Star-Crossed | Boy x Boy

𝑰𝒏𝒈𝒄𝒖𝒌𝒂

I itched at the scar on my arm. It had been burning all morning, ever since I woke up. It felt like there was something wrong in that area, like an infection or something. Normally that would make sense with an animal bite, but since werewolves couldn't get sick and wounds healed almost instantly, that didn't make any sense. I wanted to talk to Aster about it, but he was out on something that Elaine called a hunting patrol, so I was stuck watching the little ones with Elaine in the house.

It'd been nearly two weeks since I was bitten, and I'd been trying to go to school like normal but it was probably one of the hardest things I've had to do. I could smell, hear, and taste literally everything going on between two or three hundred people crammed into a small building, and probably a couple rats in the walls. I went to the mansion often, but no matter how much Aster pleaded I never stayed the night. I still didn't feel safe inside the mansion's walls, except for in the basement with Loki and the other pups. Elaine and Aster were the only werewolves I'd really talked to. A handful of them had introduced themselves to me, and most of them seemed to like me, but no one tried to become friends or be any more that accquaintances. That was fine with me. I was occupied with the kids, and I learned enough about the pack from Elaine, but my body itched to run and I wasn't sure how to ask Aster that I wanted to join him on one of their daily runs to get food. He seemed pretty keen on keeping me here, but the full moon was approaching fast and my Wolf could feel it. It was anxious to claw its way out of my skin and shift, which Elaine said was normal, but that didn't make it any more bearable.

Elaine poked me in the side of the head. "Red? Are you awake?"

I shook my head. "Sorry, I must've zoned out." I looked down at my lap. Loki was fast asleep, her head resting on my thigh, while the fiery-haired girl, Juniper, was knocked out on my other side. Elaine smiled at the sight. I rubbed Loki's head gently, brushing her bangs away from her face. I'd grown fond of all of the pups, especially Loki. I didn't mind it at all when she asked to be picked up or wanted me to hug her. For some reason, the uncomfy feeling I got when there was too much physical contact didn't apply to her. I think she could tell. 

"You pamper them too much," scolded Elaine.

I laughed. "And your point is?"

Elaine and I had been getting along great. I loved spending time with her, but everytime I saw her she had fresh bruises and cuts on her face. I knew it wasn't Aster because I couldn't smell him on her in the mornings. All I could smell were a handful of unidentifiable wolves and Tyler. I didn't understand why no one else in the house seemed to realize she was being hurt, and were doing nothing about it. Even though wolves healed quickly and the bruises and cuts were gone within a couple hours, Elaine would still sob into my shoulder about how everyday it seemed to get worse, but I couldn't get anymore out of her. I swore that when I found out who it was I'd beat the shit out of them for her. 

Elaine rubbed a bruise on her cheek, wincing in pain. She plastered a fake smile on her face. "Alright girls, it's time for your nap. You can't use Red as a bed all the time," she said softly. Juniper whined in protest as Elaine scooped her up. I gingerly picked up Loki, careful not to wake her, and brought her over to her bed. Suki tapped me on the arm.

"Could she sleep with me today?"

I looked at Elaine for help, and she nodded. I turned back to the blonde girl. Suki was still cold, and though she'd gotten used to me she rarely talked. She liked to read and listen to music, but she wouldn't do much else. The pups loved shifting, but not Suki. She seemed content staying human and staying inside while her sister and friends raced each other on their tiny paws. They acted like shifting was so much fun, but Aster treated it like it would be a harrowing experience. 

"Sure," I said, slipping Loki into Suki's bed. Suki slid her arm beneath her sister and rested her head on her shoulder. I smiled as I watched them snuggle into each other. I tucked the blanket around them and stepped away, giving Elaine that "aren't they adorable?" look. She grinned back at me as she finished tucking the comforter around Juniper, who had already fallen back alseep. 

Elaine went over to a beanbag chair, grabbed a book, and sat down. The kids had naptime from noon to one-thirty, and during that time Elaine could actually relax. She talked non-stop about how grateful she was to have some extra help, and the bags beneath her eyes had definitely shrunk. I was glad to have a role in the house, something to do that actually helped the pack. I kept the kids from running around underfoot all the time, and I helped them get used to their newfound abilities. Yesterday Juniper found out she could jump almost halfway up a tree if she got a running start, and then all the kids were trying it for the rest of the evening.

Suki's eyes fluttered open. She looked up at me. "Can I have some water?"

"Of course! Do you want me to get you a glass?"

"Can I come with?" she asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah, totally." I held out my hand and helped her hop out of bed. I turned to Elaine. "I'm going to grab her some water from the kitchen, and we'll be right back. You can handle them for like five minutes, right?"

Elaine scoffed. "Of course I can. Besides, they're sound asleep."

"Right." I took Suki's hand and led her upstairs. I pushed open the door that led into the kitchen, and looked around to see if any werewolves were milling about. I could smell most of them in the huge living area, which is where they all seemed to hang out. The other rooms in the house were either bathrooms or a room with a bunk bed for two wolves to sleep in. No one had their own room except for Aster, which kind of made sense. In wolf packs the alpha had his own den, but the pups all slept together in a nursery and the other wolves all slept piled together in a seperate den. It seemed that even when they tried to be human their natural instincts shone through.

My socked feet were noiseless on the tile floor. I'd been getting better at walking quietly. I'd scared the shit out of my mom a dozen times already by sneaking up on her. I guess being a werewolf makes me stealthy, which is a pretty nice bonus. I walked over to the sink and pulled a cup out of the glass cupboard and started filling it up with water. We tried to keep food and drinks out of the nursery because the pups could get messy when eating, especially if the meal that day was raw meat. All the blood and juices and guts stained the carpet. I turned off the faucet and handed the glass to Suki just as a werewolf walked in.

He had short cropped hair and dark blue eyes. He was pretty scrawny but his arms had a fair bit of muscle to them. You couldn't not be strong when you were a werewolf. Being bit gave you enhanced feature. Speed, strength, sight, smell, taste, the list went on and on. I still hadn't figure them all out yet. 

"Hey," he barked at Suki. "Out of the kitchen."

"Why?" I asked.

He glared at me. "Because I said so. I want to get something to eat, and I don't want this little brat in here while I do it."

"That sounds like you're planning something that you don't want anyone around to see," I retorted.

He clenched his fists. "Look, just because Aster told us to give you special treatment doesn't mean I won't kick the shit out of you. Those are the rules, I can order anyone out of the room that's below me. Little brats like her are definitely below me, and so are you. Are you even a part of the pack yet?"

"I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty sure if you're as high up as you say you are than you can let a thirsty little girl finish her glass of water before you kick her out of a kitchen she has every right to be in," I hissed. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rising. I was mad at this wolf, sure, but not as mad as he appeared to be at me. My stomach was twisting again, telling me to cower, but I wouldn't. Not when he insulted Suki. 

"What the fuck did you just say to me?"

I covered Suki's ears. "Language. There are brats here, remember?"

He bared his teeth and lunged, arms outstretched.