***Warnings: Language, fever dreams, sickness

Heart of the Pack

By Tenkku

Chapter 1

The thunderstorm was just too strong. Heavy winds blew thick droplets through the forest trees. It was cold, and the winds were howling. There was no other sound but the wind and thunder. All creatures, great and small, were hiding from the storm, but not him. His only choice would be to find shelter, heal himself, and then continue on. But the storm was getting heavier, and the rain was blocking his vision. He had to keep moving and find shelter, or else he would collapse.

His body was wrecked with wounds from both bites and claws. His pack had been attacked, and shamefully, they lost. HE lost. The rival pack was just too large for their smaller numbers and attacked without warning. Many of his pack surrendered, and he didn't blame them. But he was the Alpha Prime, the leader, and it was his duty to protect his pack. But the enemy had been too strong, and he wasn't at his strongest due to a terrible illness he was just getting over. He knew he had a fever, and it was only increasing the colder he got. He had to revert to his wolf form to help keep him steady. Four legs were better than two.

But the thunderstorm continued to flash white and purple, giving the forest an eerie look of fleeting shadows. The rain kept dulling his vision. The fever was doing that to him as well. Then, he finally gave in to the exhaustion and collapsed on the damp ground. He could faintly smell another wolf nearby, but he didn't have the strength to attack or fight. He closed his eyes, shivering in the storm.

He heard the wet footsteps of the other wolf, and he sensed it was near. This was likely the end for him. He couldn't move, he couldn't see, and he couldn't fight. He was sick and wounded. Perhaps the other wolf would take mercy on him and kill him. Instead, strong human arms lifted him from the ground, and he didn't react. He was being carried now. He couldn't hold himself awake any longer and he passed out.

When he came to, the first thing he noticed was the warmth. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find himself in a room, lying on a bed. He had reverted to his human form. He could tell he still had a fever, and his chest was tight, but at least he was warm and dry. And naked. The person who carried him must have brought him here. But where was here? He sat up with a groan, holding his aching, sweaty forehead. With a sniffle, he looked around the room. It was a medical room. There were three other beds, but they were all empty. Shelves held bottles of medicines and tonics. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, giving the room a pleasant, earthy smell.

Then, he noticed a slight man sitting at a desk mixing herbs in a stone bowl. The person was in their human form, and they didn't smell of a wolf. The antlers gave it away, though. Was he brought to a herd of deer? He swore that he smelled a wolf when that other person picked him up. It took him a minute to find his voice, and it was hoarse with exhaustion when he spoke.

"Hello?"

The slight man jumped in his seat and turned around. The man looked way too young to be a doctor, but he wore a white linen coat that looked to be too big for him. The young male had soft brown eyes and a gentle demeanor with an equally tender smile. He smelled of beta.

"I'm so glad you're awake! You were out of it for almost two days," said the doctor.

"W-Where am I?"

"You're in Straw hat territory," the doctor answered. "I'm Chopper, and who are you?"

"...Trafalgar D. Law. Were you the one that carried me out of the storm?"

"No, that was Sanji," Chopper said. "He brought you to me right away. But please, don't move around too much. You had some terrible wounds! It looked like you got into a very bad fight."

Law looked down at his bandaged hands. "I did…"

"Well, you're safe here," said Chopper. "Now, just rest. I'll give you more fever medicine."

Law did so and took a moment to look at his surroundings. The medical room was fairly big, and it was a cabin. A warm fire burned in the hearth, and the herbal smells were intoxicating. He watched Chopper go over to the fire and take the kettle from the heat. The doctor poured some hot water into a cup and sprinkled something in it. That must be the fever medicine, he thought. He was somewhat of a doctor, too, and if his body weren't aching so bad, he would service himself.

"Here, drink this, but be careful; it's hot."

Law took the ceramic cup from Chopper and sipped it carefully. It tasted like tea with herbs.

"I mixed it with tea to help with the taste," Chopper said. "It doesn't taste very good otherwise."

Law nodded and sipped the medicine tea again. "You said you were a pack, but you're a deer? I thought deer ran in herds."

Chopper gave a little smile. "I was…cast out of my herd some time ago. No other herd would have me because I was…different. But Luffy allowed me into his pack, no questions asked, and I became the pack doctor."

"Luffy? Is he the Alpha Prime here?"

"Oh no, he's not an Alpha Prime; he's our Omega Prime!"

Law looked confused. "Omega Prime?" He had never heard of a pack having an Omega Prime.

"Yes, you'll meet him soon. Relax and drink your tea. It will help bring down the fever. You were lucky Sanji found you!"

Law sat quietly while sipping his herbal tea. So, this pack is ruled by an omega, not an alpha. And they had a deer in their pack, too. Both were unheard of. It didn't really bother him, but he was curious about it. It was hard to think with a fever, though. He was too exhausted to think about much else right now. The tea likely was making him drowsy, so he finished it quickly and thanked Chopper. He laid back down and was instantly asleep.

"You should never have brought him here, Sanji," Said Nami, walking with him to the doctor's cabin. "He clearly belongs to another pack,"

Sanji took out one of his rolled cigarettes and lit it. "I couldn't just leave the guy in the rain. Besides, he was badly wounded and likely would have died in the storm."

"And just what were you doing outside in the storm?" Nami asked.

"I was patrolling the territory," he replied, taking a long puff of his cigarette. "That rainstorm would have been a perfect chance for a rival pack to attack if they wanted."

They reached Chopper's door and knocked. Chopper answered for them to come in.

"Shh, don't be too loud, he's sleeping," Chopper told them.

"How's he doing?" Sanji asked.

"He'll make it through," Chopper said. "Once his fever goes down and he gets some proper rest and good food, he should be feeling better in a couple of days."

"Do we know where he's from?" Nami asked.

"I only spoke to him a little, but I didn't ask."

"I'm sure when Luffy gets back, he'll want to make this guy part of the pack. He's out hunting with mosshead."

"I did manage to get his name. Trafalgar D. Law."

"Hm. That name sounds familiar," said Nami, thinking.

"He smells of alpha," Sanji said. "But his aura is different from other alphas. He might be an Alpha Prime who lost his pack."

"Well, I have some questions for him," Nami said. "We'll come back when he's awake."

Law writhed and tossed in the bed, his fever giving him a terrible dream. The brutal events that happened to his pack played back in his mind. He saw many of his wolves go to their deaths and others surrender, showing their necks and bellies. He fought the Alpha Prime but failed and lost his pack. The Alpha Prime was now a huge looming shadow with glowing eyes and a bellowful laugh. The enemy raised a large paw with claws shining bright and brought it down on Law's head.

That's when Law sat up straight in bed, panting heavily and sweating. He was alone in the room, not in his pack territory. He ran a hand through his hair and down his face. It was just a bad dream. He felt a little better. Maybe his fever was breaking. He glanced at the window to see that it was night. How long had he been sleeping? Law is briefly startled when the door to the cabin opens, and it's Chopper bringing in a tray of food.

"Glad to see you're awake again," said Chopper. "How are you feeling? I brought you some dinner."

"I'm…feeling a little better," Law said, his stomach rumbling. He had just realized he was hungry.

"I brought you some wild boar soup. It's really good, and Luffy and Zoro caught it just today! Sanji is our cook, and the food he makes is the best!" Chopper placed the tray on Law's lap. "But take small bites. Your stomach hasn't had much nutrients, and you could throw up."

"Thank you." The soup smelled divine, and following Chopper's orders, he took small sips and carefully chewed pieces of meat.

"Heeeey! Chopper! You in here?" There was another voice outside of the cabin.

Law looked to the door as it flew open and another young man came inside. The man grinned and held a piece of meat still on the bone. He was dressed in a red open vest, short, baggy brown pants, and sandals. His straw hat was seated crooked on his head. He had dark hair and brown eyes with a small scar under one.

"I'm right here, Luffy!" Chopper asked. "What do you need?" Chopper looked at Law and said, "This is our pack leader."

The man named Luffy was the Omega Prime of this pack. Law just stared at the young man, wondering how an omega became a pack leader who wielded the title of 'prime'. All pack leaders were alphas. He was his pack's Alpha Prime. He had never heard of an omega leader, and the man didn't look or act like much of a leader either. Luffy was munching down on some meat he pulled off right from the bone.

"Oh! Is this the new guy?" Luffy looked over at Law. "Hey! Nice to meet ya!"

Law was a little taken aback by the man's overly cheerful personality. The omega approached him, and Law never took his eyes from the doe brown ones. As Luffy approached, Law felt his chest tighten a little and his heart skip a few beats. The omega smelled sweet, like honey and cherries. Law's nose wiggled a bit at the pleasant scent. He wondered what the man's wolf form looked like.

"My name's Luffy! And I'm the leader of this pack!"

"I'm…Trafalgar D. Law…just call me Law," 'What kind of pack is this?' Law thought to himself. Luffy's wide grin made him feel uneasy. Usually, packs were wary of strangers, yet this omega was acting like they were friends.

"Are you here to join my pack?" Luffy asked.

"I…uh…I was brought here by someone named Sanji."

Luffy nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. "Right. I heard you were out in the storm and that you're really beat up! Judging by all those bandages, it was quite the fight! Did you win?"

Law didn't know how to react or what to say. Luffy's overly friendly manners were a bit off-putting. Yet, he was strangely drawn to the omega, mainly the scent of cherries. He wanted to lean in and sniff Luffy further, but he didn't.

"Shamefully, I lost," Law said, looking from Luffy to the bedsheets. "I was already sick with a fever, so I wasn't at my strongest. The large pack attacked us without warning. Many of my pack members were killed, and the few who survived surrendered." He gripped his fists. "I will beat that bastard and get my pack and territory back!"

"Wow, that's rough," Luffy said. "Well, you can stay here for as long as you like! If you want to, why not join my pack?" he grinned.

"I…I'm an Alpha Prime. I need to rule over my pack,"

"Hm," Luffy thought for a moment, his eyes staring at the ceiling. "Well, we can help you get your pack back!" Luffy offered.

Law's eyes widened. "But…you've only just met me?"

"So? I plan to become the Supreme! And with that, I need to prove my strength and my might! We're a small pack right now, but my pack members are the best of the best!"

Law couldn't believe it. This man was either the nicest person in the world, or he was stupid. Does he really think he can become the Supreme? That is the title given only to one alpha to rule over all other alphas, and the current role of Alpha Supreme was vacant. One alpha that will rule all packs. It is not an easy title to obtain, and alphas were already fighting for the title. Luffy was an omega, and he didn't want to pop Luffy's bubble, but alphas would never accept an omega as a Supreme. The Supreme must be an alpha; that was the law of the packs.

"You don't have to help me," Law said softly, glancing away from Luffy. "I can win back my pack…what's left of them." But he wasn't really sure he could. Not in his current condition.

"But then you can just bring your pack here! I want my pack to grow! The bigger, the better!"

"That's…touching, but this is something I need to do on my own. Once I'm better, I'm going to go back and challenge that bastard."

"Well, you can stay here as long as you like!" Luffy said. "I'll leave you alone to get some rest! Chopper is the best doctor, so you'll be up and moving in no time at all!"

And with that, Luffy was gone as fast as he had come in. Law just blinked at the door, which Luffy didn't fully close. Chopper closed the door and smiled at Law.

"You can trust Luffy to help you if you want it,"

Law lay back down. All of that had been too exhausting for him. "I'll handle it on my own. Your Omega Prime is…" he couldn't think of the right word.

"It's fine, I understand," Chopper chuckled. "He'll grow on you, though."

Law rolled over and closed his eyes, thinking about that big, bright smile and friendly brown eyes. He had never met someone like Luffy before. And yet, somehow, he couldn't stop thinking about him. He seemed so innocent and childlike. But what type of strength can Luffy have that could make him a leader of a pack? An omega leader? This was new to him. Of course, it really shouldn't matter if an alpha, beta, or omega can rule a pack. So long as the pack is safe, strong, and unified, it doesn't have to be an alpha. But if Luffy wants to be the Supreme, he'll have many, many tough alpha battles to deal with. All this thinking was starting to make his head hurt, and he realized his fever was coming back. Why can't he shake this sickness?

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy jogged over to the green-haired alpha. "You haven't had a chance to meet the new guy yet."

"The new guy? You mean the one the shitty cook picked up?" Zoro asked

Luffy nodded. "Yeah! He looks really cool! His body is tattooed, and he has black hair and a small beard, kind of like Sanji's. Oh, and get this! He's an Alpha Prime!"

Zoro's eyes narrowed. "An Alpha Prime? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, he told me, and I could sense it, too. Some other pack took over his pack; that's how he got so beat up and sick. I told him we would help him get his pack back!"

Zoro sighed, slapping a hand to his face. "Luffy…honestly. You can't keep making promises like that."

"But if I'm going to be the Supreme, then I have to do stuff like this. And we're a strong pack! I'm sure we can take them!" He punched his fist into his palm.

"His pack issues are not our problem," Zoro pointed out. "But…I know you're going to insist and not listen to me." He crossed his arms.

Luffy grinned happily and slapped Zoro on the back. "I knew you'd see things my way! We'll wait until he gets better to help him."

When Law woke up again, he felt cold. He opened his eyes slightly to see where he was, but he couldn't remember. He rolled over and noticed that the walls were climbing themselves. He saw something small in the window, like a tiny creature. The floor was swaying, and the braided rug was spinning. He sat up, got dizzy, and laid back down, clenching his eyes shut. He was hallucinating, and yet everything seemed so real.

Someone came over to him. It was the doctor, what was his name again? He tried to squint to see, but his vision was blurry. He had to blink the sweat from his eyes. The doctor put a cold cloth on his forehead, and it gave him some relief. The doctor stepped away but then returned with a cup of hot liquid. The doctor helped him drink it, and he tasted the same medicinal tea from before. His body was both hot and cold. Law closed his eyes and sighed when the wet cloth lay across his forehead again.

He heard some noise like a door opening, and then people were talking. He tried to listen and understand their words.

"He's still in bad shape,"

"He looks too hot,"

"That's the fever. I'm having a hard time getting it to break,"

"Well, if anyone can save him, you can! I know you can do it!"

Law recognized the other voice as Luffy, the Omega Prime. He opened his eyes and saw the young omega standing over him. Luffy wore a big grin and said,

"Don't worry, you're going to be okay! Chopper will take good care of you, and you'll be up and moving in no time!"

Law tried to respond, but it came out as a labored breath. His chest hurt, and he was panting. Breathing was difficult. He eventually fell back into a fevered sleep as the two continued to talk.

Law's fever dream was intense as his mind replayed the attack on his pack. The wolves attacked from out of nowhere in great numbers. The wolves were led by the Alpha Prime Doflamingo, a huge wolf with a temper and strength to prove it. As the Alpha Prime of his pack, Law was the first line of defense. In his dream, he looked up at the massive black wolf with red eyes looming above him. Doflamingo howled so loud it hurt his ears. The black wolf was stomping on the others in his pack. Doflamingo's massive body howled again, and flames started popping up all around him. The heat was intense, and Law had to shy away from the flames. Doflamingo's wolf howled again, long and loud, as large jaws with white, jagged teeth came down upon him.

Law sat up quickly, let out a gasp, and then started panting heavily. The damp cloth fell from his head and landed on the blankets. He was back in the cabin with the doctor, who got up from his desk and rushed over to him.

"Try not to move!"

"W-Where is he?" Law asked, looking all around the cabin.

"Where's who?"

"Doflamingo! Where is he? I have to fight!" Law tried to get up, but the doctor pushed him back down on the bed.

"Stop! You're still very sick, and you shouldn't be moving! No one is here. It's just me. Chopper. I'm Chopper, and you're safe here. So please, calm down,"

Law, still panting, looked at the young features of the deer doctor and ran a hand through his damp hair.

"Sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Said Chopper. "You're sick. You were probably having a fever dream. But you're safe now. You can rest easy,"

"I'm thirsty," He was very parched.

"I'll get you some water." Chopper poured some water in a cup and brought it to Law.

Law gulped it down and asked for another, which Chopper gave him. He felt better once he had some water. At least he could make sense of things now.

"All you have to do is rest," Said Chopper. "I'm here to take care of you. No one is going to hurt you while you're here,"

Law appreciated that, and he gave the doctor a small smile. For such a young man, Chopper was very kind and thoughtful and a very good doctor. He would know since he had medical knowledge himself. Law then laid back down.

"I'm sorry to cause you trouble," he said to Chopper.

"It's no trouble at all! I do want you to take this medicine I made. Hold on,"

Law watched Chopper go to his desk, take another cup, fill it with water, and then sprinkle some kind of powder into the liquid. Law assumed it was another fever medicine. Chopper brought it over and helped him drink it. It tasted much different from before, which means this was a different type of medicine. He recognized the flavor as a medical herb used to help with sleep. Law didn't have to wait long for the sleeping herb to help him. He was out in minutes, and this time, he didn't have any fever dreams.

Zoro sat outside on his porch with a cup of cherry wine, enjoying the silence of the evening. He looked in the direction of Chopper's home to see candles still burning in the window. Chopper must be working hard with that Alpha Prime. Zoro didn't like the idea of an Alpha Prime here in their pack. He was prepared to defend Luffy's title if the Alpha Prime tried to take over the pack. Despite what Luffy thinks about the Alpha Prime, Zoro still doesn't trust the alpha. There was also Luffy, who was an omega who the alpha might want to try to mate with. No Alpha Prime would sit back and be second in command to an omega.

Then, he smelled the familiar scent of smoke and turned to see Sanji walking over to him. "What are you doing out so late?" Zoro asked.

"I went for a smoke," Sanji said. "I'm thinking about that Alpha Prime I brought back,"

"You should have left him there," Zoro said.

"He was so beaten up and wounded that I couldn't, in good faith, just leave him there. He was very close to our territory anyway. If he didn't die, he would have wandered in."

Zoro took a sip of his cherry wine. "I don't trust that guy. Luffy is already making plans to help him win back his pack,"

"We shouldn't judge before we get to know him," Sanji said. "But I guess you're just worried about an Alpha Prime being around Luffy, right?"

Zoro didn't reply.

Sanji knew how much Zoro cared for Luffy, and he assumed there was more than just loyalty and devotion involved. If Luffy were to take an alpha mate, Zoro would be the perfect candidate since he was second in command. Sanji hated the fact that he was attracted to Zoro and blamed it on his omega instincts. The two of them didn't get along, but Sanji's omega side enjoyed the heated arguments they had.

"I don't want Luffy anywhere near that Alpha Prime until we know more about him," Zoro said, finishing his wine. "It's too late to go over there now, and from what Luffy said, the guy is pretty sick."

"Are you going to go check him out tomorrow?" Sanji asked.

"I plan to. I'll find out as much as I can."

"Well, don't stay up too late," Sanji told him, blowing out a puff of smoke. "You missed breakfast yesterday because you slept too long."

"And you talk too much," Zoro countered. "Buzz off."

"Nice talking to you, too," Sanji said with sarcasm.

Zoro waited for Sanji to leave and decided to take a nightly walk around the territory grounds. He passed everyone's huts, noting the candles were out and everyone was sleeping. Each of them had their own little hut graciously built by one of their alphas, Franky. The blue-haired alpha made all the wooden furniture, too. Zoro didn't need much in his hut, just a bed and a table. The others, like Robin, Nami, and Usopp, decorated their huts to suit their personalities. Zoro liked their pack, even though they were a bunch of misfits who didn't really fit in with their birth packs. Thanks to Luffy's kindness, the Omega Prime took in any wayward shifters with a big smile and open arms.

The walk helped to clear his head, but he was still thinking about the Alpha Prime. He didn't want that alpha anywhere near Luffy. He doesn't even know what the alpha's wolf form looks like. That alpha might even try to take over their pack, which would never happen. Between himself, the shitty cook, Franky, and Robin (all alphas except for Sanji,) they could take him down. The Alpha Prime would be foolish even to attempt an attack when there's one of him and four of them. Luffy would fight, too, so that would make five.

He finished patrolling the territory and could safely say he didn't sense or see anything out of the ordinary. Zoro returned to his own little hut and went to bed, keeping his swords by his side.

The following morning, Law woke up feeling better than he did yesterday. His body was still weak from the illness, and his wounds were hurting. He looked around for signs of Chopper, but he didn't see the young male anywhere. Law realized that he was still naked and saw his clothes hanging near the hearth. He threw the blankets off and tried to sit up but became dizzy and had to sit back down. Now that he was alone, he could look over his body. He had bandages on his legs, torso, and forearms. That bastard Doflamingo really did a number on his body. These wounds would take a long time to heal. And while he's just sitting here, the survivors in his pack are likely struggling and fearing for their lives. Until he heals his wounds and shakes off this sickness, he can't take his pack back.

'That bastard…I'm not going to lose this time. I have to heal faster to help my pack.'

When the door opened, Law expected to see Chopper. Instead, he saw a tall alpha with short green hair and a sword at his side. He was dressed in a white linen shirt, wide green sash, and dark slacks. His look was one of distrust, and his hard eyes narrowed at him.

"You must be the Alpha Prime," said the green-haired man.

Law gave a nod from the bed. He was still feeling woozy. "I am."

"What is your business here?"

"I was brought here on the brink of death by Sanji. I lost my pack. They were taken from me. Once I'm better, I'll return to my territory and win them back!"

Zoro walked over to the bed and stared down at Law, taking in the male's powerful alpha aura. This was clearly a very strong, dominant alpha who earned the title of Alpha Prime. He didn't want Luffy anywhere near this guy.

"As soon as you're able, I want you to leave this place,"

Law looked at him and asked, "And just who the hell are you?"

"I'm Roronoa Zoro, the second in command for the Straw Hat Pack."

"...the…Straw Hat Pack?" It was an odd name for a pack. His was the Heart Pack, at least, that made a little more sense. He did notice that when he first saw Luffy, the omega was wearing a straw hat.

"So leave as soon as possible."

"Your Omega Prime said he could help me,"

"If that is what he wants to do, then I can't say 'no,' but I don't like it. You're an Alpha Prime. To be honest, I can't trust you around here."

Law looked away. "I have no interest in your territory. I want my own back…but…" he put his head in his hands. "I can't do it alone."

"My Omega Prime is willing to help you, though I don't see why. Your pack issues are not our business."

"Zoro! There you are!" It was Luffy coming in. "I was looking all over for you! We're supposed to go hunting!" Luffy turned and smiled at Law. "Hey there! You look waaaay better than before!"

"I think my fever finally broke," Law said.

"Hey, I forgot your name!" Luffy went over and sat on the bed. Zoro had his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Trafalgar Law."

"Tra…gar, oh, I'll just call you Traffy! That's easier to say!"

Law couldn't help but give a small, lopsided smile. For an omega, Luffy had a strong aura that people must be attracted to. The omega could be a little…energetic, but Law could tell he was compassionate like an omega should be. It was an omega's purpose to be the calming, loving, supportive mate of an alpha. Law found that he was drawn to Luffy's aura. And, being this close to him, he could smell the scent of cherries. Cherries in sunshine. Most of the stress and pain he was feeling was trickling away with Luffy's presence.

"I…guess you can call me that…" Law said.

"When you're better, you have to see our territory!" Luffy said. "We have a great cherry orchard, and we even have tangerines, too! Sanji is very good at making food from cherries! His cherry pies are to die for! And speaking of food, let's go on a hunt, Zoro! I'm hungry!"

Zoro nodded and said, "Go on, I'll meet you outside in a bit."

When Luffy stepped out, Zoro made sure the alpha could see his sword and his hand upon the hilt. Zoro stared hard at Law.

Law stared back, sensing Zoro's strong alpha aura. He knew what the male was going to say.

"Stay away from our Omega Prime," Zoro said. "I won't hesitate to cut you down if you try anything. Got it?"

If he were feeling better and not wounded, he would have made a snappy comeback.

With that threat, Zoro turned on his heels and left.

Law just sat on the bed and put his head in his hand. 'This is a real fucking mess I've gotten myself into,'

TBC