The Stinky Life I've Accepted

Chapter 29: A Story and Some Care

Gentri

I slip in the room quietly, smiling slightly at Alpha Maxon's light soft growls. I tilt my head to appease him, and he relaxes, clutching his sleeping mate close. 

"Alpha, I am sorry. But we need to have him back. Just because your shifts bonded, does not mean you two bonded. That was a moment where he needed you based off of his instincts. But if he wakes up in your arms...after being calmed down...his human will be back. And he will be quite unhappy." I whisper, and the bid bad Alpha whines, giving the big puppy eyes. 

"Remember, we must go slowly with him. You want that, do you not? To make him comfortable?" I continue, and he sighs. 

"Of course. But he smells wonderful, and he is so warm. And his tiny breaths, and his wonderful pulse telling me that he is alive and breathing. I love it all, Gentri." He sighs, hugging his mate tighter. 

"I understand. Trust me, I do. But that can wait. His mental health cannot. And just because you two had one moment, does not mean his instincts won't override. He will still try to escape... probably more than once. He is still very much in flight or fight mode. We want to work with him to get him out of that headspace, but until we can, we have to tread lightly." I finish, and he nods. 

"Yeah, you're right. It's just...after all this time...having believed he was gone forever...and now here he is in my arms...it's absolute heaven. Five more minutes." He grumbles, frowning at me and continuing with his puppy-eye act. 

"Of course. I understand. My mate is a ferret. Not as hated as skunk and rat shifters, but still...pretty bad. She got lucky, being born into an entire human family. Even luckier that her family loves all animals, including ferrets. But when her parents found out there was a nearby pack, they introduced her to them, hoping they would help her learn how to be a shifter." I explain, settling in a chair. 

"What happened?" Maxon whispers, kissing the top of his mate's head. "For the first few seconds, the pack were joyous and welcoming. Until they found out her shift. Then they turned revolted and angry. They chased her and her family out of town none too kindly. She barely escaped with her life. She was 14 at that time. Still just a kit. She was badly wounded as well...based upon the fact that the pack of wolves decided to toss her ferret shift around like a rag for a bit." I grimace, shaking my head. 

"I was 16 at that time, and very lucky that my parents owned a veterinary clinic right outside this pack. My mom is a shifter, and my dad is a hybrid. They loved to treat animals. Tibithia's parents brought her in when I was helping them at the clinic one night. She was a mess, bloody and barely alive. They had no idea they found another pack. They just didn't know how to get her to shift back to her human in such a state, and thus, brought her to the closest vet. That turned out to be us." I smile as my son nuzzles sleepily into his mate's neck before settling back into his sleep. 

"As soon as they rushed her in, I knew she was my mate. My parents immediately understood the situation by the look on my face, and took her in for surgery. She died on the table once, and I felt that in my heart. I thought I lost her, and that was the worst minute of my life. They were able to bring her back though, and my pack took her and her family in. We've been together ever since." I finish, scratching my chin.