Chapter Text
Neil.
The name hung suspended in the room as the pack sized the boy up. Neil. Andrew felt it in his core, but he pushed aside what that might mean. His pack was looking between him and the stranger (Dan and Matt both flinched at the severe scarring of his face), looking to Andrew for how they should proceed. He consciously schooled his expression from any emotion the boy – Neil – might have elicited.
“It’s fine, you need new clothes anyway. I’m Andrew. This is my –”
“Why the fuck can’t I smell you?” Kevin’s voice cut through Andrew’s. Neil’s eyes snapped to him, startled and skittish, as if he hadn’t noticed the others.
“That’s quite rude, Kevin,” Renee chimed in with a frown. Neil’s eyes moved to her in turn. “Andrew is pack head, he wouldn’t have brought Neil in if he thought he was a threat. That means Neil is a guest.” She smiled reassuringly at Neil, who shrank back slightly. Renee seemingly took no notice. “I’m Renee, and this is Allison, my mate.”
Allison still looked concerned and her grip on Renee’s waist tightened, but she nodded to Neil with a quiet “hello.” Andrew, however, was still stuck on Kevin’s words. Something about Neil had bothered him back in his room, something Andrew hadn’t been able to place, but that was it. Neil had no scent, which meant he was unpresented. That was shocking at their age…maybe he was a lot younger than he looked?
Once again, Kevin’s voice cleaved through Andrew’s thoughts like a butcher’s blade. “Hey, I asked you a question. Why can’t I smell you?”
Neil’s eyes swung back to Kevin, but Andrew stepped in. “Kevin, that’s enough.” Kevin stood, furious, jostling Aaron from his lap. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Andrew forcefully cut him off. “I said, enough. Be quiet now.” He could feel his canines lengthen and knew his eyes had darkened as his voice echoed like thunder. Kevin’s mouth snapped shut. However angry he was, he was unable to disobey a direct order from his pack leader. He was, however, perfectly capable of storming out the door and slamming it shut behind him. Aaron returned to the vacated armchair, looking only slightly annoyed.
Andrew sighed, then turned back to Neil, only to find that Neil was cowering about six steps up from where he’d been standing. Skittish…no, worse than skittish, downright scared. Andrew consciously made his canines retreat and tempered his irritation. Like everyone, he had encountered omegas and even betas who were fearful of alphas, often with very good reason. Though Neil was unpresented, Andrew’s anger, projected through his voice and stance, had obviously been triggering. Judging by the state of Neil’s face and body, the boy had plenty of reason to be afraid.
“I’m sorry about that, Neil,” Andrew said calmly, his voice back to normal. “Kevin is…a bit of an idiot, but he’ll come around. He’s very protective of the pack.”
Neil cautiously crept back down the steps, which Andrew took as a sign to continue. “As I was saying, this is my pack. We call ourselves Foxes, after the lacrosse team we all played on together. That’s Dan and Matt in the chair, both alphas; Renee and Allison, omega and alpha respectively; my twin Aaron, a beta; and his boyfriend Kevin, whom you…already met.” Each of the remaining Foxes waved in turn, either smiling (Matt, Dan, and Renee), frowning slightly (Allison), or looking entirely uninterested (Aaron).
Introductions having been made, an awkward silence fell over the group. Only Renee looked comfortable. Neil’s eyes were darting around, perhaps assessing escape routes. Occasionally they fell on Andrew, but always jerked away in an instant. Andrew cleared his throat.
“Neil, I’m sorry about this but I hope you understand. As pack leader I need to ask you some questions – and answer any questions you have, of course. Would you prefer to do that here, or privately?” Andrew could guess what Neil would choose before the boy opened his mouth. He did not like having to do this when Neil was so clearly in distress, but as pack head, it was necessary to ensure the safety of his Foxes and their Den.
Neil looked ill, either from standing too long or nerves, but his voice was steady when he answered. “Privately, ple–” Andrew’s eyes darkened. Neil’s mouth snapped shut and he looked fearful, and Andrew silently cursed himself.
“It’s alright, you don’t know…I strongly prefer that word not to be directed towards me.”
Neil nodded weakly, his face pale. “Privately,” he said decisively. “Can – can she come with us though?” He indicated Renee. She smiled and stood, kissing Allison’s hair reassuringly as she did. Neil looked only slightly relieved, and Andrew noticed that he averted his eyes at the easy affection between the couple.
Andrew decided to bring them both back to his room, as it was the only private space in the house that Neil was at least passingly familiar with. Neil cringed away slightly from the alpha as he passed him on the stairs, but Andrew pretended not to notice. Appearing unthreatening was not something he was well-acquainted with, having been in survival mode for most of his life. He hoped that having Renee with them would help his case, and was very glad that Neil had requested her as a sort of mediating force. It was a smart move, though it made Andrew fear that he and Neil may be more alike than he would have wished.
At Andrew’s gesture, Neil all but collapsed back onto the bed, breathing ragged. Renee looked hesitant for the first time that day. “We don’t have to do this now, if you need to rest–”
“No,” Neil gritted out. “I’m fine. I would prefer to get it over with.” Renee’s brow was furrowed, but she made no further comment, instead sitting on the edge of the bed. Andrew pulled up a chair and sat a respectful distance away. He decided that it would be best to start with some reassurance.
“Listen, what Renee said earlier is true. I don’t think you’re a threat. And it’s not just because you’re injured,” he added on, because Neil had opened his mouth in protest. “It was largely instinctive. But I need – we need to know more about you, so that we can figure out how to proceed. Sound okay?”
Neil nodded, his jaw still clenched. They started off easy, Andrew asking Neil his age (“20”), where he was from (“Baltimore”), and where he had come here from (“about seven miles away.”) Andrew thought that these were all softball questions, but Neil became more agitated with each one, his one-word answers becoming increasingly edgy. Andrew finally sighed, realizing that it would probably be less excruciating if he just got to the point.
“Who shot you?”
Neil’s head snapped up, icy-blue eyes meeting Andrew’s. He looked as though he might be sick. Out of the corner of his eye, Andrew saw Renee eyeing Neil worriedly.
“Neil, I would really appreciate it if you answered. I am prepared to offer you my protection as soon as I can ascertain –”
“You shouldn't say that if you know.”
Andrew’s heart skipped a beat. He forced his voice to remain calm. “Know what?”
Neil somehow had the capacity to look slightly bewildered as well as angry and scared.
“You don’t…recognize me.”
“Should I?”
Neil took a deep, haggard breath. He glanced at Andrew, then became very interested in his own hands. “I look exactly like my – my father. He’s sort of famous. He’s the one who shot me. And…it’s his blood that’s on my axe.”