River sat quietly and waited for Eithen to work up the courage to tell his tale. He could see that whatever it was that Eithen was about to reveal scared him. River stayed silent, he wouldn't push for the answers that he seeked. Finally, after what felt like hours, Eithen gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and he began talking.
Eithen took a deep breath, "I guess there really isn't an easy way to explain this other than to just come right out and say it." He kept his eyes locked with River's to watch for any kind of reaction to what he was about to say. "I was born and raised to one day take over for my father, just as he did from his father. We come from a long line of leaders....better known to those of my kind as Alpha. I am what you would call a Shifter or a Werewolf." Eithen waited for any kind of response from River but received none. He just sat there, holding his hand, waiting for Eithen to continue.
"OK, well umm...I took over as Alpha five years ago when my father decided that it was time for me to lead our pack. There are currently around 150 members that look to me as a leader, a teacher and a role model to their pups. They turn to me to help settle any disputes that may arise within the pack itself." Eithen stopped to let all that he had said to sink in for River. River sat there silently, not moving. Eithen started to worry, "River....baby....you ok? I know it's a lot to take in, but like I said, there was no easy way to explain it. Say something River....please....anything." When Eithen went to stroke the side of River's face, it was like the air was sucked out of the room. River had shied away from his touch.
River sat there and heard the words that had come out of Eithen's mouth, he had expected to hear something, anything...but certainly not that he was a...a...he couldn't even think it. He felt like his life had turned into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Just a few weeks ago he was a simple man with a stressful job, a boss he despised, and a daughter that he wanted back. Now...now he was a man that was having strange dreams, excruciating pain accompanied by visions of his daughter and an attraction to his boss so strong that he couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.
Something nagged at him from his memory, a message he had heard in a dream. One of the dreams that had Siobhan in it, along with the beautiful wolf at her side. The wolf, his wolf, and with that the message became clear to him again. 'Trust in myself, believe the unimaginable, see with my mind, and listen with my heart.' With the realization of what he had heard, River started to breathe a little heavier, his heart beat a little faster and his body began to tremble.
Eithen tried to pull River to him when he felt the shaking, he knew that River was having some sort of an attack and Eithen needed to get him to calm down. River resisted though, instead he scooted back, released Eithen's hand, and stood up. Eithen was afraid he had just lost his mate, that River couldn't accept him for what he was. He watched River slowly walk away from him, towards the windows that overlooked the backyard and the woods. "River, baby, what's going on in that head of yours?"
River stood at the window, arms wrapped around himself, as he tried to come to terms with his life as he knew it. He heard Eithen speak, but he couldn't open his mouth or make a sound. What could he say to that? He needed time to think, he needed to be alone. River turned around to find Eithen standing in front of him, with a look of pain and sadness in his eyes. He couldn't do this right now.
He tried to tell Eithen, but his mouth was dry. He shook his head no, as he pleaded with his eyes for Eithen to understand. He swallowed a few times, trying to get his voice back. Again he shook his head no. "I...I can't do this Eithen, not right now." River walked around Eithen and headed for the door, not wanting to see the hurt on Eithen's face. As he reached for the handle he had one more question to ask. "Before I go to my room, is there anything else I need to know?"
******
Raivyn sat there on the ground with her arm raised and hand out as she waited for the pretty doggy to come closer. Her daddy had always told her not to touch strange dogs because you never knew if they would bite, but she knew she was safe. It was so pretty and soft looking. The animal dropped down into a crouch and belly crawled the rest of the way to where Raivyn sat, showing it meant no harm to her. It bumped her hand with its snout, telling her in its own way that she could touch. She rubbed her hands over its head just before she threw her arms around its neck and started to cry.
She was away from the mean people now and all her fear and sadness just poured out of her little body as she laid there wrapped around this animal. She felt safe, for the first time in a long time. She could see the sky without looking through a window, she could feel the breeze against her skin and blow her hair around. She was so dirty and so tired. Raivyn held onto the pretty doggy a little tighter as her eyes started to close. "Just a little nap until the nice tall man comes to find me," she whispered to the animal.
The wolf stayed where it was, unmoving as the little angel slept wrapped around it. It would protect her, keep her safe. It would do what it could to insure nothing happened to her. It heard the snap of a twig and whipped its head around sniffing at the air. It bared its teeth, a low growl emanating from its chest to let the danger it smelled know it was there. It watched a man emerge from behind a tree with his hands held up, showing the wolf it meant no harm to either it or the little girl.
"Hey there boy," the man said in a soft voice as he fell to his knees just out of snapping range of where the wolf lay. The man could see the protective nature of the wolf with Raivyn; he just wondered why it would do it so quickly. "I won't hurt her boy, like you, I just want to keep her safe." The man inched closer as he spoke, hands still held up. "Will you allow me to take her now boy? She has people that are waiting for her to come home."
The wolf's growls quieted down after it scented the air again, smelling for any sign of deceit from the man. The wolf would let this man take his little angel, but he would follow where he took her. The wolf would now forever protect, to watch over and keep safe from a distance until the time was right.
The man knew the moment the wolf had accepted him. He reached out and pried Raivyns arms from around the wolf's neck and gently cradled her in his arms to not wake her. "Thank you my young friend," the man said to the wolf as he stood and started into the woods once again. "I think you just made a lifelong friend little one," he whispered to a sleeping Raivyn.
The man could smell the young wolf as it followed. It didn't concern him though. He just wondered where the rest of the wolf's pack was. He knew the wolf wasn't one of theirs, the man knew all the families and the pups within the Donovan Pack. He would have to inform the Alpha of a possible throwaway. It was too protective of the little one to be a wolf gone rogue, so there seemed to be no threat. He hoped that the Alpha would know what to do for the boy because he didn't see him leaving Raivyn anytime soon.
