Escape is Only Temporary [boyxboy]

Chapter XXVI

~Thursday 14th July 2016~

"God, it's amazing in here," Shepherd looked up from the cutting that he had been planting, finding Cameron lingering just past the door into the greenhouse. She was marvelling at the craftsmanship, and Shepherd could understand the awe. Reece had constructed the building in a matter of two days, after Shepherd had provided him with a basic design that he liked. It was framed with wood to offer stability, and Reece had even purchased some panes of stained glass to add some colour. Shepherd had thought it would take weeks to build since Reece was adamant on working on it himself, with little help. In the end, Beau wore him down, offering a hand for the majority of the second day. Either way, Shepherd was more than grateful, he would never be able to repay the two men for their work.

"I thought you only wanted something small," Cameron leant against the round counter in the middle of the greenhouse, careful not to knock any of the pots of soil that Shepherd had prepared earlier. He had been in the greenhouse all day, wanting to begin the growth of the most important cuttings he required for rituals and enchantments sooner rather than later. Reece had managed to coax him out for a few hours when the sun was at its highest, reminding Shepherd that he had installed a thermometer for a reason.

"Reece doesn't understand the concept of small," rising from the kneeling pad he had been resting on, Shepherd couldn't help but grin as his gaze roamed the room around him. It had been built in an octagonal shape, with two doors to it. Around the edge were eight flower beds for larger vines and plants that needed more space. Then, in the middle, a thick wooden column was lined with shelves and finally a countertop at Shepherd's waist height. It wasn't full yet, nowhere near, and Shepherd knew that when it was finished, that was when the beauty would really shine through. For the time being, it was still just as stunning. Especially in the light of dusk that glinted off the detailed stained glass panes littered throughout the plain glass, sending a rainbow of shades cascading over the interior.

"Someone else likes it too, I see," Cameron ran a hand through Mischief's fur, rousing him from the slumber that had held him for the majority of the day. He chirped lazily, lifting his head for a moment before closing his eyes once again. Despite how much Reece had voiced his distaste for Shepherd's familiar, he understood the man's bond with the animal. Hence the ropes strung from the ceiling of the greenhouse that offered support for various hammocks and perches that Mischief could roam whenever he joined Shepherd. They weren't too high, and he had already fallen earlier, however, he was getting better at traversing the new terrain. Even so soon after his amputation, he was already mastering how to move on only three legs.

"Mmm, I think Reece just wants him out of the house more. He's already banned him from the bedroom," that had been one of the terms Reece had set during their discussion last week, along with a list of others that Shepherd made sure to meet almost daily. Apparently, even though Mischief was only a cub, his scent was still strong enough to make Reece feel unwelcome in his own nest, and Shepherd didn't want that. It was an easy fix. Mischief was happy to curl up on Snowden's bed instead, and had been lounging there with the boy more often recently. Shepherd didn't mind. Mischief was there to stay, an immortal being tied to Shepherd's life ever since the ritual that had been performed two days prior. Reece would come around to the reality soon. Shepherd hoped so anyway.

"He's so happy now, I've never seen him like this before," Cameron rested her hand on her stomach, absently rubbing to soothe whatever effect the foetus was having on her. She would start showing within the month, wolf pregnancies were only around four months. Shepherd remembered praying that his would have been so short, however, he had carried his sons to full term. Nine months of two rowdy foetuses beating the shit out of each other and his body too. He would do it again in a heartbeat but he would never be able to deny his complaints.