Third Person POV
Not many knew of the herbs and plants that grew in the coming of winter. Hanna not only knew of these herbs and plants but she grew them herself, with great pride. She planted their seeds, packed their soil full of nutrients, watered them. On good and bad days, she even found herself speaking to them. Telling them her troubles and good moments. And they thrived. She cherished her little garden which she had just outside her mother and fathers home. Her dad had made her the garden when she was just ten, telling her the best cooks grew their own food when they could. It was her dad who taught her how to care for them and her mom who helped her find new recipes to make with them.
It was cold out today but she didn't mind. She pulled back the tarp that protected her precious plants from the snow that was already sticking to the ground. Early winter this year, she thought. She was tending to a new bud when she heard the first scream. It wasn't unusual for the pack to get rowdy mid day but usually it was much more joyous. No, this scream brought a skip to her heart beat in the worst of ways. She looked up, trying to find out what was happening. Then, another scream. A blur in her right peripheral view had her gulping down fear as her fingers began to shake against the plants. She stood up, carefully backing up out of her garden.
A growl sounded not ten feet away from her and her breath caught. Looking up, she caught a grotesque sight. It was a rogue, that much she could smell. But its fur seemed to be singed down to the roots, spiraling in harsh little black curls against its taut stretched skin. Hanna held up her hands, backing away from the rogue. It growled, eyes locked on her. Hanna turned, making a run for the door. The rogue pounced, lunging a great distance and sinking its claws into Hanna's calves. She screamed as pain ran through her, kicking at the wolf. It didn't care, clawing its way up her body until its teeth were at her throat. Hanna tried to reach for a rock, one of the decorative ones she had painted as a child. She grasped it, cold in her hand, raising it above her head. Then the wolf lunged down, sinking its rotten teeth into her throat. She stills, eyes going wide. The wolf rips back, taking a chunk of flesh with it. Hanna's hand falls to the ground, the rock crashing into the snow covered Earth beside her. Her eyes waver as blood begins to pool out of her neck. She chokes on it, trembling hand reaching up to her injury. The wolf lunges again and Hanna goes still, eyes gazing at the clouds as snow begins to fall again.
Jacob pushed his lover against the wall of Josh's bedroom, peppering kisses down his neck. The smaller man let out a breathy sound, causing Jacob to chuckle and dig his hands further into Josh's hips. "I can't wait to mark you," Jacob confesses, not for the first time. Ever since they had begun to be more open about their relationship, Jacob said things like this. I can't wait to mark you. I can't wait to live together. I can't wait to have kids. Though, he will admit, he was hesitant on the kids thing at first. He never saw himself as much of a parental figure, having grown up with dismissive and unloving parents who threw him out the second they figured out his sexuality. He was a deeply distrusting man with an almost distaste for the world around him. But Josh? His Josh made him see the beauty in the every day. Made him feel the love he never got as a child. Made him feel capable of everything. And Josh had made it exceptionally clear that he wanted kids, one or two he had said. The second Wesley was born it was concrete in Josh's mind. Even hearing the stories of Lesa barely sleeping through the night most nights, he found himself longing for the experience.
Jacob wants everything in order. House, marking, then the consideration for raising a pup. He already had plans built up for a remodel of one of the houses further out in the pack. A little three bedroom that had been vacant for the past year or so. He and Josh would need an office, of course, and he figured one of the bedrooms could suffice for that for now. The second bedroom he was meticulously replanning to have the same mural Josh has in his room here at the pack house; a woodland landscape done in shades of green and blue. Then the third would of course be a nursery or bedroom for their pup to come. Josh wants a baby and Jacob tries to tell him that if a slightly older pup needs a home then they could go that route. Josh argues, yes, for their second child, but he wants a baby. A crying screaming pup who Jacob dreads having to change the diapers of. Of course, whatever his love wants he shall get. Jacob would make sure of that.
"Then do it," Josh pushes, grinding his hips against the growing bulge in Jacob's jeans. "Mark me. Show the whole world I'm yours."
"I think they already know that." Jacob bites harshly at Josh's neck, not enough to break the skin but enough to leave a mark for the next day or so. Josh inhales, the sound coming from low in his throat. He weaves his wedged hand up along Jacob's chest, winding it around the taller man's neck and pulling his lips to his. They stay tangled in that kiss for several moments, basking in each other. Jacob pulls back first, much to the dismay of Josh who lets out a needy whine. "Every day, these people see you and they know you are mine now. Mine forever." His lips find Josh's again, his hand possessively gripping Josh's thigh and lifting his leg to wrap around his waist. The new angle has Josh's head tipping back.
'Josh, could you help me downstairs,' Zay's voice trails through the link.
"Hey-" Jacob nibbles at Josh's earlobe, blowing cooly on the skin "-come back to me."
"It - It's Zay," he breathes out. "She needs something."
"Then she can ask someone else."
'Josh, is this a bad time?' The smaller boy groans.
"No, Zay never asks. Let me go help her and then I'll be back." He unwinds his leg, pressing his lips briefly to Jacob's who tries to chase him in his hold. "Ten minutes. I'll only be ten minutes."
"In ten minutes I could have you begging for more." Josh rolls his eyes at this despite knowing it's absolutely true.
"It's a good thing I'm patient." Josh gives him a wink, pushing him back with a teasing kiss. Jacob mumbles under his breath, running a hand through his hair. He walks to the bed, plopping back on it with a defeated sigh.
"You have ten minutes and then I'm coming down there to drag you away."
"Yeah, yeah."
Josh leaves the grumbling man alone in his bedroom, jogging his way down the stairs to see what Zay needs. What he didn't expect was a group of about 10-15 of the packs pups to stare up at him wide eyed and wet from playing in the snow outside. Zay sighs in relief when she sees him. "Thank Goddess, you're here. Shia and I have more work to do so I thought you wouldn't mind seeing that these kiddos get nice and warm?" Josh glances back up the stairs then back to the wide pleading eyes in front of him.
"Uncle Josh?" Delian steps forward, red hair damped onto her cheeks. "Can we have hot cocoa?" And his resolve melts.
"Of course you can, kiddo. Everyone follow me!" Zay makes a gesture of thanks, turning back to go to her office.
He got mugs into everyone's hands when he heard the first scream. The kids were too busy giggling into their hot cocoa to truly notice it but he did. He peaked his head out of the kitchen doorway just in time to see Jacob thudding down the stairs. "Did you hear that?"
"There's an attack, let's go." Another scream sounds from outside and Zay and Shia come out of their office to come into the living room. Josh slips out of the kitchen, keeping his back to the door.
"I can't- the pups. I have almost twenty of them in here." Zay had run to a window, pulling back the curtain that was previously preventing a bit of the cold.
"Godess," she mumbles. "I have to go."
"Wait-" Shia reaches for her.
"People are hurt out there. I have to go," she restates, more firmly. More screams and sounds of crashing sounds from outside. "Shia, can you put up a barrier around the pack house? Keep the kids safe, let in any pack member seeking shelter?"
"Yes, but-"
"But nothing, love." The two share a look and it's understood. They have duties to do, people to protect. Zay reaches for her mate, caressing her cheek and planting a sweet kiss upon her blue lips.
"Be safe, my darling."
"For you my love, I would move the Earth." And then Zay is gone, turning to grab a medical kit from her office and then running out into the chaos of screams just outside the pack house.
"Uncle Josh?" A small voice floats from by the kitchen door. Delian stares wide eyed at her family standing in the living room and then to the front of the house where the screams sound the loudest. Hot chocolate still stains her upper lips, Josh wiping it away when he reaches for her. "What's happening?"
"We're going to go play a game, okay?" He gives her a smile but his eyes waver, switching to Jacob who nods in agreement. Josh will stay with the pups. He gathers them all from the kitchen as they hold on tight to each other in their new found fear. Some cry for their parents, others stare in confusion at the windows and door. "Follow me, everyone." He leads them back through the main hallway, taking them into the entertainment room. Jacob follows, catching his hand. Josh sets Delian down, telling her to pick a movie with the other pups.
Jacob eyes the end of the hallway they had just come from. "I have to go."
"I know."
"I love you."
"I know." Jacob gives him a glare. "I love you too." He leans up, pressing his lips to the taller man's lips. "Always and forever."
"Forever and more." Jacob kisses him again, not wanting to let him go but so grateful that Josh won't be going out into the chaos. Like it or not, in the moment his focus is always on Josh. They bid farewell and Josh watches as he leaves, his heart clenching as a feeling of dread consumes him. There was never any warning. 'Everyone to shelter. The pack house remains protected.'
Jacob nods to Shia, who works on creating a barrier around the house, and goes into the oncoming snow.
Xavier had woken up that morning in a great mood. Several times over the night before he had brought his mate to a point of bliss and nothing brought him more satisfaction than that. She stayed in his arms, skin to skin, all through the night. No nightmare haunted either of them. Just bliss and love. He had woken her with a shower of kisses, focusing mostly on her mark that he had grown deeply fixated to. Celeste would often trace his at night, likely equally infatuated with the swirling pattern of stars.
He had requested that breakfast be brought up to their room that morning, not wanting to share her with anyone else. He fed her berries and listened to her ramble about her plans for the day. She was going to have lunch with his sister and then she and Lycer had plans to hang out after. She was deeply in love, like everyone else in their little family, with baby Wesley. She wanted her own, she had decided. The decision brought a warmth to his chest. He suggested they get started right away, with a wink in her direction. She blushed and shoved a biscuit in his mouth.
He didn't want to leave her but he had business at the far north border. They were thinking about expanding the pack territory to accommodate for the oncoming generation. Every day their pack grew and not many opted to leave in their older ages. Instead, opting to continue their work and family building on the pack grounds. It brought a warmth to his chest to think that his community loved it so. To do this, they would need to chart out plans for the council to approve. He was sure this would be no issue but it would have to be landscaped as well. Where the houses would go, perhaps another square of businesses to keep the distance between the life and living of the pack fair. This would also create a greater economy for their pack. New businesses to thrive and build. He was sure he would save a specific spot to be built for Hanna's restaurant whenever she decided she was ready.
Yes, this would be good.
His wolf whined for him to go back to Celeste and he pushed it aside. Being apart from her was hard now. It brought a tightness to his chest that he often had to push through. Sometimes he would find himself ending meetings early or pushing paperwork aside to go find her. He liked to think she felt the same. She would cut her lessons short for the same reason, making excuses to find herself in his office. The only thing she wouldn't skip was her physical therapy with Zay. Her arm seemed to get better as the days go on but she was determined to get back to where she used to be. The thought of a surgery scared her and she wanted to avoid it if possible. He assured her he would be there until she went to sleep and he would be there when she woke up. Zay was feeling hopeful on how far she and Shia were coming along in it, thinking they could maybe schedule the surgery for just a few weeks from now.
He continued to jot down notes. For every three trees they would need to cut down, they're required to plant one and he would need to decide where that would be as well. He made some rough sketches of ideas.
'Alpha!' A voice reached his link. Calvin, who was on the west border today. 'Rogues incom-' the link gets cut off.
'Calvin?' He gets no response. His heart thuds. Celeste.
Lycer resisted the urge to rip out the pages of his notebook. Days, weeks, had passed and he got nowhere. He couldn't find his father nor any other immortal. He asked the tracker, Josh, if he'd ever heard of these higher presences. Josh stared at him as though it were a joke. Of course he'd heard of the Lycan, the original few from who their blood flowed down from the very mother herself. But these were myths, fairy tales, told to pups as they were tucked sweetly into bed by their parents. He asked his dearest Celestial what she remembered of these childhood tales. Surely her name meant something to her parents, surely they knew. She said she barely recalled, not until he said it was there ever any spark of these stories. He didn't ask the Alpha, not wanting the man to pry into his business. He did ask the Magi, who gave him a momentary spark of hope. She recalled a memory from long ago, she had said, of her mentor. Her mentor supposedly came across one of the Lycans in Asia many many moons ago. She had heard nothing since. Asia was already marked in his notes, this was nothing new.
He would have to travel for himself, seek the answers he wished to find. He didn't want to part from Celestial but he knew he wasn't longed for this pack. This simply wasn't his home, that much had always been clear to him. It would break her heart to hear. And when could he say he'd be back? Five years? Ten? Longer? They had just reunited and now they were meant to split? Perhaps he could stay for a bit longer, prepare her for the reality ahead. Prepare himself.
His mind felt in a whirlwind; he needed air. He pushed back from the desk, clenching his fists as he stared at his seemingly useless notes. Don't destroy them, he chanted, they may be of use yet.
The second he was out of the pack house, he shifted. It was cold today and he wanted to bask in it. The chilly air whipped through his fur as he ran further and further away from the packhouse. To the north east, he kept going. The pack grounds lifted below his thundering steps, bringing him up a hill until he could hear a gentle thrum of water still trying to flow in the dropping temperatures. From the top of this hill, he could see a small body of water fed by a waterfall that was barely flowing. The top of the hill was backed by bushes and rocks yet with the perfect view of this little paradise. He sat, taking in several calming breaths. His paws sank into the chilled Earth below him, covered in a light blanket of snow from the previous few days.
This is what he needed. Freedom, a breath of air. He'd always felt connected to nature. Perhaps that was the true reason he never wanted to stay with his father after his mothers passing. The restriction felt so wrong at the time. He wanted to mourn her, remember her, love her in spirit and all. He never felt he could do that under his fathers roof. But at night, when he looked to the stars, he felt her all the more.
Several flakes of snow began to fall from the air. He basked in it, his fur keeping him moderately warm. In the distance, he saw several wolves running back towards the pack. One of them was the Alpha, that much he could see. He wondered if he should go back too but the weather and the view were so nice. He laid his head back down. Five more minutes.
'Lycer.' Celestial's voice reaches him and his worry spikes. She never uses their bond to reach him. 'Lycer, I need you.' He ran, chasing after the Alpha.
word count: 3155