Obsidian Night Pack

61

I wasn't red riding hood and yet in a flash, I was covered in a cloak. Red. Or was it white and only when it touched me did it turn red? I don't know. I don't know if this is shock or not either.

What was the difference between being numb to gore and blood and being in shock? For one I could still move. I was able to walk and move fluidly and I think that's what scared Alaric the most. That I hadn't been curled into a ball a flinched at everything that moved. I think it scared him that he didn't know what to do with me other than take me back to our room.

He growled and yelled at anyone who came near me while also ordering those around him to clean up the mess. He was torn between staying with his pack, when they needed him the most or stealing his mate away in the time when it seemed like she didn't need him at all.

So here I sat. Mouth closed, lips locked tight while Alaric poured warm water down my back. Washing the blood off of me. He was on edge with every move I made. He could process what he needed or wanted me to do first. Stay in the room? No more than that. Clean, I need to be washed and cleaned from the blood on my hands. It would take more than water to get all of it washed out from underneath my skin.

Even as Alaric lifted me from the tub and dried me off I didn't say a word. Even as he looked me over from skin to bones. I could tell he was angry. That he didn't like how thin I was. To be fair I had been thinner. When each meal depends on how good behave or how well you listen to orders. Especially orders that could end someone's life you tend to not eat much.

However, just like me, Alaric kept his mouth shut. In shock, I thought.

It wasn't until I was fully dressed and sitting on the bed did he finally take a few steps back and look at me. Truly look at me and speak.

"Clover..." his voice came out rasped and strained. I knew what he was going to say I knew he was going to blame himself. It had been so long since I'd seen him. Watched his lip twitch at the sight of something that bothered him. Noting his brow waver with anxiety when a problem with not an easy solution occurred. Before he could say anything more though I spoke up.

"Can you hold me?" He had let me go and I didn't like it. I dint like how the cold so easy dunk back into my joints. I wanted this heat this joy to last forever. I wanted to forget about Region and the two weeks I had spent there. I wanted to forge ahead and be with Alaric.

In no time at all, it seemed I had filled in the answer he had needed to hear because I was in his arms before the words were finished coming from my mouth.

I didn't know what would happen with me back at the Obsidian Night Pack. I knew that I never wanted to leave again, I never wanted to see Region again and I never wanted to be alone again. However, I honestly couldn't say I came out of that basement the same person. Whether it was out of fear of dying or starving, both bordered on the same ending, I wasn't the same.

I signed as I breathed in Alaric's all too familiar scent. I couldn't even say if it was a good or bad thing that I was different. Was there a need for me to choose? From the look on Alaric's face though when he saw me with that knife it twisted my stomach. Bad, I thought, the look that he gave me made me think that it was bad, how I came out of the basement and how everything I had done effected me... changed me. But, those pack members, there look of complete and utter fear shifted to something else. They didn't fear me at all if fact I think they were grateful. Good then?

I shook my head, I was going to be able to decide if what happened changed me into a bad or necessarily good person. The point was that I lived through it, I was here pack in the pack. Even if I had traded countless lives for my own just to be here this very moment. Secret. They didn't need to know and I didn't want to talk about it. Words spoken allowed brought the memories to the surface as if saying something alone had the power to drag something up from the grave.