Author's Note: Hi wonderful readers! I'm back with another new story that should be a lot of fun :) I am a fan of werewolf stories (this is my second one, actually), so here we are lol XD Frankly I've been so drained lately that I really needed something new to pick me up. This will have a good mix of comedy, plot, and fluff with a touch of angst sprinkled in, but not much. I hope ya'll enjoy!

GENERAL WARNINGS:

- Werewolf AU set in a modern world

- Some violence

- Brotherly fluff (because I love ASL)

- Kidnapping/attempted kidnapping

- Animal/human hybrids

- Packs + found family

Shikari (noun): a hunter or a guide on hunting expeditions

Luffy gazed around the dark, blank space, unsure where he was. He could hear growls and someone yelling but couldn't tell who it was. Suddenly, the pressure around him tightened and the sounds grew louder and louder. Was he being held?

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

The boy tried to find whoever was speaking but couldn't seem to move properly. It was then that a set of sharp teeth accompanied by the eyes of a wolf entered his vision and descended quickly upon his neck, drawing blood-

Luffy's eyes shot open at the sound of his alarm, heart beating fast. It took him a minute to get his bearings and glance over to the clock that read 6:00 AM.

'…that dream again.' He mused, sitting up to catch his breath. It seemed to resurface every few months and was exactly the same every time. Luffy shuddered at the mental image of the wolf's teeth. It was a freaky dream that he hoped would go away someday.

"Luffy!" A voice called from downstairs, making him yelp quietly in surprise, "You'd better not be dawdling up there."

The boy glanced over at the clock, noting the 6:06 AM time with dread.

"N-No, just trying to wake up!" He replied while struggling to free himself from the tangled sheets, "I'll be down in a minute!"

Monday mornings were always the same in the Monkey household, starting with a brisk run at exactly 6:10 in the morning. If he was late, his Father, Monkey D. Dragon, would add an extra mile for every minute he missed.

Luffy all but sprinted into the bathroom holding a pair of shorts and a t-shirt in his arms. As he changed, he stopped for a few seconds to run his fingers over the old scar he had right in the crook of his neck. It was fairly large and extended down his back a few centimeters and over his right collarbone. According to his Dad, he'd gotten the scar from an accident that happened when he was a baby, but he refused to go into detail about it.

Today, it throbbed slightly and was sensitive to the touch.

'Well, taking my medicine should fix that.' The sixteen-year old thought as he pulled on his t-shirt. When he was dressed, Luffy trotted down the stairs with shoes in hand and was met by his ever stoic Father who was pulling his long, raven hair back into a ponytail.

"That was close." Dragon stated, eyeing him with amusement, "One might even say you were late."

"I totally made it." Luffy shot back while plopping down on the first step to pull his shoes on, "Your clocks just too fast." Dragon snorted and leaned up against the wall to wait for his son to finish his task.

"Have you taken your medicine yet?"

"No, but I need to." Luffy muttered, wincing when he rotated his shoulder, "It's really sore today for some reason." Dragon frowned at that and immediately went to the kitchen where Luffy's pills were stored.

The medicine was supposed to help his scar heal and not hurt so much. He had to take two everyday or something bad would happen…at least, that's what his Dad told him. He was very strict about making sure Luffy took them, so he figured they were important. The medication had been part of his life for as long as he could remember.

Which sometimes sucked because they tasted terrible.

When Dragon returned with the pill and a cup of water, Luffy downed it quickly, making a face as he did so.

"Bleh…why can't they make these taste better?"

"That's just how medicine works, Luffy."

"But, but my gummy vitamins are good!"

"…not all medicine comes in gummy form, unfortunately."

Luffy whined and carried his cup to the sink, bemoaning the lack of gummies in the world. Meanwhile, his Dad waited by the door, peeking out the window like he was looking for enemies. When he joined Dragon, the man started what Luffy called his 'safety talk'.

"Okay, what is the first thing you do before leaving the house?"

"Check to see if anyone's there!" He replied before peering through the peep hole. When he saw their front porch was empty, Luffy grinned and saluted Dragon. "All clear, General Dad, Sir!" The stoic man raised an eyebrow.

"Luffy…take this seriously."

"Aw, but your way is so boring."

Dragon just huffed in response and opened the door, allowing cool, crisp air to brush over Luffy's warm skin. He padded out and stretched his arms high above his head, glad to be outdoors. There was just something about being outside that made his heart really happy.

A few minutes later, Luffy and his Dad were jogging down the sidewalk. After years of running, practicing martial arts, and doing gymnastics, he was in pretty good shape, so their usual twelve mile run wasn't super draining. Dragon led them down their usual route, which skirted around places that were on The List.

He'd once shown The List (that was laminated and in a kitchen drawer) to some school friends, and he'd gotten some very stranger looks. They called his Dad 'paranoid' and a 'weirdo', which hadn't been very nice.

Luffy grew up not going to those places so it wasn't that strange, but he did wish Dragon would tell him why gas stations were so evil. The ethanol smelling rest stops were right at the top of The List, followed closely by aquariums, frozen yogurt stores, malls larger than 150,000 square feet, putt-putt courses, coffee shops, and all 'natural food stores' that sold mostly to the vegetarian population.

It was definitely a strange collection of places but Dragon took that list very seriously. When he was younger, he'd accidently walked into a frozen yogurt store instead of an ice cream shop and his Dad had, for lack of a better phrase, freaked out.

They moved to a different city the next day.

Luffy eyed his Father as they ran, thinking back to all the different towns they'd lived in over the years. They usually didn't stay in one place for longer than a few months, which kind of sucked because it didn't give him any time to make friends. He claimed it was because of his job, but his employers didn't fire him when they booked it to a new city because he'd thought frozen yogurt was ice cream…

Apparently being a sales associate was a pretty flexible, yet average career.

His Dad didn't really look like your average guy, at least in Luffy's opinion. He was tall, muscular, had wavy hair that came down to his upper back, and (most noticeable of all) he had a tribal tattoo that covered half his face. Luffy had been told all his life that his Dad was intimidating and he was quick to agree.

"Don't zone out." Dragon said about halfway into their run, snapping Luffy back to the present, "You always need to be on guard…enemies could be anywhere."

"Right…" He muttered, doing his best to scan the park they were running through for…danger? "Erm, what are we looking for exactly?" His Dad sighed and gave him an exacerbated look.

"Potential threats. We've been over this."

Luffy pouted at Dragon's tone. His Dad had been training him since he was a child and always wanted his full participation even when it was to teach him some weird, obscure skill with no explanation whatsoever. His show-and-tell for kindergarten was a wolfsbane plant he'd grown for crying out loud! None of his classmates brought a poisonous piece of nature to class.

When they got home, it was about 7:30 AM, which gave him some time to get cleaned up before heading to school. Luffy nursed a glass of water and drooped slightly at the state of their house. It was always so…sterile. Dragon never put up anything personal because they never stayed in one place for long. Most of Luffy's stuff was still boxes.

"How's your mark?" Dragon asked as he wiped his face with a towel. Luffy shrugged.

"It's a little better…still kind of aches."

"Well keep an eye on it. If it gets too bad, I want you to come home right away."

"Okay." Luffy replied, having heard that before, "I'm gonna go shower!"

The warm water helped alleviate some of his soreness and washed away the sweat that built up on his skin during the run. He huffed as he scrubbed his arms with a loofa. More than anything, Luffy hoped they would stay in San Faldo for at least a few more weeks. He'd finally managed to make a few friends and didn't want to just up and leave.

When he was all clean, Luffy stepped out of the shower and tugged on a pair of comfy red cargo shorts with big pockets. He matched them with a simple black shirt that had a wave design on it. Once his hair was relatively tamed and sandals were on his feet, Luffy grinned at himself in the mirror. Compared to his Dad and Grandpa, he was very small, but he didn't mind. It was just the way he was built.

He pulled at the collar of the shirt, noting how part of his scar peeked out for the world to see.

'Oh well!' Luffy thought dismissively, 'I wonder if Dad made any breakfast?'

Thankfully, Dragon had in fact made breakfast, which drew a pleased chirp from Luffy as he slid into the cushioned bar stool. The meal consisted of eggs, bacon, and toast slathered in jam. Just before he could dig into the food, the doorbell rang. He saw Dragon reach for the concealed knife he always had on him only to release it when a voice called,

"Delivery~"

Luffy grinned when he recognized the voice and bit down on his fork, savoring the way the eggs melted in his mouth. His Dad put the knife away and went to open the door, revealing a rather flamboyant person.

"Iva-"

"Heehaw! Good morning to you to, Dragon dear." The person exclaimed while dancing into their living room like he always did. Ivankov was a coworker of his Dad's and was pretty funny. He liked to wear lots of pink and had a purple afro that definitely turned heads. "I have your lovely gasoline shipment all ready for you."

"Thank you, as always." His Dad replied, nodding politely. Luffy just munched on his toast and leaned on the stool so he could see the box that presumably held the flammable substance. Since gas stations were evil (for whatever reason), if they wanted to use Dragon's car, he had to have gas delivered.

"'Morning, Iva!"

"Ah, Lu-Lu! Good morning, my darling!" Ivankov all but yelled while spinning over to him so he could smother the slight boy in a hug, "How is my favorite teenager faring, hmmm? Staying healthy? Eating well? Getting good grades?"

"Shishishi, yep! I'm doing great!" He replied, grin widening when the flamboyant man tousled his hair affectionately.

"Don't you need to head to school?" Dragon put in, glancing at his watch. Luffy nodded and quickly finished his breakfast.

"Yeah, I'd better go. Thanks for the gas, Iva!" With that, he gathered up his backpack and rushed out the door.

When Luffy disappeared, Dragon let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Ivankov immediately huddled to his side in concern.

"That boy is becoming carefree, Iva…and too curious."

"Vwell, he's a growing boy. It's to be expected." Ivankov soothed, his familiar accent giving Dragon some comfort, "You can't protect him from the world forever."

"I have to." He shot back, "If they find him-"

"They vwon't, dear. It's been fourteen years since that day and vwe haven't seen hide or hair of them. Luffy is safe and vwe will continue to keep him safe for as long as vwe draw breath."

Dragon nodded, the image of his son as a little, bumbling toddler flashing in front of his eyes. He'd grown up so much, but with maturity came a dangerous curiosity that he feared would put Luffy in danger.

When Luffy arrived at school, he waved at his friends Zoro and Usopp who were waiting at the gate. Zoro was super cool but sometimes his appearance made people think he was a delinquent. Luffy thought his earrings and green hair were awesome and no one could change his mind. He was also really into kendo and usually carried around wooden swords so he could practice at any time.

Usopp, on the other hand, was an artist and spent most of his time drawing. He had curly hair and a long nose that made it easy to pick him out of a crowd.

They were his first real friends, and he loved hanging out with them.

"Yo, Luffy, how's it going?" Zoro asked when he finally reached the gate.

"Good! What about you? How was your tournament?"

"He got first place!" Usopp put in excitedly while slapping Zoro on the back, "Our guy just can't be beat."

Luffy giggled as his friends continued to chat and update him about their lives. It was fun having people to talk to and do fun stuff with. He was an only child, so he didn't even have siblings around. It was just him, his Dad, and sometimes, Grandpa. No one else.

"OH, you know what would be fun? Going to get pretzels after school!" Usopp suggested with a massive grin, "What do ya say?" Zoro frowned and nudged the brown-haired boy, making him blink in confusion.

"Usopp…where do pretzels come from?"

"Uh…oh." Usopp muttered, turning to Luffy with a guilty look, "Sorry, Luffy, I forgot you're not allowed to go to gas stations."

He drooped at the statement, his excitement at getting pretzels fizzling out. Every time his friends suggested an after school outing, it had to be somewhere Luffy could go…which really limited their options. He hated the fact that they couldn't do anything fun because of his Dad's rules.

"We could go to, er, the laundry mat again! It was so fun to watch those clothes go round and round…"

Luffy could tell that Usopp was trying to make him feel better but it just made him feel worse. Why did it seem like he was the only teenager in the whole world who wasn't allowed to go to a gas station!? It wasn't like they were going to do something bad…they just wanted a snack. He stopped walking when a rather rebellious thought entered his mind.

"W-What if…we did go get pretzels?"

"Are you sure? Won't your Dad get mad?" Luffy bit his lip, picturing Dragon's angry and disappointed face.

But pretzels…

"He will…but only if he finds out."

Luffy felt his confidence drain away when he, Zoro, and Usopp stood in front of the gas station. He swallowed, suddenly nervous at how big it seemed. There were people and cars pulling in and out constantly, making him sidle closer to Zoro.

Maybe this was a bad idea…

"Hey, it's okay." Usopp said, trying to calm him down, "There's nothing to be afraid of. Look, gas stations are honestly super fun and have so many food options. Just don't use their bathrooms…kay? Come on, let me give you the grand tour."

Luffy stuck to Zoro like glue as they approached the covered area of Gas-N-Go, one of the local rest stops that was located near the center of town, just off the highway. He instinctively flinched when people walked past them, afraid they would attack him or something.

"Geez, Lu…you need to relax." Zoro whispered, squeezing his arm, "No one's going to hurt you."

"B-But what if-"

"No, don't even think about it." Zoro interrupted while steering him towards the ominous looking doors that led into to the main building, "You'll love it, I promise."

Luffy did his best to calm down but had to be dragged over the threshold into the building. It was just all so scary and maybe he made a mistake-

His jaw dropped at the incredible array of snacks displayed before him. He'd never seen so many before. With big eyes, Luffy separated from Zoro for the first time since stepping onto the property to approach a rack of rotating hot dogs. Luffy swallowed, saliva forming in his mouth.

Was this place…heaven?

"See? Told you." Zoro said with a smirk before placing a hand on his shoulder, "Come on, we can show you where they make the pretzels."

By the time Luffy returned home, it was late but he'd never felt happier. The pretzels had been so much bigger and tastier than he'd imagined and they'd had a great time! Best of all, nothing bad happened. No bad guys showed up and he was perfectly fine.

Didn't mean he was going to tell his Dad though…he didn't want a repeat of the frozen yogurt incident.

Luffy unlocked the front door and entered the house cautiously, wanting to avoid a confrontation with his Dad if he could help it. Usually Dragon was in his office at this time of day so hopefully he'd get lucky. Unfortunately, the second the door was closed, someone cleared their throat, making Luffy's stomach drop.

"Where have you been? I thought you said you'd be home by six?"

He flinched, trying to recall what he'd texted his Dad before they'd gone to the gas station.

"I-I was hanging out with Zoro and Usopp." Luffy said, trying his best to stick to the truth. He wasn't very good at lying and Dragon knew it. "Sorry, we lost track of time."

Dragon frowned but didn't probe any further. At his silence, Luffy continued his trek towards the stairs, wanting to get out from underneath his Father's stare.

"Luffy." The man called, making him stop in his tracks, "You know that everything I do…is to protect you, right?"

He glanced over his shoulder in surprise at the statement.

"Yeah…of course."

His Dad looked uncharacteristically emotional in that moment, causing Luffy's guilt to grow.

"Good. I don't ever want you to forget that."

With that, Luffy rushed up to his room and shut the door. The second he was inside, his adrenalin dissipated, causing him to slide down to the floor with a long exhale. He couldn't believe they'd actually gotten away with it! With a smile, the boy bounded over to his bed to check his messages, most of which were filled with texts from his friends about how much fun they'd had.

Usopp: Hey, what do you think about going back?

Luffy froze at Usopp's message, thumb hovering over the screen. While it had possibly been the most fun he'd had in his entire life…was it worth going behind his Dad's back? The man obviously cared about him and maybe he did have a good reason for all the weird things he did.

But he also wanted to do things his friends liked for a change…

He bit his lip and responded quickly before he changed his mind.

Luffy: Let's do it!

Over the next month, Luffy and his friends went to the Gas-N-Go at least twice a week. They'd meet up after school and go straight there to purchase snacks, drinks, and just generally have a good time. Over time, Luffy's reservations for the place started to disappear. The people were nice and he always felt welcomed.

"Man, your Dad's really missing out." Usopp said as they sat around a table with an umbrella over it on a patio section of the gas station, "These hot dogs are to die for."

"Did he ever say what he has against places like this?" Zoro asked, prompting Luffy to just shrug.

"No, not really."

"Maybe he doesn't like the smell?" Usopp suggested, motioning towards the gas pumps. Luffy honestly had no idea…his Dad didn't like to tell him things like that. He quickly finished up his pretzel and licked his fingers clean before standing to his feet.

"I'm gonna take this stuff to the trash. I'll be right back!"

Luffy was proud of himself for having the courage to walk away from his friends. It'd taken weeks, but he finally wasn't scared of the Gas-N-Go anymore, which meant his friends didn't have to escort him everywhere. The boy trotted back into the building and searched for a trashcan.

Eventually, he located one on the far wall and made his way towards it. After throwing away the wrappers, Luffy turned around and immediately ran into someone.

"Oh, sorry!" He exclaimed, sending the startled man an apologetic smile, "You okay?"

"Yeah…" The stranger muttered, eyes widening the longer he stared at Luffy. He tilted his head in confusion at the pure shock on the man's face, recoiling slightly when the guy leaned forward as if to smell him.

"Um…are you okay mister?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah." The man reassured him, running a hand through his wild hair, "Sorry, I need to go." As Luffy watched the weird guy leave, he got a bad feeling in his gut. Suddenly not as excited to be there, he walked out to reunite with his friends.

'Who was that guy?' He thought, looking over his shoulder but not seeing hide or hair of the stranger. When he sat back down with his friends, Luffy's worry eased but didn't vanish completely.

He brought a hand to his scar, feeling it throb intensely.

The wild-haired man stood at a distance, palms sweaty, as he watched the boy sit down with two others who were probably his friends. He swallowed hard to wet his dry throat. Was it possible that boy was…could he truly be that lucky?

'He fits the description…' He thought, recalling the details his Alpha gave all members of the pack just in case they came across the missing pup. Dark hair, scar under one eye, around sixteen years of age. The man frowned as he smelled the air once again, searching for the tell-tale scent of another wolf. 'That's not right…he should be one of us.'

When the teen stood to leave, the man caught a glimpse of what could only be the remnants of a turning mark on his neck. Working quickly, he snapped a few pictures of the boy to send to his Alpha. If it was the pup they were after…should he do something?

Within seconds of his text being sent, his Alpha called him.

"Rocky, where are you?"

"I'm at the Gas-N-Go in San Faldo." He whispered, watching the kid continue towards the sidewalk, "I-I just stopped to use the can and he ran into me. Is it really him? After all this time?"

"I'm not one-hundred percent sure, but there's a good chance."

"Should I go after him?"

"No. If it is him, Dragon won't be far away. Keep tabs on him for now. I-If…if it really is Luffy…" The wolf whined in his throat at how distraught his Alpha sounded. He didn't know the whole story, but he knew his Boss had been searching for the pup for years. "…I'll send Benn down to help you gather information and…uh…"

"Kidnap him, Sir?"

"Damn, I hate how that sounds…but yes. Dragon will try to stop us if he finds out so stay out of sight."

"Of course."

After their last visit to the gas station, Luffy didn't hang out with Zoro and Usopp for a few days. His interaction with the strange man had shaken his confidence and for some reason, his scar wouldn't stop hurting even though he was diligently taking his pills. He tried to hide his pain from Dragon, but with each passing day it was getting harder. Sometimes, it seemed like the pills just made things worse.

'Usually they help but…' Luffy thought, scowling down at the pills in frustration. Was this his punishment for disobeying his Dad? Thankfully, after about a week of near solitude, the pain started to numb and he felt well enough to contact his friends again.

They chalked it up to having too much junk food, but Luffy wasn't so sure.

"I say this week we take it up a notch." Usopp said with a gleam in his eye as they ate lunch under a tree near the school's garden, "If the gas station was a hit…then maybe we should try frozen yo-"

"NO!" Luffy loudly interjected, face paling at the mere mention of the icy treat, "N-Not that please…" Usopp blinked for a moment before continuing.

"Okay…no frozen yogurt. What about the aquarium then? They've got a special offer going on right now where if we show our school ID's, we can get in for free!" Zoro seemed to agree so Luffy reluctantly nodded his head.

"I-I guess." He was a little reluctant since he knew his Dad was getting suspicious…but it did sound fun and it was in a less exposed place than the gas station.

That evening, Luffy walked close to his friends as they entered the building, immediately in awe of the fish décor and the many displays. When they had their tickets, Zoro and Usopp led him around, showing him the shark tanks and all the colorful fish he had no idea even existed. Luffy's lips curled up into a smile at the sight of a beluga whale frolicking around in its tank, looking happy.

"Wow…" He whispered, feeling his uncertainty melt away. Who knew there was so many amazing places so close to where he was currently living! Luffy felt like he'd missed out on so much…why did Dragon hate places like this?

While Zoro and Usopp were busy admiring a sting ray, Luffy snuck away to examine a dark jellyfish tank in a secluded corner, amazed by their pretty colors and smooth way they swam. It was beautiful. He couldn't help but wonder if their tops were as soft as they looked.

"Amazing creatures, aren't they?" A voice asked, startling Luffy. He turned to stare at an older man who'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The stranger had gray hair that was pulled into a low ponytail and a scar on his face that made him look…menacing. "Just don't touch their stingers…it's not pleasant, trust me."

"Did you get stung?" Luffy asked, eyes turning back to the pretty jellyfish fluttering around in the water.

"Yeah, when I was a boy. Hurt like hell."

Luffy hummed, unsure what to say. He looked over his shoulder and saw that his friends were still in the other room. The boy made to silently leave, but the gray-haired man caught his arm in a strong grip.

"Luffy…"

The boy tensed at his name, suddenly recalling all of Dragon's warnings. Was this man a bad guy!?

"H-How do you-"

"Don't be scared, pup, I just want to talk." Shaking his head, Luffy stomped on the man's foot, hard, causing him to hiss in pain but not let go. Desperate, Luffy punched the man in the head with his left hand (thankfully, his dominant hand), which startled his captor enough to make him let go. When he was free, Luffy ran back to his friends, face pale.

"Um, c-can we go home now? Please?"

His friends were confused but complied. Luffy looked over his shoulder to where the stranger had been and his stomach dropped when he wasn't there anymore. Swallowing nervously, Luffy followed his friends out, wanting nothing more than to go home.

They questioned him about what was wrong, but he told them it was nothing.

He didn't want to ruin their good time.

Luffy went straight to his room when he got home, grateful that Dragon was still too deeply involved in a phone conversation to question him about his day. He quickly shut the door and tried to calm himself down. Everything had been going fine but then those weird people started showing up…

He cried out in pain when his scar sent a pulse of red hot pain through his body. Scrambling for his pill bottle that he'd moved up to his room after the last time it acted up, Luffy unscrewed the cap, only to find that it was empty.

'I must've used the last one this morning.' He determined, biting the inside of his lip. Luffy knew there was another bottle in Dragon's office but that would mean going down there and possibly having a confrontation with his Dad. The last thing he wanted was for Dragon to find out what he'd been up to and make them move again.

The teen lay down on his bed to think and was suddenly very tired. He'd never missed a pill before but it couldn't be the end of the world, right? Luffy sighed and nuzzled into his pillow, grateful the pain seemed to subside when he laid down.

'Maybe I'll rest a little and then decide…'

Luffy woke up to birds chirping and light streaming through his windows. He yawned and stretched, feeling surprisingly rested and pain free!

'I must've slept through the night.' He thought as he got up and walked into the bathroom. When he began to rummage through the disaster that was his cabinet for his toothbrush, he felt something brush against his leg. Figuring it was just his pant leg, Luffy ignored it until it happened again, this time with his other leg.

Confused, he turned on the light and turned around, only to find nothing, despite turning in circles a few times. Luffy placed his hands on his hips and huffed, now very confused. When it happened a third time, Luffy didn't turn around but reached his hand back, this time coming into contact with something…soft?

He pulled the weird thing to his front so he could see it, fascinated with how soft it was. The fluffy thing was jet black and looked like fur so maybe it was one of those funny dusters people used to clean stuff? But why was it in his bathroom-

It was only when Luffy pulled too hard and sent himself stumbling forward that he realized it was no duster. His mouth dropped open as he continued to tug on it, only to feel it in his lower back.

"Wha-" Luffy barely managed, brain unable to process the fluffy dog tail currently attached to him. He released it with a yelp when it moved the second he thought about it, wagging lazily.

Luffy pressed his lips together, unsure what to do until he felt something on his head. With nervous anticipation, he turned to the mirror and gaped at the ears comfortably nestled in his raven locks. Just like the tail, they moved with him and wouldn't come off.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." He repeated to himself, causing the ears to go back in response to his distress, "Is this what happens to people who go to gas stations!?"