Guess who be back?

Chapter 12

Sebastian Smythe's sharp scent took them everywhere. For six days they tracked it, traveling past the farthest reaches of their hunting grounds into the unclaimed land that surrounded Mount Vernon and Danville, skirting around the edges of Dayton. There were several areas that had make-shift dens made from roughly-felled trees and brush that teemed with the smell of other, freshly turned wolves. They were between a rock and a hard place, almost literally—Kurt didn't want to expose any shifters without their consent, understanding that even a rumor could rob some of their livelihoods, and Blaine was adamant that all the wolves were found before they could do any more damage. He and Kurt argued endlessly, but in the end, the Alpha's word was law. The Pack tracked any rogues it could, and ended up with three new wolves to watch over the next moon. The rest they lost near the edges of town, where the scents turned twisted and obscured by the myriad of human smells.

Sebastian's trail also took them to Lima.

Blaine had seethed and growled but he'd let Kurt turn him around when they'd reached the strong, distinct line of Puck's territory. The Beta knew that there'd been attacks in his hometown—he still called his Dad every Friday—but he also knew that Puck would consider it his problem and not theirs. Blaine left the decisions about the Lima Pack up to Kurt. He insisted that he would go along with whatever his Mate thought was best, but the Beta remained skeptical. He knew in the back of his mind—the wolf's mind—that Puckerman would be one of the best allies they could hope for, but the Elders of the Anderson Pack were wary, and persuading them wouldn't be easy.

Kurt come back now.

The white wolf skidded to a stop. It was evening, and his nose was full of deer and wet leaves and—faintly—the scent of Sebastian Smythe. Nick was pawing impatiently at the ground, Jeff a few paces behind him.

What? Kurt growled and bared his teeth at his Packmate. We're right in the middle of tracking.

Sorry. Nick whined uncomfortably. Alpha Wayne wants you. He shivered nervously. He's mad.Kurt thought of his fight with Blaine and felt his stomach drop. Jeff huffed and nipped his ear.

Beta? Laura Williams was a few hundred yards ahead of him, irritated. We're stopping?

Go on, Laura¸Kurt growled. I'll send someone for you.She nodded. Kurt, satisfied, let himself be lead back to the house.

He could practically smell Wayne Anderson's anger as they approached. It rose over him like something rotten, sour, and it raised the fur on his back. Kurt hovered for a moment, and made the decision to wear his skin. He, Nick, and Jeff made their way inside, wary.

"This is not how we raised you, Blaine," Anderson was saying. "I don't know what your bitchwas taught, but you know better than to—"

"Stop!" Blaine roared. Kurt flinched. The Alpha was already at the height of his temper and the hot, feverish feel of it had the bond pulled taut. Nick growled and moved in front of his Mate.

"You're not Alpha anymore," said Blaine. "And you have no say in how I run my Pack." Kurt's eyebrows flew into his hair.

"I am your Elder," Anderson snapped. "I made 'your' Pack."

"No," Blaine spat. "My great-grandmother made this Pack. And she was a bitch, too, in case you've forgotten."

"She was an Alpha," Anderson retorted stubbornly. Blaine stepped forward, eyes narrowed.

"Blaine," Kurt interrupted quietly. Both Andersons turned. Kurt ignored the elder.

"Kurt," said Blaine. His voice sounded strangled; he was angry and trying not to direct it at his Mate. "Where's Williams? Did you lose the scent?" Kurt glanced at Anderson.

"No," he said carefully. "Elder Wayne called for me."

"What?" Blaine rounded once again on his father. "You can't just call him off a tracking like that. Williams is out there alone and—"

"Alpha," said Kurt, "I'm going upstairs." Blaine dismissed him haphazardly. Kurt ignored his Mate's rising voice as he as he slipped up the stairs and knocked on the guestroom door. Terra Bell answered.

"Hi, Kurt," she said, her soft voice cutting through the shouting. She stretched up on her tip toes and brushed a kiss under his chin.

"Hi, sweetie," Kurt said. "Is your brother with you?"

"In here," said Flint from inside the bedroom. Tara Bell let him in and went back to her spot on the bed next to her older sibling, opening a book. Flint smiled and kissed her gently on the forehead and followed the Beta into the hallway.

"What's up, Kurt?" he asked. The voices from downstairs researched a peak and the Beta winced.

"There's a slight…situation," he said diplomatically. "Laura Williams is on her own tracking the Alpha. I need you to hunt with her." Flint nodded.

"She has the scent?"

"Yeah, but it's getting faint," Kurt warned. "I'm not sure how much longer you'll have." There was a sudden silence from downstairs and Kurt cringed. "You'd better go. Williams will fill you in." Kurt touched his Packmate's elbow lightly. "I'm really sorry about this, Flint."

"It's no problem," he said quietly. "I'll catch up to her." Kurt smiled gratefully and the two made their way downstairs.

The scene that greeted them looked like something out of a sitcom, and Kurt had to force down an odd laugh.

Blaine was on the side of the room closest to the stairs, his father opposite. Nick and Jeff paced nervously behind him, still turned. Amparo was seated stiffly on the couch, her face a careful mask. Against the wall, Preston Williams lounged. Kurt watched him warily. He may get along well with Laura, but her husband had been Wayne Anderson's acting Beta for years.

Kurt, Jeff whined. Do something.Nick snuffled and pressed his nose into his Mate's ear.

"Hold on," Kurt murmured. His lips barely moved, but Blaine still twitched in response to his voice.

"Alpha," he said, louder. Blaine turned.

"I'm sending Flint out," Kurt informed him. "He and Laura Williams will track until sundown and mark where they turn back." Blaine nodded and Flint flew out of the house, shifting as he ran. Anderson sneered and shook his head.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about, Blaine," he said. "You let the boy give orders to your Pack without consulting you. You treat him like he's the Alpha, and you're just—"

"Watch what you say to me," Blaine snapped and Kurt felt a sharp pang of fear at the sound of the Alpha's voice. In front of them, Nick growled restlessly and Jeff pressed his lithe body against Kurt's legs. The boy buried a hand in russet-and-white fur, letting his Packmate's presence sooth him.

"Kurt is my Beta. I trust him to make decisions in my stead." Blaine stepped forward, shielding his Mate from his father. "He knows how I run things. He knows what needs to be brought to my attention and what he can handle on his own."

Kurt had to hold back a flinch, but in his head Blaine was soothing, sincere. The Beta crossed his arms and stepped up behind his Mate, just barely touching—a small comfort. Anderson looked close to spitting.

"Omega," he said warningly. Kurt brazenly bared his teeth and Wayne Anderson snarled at him. "You will learn your place if I have to beat it into you myself—"

"Wayne."

Preston Williams had stepped away from the wall. His face was carefully blank.

"Preston." Anderson looked reassured. The tall man shook his head.

"I know you believe in tradition," said Williams. He paused. "We both do. And you have passed on control of this Pack to your son." He leveled his gaze at his friend. "Rightfully. Traditionally."

"And my son is breaking tradition by letting his breederpractically take over," Anderson spat. "How can you—"

Blaine snarled and the room recoiled harshly. Fury that wasn't entirely his own surged through Kurt's mind and he reeled.

"What did you just call him?" Blaine hissed.

"That was out of line," Anderson backtracked quickly. "I didn't mean to—"

"You realize," Blaine continued, "that that term could apply to my mother, don't you?" He drew himself up. "That she's been called that before?" His eyes yellowed, teeth sharpening. Nick and Jeff reacted viscerally to their Alpha's anger, snarling and snapping at Anderson. Kurt wrapped a hand around Blaine's elbow.

"Don't," he murmured into the shorter boy's ear. "If you start a fight now, you'll regret it later." Blaine looked at him for a long moment.

"Dad," he said finally. "You need to leave." Blaine kept his eyes trained on Kurt. They were darkening, slowly, so the Beta held himself still and did not blink.

"Blaine," said Amparo.

"No." He didn't turn from Kurt. "You're not going to make this better. Preston—"

"I'll go with them as far as you grandparents' house, Alpha," said Williams. "But we'll need to work out boundaries."

"Boundaries?" said Anderson, soft and terrifying. "This is myhouse, boy. I'd like to see you kick me out of it."

"I'm not kicking you out of the house, Dad," Blaine answered. His voice was steady, but he hadn't looked away from his Mate, and he'd taken Kurt's wrist in his hand. "I'm restricting you from the Pack." Wayne Anderson paled.

"You wouldn't," he said. There was almost no waiver in his voice.

"I would."

His grip was bruising. Kurt kept quiet and didn't bite his lip. Blaine was a raging, hurting, blinded beast in the back of his mind, but Kurt kept quiet.

"This isn't banishment," Blaine continued. "I love you; you're my father. I know you love me too and you want what's best for me. But I have enough to protect my Pack from right now without you getting in my way. Or Kurt's."

Anderson looked ready to strike his son, but Amparo stepped forward and placed a small hand on her Mate's shoulder.

"Fine," he said instead. "I'll give you time to rethink this decision." Blaine flinched but he still didn't look at his father. Amparo murmured something soft and soothing, and the Andersons left. The room was silent for a long time.

"I'll follow them now, " said Preston. He headed for the door and stopped, wavering.

"For what it's worth, Kurt Hummel," he said quietly, "you're a better Beta than I was."

Kurt nodded gratefully to the man and waited until he was gone to let out a sigh. Nick and Jeff shivered and barked restlessly at their feet, their fur bristling. Kurt whined reassuringly at them.

"Why don't you go for a run?" he suggested. Nick protested and the Beta silenced him with a look.

"Go," he said. "I'll call as soon as Alpha and I have talked."

They went reluctantly, leaving the door open in their wake. Kurt and Blaine stood for a while. It was gray-dark by then, just after dusk. Kurt tilted forward and pressed a kiss to his Mate's forehead.

"Inside or out?" he asked against Blaine's skin.

"Out," the Alpha replied instantly, but he winced, paused. "But I don't want—if he's—"

"It's okay," said Kurt. He tugged at Blaine's arm. "He won't come near us right now. Preston wouldn't let him, anyway." They ran.

Kurt didn't Change for a while, letting the night air rush over his bare skin. He could hear Wayne Anderson in the distance, just over the sound of Blaine's heavy paws. He speed up and lead his Alpha into the woods, heading toward their clearing.

Change, said Blaine urgently. Change Kurt now please run

The Beta shifted, pain bursting through his body. He stumbled as his limbs grew and fell hard, yelping. Blaine huffed and clamped the scruff of Kurt's neck between his jaws, tugging him up impatiently. Kurt barked and whined at his Mate, feeling the full barrage of Blaine's emotions surge against his mind. He brushed against the Alpha's side as they ran.

I'm so sorry, he said helplessly. Blaine I'm sorry it'll be okay, I promise.

Blaine huffed and tossed his head.

For you,he said simply. He thought—knew—Kurt was worth it. Was worthy. The Beta whined and slowed, digging his claws into the dirt. The clearing was a few paces ahead of him, a bright puddle of half-moon light in the dark wood.

Blaine barreled past him, skidding to a stop in the middle of the open space. He lowered his head and snorted. He bared his teeth. Kurt slunk closer, unsure.

Blaine, Kurt started.

Here,said the Alpha.

Kurt obeyed, walking forward until Blaine moved to meet him. He towered over his Mate, growling deep and comforting. Kurt snuffled. Blaine dipped his head down to nip one of the white wolf's ears.

What will the others do? Kurt asked worriedly. What if they side with Wayne and

Stop,Blaine commanded. Kurt whimpered and pressed his nose into the Alphas neck.

Children, he reminded the Beta. Kurt had saved their children.

And I found him, Kurt said fiercely. Found the rogues. Blaine grinned.

Yes,he said proudly.

In the distance, Laura Williams and Flint Bell howled in unison. They had returned. The two wolves stilled, listening intently.

They went all the way in, Kurt said incredulously. This is ridiculous. He tossed his head. We have to call Puck.

You will, said Blaine firmly. Tonight.

Tonight,Kurt agreed, but they stayed out a while longer.