Danny's POV:
I blinked my eyes open and sighed as I flipped on my back. I must have fallen asleep in Coralie's room again, dreaming she's home.
Wait- she is home.
I shot up and looked around the room, nothing seemed changed. I ran to the bathroom, but she wasn't there. I felt my heart beating fast. It would be night soon, and now she was missing.
Fear rose in me so uncontrollable that I growled as I stomped from one room to the other.
You fool. She's in danger already. You let her out of your sight. You're so weak-
Shut up.
I shook my head and continued my search as I tried to suppress my wolf.
I ran from the room after checking the guest bathroom. Everyone else seemed to be asleep after the commotion of this morning, and the house was still. It was nightfall, but I don't think anyone will be waking up early tonight. I grew scared as I failed to find her. I ran down the stairs and to the living room, through to the kitchen, and with every moment with no sign of her my heart dropped.
I had only one hope, and that was that she'd be outside on the porch.
I ran outside and my heart fell to my stomach and I began to shake.
She isn't here. She's gone. You let our mate be in harms way. Again.
I panicked more at the thoughts of my wolf.
Until I saw a note on the table.
I walked over to it.
Danny,
I knew you'd fight me on this, so I had to do it this way... I'm sorry if it upsets you, but try to understand it is what I want. If that's worth anything. I'm going to keep doing it no matter what; you're a strong Alpha, and I have to be strong, I have to be a good partner for you, and I haven't always been... But that changes from here on out.
I'm so madly in love with you Danny.
Love, your mate,
Coralie
I looked over the note, checked the back, read it again.
What does she mean?
My heart grew panicked at the memory of the last letter she ever wrote me, the one saying she didn't want to write to me anymore. The one where she made the decisions for us; and that decisions tore my heart from me.
But then I heard a small whimper and a light snore. I ran down the porch steps and stopped when I saw her sleeping just under the porch
You're lucky.
I know.
I approached her slowly and her ear twitched towards me, but it didn't wake her. She sighed through her nose. "Awa... Coralie..." I sighed as I chuckled and dropped to my knees in the grass beside her. I pet the fur on her neck and her tail wagged. She didn't wake up, so I buried my face in her fur around her neck, and kissed behind her ears. She's seen me like this, a wolf when she wasn't in her wolf form herself, but I have yet to see her the same way. It was oddly natural through, the pride of my people were being wolves, we are wolves inside- before humans, and seeing her like this felt like seeing her true form, and she is so beautiful in her wolf form.
She breathed in deeply, and I could tell that even in her wolf form she was weak. If I had been awake I would have stopped her, and I know she knew that; I knew it more by the note she left. She knew I would say it's too soon, that the drugs are still in her system. She would have insisted, but I would have convinced her not to...
But I understood.
I had to. She's my mate.
And I want to.
The Alpha in me was furious she would go against me, my wishes, but that was simply my ego, and I denied my Alpha of that feeling.
She felt it was necessary to do, so I will support her decision, even if it isn't the one I would make.
She trembled against me. I rubbed my face in her fur again, and kissed her once more like I was. I stepped back and changed, It was early, but she needed me, now more than ever.
I transformed and my paws led me back to her.
She stirred awake as she heard me approach, but I simply laid beside her.
I understand your choice. I'm here to protect you. You are my mate, and I won't leave your side.
She nodded her head as she looked up at me with weak eyes.
I howled into the night to wake the others, letting them know, as I have to every night, that I was out for the night.
***************************************
When Coralie did wake in her wolf form she didn't want me to stay with her, but as Alpha she had to listen to me once I requested something. On any other occasion it might make me feel uncomfortable, and I'd hope she'd fight me on it, but I was glad she didn't. I told the others to scout, to all stay close and circle the territory through the night in opposing flanks, and they didn't question me. Not one of them, and I felt so much pride, they were all good and understanding members of our pack. With their help I stayed by Coralie's side all night. When we changed back she was tired again, and she needed her medicine, so I lifted her up in my arms and carried her inside.
I put her in her bed, she was quiet and distant, but that was expected. I went to my room and got her medicine, brought only what she needed to sleep, and she took it quickly with her water.
"Can you eat?" I asked as I touched her face. She nodded, after thinking for a moment. I smiled and kissed her forehead as I leaned down to her level. "Okay, I'll be right back..."
"Oh-okay." She said as her eyes fixated on her hands as they trembled.
"Do you want to come with me? You can have breakfast with your family?" I asked. The last thing I wanted was for her to feel confined, I wanted her to feel normal.
"No!- No..." She shook her head. "Not today..." She cleared her throat and nodded as she blinked, and tried to smile. I nodded.
"Alright." I kissed her forehead again and stood up. "I'll be right back." I said as I walked out of the room. I heard a commotion downstairs that wasn't there when we had just come through. I jogged down the stairs towards the good smells; towards the sound of Frea teasing Owen and Durst laughing loudly at it.
"Hey guys what-" I stopped as I saw them.
I had almost forgotten.
There stood three little versions of my mother at different spots in the kitchen, helping Frea and Brian with breakfast, laughing with big grins on their faces.
"Hey Danny! Your little sisters are so sweet!" Alice said with a smile as she waved at me.
"And well behaved." Brian beamed up at me. Like three little beacons their cheeks went red as they looked up at me.
"Hello..." The one closest to me said in a quiet as a mouse voice, as she looked up from her mixing bowl, her big doe eyes glossing over. Instantly I knew who she was.
"Lavander?" My eyes glossed over, too, as I knelt beside her. Without hesitating she wrapped her arms around me.
"Thank you for finding us. Saving us." She whispered. I chuckled and cried more, and the others in the room tried to look away in respect, but I didn't care if they hadn't.
Alpha or not, I was human, and this was one of the happiest moments of my life.
"I have so much to tell you about our mother. To tell all of you." I looked up at the other two.
"We'd love to know." Rose nodded with a smile, she was missing one tooth, on the top right, but I could tell it was my fathers smile.
"Here..." Violet came up to me with two plates in her hands. "Bring this to Coralie... She- she was very brave for us." Violet said.
"Thank you." I smiled as I stood up and took the plates. I nodded at the the others in the kitchen. "When Coralie sleeps I will come back." I told them all. They nodded and chimed in with 'yes sir's'. I went to bring Coralie her food, but Owen came up behind me.
"Uh- Sir-" Owen started with a nervousness he usually didn't have about him.
"Yeah, what's up Owen?" I asked as he put his arm around my shoulder and walked me into the dark hallway.
"Is she- is she alright?" He asked, clearing his throat as we got more privacy. "She's- she's my twin... I feel her pain sometimes, and it worries me..." His nervousness was gone and his tone was that of importance now.
"She's as good as she can be. Better. She hasn't been home a whole day yet." I replied.
"Is she recovering? Did the nurse say she was alright?" He questioned. I sighed.
"Alright, I'll tell you, please sparingly pass it down to the others, Brian if he asks, Frea if she's wondering, and only the others if it keeps them from asking me..." I asked. He nodded, understanding it was an order.
"She's alright, but I'll have to give her medication for a few weeks to ween her from the drugs, when she's out she's out and after that it will be up to her. We have to get her to gain some weight, her physical went fine besides the obvious bruises and cuts, but she's got blood work that is going to be sorted... And that's the part she's most worried about... She's got one more blood test scheduled for four weeks from now..." I said solemnly.
"What kind of..." He read my expression and it was as if it was written on my face. "Oh," he nodded as his face turned white and he gulped.
Neither of us said "pregnancy test" or "baby", but I'm sure he knew. He nodded.
"Frea and I will pray for you..."
"The gods will always lead us down the right path..." I nodded as I gulped now too.
"My dad said my mother would tell him that..."
"Mine said it when I was a kid." I forced a smile and he did, too.
"Tell her we love her." He said as he backed away. I went to walk up the stairs.
"I will..."
"Thank you sir!" He called up the stairs as I reached the second floor.
When I entered the room Cora smiled at me as she turned towards me. I froze in my place.
"What?" She asked with a chuckle.
"You're just so god damn beautiful..." I sighed as I sat beside her. I kissed her forehead, despite her being hesitant. I couldn't help it, I was so in love with her, her beautiful smile, it warmed me to see it again, even if it were a shadow of the ones before all of this happened.
Her cheeks went red and my inner wolf stirred with delight. She had always made me so shy, but being able to do the same to her pleased me. To know I had that affect on her still, despite everything, was like a beacon of hope.
"That was fast. Thank you." She said as she took the plate I handed her.
"My sisters were cooking and told me to bring it to you." I beamed thinking about them. "I can never thank you enough for thinking about them as you escaped- bringing them with you..." I added. The wolf in me was so proud of her, and so was I.
"You're my mate Danny, that makes them my family... I would have never left them." She shrugged and nodded.
"You were very courageous."
"No- no I wasn't..." She sighed as she stopped eating. "There were a lot of times I- I gave up... There were a lot of times I wanted to die..."
"No-" I stopped eating and touched her face, and she leaned into the palm of my hand as tears welled up in her eyes, "- you were courageous the whole time. You were strong and you held on- and that's all that matters. And now you're here, you're safe, and that's what is most important. I have my little Luna back, and nothing could make me happier." I said softly, she smiled wide instantly.
Did you hear that, he called us Luna!
I heard her in my mind for the first time outside of being wolf, and I was so shocked by her honey like voice in my mind, that I jumped in my skin. This didn't usually happen until after the claiming of mates.
"What?" She bit her lip as I let go of her face. I tried to focus and think as hard as I could, get my wolf to reply, hoping it would work.
You are my Luna. My beautiful little Luna.
My wolf replied in joy as I kissed her cheek softly, feeling her cheeks warm and move into a smile again.
"Oh!" She said with a shy chuckle.
"I love you Coralie..."
"I love you Danny." She leaned over, and to my surprise she kissed me full on the lips. I relished in her small movement, and didn't think twice to keep my lips against hers until she pulled away. She chuckled sweetly at my dazed expression and then started eating again, as if she hadn't just made my heart burst with joy. As if she didn't hold it in the tiny palm of her hand.