The Pack Rebel

16. Reassurance

**TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL SITUATION!!! READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!!**

Cleo's P.O.V.

"It's a complicated thing, being mates. Trust me, I was scared at first. But, as time went on, or rather the sleep I was able to get, helped me see, he didn't mean any of it. He was just scared, and didn't know what to do, because of the animalistic ways his mind was thinking." I tell the boys, they immediately huddle around and hug me, as we hear an agonizing mental howl, I look to the door and shake my head.

"Well, it appears he's only focused on what you said." I exhale an exhausted breath as I look at Axel, he hugs himself tighter to me, as the mental howl grows in volume.

"I will tell you three the same thing I told everyone else; stop treating him like the bad guy, he doesn't deserve to be alienated. He was held captive for three days, that's enough to make even the most sane person go crazy. So, treat him as he should be treated. Or you three will have severe consequences, am I understood?" I pull out of the hold the boys have on me, and say with my eyes narrowed. All three boys back away and nod, as I walk to the door of the room. I open the door, walk out, then close the door.

I carefully rush to the stairs, then down them. Julian meets me as I'm halfway down the second flight of stairs.

"Cleo! It's bad, really bad. He's locked himself in his room, and refuses to acknowledge anyone. Before I came to you, it sounded like he went to his bathroom and turned the shower on." Julian urgently tells, I look at him, nod then rush down the rest of the stairs and head to Declan's room.

"Deck? Deck, please open the door!" I worriedly plead, but hear no answer, just faint crying from far away in the room. I grab the two bobby-pins I have in my hair, then bend them and stick them in the lock of the door knob.

Thankfully Mckelty taught me how to pick locks just before she and Julian left to join the Blood-Moon pack. I twist and turn the bobby-pins until I hear Declan's lock give way with a faint click noise. I slowly open the door, then close it behind me once I enter the room. Closely, I listen to the shower run, and hear Declan whimper and sob. I walk to the bathroom door, try to open it; it's locked. I use the bobby-pins and begin to unlock the bathroom door.

"We hurt them, we hurt them, we hurt them." Declan mentally repeats, I get the door unlocked, then quietly walk inside the bathroom, hot steam billows out of the bathroom and into Declan's room as I open the door and walk in, I close the door behind me after walking in. I put the bobby-pins on the counter, then slip my slides off and walk further into the bathroom. As I get to the shower, I see Declan's clothes wildly thrown around the room, I look to the shower and see Declan sitting in the fetal position against the wall. His head is buried in his lap, as his hands are wrapped around his knees.

"Deck?" I lightly ask, he doesn't move or say anything when I call to him. He stays still and just lowly cries. I hold my hand out in the shower and immediately pull it back, the water is scolding hot. Rapid flutters happen within my stomach as I shake my hand from the pain of the water temperature.

"Declan please, it wasn't your fault. None of it was. Please, stop beating yourself up, I'm right here." I say trying to get him to listen and hear me. But all he does is shake his head and cry harder. Without taking much time to think about about it, I brave the scolding hot water and step into the shower fully clothed. I wince from the pain of the water, but stay in it. I kneel down and place my hands on Declan's cheeks. At my touch, Declan freezes, his arms drop from his knees, and moves his legs down to the shower floor and away from his chest. I sit in his lap, my weight balanced on my knees and wrap my arms around his neck, almost like I'm shielding him from the hot water of the shower.