Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (2/?)
Media: Fic
Title: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Author: sorrowsofyore
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine
Spoilers: Never Been Kissed
Warnings: explicit violence, explicit sex in later chapters, language, attempted non-con
Word Count: 4,194
Summary: Kurt's life has always been held together by Pack and family. Now, faced with adversity, he's struggling to find a place in a world he doesn't believe in.
Chapter Two
“So, have you thought about him at all?”
Kurt sighed and hefted his bag over his shoulder.
“Thought about who, Rachel?” Glee Club was over, no one was left but them, and Kurt just wanted to go home. He strode briskly out of the choir room, not slowing for the shorter girl to keep up.
“About Blaine, of course.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “You two have been texting all week.” She shrugged. “He’s cute. Now would be the time to make a move.”
Kurt rolled his eyes and stopped in front of his locker. The few times Blaine had bothered to text him had been stilted and awkward and usually during one of Kurt’s more important classes. Kurt bit his tongue and took a deep breath before answering his Packmate.
“He’s not just some boy, Rachel,” he said. He pulled a textbook out of his locker and slammed the door shut with a huff. “He’s an Alpha.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have coffee with him or something.” Kurt rolled his eyes at the girl’s antics.
“As sweet as it is that you’re so concerned with my boy troubles, Rachel, the last thing the Pack needs right now is another Alpha sniffing around.” Kurt took Rachel’s arm and shifted his bag higher on his shoulder.
“He wouldn’t be a rival if you were Mated, Kurt,” she argued. “We could-”
“Ssh.” Kurt stopped, his face scrunched in concentration. The night air drifting into the school carried a new, seedy smell with it; a strong smell, matted with earth and blood and something familiar and entirely unnerving at the same time.
“Do you smell that?” he asked. Rachel frowned.
“No,” she said, turning to look in the entirely wrong direction. “What is it?”
“It smells like a wolf,” said Kurt. He shifted to grip Rachel’s forearm and began backing slowly away from the front doors. “It--it doesn’t smell right.”
“But-”
“It’s a new one,” said Kurt. “Oh shit. Rachel, it doesn’t have a Pack.” His brow furrowed. Rachel sucked in a breath and took a hurried step back.
“Maybe-maybe it’s just passing through,” she whispered, like she was afraid the wolf could hear her.
“Maybe,” said Kurt, “but let’s leave through the parking lot doors anyway.”
Rachel clung to him tightly as they hurried down the hallway. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet of the school and Kurt suddenly wished they’d left with Finn and the others. Rachel gave a tiny little shriek beside him and he moved again to grab her hand. She turned wide eyes to his and Kurt could tell the smell had hit her, wafting strong and male and not-Pack from somewhere near the front of the building.
“It’s moving,” Rachel hissed. “Kurt, it’s following us.” The Beta didn’t reply and pulled the brunet around the corner, their exit in sight. All they had to do was go through the cafeteria, out the doors to the courtyard and into the parking lot and they would have a clear path to Kurt’s Navigator.
Behind them, a window shattered.
Rachel shrieked again and Kurt clapped a quick hand over her mouth, pulling her against the wall. There was a low growl, a sound like claws being shuffled across the tile, and then the rumbling, terrible sound of someone Changing. The wolf’s bones broke and shifted and Kurt pulled Rachel behind him, letting the girl crowd against his back. He pushed at the brunet, willing her to understand. When Rachel clung to him even tighter, Kurt turned and shoved her harshly. He bared his teeth and jerked his head in the direction of the cafeteria. In the other hall, the other boy was already stirring, pained cries accompanying his every move.
“Rachel, go,” Kurt hissed. “Now.”
“But-”
Kurt snarled at her and the girl sprung back.
“Get Puck.”
“But he can’t-”
“Then get Finn! Hell, get Brittany if you can find her, just go get help!”
David Karofsky rounded the corner, his nude form battered and smeared with blood and dirt and long, ragged scratches where he had no doubt clawed at his own skin. Rachel darted quickly down the hall and into the cafeteria, doors banging shut behind her. Karofsky’s eyes followed the movement dazedly and Kurt snarled again, letting the sound of it fill the hallway. Karofsky startled out of his stupor, whining. His gaze fell on the tiny Beta and he recoiled, his head dropping in an instinctive display of deference. Kurt softened his voice, changing the sound into one of reassurance.
“David,” said Kurt, gently. “What happened?” The bigger boy didn’t reply, but inhaled deeply instead. Kurt took a step forward.
“David,” he said again, “how-”
“You smell good,” said the boy. Kurt’s stomach dropped.
“Look, David,” he said, “You’re not thinking clearly right now. You need to tell me what happened.”
“I wasn’t expecting it to hurt so much.” Karofsky moved toward Kurt slowly, his feet dragging on the tile. “He didn’t tell me…but you make up for it.” The jock leered. “You smell so good.”
“Come on, Rachel,” Kurt muttered under his breath. “All you have to do is use your cell phone, Jesus.” Karofsky took another step forward and Kurt slid into a crouch. His canines filled his mouth, bursting through his gums and sliding over his lips. Karofsky lunged forward and Kurt brought a knee up and slammed it into the larger boy’s gut. The jock flew into the lockers and cried out with the impact, his body crumpling to the floor.
“Just stay there, David,” Kurt warned. “Puck will be here soon, and then you’ll-”
Kurt’s voice was drowned out by a scream as Karofsky’s skin began to melt and split, fur sprouting up in muddy brown streaks all over his body. His legs bent abruptly backwards and Kurt winced in sympathy as the bones snapped and grew. The Beta turned and took off down the hall, leading the boy away from the exit. A howl went up behind him and Kurt turned just in time to see the Karofsky-wolf leap, its maw wide open and snarling. The Beta whirled his bag around; smashing it into the wolf’s head with such force that the seam ripped and his books went flying in every direction. Kurt slid back and roared. This was something only born wolves could do: let their voice roll out and echo through the minds of every werewolf in the vicinity even while their bodies were weak and trembling inside their human moulds. Quinn gave an answering cry and Kurt’s heart lept. The Karofsky-wolf put its head down and growled, its hot, heavy gaze fixed on Kurt. The wolf’s thoughts were wild and uncontrolled, thundering through the air and the collective minds of every Pack in Lima. Kurt could hear its mantra beating against the inside of his skull and he shuddered, moving further away from the growling beast.
Mate wolf mate mate mate good, smells good, kurt it’s kurt Kurt KURT KURT-
“Kurt!”
The boy could’ve cried with relief at the sound of Santana’s voice as the Latina came flying down the hall. He turned and Rachel barreled into him, flinging her arms around one of his and tugging him away from Karofsky. The huge wolf growled at the girl and Santana snarled at him, low and menacing. It moved forward anyway, its eyes bulging grotesquely. Kurt began to struggle in Rachel’s grasp.
“Rach,” he said lowly. The Karofsky-wolf pressed itself to the floor, its legs tensing. “Rachel, you need to let go, honey.” The wolf growled and flexed its paws.
“Rachel, move!”
Kurt flung Rachel into Santana just as the rogue leaped, landing heavily on top of the boy. Kurt screamed and snarled and kicked at Karofsky, but the wolf was determined. It snapped at Kurt’s flailing arms and managed to nick the skin. Kurt snarled and kicked harder. He managed to catch the wolf in the side and wiggled a little ways out from under its heavy body. Santana was flitting about behind the two on the floor, her sharp eyes searching for even the smallest opening to pull the rogue off of Kurt. The Karofsky-wolf, for its part, was trying desperately to clamp its jaws around the Beta’s neck.
“Oh my god, Kurt, he’s trying to mark you!” Rachel shrieked. Santana slammed her shoulder into Karofsky’s side, and the Changed boy went flying.
“Yes, Rachel!” Kurt yelled. “I’ve noticed, that, thank you!”
The muddy-brown wolf growled and made to pick itself up, its front left leg hanging at an unnatural angle, a long gash along the side of its face. The cafeteria doors banged open and the three Packmates turned to see a blond shape blurring down the hall. Quinn, fully Changed, tackled the Karofsky-wolf, her claws sinking through fur and flesh and pinning it harshly to the floor. The female Alpha howled, long and clear, warning the rest of the Pack to stay away. The rogue struggled underneath her, jaws snapping uselessly. Puck came stalking in, his shoulders set low and a growl rumbling steadily from his chest.
“What the hell happened, Hummel?” he snapped.
“He tried to force-mate Kurt, Alpha,” said Rachel quickly. “He didn’t even give a Call first.” Kurt glared furiously at the brunet.
“Rachel-”
“What!?” Puck was shivering, his eyes amber. “Kurt?” The Beta looked away and whined.
Puck lunged for the new wolf, his canines lengthening rapidly, his jaw cracking and morphing. Kurt called out for him, but it was too late. The silver plated collar around the Alpha’s neck beeped and the tall boy began to scream. His face twisted and Kurt darted forward to catch his Alpha as Puck collapsed to the floor.
“Keep the rogue down,” Kurt said to Quinn pleadingly. “I’ve got him, just keep it pinned.” Kurt could feel the Alpha’s mind pulsing to go to her Mate and rip and tear the collar to shreds. “Please, just keep it there until it calms down. The Change will pass in a second.”
Quinn growled in affirmation and closed her jaws over the Karofsky-wolf’s neck, teeth never breaking the skin, but keeping the threat always there, always at the cusp. Kurt had been on the receiving end of such a grasp, and knew the odd comfort it could provide when administered by a wolf that was part of his Pack. But the rogue was terrified, its eyes rolling and wide in its skull and Kurt couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the beast.
“It’s so afraid,” Rachel whispered. Santana took the small diva’s hand in hers.
“Don’t worry, Yentl,” she said, as affectionately as she ever did. “He’ll Change again eventually.”
After a few painful moments of listening to the wolf’s thoughts buzz around in their skulls, the boy began to shift. Quinn released his neck and spread herself over the wolf, restricting its movement and steadying it through the Change. Rachel turned away from the boy’s screams and Puck stirred in Kurt’s arms. Santana kept her eyes trained on the jock until he was lying human and still underneath Quinn’s bulky form, his breathing harsh and labored. There was an awful looking bruise already forming where both Kurt and the Latina had slammed into the wolf’s side, and Kurt thought he could hear a wetness hidden in the boy’s inhales that made his insides churn. Karofsky’s left arm was broken and limp and Kurt sucked in a sharp breath when he caught sight of the bone pressing against the skin. Puck groaned and Kurt tightened his grip on the Alpha, hauling the boy to his feet.
“We need to get them both to the hospital,” he said. Santana growled and Rachel looked furious, but Quinn had shifted back and silenced them both with a look.
“Kurt’s right,” she said firmly. She ran a hand through her hair, mindful of the blood still under her nails. “We can’t leave a rogue wolf alone during its first Change. Santana, go get me something to wear. It’s cold.” The Latina rolled her eyes but nodded, darting off to her locker.
“But-” Rachel started.
“Look, Berry,” Quinn snapped. “I know the Moon is in a couple of days. But the last thing we need is for our Alpha to be down for the count with some packless thing trying to force himself on Kurt!”
At the sound of the Beta’s name, Karofsky stirred. The boy winced and moaned, cradling his broken arm to his chest. Santana appeared over Quinn’s shoulder and the blond gestured to the boy, disdain apparent on her face. The dark-haired girl pulled Karofsky to his feet while Quinn slipped into Santana’s spare clothes.Rachel shrunk away from the jock, her teeth bared. Kurt called out to her, and she slung an arm around Puck’s waist, keeping her head ducked away from Quinn and Santana as they hauled the injured jock along. Together they managed to drag the boys out to Kurt’s Navigator and push them into the back seat. Quinn settled in between them, keeping Puck wrapped securely in case her Mate woke and hurt himself trying to kill the other boy. Santana sprinted off to find Finn and the others but Rachel steadfastly refused to leave Kurt’s side. She kept a hand on his arm the entire ride to the hospital and gripped his fingers tightly in hers when they’d finally gotten the boys into the care of frantic-looking medical personnel. The police were called and Quinn was made to answer question after question, her jaw tight. Rachel shook through all of it but kept quiet, her lower lip trembling. Kurt sighed.
He nodded to Quinn and tugged Rachel over to the hospital couch, sitting down and pulling the girl against his chest. Kurt growled low and comforting until Rachel had completely relaxed against him, legs curled on the couch beside her, her head cradled under the Beta’s chin. She shifted around until she was lying half in his lap and fell asleep, whining softly.
Finn burst in a few moments later with Mercedes and Brittany in tow. He looked about ready to faint when he spotted Kurt and Rachel on the couch together, relatively unscathed. Brittany waved and drifted to where Santana was standing threateningly beside Quinn. She wrapped her arms around the Latina, and Kurt could see the dark-haired girl relax back against her friend. Mercedes made a beeline for the couches, planting herself next to Kurt and pulling the boy against her shoulder. He sighed and let himself completely relax for the first time that day, leaning against the bigger girl and breathing in her familiar scent. Finn was still standing, looking awkwardly between the unholy trinity talking with the authorities and the rest of his Pack curled up on the couch.
“You can go to them if you want to, Finn,” Kurt said quietly. “I’ve got Rachel.” Finn shook his head.
“I’m not really too worried about Rachel, dude,” he admitted. “I knew you’d take care of her. I’m just-I can’t believe he would try and do that to you, Kurt!” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “I totally get why Puck tried to kill him.”
“No, Finn,” said Kurt, a little sharper than he intended. “It was a stupid and incredibly dangerous for him to try and shift like that.” The boy huffed. “That collar could have killed him.”
Finn and lifted his girlfriend easily. He motioned for the Beta to shift over and settled himself on the couch. Kurt let him lay Rachel back down across their laps and snuggled down comfortably under the weight of his Packmates. He let himself become drowsy, pressing his face into Mercedes’ shoulder.
“Where’re Mike and Tina and Artie?” he murmured. One of the officers who had been talking to Quinn was drifting toward the little group and Kurt was dreading having to answer his questions.
“They’re with Beth,” Finn told him. “Tina nearly ripped Quinn’s head off when she told her they couldn’t come. I’ve never seen her that angry.” He shuddered. “It was scary.” Kurt nodded in sympathy.
“Well, I guess Quinn couldn’t leave her alone with Brittany.” Finn winced a little at the thought and pressed himself against Kurt’s side.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, dude,” he said. “And thanks for taking care of Rachel for me.”
“No problem,” said Kurt.
The police officer finally reached the couch and was standing awkwardly in front of the Pack. He jumped when Brittany drifted up from behind him. The air-headed blond slid to the floor and settled herself back against Kurt’s legs, planting a kiss on the inside of the boy’s knee.
“Santana and Quinn went to talk to Alpha,” she said. Kurt nodded.
“So he’s awake?”
“Noah Puckerman is awake and in stable condition.” Kurt looked up to find the police office standing awkwardly in front of him.. “His…uh…Mate told me to talk to someone named Kurt Hummel?” The officer shifted and cleared his throat. “Which one…?”
“It’s me,” said Kurt. “What can I do for you, Officer Beecher?” He nodded to the name on the man’s badge. Beecher pulled out a small notepad and a pen.
“We just need to get your side of the story, Mr. Hummel” said the man. “We’re going to speak to David Karofsky in a moment, and my partner is talking to Mr.Puckerman, but I was told I should speak to you before Ms. Berry because you’re a higher, uh,” he trailed off, looking uncomfortable.
“Higher rank?” said Kurt kindly.
“Yes.” The officer smiled gratefully and clicked his pen. “Now, let’s just start with the basics.” Kurt nodded and trailed his hand through Rachel’s hair absently, settling the girl as she started to stir in her sleep.
“Name?”
“Kurt Elizabeth Hummel.”
“Age?”
“Seventeen.”
“Species?”
“Werewolf.” The man hesitated, so Kurt went on. “Born, not bitten. Beta rank.”
“Right.” The offer scribbled some more and then paused, taking in the other children as if for the first time. “Would you mind if we spoke alone, Mr. Hummel?”
“Kurt, please,” said the boy. “And I don’t mind.” He did, but extracted himself from his friends anyway, placing Rachel’s head in Mercedes’ lap gently. The girl stirred and her hand shot out to grip Kurt’s as he started to walk.
“Kurt?” she mumbled. Kurt leaned down to plant a quick peck on the girl’s cheek.
“Go back to sleep, honey,” he said softly. “I’ll be back in a second.” She nodded sleepily. Kurt followed the policeman reluctantly away from his Pack. The man stopped them some twenty feet away, where he must have thought they wouldn’t be overheard.
“Why don’t we start at the beginning?” he said. “How do you know David Karofsky.”
“We go to the same school.”
“Are you friends?”
“Oh, no,” Kurt snorted. “He’s one of my most vicious bullies, actually.” Beecher nodded and scribbled the answer down on his tablet.
“Is there particular reason why Mr. Karofsky targets you at school?” Kurt smiled wryly.
“It may have escaped your notice, officer, but I’m gayer than a male lead from the ‘40s,” said Kurt. “And a werewolf, which ironically enough is usually his biggest issue with me.” The Beta shrugged. “He’s also not the only one who doesn’t like it. He’s just the loudest about expressing his opinions.” Beecher nodded, his face softening.
“Alright. Can you tell me in your own words what happened at the school this evening?”
“My friend Rachel and I were leaving a little late after Glee Club because I needed to get a book from my locker.” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest. “There was a wolf outside that I didn’t know, so Rachel and I decided to leave through the back.”
“David Karofsky isn’t part of your pack,” said Beecher, more statement than question. Kurt nodded. “Mmm. Ms. Fabray told us as much. Whose is he with?”
“No one’s.”
“I’m sorry?” Beecher frowned. “I meant, whose pack does he belong to.”
“He doesn’t have one,” said Kurt patiently. “He’s a rogue.” Beecher blinked.
“Oh. How could you, uh, tell? His scent?”
“His mind,” Kurt corrected. “Having a Pack keeps you stable but it-it also limits you just a little. Normally we can’t hear anyone besides our own Pack. Telepathically I mean.” He shrugged. “Alphas and rogues are the exception.”
“Alright,” said Beecher slowly, writing furiously on his pad. So what happened next? You smelled him and then…?”
“Rachel and I were heading to the cafeteria-we were going to leave through the courtyard-when he broke through a window.”
“He jumped in through a window?”
“Yes,” said Kurt, “and he shifted back almost as soon as he hit the floor. I sent Rachel to get help and I tried to keep him calm, but he attacked me. I defended myself and tried to talk to him again, but he shifted and I had to run.”
“How did you defend yourself?”
“He lunged for me and I kneed him in the side,” said Kurt. Beecher’s eyes widened.
“And, no offence, but that hurt him?”
“I’m stronger than I look, sir,” Kurt answered stiffly. The officer chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess you would be,” he acquiesced. “I’m sorry; please continue.”
The man’s partner wandered over a second or two later, giving Kurt a wide berth and eyeing the werewolf with suspicion. Kurt could feel himself bristling as he talked and refused to look anywhere but at the officer kindly prompting him with questions. He managed to get all the way to Puck trying to shift with his collar still on before he was interrupted.
“Wait, what did you mean, he tried to “force-mate” you?” The other man broke in sharply. His name tag said Grayson, and he was glaring steadily at Kurt. “I thought you people had some sort of weird howl thing you did before you had sex?” Kurt barely kept a snarl from escaping his throat. “Always looked fruity in the movies. Lilac fields and what-not.”
“Look,” Kurt snapped. “When a submissive reaches a certain level of maturity, their scent gets stronger, and suitable dominants are drawn to them.” Kurt glared at the man. “The way things normally work, the dominant would give a certain type of howl during a full moon. And if his Mate is scenting, they respond to it.”
“So this Karofsky kid didn’t call you?” the man huffed. “Is that why he was beaten to a pulp?”
“No,” Kurt snarled, and the man flinched. “He tried to force-mate with me.” The two officers looked at him blankly, and Kurt fought to school his voice. “In human vernacular, he tried to rape me.” Beecher balked.
“Jesus,” he spluttered. “But-he-wasn’t he in his wolf form?” Kurt grimaced.
“Yes.”
“So then,” the man looked pale. “He would’ve tried to-”
“Rape me while he was transformed? Trust me,” Kurt shifted his weight. “He tried. Valiantly. I’ve never been so glad to be a Beta in my life. It means I’m stronger,” he added at the man’s questioning look. Beecher nodded and jotted something down. His partner remained unconvinced.
“But that isn’t the same thing as mating, so...?” Kurt shook his head.
“It’s still marking you. It’s still making you submit.” Kurt shifted again, nervously, wishing for the comfort of his Pack. “Sometimes, if you’re a submissive, and you’ve been claimed before you meet your Mate, their wolf rejects you.” Both men frowned at that and Beecher grunted uncomfortably.
“And what happens if their, er, wolf rejects you like that?” he asked.
“Most of the time? You die.” The man balked again, and his partner looked disgusted.
“Die? From rejection? How does that work?” Kurt stared at Grayson, reminding himself that this may have been the first time he’d ever had to deal with werewolf matters.
“They kill you.”
“That’s barbaric,” said Beecher, looking faintly sick. Kurt shrugged.
“I understand,” he said, “But that’s just how it is. If we could change it, we would.” He gestured to his Pack. “It’s not really a choice-it’s part of being a wolf.”
“And that’s why Puckerman got so angry?” asked Grayson. “Because Karofsky could’ve ruined you or whatever?” Kurt bristled but nodded anyway. “Alright. Well, I’ve already taken statements from Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray. We’ll have to get the Berry kid to talk later.” He strode back to where Puck’s mother had arrived and was talking heatedly to the nurses, leaving Beecher and Kurt alone again. The officer gave him a strained smile.
“Thank you for your time, Kurt,” he said earnestly. “You can go back to your friends now. We’ll uh,” he looked at Rachel’s still sleeping form. “We’ll get Ms. Berry’s statement tomorrow, I think.” Kurt nodded.
“Thank you for taking the time to listen,” he said. Beecher nodded gravely. “Goodnight, officer.” Kurt turned to go back to his Packmates when a hand on his shoulder made him pause.
“Wait, Kurt. I just thought,” Beecher’s brow furrowed. “Do you know who it was that turned Mr. Karofsky?” Kurt shook his head.
“No, sir,” he said. “I have no idea.
Title: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Author: sorrowsofyore
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine
Spoilers: Never Been Kissed
Warnings: explicit violence, explicit sex in later chapters, language, attempted non-con
Word Count: 4,194
Summary: Kurt's life has always been held together by Pack and family. Now, faced with adversity, he's struggling to find a place in a world he doesn't believe in.
Chapter Two
“So, have you thought about him at all?”
Kurt sighed and hefted his bag over his shoulder.
“Thought about who, Rachel?” Glee Club was over, no one was left but them, and Kurt just wanted to go home. He strode briskly out of the choir room, not slowing for the shorter girl to keep up.
“About Blaine, of course.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “You two have been texting all week.” She shrugged. “He’s cute. Now would be the time to make a move.”
Kurt rolled his eyes and stopped in front of his locker. The few times Blaine had bothered to text him had been stilted and awkward and usually during one of Kurt’s more important classes. Kurt bit his tongue and took a deep breath before answering his Packmate.
“He’s not just some boy, Rachel,” he said. He pulled a textbook out of his locker and slammed the door shut with a huff. “He’s an Alpha.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have coffee with him or something.” Kurt rolled his eyes at the girl’s antics.
“As sweet as it is that you’re so concerned with my boy troubles, Rachel, the last thing the Pack needs right now is another Alpha sniffing around.” Kurt took Rachel’s arm and shifted his bag higher on his shoulder.
“He wouldn’t be a rival if you were Mated, Kurt,” she argued. “We could-”
“Ssh.” Kurt stopped, his face scrunched in concentration. The night air drifting into the school carried a new, seedy smell with it; a strong smell, matted with earth and blood and something familiar and entirely unnerving at the same time.
“Do you smell that?” he asked. Rachel frowned.
“No,” she said, turning to look in the entirely wrong direction. “What is it?”
“It smells like a wolf,” said Kurt. He shifted to grip Rachel’s forearm and began backing slowly away from the front doors. “It--it doesn’t smell right.”
“But-”
“It’s a new one,” said Kurt. “Oh shit. Rachel, it doesn’t have a Pack.” His brow furrowed. Rachel sucked in a breath and took a hurried step back.
“Maybe-maybe it’s just passing through,” she whispered, like she was afraid the wolf could hear her.
“Maybe,” said Kurt, “but let’s leave through the parking lot doors anyway.”
Rachel clung to him tightly as they hurried down the hallway. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet of the school and Kurt suddenly wished they’d left with Finn and the others. Rachel gave a tiny little shriek beside him and he moved again to grab her hand. She turned wide eyes to his and Kurt could tell the smell had hit her, wafting strong and male and not-Pack from somewhere near the front of the building.
“It’s moving,” Rachel hissed. “Kurt, it’s following us.” The Beta didn’t reply and pulled the brunet around the corner, their exit in sight. All they had to do was go through the cafeteria, out the doors to the courtyard and into the parking lot and they would have a clear path to Kurt’s Navigator.
Behind them, a window shattered.
Rachel shrieked again and Kurt clapped a quick hand over her mouth, pulling her against the wall. There was a low growl, a sound like claws being shuffled across the tile, and then the rumbling, terrible sound of someone Changing. The wolf’s bones broke and shifted and Kurt pulled Rachel behind him, letting the girl crowd against his back. He pushed at the brunet, willing her to understand. When Rachel clung to him even tighter, Kurt turned and shoved her harshly. He bared his teeth and jerked his head in the direction of the cafeteria. In the other hall, the other boy was already stirring, pained cries accompanying his every move.
“Rachel, go,” Kurt hissed. “Now.”
“But-”
Kurt snarled at her and the girl sprung back.
“Get Puck.”
“But he can’t-”
“Then get Finn! Hell, get Brittany if you can find her, just go get help!”
David Karofsky rounded the corner, his nude form battered and smeared with blood and dirt and long, ragged scratches where he had no doubt clawed at his own skin. Rachel darted quickly down the hall and into the cafeteria, doors banging shut behind her. Karofsky’s eyes followed the movement dazedly and Kurt snarled again, letting the sound of it fill the hallway. Karofsky startled out of his stupor, whining. His gaze fell on the tiny Beta and he recoiled, his head dropping in an instinctive display of deference. Kurt softened his voice, changing the sound into one of reassurance.
“David,” said Kurt, gently. “What happened?” The bigger boy didn’t reply, but inhaled deeply instead. Kurt took a step forward.
“David,” he said again, “how-”
“You smell good,” said the boy. Kurt’s stomach dropped.
“Look, David,” he said, “You’re not thinking clearly right now. You need to tell me what happened.”
“I wasn’t expecting it to hurt so much.” Karofsky moved toward Kurt slowly, his feet dragging on the tile. “He didn’t tell me…but you make up for it.” The jock leered. “You smell so good.”
“Come on, Rachel,” Kurt muttered under his breath. “All you have to do is use your cell phone, Jesus.” Karofsky took another step forward and Kurt slid into a crouch. His canines filled his mouth, bursting through his gums and sliding over his lips. Karofsky lunged forward and Kurt brought a knee up and slammed it into the larger boy’s gut. The jock flew into the lockers and cried out with the impact, his body crumpling to the floor.
“Just stay there, David,” Kurt warned. “Puck will be here soon, and then you’ll-”
Kurt’s voice was drowned out by a scream as Karofsky’s skin began to melt and split, fur sprouting up in muddy brown streaks all over his body. His legs bent abruptly backwards and Kurt winced in sympathy as the bones snapped and grew. The Beta turned and took off down the hall, leading the boy away from the exit. A howl went up behind him and Kurt turned just in time to see the Karofsky-wolf leap, its maw wide open and snarling. The Beta whirled his bag around; smashing it into the wolf’s head with such force that the seam ripped and his books went flying in every direction. Kurt slid back and roared. This was something only born wolves could do: let their voice roll out and echo through the minds of every werewolf in the vicinity even while their bodies were weak and trembling inside their human moulds. Quinn gave an answering cry and Kurt’s heart lept. The Karofsky-wolf put its head down and growled, its hot, heavy gaze fixed on Kurt. The wolf’s thoughts were wild and uncontrolled, thundering through the air and the collective minds of every Pack in Lima. Kurt could hear its mantra beating against the inside of his skull and he shuddered, moving further away from the growling beast.
Mate wolf mate mate mate good, smells good, kurt it’s kurt Kurt KURT KURT-
“Kurt!”
The boy could’ve cried with relief at the sound of Santana’s voice as the Latina came flying down the hall. He turned and Rachel barreled into him, flinging her arms around one of his and tugging him away from Karofsky. The huge wolf growled at the girl and Santana snarled at him, low and menacing. It moved forward anyway, its eyes bulging grotesquely. Kurt began to struggle in Rachel’s grasp.
“Rach,” he said lowly. The Karofsky-wolf pressed itself to the floor, its legs tensing. “Rachel, you need to let go, honey.” The wolf growled and flexed its paws.
“Rachel, move!”
Kurt flung Rachel into Santana just as the rogue leaped, landing heavily on top of the boy. Kurt screamed and snarled and kicked at Karofsky, but the wolf was determined. It snapped at Kurt’s flailing arms and managed to nick the skin. Kurt snarled and kicked harder. He managed to catch the wolf in the side and wiggled a little ways out from under its heavy body. Santana was flitting about behind the two on the floor, her sharp eyes searching for even the smallest opening to pull the rogue off of Kurt. The Karofsky-wolf, for its part, was trying desperately to clamp its jaws around the Beta’s neck.
“Oh my god, Kurt, he’s trying to mark you!” Rachel shrieked. Santana slammed her shoulder into Karofsky’s side, and the Changed boy went flying.
“Yes, Rachel!” Kurt yelled. “I’ve noticed, that, thank you!”
The muddy-brown wolf growled and made to pick itself up, its front left leg hanging at an unnatural angle, a long gash along the side of its face. The cafeteria doors banged open and the three Packmates turned to see a blond shape blurring down the hall. Quinn, fully Changed, tackled the Karofsky-wolf, her claws sinking through fur and flesh and pinning it harshly to the floor. The female Alpha howled, long and clear, warning the rest of the Pack to stay away. The rogue struggled underneath her, jaws snapping uselessly. Puck came stalking in, his shoulders set low and a growl rumbling steadily from his chest.
“What the hell happened, Hummel?” he snapped.
“He tried to force-mate Kurt, Alpha,” said Rachel quickly. “He didn’t even give a Call first.” Kurt glared furiously at the brunet.
“Rachel-”
“What!?” Puck was shivering, his eyes amber. “Kurt?” The Beta looked away and whined.
Puck lunged for the new wolf, his canines lengthening rapidly, his jaw cracking and morphing. Kurt called out for him, but it was too late. The silver plated collar around the Alpha’s neck beeped and the tall boy began to scream. His face twisted and Kurt darted forward to catch his Alpha as Puck collapsed to the floor.
“Keep the rogue down,” Kurt said to Quinn pleadingly. “I’ve got him, just keep it pinned.” Kurt could feel the Alpha’s mind pulsing to go to her Mate and rip and tear the collar to shreds. “Please, just keep it there until it calms down. The Change will pass in a second.”
Quinn growled in affirmation and closed her jaws over the Karofsky-wolf’s neck, teeth never breaking the skin, but keeping the threat always there, always at the cusp. Kurt had been on the receiving end of such a grasp, and knew the odd comfort it could provide when administered by a wolf that was part of his Pack. But the rogue was terrified, its eyes rolling and wide in its skull and Kurt couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the beast.
“It’s so afraid,” Rachel whispered. Santana took the small diva’s hand in hers.
“Don’t worry, Yentl,” she said, as affectionately as she ever did. “He’ll Change again eventually.”
After a few painful moments of listening to the wolf’s thoughts buzz around in their skulls, the boy began to shift. Quinn released his neck and spread herself over the wolf, restricting its movement and steadying it through the Change. Rachel turned away from the boy’s screams and Puck stirred in Kurt’s arms. Santana kept her eyes trained on the jock until he was lying human and still underneath Quinn’s bulky form, his breathing harsh and labored. There was an awful looking bruise already forming where both Kurt and the Latina had slammed into the wolf’s side, and Kurt thought he could hear a wetness hidden in the boy’s inhales that made his insides churn. Karofsky’s left arm was broken and limp and Kurt sucked in a sharp breath when he caught sight of the bone pressing against the skin. Puck groaned and Kurt tightened his grip on the Alpha, hauling the boy to his feet.
“We need to get them both to the hospital,” he said. Santana growled and Rachel looked furious, but Quinn had shifted back and silenced them both with a look.
“Kurt’s right,” she said firmly. She ran a hand through her hair, mindful of the blood still under her nails. “We can’t leave a rogue wolf alone during its first Change. Santana, go get me something to wear. It’s cold.” The Latina rolled her eyes but nodded, darting off to her locker.
“But-” Rachel started.
“Look, Berry,” Quinn snapped. “I know the Moon is in a couple of days. But the last thing we need is for our Alpha to be down for the count with some packless thing trying to force himself on Kurt!”
At the sound of the Beta’s name, Karofsky stirred. The boy winced and moaned, cradling his broken arm to his chest. Santana appeared over Quinn’s shoulder and the blond gestured to the boy, disdain apparent on her face. The dark-haired girl pulled Karofsky to his feet while Quinn slipped into Santana’s spare clothes.Rachel shrunk away from the jock, her teeth bared. Kurt called out to her, and she slung an arm around Puck’s waist, keeping her head ducked away from Quinn and Santana as they hauled the injured jock along. Together they managed to drag the boys out to Kurt’s Navigator and push them into the back seat. Quinn settled in between them, keeping Puck wrapped securely in case her Mate woke and hurt himself trying to kill the other boy. Santana sprinted off to find Finn and the others but Rachel steadfastly refused to leave Kurt’s side. She kept a hand on his arm the entire ride to the hospital and gripped his fingers tightly in hers when they’d finally gotten the boys into the care of frantic-looking medical personnel. The police were called and Quinn was made to answer question after question, her jaw tight. Rachel shook through all of it but kept quiet, her lower lip trembling. Kurt sighed.
He nodded to Quinn and tugged Rachel over to the hospital couch, sitting down and pulling the girl against his chest. Kurt growled low and comforting until Rachel had completely relaxed against him, legs curled on the couch beside her, her head cradled under the Beta’s chin. She shifted around until she was lying half in his lap and fell asleep, whining softly.
Finn burst in a few moments later with Mercedes and Brittany in tow. He looked about ready to faint when he spotted Kurt and Rachel on the couch together, relatively unscathed. Brittany waved and drifted to where Santana was standing threateningly beside Quinn. She wrapped her arms around the Latina, and Kurt could see the dark-haired girl relax back against her friend. Mercedes made a beeline for the couches, planting herself next to Kurt and pulling the boy against her shoulder. He sighed and let himself completely relax for the first time that day, leaning against the bigger girl and breathing in her familiar scent. Finn was still standing, looking awkwardly between the unholy trinity talking with the authorities and the rest of his Pack curled up on the couch.
“You can go to them if you want to, Finn,” Kurt said quietly. “I’ve got Rachel.” Finn shook his head.
“I’m not really too worried about Rachel, dude,” he admitted. “I knew you’d take care of her. I’m just-I can’t believe he would try and do that to you, Kurt!” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “I totally get why Puck tried to kill him.”
“No, Finn,” said Kurt, a little sharper than he intended. “It was a stupid and incredibly dangerous for him to try and shift like that.” The boy huffed. “That collar could have killed him.”
Finn and lifted his girlfriend easily. He motioned for the Beta to shift over and settled himself on the couch. Kurt let him lay Rachel back down across their laps and snuggled down comfortably under the weight of his Packmates. He let himself become drowsy, pressing his face into Mercedes’ shoulder.
“Where’re Mike and Tina and Artie?” he murmured. One of the officers who had been talking to Quinn was drifting toward the little group and Kurt was dreading having to answer his questions.
“They’re with Beth,” Finn told him. “Tina nearly ripped Quinn’s head off when she told her they couldn’t come. I’ve never seen her that angry.” He shuddered. “It was scary.” Kurt nodded in sympathy.
“Well, I guess Quinn couldn’t leave her alone with Brittany.” Finn winced a little at the thought and pressed himself against Kurt’s side.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, dude,” he said. “And thanks for taking care of Rachel for me.”
“No problem,” said Kurt.
The police officer finally reached the couch and was standing awkwardly in front of the Pack. He jumped when Brittany drifted up from behind him. The air-headed blond slid to the floor and settled herself back against Kurt’s legs, planting a kiss on the inside of the boy’s knee.
“Santana and Quinn went to talk to Alpha,” she said. Kurt nodded.
“So he’s awake?”
“Noah Puckerman is awake and in stable condition.” Kurt looked up to find the police office standing awkwardly in front of him.. “His…uh…Mate told me to talk to someone named Kurt Hummel?” The officer shifted and cleared his throat. “Which one…?”
“It’s me,” said Kurt. “What can I do for you, Officer Beecher?” He nodded to the name on the man’s badge. Beecher pulled out a small notepad and a pen.
“We just need to get your side of the story, Mr. Hummel” said the man. “We’re going to speak to David Karofsky in a moment, and my partner is talking to Mr.Puckerman, but I was told I should speak to you before Ms. Berry because you’re a higher, uh,” he trailed off, looking uncomfortable.
“Higher rank?” said Kurt kindly.
“Yes.” The officer smiled gratefully and clicked his pen. “Now, let’s just start with the basics.” Kurt nodded and trailed his hand through Rachel’s hair absently, settling the girl as she started to stir in her sleep.
“Name?”
“Kurt Elizabeth Hummel.”
“Age?”
“Seventeen.”
“Species?”
“Werewolf.” The man hesitated, so Kurt went on. “Born, not bitten. Beta rank.”
“Right.” The offer scribbled some more and then paused, taking in the other children as if for the first time. “Would you mind if we spoke alone, Mr. Hummel?”
“Kurt, please,” said the boy. “And I don’t mind.” He did, but extracted himself from his friends anyway, placing Rachel’s head in Mercedes’ lap gently. The girl stirred and her hand shot out to grip Kurt’s as he started to walk.
“Kurt?” she mumbled. Kurt leaned down to plant a quick peck on the girl’s cheek.
“Go back to sleep, honey,” he said softly. “I’ll be back in a second.” She nodded sleepily. Kurt followed the policeman reluctantly away from his Pack. The man stopped them some twenty feet away, where he must have thought they wouldn’t be overheard.
“Why don’t we start at the beginning?” he said. “How do you know David Karofsky.”
“We go to the same school.”
“Are you friends?”
“Oh, no,” Kurt snorted. “He’s one of my most vicious bullies, actually.” Beecher nodded and scribbled the answer down on his tablet.
“Is there particular reason why Mr. Karofsky targets you at school?” Kurt smiled wryly.
“It may have escaped your notice, officer, but I’m gayer than a male lead from the ‘40s,” said Kurt. “And a werewolf, which ironically enough is usually his biggest issue with me.” The Beta shrugged. “He’s also not the only one who doesn’t like it. He’s just the loudest about expressing his opinions.” Beecher nodded, his face softening.
“Alright. Can you tell me in your own words what happened at the school this evening?”
“My friend Rachel and I were leaving a little late after Glee Club because I needed to get a book from my locker.” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest. “There was a wolf outside that I didn’t know, so Rachel and I decided to leave through the back.”
“David Karofsky isn’t part of your pack,” said Beecher, more statement than question. Kurt nodded. “Mmm. Ms. Fabray told us as much. Whose is he with?”
“No one’s.”
“I’m sorry?” Beecher frowned. “I meant, whose pack does he belong to.”
“He doesn’t have one,” said Kurt patiently. “He’s a rogue.” Beecher blinked.
“Oh. How could you, uh, tell? His scent?”
“His mind,” Kurt corrected. “Having a Pack keeps you stable but it-it also limits you just a little. Normally we can’t hear anyone besides our own Pack. Telepathically I mean.” He shrugged. “Alphas and rogues are the exception.”
“Alright,” said Beecher slowly, writing furiously on his pad. So what happened next? You smelled him and then…?”
“Rachel and I were heading to the cafeteria-we were going to leave through the courtyard-when he broke through a window.”
“He jumped in through a window?”
“Yes,” said Kurt, “and he shifted back almost as soon as he hit the floor. I sent Rachel to get help and I tried to keep him calm, but he attacked me. I defended myself and tried to talk to him again, but he shifted and I had to run.”
“How did you defend yourself?”
“He lunged for me and I kneed him in the side,” said Kurt. Beecher’s eyes widened.
“And, no offence, but that hurt him?”
“I’m stronger than I look, sir,” Kurt answered stiffly. The officer chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess you would be,” he acquiesced. “I’m sorry; please continue.”
The man’s partner wandered over a second or two later, giving Kurt a wide berth and eyeing the werewolf with suspicion. Kurt could feel himself bristling as he talked and refused to look anywhere but at the officer kindly prompting him with questions. He managed to get all the way to Puck trying to shift with his collar still on before he was interrupted.
“Wait, what did you mean, he tried to “force-mate” you?” The other man broke in sharply. His name tag said Grayson, and he was glaring steadily at Kurt. “I thought you people had some sort of weird howl thing you did before you had sex?” Kurt barely kept a snarl from escaping his throat. “Always looked fruity in the movies. Lilac fields and what-not.”
“Look,” Kurt snapped. “When a submissive reaches a certain level of maturity, their scent gets stronger, and suitable dominants are drawn to them.” Kurt glared at the man. “The way things normally work, the dominant would give a certain type of howl during a full moon. And if his Mate is scenting, they respond to it.”
“So this Karofsky kid didn’t call you?” the man huffed. “Is that why he was beaten to a pulp?”
“No,” Kurt snarled, and the man flinched. “He tried to force-mate with me.” The two officers looked at him blankly, and Kurt fought to school his voice. “In human vernacular, he tried to rape me.” Beecher balked.
“Jesus,” he spluttered. “But-he-wasn’t he in his wolf form?” Kurt grimaced.
“Yes.”
“So then,” the man looked pale. “He would’ve tried to-”
“Rape me while he was transformed? Trust me,” Kurt shifted his weight. “He tried. Valiantly. I’ve never been so glad to be a Beta in my life. It means I’m stronger,” he added at the man’s questioning look. Beecher nodded and jotted something down. His partner remained unconvinced.
“But that isn’t the same thing as mating, so...?” Kurt shook his head.
“It’s still marking you. It’s still making you submit.” Kurt shifted again, nervously, wishing for the comfort of his Pack. “Sometimes, if you’re a submissive, and you’ve been claimed before you meet your Mate, their wolf rejects you.” Both men frowned at that and Beecher grunted uncomfortably.
“And what happens if their, er, wolf rejects you like that?” he asked.
“Most of the time? You die.” The man balked again, and his partner looked disgusted.
“Die? From rejection? How does that work?” Kurt stared at Grayson, reminding himself that this may have been the first time he’d ever had to deal with werewolf matters.
“They kill you.”
“That’s barbaric,” said Beecher, looking faintly sick. Kurt shrugged.
“I understand,” he said, “But that’s just how it is. If we could change it, we would.” He gestured to his Pack. “It’s not really a choice-it’s part of being a wolf.”
“And that’s why Puckerman got so angry?” asked Grayson. “Because Karofsky could’ve ruined you or whatever?” Kurt bristled but nodded anyway. “Alright. Well, I’ve already taken statements from Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray. We’ll have to get the Berry kid to talk later.” He strode back to where Puck’s mother had arrived and was talking heatedly to the nurses, leaving Beecher and Kurt alone again. The officer gave him a strained smile.
“Thank you for your time, Kurt,” he said earnestly. “You can go back to your friends now. We’ll uh,” he looked at Rachel’s still sleeping form. “We’ll get Ms. Berry’s statement tomorrow, I think.” Kurt nodded.
“Thank you for taking the time to listen,” he said. Beecher nodded gravely. “Goodnight, officer.” Kurt turned to go back to his Packmates when a hand on his shoulder made him pause.
“Wait, Kurt. I just thought,” Beecher’s brow furrowed. “Do you know who it was that turned Mr. Karofsky?” Kurt shook his head.
“No, sir,” he said. “I have no idea.