbledore studied the scene intently and recognized Remus as the Alpha of his pack; they wouldn’t heed his orders without Remus's support, and not having him on their team. Similarly, Remus wouldn’t listen to him without Regulus.

"You would fight your friends, your family, for him?" Dumbledore asked him. Remus looked back at him with cold eyes. "I would fight anyone for him. My pack is my family, too," he said to him without flinching or blinking. "I would burn this castle to the ground if he asked me to. I'd do it without hesitation," he added. The silence followed his words. It was heavy, and Remus meant it. Dumbledore only nodded because he knew this was a losing battle between them.

"Okay, then perhaps it's best for both of you if you are on our side," He said to Remus and Regulus. During an Order meeting, everyone was looking at Remus in an entirely new light. He had brought two of his wolves with him, leaving the rest on lookout duty, while Sirius kept a protective hand resting on his wand.

Remus couldn't help but smirk at the scene. James, Lily, Peter, and the others glanced at him as if they barely recognized who he was. But Remus paid them no mind; he hovered near Regulus like a shadow, accompanied by his white-haired wolf and the blackish-blue-haired wolf. Remus was always watching and close enough to protect Regulus from them. When an Order member accidentally bumped into Regulus, Remus growled low, his amber eyes flashing with warning.

The white-haired wolf and the blackish-blue-haired wolf fixated their gaze on the offending member. Leaning in close to the Order member, Remus spoke quietly, "Touch him again, and I’ll break your hand." Gideon, who had nudged Regulus by accident, looked taken aback.

Regulus sighed and rolled his eyes, but didn’t intervene. Remus stepped back, leaving Gideon with a look of fear in his eyes.

"You're mad," Peter said to him after one meeting. Sirius was watching from across the room, his expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. “I know, Peter. I'm only mad for him," Remus said to him. Sirius looked as if he had been slapped.

“Moony, you're crazy about my brother,” Sirius said incredulously. “Yes, Sirius. He is my mate,” Remus affirmed as he reached for Regulus’s hand. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to turn in for the night,” he added, guiding Regulus toward his old bedroom.

Chapter Text

Once Remus and Regulus finally arrived at Regulus's old bedroom, Remus opened the door and stepped inside, with Regulus trailing closely behind. As Regulus took a seat on the bed, Remus turned to the two wolves—one with white-haired wolf and the blackish-blue-haired wolf.

"Make sure the others are fed and settled for tomorrow," Remus instructed. They nodded in acknowledgment and departed. Regulus trembled slightly; the mere act of being back in his old room sent shivers down his spine. Regulus trembled slightly; the mere act of being back in his old room sent shivers down his spine. Remus gently closed the door and approached him.

“Breathe, love. They can’t hurt you anymore,” he reassured softly as he sat down beside Regulus. “I know, it’s just this room…” Regulus whispered, his voice trailing off. Remus was well aware of what Walburga and Orion Black had done to Regulus. He gently rubbed Regulus's back, knowing how much he loathed the scars left behind and the burden of being the spare heir.

"Listen to me, you’re safe here, okay? I won’t let anyone hurt you again," Remus whispered softly into his ear as he leaned in to kiss Regulus’s neck. Regulus sighed and leaned into the touch, encouraging Remus to continue. "I love you so much," Remus murmured against Regulus's skin.

"I love you too, Mon loup," Regulus whispered, understanding Remus's longing for intimacy, but he also knows that Remus is also tired; he has a meeting with Albus Dumbledore and the orders this time without him. "Let’s just rest, Mon loup," he said to him gently. Remus nodded in agreement, and with a flick of wandless magic, they transformed into their pajamas. Regulus nestled his head against Remus's shoulder, slowly drifting off to the steady rhythm of Remus's heartbeat.

The night was calm, unlike Regulus's nightmares. "Maman, je suis désolé. S'il te plaît, je serai sage. Je suis désolé, maman, s'il te plaît," he pleaded as he watched his mother close the door with an icy look. Regulus cried out in his sleep, and Remus was awoken by the sound. Remus knew it was another nightmare as he gently shook Regulus awake.

"Reg, wake up," he urged, until Regulus's eyes fluttered open, wide with fear. Trembling, Regulus noticed Remus, who wore a concerned expression. As Remus assisted him in sitting up from the bed, Remus wrapped him in a tight embrace. "I've got you, Cariad," Remus murmured softly.

"I'm sorry," Regulus managed to whisper, and Remus pressed gentle kisses to his temples. "It's alright. Another nightmare?" Remus asked as he received a nod in response from Regulus. "It’s okay, I promise," he reassured, cradling Regulus in his arms. "I’m right here," Remus whispered, tracing gentle circles on Regulus's back. Regulus didn’t want to disturb Remus again, so he pretended to sleep as Remus settled back down.

The next morning, Regulus was in the Black family library, absorbed in a book while Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter met with Dumbledore. Regulus felt exhausted, too fearful to close his eyes. His nightmares were getting worse. He kept his distance from the others. The meeting was attended by Remus, James, Sirius, Peter, and Albus Dumbledore.

“Alright, since we’re all here, Remus, could you please brief us on Voldemort’s plans?” Dumbledore asked. Remus fixed them with his cold gaze. “He wanted Fenrir Greyback to turn more people into werewolves to expand his pack," Remus coldly said to him. “What happened to Fenrir?” Peter asked. As Remus had a smirk on his face, he leaned into the table, staring at them. "I killed him brutally for touching my mate,” Remus stated flatly.

Sirius and James looked horrified. “M-Moony,” Sirius stuttered. “What’s wrong, Sirius?” Remus chuckled darkly. Sirius found himself at a loss for words. No way this is Moony, he thought. This isn’t Remus.

“Besides using Greyback, he was going to start the planned killing of all the Mudbloods,” Remus added, his tone unwavering as he casually used the term ‘Mudblood,’ the word slipping off his tongue with ease. “REMUS,” James shouted, but Remus merely growled in response. “You want to play, James?” he challenged, his amber eyes glinting.

James glanced at Remus. "Prongs," Sirius murmured, while Peter, clearly apprehensive, stayed silent. “Enough. Let’s move on. Remus, your betas are waiting outside, convinced that I’ve done something to you or Regulus. Please set their minds at ease,” Dumbledore instructed. Remus whipped his head around to face Albus.

Peter felt a flicker of concern, worrying that Remus might have strained his neck. He couldn’t help but smirk. “They’re worried about Regulus. He’s their Alpha. I’m fine, but they’re anxious about Regulus, who is my mate,” Remus replied to Dumbledore. "Why’s that?" Sirius interjected. "That's none of your concern. Stay in your lane, Padfoot," Remus warned him, his tone dangerously low. The room fell quiet as James, Sirius, and Peter exchanged uneasy glances, feeling the weight of Remus’s cold stare.

"Albus. Just a reminder, I didn’t follow your orders. If you want me to reassure my pack and calm their nerves, maybe ask Regulus first," he said with a smirk. "If we’re done here, I need to check on him and then talk to my pack about something else," he added before striding out of the room. Once Remus left, James, Sirius, and Peter sat in stunned silence alongside Albus. It felt as though their Remus had slipped away, leaving the air heavy in his absence, making them feel lost without the presence of their friend.

"What happened?" Peter asked, looking at James and Sirius. "I don't know, Wormy. I don't," Sirius said to him, glancing at James, who was too shocked to say anything. Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration.

Meanwhile, Remus passed through the walls and found Regulus dozing on the couch in the library, a book slipping from his fingers. His long, curly hair tumbled playfully in front of his face, framing his features like a wild curtain that teased the world around him. Carefully, Remus entered the library and caught the book before it hit the floor. A knock on the door made him turn to see who it was. It was Lily. "What do you want, Lily?" he asked her with a slightly annoyed tone. "You've changed. What happened to you?" Lily asked as Remus turned to face her.

"Listen, Lily, I didn’t need anything to happen for me to change," he replied softly, lifting Regulus into his arms. As Regulus stirred in his arms, Remus whispered gently, "Shh, it’s me. Just go back to sleep." For a moment, Remus's warm smile faded, and Lily caught a glimpse of the old Remus before he looked at her. "What?" he asked her, as Remus brushed past her as he made his way back to the room. She followed behind until they reached their bedroom.

"Why are you following me?" he asked her, as he stepped into the bedroom to lay Regulus down. "What on earth made you become a Death Eater, a spy for You-Know-Who?" Lily pressed him. "I told you, I wasn't working for him. I was protecting my mate," Remus said to her, as he gently brushed Regulus' hair away from his face. As he settled onto the bed, he rubbed Regulus's back to help him drift back to sleep. "I thought Sirius was your mate," Lily pointed out.

"Sirius and I had a spark back in Hogwarts, but everything changed after he betrayed me with that prank. Regulus, on the other hand, is something else entirely," Remus responded, irritation creeping into his voice. Remus pressed a gentle kiss to Regulus's forehead as Lily carried on. "Remus, what is it about Regulus that keeps you with him when Sirius doesn’t measure up?" she asked him.

Remus pressed a gentle kiss to Regulus's forehead as Lily carried on. "Remus, what is it about Regulus that keeps you with him when Sirius doesn’t measure up?" she asked, her tone probing. Remus averted his gaze and stood up from the bed. “I’m not having this conversation for you to judge him,” he replied, his voice icy. “HE IS A DEATH EATER!” Lily exclaimed. In a fit of frustration, Remus struck his fist against the wall, causing Regulus to jolt awake.

Regulus blinked, turning to take in the scene as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Remus' eye amber flashed as he looked at Lily. Remus leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "If I were you, I’d watch my back.” Lily took a step back from Remus. She had fear in her eyes. "Remus, stop," Regulus urged, moving away from the bed to confront him. "MOONY!" he shouted, prompting Remus to turn his attention to Regulus.

"Yes, love?" Remus said to him as he pulled Regulus close. "Just relax," he reassured him. Remus nodded and leaned in, gently kissing Regulus on the lips. “Sorry to disturb you,” Remus said to him quietly. “It’s fine. Albus wants to talk to me, and you need to have a word with the pack. I won’t let you neglect them,” Regulus said to him firmly. “Alright, I’ll speak with the pack. But you need to keep me in the loop about what Albus wants from you,” Remus said to Regulus.

Lily was watching them closely. “What do you want, Evans? Oh, wait, it’s Potter now. What do you want, Potter?” Regulus snapped at her coldly. Remus glanced over at her. “I was talking to Remus,” Lily said to him sharply. “Why are you bothering my boyfriend?” Regulus asked her, as he frowned. “I want to know why he changed and became a Death Eater,” Lily remarked with her voice steady as Remus growled darkly at her. “That’s none of your business, Potter,” Regulus shot back as he and Remus moved towards the door.

Remus guided Regulus into the meeting room where Albus was waiting before heading off to find his pack. "I know that Remus won't take any action without your input," Dumbledore remarked. Regulus smirked icily, "He is my wolf, Albus. He’ll heed my words and mine alone," he said to him. "I see that, Regulus Black. It's essential for both of you to collaborate with the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore emphasized. Regulus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Albus, I’m aware you practice Legilimency, but it won't work on either me or Remus," he stated, noting Dumbledore's inability to penetrate his thoughts.

"So, what is it that you want, Albus?" Regulus asked, leaning over the table. Albus had never considered the possibility that both Remus and Regulus were skilled in Occlumency. "Do you want the knowledge I possess? Just tell me," Regulus added, a smirk playing on his lips. "I need you and Remus to join the pack and work with us, not against us. I want to learn what you experienced during your time as a Death Eater," Albus replied. For a moment, Albus felt as if the air had been knocked out of him. Regulus leaned back and tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'll talk to Remus later, but keep Lily Evans Potter, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and my brother out of our way," he warned. With that, Regulus stood up and walked out, leaving the meeting behind.

He made his way to the Black family library, where he found his older brother, Sirius Black, sitting with his friends. Regulus entered, plucked a book from the shelf, and settled at the far end of the library by the window. Meanwhile, Remus had come to the realization that killing Fenrir Greyback would make him the new Alpha of the pack. He understood he had been neglecting his responsibilities toward the pack, and that simply wouldn't do. It had never been his intention to overlook them.

He was determined to prove himself as their Alpha; he knew that if he failed, it wouldn’t be long before someone challenged him for the position. He wasn’t going to let that happen. The vast Black grounds felt alive as Remus sensed the pull of the other wolves guiding him past the roses and through the hedge maze. They drew him toward the traditional herb garden and into the grove of oaks. As he approached, he noticed twelve wolves in their human forms, standing and watching him, as if they had anticipated his arrival.

The white-haired wolf stood beside the one with blackish-blue hair. Remus could tell they had felt his presence. "Alpha", the one with white hair, stepped forward, brushing his hair off his shoulder, revealing a scar on his face that Remus had never noticed before. Their eyes locked; the white-haired wolf bowed his head slightly, and Remus caught a glimpse of his one dull blue eye, likely a result of blindness from transformation and old injuries. “Alpha, we didn’t expect someone so young,” another wolf, with long black hair and hazel eyes, remarked.

Remus met the gaze of the black-haired wolf. “I’m old enough to kill Fenrir without mercy for laying a hand on my mate,” he said to him firmly. The blackish-blue-haired wolf moved closer to the white-haired wolf, taking his hand. Tension hung in the air as several of the other betas growled disapprovingly at the idea of Remus as their Alpha. One female frowned in disappointment, and he could sense her feelings through their bonds. It was clear she hoped their new Alpha would be her mate and that she needed to find someone soon.

"That makes sense and is quite understandable, but we were curious, Remus, why you, who have never shown interest in the packs until now, would challenge Fenrir so boldly?" asked a red-haired beta, nodding thoughtfully. "I’m Mathéo. Many years ago, I was a Rosier, but now I’m just part of the pack," he explained. Remus met his gaze. "The Lupin Pack now," he asserted, feeling a sense of pride. The pack would carry his surname; they were no longer the Greyback pack. The thought of it belonging to him filled him with warmth.

“We have a total of two hundred and five members, though only seventy-eight live here full-time. The others either join us for the full moons or come around occasionally, just like you did in the past," Mathéo informed him. Remus nodded in acknowledgment.

"These are the other betas: Niklaus, Levi, Sebastian, Holden, Wyatt, Austin, Elijah, Ryan, Maisie, Clara, and Lexi. Lexi is also our healer," Mathéo added as Remus looked around at the group. "I used to be a mediwitch," the older woman chimed in, reminding him of Poppy Pomfrey with her tone. He was taken aback to learn that she had been bitten. Unlike Remus, who had been caught off guard by Fenrir due to his father's provocations, Lexi had lived as a grown woman before becoming a victim of Greyback. Remus still wrestled with resentment toward his father for that fateful encounter, but now he had a new family and a mate to look forward to.

"The greyback belonged to all of our sires," Mathéo answered Remus's unasked question. He met Remus's gaze and added, "Well, except for four pups. The oldest is twenty, and the youngest is just one." Remus remained silent; kids shouldn’t be part of this war, he thought. Nathan, a large man with shaggy blonde curls, stepped in front of Remus. "Two of the pups are mine and my mate’s. My son Noah is twenty, and my daughter Hope is fifteen," he explained to Remus. "The other pups belong to Lorenzo and Rosalyn; they are five and one," Mathéo interjected. A five-year-old and a one-year-old—this war shouldn't touch them, Remus reflected as he looked at the innocent children.

"Rosalyn is relatively new to the pack, and her relationship with Lorenzo has been quite rocky lately," Mathéo told Remus. He sensed deeper issues were lurking behind those words. Through their bond, Remus could feel that Lorenzo and Rosalyn's mating hadn’t been entirely consensual. But that was a concern for another day. Pups were still a rarity, and their existence spoke to the pack's health and the strength of their bonds.

"Is the pack based here, then?" Remus asked Mathéo. "You mean on the Black Lands?" Mathéo inquired, to which Remus nodded. Mathéo shook his head in response. "We've been here for about thirty moons," he said. Remus regarded him thoughtfully. "Before that, we were in Yorkshire, and before that, in Wales, where you were bitten," Mathéo added. Remus nodded, letting out a sigh. The pack had terrorized northern Wales for over a decade.

He recalled how Lyall Lupin’s unfortunate remarks about werewolves led to the attack on him when he was just a toddler. Remus contemplated whether Greyback had the control to target a child or if it was simply a matter of opportunity. But it was irrelevant now; Greyback was dead, and Remus was the Alpha. Looking at the group, he stated, "I need to head back to Hogwarts. I still have a year and a half to finish. Just remember that Regulus is the one who will trust and support us. I trust him—he's my mate." Remus said to them.

Regulus had become the one person he could rely on after that fifth-year prank by Sirius, James, and Peter. That prank almost got Severus Snape and him killed. "This is exactly why we don’t trust that old man or his followers," the white-haired wolf said to him as he approached Remus. "Alpha, I’m Phoenix, and this is my mate, Killian," he introduced himself.

"Phoenix, there’s no need to worry about Dumbledore; he isn’t a threat to us. Neither are Sirius Black, James Potter, or Peter Pettigrew," Remus reassured him. His words helped ease the minds of Phoenix and the other wolves, unlike Greyback. "For now, focus on feeding and resting. Once the meeting with the Order wraps up tomorrow, Regulus and I will fill you in," Remus said to them as he made his way back inside Grimmauld Place.

Upon entering, he spotted Regulus in the library, absorbed in a book. He noticed Lily, James, Sirius, and Peter there as well, but chose to ignore them. Remus picked up a book and settled down next to Regulus.

Remus was beginning to embrace his role as the new Alpha of his pack.