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For as long as there had been Man kind, there had been Werewolves too.
For the most part it was a peaceful coexistance, Weres did not hunt humans, and were rarely violent to them, save when provocted or protecting their Pups.
Humans for the most part accepted and lived along side their shape shifting friends in peace.
But of course there were some exceptions.
It was highly illegal to hunt werewolves, you were not just killing an animal you were killing a person too.
The penalty for the crime was execution, either by beheading or hanging.
But of course there were some hunters who did not heed the law and hunted weres none the less, after all with their hunting being illegal it made their pelts very expensive and poachers such as these would do practically anything to obtain the skin of a were since they could almost name their own price on it`s sale.
In a rural comunitee like Lupiac d'Artagnan had never had to worry about the threat of poachers while in his shift.
The last time a Were had been poached within the boaders of their comunitee had been a good thirty years ago!.
Poachers tended to stay near cities where more Weres could be found, while they could transform at any time, under the light of a full moon they had no choice and the streets and outskirts would have dozens of Weres running around.
Packs of course stuck together to make merry and to hunt, courting mates would steal off together to spend time under the light of Moon, grooming one another, nuzzeling snouts, and if they were keen to risk the displeasure of their Primary Alpha, they would also mate.
Solitary Weres would keep away from the packs and the couples, one could only enter a pack by invitation, to do otherwise was to risk the wrath of the Primary Alpha whom would have every right to exact their fury upon them.
After all it was the Primary Alphas job to protect his pack, and another Were trying to force their way into the pack could threaten the security and health of the Weres he was responsible for.
Athos was no different in his devotion to his small pack than any other Primary Alpha, he cared for Aramis and Porthos with a fierce passion both in and out of his shift.
Perhaps too fiercely since the new edition to the Musketeer unit had opted to stay away from their during this full moon.
Since he had come storming into the garrison several weeks before demanding a duel to the death to avenge his Aphan, only to end up helping Aramis and Porthos save Athos`s life since he had been set up for the crimes which included the Gascon Alpha Alexandre d'Artagnan, the young Omega Charles d'Artagnan had managed to worm his way into Athos`s heart and the hearts of Aramis and Porthos
They had spent much time together both training and off duty in the taverns forming the start of a friendship that could easily blossom into something more.
That being said, they had not yet spent time together in their shifts.
A mistake that Athos now regretted as the full moon rose in the sky and his shift took over.
d'Artagnan was new to Paris, he had grown up in the country and knew nothing of the dangers of poachers while in his shift.
As he was likly to still be grieving for his lost Aphan the Pup would not be paying attention to his surrounds which would make him easy pray to the sadistic poachers who would shoot him and start to skin him before his body had even cooled.
The desire to protect d'Artagnan, to let the Omega know he was welcome within their pack was shared by Aramis and Porthos aswell as Athos, and not just because d'Artagnan was an Omega and there for able to breed, but because they genuinely liked him and wanted him to become kin with them aswell as a friend.
As his shift completed and Athos stood on all fours and shook out his thick tan coat, flexing his cream paws in the earth beneath them.
He gave a sharp bark that called the attention of his pack mates.
Within moments a very large wolf with a mahogany coat and a scarred eye was by Athos`s side, followed a second later by a smaller and leaner wolf with a dark chestnut coat and a white muzzle and belly.
Both Aramis and Porthos greeted Athos happily, touching noses and playfully batting their paws at his side to try and draw himself in rough housing before they took off to hunt.
Athos however raised his paws and growled, telling his pack that they would not be playing, they had serious work to do.
Twitched his nose and making growls that mutters that sounded like gibberish to Beta humans, Athos informed Aramis and Porthos that they would searching for d'Artagnan this night, to protect the Omega from harm, and to offer him the chance to join their pack.
Porthos immediately growled his approval of this plan, his hind legs tensing in eagerness to run and start to search out the Pup,
Aramis cocked his head at Athos, his golden/brown eyes searching the blue/grey eyes of the Primary Alpha before nudged his nose into Athos`s muzzle and growled his agreement.
With Athos in the lead the pack headed to the Beta home of the Bonacieux`s, sniffing out d'Artagnan`s scent and picking up a trail to follow the Pup to wherever he had run off to.
D'Artagnan was only just out of Puppyhood, he was fully grown now, and was a long legged very lean wolf of a jet black pelt, silver paws and belly.
His face was very sharp almost fox like with the narrow shape of his muzzle, complete with warm chocolate brown eyes that constantly darted about the open green of the fields outside Paris, where he had fled in a need to escape the confines of the city.
In the open land his wolfs soul felt freer but his heart still ached from the loss of his Aphan, he could not run and frolic as he would normally do under the Moon.
The sounds of other wolves, other packs running free under the silver/white light of the Moon made d'Artagnan want to weep with grief.
He recalled many long nights with his Aphan in Lupiac, hunting, playing, grooming one another.
While he might have grumbled and growled about being pulled by his scruff from what ever game it was he had been playing d'Artagnan had actually enjoyed having his Aphan groom him, the heavy warm strokes of his tongue had been both soothing and comforting to the young wolf, as much as the times they had snuggled against each other to sleep.
Whimpering a little d'Artagnan lay down on his belly in the grass letting tears roll down his nose in grief for his beloved Aphan.
Would he ever again feel the loving touch of an Alpha?, would he ever again know the warmth and devotion of a pack?, or would he spend the rest of his life as a solitary wolf, condemned to forever be alone and yearn for what could not be his.
Resting his nose on his paws d'Artagnan continued to snuffle with tears wondering if this pain he felt would ever pass when a scent upon the wind caught his attention, making him look up from his impromtue nest to snuff the air more.
There was not just one scent upon it but three distinct scents that he recognized, Athos, Aramis, and Porthos.
Immediately his tail started to wag, the desire for companionship almost over riding the fear of an Alphas wrath, however as the three wolves came into view in the distance d'Artagnan held in his desire to run straight over to them and sat back on his haunches watching the small pack as the three Alpha wolves drew closer.
His heart began to beat faster as he realized that they were heading his way, were openly seeking him!, unable to help himself d'Artagnan rose up on his long legs and gave a cheerful bark with his tail wagging so hard his backside was shaking with it!.
His joy increased ten fold as he received three answering barks and a welcoming howl from Porthos urrging him to join them.
d'Artagnan sprang forward as if his legs were coiled springs!, he bounded through the grass with his tongue lolling out over joyed to be receiving invitation by the pack before him, to be welcomed to share this Moon with them, so happy was he that he did not notice the danger lurking in the trees behind him until it was nearly too late.
A pained howl escaped d'Artagnan`s lips as a bullet skimmed his right shoulder making him stumble and fall to the ground panting and shaking.
His ear flattened against his head as more shots were fired, the balls hitting the earth near where he lay letting him know that if he moved, or if he stayed he was a target for the poachers.
Uncertain what to do, and feeling like his shoulder was on fire, d'Artagnan whimpered and lay as flat as he could in the grass, his ears pricking up as Athos gave an ordering bark that told him to remain where he was while he, Aramis, and Porthos dealt with the Poachers.
Athos charged for the poachers head on deliberately making himself a target for their bullets while Aramis and Porthos moved in from the sides, keeping the bodies low to the ground and moving as silently as the wind on the unsuspecting duo that had decided to try their luck on getting a Weres pelt.
Athos let out a savage roar at the poachers leaping high into the air letting the bullets nearly hit his flanks as he made himself the perfect diversion, and fell dramatically to the ground laying still and low as if he were mortally wounded, taking the Poachers off guard which was just the moment Porthos and Aramis were waiting for.
The moment they stepped out to retrieve their kills Aramis and Porthos pounced.
The fight did not last long, Betas were no match for enraged Alpha Wolves, the weak flesh at their throats easily tore out, their soft skin shredding under the lethal claws of the wolves as they leaped upon them, forcing them down into the ground and slaying them far more swiftly and humanely than they deserved.
Once Athos was certain the danger was past he rose to his feet and shook his coat, barking to Aramis and Porthos to join and go to tend d'Artagnan.
The Pup was laying on his belly in the grass, panting for the pain from his wound, and the fear that was making his lean body shake.
On trembling legs he rose to his feet making to bare his throat to Athos as a Primary Alpha, however Athos immediately stopped him from doing by nipping gently at the young wolfs muzzle getting a puzzled look from d'Artagnan that made Athos`s battered old heart sing with affection.
Aramis and Porthos were swiftly at their sides, Porthos head butting and nuzzeling d'Artagnan as boistrous in greeting as he was in human form!, Aramis, ever the romantic gave d'Artagnan`s whiskers a chaste lick! almost grinning at the warning growl he received from Athos for doing so!, but he went from there to seeing to the wound on d'Artagnan`s shoulder making a crooning noise in his throat as he sniffed and gently licked at the wound.
Thankfully while it was painful, the wound was shallow and would not require more than a bandage come sun up.
Athos gently rubbed his nose against d'Artagnan`s making soothing noises in his throat to calm the jumpy Pup and get him to lay back down so Aramis could lick clean the wound, d'Artagnan gave a slightly startled huff as Porthos flopped down beside him, warming his body with his bulk while Aramis tenderly licked at his shoulder soothing the pain and making him feel safe and warm in the comforting presence of the pack.
As Aramis finished cleaning his shoulders he nudged d'Artagnan`s head playfully and nipped at his ear, happily rubbing his nose into d'Artagnan questioning face making the Omega yip happily and nuzzle him back, Porthos gave a satified huff and nudged his head against d'Artagnan`s side while Athos sat down happily watching his pack bonding with the young Omega.
Porthos went hunting and brought back a buck for the pack to consume between them, all three Alphas astonishing d'Artagnan by the fact they made sure he had largest portion of the meat, Athos actually growled when he first made move to leave the kill, urging him to eat more before letting the Omega pad off to wash his face and enjoy the rest of the night.
With his leg still hurting and his belly feeling very full from the amount of meat he had eaten, d'Artagnan felt too lethargic to run around and instead settled down in the grass almost jumping out of his fur when the three Alphas joined him and began to share in pack grooming with him.
d'Artagnan could have wept with joy as he gently licked from head to foot, his fur cleaned and arranged how the Alphas wanted it to look, grateful and happier than he had been since his Aphans murder d'Artagnan happily shared in the grooming, licking the Alphas and getting fond huff of affection, even a paw on his nose from Porthos!.
After he had finished helping Athos to wash, d'Artagnan happily settled to sleep, his eyes closing with a smile on his face as Athos lay beside him nestled against his side, Aramis and Porthos close to them comfortable and content.
When the dawn came the four wolves roused sleepily, making their way back to Paris and Athos`s apartments where they shifted back into human form, the Alphas dressing in the own clothes, while d'Artagnan was leant a pair of breeches and a shirt from Athos for the time being.
Aramis once again checked his shoulder before wrapping it in a clean bandage and telling d'Artagnan to keep it clean and dry while it healed.
"Thank you, for last night" d'Artagnan said as he played with the sleeves of his too large shirt, "If you had`nt been there......."
"We were and you are going to be fine" Athos breathed drawing d'Artagnan closer to him not keen on letting the Omega leave his side anytime soon, "I am sorry we had not made our intentions to welcome you into our pack plain before last night, had we done so your injury may have been avoided"
"It`s not your fault" d'Artagnan exclaimed shaking head urrgently "And you had no reason to open your pack to me!, you owe me nothing!"
"I owe you my life" Athos corrected cupping d'Artagnan`s face in his hands and smiling at him "But more than that, we want you to join our pack, to become kin with us", 'and perhaps in the future more' he silently added in his mind
"Would you like to join our pack?, to be pack mates with us aswell as friends?" Aramis asked breaking into a wide smile as d'Artagnan eagerly nodded with tears of joy shining in his eyes
"Yes please!, I would love to be part of your Pack ever so much".