Seeking Solace

Ch. 9 Under Pressure

The fox quivered under the gaze of the sable wolf; he was beyond terrified. The wolf growled, and the crunch of paper could be heard in his fists. The foxes' ears flickered in hope, "th-th-that paper, l-look on the other s-side." The wolf growled in response, making the beige boy cowar, "p-p-pleease... the side with the list...ple..." But he was cut off by a rather abrupt, "shut up." The fox bared his neck in submission to the scary alpha, hoping he would be more lenient.

The alpha straightened his posture while he uncrinkled the paper, and he smoothed it out between his palms. He looked at the wavy floor plan with disdain turning the paper over. On it was a t-chart, one side labeled reasons to stay, and reasons to leave on the other column. The writing on the t-chart was neat and swirly, unlike the writing beside all the reasons, the wiggly, slanted writing of his pup. The first reason to stay was "Uncle loves you", beside it in Grey's writing was, "he tells me all the time." On reasons to leave it said, "uncle never let's me leave the upper floors, " and the comment beside it was, "the last time I was outside was when I tried to run away a week after my tenth birthday." Lumaire looked at the comment a little shocked, but he thought about it; he had made it a rule that Grey wasn't allowed outside without him because when Grey went out by himself he would look for his mom and watch her train.

She was a warrior, and so was her mate, but after his death, she was never the same, it was like nobody existed other then her, her dead mate and the staff she trained with. But he thought letting Grey see his Mom was worse than keeping him inside, but that's why he ran away. That's why he tried every year, especially when his birthday came around.

The man lost in his own revelations sat on the edge of the bed, making the fox jump back in terror. The fox shifter watched the large man, hunched over the list, shoulders shaking ever so slightly as he seemingly read through the list. But the shaking got worse the longer he sat, a labored and breathy whine escaped from the man as he put the paper down beside him. His head fell into his hands as despair seeped from the man. The fox looked upon him, pity and melancholy taking hold of the fox, but he was scared of the ochre eyed man, and he touched his head, remembering the sensation of his hair being pulled.

The fox took a deep breath; he was no doubt scared, but the connection was there—he could feel it. This man in all of his terrible glory was his mate, and he knew that, and the ochre eyed man knew it too. He took one more deep breath and released some pheromones. The man stiffened at first, he huffed in frustration, then relaxed.

That damn fox.... But if it weren't for him... I would never know that I hurt my pup...

The man was filled with regret, frustrated by the fox, and yet sorry too. He felt the foxes' pheromones, and he couldn't help but think that everything would get better. They brought him peace even though he, too, was scared of his mate.

Elliot paced the room; the wolfman had left an hour ago and had yet to come back, so Elliot tried to open the door, but it was locked somehow. It was beyond Elliot as why the wolfman would keep a prisoner in his quarters, mate or not-he had made it clear that Elliot and him wouldn't be mates any time soon... So Elliot was left with one option... Escape.

After messing with the door a bit, it seemed the window was the only option, so as he fiddled with a small window, preparing to remove the screen, he looked down. There was a ledge for him to hold on to a little ways under the window, but other than that, it was a two story drop, maybe one story if he could land in the trees without getting impaled. He stopped fiddling with the screen, all hope seemingly lost when suddenly he heard a squeak at the door, a bit of whine later, and the door clicks and opens.

The sable wolf huffs, he wipes the left over tears and leaves the room. He locked the door behind him, not too concerned with the fox as he planned to deal with him later.  Harumphing through the hallways, he makes his way back to his nephews room.  Checking the time as he goes, he is surprised that no one has bothered him, especially being the leader of the pack and all, but that aside he was going to apologize to his nephew; Grey deserved better and he was going to do that, starting with an apology.

Rounding the corner and into the next hallway, he noticed how strange it was.  The lights were not used because of the windows spraying cloudy light into the hallways—it was lonely, especially when the only door in the short corridor was his nephew's room.  It was made this way because he wanted to make sure Grey's room was big, that way he could fit anything and everything in it but now he realised how alienated he must of felt being shoved in the corner of mansion on the top floor.  Grey was out of sight and, in turn, out of mind.  Lumaire's heart ached for his nephew, and the guilt was becoming overwhelming.

Aproaching the door, he stood still, taking a deep breath, he put his hand up to knock but before he could do so the scrambling of a young boy could be heard on the otherside.  Little hands pressed onto the door, "I'm sorry uncle, I'm sorry, I'll be good, just.... PLEASE dont hurt Elliot.  I'll be good, I won't run away, I won't go outside... I-I-I won't even leave my room, I promise, just... don't hurt Elliot, please!"  The wolf cub wimpered on the other side of the door, his pleads desparate and hopeless.  Lumaire's eyes went wide, he had done it, he had broken the wolf pup.  The pup that....the pup that...the pup that... The pup that... what?  Lumaire didn't know because, he realized just how little he payed attention to him.  It made no difference as to whether he was under his mothers care or his uncles, because neither gave him the necessary attention anyway.

He burst through the door, a small red fox ran past him, not that he noticed as he dashed for his nephew, picking him up, holding him tight,  I'm sorry my baby, I'm so sorry my sweet pup."  Tears dribbled down his face as he looked as his despairing nephew, "I'm so sorry...."