AN: i couldn't stay away lmao you'll have to pry this fic away from my cold dead hands to stop me from writing for it. werewolf royai is just too much fun

"Dad?" Jack asked in Roy's mind. His little paws were a dull thud on the forest floor as he ran to catch up with his father. Well, in comparison to the rest of his body, Jack's paws were not small. They were the largest part about him, his large ears coming a close second. One had flopped over and it was incredibly cute.

"Yes, Jack?" Roy scanned the forest in front of him out of habit, rather than there being any real need to. The mess with the Hunters had been over with for years, but it never hurt to be careful, especially when Jack was out with him.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" his ten-year-old asked.

"We're out on patrol for Grumman," Roy explained. "We don't need to be looking for anything specific really, we just need to make sure everything is as it should be."

"So… We don't really need to look for anything?" Jack asked.

"We do, yes. We need to look for anything that looks dangerous."

"Like what?"

Roy paused, waiting for Jack to catch up. Oh boy. Time for this history lesson.

Jack knew more or less about the Hunters. He knew they were dangerous people and that was why he couldn't go out into the forest by himself, just in case they were wandering about. They shouldn't be anyway, not near the settlement, but it never hurt to be careful. According to Riza, that was Roy's new favourite phrase. So, he wanted to protect his son. Where was the fault in that?

"There's no fault," Riza grinned, pecking his cheek. "It's just nice to know you're such a Dad at heart."

"You know about the Hunters, don't you?"

Jack nodded. "Yep. We learned about them in school."

"They're people who want to hurt our kind."

"Why?" Jack asked. Roy watched as his head cocked to the side, his eyes confused and uncomprehending. Roy just hoped he'd hold onto that innocence for as long as possible.

"To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know why they want to hurt us so badly. I think they're just scared of things they don't understand."

"But… Why is that scary? Surely they should try and learn more about us? And not hurt us?"

Bless Jack and his heart of gold.

"You would think so, son, wouldn't you?" Jack cocked his head again, not understanding. "When people are faced with the unknown, that's scary. These people especially don't like it, because they think our kind will hurt theirs, so they fight back."

"But we don't hurt their kind though," Jack stated. "In the last ten years there have been no werewolf attacks on humans anywhere in the world."

Roy paused for a second. "Where did you learn that?" he asked.

"From school." Roy was impressed. Not with the level of learning, but that his son had managed to remember a statistic like that. Normally schoolwork had to be drilled into him to remember, but this was the first time Roy was hearing about it.

"That's a very good and valid point, but when people are faced with fear, it doesn't let them think straight sometimes. They can act without thinking and try to get rid of whatever is making them scared as quickly as possible."

"Like when Mom had to get the spider from the bathroom because you were too scared to?"

Roy burst out laughing. He'd forgotten about that. "Yeah, I guess it's kind of like that."

Jack sighed and went quiet as he thought over this new information. Roy hoped this day would never come. His little boy was too young to learn about the outside world just yet, but the more he knew, the safer he'd be in the long run. If he knew just how dangerous the Hunters were, when he was faced with them, Jack would be armed with enough knowledge to get himself out of the situation and fast.

"Anyway, enough of this boring grown up talk." Roy hoped in place, spinning around to face his son. Sensing the change in the mood, Jack yipped and lowered his upper body, his little wolf butt waggling in the air. "Let's play."

"I thought we were supposed to be on patrol?"

"It's break time," Roy grinned, patting his son on the head with his paw as he started a game of tag. Roy turned and ran as Jack growled behind him, letting out an indignant bark. Roy laughed inside his head as Jack yelled at him to "come back here".

Roy loped off, skidding to a halt and hiding behind a fallen tree. It had pulled the roots up with it, creating a shield of soil between Roy and his son. This was also a test, too. Jack had begun to train with Breda on how to best use, and hone, his werewolf skills. Roy would hide here and see if Jack could use his sense of smell to find him. That was always something Breda said needed worked on with Jack. He'd always get too distracted and end up forgetting he was supposed to be sniffing something out and would run off in another direction after his distraction.

The sound of paws reached him and stopped just a few feet away. Jack sniffed at the ground beneath his feet and Roy smiled to himself. Jack whined then started walking to his left, before stopping and turning back, heading right. Realising Roy's scent disappeared in that direction too, Jack whined louder, then thumped onto his haunches, sitting on the ground.

Roy shook his head. He gave up too easily.

"Dad?" Jack called inside his mind. A bark left him, and Jack stood again, walking forwards as he sniffed the ground.

There you go, son!

At the last second, just as Jack was right above him, Roy jumped out from his hiding place with a growl, frightening the poor boy.

"Dad!" Jack complained loudly after recovering from his fright. "That's not funny!"

"It was pretty funny," Roy laughed.

"Dad!" Jack whined as Roy continued to laugh. His son reached out, trying to swat at Roy's leg, but he jumped out of the way before Jack could make contact. He tried again, but Roy hopped away, turning it into a game. After a few tries, Jack was less irritated, and more entertained by the new game of tag. Kicking it up a notch, Roy turned a sprinted into the trees, leaving Jack behind.

After about thirty seconds, Roy slowed to a jog, still chuckling in his head. It was a delight to play with his son, and always cherished these small moments in life. It made him miss his own parents terribly as memories of his own childhood returned to him, but despite that, he was glad he could share it with his own son.

Pausing for a second, Roy cocked his head and listened for Jack. The forest was silent, except for the sound of birdsong in the canopy above him. Roy felt worry begin to niggle in his stomach because Jack was nowhere to be seen or heard, but he forced himself to relax. Jack wouldn't be far. Plus, this could be another test. Roy would gauge how quiet his approach was. It was worthy practice.

Something solid hit Roy's side and at first, he thought it was Jack running into him, or trying to knock him over. Roy started to chuckle at his son's antics, then the pain came. He was about to compliment Jack on his stalking technique – he hadn't even heard Jack's approach – but it was stolen from his lips. The pain lanced through his flank, feeling like the blood under his skin was boiling.

Shit. Shit!

Then Roy smelt it.

Wolfsbane.

Oh… fuck.

Jack… Roy shook his head and stumbled to the side as he tried to shake off the effects of the poison. Catching his footing, Roy planted his feet steady, giving himself a shake to try and rid the fog that was beginning to descend over his mind.

"Jack…" he muttered inside his head, unable to speak any louder than that. "Jack!"

"Dad?" Jack called to him, sounding very far away, but when Roy opened his eyes, his son was right in front of him. Sagging in relief, Roy placed his paw over his son, placing it over his body and dragging him underneath Roy's belly. Jack let out a surprised yelp and tried to right himself as he fell onto his own stomach, his paws splaying out in front of him. "Dad? Dad, what's going on?"

"Stay there and stay quiet." Roy barked the order, then grit his teeth as another wave of pain washed over him.

Shit.

He needed to get Jack out of here now.

"Freeze!" someone barked. There was the sound of a gun cocking, and two arrows knocking in a crossbow. It made Roy ill to think of how well he knew that sound.

Opening his eyes, glancing up, Roy came face to face with three Hunters.

Riza had just finished pouring a cup of tea when she froze. Thankfully, the hot water was already on the counter, because if it hadn't been, it would have spilled all down her front with the speed the ran from the room. Her chest ached, like there was an elephant sitting on it, and Riza knew that only meant one thing, because she'd experienced it before.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Once on her porch, she looked out into the forest ahead of her, in the direction Roy and Jack had left that morning.

Another stab of pain inside her chest, coupled by one in her side. Riza grunted in pain, stumbling sideways to grab onto the railing around her porch.

Riza changed in an instant and took off at a sprint, tearing through the forest as trees tried to tear and pull at her skin under her fur, dragging her back to the house and away from her mate and her cub. But nothing would stop her. Not while her chest ached like it did.

"Rebecca!" she shouted in her mind. Within a few seconds, she got a reply.

"What's wrong?" God bless Rebecca Catalina and her no-nonsense attitude when dealing with an emergency.

"Something's wrong with Roy and Jack. I don't know…" she faltered. What did she know? The pain in her chest meant someone was hurt, but she didn't know who. White hot fear thrashed through her veins, and it suddenly felt like she couldn't move fast enough.

"I felt it too. On our way."

That soothed some of her worries, but not enough.

What the hell was happening?

Riza skidded to a stop when she heard voices. She was far enough away she couldn't see anyone, but when she heard Roy's voice, she wasn't calmed by it.

It was the opposite.

"Just let him go, please," Roy begged. There was no weakness in his tone, but Riza could pick out the hint of a wheeze in his breath as he spoke, as well as a careful warning. He must know she was there. Or, he was too preoccupied with what was happening, he didn't realise help was at hand. "He's innocent."

"None of you dogs are innocent," someone spat, followed by the sound of saliva hitting the ground.

Jack let out a quiet whine and Riza almost burst through the trees right there and then. She managed to stop herself. Just barely. Opting for reason, rather than reaction, Riza calmed herself and focussed. There were… three people facing off with Roy and Jack. Jack was uninjured, thank god, but Roy wasn't. There was a sharp pain in Riza's side, as well as a burning in her chest. The chest pain was a tricky one, because whenever anything happened to Roy, the chest was what affected. Even if he stubbed his toe on the edge of the couch, Riza would feel a burn in her chest, then the ache in her toe would come afterwards, so she had no real way of knowing just how injured he was.

Still. These people had hurt her mate. They were threatening her son. There was no way she'd let this go on any further.

Reaching out to them again, Riza felt the fear inside Jack. He was terrified. In her mind's eye, she could picture his legs shaking in his wolf worm as he watched his father face off with these people.

Of course, there was only one group it could be.

Hunters.

Riza let out a low growl and retreated. There was a pause in Jack's quiet, scared, whining. He'd heard her.

"Riza? We're near. What do you need us to do?" Rebecca asked inside her mind.

Jack's whining stopped again, his breathing picking up as he excitedly realised what was happening. His mother and his Aunt and Uncle were here to help them.

Instead of answering Rebecca, Riza turned her attention to her son.

"Jack?" she called to him. There was a quiet yip, followed by a whine.

"What's he doing?" someone asked, and Riza heard the cocking of a gun. She froze – they all did – and waited.

"Jack do exactly as I say," Riza commanded. Her tone was firm and even, belaying the fear she felt inside of her.

"Mom! Help!"

"I will, honey. I swear. But I need you to help me out. I need you to pretend like I'm not here. I need to surprise these people so I can get you and Dad to safety. Can you pretend like I'm not here?" There was silence as he obviously struggled inside his mind, torn between wanting to run to her there and then, but old enough to be aware of the Hunters and what they were capable of when spooked. "I know it will be hard, Jack, believe me, but I need you to do this for me. Can you help us out?"

"Yes." His voice was a whisper, and there was no further sound that left his muzzle.

"He's scared," Roy ground out. "What do you expect him to do?"

Riza's heart ached for her husband, hearing that wheeze in his voice again.

They needed to work and work fast.

"Rebecca, go north and loop around them. Jean, go south. I'll go straight. On my signal, jump them. I'll get to Jack and Roy, you drive the Hunters away if you can."

"On it," they both confirmed, quietly moving away to walk in opposite directions. Riza crouched low and edged forwards.

"There's someone out there, isn't there?" the Hunter that had spoken before demanded, with a hint of fear in his tone. That wasn't good. Fear made them reckless, and Roy was already hurt. Plus, Jack was in the middle of it. Riza was ready to give in to the anger inside of her, but she needed to help them both. Anger had no place here. Not now.

"I don't know –"

"Don't lie!"

Riza growled low in her throat as Jack yelped and whined.

"Leave him –!"

Riza burst into action. No words were spoken in her mind, but she knew Rebecca and Jean would be close behind her.

"Jack!" Roy shouted, and Riza almost stopped moving there and then, fear gripping her when she heard the terror in Roy's tone. She spotted them in a small clearing. Roy was on his knees, clutching his side with his head bent, eyes squeezed tightly closed. He'd twisted while one his knees, but the action had been too straining on his injury. Roy's eyes opened, wide with fear, as he continued to turn towards his son. The hand that had been pressed to his side reached out, but he was too far away. A fourth Hunter grabbed Jack by the scruff of his neck, dragging him backwards. Jack jerked in the man's grip, his head swinging left and right in a panic, trying to get the Hunter off him, his jaws snapping wildly.

Riza launched herself at the Hunter on Jack. Out the corner of her eyes she saw Roy falter, falling onto his hands and knees this time. Rebecca was approaching from behind the three Hunters, a silent shadow in the trees to her left, waiting to pounce, and Jean was deeper in the forest, to her right, out of sight from the Hunters, just waiting for an opportunity.

This was a strategy they'd devised to try and minimise casualties. If the Hunters got spooked, they'd randomly start firing – especially this lot, who seemed incredibly nervous – and Riza didn't want them both to get hurt. They were well versed in how to fight the Hunters, also. They knew when an opportunity presented itself, and Riza trusted them with her life, that's why she was entering the fray alone just now.

Riza's paws hit the Hunter's shoulders and the man screamed, falling backwards onto the forest floor. He hit it with a thump then groaned, rolling left and right as he tried to ease the pain.

The three Hunters cocked their weapons, training them on Riza.

"Rebecca!" The brown wolf snarled and pounced, landing right behind the Hunters with a loud thud. They spun in shock, which allowed Riza to grab Jack by the scruff of his neck and carry him over to Jean.

"Dad!" Jack shouted.

"I'm going back for him, Jack. I promise!" Riza tossed Jack into the darkness of the trees, where Jean took over and grabbed him, picking him up before turning to run back to the settlement. Jack's cries still echoed in Riza's head, but the main thing was he was out of harm's way and heading to safety. That was top priority dealt with.

Riza turned and froze when a shot rang out. Her eyes flew to Rebecca, who had ducked, but Riza flinched and yelped when she felt a burn in her haunches. Fuck!

"Stop!" the lead Hunter barked, but his voice shook.

Roy suddenly rose from his crouch and tackled the lead Hunter, knocking the gun from his hands. Riza whined and let out a short, but pained, growl as fire was injected into her veins. The Wolfsbane was working wonders, ravaging her body with poison. She faltered slightly, stumbling to her right.

"Riza!" Rebecca called to her. The sound of battle – screams and yells mixed in with growls and snarls – carried on around her as she tried to rid her head of the fog descending on it.

After the battle with the Hunters years ago Riza had discovered she was slightly immune to the Wolfsbane poison they used. It didn't affect her breathing when she'd entered the fog from the bombs they'd let off in the forest. She'd lasted far longer than any werewolf should have been able to, and everyone had chalked that up to the experimentation the Hunters had done on her months prior to that. She'd silently hoped that had remained with her, but this had been directly injected into her bloodstream, and it felt like she was back in that cave, being tortured with wolfsbane poison.

There was a loud crashing behind her and Riza whipped around unsteadily, disorientated, coming face to face with a grey werewolf. She also noticed she'd staggered close to the treeline, farther away from the thick of it than she had been a moment ago. A red werewolf stood on her grandfather's left, while a mottled grey and black one was on the right. Walter changed in front of her and without a word, the other two jumped into the fray to help Rebecca.

"Riza?" Walter asked her. His face was a picture of concern as he looked her over. His eyes settled on her flank and remained there, his expression becoming hard. "Riza, change back into a human. We can get you home easier if you do."

Riza changed and a scream was torn from her lips as something was torn from her body. Walter had done it before she changed, ripping the crossbow bolt from her side. She collapsed in place, with her grandfather catching her as she fell.

"Riza…" she heard Roy croak. She was lifted into her grandfather's arms, her eyes drooping closed. The pain was too great. It was overwhelming her. She was going to pass out, but she still forced her eyes open. Roy was standing above her as she was held in her grandfather's arms. His face was pained, and his eyes were clouded, like hers probably were. It was like she was looking through dirty glass. Her mate cupped her cheeks, his hands shaking as he held her face. Roy pressed his forehead against her, hard. "Thank you," he whispered. "You came."

Before she could reply, Riza passed out. The hand that had reached up to grasp Roy's forearm, but not quite making it, fell limp by her side.

"Grandpa?" Jack asked, looking up at the old man sitting next to him. Jack loved his grandfather. He played with him whenever he could and told him all about what went on in the settlement. It was a very busy place, the place Jack lived in, and he was always wondering who was coming and going. They had a lot of species passing through and they always fascinated Jack. Some were species he'd never even heard of before. He was always eager to learn, and Grandpa always told him about them.

"Yes, Jack?"

"Will… Will my Mom and Dad be okay?" he asked, biting his lip.

Grandpa didn't say anything. He just placed his arm around Jack's shoulder and hugged him against his side. It made Jack worry the skin on his bottom lip even harder.

"I hope so, Jack. I really do."

"What does that mean?" he asked, suddenly feeling very scared.

Grandpa sighed and squeezed his shoulder. "Let's wait and see what Pinako says."

Jack didn't want to wait. He wanted to know.

He'd heard horrible stories about what the Hunters had done to people like him. Jack shuddered in his seat. His hands had been braced on his knees and now his fingers were curling and digging into the flesh of his legs. Grandpa wrapped an arm around his shoulders again but this time he didn't let go. He squeezed Jack shoulder without a word as they both continued to wait.

Pinako left the room Mom and Dad were being treated in. She was wiping her hands on a towel which she slung over her shoulder. Grandpa remained in his seat, but Jack stood, eyes wide and earnest, pleading with the witch to tell him everything was going to be okay.

"They'll be fine," she reassured them both. Jack let out a long sigh and felt his knees become weak. They shook but he stayed standing. He needed to be strong if Mom and Dad were hurt. He needed to be brave for them. "You can go in."

"Go ahead, Jack," Grandpa urged. "I need to speak to Pinako first."

Jack nodded and felt nervousness build from his stomach up to his chest, coiling inside of it, near his heart, and making his breaths shaky as he stepped inside their room.

He didn't expect to see Mom sitting by Dad's bedside. She was awake, her eyes were open, and she was just staring at Dad. Jack's body sagged in relief and he rushed forward.

Mom turned when she heard him then opened her arms for Jack. He threw his arms around her neck and squeezed tightly. Tears sprang to his eyes and Jack suddenly didn't want to be brave for them both. Not now that Mom was awake. He wanted a cuddle and wanted to be held and rocked, with Mom telling him that Dad would be all right.

"You're okay," he whispered, burrowing his face into the crook of her neck. A hand was placed on the back of his head as Mom held him close. It was okay, Jack decided. He didn't need to be brave right this second. Mom was the bravest person he knew, so she could take over for now.

"I'm all right, Jack, don't worry."

"What about Dad?"

"He'll be fine too."

Jack pulled away and looked fearfully over at his father. His eyes were red rimmed, matching his nose and ears, and the skin looked angry and red. It made Jack feel sick.

"Is this what the wolfsbane does to us?" he asked quietly. This was the first time he'd seen it. No one had ever told him what it did.

He was scared.

Mom nodded. "Yes. And it hurts. A lot." Jack looked up at his mother and studied her face. Her eyes and nose weren't an angry red like Dad's, but they were pink.

"Why have you woken up, and Dad hasn't?" Jack asked.

Mom sighed then turned him in her arms, so he was sitting on her knee, facing his father. "The crossbow bolt they shot at your father hit an artery, mine didn't, so it was more dangerous for him. "Also, I…" Mom went quiet for a few moments. It was enough for Jack to turn around and look at her. He felt fear and dread begin to creep up his spine when he saw her pained face. "I was taken by the Hunters a long time ago. They…" Mom swallowed then sighed. "They weren't very good to me. They hurt me with the wolfsbane."

"What?" Jack asked, horrified. When he'd learned about the Hunters and how they hurt his kind, he didn't think too much about it. But now they'd hurt his Mom and Dad, and had hurt them before…

Suddenly the threat of the Hunters was very real for Jack. He was terrified.

Mom hugged him close, probably sensing he was scared. Mom was really good to him, because she didn't hide a lot of things, especially not about the Hunters. She always said she wanted him to be prepared and "armed with knowledge about them", and even though the thought scared Jack a lot, he still appreciated it.

"I'm okay thought," she replied, hugging him tight. That… That was good but… These people had hurt her before. Jack couldn't believe it. It…

It made him angry. How dare they hurt his parents!

"Dad… He wasn't hurt like that so isn't as used to the wolfsbane as me, that's why it's taking him a little bit longer."

Jack's angry thoughts paused for a minute when he noticed the crack in Mom's voice, like she was going to cry. Fear filled him for another reason, because he didn't want to see his mother cry. That was even more frightening than the Hunters hurting him or his parents.

"Mom?" he asked but was cut off by Dad coughing. Jack whipped his head around and was jostled in his mother's arms as she reached forward to grab Dad's hand. Jack glanced down, noticing how tightly she was gripping it. Her knuckles were white.

"Roy?" she called to him in desperation. Dad coughed again, his body heaving like he had a bad cold.

"Dad?" Jack asked fearfully. He just needed Dad to talk then he'd know everything was okay…

"Jack," Dad croaked, and a smile broke out over Jack's face. Dad was talking.

Dad was going to be okay.

"Yeah, Dad! It's me, Jack."

"You're all right?" he asked. He managed to crack open an eyelid. The whites of his eyes were red, but not as red as the skin around them.

"Yeah. Are you?" Jack asked desperately.

"I'll be fine," he smiled, closing his eyes again. "I'll be fine now that I know you're safe."

He'd kept Jack safe. Dad had protected Jack throughout the Hunters exchange. Even when terror was flying through his whole body as he was dragged away from Dad, he'd still turned around, despite being in a lot of pain, and tried to stop the Hunter pulling him away. Then, Mom jumped in and took over. She saved Jack, probably from being killed. That thought settled a very heavy weight inside his stomach and it made Jack want to be sick. He'd almost died today, and it had snuck up on him while he was completely unaware. He'd been out playing with his father, and then he'd almost died. Mom and Dad had saved his life.

"You saved my life," Jack stated, as if only just realising it.

Mom and Dad both turned their heads to look at him.

"Of course," Dad replied.

"We always will protect you like that, Jack," Mom added.

"But…" He couldn't understand it. Not fully. They had almost died today because of him. Were… Were they mad at him for it? When he asked the question, the grip on his waist tightened from Mom's grip, and Dad frowned.

"Of course not," Dad exclaimed, as if the idea was ludicrous.

"No, not at all honey," Mom reassured him.

"But you almost died because of me."

"No," Dad shook his head, then his face screwed up into a grimace. "We were hurt by the Hunters. It had nothing to do with you."

"But it was because you were trying to protect me," Jack stated, his voice wobbling. He'd almost lost both his parents today because he couldn't fight back. He wasn't old enough, wasn't strong enough, and didn't know enough about the world to protect them. He was a human who could turn into a wolf, with super speed and super strength, and he couldn't even beat a couple of humans to help his parents.

"This was not your fault," Mom almost growled. For a second, Jack thought she was angry at him, but her face was determined.

"Absolutely not," Dad agreed, shifting so he was sitting up slightly in bed. "And I would do it again in heartbeat, Jack. My job is to protect you like that." Dad spoke as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Okay?" Dad prompted him, asking him if Jack understood. "Don't think for a second we'd hate you for that. Our job is to keep you safe."

"One hundred percent," Mom added, nodding in agreement with Dad.

Jack looked between them both and felt comforted by that fact. However, a resolve was solidifying in his mind. He needed to be better. He needed to be stronger. If he focussed on his lessons with Breda, then he'd be able to help Mom and Dad the next time something like this happened. Jack prayed in his mind that it never would, but after the revelation that Mom had been hurt before, and the events of today, the reality of the situation hit Jack very hard suddenly.

"That wasn't so fun second time round," Dad groaned, shifting under the thin hospital sheet, dragging Jack's attention back to the room. Mom laughed and bent her head, her fringe falling forward. When she lifted it, her eyes were wet with tears. She squeezed his hand tightly, then lifted it to her lips to kiss the back of it.

"I love you," Mom whispered.

Dad grinned at her, then another coughing fit overtook him. Mom stood to help him sit up, but Dad stopped suddenly, holding Mom's face very close to his own. A smirk played on Dad's lips, like he planned this all along.

"I love you too," he murmured. Jack looked away and didn't realise he'd made an "ew" noise when they kissed. He heard Dad laugh and Mom turned to smile at him.

"Come here," she beckoned to her son.

Mom lifted him onto Dad's bed when he was close enough and the three of them hugged each other tightly, each one glad the others were okay, and made it out of that skirmish with the Hunters alive.