-See the end for *footnotes-

"...Unacceptable! We told you to let the league handle this!"

"You made me come!" Dick protested.

"You put yourself in danger!" Bruce yelled. "You could have stepped away and let us handle it."

"And watch our friend be--"

"Dick! No!" The boy flinched violently. "You have used and lost my trust. You are actively going against the oath you took four years ago. The reason for that oath was supposed to keep you safe, but it clearly means nothing to you!"

Dick couldn't say anything. He couldn't even raise his eyes from the floor. "I'm taking out to the car and you can sit with Alfred until we can leave."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I never got anywhere until I was an opportunist."

"You don't know what could have happened. Confronting him like that could ruin your life, Artemis." The man told her seriously. He grabbed her shoulder, but she pulled away. "If he figured out who you are, it could ruin your life! Not to mention the domino effect of revealing half the league's identities!"

"OH BOO HOO! It'll ruin my life? What about the life of one of my best friends?" She snapped. "He was RIGHT THERE!"

"We have to do it through legal loopholes, remember?"

"No?!"

"Oh, that was a league-- okay." Oliver stammered. "But you put yourself at risk! Do you know what he could do?"

"YES! I've been screwed by the rich all my life!"

"You don't understand, you could seriously be in danger! Roy?" He begged.

"I'm not picking sides, I have a seminar in the morning." He replied, buried in his phone.

"Artemis." Oliver said, drawing all his attention back to her. "Don't make me do something stupid to keep you safe."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "Go for it. revoke my rights, white man."

He huffed. He really didn't want to hurt her more. The girl had already been caught rifling through his room earlier looking for her confiscated articles. She was so sick and angry, and tired as he was.

He wasn't Bruce. He couldn't just lock his child in a room for hours.

"We're leaving."

"Finally." Roy snapped, pushing past them.

"ARTEMIS--" He sighed. "Come on. We're going."

"Fine! I didn't even want to come!"

-------------------------------------------------in Happy Harbor---------------------------------------------------------

Wolf sneezed, awakening himself. He rolled up onto his elbow, yawning and shaking out his chops.

He started parting happily, relived from his nap, but quickly ceased. There was still no one there.

He dropped his muzzle to the floor, letting out a deep whine. They were all gone. Their pack leaders came and then they disappeared. The only one he saw was the faintly blue one with the mane*. She rarely emerged though, only appearing to provide meat and water and occasionally to open the door for him.

She and his litter-mate would vanish for most of the daylight, and many nights, but this was different, Wolf could still smell her. And, of course, their litter-mate was nowhere to be found; no matter how many times Wolf circled the den searching for him.

The ball was still there. It usually left with the litter, but it was still here. Though, is provided Wolf with little help, it didn't show him where his pack-mate was, nor did it do much besides beep and roll. Wolf tried to play with it a few times, missing the attention, but this seemed to be the only ball he couldn't fetch.

Still, it seemed to be on his side, so that was something. It reminded him of one of the pack's breeding males*; they both beeped a lot, and both opened the hanger doors for him when he needed out.

But it wasn't the same. Where was the litter's adolescents leader? Or the female Disperser*? The runt? not even his favorite playmate could be found, and he was always coming by for meals.

And, of course, His closest litter-mate was no where to be found. He'd drawn Wolf to join the pack in the first place, he'd introduced Wolf to his new litter-- Which wolf was so protective of (They all seemed to be the runt they were so small, especially the youngest whelp, who barely reached up to Wolf's shoulder).

Wolf Stood from the kitchen floor and padded to the sofa drowsily, flopping on top. He was not happy. There was nobody to help groom the spots he couldn't reach, nobody to give him dry kibble when the breeding female* said not to because it would make him overweight, nobody to take him out on the mountain for fetch.

He hoped the whelps would return soon.

-----------------------------------------------in Gotham------------------------------------------------------

He rocked on his feet, looking everywhere but at his father, hoping that if he didn't look at him, he wouldn't be in trouble.

This tactic didn't work.

"You were not allowed to talk to anyone without me present." His father scolded, a deeper, warning tone rising in his voice. It was more sinister than the belittling, fondling voice that he'd become accustomed to.

"No!" The boy flinched in anticipation. "I— I'm sorry— sorry."

"It's okay, son, You were excited to see other children, that's why you ignored the rules." His father explained, still not losing his violent tone. "But you will not be doing it again."

"Yes sir." He said, still not looking up; tensed as though expecting to be pulled back into his psych.

"Father. Sir sounds like you're being coerced. You aren't coerced to respect your father."

"Yes father."

"Now, you behaved very well during that conversation, letting father talk for you with mr. Wayne." The sinister deepness dropped off the map, leaving the coddling tone from before. Adam wondered if the threatening tone had ever been there to start. "Would you like another dose of your medicine?"

"Yes! YE-- Yes please. Father." He muttered.

His dad just smiled. "I thought you would. Be a good boy and come back in, we can't very well give you your patch back here in this lonely hallway, can we?"

"No...?" Adam Jr shook his head, feverishly letting himself be escorted back into the room. He'd feel better with just a little boost from the shields...

"Alright then." His father lead him back into the main hall. Adam frowned, what are they doing? Why were they out here? "Sit here." He did, and his father began unbuttoning his shirt. What was he doing? "Here, you need your medication." He announced. Why? Adam already knew what was happening.

He made a show of removing the shield and cutting off a small segment-- still larger than the others he'd been given up until now-- which he went on to apply to Adam's back, out of reach.

Throughout the whole process the boy watched his shoes, his scowl having never truly left him, sure that if he looked up, he'd attack the first person staring at him.

That ever-familiar hiss escaped his teeth as the flow hit his bloodstream. His hearing and xray vision should be kicking in, but with his collar, his hearing has only deadened by rushing blood.

He felt himself getting hot, constricted under his shirt and his collar. His heartbeat faster than he could count, not that counting was an option. His shoulders swayed and he closed his eyes, a dizziness hitting him. There was no hope in standing. He stayed put and soaked up the adrenaline. The glorious, quenching, energy.

------------------------------------------

"Here, you need your medication." Dick started at the familiar voice, so close. He staggered, taking as long as possible, spying into the ballroom as they passed.

The pack of Shields caught his eye. He knew what those did. Well, sort of. But whatever the intention was, it wouldn't be good.

"Bruce..." He whispered. The man didn't reply, sharply dragging him down the hall. Dick winced as he landed on his ankle, tugging his arm back. "Bruce, he's--"

"Richard. Quiet." He growled.

And thus, they left, the teen's eyes lingering on the manor as the car pulled away. 

*WOLF TERMANOLOGY/FOOTNOTES:

1* Wolves do not see green: Only a yellow/blue/brown/white colour gradient. Green appears as a pale blue

2* Breeding male/female: What was once called "Alpha male/female". They are the parents of a litter and thus the protectors/leaders of the pack

3* Disperser: A wolf that leaves their original pack to find a mate elsewhere