This story is being cross-posted from Ao3. It was originally posted on 3 May 2021.

Thank you to the Admin of Draco's Den for running this event. This went a bit darker than I had planned, but I think it definitely went the way that it was meant to. Happy reading! xxDustNight

Huge thank you to GaeilgeRua for allowing me the use of her Grammarly subscription to read this over. Any other mistakes are definitely my own.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Warner Bros. Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer and Temple Hill Entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended.

Prompt: Accio + Draco Malfoy Jacob Black

Rain sounds the same in the darkness no matter where you rest your head.

Loneliness aches just as much, no matter who you are.

And pain?

Pain hurts, sorry, burns, no matter… what… you are.

Draco stood staring out the window of the rundown motel as the rain poured, washing away the dirt and dryness of earlier in the day. It was a comfort, really, to listen to the rain like this. As the heavy drops pelted the rickety roof and windowpane, Draco closed his eyes and was instantly taken back to a time when he'd sat in the Slytherin Quidditch changing room before a game versus Gryffindor. It'd been pouring down rain then too, but he wasn't alone or able to appreciate it like he could now.

He wasn't this, then either.

Silver eyes flashed open as Draco caught the scent of something unfamiliar. There were plenty of days left before the full moon, yet his werewolf senses aided in tracking his kind. Even after nearly a year as a wolf and Draco still found it difficult to refer to himself as his second nature. Hands clenched into fists as memories of the past resurfaced yet again… Only these were dark and twisted.

One did not easily forget being bitten by a werewolf, nor the tumultuous transformation that came with the next full moon.

Those types of experiences linger long after you turn out the lights and try to sleep.

Initially, Draco had tried to remain in his everyday life after being bitten by the werewolf. It wasn't until rumours started to spread through the Wizarding community that he'd decided to leave it all behind. With nothing but a simple backpack and his wand, Draco fled to the States, searching for a way to find himself or people like him that understood what it was like to have to hide in plain sight.

That was easier said than done.

For too long now, he'd wandered aimlessly across the country in search of solace. Hotel to motel, to motel to hotel, Draco wandered, hoping for a place to call his own and people, wizards or others, that he could possibly call his friends. From New York to Seattle, he'd searched high and low. Now he stood in a rundown motel watching the rain soak the grounds in some random city in Washington...

This was it, though—the end of his journey. Without turning away from the window, Draco slid his wand out of his robes. Swallowing back the loneliness and pain that ravaged him, he let the darkness come.

"Accio," he whispered, a chill settling in his heart.

He didn't even flinch when the cold barrel of the muggle gun came in contact with his palm. Setting aside the wand, Draco readjusted the weapon and removed the safety. With a shaky breath, he prepared for the inevitable end…

Just as he was preparing to say goodbye, a wolf howled in the distance and broke through his darkness. He paused, listening for more, his knees almost buckling when it came. The howling called to him, beckoning him, dare he hope, home.

The gun clattered carelessly to the floor, and if Draco had been fully himself at the moment, he would be more careful. Instead of dwelling on what he'd almost done, he focused on the call of the wolf. Draco picked up his wand, tucked it back into his robes where it belonged, and then ran from the room. He was out the door, down the hall, and in the pouring rain before it occurred to him that this could be a trap of sorts.

Pausing only briefly, Draco considered his options. He could either go back into the shit hold motel, gather his bare belongings, and disappear someplace else… Or, he could run right into the forest and face whatever awaited him.

Smirking like the Malfoy that he once was and hoped to be again, Draco chose the latter. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled in a rush and began to run toward the call of the wolves. His boot-clad feet pounded the rhythm of his heart as he raced toward his fate. His new body allowed him to run faster than ever before, and soon Draco found himself right in the thick of the Hoh Rain Forest.

Standing in the clearing, Draco didn't bother reaching for the wand that was concealed within the folds of his once-perfect robes. Closing his eyes, he tipped his head backwards slightly, letting the raindrops that managed to force their way through the thick forest wash away his previous despair. It was then that he realized he was no longer alone.

The three massive wolves eased into the clearing, their paws leaving muddy footprints in their wake. Draco listened as they growled in communication, occasionally turning their faces toward one another. Their eyes never stopped staring at him, though. Slowly, carefully, Draco turned his hands so that his palms were raised in what he hoped was a welcoming manner.

"I mean you no harm," he said clearly, making sure to speak slowly and without sounding like he was frightened. "I scented you originally and came looking for the source. When i heard your call... I came running."

The wolves continued to circle, the growling growing ever more persistent. Unsure what to do and slightly afraid of being torn to pieces by this strange wolf breed, Draco lowered himself to a kneeling position. The forest floor was near frozen in the early spring, but he barely felt it. In what could only be considered a submissive position, Draco tried communicating again.

"My name is Draco… I'm a wizard from Wiltshire, England," he explained, meeting the most enormous wolf's stare. "I was bitten about a year ago. I'm a werewolf, though nothing like what you appear to be-"

The other wolves cut him off, howling in unison before promptly shifting back into humans. Startled but keeping calm, Draco watched as two Quileute men and a woman closed the distance between them. It was apparent they were careful not to frighten him away, but Draco was used to dealing with monsters.

He had to live with himself after all.

"I'm Jacob," the Quileute man said, holding out his hand in greeting. He smiled as he reached Draco, teeth flashing white. "We were told of your search for a place to fit in. You are welcome here."

Draco's face crumpled. "Who knew I was coming? I told no one." Frantically, he thought of anyone that could have followed him to the states, but no one from his past came to mind.

Jacob smiled and ran a hand over his short, dark hair. "It's a long story, but one better told out of the rain. Do you want to come with us or not?"

Draco looked around at the other two Quileute wolves. They were still standing back, but it was evident they would protect Jacob at all costs. This was a pack, and Draco had run right into their midst. He had yet another decision to make, but this one was far easier than any of his previous ones…

Draco eyed the outstretched hand and took it, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. "Thank you," he said, nodding.

"You're welcome," Jacob replied as he dropped Draco's hand. "We've got a ways to go before we're back in La Push. Do you need to get anything from the motel? That is if you're sure about joining us."

"Come on," said the other man, smiling. "We don't bite."

"I do," the woman said with a chuckle.

"Don't listen to Leah; she's all bark and no bite," the younger looking man quipped, earning him an elbow in the gut.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Cut it out, Seth," Jacob said, and Draco was impressed when the younger man immediately stopped talking. This pack was strong, and Draco felt the undeniable urge to join them and learn more. To Draco, Jacob asked, "Do we need to pick up your belongings or not?"

Inhaling the scent of the forest, Draco felt at peace for the first time since he'd been bitten. These wolves were different from him, but that didn't mean they wanted him any less. He thought of his backpack full of worn clothes in the motel and the muggle weapon he'd left behind. Items he would rather leave behind.

Shaking his head, Draco said, "None of that is important. Let's go."

Jacob smiled and clapped him on the shoulder in acceptance as Seth and Leah whooped in celebration. Then, together, the four of them ran through the rain-soaked forest toward La Push, and a future Draco had nearly let slip through his fingers. He still had a ways to go before he fully accepted his new form, but this was a step in the right direction.

He owed Jacob Black his life.