Love Sees More 3: Greyback's Pack
Chapter 2 - The Pack
Remus wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten to sleep that night. When Greyback had left him alone in his cell, Remus was much too tense and nervous to even think about relaxing. Not to mention, the cot he had been provided with was hard and lumpy at best, with nothing more than a scratchy sheet and a pillow that Remus thought must have hidden a brick.
And the smell…the same stench that followed Greyback around seemed to be in every single area of the compound that Remus had seen so far. The smell here wasn't as bad as it was in Greyback's room or around the werewolf himself, but it was strong enough to be disturbing. It kept pushing images of horrific full moons into Remus's mind that he could have done without.
But for some reason unbeknownst to him, Remus had drifted off almost as soon as he had laid down on his undesirable bed. Perhaps it had just been the fact that he was emotionally exhausted. Remus's mind kept spinning with everything Greyback had said, everything he had promised, and Remus almost thought he was going to go mad trying to sort it all out. Maybe his brain had just shut down out of pity for him, but whatever the reason, he was grateful for the sleep he had gotten.
Remus awoke the next morning to loud voices outside of his shack. He cracked an eye open, taking in the pale early morning sunlight that was managing to sneak in between the boards on the windows. At first, a very small sense of panic arose in him before he realized where he was. With Greyback. That thought almost made Remus want to go back to sleep, to pull the blanket over his head. He wanted to pretend that the next time he opened his eyes, he would be back in his welcoming bed at number twelve, Grimmauld Place.
The yelling outside, however, continued, piquing Remus's curiosity. Pushing any other thoughts from his mind, Remus sat up, listening as carefully as he could. He thought he heard Greyback outside and another man, but what they were talking about, Remus couldn't tell.
Remus's eyes quickly ran over his cell, taking in everything he hadn't been able to see last night in the darkness. It was indeed tiny - the cot just managed to fit, leaving enough room for a toilet in the corner and a small square of blank floor. Remus began to wonder when the toilet was last scrubbed, but he decided he didn't want to know.
He pushed his rough blanket aside and stood up, raising his gaze upwards. There was one small rectangular window in his cell, on the wall across from the bed. It, too, was boarded up, leaving only a few trails of sunlight to break through.
Running his teeth over his bottom lip, Remus braced his hands against the wall and stepped up onto the rim of the toilet. He hesitated for a moment until he was sure he had his balance, and then he reached for the boards covering the small window. He tugged at the lowest one, and the splintered wood quickly gave way, leaving the bottom inch or so of the window uncovered.
Remus leaned into the wall and tried to raise himself up on his tiptoes as much as possible. The window was just low enough for him to peer over the bottom sill. The window itself was grimy and cloudy, but he could still see through it well enough.
Greyback was standing not far from the entrance to Remus's shack, having a very heated discussion with that dark-haired werewolf from the night before - Talon. Remus held his breath and pressed his ear up against the gap in the boards.
"He's a known supporter of Dumbledore!" Talon snarled. "What more proof do you need?"
"I said I'm giving him a chance," Greyback replied calmly, "not that I trust him yet."
"And you're making a huge mistake! He doesn't even deserve that much!" Talon cried. "Are you that stupid that…"
Talon, however, didn't get any further. Greyback's right hand flashed out, grabbing the front of Talon's robes like he had done to Remus last night. Greyback pulled the werewolf closer and then fisted his left hand in Talon's hair, pulling his head back. Talon stood frozen, his heaving with every breath.
"Excuse me?" Greyback growled. "Would you care to repeat that?"
Talon opened and closed his mouth several times, looking like a fish on land. Finally, he shook just his head as much as he could with Greyback still holding on to his hair.
"No. No, I thought not," Greyback said. "But I heard you the first time. You think I'm stupid, hm?"
"N-no, sir." Talon's voice wavered erratically.
Greyback looked thoughtful, watching Talon closely, as if deciding what to do. "So why on earth would you call me that?" Greyback sounded truly curious.
"I-I'm sorry, sir," Talon stuttered. "I don't think you're stupid at all. It just…c-came out…I don't like newcomers. Y-you know that…"
"You know what I think?" Greyback asked, his voice falling into a growl again. He pulled Talon even closer so that their noses were almost touching. "I think you did mean it. You're just too cowardly to admit it."
"No, sir! I promise! I-"
Greyback shook Talon violently, forcing him into silence. "You know what else I think? Giving Lupin a chance isn't my mistake. My mistake was making you my second-in-command!"
"NO! Sir, you didn't…"
"I don't believe I asked your opinion on the matter," Greyback yelled, "so hold your tongue!" He paused for effect and then went on, "This is my pack and I will not be questioned! If I feel Lupin deserves a chance, then you damn well better get used to it and accept it. Is that clear, or do I need to remind you of your place again?"
"No, sir. It's clear."
"You better make sure of that," Greyback snarled. After a moment, he released Talon, but then placed both of his hands flat on his chest. Greyback shoved him hard, causing him to stumble and fall to the weed-covered ground. "Get the hell out of my sight!"
Talon scrambled to his feet and started to head toward the back of the colony. Just then, however, Greyback called him back.
"Go to the mess hall," Greyback ordered. "The others will be there by now, and I'll be bringing Lupin by to meet you all. You may want to let them know of the conversation we just had - that I make the decisions here and I will not tolerate my subordinates questioning my actions!"
"Yes, sir." Talon bowed his head and took off running for the largest building.
Greyback watched him go, shaking visibly with every breath he took. Remus made a mental note to never call Greyback stupid, to never question his decisions, and to never speak unless spoken to. Those were good things to know, he decided.
After nearly a minute, when his breathing had slowed, Greyback turned towards Remus's shack. Remus let out a quiet gasp before he let go of the wall and stepped down off the toilet. The last thing he wanted was for Greyback to know he had been spying. Remus dove for his bed, quickly pulling the covers up over himself once again. He closed his eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep.
Just then, the door of the shack squealed open loudly, banging into the wall.
Remus stirred, opening his eyes slowly and faking a yawn. He blinked up at Greyback as he watched the older werewolf retrieve a key from the wall. It was on a large key ring and it had been hanging on a nail above the door. It was the first time Remus had noticed it.
"Up," Greyback ordered, approaching Remus's cell and sliding the key into the lock in the door.
Remus immediately threw his covers aside and got to his feet, not wanting to upset Greyback any further than he already was.
"The rest of my pack is waiting to meet you," Greyback informed him, sliding the cell door open. "Follow me." Greyback then returned the key ring to its nail above the door.
Not saying a word, Remus stepped out of his cell, eyeing the key closely where it was now swinging back and forth on its nail. It was much too far for him to reach from his cell, but perhaps it would come in handy one day.
"You're quiet this morning," Greyback said conversationally as they stepped out into the bright autumn sunshine.
Remus swallowed before replying. "Yes, sir. Just…thinking, I suppose."
One of Greyback's eyebrows went up. He looked amused. "You suppose?"
"All right, I am thinking."
"About?"
Remus paused, considering his words carefully. "How different it is here."
"Mhm," Greyback hummed in agreement. "And you slept well, I trust?"
Remus blinked, confused that Greyback sounded so certain of that fact. "Yes, sir."
Greyback nodded as if he had been expecting that. "Everyone does after they first come here," Greyback informed him. "It's because you're finally among your equals, Remus. You're no longer with a bunch of wizards or humans-" Greyback spat out the word as if it made him sick, "-simply pretending to belong. You're just like the rest of us here - you're the same." Almost as an afterthought, Greyback added, "Except for the ranks, of course."
"The ranks?"
"Every werewolf here has a rank," Greyback replied. "The higher the rank, the more I trust them and the more privileges they have." He placed his hand over his chest proudly before continuing. "I am the alpha, of course. My second-in-command, Edmund Talon is a beta. Under him are the gamma wolves. I trust them a great deal and I would consider them above all others to replace Edmund if the need ever arose. There are six ranks in all. You're at the lowest rank right now, a zeta."
That didn't make Remus feel very confident, but a part of him almost felt like laughing. He found it funny that a moment ago, Greyback had been talking about them all being equals, just before launching into his monologue about ranks.
"Once you prove your loyalty to me," Greyback added, "you'll be moved up to an epsilon. You'll have complete access to the compound and you'll be able to interact with the others freely. The longer you're here and the more I feel I can trust you, you may slowly move up through the ranks."
"Are there any other zetas here?"
"Not at the moment, no."
Aside from spying, Dumbledore wanted Remus to reason with some of the other werewolves, to try and persuade them to Dumbledore's side. Remus figured it would be easiest with some of the lower ranked werewolves, ones that obviously weren't as loyal to Greyback as some of the others. Being the only zeta at the moment, however, would make it extra difficult. Everyone was probably already suspicious of him, if Talon's feelings were any indication.
It occurred to Remus that tattling on other members was probably something that Greyback rewarded. If anyone figured out that Remus was there to spy, they might very easily tell Greyback just to prove their loyalty even more. Remus would definitely have to be careful about who he trusted here, if anyone. At the moment, it would be Remus's word against a werewolf of a higher rank; it was no mystery who Greyback would believe. Remus would have to wait until he was an epsilon at least before he even thought about putting that part of Dumbledore's plan into action.
"Everyone else has been here for quite some time," Greyback went on, pulling Remus out of his reverie. "The last time we had a zeta was about a dozen or so moons ago."
"What happened to him?" Remus asked before he could stop himself.
Greyback grinned so wide, Remus could almost see all of his horrible yellow teeth. "He didn't pass his test, unfortunately," Greyback said, but his tone didn't suggest it was unfortunate. On the contrary, Greyback sounded rather pleased with the situation. "Of course, once you fail, I don't allow you to stay." After a long paused, he added, "I don't allow you to leave, either."
Remus didn't have - or didn't want - to inquire further. That was obviously a warning to Remus about what would happen if he failed whatever Greyback might expect him to do. Remus felt his stomach twisting up into a knot again at the thought, but he tried not to let it show.
They continued on in silence, down the center of the compound, until they reached the long rectangular building towards the back. Greyback stepped forward, pulling the large wooden door open and gesturing for Remus to step inside.
Remus's heart pounded as he climbed the three steps. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the other werewolves. He almost thought he was going to be lynched as soon as he entered the building or something.
It was dark inside the mess hall. The windows had similarly been boarded up, allowing just enough sunlight through the cracks so that Remus could see. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he was surprised to find all of the other werewolves standing still and quiet. They formed a half circle around him and door, watching him closely as he stepped inside.
Remus thought he counted approximately twenty-five to thirty werewolves. Most of them were men, although there were a few women scattered throughout. Truthfully, Remus had been wondering if there would be any women at all; Greyback just naturally seemed more inclined to trust men.
Most of the werewolves appeared to be close to Remus's age, but there were some that looked much younger, and there were a few that looked about as old as Greyback. All of their robes were in various states of decay, and they all looked like they could do with a shower and some serious personal hygiene. None of them looked as bad as Greyback, however.
The inside of the building itself had been completely gutted. There was absolutely no evidence to suggest that this had ever been a dining hall of any kind. Other than a few wooden chairs and a small round table in the corner, it was completely devoid of furniture. The walls and floor were covered in numerous deep scratch marks, suggesting that this building might be used during the full moons.
Remus noticed that Talon was glaring at him, his hands clenched tightly into fists. If Remus hadn't been listening to him and Greyback earlier, he'd probably be wondering what in the world he'd ever done to Talon. None of the other werewolves seemed particularly interested in Remus one way or the other, which was somewhat of a relief.
Greyback soon entered as well, looking around to check that everyone was present. Remus inched back toward the wall, keeping his eyes pinned on the floor, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.
"Good, everyone's here," Greyback said pleasantly. "As I'm sure Edmund has already informed you, we had a new member join us last night." He gestured in Remus's direction. "Remus Lupin has entered the pack at the zeta level, of course. He will be tested next-" Greyback stopped suddenly, as if he had intended to say more, but had thought better of it. His eyes went uncomfortably to Remus.
Next full moon, Remus thought. That's what he meant to say. That didn't entirely surprise Remus - Dumbledore had suspected it would occur during a transformation - but it didn't exactly reassure him either. At least he knew, though, when to expect his test. He had nearly three weeks before then, so at least he had some time to try and figure out what it could be and to prepare himself for it.
Greyback cleared his throat. "Remus, my pack." Greyback swung his arm around the room, indicating the rest of his followers. He stopped on Edmund and said, "My second-in-command, Edmund Talon. If I'm not here for any reason, he is in charge. I expect you to give him the same respect and consideration that you give me."
Talon looked to be very amused by this, and Remus almost thought he was going to laugh out loud. He faked a cough to hide it instead, covering his mouth with his hand. Remus didn't have to wonder what that was about. Talon surely doubted that Remus had any respect for Greyback at all, and he would be right.
Greyback narrowed his eyes, stalking over to Talon. "Something wrong?" Greyback growled. "Something you might like to share with the rest of us?"
Talon's eyes went wide, his expression turning hard again. "No, sir."
"Think it's funny, do you?" Greyback asked.
"No, sir. Not at all."
"You, Talon, are treading on very thin ice!" Greyback was silent then, staring daggers down at Talon, as if considering what to do. Talon stared back, not daring to move an inch.
After nearly a minute, Greyback stepped away from Talon and glanced around the room. "Talon, it would seem," Greyback announced, beginning to pace, "thinks that I am incapable of making the best decisions for my pack. He questioned me this morning, in fact, asking why I was stupid enough to allow Remus in among us."
Several gasps went around the room. The other werewolves seemed shocked at this, and they began to whisper among themselves.
"SILENCE!" Greyback roared. The room fell quiet at once, everyone giving Greyback their full attention. Everyone, that was, except for Talon. His face had turned red and he was currently focused on the splintering floorboards beneath him.
"You know," Greyback said conversationally, "I was sort of hoping something like this would happen. It'll give me a chance to show Remus what happens when I am questioned in my own pack!" He turned on his heel, stomping back over to Talon. "Especially," he added, "by my very own beta."
Talon's brown eyes widened even further, and his bottom quivered slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"Oh," Greyback responded, "you're damn right it won't." Talon opened his mouth to reply, but before he could get anything out, Greyback grabbed the front of his robes just like he had outside. This time, he pulled Talon forward and brought his knee up into Talon's stomach. Talon coughed and heaved, his eyes looking like they might possibly pop out of his sockets now.
"It's not so funny now, is it?" Greyback laughed. He pulled on Talon's robes again, forcing him to stand up straight. Then one of Greyback's hands shot back, forming into a fist. He punched Talon in the mouth and then released him, allowing him to crumble to the floor.
Talon curled up on his side, still coughing. One arm curled around his stomach and the other hand went up to dab at his bloody lip.
Remus found it hard to watch, but he didn't look away. If the whole thing was partially for Remus's benefit, he didn't think Greyback would be very happy if he didn't watch. Remus also kept reminding himself that Greyback liked strong werewolves in his pack - not weak ones that flinched away when Greyback was exercising discipline.
Turning back to Remus, Greyback said, "That is what happens when I am questioned in my own pack. Any questions?"
"No, sir," Remus whispered.
"Good," Greyback said. "That's all for this morning." He looked down at Talon who was still lying on the floor. Greyback's lips twisted into that grin again. "You're a mess. Get the hell up and pull yourself together. The rest of you may go to breakfast. Remus, you come with me. I'll show you how we eat."
The rest of the pack began to file out of the building, breaking up into groups and disappearing into the woods. If that was any indication, Remus really didn't want to know what they did for food.
Talon had gotten off the floor, but was still hunched over, holding on to his stomach. A line of a blood had spilled down over his chin and had left a couple deep red drops on the front of his robes. He kept pressing the palm of one hand against his mouth and pulling it away to see if it was still bleeding. Talon's eyes were focused on Remus, absolutely burning with hate.
"You may want to keep an eye on Remus," Greyback told Talon. "He's barely been here for eight hours and he already knows how to behave properly. The only time he's spoken is to answer me, and he hasn't moved from his spot. I remember when you used to be like that, Edmund. Before you let your status go to your head."
Remus really had to control the urge to laugh now. If anyone's status had gone to their head, it was clearly Greyback.
Talon drew a deep and shaky breath. "Sir…"
"There you go again!" Greyback shouted. "Opening your mouth when I didn't ask you to! Just because we have a new member doesn't mean you're allowed to show off for him." He stepped forward, grabbing the front of Talon's robes once more. "Don't make me regret the decision of making you my beta. That could all change, you know. In an instant. And it will if you keep running your mouth to me. There are five gammas below you that would jump at the chance to replace you and believe me, they know how to follow the rules." Greyback leaned in even closer, his lips only mere inches away from Talon's. "You haven't forgotten the rules, have you?"
"No, sir."
Greyback shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that, so you may stay here for the duration of breakfast. I suggest you use the time to think about what you did wrong and how you can prevent it from happening again. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"And get yourself cleaned up for god's sakes!" Greyback ordered. "You're covered in your very own blood. That's not very becoming for my beta." He turned and stalked back towards the door, momentarily stopping in front of it. "Come, Remus. It's time for breakfast."
Remus hesitated, eyeing Talon carefully. This was not good. Remus hadn't even done anything and he already very clearly had an enemy.
"This isn't over, Lupin," Talon snarled. "You've got Greyback fooled now, but you won't for long. I'm on to you, and it won't be long before he figures you out, too."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Remus said quietly, trying to sound as innocent as possible. He was suddenly grateful for all those times Sirius had done something wrong and had said the very same thing; Remus had heard that line so many times, it wasn't hard to imitate.
"Yeah, sure you don't," Talon muttered, still wiping blood from his chin. "I just suggest you be very careful in the future. We're all very loyal to Greyback and if you do something wrong, we'll know."
"Are you sure?" Remus asked coolly. "Because after what just happened here, I'm not sure you even know what wrong is." He gave Talon a very poignant look before walking past him and following Greyback's lead.
"I do know!" Talon shouted after him. "But yes, run along now. Go kiss up to him as much as you can."
Remus wanted to turn and say something more, but he didn't. Greyback didn't like his werewolves doing things unless he told them, and right now, Remus had been ordered to follow. But he found it funny - kissing up as much as he could was exactly what he intended on doing.
Greyback was waiting for him just around the corner of the mess hall. As soon as Remus caught up to him, Greyback said, "I heard the two of you." He gestured back towards the entrance to the mess hall as they fell into step beside each other.
Remus swallowed, wondering if he would be in trouble for speaking to Talon when he hadn't been given permission. Greyback, however, didn't seem angry.
"Don't let him bait you," Greyback said. "He's just pissed that he got reprimanded in front of everyone. He has to take it out on someone. Believe me, I will be talking to him further about his behavior." Greyback threw his head back and laughed harshly before turning on Remus. "I'm counting on you now, you know. I'm counting on you to prove yourself, to prove that I didn't make a mistake by letting you into my pack. You wouldn't want Talon to be right, would you?"
"No, sir." Remus titled his chin up and in his firmest voice, he said, "He isn't."
Greyback's yellow eyes searched his, as if looking for the answer. "You better make sure of that. I would be very angry indeed if you failed me now."
Remus held his gaze, unflinching and unwavering. When Greyback was apparently satisfied, he continued down the path through the woods. Remus followed closely behind.
Greyback spent the morning showing Remus pretty much everything that was edible in the woods. Remus had already known that the werewolves lived off the land, and he could have done without Greyback's one-sided instructions. He encouraged Remus to eat - to hunt - as many live things as possible.
Remus, of course, wasn't about to begin preying on little furry animals. He just simply agreed with everything Greyback said, and then ate as many berries and nuts as he could find when the other werewolf wasn't watching. It wasn't much, but then again, he was used to going hungry a lot of the time when he lived alone.
Greyback eventually caught something and found a place on the forest floor to eat. Remus didn't see what it was and he didn't Iwant/I to know what it was either. He simply found his own spot, leaning up against a tree, waiting for Greyback to finish.
Remus closed his eyes, trying to imagine that he was back at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. It was almost easy. If he blocked out Greyback's noisy and sloppy chewing, he could focus on the soft breeze and the leaves rustling around him. Remus kept telling himself that he was sitting in the garden at home, and that the pleasant silence would be interrupted by Padfoot's barking at any moment. He smiled.
"Hi."
Jumping, Remus opened his eyes to find a girl with dirty blonde hair standing before him. She looked quite young, perhaps no more than twenty-five, and her pale blue eyes sparkled brightly.
Remus's eyes immediately went to Greyback, wondering if they were allowed to talk at all. Greyback didn't seem the least bit concerned; he was much more interested in pulling the fur off of whatever he was eating.
"It's breakfast," the girl said, as if reading his mind. "We're allowed to talk at meals."
"Oh," Remus said, looking back to the girl. "Hi, then."
"I'm Althea," she said, sitting down beside him.
"Remus."
"I know." Althea's cheeks turned a bright shed of red and she giggled. "I know who you are."
Remus bit at his lower lip. "I suppose a lot of you do."
Althea shrugged. "Dunno. I don't really talk to anyone else. Before you came, I was the newest one here, and I haven't gotten to know anyone yet."
Tilting his head curiously, Remus asked, "How long have you been here?"
"Almost two years now."
One of Remus's eyebrows went up. "And you still haven't gotten to know anyone?"
Althea giggled again. "Well, they're not exactly friendly if you know what I mean."
"I know," Remus agreed. "I've already made an enemy out of Talon."
"He doesn't like any of the newcomers," Althea explained. "He's always suspicious and accusing them of being spies."
"Oh good," Remus said, laughing humorlessly. "Now I don't feel so alone."
"Nah," Althea went on, "he was horrible to me until I proved my loyalty."
Remus was almost tempted to ask how one did that, but with Greyback so nearby, he wasn't going to risk it. Greyback clearly didn't want him to know, and Remus wasn't about to ruin the progress he'd made so far by making Greyback angry with him.
Instead, Remus asked, "What rank are you now?"
"I'm still an epsilon," Althea said, "one rank above you. I haven't really had a chance to prove myself beyond that yet."
Remus began to wonder if Althea was as sweet as she was pretending. If she had been an epsilon for nearly two years, surely she would want some way to further prove her loyalty by now. Perhaps she was trying to get close to Remus just so she could run to Greyback with what she had learned. Greyback might even have asked her to do so. Remus would have to be careful about what he said to her and to everyone else in the pack. None of the other werewolves trusted him yet, and Remus wasn't about to give his trust to them in return either.
"Remus," Greyback suddenly called for him, pulling him out of his thoughts. Greyback had gotten to his feet and was currently using one of his long yellowed fingernails to pick at his teeth. Remus tried not to pay attention to the fact that blood was smeared all over Greyback's lips. Apparently, it wasn't becoming to wear one's own blood, but it was perfectly fine to wear the blood of something else. Remus felt his stomach clench in disgust.
"It's time to go," Greyback said, motioning for Remus to join him again. "You'll be returned to your cell after each meal."
Remus wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of returning to his small, cramped, and smelly cell. He had been enjoying the fresh air and talking with Althea. As suspicious as he still was of her, it was nice to hold a somewhat normal adult conversation with someone again.
Bidding his goodbyes to Althea, Remus stood, brushing off the grass and leaves that clung to his robes. He followed Greyback across the trail that led to the main part of the compound.
Once they returned to the shack with Remus's cell, Greyback ushered him inside again. Remus entered his cell without having to be told and Greyback slammed the door behind him once again.
Greyback then wrapped his long-nailed fingers around the bars, watching him closely. "You did well this morning, Remus. You didn't cause any trouble and I didn't have to raise my voice to you once. If you keep this up, you'll be an epsilon in no time."
"Thank you, sir," Remus whispered, his eyes on the floor. He kept them there until he heard Greyback's footsteps across the floor and the shack door close again.
When Remus was alone, he let out a long breath and sat down heavily on his bed. He buried his head in his hands, taking several deep breaths. The entire time with Greyback, he had been nervous beyond belief, but to be honest, being a part of Greyback's pack wasn't as hard as Remus thought it would be. Being quiet and unassuming were things that came naturally to Remus, and that was the way Greyback liked his followers. All Remus had to do was be himself, really.
Remus didn't realize, however, the emotional toll that being one of Greyback's followers would take on him. It had already begun, in fact, working its way into the very recesses of his mind. He was slowly turning into someone that he soon wouldn't recognize.
To be continued...