(( Here's some sneak attack angst that literally nobody asked for. Warning! This chapter is really sad and morbid.))

The drive had been relatively silent as they wound through the back country roads. They were filled with trees, and the thick forest on either side of the road didn't seem to let up.

Shiro, since he was going anyways, was driving. He didn't want Keith behind the wheel if anyone decided to follow them.

" So... how was your day?" Keith awkwardly asked from the passenger seat. The omega had been feeling weird being stuck in the van with Shiro. What were they even supposed to say after the events of the past couple days? Shiro had been subject to Lance's rut going on upstairs, and he hadn't spoken a single word about it. He hadn't mentioned how Keith took on Lance's scent right then, or his limp, or the many hickeys that covered his neck. That was almost worse in a way.

Keith couldn't even look him in the eye. He was only hoping that the embarrassment would go away soon.

" It was... I don't know. I guess it was fine." Shiro stammered, keeping his eyes on the road.

Keith turned to him with a slight head tilt from confusion.

" It doesn't sound like it went fine." The little brother said. " Did something happen?"

Shiro sighed.

" I'm not sure if Allura is mad at me or not." He told him, clearly distraught about it. Shiro wasn't used to her being pissed at him. Keith, sure. Lance, yeah. But her... it was rare.

" Why would she be?" Keith asked. He was happy that they were talking about something at least. It was better than the previous silence.

" I guess she tried to bring me coffee at work today, but I was out with Adam. I was only gone like fifteen minutes, it-" Shiro cut himself off, wondering why he was defensive about it. " And she said she wasn't mad but then she hung up on me and told me to tell her next time and I'm just confused."

Keith thought for a moment.

He knew Allura well, and he would agree with the statement that they were friends. But he could also agree that she could be a little prissy at times.

" Maybe she just misses you or something." The smaller boy suggested. " I'm sure she'll get over it."

" I tried to call her when I got home but she didn't answer. And I don't think that she's responded to my text either." Shiro explained. He was clueless.

" Give her space." Keith cautioned. " If she hasn't gotten back to you yet that must be what she wants."

...

Lance had just finished up with himself, and he had his fingers crossed that maybe his rut would back off of him for a little while. How much more did it need? This was without a doubt the worst one he'd ever experienced.

But at least Keith was there to help him through it. Without his omega, it would've been literal hell for him.

And speaking of Keith, Lance was still worried sick about him. What if him and Shiro were both taken out? It made Lance feel anger directed at Ronny for dragging them all into this mess. If she was going to sneak out, fine. But she hadn't even done it right if him and Keith knew about it.

He hoped Keith would give her a stern talking to, deter her from doing it anytime in the near future.

Lance threw on some boxers and a thin t-shirt, not really wanting to leave the room naked. It was sort of his house, and he was there alone, but still. He wasn't about to stroll around with everything showing.

He slowly walked down the steps, deciding he was going to get some water while he had the chance. Lance had also grabbed his phone, paranoid and ready to answer the second Keith happened to call. He was ready when and if that time came.

The only reason Lance hadn't called him already was that he didn't want to annoy him by being too protective. Keith seemed to hate it when he hovered over him constantly like a shadow.

The kitchen was dark, and there was only a single light that illuminated the area over the stove. Shiro must've turned everything off once him and Keith took off. Lance shrugged, flipping on the switch and coming into the kitchen.

Without Keith around, it was oddly silent. He wasn't used to quiet, especially after growing up with siblings and a very loud extended family.

Lance opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water, feeling a little weird after shutting it.

It was then when the home phone behind him began ringing blaringly; it was like a shout in the formerly dead silent room. Lance jumped, making a tiny noise from how startled he was. He turned around, feeling his heart beating rapidly in response.

" Wow." The alpha heaved. He was paranoid.

Lance set the water down, approaching the phone and seeing it ring for a second time. No caller ID?

He reached out, plucking it from the jack and bringing it to his ear.

" Hello...?" Lance awkwardly answered.

There was a connection, but there wasn't really any noise coming in through the other end.

" Is someone there?" He asked, but Lance felt his hair stand on end. From the phone's speaker, there was breathing that came through. No words, only heavy, intentionally ominous respirations.

He pulled the phone away, looking down and seeing the screen was lit up, and still counting how many seconds the call had been going on for.

" Look, whoever this is, this isn't funny." Lance said, looking around himself somewhat.

...

" I think she has a problem with Adam." Shiro ran a hand back through his hair while he drove. " She never really says anything nice to him. Sometimes she doesn't even say hi." He frowned.

And that's when it hit Keith.

" Do you think she's jealous?" He asked.

" Of Adam? Why would she be?" Shiro questioned, looking genuinely surprised to see Keith wondering that.

" Well... you two do spend a lot of time together. And you're at work a lot. It's not like she gets to be with you all the time." Keith said.

Shiro snorted.

" Are you implying what I think you are?" The older brother glanced at Keith momentarily.

" What?" Keith curiously inquired.

" Well, normally when a girl would get jealous over someone, she'd think that there was more going on than there really was." Shiro seriously said. " You don't think she thinks I'm cheating on her, do you?" He nervously asked, spooked.

" You?" Keith made a face. " You're not even gay."

" But what if-" Shiro trailed off.

" What if what?"

Before Shiro could respond, they were pulling up to the house Ronny had said to. There was clearly a raging party going on by the looks of things.

" Wait here. I'll go get her." Keith opened up the car door.

...

Lance hung up, feeling creeped out and pissed. He stepped back from the phone, looking at it with an expression of mixed but not conflicting emotions.

Then he thought about it.

Lance was alone in the house. He was on rut, making him more vulnerable to act rashly and not think properly.

The phone began ringing again, and Lance had a cold expression on his face while scowling at it.

" What?" He picked up again.

There was more heavy breathing and what sounded like footsteps in the background. It was enough to terrify the faint of heart, and don't get Lance wrong, he was definitely feeling his fair share of fear. But his alpha instincts were at an all time high. It didn't take much to tick him off in his irritable state.

From the light being cast on the floor, something zoomed in front of the sliding glass door. It was a flash, but the rapid shadow movement from outside was enough to make Lance jump back.

This just got real.

" Who are you?!" He shouted into the phone, stumbling back. And that's when the line went dead.

Lance dropped the home phone, scrambled to grab his cell, and he grabbed a kitchen knife from the block. He wasn't about to play around with whatever the fuck was happening.

Had they shown up to finish him off?

Lance wasn't taking any chances. If he hadn't seen the shadow, he would've chalked it up to paranoia. But he hadn't just imagined the silhouette.

The alpha crouched down, not wanting to get shot through the window he was standing by. How much darker could the situation get? It was life or death as far as he was concerned.

...

Keith had finally found Ronny and loaded her and Sasha into the back of the van.

" Are you mad?" Veronica asked from the backseat, and Sasha was silent. She didn't know these guys, but apparently Veronica was comfortable around them. That came as some sort of assurance.

Keith was about to answer, but then he felt his bonding mark beginning to tingle. It caused his face to sink as he looked at Shiro in horror.

" Keith...?" Shiro questioned, watching his little brother feel over his neck.

Keith was frozen for a second, but he was soon fumbling for his phone. Not again! Not that dreaded itchy feeling of impending doom. He would've gone so far as to say he had PTSD about it.

He found his phone, getting his fingerprint to work after a couple times. It was struggling to scan him with how much he was trembling seemingly out of nowhere.

Keith clicked Lance's contact.

...

Keith's house had a new security system, one with a pad and a code. If anyone came in while it was armed, alarms would've gone off in thirty seconds if the system wasn't reset. It also would've automatically called 911.

Lance stayed low to the floor while slinking through the house cautiously. He was shaking from adrenaline as he clutched the handle of the kitchen knife tightly. His knuckles were beginning to turn white from the pressure.

Sweat dripped from his hair while he neared the front part of the house. His rut could leave.

Lance's alpha instincts were driving him to protect, even if Keith wasn't by his side at that moment, how could he protect him and the twins if he allowed himself to die? He didn't plan on doing that any time soon.

He gulped, hating the silence that had yet again come to fill the air around him. The only thing he could hear were his barely audible footsteps. And his heartbeat, which felt like a drum being struck on repeat inside his ears.

Lance had too much left to do still. Lotor or whoever was behind this didn't get to take the chance away from him.

When Lance's phone began vibrating, he could've sworn that his heart exploded at first. He didn't look away from the door while pulling the phone from his pocket.

" Keith..." Lance whispered in a husky voice after answering. There was a spew of words that came flooding through into his ears.

" Lance! Where are you?! You're safe, right?!" Keith frantically exclaimed, cringing and feeling over his neck. It was prickling, warning him of danger.

" Keith... listen to me." Lance said seriously. " You and Shiro need to stay far away from here until I know what's happening."

Keith choked up when he heard Lance's extremely assertive tone of voice. He'd rarely heard him get like that, and it only made him more scared for his alpha.

" Lance, tell me!" The omega yelled.

Everyone else in Shiro's van looked at him like he was nuts.

Lance felt his eyes tearing up as he listened to the other boy's voice crack from panic.

" I love you no matter what, Keith. I need you to know that." He told him with certainty.

" Lance, stop!" Keith cried.

There was a loud crash heard not but half a second later, and Lance nearly jumped through the ceiling. The security system began screaming in response, and Lance whipped his head to see that something had been thrown through the front window of the living room. It appeared to be some sort of brick, and he could see what looked like a note rubber banded to it. But Lance wasn't about to get closer and investigate. He bolted up the stairs, running to Keith's room and locking the door.

" -what was that?! Lance?! LANCE?!" Keith was in the middle of screeching from the other end of the phone.

" Keith, what the hell?!" Shiro raised his voice from the driver's seat.

" What's happening?!" Veronica exclaimed.

" Lance!" Keith whined. " Please answer me!"

Lance ducked into Keith's closet, deciding that he wasn't going to fight until it was a last resort.

" Babe..." He panted, trying to regulate his breathing. His body temperature was already elevated, but if Lance fell into a panic attack, things wouldn't have been pretty. " Someone just threw something through the window."

Keith's expression was glued in place, and Shiro had never seen him so scared in his entire life.

" Step on it, Shiro! Go!" The little brother yelled. And Shiro hit the gas hard, causing the tires to screech as they ripped down the road. " Lance, breathe, okay?!"

" No, you breathe." Lance whispered into the phone.

Keith was the pregnant one, Keith was the one who couldn't handle hyperventilating. The twins wouldn't be very appreciative of their father spiraling into a stressed state like that.

" Me?!" Keith squeaked as his voice cracked again.

" I love you so much..." Lance whimpered, trying to mask the terror in his voice as tears trailed down his face. " And our babies. If..." He trailed off. " If I don't make it out of here-"

" DON'T SAY THAT, DAMN IT!" Keith sobbed. " SHIRO, DRIVE FUCKING FASTER!"

" Tell them that I love them both... and that Daddy is sorry." Lance quietly cried into the phone.

Keith was hysterical as his bonding mark continued to sting his neck.

...

The minivan nearly drove into the yard as Shiro sped into the driveway. He had to steer to the side harshly just to avoid going through the garage door.

Keith was still on the line with Lance as he rushed from the passenger side.

The police were already at the scene, having been called by the alarm company. Keith was stopped in the front doorway to the house by a cop.

" I live here!" He pushed past, looking around frantically. And the line went dead from the other side as Lance came bounding down the steps.

He wasn't shy about hugging Keith, almost knocking him backward at first. Keith's eyes were huge as he felt the amount of trembling Lance did in his embrace.

" Oh my God! I'm never leaving you alone again! Not ever!" Keith cried, soaking Lance's shoulder with tears.

It seemed as though whoever was behind this wasn't in a rush, wasn't looking to simply take one of them out. It apparently needed to be Lance first, and they only struck when the alpha was alone.

Lance was shaking and unable to speak. He was just so relieved to have Keith there, to have cops around, to know that he wasn't going to be dying that night.

" This is my house." Shiro said while coming in as well. He'd left Ronny and Sasha in the backseat. They weren't the main priority anymore. " What happened here?" He asked one of the officers.

In the living room, the main window had been shattered. Glass bits had flown everywhere, and shards littered the hardwood.

" Sir, do you know anyone who would like to hurt you?" The policeman asked, looking down at the brick. And Lance perked up, hearing the conversation from the other room. He was hard in his boxers again thanks to his never ending rut. But he used Keith to shield it from everyone else's view.

Lance hadn't looked at it yet, but he kept Keith against him while coming toward the window.

In the center of the broken glass laid a brick.

There was a piece of paper on it, and the officer leaned down to take it off. Upon being opened, the paper contained a clear threat. Or at least it was clear to Lance.

We're coming for you

Keith unburied his face from Lance, trying to look at the note, but Lance covered his eyes. His omega was pregnant, and that was one of the last things he should've been exposed to at that moment.

We're? Was there more than one person?

" Don't." Lance whispered to Keith, and his tone of voice was numbing to the smaller boy. Every omega instinct he had was forcing him to listen.

While Shiro and the cop talked, everything was fading out. Keith found himself only able to focus on Lance, cutting everything else out. His hearing was drowned and muffled as he leaned his head on the alpha's chest, feeling the powerful thumping his heart did.

His alpha had actually thought that he was going to die, he'd been telling him his farewells. And that was the most tragic thing Keith had ever had happen to him. Knowing that those were the things running through Lance's head, it broke him.

" I won't let anyone get you, Keith..." Lance whispered, raking his hands through the shorter male's hair. " I'll die before I let them hurt you." He assured.

Keith tried to tell himself that Lance was only saying that because his rut made him crazy, because his rut made his inner alpha go feral. But deep down, he knew that Lance would've done anything for him.

" Please don't say that." Keith whimpered. " Nobody is dying."

Lance held him close, making sure to protect him. He wasn't thinking about the hard-on that ached inside of his boxers. He wasn't thinking about his sister in the backseat. Lance could only pray that his fiancé was right.

(( If the next update is a little late it's because I'm sick. So many of my classmates are out that it's actually nuts. Sorry in advance.))