Warriors: The Hunt Begins

Lonely

When I wake up, someone is petting the fur on my face softly. My injured body throbs with pain and I'm extremely stiff. I whimper softly and feel Onyx kiss the top of my head.

"I spoke to Grey. Doc is alright. The surgery went well and he'll be back in a few days. He's sending someone to help you, but there's one thing. The guy is a human veterinarian and Doc told him that you're my pet."

I growl and bare my teeth, and he smiles.

"I know, but you have to cooperate and no biting. Remember, this guy thinks you're just a big wolf."

"Who said I want someone to help me? I'm fine."

"Oh, yeah. You're doing great. Sneaking out of Doc's, then taking the fuck off in the middle of the night, without answering anyone by the way, then came home and chose to fucking claw through a door to get at the Wolfsbane and shred your father's suit. You're exactly right, Mallory. That's all normal, healthy behavior."

"I'm not shifting back."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said, Onyx. I'm staying like this. I'm not shifting back."

"You're going to let yourself become feral? Are you insane? They're monsters."

"I'm a monster."

"No, you're fucking not! That prick is the monster! Mallory, baby, I know this is hard..."

"You don't know a fucking thing about what I'm going through."

"Yes, I do. You may not have completely gone off the deep end or lied to me, but I know pain just as well as you do. I wanted to die too, remember? But you wouldn't let me, so I won't let you. As soon as that vet leaves, you're shifting back and getting clean."

"Think what you want."

"I'll force you to. Don't try me. I don't want to throw it in your face, but I will."

"What? What else can you possibly..."

"Your mother sacrificed herself for you to live."

"Go fuck yourself, Onyx."

"You can say whatever you want. I'm not leaving. The truth hurts, Mallory. She died for you to have a life, so get the fuck up and live. If not for yourself or me or even her, do it for Shadow. He's a strong kid, but he's sensitive and he needs his mother. I'm afraid of what it would do to him if he lost you and what it will do to me."

Tears slide down his cheeks and I lick them away.

"It hurts, Onyx. It all hurts."

"I know, but I'm here and I'll help you. I have something for you too. If you're up to it."

"What?"

He picks something up off of the floor and holds it up for me to see it. I snarl and bare my teeth, and he sets it back down.

"A bloodstone? Wow. Fuck you."

"I told you time after time that I know in my heart that you're my soul mate. Despite what happened with Molly or anything else that happened, that is the one thing that I have always been sure of and I want to prove it. We don't have to do it now. I'll wait. Just please, don't make me wait too long."

"I'm covered in my own blood. If you want to know that badly, then go for it."

"No. I don't want to do it like this. We both need to want to do it."

"It'll work regardless of the other person's consent."

"That isn't what I mean."

It sounds like someone knocks on the side of the house and we hear someone we don't recognize.