Author's Note: Here's an update for ya'll! We are getting closer and closer to Luffy and Shanks meeting ;) Enjoy~

To Wishfull-star: Their meeting will come sooner than you think (though Shanks will definitely have to deal with Ace and Sabo lol). So glad you enjoyed it!

To Caelan0012: I am quite evil XD Just a few more things need to happen before they meet, but it's coming soon! You're very welcome for the chapter~

To Merry Gallehl: Indeed :)

To Sabrina-nee: Lol just a little more!

To 94Insane: Poor Shanks indeed...he was so close. His and Luffy's past is definitely interesting, they'll have to work through some stuff. Shanks made some bad decisions :) Thanks so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

WARNINGS:

- Violence/blood

- Mentions of PTSD


The next few weeks after the strange alpha, Shanks', arrival were surprisingly quiet. Ace worried that Marco and Thatch would bring him back to the Happy Rabbit regularly, but they actually ended up staying away more often than not. He and Sabo later discovered this was because the red-haired alpha kept them busy with regular raids on Shikari bases all around the San Faldo area.

It wasn't hard to figure out that Whitebeard had sent his two trusted commanders to watch Shanks while he did…whatever he was doing. For his part, Ace didn't really care what he got up to so long as he stayed out of his territory and didn't cause trouble for him.

He had enough to worry about without adding in strange packs and unknown alphas.

Luffy recovered fairly quickly after his run-in with the Shikari, which Ace was mostly happy about, except for the fact that the pup needed almost continuous monitoring since his wound healed. For some reason, the teen's desire to escape only increased after the incident and he tried to run multiple times a day. This greatly reduced the amount of free time he and Sabo had and was starting to really wear him down.

He never thought he'd miss Marco and Thatch being available to watch the kid for them…

"I wanna go outside." Ace huffed and glanced over to Luffy who sat on a stool not far from him drying glasses with a towel as instructed. The pup looked bored out of his mind (if his twitching tail was any indication). "I won't run, promise."

"I seriously doubt that." He replied while passing the pouting pup another glass, "You can go outside later when we work on your forms. Chores first."

Ace chose to ignore the tongue Luffy stuck out at him and instead glanced up to Sabo who sat at the bar with his laptop. Ever since Shanks and his pack appeared, his beta had started doing research on them when he could. Apparently Shanks' beta, Benn Beckman, had seemed familiar to Sabo for some reason and he just couldn't recall why.

"Any new job requests?"

"No, not today." Sabo answered while typing something on his keyboard, "Looks like most of the covens are busy getting ready for Eastern Elder's inspection and the fairies have already migrated for the season. We do have that one from the school of sirens-"

"Just delete it." Ace interrupted, mouth curling up into an annoyed sneer, "No way in hell am I 'modeling' for them."

Sabo chuckled at his response and clicked a button definitively on his laptop, hopefully getting rid of that request for good.

As Ace's gaze moved back to Luffy, he thought back to that night the pup had almost passed out on the stairs. Both he and Sabo had fussed over the boy until he fell asleep, concerned about his wellbeing. They'd discussed what could've caused the sudden bout of dizziness and concluded it was probably related to the hit he took but…Ace still felt uneasy. Somehow, it felt like they were missing something.

They all looked up in surprise when the distant rumble of thunder reverberated through the room, sunlight dimming somewhat.

"Looks like a storm is rolling in." Sabo stated as he no doubt pulled up the local weather report on his computer, "I wonder if we'll be a bit light in patrons tonight." Neither of the older lycans missed how Luffy subtly bit the inside of his cheek and his tail drooped slightly.

"Scared of thunder, kid?" Ace asked in a teasing tone, making Luffy's face go red with embarrassment.

"N-No! It just m-makes me nervous, that's all!"

Ace didn't believe him for a second, and his suspicion was verified later that evening when the rain started coming down and the wind howled, causing the bar's windows to rattle. As Sabo predicted, they didn't have any patrons come by yet and Luffy hadn't left their side (or the main bar) since the storm started.

The pup whimpered quietly when the lights flickered, prompting Ace to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe we should close early?" Sabo put in, huffing as they examined all the empty chairs, "I'm not sure many will be willing to brave this weather just for a drink…"

"Let's give it a little longer." Ace suggested, not pushing Luffy away even when he shuffled closer to him, apron bunched up in his hands. They'd made sure to hide the pup's extra appendages with jackets and their token Happy Rabbit apron (complete with a pink bandana) just in case customers showed up and, honestly…it just made him look younger and more vulnerable.

Which sucked because it was getting harder and harder to resist giving the frightened pup a big hug.

"It's okay, Luffy…it's just a little rain."

"I dunno about that." The pup muttered in response, yelping when another flash of lightning was seen outside, followed by a clap of thunder. Clearly Luffy wasn't convinced but Ace wasn't sure how to make him feel better. He couldn't exactly offer the teen a shot of alcohol for his nerves…

Just then, the front door rattled, drawing their attention. At first, Ace thought it was just the wind, but then it flew open, revealing a group of soaking wet lycans. He blinked in surprise at their sudden appearance and quickly noticed their leader had red hair…along with very smeared make-up.

"Damn rain." Eustass Kidd growled as he wrung water from the edge of his coat, "Came out of freakin' nowhere."

"You're…" Ace said, eyes widening in recognition. This was the urban alpha they'd met while serving as Trafalgar's bodyguards. Luffy also seemed to recognize the lycan and peeked around him to stare at the group curiously.

"Welcome." Sabo put in, recovering quickly, "Would you like some towels?"

"Please." The masked lycan at Kidd's side answered. Ace seemed to recall this was the red-head's beta, though he couldn't quite remember his name. "And perhaps a menu."

While Sabo procured towels for the soaked pack, Ace motioned for Luffy to grab menus. He led them over to two tables that seemed just large enough for them and tried not to flinch when one squeezed water out of his shirt, creating a puddle on the floor.

"Thanks, pup." Kidd stated (surprisingly soft) to Luffy when he handed him a menu, "How's your head?"

"Good." Luffy replied, jumping slightly when another clap of thunder sounded, "I-I'm doing much better." Ace blinked in interest when the pup bowed awkwardly to the red-headed alpha. When had he learned how to do that? He and Sabo weren't exactly good role models for wolf etiquette…maybe Marco or Thatch taught him? The lycans smiled in approval at the pup's action, making Ace's heart swell with pride unintentionally.

Their little stray was doing so well.

Kidd and his pack seemed to pick up on the teen's fear of the storm quickly as a few of them wasted no time trying to distract him with 'magic tricks' or hand-made gadgets they brought out of hidden pockets. It was somewhat out of character for the tough looking pack dressed like a street gang.

Meanwhile, Ace moved in to take their orders.

"You seem surprised to see me." Kidd said in a rough voice as he gestured to what drink he wanted. Ace just shrugged and took the offered menu.

"We've lived in the same city for a while now, but this is the first time you've come see us. I suppose I am a bit interested to hear why."

"Wanted to check up on the pup." The red-haired alpha answered, golden eyes flicking over to where Luffy was watching with apt attention as one of the lycans performed a magic trick. "Those two Shikari won't bother him anymore."

"I see." Ace whispered, deciding it was best not to ask for details, "Thank you for taking care of that."

"No problem."

The rest of the evening went by fairly smoothly. Ace and Sabo served the group drinks while Kidd's pack entertained Luffy with various games or tricks. It seemed to help the boy relax and distracted him from the rain still coming down in torrents beyond the windows. Thankfully, none of them questioned Luffy's attire or asked him to remove his layers. Close to midnight, just as the pack was getting ready to leave, a loud crack was heard outside.

Luffy cried out in surprise when the lights flickered before going out completely. Ace frowned, static electricity dancing along the skin of his arm. Before he could say anything, an ominous red light appeared from the forest. His eyes widened in shock and Sabo ran to the window.

"Lightning struck a tree near the shed! It's on fire!"


Luffy watched with wide eyes as Sabo quickly rushed out into the rain after grabbing a raincoat, followed closely by Kidd and his pack. Unsure what to do, he jogged up to the window where he got a good view of the wolves trying to contain the fire. Thankfully, it looked like the rain kept it from spreading to the forest, but the inside of the shed still seemed to be blazing.

"Stay here." Ace ordered while pulling on his own jacket, "We'll be right back."

"But-" Luffy didn't get to finish his sentence as the alpha followed the others outside, leaving him alone. Gripping his apron tightly, he tracked the group outside…where they were completely engaged with the fire. Swallowing hard, he eyed the unguarded door.

Ever since his encounter with those two men, he'd started to worry about his dad's well-being. Though he didn't understand much of what they'd said to him, one thing stood out:

"Apparently he's ready to hang Dragon from his own noose and having his son as evidence to his betrayal is sure to help."

Luffy wasn't sure what the man meant, but it sounded like someone intended to put his dad on trial…or worse. Even though he knew his dad could take care of himself, it just seemed wrong to not do anything about it. Of course, there were a couple holes in his plan, the first being he had no idea where Dragon was.

He flinched when thunder clapped yet again, reminding him of the other obstacle between him and his goal. Luffy had never liked storms, though he had never quite figured out what it was about them that was so frightening. According to some kids he used to go to school with, he was too old to be scared of thunder…but the fear had yet to leave him.

'I can do this.' Luffy thought to himself, balling his hand into a fist. He'd been waiting for another chance, and now here it was. Freedom was just a few steps away!

Surprisingly, the teen found himself hesitating. Sabo's kind smiles and Ace's reassuring hand on his shoulder came to mind even as he tried to take a step towards the door. Despite the fact they were holding him against his will, the lycans had actually proven themselves to be…sort of nice? Even Marco, Thatch, Kidd, and the others had treated him well.

'…but I need to be free. I need to get back to my dad.'

Clenching his jaw, Luffy took one last glance out the window before rushing out into the rain, getting soaked almost instantly. His heart pounded as the storm raged around him, but he kept running, choosing a path near the road he hoped would lead him back to town. If he could just find something that looked familiar…he'd be okay.


Ace huffed and wiped rain from his brow when the remnants of the fire were finally extinguished. Unfortunately, some of the goods and equipment they stored in the shed were beyond saving, but most of the important stuff had been spared. Behind him, Sabo exhaled deeply from where he stood at the entrance, a hand on his chest. The beta hadn't entered the shed but chose instead to watch from a safe distance while Ace and Kidd's pack put the fire out with nearby extinguishers. Ace didn't blame him…his sworn brother really wasn't a fan of fire ever since he'd received the burns that now covered the left side of his body.

"Thanks for your help." He called to Kidd who nodded to him. They were all very wet now and Ace's jacket hadn't done much against the torrential downpour. His unruly hair was plastered to his forehead.

"No problem, though now I guess we'll have to borrow more towels."

Ace cracked a tired smile before motioning for the group to follow him back into the bar. Sabo silently fell in beside him, a bit pale despite the darkness.

"You good, 'Bo?"

"Yeah…I'll be fine. I'm more worried about Luffy."

Before he could respond, they reached the front door and stepped inside…to a disturbingly empty room. While Kidd and the others began to remove layers of wet clothing, Ace's eyes scanned the bar and his nose searched for signs of Luffy's scent. Stomach clenching up, he sent a wide-eyed look to Sabo who rushed up the stairs and began calling the pup's name.

"Where'd he go?" Kidd's beta asked while Ace clenched his teeth tightly, waiting for his brother to return from the second floor. Sabo shoved the door open, breathing heavily, and shook his head.

"He's not here. I-I think he-"

"He ran, that idiot." Ace hissed while clumsily tying wet hair back from his face and kicking off his shoes. "I thought he was scared of storms."

"I think he is, but he still…" Sabo trailed off, clearly flustered, while Kidd and his pack watched them in confusion.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Luffy ran away." Ace answered shortly while removing his shirt, "We shouldn't have left him alone."

"Why would he do that?"

"It's a long story." Sabo put in, walking stiffly up to him, "Are you sure you want to go in that form? He probably ran into town and even in this rain, someone might see you."

Ace didn't reply right away, instead focusing on his transformation. As he inhaled deeply, his joints cracked and re-arranged themselves, causing his body to grow many times larger than his human form. Black fur appeared and his teeth elongated, causing him to growl instinctively. Behind him, his tail swept along the floor leaving long hairs in the puddles of water Kidd's pack had created. He knew from experience that his hybrid form was intimidating but that was the case for most lycans.

With his bright silver eyes and dagger-like teeth, he epitomized what the humans would describe as a monster.

"He'll be easier to track like this." Ace snarled (voice more guttural than usual thanks to his wolf-like appearance) before crouching down on all fours, sniffing the floorboards for traces of Luffy's scent. One benefit of the hybrid form was the ability to speak properly, which he hoped would come in handy for finding his runaway pup. "Stay here in case he circles back."

"You want any help?" Kidd asked, arms crossed over his chest. Ace shook his head, pointed ears laying back slightly.

"No. Luffy is my responsibility…so I'm going to bring him back."


Though he wasn't sure how he managed it, Luffy made it to San Faldo. Following the road deposited him on the outskirts of town and he wasted no time rushing blindly towards civilization. Unfortunately, the rain had yet to let up, leaving him soaked to the bone and utterly freezing. The layers Ace and Sabo had him wear to conceal his unusual features now weighed heavily on him, draining his energy.

Looking back and forth while clutching his furry arms to his chest, Luffy tried to get his bearings.

Seeing as it was the middle of the night, not many people were around and the roads were practically empty. Honestly, he wasn't mad about that. After what happened, he was nervous to approach strangers again. What if they tried to hurt him? A clap of thunder startled him back to reality and he ran underneath a shop's awning to take cover.

Luffy gulped hard, his tail quivering underneath the jacket he had tied around his waist. Because of his dad's rules, he hadn't spent much time outside at night…let alone while it was storming. Now that he knew what his dad really did for work, maybe there had been a good reason for him having such an early curfew.

…didn't monsters come out at night?

'Well, maybe they don't like storms either.' Luffy thought while hugging himself tightly. If he could just find something that looked familiar-

"Oh…what's this? A little lost puppy?"

He yelped in fright when a slimy voice called from way too close, causing his ears to go straight back and his tail to move between his legs. Luffy quickly found the source of the voice, a person in a hooded jacket with their eyes shadowed, leaning against a nearby streetlamp. His stomach dropped when the stranger looked up, revealing a gaze with a sickly purple hue.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to go wandering around without your pack?"

"I-I don't have one." Luffy shot back while shakily backing away from the creature. The being smirked at him and took a step forward.

"Oh? No alpha to protect you, huh? How convenient."

"Stay away!" He yelled, growling instinctively, but this only seemed to amuse the unknown person. Luffy's breath caught when the being revealed claws as long as daggers and a maw of sharp teeth. The terrifying part was…it hadn't even transformed into anything. It looked like a demon straight from hell trapped in a human's body.

Recognizing he was in danger, Luffy turned and ran, rain once again pounding on his back. He didn't look back but heard the cackle of the monster as it moved to pursue him, its feet slapping against the wet ground. He weaved in and out of alleys in an attempt to lose his pursuer, but the hooded being kept finding him. It seemed to enjoy the chase as it just laughed loudly each time it caught up.

"Aw, are you scared?" Luffy gasped in surprise when the monster landed in front of him and held its claws level with his chest. "Poor lycan…why don't you let me put you out of your misery!"

The creature moved incredibly fast so Luffy was only able to turn slightly to protect his vital points in the second it took for the attack to land (muscle memory from his dad's relentless training finally paying off). He let out a short cry of pain as claws raked down the right side of his body, ripping away the soggy bandana and leaving stripes of red along his face, chest, and arm.

Ironically, the sudden appearance of his ears and furry arms seemed to surprise the creature, giving him a chance to try and limp away.

"Hey, get back here!"

Luffy screamed in pain when the beast leapt on him, forcing him to the ground. He tried to fight the sharp claws as they ripped the rest of his protective layers off, but his attacker was clearly stronger than him. The beast leaned down to get a closer look at his ears once his tail was also fully exposed, purple eyes looking over them with dangerous interest.

"…what are you?"

He stared back at the creature without responding, all while grasping at the heavier being's chest in an attempt to push him off. The rain all but blinded him, his only shade that of the purple-eyed creature's body hovering over him. Suddenly, the monster's smirk returned and it tilted its head to the right.

"Oh well, I guess it doesn't really matter. I'm sure you'll still taste just as delicious as a regular lycan~"

Just before the beast could sink his teeth into his neck, his captor was aggressively thrown off without warning, sending the creature skidding nearly to the far street. Gasping for air, Luffy scrambled up onto his elbows and scooted away from the beast, only to run into something, or rather someone else. Swallowing hard, he was scared to look up, but recognized pretty quickly that whoever it was had an umbrella.

"What's the big idea!?" The purple-eyed fiend snarled, snapping its teeth violently, "He's my prey!"

"You should know better than to hunt in our territory." The newcomer had a deep voice but sounded fairly young…and sort of familiar? "Get lost before I let the rest of my coven know a rouge ghoul was seen crossing boundary lines. Unless you want to die?"

This seemed to convince the creature and it slowly slithered away, gaze shifting from one of maddening hunger to disappointment. Luffy still hadn't moved from where he sat under the newcomer's umbrella, all but leaning against their legs. His heart was racing and he wasn't sure what to do given the fact that his furry appendages were out for this person to see. Would they try to eat him too?

"…Luffy-ya, correct?" Gathering his courage, Luffy scooted a little so he could properly look up at the person who'd saved him. The man was tall with dark black hair, well-maintained facial hair, and a dark coat that made him look somewhat mysterious. Of course, his scarlet eyes gave him away as something less than human, but they soon faded to a milder gold. "I'm not sure if you remember me...we met the other day in front of Ice Patch."

Luffy tilted his head slightly as he tried to remember while the man held out a hand to him.

"My name is Trafalgar Law. It's a pleasure."