To Kill a Wolf Walker || Klance

the pack

A/N: Hi!👋 I'm not dead! Just lazy and still kinda sick. But it's finally here! Chapter three! Yay! Okay, I'll let you read now.

C/W: Language. Damn, I've mellowed out compared to my last story...

Lance awoke to sun shining in his face, his eyes blinking rapidly before he finally sat up. He was in a bed, soft blankets keeping him warm and comfortable. He slowly took in his surroundings, noticing a closed door leading to a bigger area.

He got out of bed, the place was well-built, appearing to be a traditional home back in the village where Lance grew up. His bare feet touched the floorboards, Lance looked around for his shoes. After putting his shoes on, he made his way carefully to the door, moving as quickly and quietly as possible.

He grabbed the handle and swung the door open, peeking out to see if anyone was there, and two violet eyes stared right back at him. Lance let out a little yelp of surprise, not expecting someone to be waiting for him, let alone Mullet.

After regaining his composure, Lance fully opened the door, walking out with chin held high, but the next thing that happened caught him off-guard.

"You snore, loudly." Lance's jaw slightly hung open, well, he wasn't expecting that. 

Lance snapped his jaw shut, scowling at the guy. "Where the hell am I? And I do not snore, Mullet Head."

Mullet tipped his head to the side, the action more animal than human. "Mullet Head?" He sounded genuinely confused.

"Yeah, ya know, because of your hair...?" Lance trailed off as Pretty Boy reached a hand up to his hair, fingers running through it with a slight frown on his face. And damn, if it wasn't one f the cutest things Lance has ever seen.

"I like my hair..." It was barely auditable, little more than a whisper of defense. Lance couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing, hands clutching his stomach as he bent over at the waist.

"Whatever!" Mullet snapped at Lance. "Anyways, are you a hunter?" Lance stopped laughing, straightening to look at the guy. What did he mean? Obviously Lance was a hunter, he was out in the woods hunting the guy, for crying out loud! 

When Lance took too long to answer, the guy spoke up, mistaking Lance's confusion for hesitation. "Hunters have tried to use Innocents as bait before, thinking we'd actively hunt you humans. Other than that spear, you had no weapons on you, and no mask, either. You reeked of fear and don't look like a killer. I thought you were another Innocent, which is why I brought you here." 

No. That can't be right. Why would the Garrison use people as bait? Did Pidge know about this? No, she couldn't have, she would have told Lance and Hunk if she did. Was this guy serious? Lance needed to answer. This could be a test, but...the guy seemed genuine. And Lance could use this to his advantage if he played his cards right.

"No, I'm not a hunter." No turning back now. Mullet seemed to relax at that, his expression softening. "What's your name? You didn't tell me last night when you...rescued me."

"Oh, Keith. You?" Looked like he was a man of few words, straight to the point, doesn't waste time. 

"The name's Lance," he said with his signature smile and finger guns. Mullet - sorry, Keith - blushed and turned away, clearing his throat. 

"Right, well Lance...are you scared of wolf walkers?" The question whipped the smile off Lance's face, the memory it brought back making him look at his feet. 

"When I was younger, a wolf walker took my sister and killer her," Lance said with more venom in his voice than intended. He looked up to see Keith shaking his head and standing up.

"No, we don't steal and kill people. We would never. Have never. If someone took your sister, it's because she's one of us." The world tilted, Lance was surprised we was even able to stand.

"What." More order than question. He was lying. No fucking way V was a wolf walker. Lance would have known...right?     

Keith looked at him, sympathy on his face. "Who is she? Your sister. What's her name?"

"Veronica."

"You're V's brother? She sometimes talks about her family, I remember her mentioning a brother named Lance," Keith paused, seeming almost hesitant to continue, "if you want, I could take you to her?" Only Lance and his family called her by her nickname. The only way Keith could know it is if...she really is alive. Lance nodded his head, not wanting to get his hopes up, but nonetheless followed Keith out the main door.

There was an entire village jutting out to the edge of a strait between snowcapped mountains with lush forests at their bases. The village was well-built, clusters of homes and wide streets, plenty of farmland, too. People were everywhere, milling about, bartering, working. They looked...happy. Were they all wolf walkers? 

Keith chuckled from beside Lance, he turned his head to see Keith with a fond smile on his face looking at Lance. The blue-eyed boy blushed, turning his head away.

"This is the village where we live. And yes; all these people are wolf walk, and no; we're not the monsters you're lead to believe. We're born humans, but have the ability to look like wolves. Why does your government hate us so for it?" Keith raised his eyebrow in question, looking at Lance for an answer.

"All I know is what they told us."

"And what is that, exactly?"

"That you're bloodthirsty beasts that can look like people and are supposed to be sane, but you also have magic, which drove you mad. That you live in the woods somewhere, hunting the forest animals and taking humans who wander too close to the edge. Which is what happened to my sister," Lance added pointedly.

Keith frowned, looking at the ground before looking up at the people and homes. "Do we look bloodthirsty? What about those pups playing over there," Keith pointed at a group of kids playing on a hill, "do they look like killers? We have families, just as you do. We build homes and have a leader, just as you do. We farm and yes, we do hunt some animals from the forest and rivers, just as you do. But we're the monsters for being able to change our appearance?"

Lance looked around, at a mother teaching her son how to gather eggs from a chicken coop, at kids running through the street playing tag, at the man bartering a basket, at fishermen docking boats and hauling in their nets, at people smiling and laughing and talking and playing, at people. Lance looked at the ground, confusion and shame washing over him. 

There were transgender people in the villages and town-propper, they changed their appearances if they wished. But...they weren't hunted and killed because they still looked like people. People that you knew and talked to and understood. 

"Here we are," Keith said as he stopped in front of a house, "this is where your sister lives with her girlfriend, Acxa, who is a close friend of mine." Keith knocked quickly before entering and saying "Coming in!" 

Lance followed him in, not knowing what to expect. He walked into laughter and the smell of stew cooking over the hearth. Sitting on the couch was a Galra woman with short cornflower hair and pastel blue skin, a steaming cup of tea in her hands and a smile on her face.

And next to her? Next to her was a woman with olive-brown skin with cappuccino and chestnut wavy hair. She wore half-rim thin black glasses in a rectangular shape. Her eyes were an honest blue, muted and gentle, eyes that conveyed emotion, that showed intelligence behind her soft exterior. Next to her was a grown-up version of a little girl that Lance played with when they were kids, a girl who he looked up to, a girl who was taken by a wolf walker. Next to her was his sister.

"Veronica?" Lance choked out, barely ably to hold back the sob, his tears. His sister stood up, hand over her mouth as she walked forward until she was right in front of him.

"Lance?" The siblings stared t each other a second before rushing forward and embracing with a tight hug. A hug that said 'I missed you,' a hug that said 'I'm not letting you go,' a hug that said 'I'm sorry.'

"V, who's this?" The Couch Galra asked, standing up too, now. She walked over to Veronica's side, placing a hand on the small of V's back.

"Acxa, this is Lance, one of my brothers. Lance, this is Acxa, my girlfriend." 

"I know. Keith told me," Lance said while whipping years from his cheeks. "Is it true, V? Are you a wolf walker?" Veronica looked down at the ground, then up at Acxa and Keith before facing Lance again.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Her chin was held high, not ashamed one bit about it.

"How could you not tell me?!"

"Because she didn't know." Keith interrupted, walking to Lance's side with two steaming cups of tea, handing one to Lance and keeping the other for himself. "You can only turn once you hit puberty. It starts with elongated canines, maybe some glowing eyes, nails turning into claws, wolf-like sounds like yelping or whimpering when in pain. If someone shows these traits, then the pack leader sends someone from the pack to bring them here before your people kill them. Or worse."

Lance didn't know what to say, but what Keith said triggered a memory. "Pack leader. You said you had one, who are they?"

"Me. Everyone here is in my pack, my responsibility, and I'm their Alpha," Keith said with pride. "V, the Garrison used Lance as bait for their hunt last night. He's another Innocent." Veronica gasped and looked at Lance, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Even better now that I know you're alive, though," Lance said with a small reassuring smile. "I really should be heading back. But...maybe we can catch up first?" Lance asked hopefully.

"Of course! Come, sit." The four moved to the couch to drink their tea. Acxa got bowls and they each had some beef and barley stew with fresh vegetables from their garden out back behind their house. Acxa pulled some fresh bread out of the oven and cut it into slices, laying out some butter on the table in front of the couch.

It was getting late, and Lance didn't how far from the Garrison the village was. Maybe Keith could give him a ride. "This was nice, and thank you for saving me, Keith, but...I should be getting back. My friends must be worried."

"Are you sure? You could live here, you know," Veronica said. "The other Innocents do, you could, too!"

"What do you mean they live here? Are they also wolf walkers?"

"No, but after they saw the village and realized they were lied to, they wanted to stay. They knew they could never return, but they chose to stay. They became part of the pack." Keith looked at Lance, waiting for his reaction to Keith's offer.

"Oh..." 

"So, what do you say, Lance? Will you join the pack?"

Word count: 1839

A/N: Finally! Third chapter is finished! Hope you liked it!

I don't really have a planned updating schedule, I kind f just do it whenever. I'm almost over this cold, though, so hopefully I'll be updating sooner. But please don't hold me to it. I truely don't know.

Anyways, hope you all have a great night/day!

-TJ.