Forbidden Fruit

Lies and Luxury

     I hear the door open, the smell of pine and leather coupled with one of honey and sunshine let me know it's Cody and James who are let into the room after a whispered conversation I don't even bother myself with tuning into.

     I hear the two come closer one stopping at the end of the bed and one continuing around until a small body is interrupting my sight of the wall across from me. I let my eyes roll up, seeing Cody stand above me with a sad smile on his face.

     "Scoot over, Chloe." He says softly shooing me with his hands to slide my body back enough for his small frame to climb into the bed beside me. He immediately curls into his side as well to face me.

     "You're okay. We sent Alex away. James and I understand anxiety attacks. It's okay to not be okay right now." He soothes, his tiny hand coming up to brush through my hair. My smile is wobbly but the pride in his answering one makes me feel ten feet tall.

     I feel James shuffling at the end of the bed and moments later he draped a blanket over Cody and I. I frown when I feel wiring in it, looking curiously as James plugs it into the wall.

     "It's a heating blanket. It works absolute wonders for the body after the shaking and muscles spasms of an anxiety attack." Cody explains, watching his Mate move with clear adoration in his eyes. James pulls two bottles of water out of his bag before putting them on the bedside table. He round the bed, coming behind Cody with a small side.

     "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to Chloe. Trust me when I say the two of us understand. But feel free to talk to Cody about anything, I'm going to calm down Alex. I can hear him overthinking from here." He says before leaning down to kiss Cody's temple before leaving the room.

     Under the blanket, I feel Cody reach down and grab my hand, the action startling me. As much as he stuck up for me yesterday, I thought it was more for Alex, but looking at him, I see no traces of the shy closed off wolf he was when I first met him. Instead...he looks like a mom, consoling her kid after a bad dream. And I have to say the look suits him well.

     "I'm so sorry, Chloe." He says so earnestly, I'm again taken aback.

    "For what?" I ask, confused, my voice gravely and dry after crying. He kindly hands me a bottle of water to sip on as he answers. The heating blanket is slowly getting warmer and it instantly begins to relax my tense muscles.

     "For yesterday. I know how it feels to have others look down on you over something you can't help. So does James. And I hate that someone else so close to us has to endure the ignorance of the world as well. Especially by someone who also understands what that feels like." He rants, his hands flying about as his adorable frown deepens.

     "It's okay. It's not your fault." I tell him but he shakes his head.

     "It's not okay at all, but I know a way to get your mind off of the evil in the world." He whispers, the smile growing in his face contagious.

     "Ice cream?" I ask, laughing as his eyes light up, slowly beginning to feel like myself again. I snuggle deeper into the warm blanket as he answers.

      "That too! But let's go to the pack spa. As Luna I get access to everything first hand. I'm not one to take advantage of such things but this is a special circumstance." He says giggling away.

     I think it over, feeling how sore and spent out my body is from my first Heat and the anxiety attack from this morning. "Sure. I'd love to go to the spa, thank you." I agree with a smile. He grins back at me before going to sit up.

     "Okay I'm going to check in my papa bear about it. Do you want me to send Alex up here?" He asks, not even phased at what he just shared. My face is scorching as I nod my head. He smile as he shuffles out the blanket, his small feet pattering against the floor before I hear the door open and shut. I sit up on the bed, leaning my back against the head board, my body finally feeling okay enough to move.

Not even two minute later the door is opening slowly with a worried looking Alex, poking his head in. "Hi." I say softly, lifting my hand towards him. He takes a sigh of relief barely taking time to close the door before he striding across the room towards me.

He grabs me up in a tight hug, though I can feel him holding back so that he doesn't hurt me. The sentiment is nice though as he leans back to look at me seriously.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do! The only people I knew could help were those two. Are you okay? I'm so sorry." He tells me all in one breath, clearly panicked. And as selfish as it sounds, it's nice to know he cares so much.

"Thank you for calling them. And I'm okay, I promise. Maybe a day at the spa might help?" I ask him hopefully.

"Of course, pup." He says finally calming down as he smiles at me. "I had planned on taking you this afternoon, but going with Cody let's you have a whole day." He says scratching me behind the ears softly. I purr as I lean into his hand, loving the feeling.

"Are you coming, too?" I ask him, trying to keep the hope out of my voice.

He looks at me as if unsure. "Is that okay? I can stay home if you need me to." My heart warms at how hard he's trying, a soft smile kissing my lips.

"I would love for you to come. Who else is going to keep their hands in check?" I say cheekily. laughing as he growls only to cross his arms and pout.

"I don't like this idea anymore."

~~~~~
I just realized all my updates today were so sad. Sorry guys. I work 9-5 tomorrow so it'll be late updates or maybe only a few, but I promise to lighten the mood.

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