Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Venice stared at the water in front of him quietly. 

The river was running faster after the heavy rain the previous night. 

The petrichor scent still lingered in the air. It was clean and it brought out the earthy scent of the plants around him.

The birds were loud in their rejoicing of the new day, happy to be free from the rain and gloomy clouds. 

He played with a piece of grass. 

He heard his father approaching long before the older wolf sat down beside him with a heavy sigh. 

“I heard what happened.” Vegas said, gently. 

“Hmm.” Venice hummed, not looking at his father. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Vegas asked. 

“Do I want to talk about the fact that I just attacked one of our own wolves for no reason? No thanks, Pa. I already feel shitty enough.” Venice replied with a scoff. 

“Prapai said it looked like you were struggling with your senses again. Is that true?” Vegas asked. 

“I’m fine.” Venice replied shortly. 

“That’s not what I asked, kid.” Vegas said firmly. “Did you lose your temper at Kalari because you were overwhelmed by your senses? Yes or no will suffice.” 

Venice’s jaw clenched slightly. He was silent for a moment. “Yes.” The word was barely more than a whisper, but his father’s ears caught it easily. 

Vegas’ shoulders sagged. “There’s something going on with you, kid. I think we need to talk to Caspian.” 

Venice sighed and nodded. “You’re probably right.” 

Vegas wrapped his arm around his son. “Do you want to stay here for a little bit longer?” He asked. 

Venice nodded. “Yes, please.” He replied softly, leaning into his father’s chest. 

Vegas tried to hide the tension in his hands as he comforted his son. 

He could feel the way his son's shoulders shook. He could hear the shattered breaths as Venice tried to hide the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. 

The nineteen year old had always been slightly more sensitive to sounds and smells, but it had gotten to the point that he was becoming aggressive. 

He didn’t want to voice his thoughts, even to himself, but he recognized the signs of a wolf going feral. 

... and that scared him more than he cared to admit. 

Family Tree: 

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: 

Instinctual Oddities 

Venice paced as he watched his brothers play. 

He couldn’t settle down no matter what calming breaths that he took. 

His senses were driving him crazy and he didn’t know why . 

He remembered what Alexandar had taught him. 

Stop. Look at your pack. Really look at them and ground yourself in their presence.

He took a breath and looked at his pack.

Prapai was the first one he saw. Prapai was in training to be Alpha now, the sixteen year old learning what it meant to lead from his fathers. Prapai was his rock, the one that held him together when it felt like he was falling apart at the seams. Prapai was his best friend, the one that could read him better than anyone else. 

Venice saw Babe next. Babe - a.k.a. the car-obsessed, adrenaline junky fourteen-year-old that followed him around constantly. Babe was never more than a few steps away from Venice during drills or practice hunts. As soon as Babe could walk, it was clear that he adored his older brother - so much so that Prapai had started referring to him as “Shadow” because he was constantly acting like Venice’s shadow. 

Venice felt his heart rate start to slow down slightly. He looked for someone else. He spotted Macau and laughed as he watched the younger pups gang up on him to tackle him to the ground. Macau, the only pup older than him, the one that Venice could run to for advice. Macau was always there, always ready to lend a hand. He was the middle man between the pups and the uncles. 

Venice spotted Fadel off to the side, watching everyone as he normally did. Fadel was quiet and preferred to observe things thoroughly before acting. He studied people in the same way that Uncle Kim did, with a certain intensity that Venice appreciated. The thirteen year old had just started training with the guards and showed tremendous promise. He was still the quietest of the pups and he was the only one that genuinely enjoyed training with Venice. When Venice needed to expend some energy, the other pups often pushed him and Fadel out the door and told them to come back when they didn’t feel like biting someone. 

King was bouncing around, the eleven year old still growing into the large paws of his wolf form. He was one of the happiest wolves that Venice had ever met. He, in complete opposition to Fadel, hated training. He was much more like Prapai, cocky and charming and full of laughter. He’d learned the charming little smile that Prapai and Porsche had perfected at a young age and used it for everything . 

Joke - a.k.a Joker, a nickname given for the way that he was constantly laughing and cracking jokes- was currently zooming around the gardens, barking and yipping happily. Venice had never seen a werewolf get the zoomies until Joke had shifted for the first time, but it hadn’t been the last time that the young wolf had bolted around freely. His wolf form was the smallest of the seven except Fourth and everyone knew that that would only last so long. Joker was small, but he used his size to his advantage, something that Kim had drilled into his son as soon as Joke was old enough to start training. Venice wasn’t sure if everyone else was aware of Joke’s clepto tendencies, but Venice knew for a fact that his sweatshirt had gone missing approximately 2.9 seconds after Joke had entered the room. When Joke got serious about his training, he’d be one to watch out for. 

Fourth was the youngest brother and definitely the most spoiled. Even beyond his fathers and uncles spoiling him, all of the other pups absolutely adored their littlest brother. The nine-year-old was over-protective and kind to a fault, which only served to endear him to the older wolves. Fourth was also the only wolf that Venice could think of that could keep up with Joker when he got the zoomies. Venice didn’t have favorites, but if he did, Fourth would definitely be his favorite. 

Venice spotted Kant racing towards Fadel and laughed as the wolf plowed into the quiet wolf. Kant was… a character to say the least. He wasn’t a brother (or cousin) - he wasn’t technically related at all, but that didn’t make him any less of a brother to Venice. The pup had been raised right alongside the other pups. He was one of the triplets - a nickname for Fade, Joke, and Kant since they were all the same age - and Venice saw him as one of his own. Kant was an artist, a somewhat destructive artist, but an artist. He was only thirteen, but he constantly had sharpie tattoos covering his arms. Venice knew that the minute his parents relented on the tattoo ban, Kant was going to be covered in ink. He was like his Pa Ken, flirty and constantly slipping English into conversations that did not need it. 

Venice took a deep breath. He could still feel the lingering tension thrumming through him, but it was easier to control now - it was easier to breathe. 

He felt a hand settle on his shoulder and looked at his father. 

“Venice, is there something you’d like to tell me about today’s training drills?” Vegas asked. 

Venice sighed. “P’Cau told you I’m assuming?” He asked. 

“Yeah. Macau told me.” Vegas replied. 

“I didn’t mean to do it, Pa.” Venice said. “I don’t know why I reacted like that. It’s not like it’s the first time the guards and I have joked around. I don’t know what was different.” 

“Do you want to tell me what exactly happened?” He asked. 

“I don’t even know. One moment we were messing around and the next I had Cole on the ground. I was so furious and I’m not even sure why. I felt -” Venice trailed off. 

“You felt…” Vegas asked softly. 

“I felt like I was going to kill him.” Venice admitted. 

Vegas let out a long, deep breath. “Do you still feel like that?” He asked. 

Venice shook his head. “I’m sorry.” 

Vegas shook his head, pulling Venice into his chest. “I know, kid. I know.” 

“Is Cole…?” Venice asked. 

Vegas shook his head. “He’s alright. His ego is a bit bruised and I’m pretty sure he has a new found respect for you, but he’s fine. He’s worried about you.” 

Venice wrapped his arms around his father’s waist. “What’s happening to me?” He asked. 

Vegas hushed him, patting his head softly. “I’m not sure, pup, I’m not sure… but we’ll figure it out. I swear to you. We’ll figure it out.” 

Three weeks later, Venice found himself sitting on the bank of the river. He could hear his brothers in the distance. He could hear the way the guards paced back and forth in their assigned positions. 

Venice stared at the water in front of him quietly. 

The river was running faster after the heavy rain the previous night. 

The petrichor scent still lingered in the air. It was clean and it brought out the earthy scent of the plants around him.

The birds were loud in their rejoicing of the new day, happy to be free from the rain and gloomy clouds. 

He played with a piece of grass. 

His hands were still stained with blood. 

He thought back to what had happened just an hour before. 

Venice saw Kalari approaching Prapai sneakily and laughed.

The two of them were constantly messing with one another. It made Prapai a better fighter and it constantly forced Kalari to practice. 

He shook his head, the noise was giving him a headache.

He turned to watch Kalari and Prapai again, only for his body to fill with a sudden burst of rage.

One minute, Venice was waiting for Kalari to tackle Prapai and the next it was like a demonic rage filled him. 

He saw Prapai fall and he couldn’t stop the growl that erupted out of him. 

He didn’t even notice the startled look from his brothers as he grabbed Kalari by the neck and slammed him into the ground, his eyes glowing red and his nails distended into claws. 

Kalari submitted immediately, whining and turning his head to bare his neck. “Venice…” He whined. 

Venice growled, tightening his grip. 

“Alpha.” Kalari said, choking as Venice’s claws dug into his throat. 

“Venice.” A voice called. Part of him recognized the voice as Macau’s, but his focus was on the wolf below him. 

Venice shook his head. “He attacked Pai.” He growled. 

“He did not attack him. He was joking around. Let him go, V.” Macau said firmly. 

Venice growled. “I can’t.” 

Kim frowned. “What do you mean, you can’t?” Macau asked. 

“I can’t let him go. He’s going to hurt Pai. If I let him go, he’s going to hurt him.” Venice said. 

He felt Macua’s hand on his, easing his claws out of Kalari’s throat. 

“Nong, it’s alright. Pai is safe. Kalari isn’t going to hurt him. Kalari needs to go to the medic wing.” Macau said. 

“Fadel, take Venice to the river and let him calm down. Do not try to talk to him about what happened. Just take him there and let him have some peace. Pa will meet him there. Do you understand?” Macau asked. 

Fadel nodded. “Yes, Phi.” He said, taking Venice’s hand in his. 

Venice followed Fadel slowly, watching Kalari get hauled up by the other wolves and quickly rushed away. 

As they made their way to the river, the anger dissipated and he felt shame start to replace it. 

He started at his hands, stained red with blood. 

He sat down next to the river and stared at the water in front of him quietly. 

The river was running faster after the heavy rain the previous night….

Venice fell apart as his father held him tightly. 

He felt like he wasn’t in control of his own body.

He was scared. What if the next person he hurt was one of his brothers? What if Fourth or Joker jumped out of nowhere and he grabbed them like he grabbed Kalari. 

“I’m scared, Pa.” Venice said softly. 

“I know, pup. We’ll figure it out. I’ll call Caspian tonight.” Vegas said softly, rubbing his son’s shoulder gently. 

Venice nodded. “I think - I think you should keep the pups away from me until we know what’s going on. I don’t want to hurt them.” 

Vegas sighed. “Pup, you’d never hurt the other pups. You went after Kalari because you thought he was hurting Prapai. I promise that you won’t hurt them…” 

“Pa… please.” Venice said, his eyes filled with tears. 

Vegas sighed again. “Alright, but only for tonight. You are not a danger to the pups and I will not have you thinking that you are.” 

Venice nodded. “Just tonight.” 

After dinner, Vegas pulled Venice aside. “Caspian wants us to go to his home in New York. He’s not sure what’s going on, so he wants to have all of his resources close by. You and I are leaving in the morning.” 

Venice nodded. 

Vegas leaned forward and bumped his son’s head gently with his nose, something he’d been doing since Venice was a pup. “It’ll be alright, pup.” 

That night, Venice was tossing and turning in his nest inside his bedroom when he heard the lock on his door jiggling. 

He rolled over to look at the door and frowned. 

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing all of the other pups. Joke was standing there with a shit-eating grin. Venice spotted the lock-picking tools in his hands and sighed. 

“Get out, it’s dangerous to be in here right now.” Venice said firmly. 

Prapai pushed his way to the front and shoved Venice into his nest. “Shut the fuck up and lay down. You’re not in charge.” He replied. 

Venice looked at Prapai with wide eyes. 

Prapai whistled. “Fourth, get over here and keep him pinned long enough for the rest of us to curl up with him.” 

Fourth bounced over and crawled on top of Venice, hugging his older brother tightly and tucking his face into Venice’s neck. “Stay still, Phi. We’re having a pack cuddle.” 

Venice’s body relaxed, even as his mind raced. 

“Prapai, why would you bring them into my room when you know what I’m capable of?” Venice asked. 

Prapai scoffed. “Because of that.” He said, pointing to the way Venice’s arms were gently wrapped around his youngest brother. 

Babe laughed at Venice’s expression and quickly jumped into the nest, curling up beside his brother. Joker and Kant were next, tucking themselves in and around the others. King squeezed in behind Prapai who’d wrapped himself around Venice’s other side. Fadel eased himself into the corner and curled up behind Prapai’s back. Macau showed up last, entering the room with a bunch of blankets in his arms. He gently tucked his little brothers in and curled up on the far edge of the nest. 

Venice’s body instantly relaxed and he felt the tension in his chest dissipate. 

He turned his face to bump Prapai’s head with his nose gently. Thanks . 

The next morning, Vegas knocked on Venice’s door quietly. 

When he didn’t get a response, he opened it slowly. 

He smiled when he saw all of the pups wrapped around Venice. 

He took a seat next to his oldest pup and leaned over to gently run his fingers through Venice’s hair. 

Venice blinked slowly as he woke up. 

He nuzzled into his father’s hand. 

“Pa?” He asked. 

“Hmm.” Vegas replied. 

“Is it time to go?” He asked, stretching slightly. 

“Yeah, pup, it’s time to go.” Vegas replied. 

Venice very carefully eased Fourth off of his chest. 

Prapai immediately pulled the younger wolf into his arms. 

Venice smiled and stretched fully once he was out of the nest. 

Ten minutes later, Venice walked out of his bathroom looking much more awake. 

“Ready?” Vegas asked as Venice grabbed a duffle bag from the couch. 

Venice took a deep breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Venice answered, clenching his fingers into a fist so that his hands stopped trembling. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: 

Answers and More Questions

Venice was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he entered Caspian’s home in New York. 

He hadn’t been there since he was a young kid, but he remembered the feeling of safety in those extravagant rooms. He remembered the way his Pa’s shoulders had lost their tension and how everyone started smiling again. He remembered the scent of his father’s fear dissipating with each day that they stayed there. 

The reasons for their visit were lost to him over time and his parents didn’t speak of the days before they returned to the pack, but Venice had never forgotten the feeling of safety and comfort that came from Caspian and Alexandar. 

He smiled when he saw Caspian and Alexander standing there, welcoming them with open arms. 

Suddenly, the nervous emotions flooded forward and he felt tears spring to his eyes. Caspian smiled reassuringly at him as he stepped forward and pulled him into a warm hug. 

“Uncle Caspian.” Venice said softly, burying his face in the man’s warm chest. 

“Oh my precious little wolf, I’ve got you. There’s no need for the tears. You’re alright.” Caspian murmured. 

Alexandar looked at Vegas. 

Vegas shook his head. 

They took a moment to relax after the long trip, but the nervous tension in Venice’s shoulders had them in Caspian’s office before dinner. 

Venice sat on the table in front of the warlock, watching as he gathered his magic around him. 

“Are you sure you’re comfortable with this, pup?” Caspian asked. 

 Venice nodded. “I need to know what’s wrong with me.” He replied. 

Caspian nodded and twisted his hands until the blue magic settled over Venice’s head. 

Caspian closed his eyes and focused, ignoring the bead of sweat rolling down his temple. 

Across the room, Alexandar grabbed Vegas’ hand and squeezed it. “He’ll be alright.” 

“Feral wolves aren’t born. They’re made. So if he is really on his way to going feral, then I’ve failed my son and I don’t even know how. What if…” Vegas trailed off. 

Alexandar shook his head. “Don’t think about it like that, Little Wolf. We don’t know what’s going on yet so hypothesizing about dangers that may not even be real isn’t healthy.” He said. 

Vegas nodded. “I know… he’s just…”

“He’s your pup. It’s alright to worry about him. Just don’t lose sight of the facts in that worry.” Alexandar said softly. 

Vegas swallowed and took a deep breath, squeezing Alexandar’s hand. 

He’d never be able to admit it to anyone else, but Caspian and Alexandar had become like parents to him. Maybe it was silly to consider men that looked like they were his age to be like parents, but he couldn’t help it. They’d been there for him in a way that no one had ever before.

It took almost an hour for Caspian to come back to himself and the magic to fade away from Venice’s skin. 

When they woke up so to speak, Venice nearly fell over in exhaustion and Caspian didn’t look much better. 

Vegas quickly supported his son while Alexandar eased Caspian into a chair. 

“What happened?” Vegas  asked 

Caspian shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He replied. 

Vegas’ heart threatened to jump out of his chest as his body filled with dread. 

“Caspian…” He trailed off. 

Caspian held up his hand. “I’m not saying that to scare you, but I’ve quite literally never seen this. I didn’t even think it was possible.” 

“ What isn’t possible?” Vegas asked, his voice bordering on panic as his mind came up with the worst scenarios for Caspian’s reaction.

“His mind mimics that of a feral wolf. The increased senses, the aggression, the protectiveness, the possessiveness… it’s all coming from the same place. The same feral trigger in your mind is present in Venice’s.” Caspian explained. 

“So he is going feral?” Vegas asked. 

Caspian shook his head. “No.” 

Vegas frowned. “What do you mean no ?” 

“He isn’t going feral. His mind is like yours in that way - a wolf that has already experienced going feral.” Caspian explained. “It’s there, lingering in the background, ready to be triggered into a feral episode, but he isn’t actively become feral.” 

“But how?” Vegas asked. “Venice has never gone feral before.” 

“That’s what I don’t know. I searched for something, a trigger, a memory, a reason and I couldn’t find anything. Nothing. There is no explanation for why his mind is that of a feral wolf’s.” Caspian replied. “But I will figure it out. I promise, Little Wolf.” He said. 

Vegas nodded and pulled his son into a hug. 

Venice held onto his father, his mind racing. 

He was feral? 

But how? 

It took several days for Caspian to find a lead on Venice’s condition. 

By the end of the first week, Caspian was frustrated and ready to call in reinforcements 

So that’s what he did. 

He called Mathias, an older werewolf that had been his friend for nearly three centuries. 

Mathias arrived after dinner on the eighth day, quiet and calm in the midst of their slight panic. 

He was a big, burly man with brown hair and a greying beard. He wore a blue flannel like and resembled the romance novel version of a lumberjack. He had a scar across his face from his hairline to his ear, a mark that had long since faded, but never fully disappeared. 

His expression was harsh, like he’d spent forty years refusing to smile. 

He looked at Venice, hummed, and walked into Caspian’s office. 

The others watched him curiously. 

When Mathias returned, he had a large needle in his hand. 

Vegas watched the older werewolf walk up to Venice, smile, and poke him in the arm with the needle.

Venice hissed, pulling away from the strange man with a frown. 

Mathias hummed. “So you’re not feral.” He said before turning to Caspian with a questioning glance. 

Venice rubbed away the dot of blood, looking to his father for an explanation. 

Vegas shrugged, just as confused. 

“You told me he was feral.” Mathias said. 

Caspian looked at him, unimpressed and slightly judgingly. “No, I told you his mind resembled a feral wolf.” 

Mathias rolled his eyes. “That’s the same thing.” 

“No, not the same thing. Venice has never gone feral.” Caspian replied. 

“Impossible. Feral triggers only arise in wolves that have gone feral.” Mathias disagreed. 

“Which is why you are standing in my living room, Mathias… because none of us know how, but Venice has the trigger point without having gone feral.” Caspian replied. 

Mathias looked at Venice again. “You’ve really never gone feral?” He asked. 

Venice shook his head. “My instincts have always been strong, but now it’s like everything is multiplied a thousand fold.” 

Mathias frowned. “What do you mean, always ?” He asked. “As in since puberty? Since your last shift?” 

“Since I was a kid.” Venice replied. “I’ve always been able to smell and hear things that others couldn’t. 

Mathias looked at Vegas, then Venice, then Vegas again. 

“I recognized the signs of hyper-aggression which is why I brought him here.” Vegas offered.

“You recognized the signs…” Mathias repeated, studying Venice closely. 

He turned to Vegas sharply. 

“You’ve gone feral before?” Mathias asked Vegas. 

Vegas nodded. “I was still technically a pup the first time.” 

“And you had a trigger. You were forced into it?” He asked. 

Vegas frowned, but nodded. “Yeah, someone attacked my brother.” 

“You said the first time … You’ve gone feral more than once?” Mathias asked. 

Vegas nodded, glancing at his son. 

Mathias sensed the hesitation. “Come with me. You and I need to have a chat if I’m going to help you figure out what’s going on with your pup.” He said. 

Vegas reassured his son with a nod. 

Caspian held Venice back by the shoulders, telling him to trust Mathias. “I wouldn’t have brought him here if he was dangerous to you or your father.” 

“I know.” Venice replied. 

Inside Caspian’s office, Mathias turned to Vegas with a serious look. “Start from the beginning. How many times have you gone feral?” 

Vegas sighed. “I was being sold to a vampire den as a Blood Whore when I was a pup and it continued until Venice was about three. I went feral for the first time at fourteen, the same year I was sold to the dens for the first time. I went feral when someone attacked my brother and my father saw the opportunity to use it. I was on and off feral for the next ten years until I met Pete, my mate. When his safety was in jeopardy, I went feral completely and remained that way for several years. I lived on instincts until things changed and my family was safe. I still struggle with it, but I can assure you that Venice has never gone feral. I know the signs. I would’ve known.” 

“Were you feral when Venice was conceived? Fully feral and at the mercy of your instincts?” Mathias asked. 

Vegas paused, thinking back to the night they were pretty sure Venice was conceived. 

It had been the day after a particularly hard week in the cages. 

He’d killed nearly forty wolves for Lela and yet his bloodlust was still pulsing through his veins. 

He remembered seeing Pete, laid out on the bed with his bite still fresh in his shoulder. 

Their reunion had been…electric to say the least. 

“I - I don’t know.” Vegas replied. 

Had he still been feral? 

He’d only been focused on his mate… 

“You said that you were surviving off of instincts. Were you still running off of those same instincts when your mate got pregnant with Venice?” Mathias asked again. “Think back to that night. Were you still in that adrenaline haze when you were with your mate?” 

“I- I think so…” Vegas replied. “Why does that matter?” 

“I need Caspian’s opinion on this.” Mathias replied, not answering the question. 

Vegas followed the man out of the office, confused. 

Caspian, Alexandar, and Venice looked up in surprise when they entered the room. 

“Do you know how a feral trigger is formed?” Mathias asked Caspian. 

“It’s when a wolf’s brain recognizes a threat so dangerous that it creates a trigger to enhance the instincts and senses of the wolf in an effort to survive.” Caspian replied. 

“Right, but do you know how the actual trigger is formed?” Mathias asked. 

Caspian shook his head. “I’ve never thought to ask about the specifics.” 

“A feral trigger is created when a wolf is exposed to a large amount of fear-induced adrenaline over a long period of time…” Mathias explained. “It’s more than a one-off reaction, it’s the presence of lingering danger that drives a wolf to become feral.” 

“Right…” Vegas said. “But what -” 

“You said that you saw the trigger, but no memory of the instance that it was formed, correct?” Mathias interrupted Vegas.  

Caspian nodded. “That’s right.” 

“How do pups receive the additional magical energy they need in order to survive in a male omega’s pregnancy?” He asked. 

“Through contact with their sires.” Vegas replied. 

Mathias nodded. “Exactly, so what would happen to the developing pup if the energy that they were provided with was laced with the same adrenaline that their sire was using to remain feral?” 

Caspian’s eyes widened. “You mean to say you think Vegas being feral during Venice’s conception is what -” 

Mathias shrugged. “Do you have a better explanation?” 

Alexandar frowned. “Is that even possible?” 

Mathias shook his head. “I have no idea, but we also have never seen a pup created out of the bonding of a feral wolf while it was still feral. We have nothing to go off of because feral wolves don’t normally live long enough or stay feral long enough to actually create a pup and then transfer that energy for the duration of the pregnancy. When feral wolves mate while they are still actively going feral, they are usually so far gone in their instincts that they end up killing their mates by accident. To be feral but still in control enough to mate without harming the other wolf? That’s unheard of. You were right, Caspian, you haven’t seen this before because it hasn’t been done before.” 

“I did this to my pup?” Vegas asked in a small voice. 

Mathias sighed. “We don’t know that for sure. What we do know is that, without an actual memory to pull from for the trigger, we don’t actually know what is going to set Venice off. He is, quite literally, a ticking time bomb right now.” 

Venice stumbled slightly, sitting down on the couch heavily. “Pa, I can’t be around the pups.” 

Mathias looked at him. “Pups?” He asked. 

Vegas nodded. “His little brothers and cousins. He’s the oldest besides my younger brother who is more like my pup.” Mathias explained. 

“And you care about them.” Mathias asked. 

Venice nodded, his brow pinched. “More than anything.” Venice answered immediately. 

“Then spending time away from them is the opposite of what you need. You need to spend as much time with the people that you care about as possible.” Mathias said. 

“But what if I hurt them like I hurt Kalari?” Venice asked. 

“What exactly happened when you hurt Kalari?” Mathias asked. “What were you feeling? Thinking?” 

“I thought he was going to hurt N’Prapai, my cousin. They mess with each other all the time, but suddenly I was just so angry. I wanted him to stop going after Prapai. I wanted him to submit and behave.” Venice said, thinking back to the incident. 

“When you’ve struggled in the past, has it always been after another wolf has messed with your pack?” Mathias asked. 

Venice shook his head. “There was a day when I put Cole, one of the younger guards, on the ground for punching me in the shoulder. He was just messing around. I knew that he was just messing around… but I just got so mad all of a sudden.” 

Mathias stopped for a moment and then looked at Vegas. “He needs an outlet to be dominant. Find him some wolves to lead or something. He needs a place to get rid of his aggression so whatever hunting or drills he’s doing in the pack- double it. He needs to be pushed and pushed hard.” 

Vegas nodded. He’d do whatever it took to make sure his son was okay. 

Caspian sat down beside Vegas that night, the two of them staring up at the night sky. 

“What’s on your mind, Little Wolf?” Caspian asked. 

“P’Kinn is different, better, but to ask him to let Venice lead? What Alpha would allow their pack to be led by another wolf?” Vegas asked. 

“So you don’t think he’ll let Venice lead some of the wolves?” Caspian replied. 

“I’m not sure. I just-“

“You remember the old Kinn and it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be different, especially when it’s your pup on the line.” Caspian said. 

“Yeah.” He replied softly. 

Caspian rested his hand on Vegas’ shoulder. “No matter what, we will figure it out, Little Wolf. Whatever Tiny Pup needs, we will figure it out.” 

Vegas smiled gently. “Thank you, Caspian.” He said. 

“I don’t wish to overstep, Anak Anjing, but you know that we consider you and your pack family. I don’t want you to worry. If something happens, we will be there and you will always be welcome here with us.” Caspian said softly. 

Vegas tucked himself into Caspian’s hold, letting his body relax against the warlock. 

He felt Alexandar sit down beside him and run his fingers through his hair. “We’ve got you, Little Wolf.” 

“What if I really did this to him?” Vegas asked. 

“Did you know it was possible?” Alexandar asked. 

“No, but -“ Vegas started to reply. 

“Then you did nothing.” Alexander corrected firmly. 

The next day, as the two wolves prepared to leave, Mathias stopped Vegas with a firm look and a hand on his shoulder. 

He handed Vegas a slip of paper. 

“If things get out of hand, call me. I don’t know exactly what the future looks like for you and your pack, but Venice seems like a good pup. Just try to trust your instincts and let him guide you. You’re wolves, it’s okay to act like it sometimes.” He said. 

“Thank you, Mathias.” Vegas said, reaching out to the older wolf. 

Mathias shook his hand firmly with a steady nod. 

When they got to the airport, Vegas frowned when Caspian and Alexandar didn’t simply drop them off. 

Caspian snapped two bags into existence and motioned for the two wolves to move towards the entrance. “This won’t be a conversation for only you, Little Wolf.” He said softly, squeezing Vegas’ shoulder gently. 

Vegas smiled in thanks and bumped Caspian gently. 

Venice fell asleep on the plane almost immediately, curled up on Alexandar’s chest in the front row of first class. 

Alexandar gently tapped Venice’s shoulder rhythmically, reading on his tablet. 

Vegas was quiet so Capsian followed his lead, but as they got closer to Thailand, the warlock took Vegas’ hand in his own and squeezed it gently. 

There were no words spoken between the two men, but they both understood what the other were saying. 

Several hours of travel later, the two wolves, warlock, and vampire arrived at the pack house in Bangkok.

Caspian could have pulled up a portal, but it seemed like both of the young wolves could use the time to think and settle their nerves, so he rented a car instead. 

The rest of the pups met Venice in the courtyard, not even allowing him the chance to get his bag from the trunk of the car. 

They other pups jumped on him, taking them all to the ground with laughter and bright smiles. 

Pete and Macau greeted Caspian and Alexandar with warm hugs before handing them over to the rest of the pack. 

The greetings were warm and excited, glad to have their packmates back and see the return of the older men. 

Caspian and Alexandar had been regular guests of the Theerapanyakun pack, so everyone was glad to see them after several months of their absence. 

Kinn greeted the warlock and vampire with a smile and a firm handshake.

Even after their less-than-stellar introduction, Kinn respected the mates. They took care of Vegas and kept him accountable. They’d become friends, people that Kinn considered part of the pack, even if they weren’t wolves or technically his people. 

“We weren’t expecting you, but your room is ready as always.” Kinn said. 

Caspian nodded with a smile. “Thank you, Anakinn.” 

“Does your return mean that you were able to figure out what was going on with Ven?” Porsche asked softly. 

Vegas’ expression turned serious. “We should talk.”

Mathias: 

Caspian: 

Alexandar:

ChatGTP helped me out by rendering some photos based off of my descriptions of some of our favorite characters!

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: 

We'll Figure It Out

The family gathered in Kinn’s office where they could still hear the pups playing together in the gardens below his window. 

The sound of their laughter eased the tension that had filled the room as soon as the door had closed behind them. 

“What’s going on, Nong?” Porsche asked. 

Vegas sighed. “We think we figured out why Venice’s aggression has been heightened lately and why he has always had pretty strong senses. Or, at least, we have a hypothesis.” 

The family looked at him expectantly. 

“Um, how do I -” Vegas trailed off, glancing at his mate. “I’m sorry.” He said, his shoulders hunching forward. 

Pete immediately took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Venice, what's going on?" 

Caspian shook his head and gently, but firmly smacked the back of Vegas’ head. “He’s being a mopey wolf. I did some mind magic while we were in New York and discovered a feral trigger in Venice’s mind.” 

“He’s going feral?” Porsche asked, his hand raising to his mouth in shock. 

Caspian shook his head. “No. It’s the same way that Vegas will always have a feral trigger in his mind. Triggers only occur after a feral episode. I won’t go into the details, but I checked and Venice has never gone feral before.” 

“So, how-?” Kinn asked. 

“That’s what I couldn’t figure out, so I called someone with a bit more experience than me when it comes to wolves. Mathias is a friend of mine and he was willing to come to New York to help us try to identify how the trigger appeared in Venice’s mind without him ever having gone feral.” Caspian explained. 

“What did he find?” Kim asked gently. 

“Venice was conceived while Vegas was still in the middle of a feral episode, one that lasted for years. Throughout the entirety of Pete’s pregnancy, the energy that Vegas was providing to sustain the pup was still pulsing with that heightened adrenaline. There’s no way to be sure, since this hasn’t happened before to our knowledge, but we believe that the constant feral energy that continued to provide Venice with life may have been just just enough to give him a feral trigger in his mind without a feral event.” Caspian replied. 

Vegas bowed his head. “I’m sorry. I- I didn’t know…” 

“Of course you didn’t know. No one did. So what do we need to do for Venice?” Tankhun asked. 

Vegas glanced at Kinn and hesitated. 

Caspian sighed.

No matter how much Vegas thought he was healed from the trauma of his past, he still had lingering doubts about Kinn and the Alpha’s feelings toward him. 

“Mathias thinks that Venice is struggling because he doesn’t have an outlet for his dominance or aggression. He recommended allowing Venice to lead some of the wolves in hunts and drills - essentially we need to give him a way to express the dominance that his wolf craves.” Caspian answered for Vegas. 

“Which I know is a lot to ask, especially since Prapai…” Vegas started to say. 

“Okay. What else?” Kinn asked. 

Vegas stopped and stared at the Alpha. “What?” He asked. 

“What else? Besides giving Venice some wolves to lead, what else does the pup need?” Kinn asked. 

“You’re going to let him lead your wolves?” Vegas asked in surprise. 

Kinn raised an eyebrow and nodded. “They are our wolves. Letting him lead training drills is an easy fix. What else does he need?” 

“He needs to spend as much time with the pups that he cares for as possible. Their presence and safety will help him remain calm.” Caspian replied. 

Porsche snorted slightly. “That’s easy enough. The trouble is separating them. Telling them to smother him in attention will be like a reward for the gremlins.” 

Vegas laughed slightly and nodded.

That was true he supposed. 

“He’s going to be more protective of his pack, so letting the other wolves know to be just a bit more respectful wouldn’t hurt. He doesn’t need them to be completely subservient to him, that’s not helpful for development at all, but reminding them that he does have a feral trigger will help prevent some unneeded aggression.” Alexandar said softly. 

Kinn nodded. “Alright.” 

“Perhaps we let him have his own team?” Porsche suggested. 

“His own team?” Pete asked. 

Porsche nodded. “Like how we have the guards split into teams already with the more experienced wolves. What if we take some of the younger recruits and give Venice his own team to train with?” He asked. 

Caspian nodded. “That would probably work out pretty well. They’d have to be wolves willing to serve Venice though. He’s going to be demanding and pretty rough with them sometimes, they will need to understand that.” 

Kinn and Porsche looked at each other before turning to Vegas and Pete. “We will figure it out. Help us talk to the younger guards and pick out which ones you think Venice will be able to fit with.” 

Vegas let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Okay.” 

“Okay?” Kinn asked softly. 

Vegas nodded. “Okay.” 

In the garden below, Prapai pulled Venice aside once the other pups had successfully managed to pull Macau into a game of chase. 

“It’s serious, whatever’s going on with you… it’s bad enough that you had to go to Uncle Caspian in New York and now your dad is looking at mine like he’s going to get eaten.” Prapai said softly. 

Venice ducked his head and sighed. He’d never been able to lie to Prapai very well. “I have a feral trigger. Uncle Caspian thinks that it came from my dad being feral while I was conceived and throughout Pa Pete’s pregnancy.” 

“Holy shit, Phi.” Prapai breathed out. “So what does that mean for you? Are you going feral?” 

“No, not quite, but my instincts will be closer to the surface and I will be a bit more prone to aggression.” Venice said. 

Prapai narrowed his eyes. “That wasn’t everything. There’s something you’re not saying.” 

“Caspian and this wolf he knows seem to believe that I need to have an outlet for my dominance and aggression. They want me to have some wolves to lead. They want me to lead and act like an alpha even though you are the heir.” Venice admitted. 

“So what? I’m not taking over any time soon. If you need a little group of wolves to boss around, then what’s the big deal?” Prapai asked. 

“Because it’s not my place, Pai. You know that and so will your father. We may act like brothers, but I am not the heir. I’m not even second or third in line.” Venice argued, slightly distressed. 

“That’s stupid.” Prapai replied. 

“That’s how it is.” Venice replied. 

“Actually, no, you’re right. I’m heir, so as heir, I officially demand that you take over my responsibilities regarding all hunters and guards. I will handle the pack politics, but everything else is your problem now.” Prapai said. 

 Venice sighed. “That’s not how that works and your father will not let a stranger lead his wolves.” 

“You’re not a stranger. You’re my brother.” Prapai said firmly. 

“I’m your cousin.” Venice argued. 

“Close enough.” Prapai retorted. 

“No, not close enough. I’m never going to be allowed to act like the Alpha in this pack, Prapai.” Venice said, slightly louder than intended. 

“Venice.” Kinn’s voice sounded from behind them. 

Venice spun around. “I- I’m sorry, Uncle Kinn.” He said as soon as he spotted his uncles and parents standing there.  

Kinn shook his head. “You have nothing to apologize for, Venice. Nothing. And Prapai is right. If giving you your own team is what you need, then I have absolutely no problem doing so. You are family.” 

“But Prapai is the heir. Won’t it cause issues for me to lead some of the wolves when they should be loyal to him?” Venice asked. 

“Do you plan to try to become Alpha? To try to overthrow him?” Kinn asked. 

“Of course not.” Venice immediately answered. 

“Then why should I be worried? You love all of the pups, not just your brothers. You’re not going to hurt them. You’re not going to betray them. You’re not going to do anything to jeopardize them. I trust you, Venice.” Kinn replied strongly. 

Venice let out a long sigh and nodded. “Thank you, Uncle Kinn.” 

Kinn smiled. “Anytime, kid. You’re family. Remember that.” 

It took several days to figure out which wolves would work well with Venice. 

Cole was the first to raise his hand to volunteer, followed quickly by Kant. 

Cole was twenty-three-years-old and a loose canon. He wasn’t the cookie-cutter image of a Theerapanyakun guard. 

He was tall and well-muscled. The top of his jet-black hair was slightly longer, a nice contrast to the neat edges of his undercut. 

He had a lot of tattoos, two full sleeves in addition to the ones covering his chest and neck. 

The only reason he was still around was because of his ability to somehow always find a way out of a situation. He was a skilled hunter and had made a name for himself in the drills. 

No one openly admitted it, but they knew that the reason for his uncanny ability to survive came from his time as a lone wolf during his teenage years. He had survived off of instinct before Chai had found him and asked the Theerapanyakuns to let him join the pack. 

It had been only a year since he’d joined the pack, but already he was proving to be both an asset and a pain in the ass. 

“Why would you want to work for the wolf that put you on your ass?” Venice asked. 

Cole laughed. “I wouldn’t risk my life for someone that doesn’t deserve it, but I have the feeling that you’d protect us just as quickly as you’d protect yourself and that means something to me.” 

Venice studied him. “You’re sure?” He asked. 

Cole smiled. “Positive.” 

 

Kant, having been raised by Ken and Big, was an extremely skilled, slightly sarcastic young wolf. 

He had been raised with the other pups, so he was far more comfortable with the Theerapanaykun family than most of the other guards. 

His comfort with them was both a challenge and an advantage. 

He often forgot that he was supposed to be a guard in the future which drove the other guards crazy, but it also served to make the other pups more comfortable. 

Kinn and the other parents never cared to change the way he interacted with their pups. 

A guard that could be trusted implicitly was hard to come by, so if Kant was slightly more sarcastic and joked around a little too much, then the others would simply have to put up with it. 

Venice trusted him far too much to try to put distance between them now. 

Kant stepped up to Venice “I’m with you.” 

Venice shook his head. “You don’t need to do this.” 

“You need someone you can trust. You’re always looking out for us pups, so let me be there for you.” Kant replied. 

“But -” Venice started to argue. 

“Please, Phi. Let me do what I was born to do. Let me help you protect this pack.” Kant said softly. 

Venice sighed. “But only training drills until you’re older. You’re still a pup.” 

Kant smiled widely. “Deal!” He cheered, jumping around happily. 

Venice sighed, looking at Big and Ken standing to the side. 

Ken’s lips were pulled into a wide smile. Venice looked at him, unimpressed. “You did this.” 

Ken shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Mhmm.” Venice replied disbelievingly.  

Fadel, once he learned that Kant had been allowed to join, also demanded to be part of the team. 

"You're letting Kant join and we're the same age." He argued. 

"No, Fadel. You're Prapai's little brother. You're like my   little brother. I'm not going to put you at risk by letting you join an experimental group that we hope works to let me get rid of my aggression." Venice replied. 

"You're too young to actually hunt anyway. You're only doing drills. Why can't I join in on the drills?" Fadel asked. 

"You're thirteen." Venice replied. 

"So is Kant." Fadel argued. 

"You're second in line to be this pack's Alpha. I'm not risking it." Venice replied. 

"Let me train with you until you have a full team and are 21. You can't do anything crazy until then anyway. You'll be restricted to food hunts and mock drills while you're an adult. Let me learn with you so that I can protect myself and my pack." Fadel answered back, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Venice sighed. "You're as stubborn as your brother." He said after a moment. 

Fadel smiled, knowing he'd won. "Thank you." 

Venice groaned, running a hand over his face. "Drills and training only and you will listen when I tell you to do something, understood?" 

Fadel smiled and nodded. "Promise." 

It wasn’t long before another young recruit joined Venice’s team. His name was Rey. He was the son of one of the hunters, Corey. 

Rey was twenty-one, a freshly matured wolf that had just begun training with the pack guards. When he heard that they were looking for wolves that would be willing to train under Venice, he jumped at the opportunity. 

He was a quiet young man. He preferred his books to people and was often found sunbathing in the gardens with whatever novel he’d picked up from the library when he wasn’t on duty. 

Venice appreciated his soft-spoken, gentle nature, so when Rey asked to be part of the new team, Venice immediately agreed. 

“ Are you sure you want to join me?” Venice asked. 

Rey nodded. “I’m sure.” 

Venice laughed when Rey offered no other words. 

Rey was a man of few words, something that Venice could appreciate. 

“Alright then, welcome to the team.” 

Ten days later, Venice knocked on Arm’s office door. “P’Arm, do you have an extra laptop? Mine just took an unplanned jump into the pool and I need to get some work done so that we can finalize the new groups for the guards.” He called.

When Arm didn’t answer, Venice reached for the door handle, slightly surprised when it opened. 

He must be out for the day . He thought to himself. 

Venice shrugged and walked over to the wall of devices that P’Arm kept ready just in case they were needed. 

“Nice!” Venice said softly to himself when he found a laptop sitting on the bottom shelf. He grabbed it and one of the chargers in the little wire bin next to it. 

He quickly wrote a note to Arm and left it on the man’s keyboard for when he returned. 

As he walked out of the office, he traced the large J sticker on the front of the laptop. 

“J? I wonder who this belonged to?” Venice mused out loud to himself.