Solutions

Preto Hele-Nui overloaded Jaune Arc with information about their kind.

Omega's were the lowest on the totem pole of the werewolf hierarchy because they belonged to no pack. They were the weakest of the species, the strongest Omega would pale in comparison with an average Beta.

A Beta's strength came from their Alpha and pack members. The stronger the Alpha, the more members a pack had, the stronger the Beta would be.

An Alpha is the peak of what their kind could do, their power coming from what Preto called the Spark. It's something external, a source of power separate from a werewolf's natural abilities, like a Beta they also derive power from their pack but also receive a boost from the quality of their bonds. There were a few ways a werewolf could become an Alpha; kill one and steal their Spark, have it gifted to you, or gain the loyalty of other werewolves and rise to the rank.

It was all so fantastically, so unbelievable. Though monsters existed it never crossed his mind that there could be more than just the Grimm.

Or that he would be one of them.

The walk home gave him a lot to think about, he wonders if he really can be a Hero like Preto said.

Walking up to his house, the door swings open revealing his furious mother, Jupiter Arc, a woman in her early forties much like her husband. She stands a few inches shorter than Jaune but despite her small statue her presence more than made up for it. Unlike her husband or children she has nomad eyes and chestnut brown hair that reaches the middle of her back.

"JAUNE ARC! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOUNG MAN!" She painfully grabs him by the ear and drags him inside the house.

As they enter the house the whole family, with the exception of Rouge and Saphron, gathers in the living room, looking at him with worry.

He gives the group a wave at them, causing some of them to roll their eyes at the boy or sigh in relief that he was fine.

"Jaune, you're okay!" Noah exclaims, his giant six foot form leaps up from the couch and crushes his son in a bear hug, his relief coming off him in waves.

Jaune passively notices that he stands about an inch taller than his father, 'I've grown overnight.'

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you dad." Jaune mutters into his father's neck as he hugs the man back.

"Sit down!" Jupiter commands in a menacing tone.

Both father and son do as commanded.

"Where.Were.You?!" She asks her son.

Jaune, as always, feels an undeniable urge to spill his guts to his mother, so he tells the truth or the version of the truth, one that will probably get him trouble but not as much as unfiltered honesty would, "I was walking through the woods."

The woman narrows her eyes in suspicion at her son, "Why?"

"Derek was picking on me yesterday and I didn't want to deal with him." Which was the reason why he went to the forest the first time.

She didn't ask for which time.

"Oh Jaune, why did you tell us?" Noah grasps his shoulder.

"Because nothing ever happens, Derek's dad is the mayor and he makes sure his son always gets off scott-free." Jaune didn't have to bend the truth on that one.

His mother purses her lips, "That's no excuse, Jaune. You can't just go wherever you please, especially not to the forest, it's dangerous."

The boy holds a wince and nods.

Jupiter and Noah look at one another, the woman gives a sigh, "You get a warning this time but don't you ever do something like this again." His father tells him, Jaune nods as he gets up from the couch and walks towards the stairs. "And Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

"We love you."

Jaune smiles shakily, "Love you guys too." He walks up the stairs and leaves his family to themselves.

When the next day rolls around Jaune counts the seconds until the final bell. He feels incredibly nervous for his lesson with Preto and wonders how he'll do.

"BRRRING!"

Jaune shoots out of his desk and out of the classroom, he dodges his fellow classmates with anxiousness buzzing through his body.

For all his life Jaune wanted to be strong enough to live up to the Arc legacy but the lack of training and his parents methodically shutting down every opportunity for him to better himself, that possibility became slimmer and slimmer.

Now though? With Beacon around the corner and him becoming a werewolf he can almost see the future and it's brighter than it's ever been.

Jaune Arc is going to be a Hero.

Exiting the building he freezes at the sight of Preto on a silver and black cruiser motorcycle, the man gives a small wave. He hesitantly walks up to him,"What are you doing here?"

"Why do you sound so confused, it's like a four hour walk to my house." Preto chuckles, "Do you actually think I was going to let you waste so much time that could be used for training?"

Jaune shrugs as he climbs on the back of the vehicle, the drive is smooth like butter and cooler than anything he's ever driven on before. It takes maybe thirty minutes to reach the forest and another ten to reach Preto's house.

The man parks behind his home and the two get off, they enter through the sliding door that leads to the kitchen. It takes only a moment to reach the living room.

"Okay kid, sit down." Preto waves to the couch as he sits on the same semi-comfortable rocking chair from yesterday, as he does he pulls out a silver metal rectangular container from his pants pocket and takes out two cigarettes, he tosses one to Jaune which he catches with nimble fingers.

Jaune looks shocked at his reflexes but shakes it off, "I'm… um, underaged?"

"Yeah kid," Preto says in a slight drawl, "I know but it'll help with your nerves. Most substances won't work on you unless taken in ridiculously large amounts and even then it would only last for a few seconds. Any damage a normal person would get from drugs won't apply to you, werewolves just heal too fast. These," He points at the stick. "Are a Hele-Nui blend, made to actually give our kind a rush like a normal cigarette would, though again you won't get cancer or anything, it's just not possible."

Jaune looks at the cigarette before hesitantly putting it between his lips, the man leans forward and flicks the lighter across the tip, he takes a breath and immediately chokes,"Ugh!" Gagging at the bitter taste.

"Ha! You'll get used to it kid, don't worry." Preto takes a long drag of his own cigarette before continuing, "Ok Jaune, before we start your training, I need to lay a few more things down for you. I'm assuming you know what Aura is?"

Jaune furrows his eyebrows, "It sounds familiar, I… hm, I've heard the term thrown around once or twice, I think."

"You… your parents are Huntsmen and you don't know what Aura is?"

The boy shrugs with a scowl, "My parents are against me being a Huntsman, they've done everything in their power to keep me from information that could help me; restricting and tracking my scroll, having my sisters keep an eye on me, talking to my teachers, retired Huntsmen, and my friend's parents so they don't share anything with me."

The man stares, "That sounds very… suffocating."

"Yep, though I've found ways around it. My friends are very supportive, they've let me borrow their scrolls and see their notes on lectures. Because of them I was able to apply and be accepted at Beacon." Jaune smiles brightly.

Preto nods slowly, "How are you going to Beacon without your parents knowing?"

The boy looks guilty away, "I well… um…"

"You're planning to run away?" The man guesses.

"No, I'm going to tell them… when I turn seventeen."

"Ah, makes sense. You'll be a legal adult and your parents won't be able to pull you out."

The other nods shakily.

"You really want to be a Huntsman, huh?"

The boy nods again.

Preto sighs, "Jaune, Aura is the manifestation of the soul, It's how Huntsmen and Huntresses become so powerful. It's their lifeblood." He begins slowly, Jaune looks at him in confusion, "You've never seen your parents do something that just shouldn't be possible, something unexplainable?"

No, I haven–" Jaune pauses and thinks back to his mother who seems to have the uncanny ability to make people tell the truth.

"You just thought of something."

"No, it's ridiculous."

"Tell me." The man demands.

Jaune sighs, "My mom has this thing where if she asks you to tell the truth, you do but that's just a mom thing right? It's because I feel guilty about lying to her."

"So she asks you to tell the truth and you just… feel compelled to?" 

The boy gives a nod.

"In what way?"

"I don't know, she asks me a question and my mouth just starts spewing…" Jaune starts but pauses, "Well, that's not exactly it, it usually starts small like an urge to just tell her the truth but the more she questions the stronger the urge becomes, I've actually gotten intense migraines trying to lie so I just don't, I give half truths."

Preto scowls, "And you think your migraines are caused by guilt from you trying to lie?"

"Yeah, I mean my friend Ed gets a stomach ache from lying to his parents, I get a headache."

"No, that's your mom's Semblance."

"Semblance?"

"A Semblance is a unique power derived from a person's Aura, an ability that reflects who you are as a person. You mom seems to be making people tell her the truth."

Jaune stares, "You sound crazy, you realize that right?"

"Jaune, monsters of pure darkness attracted by negative emotions overrun the world, yesterday you not only learned of werewolves but became one, so you tell me how unbelievable I sound right now?" Preto leans forward and raises a single eyebrow.

The boy opens his mouth before closing it.

"Right, so let's just assume I'm telling you the truth and move on. When a person is bitten by an Alpha, it doesn't just affect the body, it also affects the soul, it affects the soul to such an extent that we," The man points to himself and Jaune, " can no longer be considered human, can no longer unlock the power of the soul."

"wh..What do you mean?"

Preto sighs, "Jaune, you're a werewolf; a creature that is powered by the night, your nature's been completely inverted. Aura is only for creatures that walk in the light but remember as a werewolf you've gained many abilities: Heightened senses, night vision, enhanced strength, speed, stamina, agility, flexibility and razor sharp claws and teeth." He explains.

Jaune nods but wonders something, "So can anyone become a werewolf?"

"No. Only Auraless humans can be turned and even then it's a fifty-fifty shot of survival." 

"Sur..survival?" Jaune stutters at the world, "You mean I could have died?!"

The man nods, "You could have, yes."

The boy swallows, "That's terrifying. Why me? Why bite me?"

"An Alpha needs a pack, it's just a fact. You were there, they were there; wrong place, wrong time."

Jaune nods before a question runs across his mind, "Does that mean it'll bite more people?"

"Definitely, how many will survive? That's the question."

"Oh gods…" He puts his head in his hands, "But there's been no deaths, how long does it take before a person dies from their bite?"

"Immediately, if the bite is rejected, they'll die within minutes."

"So that means I'm the only person they've bitten, right? But why wait?" He looks up from the ground and questions.

"It could have gotten lucky but you're right, most likely you are the only members of its pack and the reason why it hasn't gone on a rampage is probably because it doesn't want to draw attention to itself. What do you think will happen if suddenly dozens of people drop dead, black blood leaking from their every orifice?"

"Ew." Jaune shivers at the image before thinking about the question, "People will think it's some type of Grimm and my parents along with the retired Huntsmen will tear the town apart to find it."

"Right and it doesn't want that. So it'll wait, bide it's time until it's satisfied with its numbers, and well who knows."

"But what if they don't want to be part of its pack, I know I don't!" The boy questions with some hysteria, his eyes flickering.

Preto purses his lips, "An Alpha has close to total control over their pack. It takes an iron will power to ignore an order from their Alpha, something a Newborn won't have."

"I.. I don't.. Preto I don't want to be part of its pack, I don't…" Jaune closes his eyes tightly along with his fists. Fear quickly overtook his mind at the all the things he could be forced to do, "I DON–" Fangs grew and bones thicken, fear turns into bloodlust but as his nails turned into claws, they pierced his palms and suddenly the wolf in him pulled back. "Pain… makes me human?" Looking at his hands, he saw his wounds heal in seconds.

"Jaune, pain isn't an exclusive human experience, everything feels pain." Preto says before bringing his cigarette to his mouth and shortening it by half.

Jaune continues to stare at his hands as time ticks on, "So… if only Auraless humans can be changed and only fifty percent of us can survive the bite that means that there aren't a lot of werewolves in Remnant, right?"

"That's right. There aren't that many supernatural creatures in general… well except for Grimm." Preto sighs at the thought.

Sitting with the information he comes up with another question, "So, I can't become a Huntsman anymore?"

"I don't think so." The man shakes his head, "From what I know Academies monitor Aura during training."

Jaune feels tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.

"Why do you want to be a Huntsman, anyway? Is it just because of your parents?"

The boy shakes his head, "No, well… the Arc family have been Huntsmen since its conception; my father, my grandfather, my great grandfather, and my great-great grandfather were all Huntsmen, Heroes. I want to keep that going, partially because yeah, I want to keep that legacy alive but also because it sounds so cool." He grins hollowly, "Helping people, saving them, giving them hope in a hopeless world, what could be better?"

Preto gives a smile of his own, "You don't have to be a Huntsman to be a hero, the profession only came after the Great War."

"You.. thin.. think so?" A well of emotions washes over him, being a hero was all he ever wanted, he always thought he had to become a Huntsman to be that.

"One hundred percent, there are threats out there Jaune, things that Huntsmen are just not capable of handling, that's where I come in and now, where you come in too."

Jaune smiles, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes, "I can still be a Hero?"

"Yeah, you can be." Preto reaches forward and clasps his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Now, it's time for me to teach you how to be."

The boy nods resolutely.

"Firstly the shift can be triggered by intense emotions; love, lust, anger, embarrassment, sadness.The first few months can be intense for a werewolf because everything is heightened, so it's incredibly easy to shift. That's why you need an Anchor, it's like an emotional tether, allowing you to be in control instead of your instincts."

"Sounds simple enough."

"Simple in concept but trust me even as Trueborn it can take a while to get the hang of."Preto takes a breath, "Tell me what you felt when you shifted yesterday?"

Jaune blinks and stretches uncomfortably, "Fear, I guess."

"What were you afraid of?"

"What do you think? You. I was afraid of you, of the things you were saying, the things you were implying." Jaune bites out a little more harshly than he intended to. 

Preto looks at the boy with unreadable eyes, "What was I implying."

"You know what you were implying."

"You need to say it."

Jaune swallows thickly and rubs his face, "Th..tha..That I was a monster. That I would kill my family, rip them to shreds. That I would become a murder." His breathing becomes shorter and shorter. "I couldn't, didn't, want to hear that. Didn't want to hear that I was now capable of that, capable of hurting the people I love!" A few tears gather at the corner of his eyes but before his claws start digging into his thighs, Preto walks over and grabs his wrists tightly.

The shimmering fire in his blood starts to boil.

"I wanted to run so I did! Wanted to get as far away from my problems as possible, WANTED TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM YOU AS POSSIBLE!" Jaune eyes snap open glowing an acid yellow. 

Preto doesn't even flinch, he keeps his grip tight.

"Rrraagh!~" Jaune snaps his jaw towards the other's face, "I'll fucking kill you! I'll kill you!"

"Think of your dreams Jaune, your ambitions, would a Hero really kill someone in cold blood?"

The boy stills for a moment before smashing his skull against the man's.

Preto sniffs and raises an eyebrow before growing his own claws and allows them to dig into the others wrists.

"Agh!" Jaune screams, shifting back. Breathing harshly, he shakes and hands his head.

"That could have gone better." The man lets go of the boy's hands and sits back down, he picks up and finishes his cigarette before taking out another.

Despite Preto's best efforts Jaune couldn't find an Anchor against the overwhelming bloodlust he felt when forced to shift. He never felt anything like it before, the sheer need to rip into flesh, the need to feel blood wet his tongue.

Preto said it would take time to learn, to understand what would hold off the wolf but after spending half a day trying Jaune wasn't too sure.

What happens if one of his sisters pisses him off? What happens next time Derek bullies him?

Those questions began haunting him.

"Knock! Knock!"

The door to Jaune's room opens and his dad walks in.

"Hey bud, how are you?"

The boy shrugs as he sits up from his bed, "Fine, you?"

Noah smiles, "Good, just worried. You came home pretty late."

Jaune hears the unasked question and licks his lips, "I know that you guys don't want me to be a Huntsman, so I've been looking at apprenticeships around Orleans."

"For six hours and without your scroll?" His father raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, for six hours, what else am I supposed to do?" Jaune bites back, a sudden anger swelling in his chest, "I knew what I wanted to do with my life but you said no, you said it over and over and over again. You did everything in your power to crush my dreams into powder, restricting my scroll, controlling the T.V, forbidding my sisters and the rest of Orleans from talking about anything related to Huntsmen. No matter how much I begged or cried you didn't care and now it's too late, now I have to find something else, so forgive me if the conversations went long. Gods' you finally won and you're mad that I'm not trackable?!"

Noah looks shocked, "Jaune…"

His dream was almost taken from him, ripped away and it's by pure luck that he could still achieve it, he won't let it be taken away again, "What? What?! I know what you're going to say; I just wanted to protect you. You have no idea how dangerous it is to be a Huntsman. You don't have what it takes, so stop asking!"

"Ja–"

"I heard you dad, I heard you loud and clear, I'm giving up! So let me move on with my life!" The boy clenches his fists shut, his blood thumping harshly against his ears, he can feel his nails grow into claws that dig into his palms, "Just leave before I say something I regret."

Noah stares for a moment before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Jaune takes a deep, fortifying breath and wonders where that came from because he had never snapped at his dad like that.

Ever.

No… no, he knows exactly where that came from. The wolf inside him, the beast, took control, if only for a moment and if Jaune's not careful it'll hurt everyone he cares about.

He lays back down, uncaring of the blood smearing his sheets and forces himself to go to sleep.