Author's Note: Well, this is it, the chapter ya'll have been waiting for! The response to the last one was amazing haha, thanks for all the reviews~ I hope ya'll enjoy it ;)

To Caelan0012: Haha sorry about the cliffhanger! Here's a quick update for you!

To Sabrina-nee: Yes, it's finally here! Enjoy~

To 94Insane: I was definitely mean leaving the last chapter like that XD Sorry lol! I tried to be quick on updating it :)

To nagareboshi1249: I tried to respond to your review about the chapter via PM, but I'll address everyone here in a minute about he weirdness this site is having. I hope you enjoy the update!

To Wishfull-star: He has found his puppy! You will have to read and find out what happens between Shanks and Ace ;)

To Merry Gallehl: I hope you enjoy it! It was fun to write haha XD

WARNINGS:

- Past trauma

- Blood/violence

- Discussions of past violence/death

- Possessive behavior

I also just wanted to take a minute to talk about some of ya'll having trouble viewing Chapter 12. I'm honestly not sure what caused the issues there...I double checked everything on my end and couldn't find anything wrong. If you have trouble with this one, and really want to read the chapter, I would suggest heading over to Archive of Our Own until things get fixed. I also post my stories there under the same username. I think sometimes this site just has issues lol. Thanks and happy reading~


Ace frowned when Shanks entered their bar, scaring Luffy into toppling over. The red-haired alpha didn't have a lot of tact, barging in like he did, but thankfully he hadn't brought his whole pack with him. He recognized his beta, Benn Beckman, though he'd never met the other man before. The unfamiliar lycan was fairly tall with his long, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and a scar spanning the left side of his forehead.

He supposed he might've been present the other night, but there had been so many of them it was hard to tell.

'Oh wait, there's another one.' Ace thought, catching a glimpse of a fourth lycan hovering behind the others. It was a younger man with hair as red as his alpha's though spiked in a fashion similar to Kidd's.

Before he could go check on Luffy, Shanks did something unexpected. He knelt down in front of the pup and grabbed his chin, forcing the teen to look at him. Ace immediately felt his frown deepen, disliking how Shanks' scent increased, filling the bar like it was his own territory. Next to him, Sabo seemed just as surprised and quickly placed the towel he was holding on the bar like he intended to rush to Luffy's side.

Ace put out his hand to stop him.

He didn't know what was going on, but it appeared it was necessary to have an alpha-to-alpha talk with Shanks. The man needed to control his scent and get his hand off-

"…Luffy?" Shanks managed with a shaky voice, eyes wide in shock. The man's pack members crowded closer to the pup, whispering amongst themselves. The raven-haired teen just sat there looking uncomfortable, prompting Ace to stalk towards the group with purpose. "I-I can't believe it…you're here, of all places."

The closer Ace got to Luffy, the more he noticed how suppressed the pup's scent was. He had no doubt that being so close to Shanks, an alpha whose scent was out of control, was very overwhelming. So, in response, Ace unleashed a burst of his own pheromones, letting the other alpha know he was not okay with displays of power in his pack house. This, thankfully, got the attention of Benn, who gently touched Shanks on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Boss…"

Ace didn't wait for the red head to respond and tugged Luffy to his feet, away from Shanks' possessive grasp. He immediately noticed this displeased the other alpha (if his sharp growl was any indication), but he focused on Luffy. The pup looked like he was in pain with his face scrunched up and pallid cheeks.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I-I…don't know." Luffy muttered, wincing and closing his eyes, "What's going on? W-Who is he?" He gathered the pup close and glared at Shanks who stood to his feet and finally looked away from Luffy.

"What's the big idea?" Ace questioned in a low voice while supporting Luffy's shaking form against his chest. For his part, Shanks seemed frazzled but had a serious expression on his face…a stark difference from the man he'd met when Marco and Thatch had first introduced them.

"He…Luffy…" Shanks answered, eyes flicking down to the pup, "…is the one I've been looking for. He's why I came here, to San Faldo."

Ace's brow furrowed even further at the other alpha's answer. Though he hadn't cared to ask what Shanks was doing in their city, it seemed he probably should've. Sabo told him the older alpha was spending most of his time raiding Shikari bases. He assumed the man had his reasons but didn't think they would involve Luffy of all people.

"What do you mean-"

His statement was interrupted by Luffy's sudden gasp. Ace looked down in surprise, not liking the fearful glint in the pup's eyes. The teen seemed slightly more with it and was staring at Benn Beckman.

"Luffy, what's wrong?"

"I-It's…it's the jellyfish man."

Ace's eyes widened, recalling the story Luffy had told them of a pack who'd attempted to kidnap him from an aquarium.

"Dad said they were werewolves from a pack that's been after me for a long time."

"This pack have a name?"

"I don't know…he never said."

It was then that he made a sobering realization. 'Red Haired' Shanks' pack was the one who tried to kidnap Luffy, and they were also the ones Monkey D. Dragon had been trying to hide his son from. Suddenly, the other alpha's raids on all the local Shikari outposts made sense. He knew Luffy was the son of a Shikari. It was logical to assume Dragon would barricade themselves in one of them.

"It's all right, pup." Benn put in, raising his hands slightly, "You don't need to be scared."

"Actually, I think it's perfectly normal to be scared of someone who tried to kidnap you." Ace growled, pulling Luffy away from the lycans and back towards the bar. His statement seemed to surprise Shanks but he quickly regained his composure.

"I don't know what Luffy told you, but it's not what you think."

"Is that right? Then you'd better start talking." Ace answered, exhaling slowly when Sabo joined him and stood at his side. "Because from I've heard, you all are part of the reason Luffy had to leave his life and family behind."

Shanks' dark, guttural snarl surprised Ace and made Luffy tremble even more in his fragile state. Sabo took a tiny step back, clearly intimidated.

"That man isn't worthy to be called his family."

He held Luffy tight, legs quivering ever so slightly from Shanks' powerful scent. It was clear to him that Dragon had a history with the red-haired alpha, but now wasn't the time to get involved in dangerous quarrels. Ace knew he needed to do something about their current situation before things got out of hand.

He needed to protect his pack.

"Oi, oi." A voice interjected, drawing everyone's attention. Ace's eyes widened when Kidd and Killer stood from the bar to face Shanks. With all the tension, he'd completely forgotten they were still present. "I don't know who you are, but it doesn't seem like you're welcome here. Can't you see you're scaring the kid?"

The younger red head's words seemed to bring Shanks to his senses and he quickly withdrew his scent, eyeing Luffy with concern. For all the anger he seemed to harbor against Dragon, he appeared to care for the pup.

'But what does he want him for, then?' Ace thought, not resisting when Sabo pulled Luffy away from him and tucked him safely behind the bar. The pup had a hand over his turning mark now and curled into a ball with his arms around his knees. Luffy was reacting too strongly to Shanks…and it brought stomach churning questions to the front of his mind.

"I want you all to leave." Ace called, stepping out in front of the bar once again, "It's clear we've all had a long day and too much to drink…so let's end this now." Shanks eyed him, expression softening.

"I'm sorry, Ace…but I won't leave without Luffy."

"He's under my protection." Ace shot back, feeling his claws extend into sharp points, "I won't let you touch him." Shanks huffed in frustration and moved a hand through his hair rather aggressively.

"Please understand, I have no intention of harming him."

"Considering how much you seem to hate Dragon…forgive me for doubting your intentions."

Shanks stared at him curiously, as if assessing how he knew about Luffy's heritage, but then quickly transitioned back into a serious frown.

"I don't intend to use him against Dragon if that's what you're insinuating. No…I just want to take Luffy to where he belongs."

"With you?"

"With his sire."

Ace grit his teeth at the alpha's answer. He had his suspicions given Luffy's strong reaction to Shanks' presence but now that the man himself had confirmed it, he felt an intense protective instinct bubble up inside of him. Luffy had been turned as a child, possibly as an infant. Not only that, but his turning mark was large and uneven, like it had been a spontaneous, reckless decision.

It made him nauseous to think of sweet, innocent little Luffy being turned against his will, before he could even understand what was happening.

"All the more reason to keep him away from you." Ace all but snarled, willing his body to morph into his hybrid form. Shanks just watched him with a neutral expression as his bones cracked and he grew to an impressive height. With a snap of his jaw, he willed his scent to expand throughout the whole room. "Say what you want, but you won't convince me to give him up, 'Red Hair'! Luffy stays with me, end of discussion. Now get out!"

In response to his display of power, Sabo came to stand next to him and also transformed into his hybrid form. His brother's light-colored fur was always a stark contrast to his own but made them an intimidating pair to come across. Sabo growled and let his claws drag along the floor, moving into a protective stance while his long tail moved in a repetitive pattern across the wooden planks.

Kidd and Killer stood against the bar, tense but content to watch for the moment.

"As I said…I won't leave without Luffy." Shanks stated firmly, motioning for his pack mates to come alongside him. Ace felt his tail swish nervously when they lined up. He was never one to shy away from a fight, but something about the opposing pack made him nervous. Shanks was clearly strong and apparently in equal standing to Whitebeard in his own city…what would they do if Shanks chose to fight?

He'd hoped their display would convince them to withdraw…

"I'm with you, Ace" Sabo whispered through sharp, barred teeth.

"Thanks." He replied, ears flattening against his head as he turned his attention back to Shanks. "If you want Luffy…you'll have to go through us."

The red-haired alpha sighed deeply before looking at him with what appeared to be regret.

"You're no match for us, Ace. Please…stand down."

He didn't respond verbally, choosing instead to growl and scratch at the floor. Shanks closed his eyes for a second before removing his coat and tapping the end of his sandals on the floor. When he opened his eyes, they glowed an unnerving silver.

"Fine…have it your way."

Frustrated that he felt intimidated, Ace snapped his teeth and crouched low, ready to attack. He glanced to his right when he felt a presence and was surprised to see Kidd there, fur already appearing on his pale arms while he transformed.

"What are you doing!?"

"Shut up and let us help." Kidd replied, cracking his neck as his hybrid transformation completed, revealing deep maroon fur covered with multiple scars. Not far behind him, Killer also transformed, appearing similar to Sabo though a bit bulkier. "I'm not going to stand by while my new favorite bar is torn apart. Besides…I like Luffy, and if this guy scares him, he's an enemy of mine."

Ace snorted in amusement at Kidd's simplicity before turning back to face Shanks. His three pack mates had already transformed. In one breath, the red-haired alpha morphed seamlessly into his hybrid form. Ace found himself swallowing hard when he had to look up at Shanks, right into those silver eyes.

"…Sabo-"

"I know." His brother interrupted, sending him a reassuring glance, "Like I said…I'm with you to the end."

Taking a few deep breaths to psych himself up, Ace howled loudly before throwing himself forward into the fray.


Luffy held his hands tight over his ears as the horrible sounds of a fight filled the air. He flinched when something scratched the bar above him and someone yelped in pain. Now that Ace and the others' scent had mixed with the stranger's, he didn't feel quite so out of it.

…not that it made him feel any better in their current situation.

The sound of the battle above and behind him was brutal, filled with deep barks, aggressive howls, and the nauseating smell of blood. The floor beneath his hands shook from the weight of so many large beasts attacking each other and he was certain at least one window had already broken. Biting the inside of his cheek, Luffy moved one hand and dug his fingers into the mark on his neck in an attempt to stop it from throbbing.

It hadn't hurt since he'd moved in with Ace and Sabo, but now-

"Get out of the way, Portgas! You'll only hurt yourself!"

Luffy's breath hitched at the red-haired lycan's beastly voice.

"You expect me to step aside and let you take him!? Like hell!"

As the lycans continued to fight, Luffy curled up tighter, head pounding as strange images appeared in his vision. He saw something red…a person? They were holding him just a little too tight. Somehow he knew his Dad was there, but he wasn't the one who had his small body resting against his chest.

It was…a lycan?

"You're making a mistake! He's just a child!"

Luffy recognized his Dad's voice when it echoed in his mind.

"So was mine…my baby, not even born yet, and now they're gone because of you!"

He felt the claws tighten around him, one drawing blood. Was this…a memory? The rest of the words were muddled and not comprehensible, but he could feel the tension. Whoever this lycan was, they clearly didn't like his Dad.

Luffy released a cry of pain when his vision blurred yet again, almost going black. Suddenly, he was looking up into someone's silver eyes. They looked…sad, or perhaps regretful? Their cheek had splatters of blood on it and their shoulder was almost completely red, matching their hair. The lycan rubbed something wet from his much smaller face with the flat edge of his claw.

The nail came away red. Had he been hurt?

"I'm so sorry, little one…this is all my fault. Please forgive me."

Luffy's eyes shot wide open when the red-haired man snapped forward with maw open, teeth coming down towards his neck. Breathing heavily, Luffy tried to shake the fog from his mind. The person from his memories…they looked kind of like-

He gasped when someone was thrown over the bar, their large body smashing into the liquor cabinet. Luffy covered his mouth in horror when he saw it was Sabo, his hybrid form covered in booze, pieces of glass, and bite marks. Without really thinking, he crawled forward and hovered over the injured lycan, unsure what to do.

Choosing to ignore his own headache, Luffy tore the bandana off his head along with the apron, hoodie, and any other extra layers he had on. He didn't know much about first aid, but his Dad had taught him the importance of putting pressure of wounds.

"S-Sabo, you've gotta wake up." Luffy called, pressing the fabric onto one of the beta's more serious injuries. The lycan groaned in response and thankfully opened his eyes, clearly in pain.

"Luffy…you need to listen to me, okay?"

He made a noise of affirmation to let the lycan know he was listening and sniffed, feeling his eyes start to get moist. Sabo reached up and placed a bloody paw on his shoulder.

"…run. Get away f-from here."

"No!" He immediately protested, ears going straight back against his raven hair, "I won't leave you guys!" Sabo huffed and let his paw fall down onto the planks, as if resigning himself to Luffy's answer.

"If you stay…they will take you away from here. Do you u-understand?"

Luffy's bottom lip quivered at the thought but he continued to put pressure onto Sabo's still bleeding gash.

"I-I know, but you 'n Ace will come get me…right?"

Sabo's eyes widened slightly before the corners of his mouth curled up into a soft smile, just slightly tinged with blood.

"…yes, we will. No matter what."

"T-Then it's okay." Luffy continued, salty streams falling down his cheeks and onto Sabo's fur, "Just don't die!"

He kept trying to perform first aid to the best of his ability even after the fighting died down. Even after Sabo passed out under his hands and his vision started to blur yet again when the lycan with the spicy scent got closer. The one with blood red hair and silver eyes.

Gentle yet firm hands pulled him away from Sabo and picked him up off the floor. Luffy struggled as much as he could, but the scent was just too overwhelming. He whimpered when they started to carry him out of the bar, past the unmoving forms of Kidd and Killer.

Past Ace, who looked just as bad, if not worse, than Sabo.

Luffy felt himself reaching towards the raven-haired lycan before red entered his vision and someone pressed down on his mark while whispering something, causing the dark spots to grow and eventually overwhelm him, sending him tumbling down into abrupt unconsciousness.


Shanks had only felt true regret a few times in his life…and this was one of them. Looking around at the bloody mess they'd made of young Ace's territory made him feel like a horrible person. Gritting his teeth, he pulled his coat back on and glanced over his shoulder at Benn who held the now unconscious Luffy in his arms.

The boy had grown so much since the last time he saw him. His cheeks were still round and his hair just as dark…but he was definitely taller. The pup's turning mark had healed better than expected, which was a pleasant surprise.

His 'extra features', however, were not so nostalgic. They would have to be addressed, but at another time.

"How are they, Hongo?" Shanks asked, eyes following the seasoned doctor as he checked on the four young lycans they'd soundly beaten. If only Ace had chosen not to fight…this wouldn't have happened.

The blonde-haired lycan hummed and placed two fingers on Ace's carotid artery, feeling his pulse.

"They're all alive. Gonna wake up with a bad headache though…"

"Then we're done here." Shanks stated firmly, motioning for Benn and Rockstar to follow him out of the bar. "Contact everyone and tell them we're withdrawing from San Faldo."

'I have what I came for.' He thought, sending a soft glance towards Luffy. His expression fell slightly when he recalled how Benn had to drag the pup off Ace's beta, kicking and screaming. Luffy's furry arms were covered in dried blood, none of it his own.

He'd never expected things to escalate to violence between packs. Hopefully Luffy would forgive him.

"Are you sure about this?" Benn asked in a whisper when they stepped out onto the front porch of the bar while Rockstar pulled the car around. Shanks glanced down at Luffy who's head was limp in the crook of his beta's arm. The poor thing looked exhausted and pale. He reached over and brushed a strand of sweaty hair from the pup's face.

"No…but I need this, Benn. I need Luffy in my life."

"Whitebeard won't take this well."

Shanks removed his hand and sighed deeply.

"I know, but we'll deal with the aftermath later. Right now, I just want to get Luffy home."

His beta went silent at that, though Shanks knew he didn't approve of his decision.

After Rockstar parked the car, Benn stepped forward and very gently placed Luffy in the back seat, securing him with the seatbelt and maneuvering his still limp head so it rested against the padded headrest. With a grateful look, Shanks stepped in after the pup and settled himself next to Luffy. As if reading his mind, Hongo sat in the middle row of seats and grabbed the first aid kit they always had on hand.

"Here, see if you can get him cleaned up a little, Boss."

Shanks accepted a damp cloth and delicately supported one of Luffy's hands on his thigh so he could start scrubbing blood away with his one good arm. Meanwhile, Benn and Rockstar slid in the front and started the car.

He exhaled slowly as they drove away, closing his eyes for a moment.

'…have I brought disaster on my pack?'


"Do you think we missed all the fun?" Thatch asked as they drove out of town towards the Happy Rabbit Bar. Marco shrugged and stifled a yawn.

"Probably, yoi. Shanks said they were going out hours ago."

After parting ways with the red-haired alpha, they'd returned home and updated Pops on the progress of their search. He was also concerned at their lack of success and Shanks' change in temperament. Unfortunately, all they could currently do was keep an eye on the alpha and try to keep him out of trouble.

"…don't you think it's weird how Izo couldn't find anything on Shanks' pup?" Thatch added while pulling off towards the highway exit that would take them into the forest.

Into Ace's territory.

"Yes…it's definitely odd." Marco answered with a huff while readjusting himself on the seat, "Shanks is clearly hiding something from us, yoi." Thatch hummed in agreement and increased their speed, causing their car to hit a few potholes a little too fast.

When they finally reached the Happy Rabbit Bar, Marco quickly took note of the lack of vehicles in the dirt parking lot. Clearly everyone had already gone home…however, the lights were still on. Maybe Ace and Sabo were still cleaning up? He leaned a little to his right, frowning when he noticed one of the curtains flapping in the wind.

…wasn't there a window there? Maybe they'd opened it or something.

He glanced to Thatch who also looked uneasy and they quickly got out of the car as soon as it was parked. Before Marco could even properly look around, Thatch gasped and ran towards the front door.

"What's wrong!?"

"I smell blood!" His brother called over his shoulder while throwing the door open. Marco sprinted after him and froze dead in his tracks when he registered the scene they'd walked into.

The bar was a mess of broken glass, spilled alcohol, and torn fabrics in what was obviously the aftermath of a fierce fight. Windows were broken and the liquor supply cabinet was all but shattered into pieces. However, what really drew his attention were the four unmoving forms on the floor, covered in blood.

"Ace, yoi!" He yelled, rushing to the prone alpha and brushing debris off his leg. The young man groaned but didn't open his eyes. Marco felt his medical instincts kick in and he did an inventory of his injuries. Meanwhile, Thatch ran between the other three.

"Oi, Sabo's over here! He doesn't look too good!"

"None of them do." Marco replied through gritted teeth, fumbling in his pocket for his phone. Through muscle memory alone, he managed to call Izo.

"Hello-"

"Izo, it's Marco. We need help out at Ace's bar!"

"What? What do you mean? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, they're all hurt, bad." Marco explained while putting his phone on speaker so he could clumsily wrap a makeshift bandage around a bite wound on Ace's arm. "Tell Pops I'll need four beds in the infirmary and another car out here to help transport them, yoi!"

Trusting Izo would handle it, Marco hung up and tore off a piece of his shirt to use as another bandage. Ace was littered in battle wounds and had clearly fought in his hybrid form given the torn clothes and wads of fur littered around. He frowned when he glimpsed something red caught between the young man's sharp teeth.

"Thatch…the others, do they have-"

"Red fur?" His brother interrupted while holding up a similar clump. "Yeah, and this scent…Marco, it belongs to Shanks."

He cursed and turned his attention back to Ace, hating how pale he was. Why would Shanks attack the Happy Rabbit Bar? As far as he knew, they had no qualms with the tiny pack…if anything, they'd enjoyed their time with Ace and Sabo when they'd last visited. Shanks even mentioned being old friends with the young alpha's deceased mother! What could have caused them to turn on each other?

"Hey, Marco…?"

"Hm?"

"Something just occurred to me."

He turned away from his work to see a very worried looking Thatch. Unsure what he meant, Marco followed his gaze up towards the stairs. His stomach immediately dropped in realization.

"…where's Luffy?"