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When Peter drives the kids to school, the car is filled with the scent of nervous excitement. Derek is staring out of the window without really seeing anything. Cora is shifting around on her seat, fingers drumming restless rhythms on her knee. Malia is sleeping in her child safety seat between Cora and Derek, mouth slightly open and tiny hands grabbing the air, almost looking like she’s kneading it. Like a cat.
Sometimes, Peter has to look into the rearview mirror, to make sure they are still there. Has to hear their voices to convince himself they are real. After the fire, reality became a fickle thing. Some nights, Talia was sitting at his bedside at the hospital, just looking at him, her hair burnt.
Nightmares have a new meaning too. What he had before the fire, was nothing. Nothing compared to what haunts him almost every night now. The same scenes, over and over again. Stumbling down the stairs to the basement, finding the mountain ash barriers, trying to at least save the smallest pups - somehow - watching them die, watching Talia die, feeling the flames lick at his face - waking up screaming.
If it wasn’t for the pups, if he was alone, he knows he would be in another place now. Physically and mentally. Most likely, he would have gone on a bloody rampage to find those who killed the rest of their family. He pictured it often enough. But he isn’t alone.
When he was still healing in the hospital - slowly, oh so slowly -, Laura was the one who took care of pups. She found a flat and paid the bills. She dealt with the funeral. It is difficult for Peter not to feel guilty. Laura is young, way too young to carry all that weight of responsibility on her shoulders. At least, she had a lot of help from Satomi and her pack.
And help she did need a lot, with a toddler and two children who suddenly lost their parents. She also needed help for the Alpha spark that decided to settle into her chest. Laura was Talia’s heir and Peter was too injured, it only made sense. However, it was too soon. But with Satomi’s help, Laura quickly learned to control the spark, to hold the rest of their pack - family - together.
Peter tried to heal faster, but it just didn’t work. Satomi told him it is a miracle he survived at all. Another wolf might have been overwhelmed after suffering so many third and fourth degree burns. He still didn’t heal completely. The pain is a constant ache. It is normal now, to not be without it. And of course, there are the scars, tugging at his skin at every movement. A constant reminder.
At least, he can move. He’s not useless anymore.
After months of recovery, therapy sessions and barely managing daily life, it was Laura who suggested it. “Cora and Derek should go back to school. A little bit of normality will be good for all of us.”
It made sense. Of course it did. They couldn’t always be hiding in their flat, acting like the outside world and time didn’t exist.
Still. The thought of Cora and Derek being exposed like this made his wolf shudder in horror.
When Cora and Derek’s reaction was more enthusiastic than Peter had expected, he finally agreed and called the school. They had to put both kids into other classes, because they missed almost the whole last year, but it didn’t matter to them. What mattered to them was to see something else than the flat. And Peter got it, even though he didn’t want to let them out of his sight. It was bad enough Laura insisted on working in a café three days a week.
Maybe he is overprotective, but the thought of losing anyone else is unbearable.
Sometimes, he still asks himself why they are still here, in this cursed town. But then, he remembers this has been their family’s land forever. Leaving it wouldn’t only feel wrong, it would be like admitting defeat. He’s never been the one to do that.
When they stop in front of the school, there are a lot of people. Way too many. Peter’s wolf snarls and he has to push him back. Has to remind himself there’s no danger. Not here. Hopefully.
He turns to look at Cora and Derek, who stare at the crowd as well, their eyes wide. Derek is clutching his own arm, his jaw tense.
“You’re sure about this?” Peter asks.
They nod.
Peter takes a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”
They exit the car and a whole wave of different scents and noises hit them. It’s overwhelming. It makes Peter realize how much time they really spent in their flat, their den, hiding from the world. Even the therapist Satomi provided them with, someone who knows about the supernatural, makes house calls. The only one really leaving now and then is Laura.
Peter fights down a sudden fit of shame and self-hatred. He fights down the nausea he feels when he thinks about how everyone will stare at his scars. No time for that now. He crouches in front of Cora and smoothes down her shirt, picking away a stray hair sticking to it. “Do you remember what we were talking about, pup?”
Cora nods wildly. “No growling, no flashing eyes, no using claws to draw patterns into benches.”
Peter smiles at her. “Derek?”
“We’re werewolves, not swearwolves,” Derek mutters.
“That’s right. Just … try not to attract too much attention, alright?” It is basically what they had talked about before the fire as well. But back then … back then the kids didn’t realize how serious it really is. Now, they seem so much older although barely two years passed and they look at him without rolling their eyes or suppressing a giggle. They just look at him and nod, promising to not draw attention to them and their family. It is both sad and painful. So Peter adds, “And have some fun, okay? Play some basketball, buy some nice snacks, I gave you the money, Cora, didn’t I?”
She shows him. “I still have it!”
“Good.” Peter hesitates, then he presses two quick kisses on the pups’ foreheads. They don’t flinch away. There is no “Ew, Uncle Peter!”, no “I’m too old for this!”. They just let him. Maybe, because they feel how much he needs it. “Take care. I’m here to pick you up later. I love you.”
“Love you too, Uncle Peter,” they mutter, then turn around and walk to school, their shoulders so close, they are brushing together, giving each other comfort.
Peter looks after them, his chest feeling tight and his throat dry. The farther away the pups go, the more restless he feels and his wolf is scratching at his mental walls, whining in protest. Pack has to stay close together.
Peter shakes his head. It’s alright. They are just going to school. It’s a normal thing. Laura is right, they all need a bit of normality. It’s going to be alright. They are going to be alright. He’s going to wait in the car until school is over.
When Peter turns around, he sees a man hugging a girl. She clings to him, clearly not eager to let go. The man chuckles when the girl presses her face into his stomach, her arms wrapped around his legs tightly. “Come on, little bee,” Peter hears him saying, “You have to go now, school is about to start.”
“Don’t want to. Want to stay with you,” the girl mutters, her voice muffled.
The man shakes his head and runs a hand through her hair. “You’ve been at home for so long, Allison. You have to go back to school. Learn something new, make some new friends. I’ll be there to pick you up.”
Peter’s stomach clenches at the familiarity of this situation. Apparently, this is another kid who stayed at home for quite a while. Maybe she’s been sick? Is the man a single father as well?
Peter can’t help but notice how attractive the stranger is. Especially, when the girl lets go of him, when he straightens up and raises his head, smiling. Crystal blue eyes, just enough beard for it to look good. Tight chest and nice arms. The leather looks good on him too. It’ s hugging his arse just fine.
The girl, Allison, finally waves goodbye and timidly walks towards the school building, clutching at the straps of her bag and throwing glances over her shoulder every now and then. Her father waves after her as well, still smiling. Eventually, he turns around - and his gaze falls on Peter.
The man freezes. His eyes widen.
“Peter?” he breathes, sounding completely stunned.
Peter frowns. His breath hitches in surprise. A shiver runs down his spine. Where does this man know his name from? Peter definitely would remember this Mister “crystal eyes, rough voice and great arse”, if he’d ever met him somewhere before. “Excuse me, do I know you?”
The man’s face falls. He shakes his head. “I … No. Sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else.”
His eyes tell another story. One that makes Peter’s senses tingle with upcoming wariness. How likely is it, that this stranger knows someone else who goes by the name Peter and has burn scars all over his face and neck? He turns his back to the man without a word and enters his car. His senses scream alarm. What if this man is connected to the fire? Maybe, they should have left the town after all.
The man lingers for a moment longer, looking strangely lost, thoughtful and - sad? Eventually, he leaves for his own car, scratching the back of his head.
Peter stares after him, his body tense. The stranger doesn’t give off hunter vibes. There’s no scent of gun oil or wolfsbane around him. He looks like a normal - insanely attractive - civilian, a normal father with a few too many worries. You are overreacting, Peter tells himself and his wolf. It’s all fine. Who cares who this man is. He has other things to think about.
He winces when Malia makes a noise in the backseat. She’s awake, blinking at him, her eyes gleaming golden briefly. She yawns and reaches for Peter, making a whining noise. Peter smiles and loosens the straps of the safety seat, pulling Malia to his chest. She immediately shoves her face into the crook of his neck, making content noises while rubbing her cheek against him.
Peter runs his fingers through Malia’s hair and allows himself to calm down. He barely notices when Malia drools onto his shoulder, too occupied with watching the school. He forgets the stranger who seemed to know him and focuses all of his senses and thinking on his task: making sure Cora and Derek are safe.
He is not going to lose them too.