"What is your breaking point?"
He could see it.
No one really told him the extent of Reeve's abuse, but as she stared horrified at her own skin, he finally understood, and it made his heart squeeze in his chest. He thought he'd seen a broken Reeve before, yet as she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, he realized that this was what true brokenness looked like.
A shattering image of defeat.
He unconsciously rubbed his hands up and down her arms as she continued to shiver, from the cold and probably shock. Reeve was covered in mud and yet the layer did nothing to hide the bumps of the scars collected across her delicate skin. He couldn't find a patch of skin that didn't bear her past.
He heard the warriors shifting uncomfortably around them as he reached out and pushed a lock of dirtied chestnut hair from her face. Her eyes found his and he had to stop himself from flinching away, he hated seeing her so vulnerable.
"Reeve," He murmured, his tone wavered - breaking with the intensity, "You'll catch a cold out here. Do you think you can walk?"
She was silent, her eyes wide and distant. Reeve stared at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes, and he almost didn't expect a reply - as he wasn't sure she heard him - but then she finally took shaky breath after a few minutes and shook her head. He understood.
"Okay," Cassius looked over his shoulder and gestured for a piece of clothing, "I'm going to have to pick you up, Reeve, are you okay with that?" Asher passed him a large t-shirt.
Reeve gave a meek nod. He gently grabbed her wrists and slid them through the arms of the t-shirt before he pulled it over her head. She huddled into the piece of cloth and he wrapped one arm around her back.
"Here we go," He breathed, threading his other arm under her knees, and then he lifted Reeve into his arms. She was stiff, her eyes remaining focused on the forest floor, and Cassius motioned for the others to go ahead.
They were nearly a mile from the pack house. He didn't mind the walk as Reeve eventually snuggled into his body heat and her body slightly relaxed - he felt the need to crack a joke to lighten the atmosphere but decided against it. He hated how the emotions that boiled to the surface were all too familiar - bitter and depressing.
They arrived on the front porch sometime later to find the entire pack crowded in the Alpha's house. Everyone was on alert as soon as Reeve had ran. Asher had just pushed the door open and Reeve went rigid in his arms, the house falling silent. All of the attention was on her, and it barely took a second before murmurs of questions arose.
"Who is that?"
"Is that Reeve?"
"Impossible!"
The last being commented by West, as he stared at the frail girl in the Gamma's arms. She couldn't possibly be the monster who murdered his family, she looked scared out of her mind just being a room of werewolves.
Asher pushed through the warriors that were trying to get a closer look and Cassius followed quickly. Reeve's breathing increased with the close proximity of so many males and he'd barely reached the stairs when she started hyperventilating.
"Reeve, just listen to my voice," Cassius soothed, jogging up the stairs, "No one will hurt you, they were just curious, I promise. Focus on my heartbeat and let everything else leave your mind." The words were thick on his tongue - the words of his mother - and he heard Leon giving orders behind him, luckily no one followed up the stairs.
Reeve's fists snatched his shirt, clenching impossibly tight, and her eyes flickered to his in panic. It was a direct replay of the same emotion she'd relayed to him before Deikota accidentally triggered her. He wished he could have seen it sooner.
"Breath with me," He instructed when her breathing didn't cease, "Ignore everything. Ready? Inhale." They inhaled together, "Exhale," Reeve obeyed shakily, and they continued the process. Asher held open the door to Reeve's room as Cassius entered.
Asher made a move to step inside but Cassius shook his head, "It's best you go. She's unstable." There was a pause and then Asher nodded, closing the door on his way out.
Reeve's eyes flicked around the room and he stayed silent as he felt her tense muscles begin to relax at the familiar sight of her room. She eventually exhaled softly and he took that as his cue. He strode towards the bathroom, flicked the light on, and then set Reeve down on the side of the bathtub.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, and he felt his own muscles ease tension when he saw the familiar expression of composed calm in Reeve's silver eyes; panic no longer riddling her. She was quiet a moment as he turned on the water and adjusted the temperature, then he leaned back for her answer.
Reeve blinked, and then her shoulders moved a smidge. She made a face and tried rolling her shoulders again - executing a shrug - and he chuckled quietly, "Okay, then. I'll let you get away with it for now." He winked at her before grabbing a towel and dipping it in the water.
He gently wiped away the mud coating her skin, pausing every few seconds when she tensed before continuing slowly, and eventually, he had her lean over the tub and he rinsed the mud from her hair. Her skin glistened when he was done and he ruffled her chestnut hair before leaving her to change into a dry pair of clothes.
It was different seeing Reeve as a human and - somehow - he found it quite uncomfortable how quiet she was. Of course, she was still slightly in shock, but he was just glad she wasn't freaking out. He didn't know the extent of damage the human Reeve could do but he had a strange hunch that her wolf was her strength.
He helped her get into bed after she was done changing since she was still unable to master balance on two legs. It had been years of running on four legs for her and he could only imagine how different the two forms were.
"Reeve, I know this is tough for you," He quietly spoke as he adjusted the blanket around her, "But you can still trust me. I'm always going to be here, you know that. And so will everyone else, we're all hoping the best for you. Take your time and don't push yourself. This is a change for everyone," He smiled as her eyes watched him curiously, "Now, get some sleep, you look exhausted."
She narrowed her eyes, trying to protest, but then her eyelids fluttered and he had to contain his chuckle as she slipped under the throws of sleep rather quickly. He watched the stressful lines disappear from her face as her muscles relaxed completely, she looked utterly peaceful, and he quietly left the room.
He felt extremely accomplished and, as he ventured downstairs where the kitchen was calling his name, he felt like the next couple days would challenging his role of being an older brother. He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen as several heads turned in his direction. They watched him expectantly, their eyes speaking - demanding news.
"She's fine, thanks for using words." He deadpanned - amusement glowing in his eyes - and he turned to open the refrigerator.
"Oh my god, I really didn't mean to cause chaos!" Deikota broke the awkward silence first, lurching forward to grab Cassius' arm, "Are you sure she's okay? Oh - I ruined everything, didn't I? I'm so stupid. You guys told me and I didn't listen!"
Cassius rolled his eyes, turning to give the girl a lopsided grin, "Kota, the only thing you can ruin is food because you can't cook," He snickered when she glared, "But she's fine," He resumed grabbing the leftovers from the dinner celebration, "She just needs time to rest and then rehab."
"You guys saw her face, though, right?" Asher interrupted Kota, who was about to speak again - concern etched into his features, "I don't think I've ever seen someone that petrified, what do you think happened to her?"
Lucas scoffed, "Dude, we've all heard the stories."
Asher shot the Adviser a frown, "We've heard what people want to tell about, there's a difference."
"Guys, what's wrong with her?" Kota raised her voice over the males, "Why didn't she just shift before? Was she cursed in wolf form? Why the hell does she act all freaky?!"
Cassius shook his head, punching in a command to the microwave, "There is nothing wrong with her. She has her reasons, and no, she isn't cursed. Plus, she's probably freaky to you because you don't have a normal day in your life," Then, he muttered under his breath, "You ask some pretty bizarre questions."
"How are you so sure?" Kota crossed her arms, almost glaring in challenge.
Leon cleared his throat, "Fry, Cassius knows more about Reeve than all of us combined."
"Don't call me Fry." Kota snapped, then her eyebrows creased, "I messed every - "
Cassius groaned, "Oh, for the last tim - "
Kota silenced him with a slap, "No, listen. I'm sorry for ruining whatever was going on. It was stupid of me, I know, and I promise it won't happen again," Kota rubbed the back of her neck, "I always seem to do the ignorant things in this family."
The males in the kitchen stared at each other with wide eyes, mock expressions of disbelief written all over their faces.
Kota rolled her eyes, "What?"
Asher coughed, and then he laughed, "Guys, did we just hear the infamous Kota - who never commits to anything - apologize and make a promise?"
They all nodded and Kota rested her hand on her hip, obviously annoyed.
"History was just made." Leroy smirked.
"You are all impossible! Morons!" Kota finally snapped, flailing her arms.
Jasper feigned being in pain, "Ouch, babe, I'm hurt."
"Not you."
"Good," Her mate grinned, walking forward to wrap her in a hug, "Then, let's go sleep on this and see what happens in the morning." Kota squealed when Jasper scooped her off her feet and then the two disappeared from the kitchen.
Cassius pulled a plate full of food from the microwave and took a seat at the kitchen island, nonchalant through it all, "Well, I think we're in for some fun." Everyone's attention shifted to the Gamma as he stabbed some ribs with his fork, "Anyone wanna be promoted?"
"Has anyone ever told you that your impossibly ridiculous?" Asher flicked the back of Cassius's head.
Cassius stuck his tongue out, "Yes, and its really a compliment."
Asher arched an eyebrow, his mouth quirking in an amused grin, "What would it take to surprise you? The end of the world? A zombie apocalypse?" The other men chuckled, and Asher snickered, "What I want to know is what actually concerns our Gamma ... got something to say?"
"You know what," Cassius pushed a potato around his plate, indifferently, "Sometimes you have to live as if today is your last, and that means not caring about the future. Learned it from my mother."
Asher opened his mouth, then his eyebrows knit together and he shook his head with a sigh. The men were silent, too, as they looked at each other and then Cassius - who didn't even spare them a second glance.
And, for once, no one could argue with Cassius.
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I am a monster.
I keep breaking my characters like this.
... any comment on that?
I apologize if anything is confusing, I wrote this at like 2 in the morning and edited this on about three-ish hours of sleep. My mare is going to have a foal very soon so I've been keeping 'night watch'. Who loves baby horses?!
Leave a comment!
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