House of Wolves, Plus One

Gerard’s first heat had been finished for a couple of days now, and he was enjoying being back downstairs with the pack. He had missed spending time with Ryan and Lucas, missed watching the pups play...and he had missed his big brother, Mikey.

Frank had rejoined the patrol parties now, so Gerard was sat back on the porch with the other Omegas and the pups, waiting for his Alpha to return.

"Was it as good as you hoped it would be?"

Lucas asked as he brushed Gerard’s thick black hair. Gerard giggled, his cheeks pinking as he looked down shyly.

"Better."

He said quietly.

"Come on Gee, details."

Ryan encouraged, poking Gerard’s arm playfully. Gerard giggled and shook his head.

"I’m not gonna kiss and tell."

"Well we all know you did more than kiss, so..."

Ryan poked his friend again.

"...tell."

Gerard rolled his eyes, then nodded toward the pups who were staring at the three Omegas with interest.

"I’m saying nothing while there are little ears listening."

Lucas huffed.

"Spoilsport."

Gerard giggled again.

"Sorry..."

He fell silent for a minute, a small frown creasing his brow before he turned worried eyes to the older boys.

"Can I...can I ask you something?"

Both of the Omegas nodded.

"Of course, anything."

Ryan smiled reassuringly. Gerard sighed, chewing his lip for a moment.

"The full moon is coming in a few days. Does the first shift really hurt as much as we're told as pups?"

Ryan and Lucas looked at each other, then both turned back to Gerard, gently taking one of his hands each. Gerard could see in their faces what the answer would be...but he really wanted to be wrong.

"It’s...it’s worse."

Ryan said softly.

"They downplay it when we're little..."

Lucas confirmed.

"I’m sorry."

Gerard’s lower lip trembled and he swallowed heavily...he thought he was going to be sick.

"I...I don’t wanna d-do it."

Gerard knew that the first shift was always the worst, and it always came with the full moon straight after an Omega is claimed...knowing that didn’t help calm Gerard’s fluttering heart though. Lucas sighed, pulling the younger boy into his lap gently.

"You’ll be ok Gee, and Frank will be with you the whole time."

"I know..."

Gerard sniffed, resting his head on Lucas' shoulder while he stared sadly at his fingers, still linked with Ryan’s.

"I’m just...I’m scared."

"We get that, it’s a scary thing the first time...but after that..."

Gerard looked up with wide, wet eyes.

"What?"

Ryan chuckled.

"You’ve heard Mikey and Ray when they change, right?..."

Gerard’s cheeks pinked and he nodded shyly. Ryan continued.

"Mating while shifted is wild and so fucking good."

Gerard giggled self consciously, glancing at the pups who had thankfully returned to making beaded necklaces and bracelets, and were no longer listening in.

"Better than normal?"

He asked quietly. Lucas grinned.

"A thousand times better."

Ryan nodded fervently in agreement and Gerard finally started to calm down...his first shift was still on his mind, but he knew his mate would be there to keep him safe, and that there would be much fun to be had once he had shifted.

*

*

*

"I need to go back!"

"I smelled it too Frank, but it’s gone now. Gerard’s safe at the house, no one’s getting near him."

Frank gave Mikey an imploring look, then sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping in defeat.

"I hate being apart from him."

Mikey understood that all too well.

"So do I, but with Black and his lot still out there somewhere, it’s our responsibility to keep the whole pack safe...and that means patrolling."

"I know. I’m with you on that, I’m happy to do my part it’s just...his scent was so strong there for a minute, so full of fear."

Mikey frowned.

"There was probably a mouse, he’s always been scared of them."

Frank raised an eyebrow.

"Gee has mouse fear?"

"Yep, ever since he was little and two mice got into his crib. He climbed the big fir tree by the lake once to get away from one...it took me two hours to get him back down again, I had to tempt him with strawberries."

"Wow, and I thought I was bad with spiders."

Mikey chuckled.

"You’re afraid of spiders Frank?"

Frank huffed, crossing his arms over his chest grumpily.

"So what, a lot of people are. You can’t tell me there’s nothing that you are scared of."

Mikey shook his head, grinning.

"Nope, nothing!"

Frank rolled his eyes as they rounded the East edge of the pack's territory.

"Sure Mikey, if you say so."

He didn’t believe that Mikey was fearless...everyone is afraid of something.

*

*

*

"I’m going to pick some strawberries."

Gerard said with a small determined nod as the other two Omegas tried to push the conversation back toward his claiming night.

"You can’t go alone Gee..."

Ryan tutted.

"Why don’t we all go?"

Gerard shook his head, brushing cookie crumbs off of his shorts and bare thighs, then standing up.

"I’m not going into the woods, there's some growing just round the side of the house..."

He jumped down the steps, loving the feeling of warm earth and soft grass under his toes as he landed before looking back with a smile.

"Don’t worry, I won’t be long."

Then he turned and skipped toward the corner of the big building.

"IF YOU'RE NOT BACK IN TEN MINUTES, WE'RE COMING TO LOOK FOR YOU..."

Ryan shouted, receiving a wave of Gerard’s hand in recognition before the little Omega disappeared around the corner.

Ryan looked at the silver pocket watch he kept on a ribbon, tied to the belt loop on his pants...then looked up at Lucas.

"Let’s make it eight minutes."

Lucas nodded in agreement and they started counting down the time.

**time passes**

Ryan and Lucas had given Gerard eight minutes, and then locked the pups in the house before going to look for their friend...he wasn’t there!

Now they started to worry.

"GERARD."

"GEE, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY GEE...GERARD."

...Nothing!

"Oh shit! The Alphas are going to be so mad!"

Ryan started to cry as Lucas held him close, leading him back to the front porch, just as Mikey and Frank burst through the trees at the East side of the clearing in full shift, shifting back to their human-form when they saw the distressed Omegas.

"Where is he?"

Frank demanded in a growl, eyes dark as he rushed toward the boys. The Omegas shrunk back a step from the two towering and clearly angry Alphas.

"He...he..."

Ryan choked out, tears slipping from his lashes. Just then the rest of the pack returned, alerted to the unfolding drama by the heightened pheromones in the air. Brendon rushed forward, putting himself between his Omega and the other Alphas, pulling Ryan into his chest and holding him close.

"What’s going on?..."

He looked between Mikey and Frank.

"You’re scaring him."

"Gee."

Frank said, pain clear in his voice.

"He went to pick s-strawberries..."

Lucas whimpered, pressing his face into Bob's shoulder as the Alpha held him.

"He...didn’t come back and we c-can’t find him."

"You let him go alone?..."

Mikey growled. Both Omegas whimpered, but nodded. Mikey turned to Frank.

"We'll find him Frank, I promise you..."

Frank was sniffing the air, but could no longer smell the fear of his mate.

"Frank?..."

Frank looked at Mikey questioningly.

"This!..."

Frank tilted his head in confusion. Mikey gave him a pained smile.

"This is what I’m afraid of."

Frank nodded in understanding, then everyone started to move. The Omegas and two of the Betas, Daniel and Phillip, went into the house, locking everything down tight while the others all started a search. It was going to be a long day...and an even longer night.

Notes

Hi there chipmunks, how’s you?

Bit of drama for you...what do you think's happened?

Until next time...PLEASE COMMENT and peace out babies!
<3