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The house was quiet and still.

Usually, there would be some sort of chatter or noise to be heard, maybe Papa would be watching TV with Damon and Hagen.

But it was just quiet now, the only sounds I didn't dare ignore were their steady hearts beating.

It was long past midnight and the house a wreck.

There were claw marks in the walls, the paint that'd missed its target now splattered everywhere and some green bubbling in some corners.

The only reason more damage hadn't been done was because it was now officially the first ceasefire.

Fear tried to claw its way into my chest but I push it away, holding my anger tight.

I needed to do this. For Mr. Fluff.

M-Maybe we shouldn't d-

I say cutting off Joseph before he could finish his sentence.

He tries to reason, his panic seeping its way into my veins.

I loved Joseph but if I listened to him anymore, I'd lose my nerve and turn around and I couldn't do that.

I whisper sadly before I push him away from my consciousness.

He goes with a whine that makes my heart shatter but doesn't fight me. I force myself to take in deep slow breaths to push through the new hurt before I continue walking towards the door at the end of the hall.

It may be a ceasefire, but it didn't matter at this point. They didn't deserve rest.

With my hand on the doorknob, I release the tension from my muscles and tap into the fear that always ran rampant in my veins for a moment.

I would need it for this to work.

The moment I open the door and step inside, Papa sits up with a large, paintball gun trained on me.

"P-Papa," My voice trembles as I raise my hands in surrender. They were shaking as well as I looked down the barrel aimed at my head.

"Peter, what are you doing?" Papa asked through clenched teeth, his eyes full of suspicion that refused to leave.

"Papa," I try again but he only tightens his hold on the gun.

"There's no papa in this war Peter," Papa says clearly, his eyes leaving me for a split second to check the space behind me. "What is this? Julian wouldn't let you leave his side unless this was a trick."

"I-It's not a t-t-trick," I say through a whimper, tears running down my face as I try to take a step forward.

My foot barely shoots forward before Papa pulls the trigger, the paint barely swiping past the edge of my ear. When it meets the wall behind me with a loud bang, I fall into a small ball on the ground and cry.

"Peter, I love you but I'm not stupid," Papa says, but his voice wasn't as mean as before. "If you don't leave, the next one will have to find you."

Shaking on the floor, my entire body freezes naturally under the weight of not just my father, but my alpha. My genes crippling me from listening to his instructions.

I say through our link, my pure terror keeping me from doing anything physical beyond shake on the floor.

"You picked your side, Peter," Papa replies quickly. "If you're scared, go find your father."

I reply through a sob I couldn't help as I crumbled on the floor.

Papa falters at those words, his response not coming as quickly as before as his eyes continue to dig into me.

I wanted to fall through the floor and hide.

I say, filling the silence he left for an explanation.

Papa would know exactly what I meant, it was what was happening now. The anger that came through him and Papa as alpha made me weak with the need to ease it by submitting my wolf.

It was something I'd lived with all my life and couldn't stop, no matter how much dad tried to train me. And it didn't only happen around alphas, anyone who was very strong, angry and close by.

Papa and Dad tried to ease it for me by being careful with their emotions around me and Damon did the same as best as he could. But now in this prank war, everyone was on edge and I couldn't function under it all.

It was why I couldn't do anything but cry on the floor, trying to make myself as small as possible.

Papa says sympathetically through the link, his aggression easing back for me. I can't let you stay.

I sob and manage to lift my head enough to see his face contorted in pain.

Papa looks at me with the same suspicion he held when I first stepped inside, except now there was sadness there as well and the paintball gun in his hands lowered just a bit.

"I-I'm s-scared P-Papa," I barely managed after several attempts, but the words were barely coherent with my sobs riding them.

My heart was racing impossibly fast with the silence that lingered between Papa and me, the room stiff and depressing the more whimpers and sobs fell from me. I didn't think I could even get up if Papa told me to leave again, I couldn't even keep my head.

"I'm going to regret this aren't I," Papa says with a sigh. I raise my eyes in time to see Papa standing to his feet. He eats up the space between us with wide, quick strides before he squats down to look at me, the gun still tucked beneath his arm. "Let's get these tears cleaned up and then try and get you some shut-eye."

"R-Really?" I ask and he nods with a small smile.

"Yeah, even if this is a trick I know you're scared inside," He says kindly, his hand coming up to rub over my head gently. "I don't like seeing you like this."

I stare at papa with widening eyes, a pang of guilt hitting my chest before it spread quickly like an infection. Before I can try to say something in response, papa picks me up with little effort and leads me to his and dad's massive bed.

It'd been a while since I slept with dad and papa, but when I was really scared they still let me join them no matter what time it was. They always let me sleep in the middle so I knew I was safe.

I crawl into bed and papa tucks me in before he goes to the bathroom, my heart lurches as he does but he comes back just as quickly as he left with a small washcloth in hand. The only light in the room was from the bathroom but I could still see his every movement as he sat on the edge beside me.

"You're sweating," Papa explains when I look at the damp cloth with confused eyes, "...like a lot."

I shiver when the cold fabric meets my skin, a smooth chill cascading through me as papa gently runs it over my skin. He smiles softly at me as he pats it gently to my forehead and then to my neck.

"I guess we really should've let you be the referee," Papa says with a sad chuckle, but it made me smile a little. "How about when this is all done, we play a few games of that dancing game you like? Hmmm?"

"J-Just D-Dance," I say and he nods quickly, "Y-You l-like it m-more t-than me."

"So you got jokes now huh?" Papa challenges though he was smiling brighter now. I tug the bedsheet up closer to hide from him but there was still a smile on my lips to match his. "Okay, try to get some sleep, Peter. I'll wake you up just before you the ceasefire ends so you can get back to your side."

When Papa makes a move to step away, I take hold of the back of his shirt wanting to ask him to stay with me. I always slept best when I wasn't alone.

I hated being alone.

"That's a no," Papa says with an amused chuckle, "I'm about 120% sure this is a trick, so I'm not going to make it worse by following everything you say."

Papa leans down and presses a soft kiss to my head, his eyes kind and loving before he steps away and heads to the thick armchair beside the window. It was on the opposite side of the room but positioned in a way papa could see the door and me.

I turn onto my side to face papa as he sits down into the seat and melts into it, his body going lax in the comfortable furniture. He releases one loud satisfied groan before he shifts a bit more and aims his gun at me making my heart race.

"A precaution," He says with a wink, "Night Peter."

"N-Night papa," I say and force myself to close my eyes.

I was tired. This day had begun so nicely, we had breakfast altogether with Jayson and everyone got along, Damon barely made mean comments to him and papa was smiling the entire time. I thought it would be a happy day I could end by finishing the book series I was tackling this week, Middle of Somewhere.

Instead, it had twisted to one full of terror and chaos that made me shake more than usual. Everyone was fighting and yelling, and even though they were all having fun, I just wanted to read my books and be nice to each other.

Exhaustion tried to coax me into the peaceful world that slumber promised, but I had to put a lot of strength and effort into denying myself that pleasure. I'd already made it halfway through the plan and couldn't afford to sleep now.

A picture of a shaved, shaking Mr.Fluff bolsters my resolve immediately. This would be done and by my hand.

Settling into the anger, I let my heartrate settle slowly being sure not to rush the process. Too fast and he'd know, too slow and he'd wait. I shift, opening my eyes to peek at papa enough times that he had to give me a glare telling me to sleep.

I take my time, letting myself actually follow the endearing ballad of sleep, keeping myself at the edge but never allowing myself to fall over.

I feign sleeping with as best as I can, relaxing my muscles and not entertaining a spec of doubt, if I did it would send my heart racing and it would fall apart. It takes time, but soon papa relaxes some, becoming more comfortable with my presence.

It takes almost an hour before he finally falls asleep under the weight of his exhaustion and the soothing silence that filled the entire house.

I try to open my eyes but they refuse to, a thin pressure keeping them sealed in place. Before I can let panic form, the taste of magic tickles my nose purposefully and sneaks into my system to keep me from panicking.

Nikola.

I didn't know why he was stopping me, but I didn't fight him knowing he wouldn't risk upsetting Hagen by betraying us in any way. Another hour passes in silence and the stifling presence of his magic before it eases away and I open my eyes without issue.

My eyes immediately lock on a sleeping papa, his entire body slouched into the armchair, his head propped on his arm with his mouth hanging open for flies.

He was faking it before, he's asleep now - Nikola's voice says in my mind as I sit up with slow, calculated movements.

I slowly pull the sheet from over my body, moving without a single sound for even wolf ears to pick up one. If I made a single sound too loud, then this would be over and I'd find a paint bullet bruising my skin.

When my toes touch the cool tiles beneath the bed, I reach a hand out into the free air and struggle to keep a smile down when a bottle is placed into it. I barely catch a glimpse of the open void closing as Nikola and his magic parts from the room, his role here was done and I knew he wouldn't go a step further.

I breathe through my nose, keeping it steady and soft as I step off the bed with my eyes pinned on papa. Papa continues to sleep, his breathing steady even with the gun resting in his arms. It was long past the ceasefire but dad held back our side knowing my intentions and Jayson and Josey were too traumatized to pick themselves up without papa.

I thought Damon may come before the time, but dad must've taken care of him because it was still just me and papa.

As I make my way to papa, I carefully uncap the warm, water bottle in my hand, preparing for the worse. I moved on the tips of my toes, never letting my feet rest fully on the floor as I circle papa in the armchair and came into the space behind it so I was looking down at him.

I take in a steady breath and lift the bottle, letting the pee run from it and onto papa's face.

Papa immediately jolts awake, but it was too late, it had already gotten into his mouth and now into his open eyes and he pulled at the trigger of the gun in natural reflex. The bullets sprayed across where I was sleeping only moments ago before he dropped the gun and spun to look at me.

He opens his mouth to say something before his tastebuds finally pick up on what exactly I'd poured onto him, and his face immediately crumples into an expression of true express of disgust and horror.

"I-Is that...." He starts but stops as he sniffs and his entire body goes rigid. "Is that f-fucking pee?! D-Did you pee on me?!"

I wasn't sure if it was a fear of papa's, I didn't think it was but I knew one thing he mentioned as the worse thing a wolf could do to another was to pee on their bed. The only thing I could imagine that was worst than that would be to pee on the wolf themselves and since papa couldn't find it in himself to focus on the now empty bottle, he thought I did exactly that.

Papa seems to malfunction as he swipes a hand on his face, trying to get it off before he realises it was in his hair, clothes and skin. It was all over him and a heavy cry of panic escapes him as that fact settles in.

I don't waste a moment while he's vulnerable, throwing the bottle in his face before I slide across the floor to take hold of his dropped gun. I twist it to him, raising the gun to my face to look into the scope just as my finger curls around the trigger and I squeeze.

A rainbow explodes against papa's chest and arms making him roar in pain making my entire body seize up with panic, but my finger was locked into place and the rainbow continued to escape the fridges of the machine that shook against my face.

I didn't let up, and papa dove for cover but I followed his movements with the gun. Letting my instincts kick into gear as I search for more ammo, it wouldn't be long before I'd need to reload.

The majority of the bullets found papa as he scrambled to escape my view, only reaching the end of the bed when his entire body was an expression of red, blue, orange and pink, covering any potential bruises.

I ease my finger off the trigger, not wanting to waste my ammo while I search frantically for more.

"Peter!" Dad yells, his voice cracking with his panic. "What the fuck happened to being scared, Peter?"

"You did this!" I yell back while I grab a pack of paintballs that rested beside the chair papa sat on, tearing it open with my teeth before uncapped the lid and pouring them all in.

"You're the nice one, Peter!" Papa yells back making Joseph whine softly. "You're the nice shitbag!"

"Then you shouldn't have touched Mr.Fluff!" I scream back with a roar of my own but it came out softer than I wanted.

"Mr.Fluff?" Papa says with confusion I ignore as I stand to my feet and raise the gun back to its intended place. "What are you talking about?"

When I circle on him, Papa's eyes immediately meet mine, his clear confusion parting to make way for panic as my finger finds the trigger once more, the bullets meeting it's intended target.

"Fuck! Shit! Fucking shitting mother fucking hell!" Papa yells as he forces himself onto his feet even through the onslaught of bullets and runs for the door. I follow him with fast steps, letting the bullets follow him even as he bolted down the hall.

Papa disappears, his feet taking him directly to dad and Levi so I force myself to stop as I pant in my place. Adrenaline pumping through my veins feeding the parched part of me that craved this, the wolf in m.

"Peter?" I twist and lift the gun to point it at... Jayson.

I keep the gun on him but struggle to pull the trigger, the strength to do it disappearing when I saw the clear fear in his eyes as he held up his hands.

"Peter," He says softer, his voice quivering slightly.

Jayson was on their side. Jayson was with them and they shaved Mr.Fluff, Jayson should pay too, just as papa did and just as Damon would, Josey too.

.......but Jayson was nice...... Jayson was kind and just as scared as I felt inside. Jayson played with Mr.Fluff with me ever since he met him and he took me out to see even more bunnies when he could.

Jayson was nice and I... I-I like nice things, kind people and I liked Jayson.

I lower the gun slowly, trusting my gut that said Jayson was still nice and he immediately relaxes as he studies me with surprised, conflicted eyes. "What's going on?" He asks carefully.

"I..." I look at him, not sure exactly what to say because I didn't know what to say.

"Was that Aiden running?" He asks instead and I nod making his surprise grow tenfold as he looks at me with newfound respect seeping into his gaze. "I thought you didn't want to fight."

"You shaved Mr.Fluff," I snap, my hands tightening on the gun to lift it to Jayson but I stop myself.

"No," He says sadly and I nod, barely keeping back a sob. "I wouldn't do that Peter. You know I wouldn't."

"I saw him!" I argue, lifting the gun once more and Jayson immediately stiffens. "You hurt Mr.Fluff."

"I didn't Peter," He promises desperately as his eyes dance nervously between me and the gun I had pointed at him. "I didn't. If they did, I didn't know."

I let his words settle in reluctantly, let the look in his meet the thoughts in my mind that told me that Jayson really wouldn't do that.

"D-Damon shaved Mr.Fluff," I say through a whimper and his eyes flood with sadness and a bit of confusion. "He's completely shaved."

"Damon?" He asks with a deepening frown, but I nod again. "But Damon's not here."

I freeze at his words, my inner turmoil meeting his as we stared at one another. "Damon's out carrying out some big prank, Aiden sent him out a while back."

"B-But..." I argue, my thoughts coming undone as I tried to accept this new information. "... I-I saw the knife."

"But did you see him?" Jayson asks and I shake my head slowly, a sick sense of horror seeping in as my mind tried to tell me what happened.

No.

No.

No.

Dad wouldn't do that. He wouldn't be so cruel.