The Alpha and the Fox

Chapter Twenty (Noah's P.O.V)

     I was caught off guard as the huge wolf pounced on me and began licking all over my face and neck. Only to then be even more surprised when he shifted into an adorable, yet naked, man on my lap.

Mate. Mate. Mate. He kept repeating the word mate while he clung to me. I stroked my fingers through his hair and down his exposed back trying to get him to settle down so I could get some answers.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that." Maria stated. "Noah, I'm not sure how much you know about hybrids and shifters, but it seems you're this one's mate. His other half, soul-mate if you will."

I chuckled, "That explains a lot. Hey, Hun, can you try to relax for me. That's it. Settle down." After a few minutes of coaxing, he settled in my lap with his head tucked under my chin.

"I've got to give Ryan a checkup and then when that's done, we can talk some more, okay?" I asked while looking down at him. He nodded reluctantly and climbed off my lap.

Now that I was making my way towards Ryan again the wolf hovering over him tensed. "Easy now. I'm not going to hurt him." I stated, as I continued slowly making my way to them.

The wolf slowly shifted his position from defensive to offensive, pushing his body towards me in warning. I got a little closer before sitting down on my butt in front of him. He snarled in my face for a moment, but when I made no move to attack or retreat, he seemed to understand I wasn't a threat.

He laid down next to Ryan and plopped his head into Ryan's lap. I began the usual checkup of eyes, ears, nose, and throat before moving onto reflexes.

I turned my attention to my sister, "He's alright. His body's getting used to the energy it now has due to proper amounts of food and sleep. Nothing to worry about."

She let out a sigh of relief, "Alright, let's take this into the house where we can discuss all of this in our human forms." Without waiting for a reply, she headed inside.

We all began to follow her in except for the wolf laying on Ryan, meaning Ryan was stuck as well. Once the rest of us were closer to the door he got to his feet, nuzzled Ryan's neck, and followed him in.

He shifted back and pulled shorts on before handing a pair to my mate. After a quick round of introductions Alex, my mate, crawled his way onto my lap and cuddled close like he was afraid I was going to disappear out from under him. I gently stroked his exposed back, trailing my fingertips over his body from the waistband of his shorts to the soft curve of his neck.

He shuttered beautifully under my touch and nuzzled himself closer, if that was even possible. Ryan and Damion were in similar positions, Ryan cuddled up on Damion's lap who held him protectively as if he expected someone to try to take Ryan from his grasp.

My mates breathing evened out and his heart rate slowed, easily telling me that he had fallen asleep.

"I need to head back to my place. I have to work at the local clinic tomorrow and would like to get out of my current work clothes." I said to Henry as I tried to carefully get out from underneath Alex's sleeping form.

Damion chuckled out a "good luck" and I quickly realized why when Alex clung to me like a second skin, even in his sleep. He mumbled incoherently for a moment before settling.

"Can I just take him with me? Would he be okay with that?" I questioned.

"He'll be ecstatic, go ahead and take him with you. He can have the rest of the day off." Damion answered with a poorly disguised chuckle.

I lifted Alex into my arms, ignoring the surprised look on Damion's face, and made my way to my car. I carefully set him in the passenger seat and, after ten minutes, managed to get him to release me from his tight hold. He settled unhappily into the seat and allowed me to buckle him up.

It was a quiet twenty-minute drive back to my place with the music on low to not wake him. I once again carried him into the house and eased him down onto my bed. He whined in his sleep before clutching my pillow, bringing it to his chest, and burying his face in it. Once I was sure he was content I made my way to the bathroom for a much-needed shower.