"What is the fine line?"
The past couple of weeks were a dream.
Cassius had entered that room with the intention of being drug out in pieces, and they were expecting a dangerous close off, but what had happened shook everyone to their cores. The entire pack had been stunned, gawking at her reaction.
A new beast presented itself.
They watched a vicious creature break under the pressure of friendship, and in its place a young wolf was left defenseless. Darren was surprised at the abrupt leap the she-wolf took, and he spent hours in his office, observing her and scribbling notes.
She was hard to understand, but Darren was convinced he could figure something out. It was his job to understand his patients thoroughly, but he couldn't make a full statement until he'd met her face to face.
Cassius had walked out of the room incredibly starstuck, and no one could snap him out of it for at least fifteen minutes. Darren knew something powerful laid with the she-wolf, he could taste it, like a tainting blood.
Bittersweet.
He spoke with Leon, and the Alpha agreed that something was lurking beneath the surface, even his wolf could feel it. As the she-wolf slowly unwrapped herself from the shadows, the mysteries that laid beneath rose to surface and questions were raised.
Some of the pack members had been murmuring among themselves about the entire thing being a dream, but they watched everyday as Cassius entered the she-wolf's room. She would greet him, and then she would lay at his feet while he read her books. She allowed him to touch her in brief rubs.
The surrounding packs had fallen silent in the rumors of the female scent, brushing it aside as a rogue, but Leon was still cautious of letting things move too quickly. He kept a tight rein in things, anxious about future conflicts. He was never meant to be an Alpha, and the responsibility of one stressed him beyond his bounds.
Over the days, Cassius had convinced Leon that they were ready for the next step, and the pack warriors spent the morning barricading the house. They sealed every window with bars, secured every door that led outside with bolts on inside and out.
They weren't taking any chances, but the she-wolf had to continue on her journey.
It was nearly noon when the preparations were finally finished, and Leon ordered everyone to stay away from the Alpha's house during a two hour period. He stationed five warriors around the outside of the house as a precaution, and then it was time.
The Alpha eyed Cassius, a silent warning in the air, "You can't let her out of the exterior doors at any cost. If she gets out of control, you know how to use the tranquilizer gun Darren provided," The Gamma nodded, but winced at the mention of putting the she-wolf under by force, "I want you to keep in contact with me, and let us know of any suspicious behavior."
"Yes, Alpha." Cassius nodded.
"Don't let her destroy anything else, either. We have enough things to repair." Asher added.
Cassius rolled his eyes, "Yes, Beta."
They watched the Gamma slip into the house and they released a heavy sigh when they heard the bolt slip into place. They would let her out every day for a few hours as long as she behaved, and they hoped for the best.
She couldn't stay in that room forever, hiding from the world.
Cassius whistled to himself as he sped through the empty house, his footsteps echoing around him. He was proud of himself for convincing an Alpha to grant his wishes, even Asher couldn't hold that bragging right. He pulled on the handle of the she-wolf's room, and it swung open as he grinned.
The she-wolf looked up at him, perking her ears, but when she saw that he didn't have her usual meal tray, he saw her muscles tensing in anticipation. She was learning how to trust again, and he handled her blind trust carefully.
"I've got a challenge for you today," He smiled, and she titled her head, "I want you to step out of your isolation, and follow me."
She almost immediately growled at him, flattening her ears into a unwillingly gesture.
He lightly laughed, "You know, you remind me of my mother," An ear perked in question, catching his words, "She once told me that every being would stray away from something different because the change scared them, and I see how very true her words are."
He shrugged, "She was a human in a werewolf pack, after all."
The she-wolf watched him with calculating eyes, her tail lightly whisking from side to side behind her. After he'd bathed her, she had taken up the appearance of a sheen pearl. Her grey fur shimmered in the fluorescent lighting, as if glowing, and her striking black markings that consumed most of her face and ears made her a very unique wolf.
"Come and let me show what it means to live." He tried again, clearing his throat.
He thought that she would refuse his offer, as her silver eyes were blank of emotion, but she finally gave in. She stood to her paws and cautiously ventured towards him, and when she drew close enough, he backed out of the threshold of the room.
She paused as her eyes flipped to his. He gave an encouraging smile, and she looked down at her paws that stood a hairslength away from where the door had previously seperated her from the rest of the house. She hesitated, and he noticed her nose flaring with the different scents of the house.
He was patient, waiting for her to overcome her mental barrier because he knew how quickly she could become overwhelmed. Finally, she took a deep breath and passed through the doorway. He closed the door behind her, the noise causing her to flinch, then he chuckled as she pressed herself against his right leg.
"Nothing to be scared of, see?" He patted her head, and she glared at him for a brief second before her eyes went back to scanning her surroundings as he led her down the hallway at an easy pace.
The insecurity was practically rolling off the she-wolf in waves, and it was almost amusing how a ruthless she-wolf like herself could become so frightened with a simple change. He silently chuckled at the thought.
Nonetheless, he gave her a grand tour of his home. He showed her the bedrooms on the upper floor, the spare bedrooms on the lower floor with the offices. He had felt her tense against his leg as they passed Alpha Leon's office, but it was about the only reaction she gave.
He led her into the kitchen at one point and they ate their lunch, the first meal they shared together, and then he guided her into the living room.
"You are going to love this," He said, holding a remote controller in his hand, "Netflix was invented for humans, but I personally find it enjoyable. Lucas and I fight over it all the time." His lips twitched at the thought.
The television came to life with a musical noise and the she-wolf leapt up from her seated position, startled. Her head swiveled, searching for the noise, and he bent over laughing. Once he caught his breath, he explained that there wasn't anything dangerous about Netflix, but she remained skitterish at any sort of noise.
Eventually, she settled down at his feet and he became engrossed in one of his favorite shows. It was a few minutes before he realized her body warmth wasn't against his leg, and when he glanced down he felt a shock of alarm run through him.
She was gone.
He shot up from the couch, cursing himself, and frantically searched the living room.
He ran out of the room into the kitchen, but there weren't any signs of her there either. He went to the stairs, and as he was about to make a panicked mind link with Leon, he saw a shadow move by the front door.
He paused, "Reeve?"
The she-wolf was silent, as she sat immobile in front of the the long window beside the front door. He carefully walked up to her, "Are you okay?"
She exhaled softly, her breath fogging the glass. She tilted her head to look at him and his heart jolted in his chest at the sight. The raw emotion seemed to leak from her eyes, plunging a knife into his soul. She was in pain, being blocked from the woods that her wolf craved, and he was forced to shake his head at her silent begging.
"I can't let you out, yet," He said in a small voice, "You have to prove that we can trust you, and then the wilderness is yours, okay?"
She seemed to sigh in disappointment, and her eyes returned to the outside world. He wasn't sure what to say, so he gently set his hand atop her head in hopes of it being some form of comfort.
He had trouble dealing with raw emotions with the pack because it clouded his amusement, and without it he felt the despair of his past, but when he was Reeve it just felt natural. As much as his presence affected her, she affected him, too. He was desperate to see her happy, and he smiled softly at the she-wolf beside him.
He had always wanted a little sister.
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I feel like this chapter is a little odd and pretty crappy.. but it definitely can't compete with the last chapter, can it?
I have finally discovered a plot-line for this book (no, I didn't have one before .. oops) ... and boy we're in a for a rollercoaster ride *snickers*....but as I write chapter drafts, I realize that the beginning of this book is rough as heck (sorry 'bout that), and I have some major editing to do once I'm done writing....*cringes*
Anyway,
DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to @Claissa4816. You, my friend, are my rock in the ocean. Sometimes I get discouraged or doubt myself, and you always shut me right up. Thank you for inspiring me, and pushing me to keep writing. You bother me sometimes *sticks tongue out* but I still love you. You know me better than I do, and I really hope you enjoy the book! <3
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