Belonging

Unlock your heart, drop your guard, no one's left to stop you.

Gerard's watching the last flame flicker down. Now that the fire has left, betas run over the wreckage with extinguishers. And as the flickering sun gives off its last shard of light, a pack gathers together as one mass, all forms touching in silence. The shadows around trees grow as the light loses the fight and surrenders, the sun's tip dispersing into the curve of the Earth.

If silence had a distinct sound, it would be the note that drops before the first sickening crack of bones. The held breaths and anxious eyes that look to the sky as the moon breaks the clouds and bestows upon the world its white light.

Gerard groans, falling against Frank and sliding down his front before arms can even twitch to catch him. He pants, pupils growing with the dark and his hazel irises giving way to a glowing yellow-gold.

His canines have become much too big for his mouth when Frank tumbles under their combined weight. He rolls under Gerard, the cloth of his jacket giving way to fur against the omega's heated skin.

They all shift uneasily, some younger ones screaming in unpracticed pain as they reform on the dead grass. When Gerard can lift his head again, opening eyes he had squinted shut, the world's colors bleed out of the scenery. New sounds and smells are released from the Earth, and he wants to roll around in all of them, eat through the layers like cake.

There's a big body next to his, all black fur and compact, strong muscle. It shifts, standing over Gerard. Its lip curls back, saliva shining.

Frank.

Gerard's paws pull back, arms folding against his chest and head falling back. He snuffs through a new wet nose as jaws clamp around his exposed neck, squeezing until sharp tips dig into the skin just a little. They pull back, a soft ear and the side of a snout rubbing against Gerard's face. He whines, pushing back and rolling onto four legs.

Something's off and the ground under his feet feels odd. He wants to run all over, nip at everyone's ankles and let them all catch him. Gerard yearns to break away from the tight group around him and run home. But home won't be right without them by his side, so he waits.

Anthony passes Gerard, almost identical to Frank. He thumps the ground playfully, startling the teen out of thought before he's moving on.

Ryan's not shorter than Gerard, but skinner. His legs look stick thin, head commanding a wiry body. He rubs all over Gerard before moving again, running after an Iero omega.

Frank turns, tail brushing Gerard's back. He jumps into motion, body propelling towards the left and not waiting for another. Gerard and the rest fall into place behind him, paws thundering over the earth easily.

Gerard darts off through the trees, swirling easily in and out of formation. Ryan's tail swats at the branches, Gerard ducking when they snap back and reach for him. As the group passes over the border, the ground becomes soft, familiar against the pads of Gerard's paws. He sighs, jumping over a log and ducking under the next as if he'd been practicing.

They break the tree line, Frank slowing to a trot and everyone shooting off towards the sides. Most of the large group has got thick black fur, an Iero trait that carries strongly into their wolf forms. Gerard and the rest of the new omega's move through the mist, shades of cool and warm brown. Different, but not odd.

Anthony hunts a rabbit down. He lets the frightened animal run between his paws, it's white coat stark against his.

Gerard watches as Anthony lets off, eyes following the small form as it scampers away. He crouches, zipping right past the beta and zigzagging between other members. Ray and Ryan perk up, joining the chase after Gerard.