Wolfsbane · Kylo Ren

VII

Mara jumped as the escape pod shuddered, and scraped against metal.

She looked up to see the metal workings of what certainly looked like a hangar.

Her stomach turned.

In her 50 years, she'd been in plenty of conflict, born during the empire there was plenty of buzz and chaos in their galaxy, but she wasn't a warrior. She didn't fight, she never charged headfirst into to danger like this. She just survived.

Today was new, today she'd apparently decided to be reckless.

The pod hatch opened with a groan, and a hiss.

She crouched defensively, preparing herself for anything.

A man in a white mask, resembling a storm trooper observed her, blaster at the ready.

"It's a dog?"

Came the troopers confused statement, his voice filtering oddly through the helmet.

She growled.

Then came him.

Kylo Ren. Ben Solo.

He peered curiously at her, and her stomach flipped once more.

She couldn't fight her tentative rise towards him, sitting up to peer back at him.

His gloved hand reached out, and for some reason she didn't flinch. She... trusted him?

His leather covered fingers lightly brushed the fur between her ears, that's when the pain came.

Like she was being crushed, an overwhelming pressure across every inch of her body.

She cried out, an involuntary howl erupting.

Please stop!

She pleaded.

"I'm not doing anything."

He told her, watching her with confusion.

Her eyes squeezed shut as the pain built, everything feeling like it would burst.

All at once, it stopped.

She felt cold.

"Mara?"

Rey voice called, sounding shocked.

Mara opened her eyes, staring down at her paws in shock.

Not paws, hands.

"Fuck."

Kylo Ren's cloak was swiftly removed from his shoulders, and draped across hers.

She clutched the warm fabric around her, shuddering from shock.

His face had returned to a stony neutral expression, but Mara could sense his emotions swirling like a hurricane.

"You!"

He barked to a nearby trooper of smaller stature.

The trooper stood frozen at attention.

"Go to the nearest barracks and retrieve a spare set of base layers, she cannot be seen by the supreme leader this way."

The trooper nodded curtly and took off.

Mara shivered, her head on a swivel, noting all the eyes on her.

"Ben-"

Rey began, but he cut her off.

"Silence."

He stated in a firm voice, as two troopers placed thick cuffs across Rey's forearms, then moved back standing at attention on either side of her.