There are nerves crawling beneath Byakuya’s skin as he dresses himself and he tries desperately not to chase the lingering notes of Rukia’s scent still present in the room. Though he would have liked to know she returned the moment she actually did rather than find out after the fact from Ukitake, the weight that has been lying heavy on his shoulders since she left the pack with the implication she might choose exile over remaining by his side has eased, but a new tension has grown in its place. When Kurosaki Isshin had come to Byakuya and laid his pride aside to ask for Byakuya’s help in searching for his child, Byakuya had given him all of the manpower he could and even helped in the search himself.

Nothing ever came of it, though. No matter where they searched, no matter how high or high low, Kurosaki Ichigo was nowhere to be found. Byakuya has no idea how Rukia managed to find him or who she might have brought back with her— This worries him most of all, the prospect his sister might have brought someone forbidden into pack territory, that Ukitake had hidden them. If Byakuya has to exercise his power as pack alpha, he will, but no part of him wants to banish Ukitake from his pack. The man is necessary as far as Byakuya is concerned.

“Alpha?” Renji waits for him just at the doorway, his expression every bit as unpleasant as an alpha’s can be in a time like this. “Are you sure we should do this right now?”

“It’s been put off without my knowing. I can hardly let such a thing come to pass.” Byakuya shakes his head, fingers combing his hair back out of his face as he rests his hand gently on Renji’s shoulder. “I have to do this now. God only knows who else knows about this.”

The prospect of other pack members knowing besides Ukitake and Kyoraku is horrifying and Byakuya hardly wants to think about that right now, squaring his shoulders as he leaves his private quarters behind with Renji in tow. Kyoraku has the authority necessary to gather the pack for an impromptu meeting and Byakuya is certain everyone should be in their territory at the moment, no one venturing beyond their borders for any reason today. He only hopes this is the case because otherwise, all of this will be for naught. He needs everyone here.

Pack alphas can run things like a dictatorship should they choose, the first and final law, the only decision maker whose words matter. Though Byakuya knows that many others do this very thing, he likes to let those in his pack that he respects have some weight in making serious decisions and hardly considers it wise to limit serious choices to only himself, especially those that will affect everyone and not just himself.

He pauses just before he leaves his household however, turning toward Renji as his nerves reach a fever pitch. “Your scent.” he says softly, “Is out of control, Renji. It will put the others on edge. Is there something I can do in order to calm it?”

“Yeah. Come here.” Renji’s arms are around his waist in an instant, jerking Byakuya against the hard expanse of his chest so suddenly that Byakuya can hardly react to it.

His arms slip around Renji’s shoulders and he lets the alpha cling to him, face nuzzling against the side of his neck where his scent gland is. The two of them, he supposes, must smell out of sorts and not just Renji so he allows Renji to take comfort in his embrace while he takes his own solace from it. While other pack alphas have no one to lean on, he has Renji, and as the last week has shown him, Renji counts for far more than Byakuya gives him credit.

If they enter into this partnership with each other truly and wholly, they need to establish enough trust between the two of them to justify such a thing. They’re friends and there is nothing wrong with Byakuya leaning on him, and allowing Renji to lean on him in turn.

“Sorry, Taicho. Just, they upset you so fast and my brain’s still orienting itself after all that time we spent together.” Renji leans back and exhales slowly before he manages a smile.

Byakuya studies his expression for a moment, fingers drifting to gather Renji’s hair at the nape of his neck. “We left your hair down in our hurry. You usually wear it up, do you not?”

“...Yes.” Renji’s brows furrow when Byakuya rounds him quickly. “What are you doing?”

“Fixing it.” Byakuya knows Rukia kept hair elastics and ribbons stored in almost every drawer of the house for ease of access and finds a fresh one, quickly drawing Renji’s hair back and up into the ponytail he usually wears it in, securing it in place with the elastic. “Better?”

Renji chuckles and nods, glancing back at him. “Yeah. Thank you, Taicho. You didn’t have to.”

“This is a nerve-wracking time for both of us because of the timing. It would be for me even without it.” Byakuya runs his hands over his face and then schools his expression. “But we have to do this for the pack and for Rukia. So let’s go and presented a united front so we can do it.”

The pack meeting grounds are outdoors for the warmer months and indoors for the cooler months. The day is warm enough to justify remaining outside and so Byakuya and Renji walk the distance, the pack territory a sprawling grounds of buildings while the meeting place is set behind the largest building, an apartment complex of sorts where their newest pack members tend to resolve as they get to know one another. A circle of dirt is etched into the ground and the others stand around it, Kyoraku and Ukitake standing in the center.

Byakuya’s breath hitches when he sees her. Kuchiki Rukia stands proud between the two of them, her chin raised and her violet eyes daring anyone to challenge her. Though he wants nothing more than to cross into the circle and embrace her, he instead makes a beeline for the throne of polished stone that resides on the outer edge of the circle. The one where no members of the pack dare step toward without Byakuya’s express permission.

The moment he settles onto the throne, Renji takes up a position at his right side and Yoruichi materializes at his left, ever-present. He can feel her gaze bore into him but he refuses to meet her eyes, instead focusing his attention on the small group of people standing before him. Rukia guards her companions. Byakuya scents them just the same. Two omegas, an alpha, and a beta though it’s difficult to discern them from each other this early.

“Ukitake Jushiro and Kyoraku Shunsui.” Byakuya keeps his voice as even-keeled as he can as he looks at the two members of his pack who, in essence, have betrayed him. “You admitted only minutes ago to housing strangers in our pack without my knowledge.”

Kyoraku clears his throat and nods once, lowering his head deeply in apology. Ukitake mirrors the gesture. “We apologize formally, alpha. We know it was wrong to hide this from you.”

“As Rukia’s companions are not members of our pack, it was wrong of us to house them without your express permission and especially without your knowledge.” Ukitake’s voice is low and soft and Byakuya can hear how sincere he is ringing through his voice. “We apologize, alpha.”

“I asked them to hide us, brother.” Rukia steps forward and bows at the waist, and Byakuya sighs at the formality from her though he knows better than anyone how necessary it is. “It was wrong of me to make that request. I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

Byakuya pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales slowly, his frustration oozing out of him. “Rukia, you know that is not an acceptable excuse. I was not indisposed nor was I ill. This did not need to happen, and you should have come to me as soon as you arrived with strangers.”

“I understand. I am sorry, alpha.” Rukia bows a second time, and her companions do in turn. “I wanted to speak to you about it as it was. I wanted to formally request that my companions are allowed to remain with our pack as true members. Kurosaki Ichigo has a birthright, at least.”

“So it seems. Let me see him.” Byakuya watches as Rukia takes the young man with bright orange hair by the arm, leading him toward the edge of the circle so Byakuya can study him. There is no mistaking the features in the young man’s face, an interesting combination of Isshin and Masaki. “Step out of the circle and approach me, Kurosaki Ichigo.”

Rukia presses her lips into a thin line but takes a step back as Ichigo takes the last few steps toward the throne, Renji and Yoruichi hugging in tighter to the sides of the throne. Without hesitation, Byakuya leans forward to curl a hand around the back of Ichigo’s throat, drawing him close enough that he can press his nose against Ichigo’s scent gland. He understands Rukia’s unease now, the sweet scent of strawberry giving away Ichigo’s omega nature.

With his soft nature toward Rukia already, it would have been nothing for Ukitake to shield her and her friends from Byakuya’s eyes while he was otherwise occupied.

“You are the son of Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Masaki.” Byakuya says as he leans back, though he retains his hold on Ichigo. “I have to contact your father to ask him how he feels—”

“You don’t.” Ichigo says quickly, and Byakuya’s lips curl at the interruption. “I’m eighteen, and that means I can make the decision for myself, right? He can disagree but he can’t do anything about it, right? Rukia said those were the pack laws on our way here.”

Ah, so he’s an adult, then. “Those are our pack laws, yes. I misspoke. Now that I recall your father’s words, you are indeed eighteen and can make the decision on your own.”

“Right.” Ichigo takes a step back, shaking off Byakuya’s hand in the process, and bows so suddenly that Byakuya understands why he stepped back. The motion would have had them colliding with each other. “I’m sorry for showing up without telling you and for hanging out without anyone knowing we were here. I know that’s bad.”

“Alpha.” Renji corrects him. “You know that’s bad, alpha. ”

Ichigo’s entire body twitches but he nods quickly. “I know that’s bad, alpha. I apologize.”

“Return to your companions.” Byakuya relaxes against the throne, knowing at least one of his decisions has been made easier as a result of this conversation. Ichigo being eighteen means he will contact Isshin to make it known his son is here, but he doesn’t have to ask the man for his opinion on this matter. Just his pack. “Rukia, where did you locate Ichigo?”

Rukia steps toward the edge of the circle once more but remains behind it, her eyes boring into Byakuya’s as if begging him to understand. Begging his forgiveness, his kindness. “When I left the pack, I traveled. Because I was alone, I was attacked. I was taken in by these four. They are outsiders from various other packs who either left or were sent away for various reasons. But we were in danger. Brother, Aizen has a pack of his own not far from our territory now.”

“Unsurprising given his nature.” It still leaves a bitter taste in the back of Byakuya’s throat to know this, that Aizen had amassed a pack and then chosen to target his sister and her friends most likely on the basis to spite Byakuya directly. “Are you well? Were you badly hurt?”

“I was on the verge of death, I believe.” Rukia half-turns, holding her hand out toward her friends, “But Orihime is a great healer. I think her raw talent alone would be of great use if Unohana were to teach her. She saved me with no clear guidance and without being taught.”

Byakuya crooks a finger and the sole woman in the group steps forward, bowing before she ever reaches the edge of the circle. “My apologies for hiding, alpha! We should have come to you directly, and we did not. That was our mistake and our breaking of your laws.”

“You can all stop formally apologizing now. Ukitake, Kyoraku, and Rukia have done the apologizing necessary. You are not our pack and therefore you cannot break our laws.” Byakuya studies the young woman’s pretty face and the way Rukia looks at her, her face torn, eyes downcast though they keep darting up as if to check on Orihime. “Miss Orihime, please approach the throne so that I can take stock of you directly. Yoruichi, I trust that you must have at least one bruise on your person that we can use for example.”

Yoruichi twitches slightly before she nods, taking a knee and tugging down the collar of her shirt so that a mark on her collarbone is visible. “You may use this one, alpha.”

“Thank you. First.” Byakuya takes Orihime by the back of the neck and scents her as well, unsurprised to find she is the second omega of the group. Her scent is sweeter than Ichigo’s, spun sugar and cinnamon, but she does not falter in his hold. “I see. Miss Orihime, I would like to see how you heal wounds. You may use the bruise on Yoruichi’s shoulder as example.”

Orihime nods quickly, stretching one delicate hand to rest her fingertips on the bruise. “My apologies if it hurts, Yoruichi-san. I haven’t been able to acquire any formal training.”

Yoruichi nods once, tilting her head slightly to give Orihime more room. “It’s fine, I’m not made of porcelain and I can handle it. Do what you need to do.”

Slowly, deep brown eyes flutter closed and Byakuya can sense the energy moving in her body, watching as it seems to curl loosely around her arm, pure light that drifts down to the tips of her fingers. When it touches Yoruichi’s skin, it only takes a moment or two for the bruise to vanish, Yoruichi’s skin left flawlessly brown in its place. Byakuya watches as Yoruichi proudes the spot before flashing him a smile and moving back to her feet and back to her place at his side.

“Thank you, Miss Orihime. That was a lovely display.” Byakuya allows her to step back into the circle before he loudly clears his throat. “Rukia, tell me about the other two.”

“Chad is an alpha who was outcast from his pack because they based their worth on physicality and fighting, and Chad is not a fighter despite his appearance.” The deep sadness in Rukia’s voice alone leads Byakuya to believe she is not leading him astray with her words. “Uryu is a beta who willing chose exile from his pack when his father pressured him into a mating he was interested in. Orihime also willingly chose exile after the alpha pursuing her would not stop, and her pack did little to halt her actions. Ichigo has never had a pack.”

Byakuya rubs his hand over his jaw. This all sounds familiar to him, other pack members having come to him with similar stories in the past. Slowly, his eyes drift toward Ichigo. “Where were you for most of your life, then? If you were not taken in by another pack.”

“I lived with a human family for most of my life. They didn’t know what I was because I kept hiding it from them.” Ichigo pulls his lower lip between his teeth and Byakuya can sense his distress even before he scents it in the air. “But I fucked up and let it slip. And they kicked me out of the house, so I was on my own. Figured I should just stay that way.”

“And outcasts and exiles tend to find each other as time passes.” Byakuya closes his eyes, letting the bulk of this information sink in slowly as he listens to the pack begin to whisper and murmur around him. Gods, but this situation could be delicate. “Rukia, you intend to take this young woman as your mate, do you not? Your actions have been very telling.”

He hears Rukia’s sharp intake of breath and when he opens his eyes, the pleadings in her eyes has grown magnified. “She saved my life!” Rukia’s voice trembles and Byakuya has never, in his life, seen her break in such a way. “Orihime is kind, and sweet, and warm, and I— I do want to remain with her. But I will not fight pack law if you deny our entry into the pack.”

“Had you remained gone much longer, it would have been considered exile officially. You just barely missed the deadline, by my count.” Byakuya heaves a sigh and leans back on his throne, staring at the five of them, watching Kyoraku hold his expression steadily while Ukitake’s face threatens to crumble at any moment.

Rukia’s companions are a mixed bag. While Chad and Uryu remain as passive as can be, Orihime and Ichigo are visibly nervous and Rukia is still screaming at him with nothing more than her eyes, her scent growing more distressed as time passes. No wonder the lot of them had remained hidden from him for so long before Ukitake finally came to him.

“May I speak, alpha?” Yoruichi asks, her voice breaking him out of his thoughts.

Byakuya nods once, turning to look up at her. “You may, Yoruichi. You have thoughts?”

“Rukia-san is your younger sister and is a member of our pack as she arrived home before it would have been considered official exile.” Yoruichi’s eyes drift between Rukia and her companions. “Ichigo is a member of our pack by birth. I doubt anyone here cannot see his parents plainly in his features, so there is no doubt who he is. The only true question here is whether the other three are to be allowed to join our pack.”

“That would be correct.” Byakuya says, watching the rest of the pack out of the corner of his eye.

“Only one of them is an alpha and if Rukia-san is to be believed, and I doubt anyone here pegs her as a liar, then he is gentle. I sense no malice from any of these people.” Yoruichi spreads her hands before him, her eyes glittering gold. “I think they should be allowed entry.”

Byakuya is unsurprised, though he finds his gaze drifting to Renji. “Beta, speak your piece.”

“I don’t think Rukia would bring people here that we couldn’t trust. If she was someone else, maybe, but she’s not. She’s Rukia.” Renji’s smile slips fond for just a moment and Byakuya feels his stomach jump at the expression, though he doesn’t know why he cares. “And Rukia would put the safety of this pack above her own life. We all know that. I say let them join.”

“Kyoraku, Ukitake, I would normally ask your opinion on this, but I am afraid that due to the circumstances, your words are biased and cannot be taken into account.” Byakuya’s eyes shift over the rest of his pack, picking out the handful of people whose opinions he cares for the most, and he settles back so he can rattle off their names in quick succession.

Of course, there is no one who rejects Rukia and Ichigo joining their pack. Pack bonds run deep and there are members who, while understanding why Isshin can no longer be with them, are quick to accept his son into their ranks. Rukia is already theirs, one way or another, and no one wants to see her go. Some trip over the newer members, though Unohana quickly expresses interest in seeing how far Orihime’s abilities run. The consensus is strong enough that Byakuya can make the decision he wants to make without seeming biased.

He’s missed Rukia. He doesn’t want to risk alienating her now.

“I have heard the word of those I trust the most in this pack to make decisions that would benefit all of us.” Byakuya tents his fingers and exhales slowly, allowing the tension to run free from his muscles before he meets Rukia’s gaze directly. “Rukia, your companions will be allowed to join the pack. As you know, there is a trial basis where you must not actively damage, hurt, maim, or hinder anyone in our pack without due cause or reason. After that, it will be official.”

“Thank you, brother.” Rukia bows deeply at the waist, and Byakuya sighs in relief.

Tiredly, he looks at Ukitake and Kyoraku. “Because Rukia asked you to shield her and her friends, I will not punish you this time.” He stands slowly, eyes narrowing as he meets Ukitake’s gaze in particular. “But do not make this a common theme. If you stand against me, then you stand against our pack. Unless you mean to challenge me, do not do that.”

“I don’t, alpha.” Ukitake bows his head, and Byakuya nods once, letting the matter go.

“This pack meeting is dismissed. I will speak to our new members privately to discuss suitable housing. You all may go.” And then Byakuya crosses the line himself to greet his sister.

He expects her frosty demeanor, a shade of the rage that caused her to walk away from him and their pack in the first place. Either her time spent away has mellowed her or she is no longer angry at him, throwing herself against him, arms tight around her waist as she presses her face against his chest, and Byakuya thanks the gods before he hugs her back, pressing his face to the top of her head. The familiar scent of snow envelopes him and if he could, he would laugh about the fact that Rukia is so much younger and still seeks to comfort him with her scent.

“I’m sorry, brother. This wasn’t how we should have done things, but when Ukitake said you were in heat, I didn’t— It felt wrong to interrupt.” Rukia trips over her own words as she looks up at him, her brows furrowing just slightly. “I thought you no longer indulged in such things.”

“It’s a long story and we have little time for that at the present moment, but I will tell you more about it.” Byakuya’s gaze drifts to Orihime, who stands not far away from them, her hands clasped nervously in front of her as she watches them. “Miss Orihime, come here and allow us to greet one another properly. If my sister is courting you, then I should already have.”

The starch runs out of the woman’s body as she comes to join them and Byakuya offers her an arm, surprised at how quickly she curls up against his side, caught between him and Rukia. A soft little mewl leaves her lips when Rukia presses their cheeks together, her lips turning up in a smile at the closeness of his sister. Ah, it does his heart good to see such a thing.

“You smell like Renji.” Rukia tells him, raising one dark brow. “I don’t understand that either.”

“He assisted me while I was in heat. We have an arrangement now.” Byakuya glances over his shoulder, meeting Renji’s dark brown eyes across the distance. His pack beta smiles warmly at him, his eyes glimmering in the sunlight. He’s happy, glad for this outcome. Byakuya is, too. “Rukia, we should have a discussion about what occurred between us. There were faults on my side and I should apologize for that suitably. You don’t deserve to have to deal with that.”

Rukia’s face softens and she smiles up at him. “We can do that later.” He says, pulling his head down so she can press their foreheads together. “I hate to say it, but I missed you. My big dumb stuffy older brother with all his useless rules. I missed you so much.”

Just this once, Byakuya allows himself to be soft in front of his pack, a soft happy whine leaving his lips. He never thought Rukia would return home to them.

This outcome could not have been better as far as he’s concerned.

“We should discuss Aizen later when we have time, too.” Rukia adds, and Byakuya makes a disgruntled noise at the sound of the man’s name. “And what he’s doing up there in the woods, and really, you should properly greet Ichigo. He’s never been in a pack at all.”

Byakuya nods, looking up toward the young omega who has gone back to his two friends, and wonders if the three of them are together. “That’s true. I think we can arrange something this evening to welcome you two home and welcome the others to the pack.”

“I can help.” Orihime offers, her voice so small and timid. “I’m good at baking.”

Softly, Byakuya presses his face to her hair. “Thank you for the offer, Miss Orihime.”

Aizen will have to be dealt with, of that much Byakuya is sure, but for now he can focus on tonight, on having his family back home, on the future of their pack and their new members, and maybe on why his stomach had flipped over Renji’s expression in such a way.