Note: Thanks to my Beta Ladyeros for her wonderful job and patience

Thanks for reading!

With quick fingers, Danny typed away at the keys of his laptop. He had been crafting his Chemistry paper for one week in total and all he needed to do now was check for any errors he had made. Danny sat in total darkness and the only light he received came from the laptop in front of him. He had mastered continuous typing without a second glance at the keys beneath the pads of his fingertips.

Nothing was going to break his concentration now. Two paragraphs left. Only two.

However, the sound of a knock at his bedroom window made him jump out of his skin. As soon as his heart had settled to a steady rhythm, his eyes refocused and saw that it was Ethan. Danny stood from his chair, pushed it from behind him, and then opened the window for Ethan to crawl into his room.

"I'm sure you are familiar with a door, right?" Danny closed the once Ethan had settled himself on the computer chair he had previously occupied. "It's the thing normal people use to enter a home."

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake anyone."

"Except me," Danny said.

"Yes, …well, no. I only wanted to..."

H knew he wasn't on firm ground with Danny so he wanted to find the right words.

"What now?"

"There is something out there. We don't know exactly what it is, but we know they only come out when it's dark. I just wanted to be sure you were ok, and...I wanted to ask if I can I stay tonight?"

Danny raised an eyebrow. If this was his lame attempt to stay over and try to win him over, Ethan would have to try harder than that. "I don't need you to babysit me, Ethan."

"I do know that"

"I was fine before you, and I'll be fine after you. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Yeah, I know that too," Ethan said. He then added darkly, "but I've seen a lot of tough people die."

"Ethan I-"

"Just please let me stay for peace of mind. I won't be able to sleep knowing that you may be in danger."

Danny cursed himself. At this point, he should've known how to say no to those fucking puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, but you're sleeping on the floor."

"You're the boss." Ethan smiled, relieved. Even if deep inside he didn't know if he could do some good if whatever the crazy shit was this time manifested itself near Danny. Ethan was willing to fight for Danny to protect to no matter the cost.

Danny put some blankets on the floor, making the improvised bed as comfortable as possible. His bed was big enough for them both to sleep in without body contact, but he wasn't ready to share a bed with Ethan, mostly because he didn't trust himself with this boy.

" I missed this," Ethan whispered in an intimate tone as he lowered himself onto his makeshift bed. He fluffed the pillow, before resting his head on it.

"I don't recall making you sleep on the floor before," Danny remarked.

"I was referring to inhaling your scent, before going to sleep," Ethan informed him.

"Oh, God." Danny let out a small laugh.

"And I missed hearing your laugh even more."

"If you're trying to smooth talk your way into this bed, you should give up."

"Danny, everyone is innocent until proven guilty." Ethan's vice was light as air as he spoke to Danny. "Besides, I'm used to sleeping on the floor. Aiden and I didn't sleep in a bed until we were sixteen."

"You're kidding."

"No, not really," Ethan said. "But don't worry about it"

Danny noticed that Ethan's voice had lost its playful edge and had become something far more serious.

"Don't worry about it? There weren't beds in your house?"

"Not exactly."

He'd never talked about this with anyone—not even Aiden. They both knew what happened and felt that there was no need to talk about it.

"It's ok, you don't have to tell me."

"Long story short, our parents were crack addicts. They sold us to what they thought was a band of drug dealers. I don't know for how much—I don't think they paid them a lot. That 'band' turned out to be a pack of werewolves and they weren't exactly nice. We spent most of the time locked in the basement; they barely feed us, only enough to keep us alive in case we could be useful at some point. In time, we became useful in ways that... well, let's not go there."

That was Ethan talking. Really talking about what was on his mind without evasive tactics, without lying, and now he understood why he avoided talking about his life. The only thing that came out of Danny's mouth was a soft, "Come here."

But Ethan didn't move. "Danny, I didn't tell you that to get your pity or your compassion I just-"

"Don't insult me, Ethan. You know I'm not like that. Now, please, come here." Danny moved the covers off of him and made space for Ethan on the bed. "But no touching."

Ethan obliged. He positioned himself on the corner of the bed, attempting to occupy as little space as possible. Ethan's self-control wasn't that strong, especially when he was unconscious. Not long after falling asleep, his arms stretched out and when they found Danny's warm body; he encircled Danny's waist and held him close. It was a werewolf thing. Werewolves' body temperatures ran higher than that of a normal human, and werewolves typically equated warmth with comfort and security.

Danny couldn't bring himself to pull away from Ethan. He softly kissed the forehead of the sleeping werewolf and shortly after fell asleep himself.

When Ethan woke up in the morning, he found that he was still curled up against Danny. His head rested on his chest and his arm was draped around him. Much to his surprise, Danny's arm was around his shoulders. He tried to get out of the embrace before Danny woke up and that situation got awkward. That, and his morning erection wasn't helping.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Danny stopped Ethan, before he could finish his apology.

"It's ok. It really it is."

They awkwardly pull away from each other and while Ethan was putting his jacket on, Danny made his mind up. Even thought he knew he'd probably regret this.

"Listen, how about we skip class today and try to talk things through. I... I really want this to work."

"Really? After everything?" Ethan asked in pure disbelief.

"Yes."

"I don't know what surprises me more—that you really want to fix this or that the little book worm is willing to skip class," Ethan teased.

"Fuck you!"

"Yes, you do"

"Fuck you!"

[...]

"I'm sorry, but in a pack, every member has to trust others with his life. I know you mean well, but even if I think you're earnest about trying to be better, I think you won't give your life for any of us, and most of us won't for you either. That's a weakness in the pack that we can't have."

Those were Scott's words. They hung in the air like a lingering curse. Aiden turned his head to look over at his brother.

"You know I'm right Ethan, come on! You're supposed to be the smart one!"

"I can't. Not now." Everything was getting back into place with Danny. He couldn't renounce that.

"You don't have a choice and you know it"

"Everything has been quiet until now," Ethan countered.

"Exactly, until now. Scott hasn't accepted us, and you know for a fact he won't. We are dead on our own. All the people we've screwed want their revenge and if they find us... well, we are omegas, and we can't fight back."

He looked at his brother, knowing the next thing he had to say would be the dark thought that trailed in the back of Ethan's mind. "And if they want to hurt you, they will use him. I know you'd die for him, but are you willing to see him die because of you?"

"No." The answer just left his lips, without even thinking about it for a second.

"Exactly. I know you, Ethan. You won't be able to live with his death on your hands. We have to find a pack and then, if you want, we'll come back for him."

That plan didn't sit well with Ethan. "And then what? Ask him to come with us and a pack of werewolves? Ask him to leave his studies, his family, and his home to be in constant danger and always on the run with two people who don't even have a legal name? I won't ask him that and even if he was willing to do it, I wouldn't let him—he deserves a better life."

"Then you know what you have to do, Ethan."

Ethan lowered his gaze. "Say goodbye," he barely whispered.

"Go see him. We'll leave in the morning."

"In the morning? Aid-"

"The faster, the better." He squeezed his brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry Ethan, really sorry."