Protecting Each Other
AU: Human
CW: Violence, none of our boys are injured though, cages
WC: 1,473
Date: 12/4/2023
Roman jerked awake, eyes flying open as he desperately attempted to figure out his surroundings. He couldn't remember anything that happened, or really who he was, until it slowly started coming back in pieces. He had been out hunting for food, looking for something to share with his pack. He had gotten caught. Roman's eyes focused as he looked around the cage he was in, metal bars surrounding his sides with a hard wooden floor and ceiling. The cage was big enough for his wolf form, which he was currently in, and the bars were close enough together that if he shifted to his human form, he still wouldn't be able to escape. Did they know? Were his captors aware of what he was? He had always done his best not to reveal the secrets of his kind, but that didn't mean everyone else was.
He let out a soft snarl, wondering if it was his dumbass brother who had caused the secret to be leaked. Remus had already told a witch of the existence of werewolves and Roman wouldn't be surprised if he had blabbed to others. It was infuriating, it was aggravating, and worst of all, Roman was scared. Sure he wouldn't admit it to anyone except his pack, but he was terrified these monsters hadn't just captured him, but had tracked down his mates, his loves. If Logan and Patton were also in danger because of his choices, he'd never forgive himself. He was their protector after all. Patton was far too kind to hurt anyone including someone who might have hurt other people. Logan on the other hand, hadn't been blessed with the strength or size of a great wolf. Sure he was still larger than a dog by any stretch of the imagination, but his wolf form was easily dwarfed by any other wolf much less any other werewolf. Roman was the protector. He was the strongest. He wasn't afraid of a fight. What was he going to do if the two of them got hurt?
He fought the whimper that was lingering in his throat, curling up tighter as he looked around. He truly had no escape. At least he wasn't moving. The area surrounding him was dark but he could see well enough. There were other caged animals and creatures, most of them asleep, most of them not looking well, and there were clipboards snapped to their cages. Maybe they didn't know he was a werewolf, maybe they thought he was a regular. Roman could see his clipboard dangling on his cage. Maybe if he turned human, he could look at what it said, if they spoke the same language he did. Was it worth being caught in his human form to chance it? What would it change about his situation? Roman began to pace, trying to figure out what his next move was when he heard a howl ripple through the night. His name was being cried to the moon in Patton's soft melodic tone and Roman wasn't sure if he should respond. Doing so could mean his rescue but it could also mean putting Patton in danger. A second howl echoed through the night, still far off but just as clear, Logan was there too.
Roman couldn't help it, his own howl built in his throat, tearing through his mouth as he matched their cries, calling to them and letting them know where he was.
"Shut it you mangy mutt!" He heard someone yell and although that wasn't proof that his captors thought of him as nothing but a wolf, it seemed to be leaning that way. If that was the case, maybe they could be tricked by him. Roman's breath quickened. Maybe he could get out. Rearing up the best he could, he started digging at the wood ceiling, fighting to weaken the confines of his cage. If Patton or Logan came he wanted to make it easier for them to break him out, easier for them to crash through the wood that was keeping him locked in.
"I said shut up!" The man yelled again, a torch lighting up the space. Roman watched some of the other creatures flinch and recoil from the light, some of them going still from fear but he wouldn't bow. He snarled at the man in front, teeth bared. This man had dared to take him from his family, from his pack, and he wasn't going to have any of that. He was going to get back to Logan and Patton. He was going to protect them.
The man slammed a metal bar against Roman's cage, the ringing like needles against his ears. Roman pinned them down, shrinking lower, ready to pounce. He didn't want Logan and Patton coming into this, they were together but they could still get hurt, maybe he could just take a bit out of the man, if he could find a way to hurt this person just a little bit....
The other animals began chittering and making noise and Roman heard a growl that was unfamiliar to his ear. He and the man both looked back at the same time, wondering who or what had interrupted enough to cause a commotion. It was Patton. His large silhouette shone against the moonlight but Logan wasn't behind him. No, no, no, Patton could get hurt, Patton wasn't a fighter.
At least, that's what Roman thought, but he was immediately proven wrong as Patton bound forward and with one paw tossed the man into one of the other cages, his head hitting the bars. He lay limply on the floor and Roman's eyes grew wide. Patton had done that, Patton had just done something that Roman didn't think was possible. In one movement he had knocked out another man, a human, a sentient being.
"Roman, my love," Patton's voice pulled him back, a now naked human form standing at the bars. "Logan is taking out the others," Patton had the key—he had grabbed it from Roman's tormentor but it was all such a blur. "We're going to get you out, we're going to get you home, but I have to rescue the others."
He wasn't ready to also return to a human form, feeling far more secure in his large wolf form, but he tilted his head in question.
Patton gestured to the other cages and of course, Roman should have known that Patton intended to free the other creatures who were being held captive. He had just been so stunned by Patton's sudden violence, not that it was bad, it was just, unlike him. The cage door swung open and Roman walked out, sticking close to Patton's side until another world ran in. Logan's thin lanky form was quick to come up to Roman and the two of them nuzzled against each other. They were together, they would be safe.
"I should kill him for hurting you," Patton said, anger and disappointment in his voice. "How dare he?" But Patton made no move to hurt anyone else. As soon as the rest of the cages were open, Patton turned to Roman, looking him over and sighing softly. "You're okay? Like really okay?"
The concern and care in Patton's voice helped pull Roman out of his thoughts and into his human form. He nodded vigorously, throwing himself at his other boyfriend. "I'm okay," He whispered, "I'm really okay."
The hug between the two of them was crushing, a tight embrace as if they might be able to become one person by just keeping the other close enough. Logan clearing his throat was the only thing to separate the two of them. "As much as I would appreciate joining this hug and reunion, we need to get out of here. Remus is pissed that you were taken and he and his betrotheds are planning on exacting their revenge."
Roman's eyes grew wide, "Good Hera, that is not going to go well for anyone."
Patton shook his head no. "So we're going to lead the animals out of here, then Logan and I are going to take care of you and make sure you're alright." Roman was touched, although he was a bit shaken up by being captured, he was physically fine. He didn't need his loves to worry about him so deeply, but their care made him feel loved.
"Alright," he whispered, “Let’s go." He began to shift into his wolf form, watching as the other two did the same. Once they were all shifted, they started to run, out of the human encampment and back into the forest that was home. Roman let out a shaky sigh. He was okay, he was safe. He was once again with his loves. This time, he hadn't needed to be the hero, they had saved him.
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