Where He Belongs

~Four~

To begin, I just want to say that, yes. This will be a shorter chapter. That being said, it is the reason it's updated earlier. I'm sure you're wondering why and all that good stuff. I just felt that getting to know what was going on in everyone else's mind is important too. It's not just the victim who's affected, it's the whole community around them. Oh, and I'm also dappling in third POV for this.

I did not like how this turned out, however. Just saying. But it will get better! I promise!

Pic: the lovely Liam

Hope you all enjoyed, lovelies... I can call you lovelies, right?

Until next time, Lovelies!

~Kate~

The quiet was heavy over the small living quarters.

James kept staring at the plywood door, the reality of this situation was out of his control. Something he didn't like. "I... You just let them go?" hissed Thomas.

Truthfully he was taking this the hardest. It was his fault he had run away; he'd insulted him, pushed him beyond his breaking point. James was always reminding him that Colton was sensitive... "They had nothing to do with it. In fact they...they saved him." Jeffery's voice was hallow. None of this felt real. It was roughly supper time. He should be deciding whether he and Xena were going to go here or to her parent's cabin to eat. Xena had gone home though. She thought he should be here.

But he didn't want to be, if he was being honest. He wanted this all to disappear. To pretend it never happened and go back to the way things were before. "He should let me in there." James voice wasn't particularly loud but it carried through the kitchen.

His mate glared at him. "Don't you dare. He wants some time. He deserves it."

"God. This is all my fault." Thomas dropped his head down, gripping his hair. James saw this but felt no urge to comfort the boy. He was old enough to mourn what happened and get over it. He was strong enough. Unlike his youngest son. The one currently hiding away from him, in his own house. "I'm so sorry Colton."

"What about Liam?" Claire spoke this quietly to no one in particular. He'd been turned away a few hours ago when he came ashen faced to see if his future mate was alright.

"He'll see him tomorrow." James didn't look at his mate as he made his decision but rather began to pace in front of the door. He just wanted to see the boy. To reassure that it was still Colton. Still his fragile little pup in there. He sat down at the table. To say he was still reeling was an understatement. This would be the talk of the settlement however. Everyone would try and come through the door to see Colton.

"Someone should go over there," Claire argued. Who knew what the poor teenager was going through. Was the mating off? It seems like a silly thing to be worried about but she couldn't help but worry. She had to know her Colton would be taken care of when she and her husband was gone.

"I'll see him." Thomas surprised even himself as he decided this, drawing an astonished look from his family. "It's my fault that this happened."

"No it's not," Claire feebly argued. She wasn't sure who to blame. She wasn't aware of what had really happened. Just the unsettling fact that her son had been hurt in the woods, by some monster who had gotten away. What if he came back? The men had claimed he'd tried to kill her pup...what if he tried to do so again?

Thomas just got up, feet clomping over the cabin floor as he made his way to the door. Outside it seemed that everyone had found a group to discuss what had happened. He didn't even want to think about what rumors would arise. His hands were shaking a bit he realized as he crossed the now painfully short distance to the house his younger brother's future mate lived. His protege. Liam would be a fine hunter one day. That was one of things get made James allow the relationship; he truly thought that Liam could take care of the omega. He stood on the little flat porch. It was uncovered, a homemade chair sitting by the door where Marie, Liam's mother, would hem her husband and son's clothes during the bright afternoon hours.

Thomas felt uncomfortable suddenly. Admitting blame for something as serious as this was not something done on a daily basis. His palms felt moistened with sweat. He felt eyes burning into his back, increasing his discomfort. He took a deep breath, trying to will some courage to do this. He lifted his hand, ready to give the door a sharp knock when it opened. Liam stood, looking lost and bewildered. The boy was clearly fighting emotion as his face was flushed red and eyes had a bit of red to them. "Is he okay?" Liam's voice was soft, hardly heard over the quiet chatter of those outside.

Behind him the cabin was set up just like Thomas's own home cabin. The door opened it the kitchen. The big dining room table was put in center, though only three chairs were at the table. Marie was sitting in one, a handkerchief in her hand clearly upset. Bill, his father, was cleaning a rifle that looked perfectly polished already. But they all stopped to stare at the two. "Can I come in?"

Thomas just hated the feeling of everyone staring at him. Liam nodded his head, taking a step back. Inside the cabin Marie got up to make coffee. Thomas held up a hand to stop her. He'd consumed enough of the bitter caffeinated liquid today; besides, it was merely a distraction. And he wasn't planning on hanging around for long. Just long enough to soothe Liam's troubled mind some. But then back home he would go to wait and hear from his brother.

He needed to apologize to him. To make amends even though it was too late. "Colton is-" the tension in the air was thick. Thick enough to make the room almost stifling. "Okay, we think."

A collective breathe huffed out of everyone in the room who had been subconsciously holding it. "Just okay?" Now snapped out of the worried trace, the boy was now more keen to know more information. "What about those rogues? Did you question them? Did they see anyone?"

"The wolf is gone." His tone was clipped. He felt withdrawn and hopeless. The rouges had explained that the wolf plagued these woods, killing any wolf it happened upon.

And that damn well could have been Colton's fate all because Thomas made fun of him. At least that was what the other wolves told them. "We searched for hours. His scent disappeared into a pack's territory. We couldn't go any farther."

"So the wolf...he's a pack wolf?" Liam's eyes were cold and narrowed. This would seal his hatred for packs with their tyrannical alpha wolves, and the stupid classes that went along with it. The boy was happy to be a rouge, despite the dangers that came with it, and planned to live his life as one.

"I don't know." Thomas hated not knowing. He needed to know and yet there was no possible way of doing so. "But Colton doesn't want visitors."

Liam looked hurt, brow furrowing. That was so unlike him. "Even me? You're sure?"

"No one." Thomas' voice was hallow. "Come by tomorrow afternoon though. Maybe then he'll be ready to talk."

Liam nodded his head, an increased sense of fear filling the teen. What if this affected Colton so strongly it changed him? He'd no longer be the wolf he fell in love with. He'd never leave him due to this while it would bother him a lot for a while that he had been hurt and taken by force. But he'd never let Colton know about it.

No. Things would continue the way they were. Like nothing ever changed.

That'd be easiest for everyone right? To just move on? Forget about it, let wounds heal?

Yes, Liam thought. That'd be the best for everyone.