Teru hid under the scratchy blanket, having trouble breathing in the stuffiness. The material didn't smell good, either. When was the last time it was washed? A year ago? Ten years ago? A century ago?!
No, don't think about that. What matters is what I just did to Kieran.
He was ashamed about hurting him.
A hand gently patted his shoulder. "Little one."
Teru didn't answer, using the hot darkness to conceal his troubled expression.
"There's no reason for you to hide."
"..."
"Do not worry about it." The covers pulled down a little.
The omega yanked it back up and mumbled, "I'm scared I'll do that again."
That.
Meaning the way his inner werewolf came out from the blood cravings. A survival instinct, perhaps, to provide his body with what the pups wanted. He barely remembered what happened after Kieran ran in snarling and smelling of pheromones. By the time he came to, Teru was growling and gnawing the heck out of his mate's arm. Blood splatters stained their clothes as if they killed a person. How did blood get on the walls, also? The claw rips in the mattress? Were they animals, for fuck's sake?
Yes. Animals with bad manners.
Worst of all, slivers of red speckled Kieran's forest-green eyes.
How much blood did I take?!
Teru's tongue felt a shred of flesh stuck between his teeth. He trembled, terrified of the thought that he could turn into a full-fledged werewolf and eat Kieran. That chunk of arm meat was a stark reminder of the predator that slept within him.
Sure, Teru accepted all parts of himself-the omega, the wolf, and most recently, the virtue. That didn't mean he had complete control of them yet. Heck, Kieran was how old and still had trouble managing his alpha and sin?
"Why didn't you stop me?"
Kieran stroked his back in assurance. "Your maternal instincts. It was screaming for help. My alpha responded by letting you do whatever you needed, even if that included putting myself at risk."
That makes me afraid!
He sat up quickly, pushing the blanket away. "Would you have let me eat you entirely?!" Seeing Kieran's messed up forearm made him nauseous. The flaps of skin, stringy muscles torn by his wolf canines, trickles of blood pulsing out...
I half turned...
The color drained from Teru's face. Apparently, werewolf saliva had something in it to keep a vampire from healing fast. As a human, his playful or sexual biting disappeared instantly. As a werewolf? Well, just look at the aftermath!
There was probably a scientific reason, but Teru wasn't like Dr. Charles to understand the specifics. Too complicated.
All he knew was that the wound wasn't getting better.
Upon seeing Teru's sick reaction, Kieran hurriedly wrapped it with the musty blanket. "Not entirely. I would imagine I'd stop you at some point."
"At some point? Until your arm is gone? Your face? More? Even this went too far. It's so bad!" Teru was on the verge of a panic attack. He wiped the dried blood from his chin and throat. "Finding myself covered in your blood scared the shit out of me!"
Kieran scooped him up and released his mint pheromones to calm him down. It physically did, but not mentally. His mind was buzzing with terrifying scenarios.
Shifting into a werewolf while sleeping and eating Kieran.
Shifting into a werewolf when angry and eating Kieran.
Shifting into a werewolf when hungry and eating Kieran.
Shifting into a werewolf for no damned reason and eating Kieran!
And Teru still had how long before giving birth? What would he be like in a month or three? Would the cravings go away? Get worse? What was he supposed to do-
"Shhh," Kieran hushed his pounding heart, cheek nuzzling Teru's. "I understand. I'll have a serious discussion with my alpha not to let you eat me, no matter how loud your instincts demand it."
"That's not funny," Teru mumbled.
"Not funny? I'm quite serious."
"It's not that easy to tell your inner gender what not to do next time."
"Then," he said, turning Teru's head with a finger to look into his eyes, "talk to it for me."
Eh? He wants me to give his alpha a pep talk? That's silly...
...But Kieran was actually being serious, like he said. His mate was waiting for Teru to say something, anything. He wanted Teru to use this opportunity to help ease the anxiety, even if it was hypothetical.
Fine, I'll play along.
While staring at Kieran's mixed-colored eyes, Teru imagined their connection. His body relaxed and tingled, similar to the sensation of falling asleep. He became lost in it; his safe space no one could tap into but them. The twinkling trail of yellow and white stars. The new planets spinning slowly. The comet zooming by. The freezing temperature felt perfect. Like summer, like winter. Ahead was the bright star, bigger than the others, brighter than the sun itself. He stopped floating towards it and thought for a while.
Here goes nothing.
You, uh, listen to me. I'm your omega.
The alpha would obviously know that! Jeez! Don't be stupid!
I...know you meant well. When I was dazed by cravings, I screamed in my head for help to find food. I get why you responded the way you did. You have more than me to take care of. My instincts. Your instincts. It sucks that it easily overtakes us.
Just...don't let it boss you around, you know? I think it reacted more dramatically than necessary. Provide food for me, yes, but think about how I feel when I see what I did to you. Mental stress is also bad for me and the pups. I'm telling you as your destined mate to set limits. Okay?
Kieran's entrance to his side of their connected path didn't respond. It was to be expected. How embarrassing to talk to no one.
Teru retreated to the other end, seeing his own giant star door. Right before going through, a soft breeze rustled his hair, tickling his nape. He looked back. No one was there. Wind? Here? In a place with no oxygen?
Teru turned around and came to reality, finding himself still peering into Kieran's half-blood-deprived eyes. The van had stopped, too. Flat tire, maybe.
Did Kieran hear any of that?
"Did you say what you had to say, little one?"
I guess he didn't hear. Then where did the wind come from?
"Yeah."
"Do you feel better?"
"I guess. I doubt it'll work, though. By the way, have ever felt wind when you visit our-"
SLAM.
The door to the bedroom burst open. Blaise announced, "Ya'll! You won't believe where we are at-WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" He gasped at the bloody mess straight out of a horror film.
The shock turned to an expression of 'I swear, these freaking people,' realizing what likely occurred at the crime scene. Blaise talked slowly to process it. "Okayyy, although I don't care about this disgusting van, there's a thing called boundaries. It's technically my property and ya'll are out of control. Rein it in a little."
Kieran argued in defense, "Do not blame this on him," while Teru bit his lip nervously and stuttered simultaneously, "W-we're sorry."
"You shouldn't be the one to apologize, Teru," Blaise said. "There are certain individuals who know better with centuries of existence under their belt." He glared at Kieran before snapping his fingers. "Ah, yes. Mammoth Caves are down the road, by the way."
Eh?
Eh?!
EH?!
The what is down the road?! The pack? Family? Literally over there?
Teru's head whipped around to peer out the window. It was true. He saw one of the familiar rusty signs. At the time, he couldn't read the foreign letters with arrows on them, always curious to know what they said.
Now, he can.
Mammoth Caves ➜