A Wolf Is a Wolf, Even in A Cage, Even Dressed in Silk
Summary: In which Laura Hale is given a second chance, thrown back in time to the very beginning. This time, she's determined to be the Alpha that the Pack needs. Even if it means going against her very own mother.
Peter-21
Laura-17
Derek-15
Cora-9
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Chapter 1: Things Didn't Go Exactly As Planned
…but I'm not dead so that's a win
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"I'm sorry, Un-"
Her voice choked off into a strangled gurgle as claws ripped into the soft flesh of her throat.
Eyes snapping open, Laura bolted upright, panic coursing through her. Her body shook and her eyes frantically scanned the room, searching, before pausing when she caught the flash of gold in the corner of her eye.
She turned her head towards it, muscles locking up in shock when she saw the source of the flare. There was a mirror hanging on the wall across from her, allowing her to see her reflection.
Bright gold Beta eyes glimmered back at her from the mirror, the sinister ruby Alpha eyes mysteriously absent.
Scrambling closer, Laura leaned in to study the color, searching for any hint of that ruby red shade.
There was nothing, not even a fleck.
Her vision went blurry as tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks, a hand clasping tightly over her mouth to muffle the sobs that tore from her throat.
Eyes closing, Laura breathed in deeply as she searched for Derek's familiar scent. It was calming to know he was close by and safe.
An odd sound, a mix between a strangled whimper and a gasp, was torn from her throat when she found his scent, among half a dozen others that she hadn't smelled since the fire.
Cinnamon and dirt, Cora.
Old leather and chocolate, Uncle Peter.
The forest and the lemon cleaner they used on the basketball court, Derek.
Shoe polish and lavender, her grandparents.
Mint and sandalwood, her Aunt Trish and Uncle Ross.
The ocean and rosemary, her parents.
Her legs crumpled like strings cut as she collapsed to the floor, curling into a tight ball as she rocked herself.
She took great gasps of air, sucking in lungfuls of those wonderful scents and drinking in the scents of her family.
After six years with just her and Derek, Laura had almost forgotten what her family smelled like.
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By the time the sun had fully risen, the Hale house had come to life.
Laughter and low voices came from down the stairs as everyone migrated to the kitchen, where the delicious smell of waffles and bacon drifted enticingly.
Seated cross legged on her bed, Laura drank in the sounds, utterly riveted.
She knew she was going to have to get up and join them soon or they'd know something was wrong.
Standing slowly, she didn't bother to change out of her flannel pajama pants and sweatshirt, bare feet padding against the smooth wooden floor as she left her bedroom.
Her eyes trailed over the dozens of pictures in their frames hanging on the wall as she passed, lingering until she reached the kitchen.
For what seemed an eternity, Laura stood frozen in the doorway, her feet glued to the floor as she took in the sight in front of her.
She watched her Aunt Patricia stumble over to the coffee, and her Uncle Ross followed dutifully, steering her so she didn't bump into anyone in her quest for the caffeine.
Heather, her oldest cousin at ten, sat at the table with her nose jammed in a book, her younger siblings, Antonio, eight, and Mia, five, giggling as they chased each other around her.
Grandma Jocelyn and Grandpa Arthur sat across the table from each other, bickering half-heartedly and sipping their coffee.
Talia and Robert, her parents, sat together, Talia at the head of it as Alpha and Robert at her right as her Right Hand and mate.
Little Cora, dressed in the frilly blue dress that she absolutely hated, her hair nicely done with a matching blue bow. Her dark eyes were big and curious as she devoured her stack of pancakes, looking like she'd rather be anywhere but there.
Derek, barely old enough to drive, the fresh pain in his green eyes. He was leaning back in his seat, shoulders hunched and gaze on his plate.
Her eyes drifted slightly and caught on the figure standing behind her mother at the counter, leaning back against it lazily as he sipped at his coffee.
Uncle Peter, barely a few years older than her, was standing tall. There was no wheelchair, no scars marring his face, and his blue eyes were sharp, aware in a way she hadn't seen in years.
The broken madness that she had last seen was gone, replaced by badly hidden fondness as his eyes ran over the group assembled at the table.
She'd forgotten over the years how fiercely her Uncle had loved them all, even her when she was being a brat.
"Laura? Sweetie, are you alright?"
The eldest of the Hale children blinked in surprise when she noticed how close her mother had gotten while in her dazed state.
Talia's dark eyes were narrowed in worry as she held a hand to her forehead, checking for a temperature.
It was a useless gesture as advanced healing was always at work but it felt nice.
"I don't feel well," Laura managed, brain racing for an excuse. "I didn't sleep well last night."
"Well alright," the Alpha frowned, lowering her hand. "You don't have a temperature or anything. It's not like you're behind on your school work. If you want, you can skip today and rest."
"Thanks, Mom," she nodded, voice cracking slightly on the name. She hadn't talked to her mother in six years and now the woman was standing right in front of her, inches away, alive and well.
"Welcome, sweetie," Talia spoke absently, already moving back to her seat. "There's pancakes and bacon in the kitchen if you want some."
Shaking her head in denial, Laura took the empty seat next to Derek, offering a small smile.
Her limbs were stiff with discomfort and her nails dug into her thighs as she simply listened to the conversations happening around her, letting the sound roll over her.
She'd forgotten how loud it could get and it grated on her nerves now.
After six years without her family, she'd gotten used to the silence that had enveloped the tiny apartment she and Derek shared in New York.
In her lap, her claws slid out and dug into her palms.
The pain brought her clarity and she knew she needed to get out of there before she did something stupid like break down crying in the middle of breakfast.
"I'm going back to bed, love you," she excused herself quietly, claws receding into human nails as she stood, brushing her hands absently along Cora's head and Derek's shoulder, scent marking them.
"What's wrong with you? Why do you smell so sad?" Her darling little sister, always more prone to honesty than others, questioned bluntly, squinting up at her suspiciously.
"Cora!" Talia scolded, making the young she-wolf scowl.
Laura, on the other hand, just laughed and smiled down at her little sister, smoothing down her wild fringe fondly.
"Nothing you need to worry about, Cora, just feel a bit older today is all," she dropped a quick kiss to the top of her head and leaned over to do the same to Derek, ignoring how he stiffened at the affection before blinking up at her in bewilderment.
Making a quick exit, Laura ran up to her room.
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"What the hell? Hale, what are you doing?"
Oh Mother Moon, she was not ready for this.
But considering the laundry list of things she wasn't ready for, this one seemed the most possible.
The plastic bags in her left hand crinkled as she swept one leg behind the other, free hand clenching into a fist and pressing across her chest to lay against her heart, inclining her head deeply.
"Aria Kane, I have treated you horribly. You've always been my parabatai, shield and sister and partner all in one. I, Laura Hale of the Hale Pack, sincerely apologize for the pain I've caused. Forgive me, please."
Keeping her eyes lowered, Laura held still, heart pounding.
There was a long moment of silence and she prepared herself for a scolding, shoulders tightening as she braced herself.
Instead of venom tipped words, gentle hands cupped her face, tilting it upwards from the deep decline.
Shimmering hazel eyes, hovering between whiskey and sunlight, met pain-filled blue.
"Oh sweetheart, what happened to you?" The Naiad breathed, gently pressing her forehead against her own.
"A lot," Laura choked out, managing a wobbly smile as tears filled her eyes.
Aria's arms opened and she fell into them, dropping the plastic bags mindlessly. Pressing her face into the curve of her neck, Laura choked back a sob and shook hard as gentle hands swept down her back.
"Shh, it's alright, sweetheart. Whatever happened, it's going to be okay. I'm here," Aria promised, a low croon leaving her lips.
"I'm sorry," the she-wolf whimpered quietly, causing the arms to tighten around her with quiet strength. "Forgive me please."
"Always, adelfí."
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"Let me make sure I have this right. In the original timeline, your family died in a fire and you became Alpha, leaving your injured Uncle here and taking Derek with you. Only to come back six years later, after seeing the revenge spirals, and get your throat ripped out by the crazy Uncle. Sounds right so far?"
Laura winced, hearing the blunt way her best friend put it. "Unfortunately."
After her embarrassing breakdown in the school bathroom, Aria had ushered her into her car and they ended up at the shop, settling them both down on a pile of cushions she had built into a little den.
Laura eyed the crystals and gemstones that dangled above her head, hearing the naiad shift from her cross legged position to lay on her back next to her, close enough for their arms to brush.
"Sounds like a tough situation. There's only one real question you need to ask yourself though, adelfí."
"What's that?" Laura turned her head to look at her closest friend.
Sparkling hazel eyes, full of sunlight and life, met her own, mouth stretching into a mischievous smile. "Seeing as this seems to be a boon of the gods, what changes do you want to make first?"
I want to show Cora that I'm not as straight-laced and civilized as she believes.
I want to show Derek that it's okay to feel and that emotions are needed in order to live fully.
I want to read books with Uncle Peter and learn beyond the Alpha training I was given.
I want to be a better Alpha for my Pack, a different one from my mother.
I want to save my Pack.
I want to keep my family together.
All of these wishes went through Laura's mind and she smiled slowly. "I have a few things in mind…"
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"I don't understand why I have to go to some stupid lunch where we'll have to eat with Mom's stupid friends," Cora grumbled as she slouched back in the passenger side, crossing her arms over her chest as she growled in annoyance. "Derek isn't even here!"
"That's because this is a girls day," Laura grinned, eyes hidden by a pair of sunglasses as she pulled out of the elementary school parking lot. "Did you want a boy crashing our party?"
Cora squinted over at her suspiciously. "What do you mean? What party are you talking about? I thought we were going to eat at the stupid fancy lunch with Mom."
"I lied," she admitted, grin growing at her little sister's straight up confused expression. "I do that sometimes. We're not eating a fancy lunch with Mom. What we're going to be doing is so much more fun and I know you'll like it."
"What are we doing then?"
Still watching the road as she drove, Laura reached back and pulled out a roll of plain white black tape from the backseat, tossing it over to her little sister.
"We, my dear sister, are going to train."
The way Cora's dark eyes practically lit up and her grin stretched across her little face as she examined the tape eagerly made her instincts howl in victory.
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The Jungle was a private gym in Los Angeles that was set up specifically for supernaturals. The owner, Marcus, was a friend of Aria's and he was more than happy to open his doors for the she-wolves.
Cora was a ball of energy, bouncing all over the place in her excitement. She barely waited for Laura to tape her hands properly before rushing to join a group of younger supernaturals in sparring, viciously pinning her opponents.
Keeping half an eye on her little sister, Laura elected to join a group of boxers, taping her hands properly.
It was awkward at first.
At this time, her body was unused to the blend of martial arts she'd picked up from her time in New York. Her brain remembered it all though and it came easier to her body as she fought, movements smoothing out as she fell into a natural rhythm.
Of course, as it was a school day and she was hoping to keep this a secret, they only stayed for a few hours before heading back.
As a treat, Laura bought them both ice cream from Dairy Queen, getting an Oreo blizzard for herself and a sundae for Cora.
The rest of the drive back was spent talking as Cora ranted and raved about the moves she'd used and the moves she wanted to use eventually while Laura listened attentively, offering her own input.
"Our little secret, yeah?" Laura mimed zipping her lips closed and Cora beamed back, nodding as she copied the gesture clumsily.
When they arrived home, Cora bolted off to join their cousins playing in the yard and Laura leisurely strolled into the house, tired but content.
"Hey Uncle Peter," she offered a smile in greeting as she noticed him sitting by the kitchen counter on his laptop.
Deciding her hot shower could wait a few more minutes, she plopped down on a stool next to him.
He looked up in surprise, blinking. "Hello Laura. How was your day?"
"Excellent," she grinned, seeing his curiosity grow at her answer. "I stole Cora for a girls day. How was your day?"
"I dread to think what wild little Cora would count as a girls day. Somehow, I doubt getting her nails and hair done would appeal to her," he mused, attention drifting back to his laptop screen. "I spent the day simply editing some plans. Nothing interesting really."
"Oh no, could you imagine that? She would've clawed my face off for trying," Laura snickered, picturing it in her head. "She'd definitely prefer what we did today over that. Architecture right? Can I see?"
The older wolf stilled at her questions, turning slowly.
Crystal blue eyes inspected her critically, searching, as he spoke carefully. "Why?"
"Well I'm about to graduate and culture dictates that I either go to college or go straight into the workforce," Laura shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm learning towards college but I don't know what I want to major in. Architecture sounds kinda cool so I just wanted to see what it's like."
He studied her for a long moment before shifting the screen towards her, allowing her to see it.
Laura leaned in eagerly to inspect the plans, eyes scanning.
"I don't even know what I'm looking at but it's beautiful," she admitted, making him snort in amusement. She pointed to the archway opening with an ornate black gate. "That's pretty. I like the balcony too. What style is this?"
"Modern Mediterranean," he explained, pointing to the roof. "See the roof? Mediterranean style homes have red tiled rooves and tiled flooring with elegant arches. What do you think?"
"I like it," she complimented honestly. "When we eventually renovate the Pack house, I'm having you design it."
Bright blue eyes snapped to her and honest shock flitted across his face before he hid it away, offering a teasing smirk. "With how in demand my work will be, I'll make sure to give a discount."
Laura laughed and stood, grimacing at the smell of sweat that came with the movement. By the way Peter's nose wrinkled slightly, he smelled it too.
"I've gotta go clean up before Mom gets here but I'd love to catch lunch and talk more later in the week if you're free?"
"Sure, on the condition that you tell me what you and Cora did for your girls day."
Laura shrugged, finding it more than fair. "I took her to train with me at a gym for supernaturals. It was fun."
Uncle Peter's eyebrows shot up in surprise, lips curving into a smirk. "Why, Laura, I didn't believe you had it in you. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Now go shower before your stink fills the house."
Laughing, Laura didn't allow herself to second guess her instincts as she darted forward to kiss his cheek affectionately, scenting him discretely, before dashing upstairs.
"Thanks, Uncle Peter!"