Thornblakes

Chapter 1: After Math

Red's POV

Sitting on the couch in the pack house living room, I was surrounded. For the first three days after my fight Ryder wouldn't let me leave the fifth floor. A week later people are still filling up the pack house. They were all doing different things. Kids came in to play. Teens were watching the TV or working on school work. Pack wives were watching the children or doing various tasks. Even a few warriors would appear time to time, reading the paper or doing whatever they thought made them look tough.

Alec says everyone came back to the pack house when I returned, and they're all just here because they missed me. It's a little exaggerated, but I didn't mind it. John had just fallen asleep and I sat on the couch, well on Ryder actually, who was on the couch. He still won't let me leave his sight. I hadn't minded the first week or so, but now it's annoying again.

One of the kids ran by, accidentally tripping on my bad ankle. Wincing as pain shot up my foot, Ryder gave a deadly growl from behind me. Everyone looked up at us and I just elbowed him. Anger was evident in his eyes.

"I'm sowwy Luna." The little boy whispered.

Turning to him I gave him a small smile and ruffled his hair with my right hand. "It's fine. Go on." I told him, nodding to the other kids waiting for him to rejoin their game. Smiling at me he nodded and ran off. I didn't even turn to Ryder. "He's just a child Ryder, Damon." I warned them, standing up and walking into the kitchen.

My left arm is casted and pretty much useless, so I'm pretty glad I'm right handed. I reached up for a glass when I footsteps approached behind me slowly, carefully and calculating. Turning revealed a slim girl with long, messy dirty blond hair and wild brown eyes. She was a member of this pack, I had no doubt. The same way I had no doubt that the knife in her hand was meant for my heart.

"You." She breathed. There was a wildness in her eyes that exceeded that of a sound mind and a sound heart. "You killed him. You killed my mate." A long breath parted my lips. I'd only killed two people in months. It had to be one of the brothers. "He was a good man. He protected his brother. You gave him the cruelest death of dishonor and silver." Her words were a dark hiss before her voice began to crack and silent tears streamed down her face. "He would have changed for me." She would never know if he would.

"RED!" Ryder bellowed, appearing in the doorway with Alec beside him.

Taking advantage of my turning to look at them she moved the knife in front of my throat. Damon had already took control, but he knew he had to proceed as if stepping on eggshells.

He did, not me. Sighing I focused on the wall above Ryder and Alec's heads. "I'm sorry, but I'm a mother now. I won't let you kill me." I whispered.

"Let me?!" She screeched.

Grabbing the knife with my hand I pushed it away enough to move out of her reach. She rose the knife over her head to charge me, like only a crazy person would, and swung. Throwing up my cast I blocked it before clocking her.

The force caused her to slam into the wall. I took the knife as Ryder approached, but held out my arm to stop him. Her breathing was irregular and so was her heartbeat. I'd assumed it was due to insanity and adrenaline, but when she hit the wall her body should have tried to regulate itself.

Reaching down I felt her pulse. "Poison." She knew she'd die if she killed me. She'd wanted to die. But first she wanted me to feel pain.

"Where's your baby Red?" She barely breathed the words, going limp as she did.

Shooting to my feet my breathing was ragged. "Where's my baby?" I growled the words in a low tone. Ryder moved towards me but I pushed him away with strength neither of us knew I had before I took off. "Kylie!" I screamed.

Throwing open the door I saw Kylie holding John and a fresh bottle. She'd had poison. Sprinting over I ripped the bottle out of her hand as she looked up at me in alarm.

Looking down at John, just barely awake and giggling, I slumped back against the bed post. "Red?" Kylie's voice was soft and worried.

"Tried to kill me. . . Poisoned self. . . Asked . . . where my baby was." I breathed.

After a moment she looked over John and me and was calm, but Ryder wasn't. He immediately crushed me to him, breathing in my scent. "Red." He breathed in relief.

I held him close a moment before letting go. Kylie handed me John. "I'm going to go make a new bottle." She stated and I heard her drag Alec out behind her.

Ryder turned me in his arms to face me. John held gently between us. His lips lowered to mine in a feather light kiss. "Red, stop scaring me." He whispered. I knew the fight still haunted his dreams. It still haunts mine, but not the way it did him. "With you gone I lost everything." He breathed.

Sighing I put John in his crib with his toy ring. Turning back to him, my arms wrapped up around his neck as best as they could with a cast. My fingers wove into his hair making his hazel eyes look into mine. "But I came back." I whispered, kissing his lips softly. "And I brought you everything." His eyes searched mine a long while, before finding whatever he was looking for.

"Red you brought me so much more than that." He assured. Before I had time to think about it his lips were on mine again.

The kiss was fierce with love and longing. The desperate kiss that leaves you breathless, but begging for more. Instead I leaned my head against his chest, listening to his own hammering heart.

There was a knock on the door and Kylie entered with her hand over her eyes and a bottle in the other. I could only laugh as Ryder growled out in annoyance. "Your fine Kylie. Thank you." Kylie's been helping take care of John, seeing as I could hardly walk the first couple days with my ankle and that I wasn't allowed to move.

She came in and I slid out of Ryder's arms, and scooped up John. My sweet baby boy threw his toy and began to giggle. Kylie stood beside me, giving him his new bottle. "Always Red." She promised, smiling down at her godson.

Authors Note

Yay! Finally up and nothing like a little life or death to remind us all who Red is XD Good to see you all again and as always Thanks for reading!