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[dreadwolftags]

Gaze lifted as she exited the bathroom, a touch of a smile on his lips. “It isn’t a good thing that Marius is coming, Alannah,” he admonished though his words were light, the hint of annoyance and fire gone. The ire was gone, left instead with the usual patient affection he felt for the girl. He passed behind her into the bathroom. Her usual chaos was everywhere - blood stained dress on the floor, pools of water, bloodied towels. That was Alannah, a little storm of chaos yet so innocent all at once. He took one of the clean towels moving behind her to help dry her dripping hair as they waited for Marius to return.

Kiss was placed against her bare shoulder between slow, careful strokes of the towel through long golden hair. It was always difficult with Alannah - the need to protect, to keep her safe so at odds with the faint desires which ran through him. “Next time Alannah, your punishment will be severe. Do you understand? I do this for you. To keep you safe. We are not ready for the world to see us.”

The sound of the door drew William’s attention, head cocked until he heard Marius’ greeting.

“Is my flower here somewhere?” Marius called, lazing in the doorway as he grinned at Alannah, a crooked little thing. In his hands was a rose, as white as her skin as it twirled gently between his finges. Marius had always had a soft spot for Alannah. “Had fun?”

bad blood.

[dreadwolftags]

Jonas couldn’t even feel worried about Kitty sassing Nate; she’d quite honestly beaten him to the punch this morning. The brush of her fingers on his skin sent him following her slowly, pulled along in her current. When she stopped in the doorway, he paused behind her. “It’s okay,” he murmured, hands on her hips steering her around the dark stain on the floor. His voice was still rough, but he was pleased to find it improved from the night before. He wouldn’t be singing karaoke anytime soon, but he could at least hold a conversation.

Okay, maybe a short conversation.

In the kitchen, he let Kitty start the coffee, instead reaching over her to pull four cups down from the cabinets. “Honestly?” he said, looking up at Nate and Taryn, who were following into the kitchen. Nate ignored the blood, but Taryn’s eyes lingered. “I saw nothing but my pillow after we got cleaned up.”

Nate huffed. “And how’d that go?” he asked, stepping forward and examining the bandages on his neck, including a hand probing to see the freshness of the blood staining them.

“Better than you poking it,” he said, wanting to swat his hand away, but suffered the examination with a frown. “Haven’t had a chance to check them today, since we were woken up by you. Kitty got a better look, if you really want to know,” he finished, voice beginning to slide into croakiness again.

“And Kitty?” Taryn asked, leaning against the counter as Jonas wandered around the kitchen, pulling out creamer and throwing away day old chicken nuggets, letting Kitty do some of the talking for a bit.

—

The simple touch of his hands at her waist broke her out of the moment. She wanted to turn into him, to press against him and just hide. Hide, hide, hide. But with their Alpha’s lingering around there was no chance of that. Instead she busied herself with coffee. With the mundane activity of grabbing mugs. The first scent of coffee helped, Kitty closing her eyes to breathe in deep. It was one of her favourite scents.

Eyes snapped open at Jonas’ protest, eyes lifting to a vibrant molten gold as her wolf protested that someone was hurting her Jonas. Fingers curled into tight fists at the sight, jaw clenching. Nate often forgot about personal boundaries. Not that there was often many with werewolves. They were creatures of touch, finding a sense of comfort in touching another of Pack. But Nate didn’t see lines, or simply didn’t care. He was Alpha and it was quite obvious he needed no reminder of that. Carefully she stepped back, gaze flicking toward Taryn who was watching her with an amused, smug little grin. It wasn’t like Kitty to feel grumpy or put out - she was usually sunshine and smiles - but this morning the last thing she wanted was to speak to Nate or Taryn.

“Sore. But some rude Alpha’s just barged in before I could even wake up properly.” Thankfully Taryn just barked a laugh, a short sound. Kitty turned her back as the water boiled, filling the mugs with delicious coffee. For Nate and Taryn she purposefully didn’t put quite enough sugar. They didn’t deserve it.

“Still trouble.”

“Did you find out who it was?”

Alpha gaze met Alpha gaze, a conversation passing without a single word spoken. “Not exactly. After returning to human form they have little in the way of identification. However, we believe they were… Magically influenced.” Magic. Kitty didn’t really know much about it. Taryn had always told her to keep away from witches and she’d listened. She thought anyway, she didn’t think she’d ever met one.

“Magic? What do you mean?”

“There were a few marks on the body. We’re going to see if one of the local witches can take a look.”

[dreadwolftags]

That sounded like Gideon. Everything always somehow was best fixed by his knuckles. "What happened to using your words?" Tobias asked, motioning him inside. Helping him as required. Despite the time he softened at his words, the frown on his features smoothing. Gideon always had this effect on him. The tired grumpy, almost stoic vanishing at the fact that he might have actually missed him. "Yeah? Missed you too." God, he was an idiot. He wanted to tug Gideon close. Instead he turned letting him follow into the kitchen to grab a water for him.

Late Night Visits

[dreadwolftags]

Getting into the shirt hurt - Kitty instantly regretting that as she had to slid it over her shoulder, awkwardly biting her lip at the pain. At least with the shirt she could slid it on. Buttoning it however was not going to happen - her shoulder protesting when she attempted to bend her arm like that. Instead she just tucked herself up, carefully pulling the shirt around her. Being hurt sucked. At least it wasn’t like last time. When she ended up in hospital for days, when she couldn’t move and didn’t want to. For a long time she had been paranoid, had struggled with what had happened. 

Smile warmed her features as he moved to stop her, protecting her. She glanced toward the kitchen, hming lightly before nodding. It was ok to be afraid, to not go in there. “Ok, ok. I’ll go back up. And yes to the pills. I’ll clean up the... mess tomorrow. Don’t you do anything with it.” She knew what he was like, not wanting her to have to deal with it and most likely willing to hurt himself to do so. 

She tugged him close briefly to press a kiss to his cheek before making her way back upstairs. As Jonas did his thing downstairs she cleaned up the bathroom, popping everything away before retreating to the bedroom. Curtains were pulled shut, Kitty wanting to just block out the world for a while. Lying down wasn’t going to be fun. She slid awkwardly into bed as she waited for him. 

He smiled at her flair of possessiveness, and at her explanation of the bandages. The thought had never occurred to him. That, and just how she handled the kids in general, made his heart swell. For not intending to get married for a while, he wasn’t upset at the idea of kids, not with her. 

But the scrapes and bruises on her body indicated that this moment might not be the best to start a family. He wanted to tell her they would be able to find out tomorrow how everyone was, since they would have to see the Alphas, but he couldn’t figure out a way to say that with hand gestures, so he just pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead. 

He grinned and shrugged, clearly unconcerned with their nakedness, but followed her out all the same, grabbing a pair of grey pants. He didn’t want to know how much his back would protest at him donning a t-shirt, besides the fact that it would also just irritate his skin at this point he figured. 

She was out the door to the rest of the house before he remembered, and skidded to a halt next to her, just before the room opened up into the front of the house. Indicating he could check the doors, he made quick shepherding gestures for her to go back to the room, and did she want pain pills. He saw her actions as necessary, as saving actions, but he also knew she was less sure. He figured the pool of blood probably still on the floor of their kitchen was not going to be pleasant for her, and wanted to spare her the reminder. 

[dreadwolftags]

Any other time and she would have been there with quips of how he was her hero. As it was there was no time even for relief as she rolled, dragging herself up to chase after the other wolf. She really needed to start getting her fitness up properly. It was nice that yes, she was certainly faster, hardier and stronger than a human it didn’t automatically make her fitter.

Just as the wolf hit the porch it twisted for her, a wall of mad golden eyes and teeth. Teeth which managed to grab a hold of her arm, sinking in instantly. She screamed, stumbling and going down in blind pain. There was nothing but those fangs which seemed to be going for bone. She attempted to jerk away, struggling against the strong jaws of the wolf. Cursing she jabbed her finger into one golden eye, taking it as victory when the wolf dropped her arm to howl in pain. She shoulder forward - literally barrelling into the wolf before diving into the house.

Thankfully the kids were no where to be found - they’d taught them something at least - and it gave Kitty a chance to grab the gun Jonas had hidden away. The case smashed instead of nearly opening the lock. He could make a new one.

She’d fired a gun a few times before but always at a range. Now she turned and was instant faced with the snarling face of an enemy. Not a wolf, not a human. She couldn’t think like that. This man had come into her home, had attacked them without mercy and hurt both her and her husband. He was an enemy before anything else.

He lunged. She fired.

And then again for good measure.

The wolf opposite gave him no time to react to Kitty’s predicament, instead forcing him to claw and bite for his own survival. The shout of words seemed to confuse them both for a moment, having lost themselves to growls and snarls, teeth and claws. But suddenly Jonas was free. He spun, and was shocked to find Kitty, very much human-shaped Kitty scrapping with the large black wolf. Jonas jumped forward just as they separated, pressing against her legs as he stood between them. Had they found themselves in another situation, he might have had a chance to enjoy her fingers curling in his fur. As it was, he could only bare his teeth at the other wolf. But where was the second…?

In the moment he turned away, the black wolf lunged, moving past him to knock Kitty over. It was at her throat, snapping viciously, pressing past her arms. Jonas’ teeth sank into the other’s neck, and he tasted blood. Flinging the whole of his weight back, he dragged the beast off of Kitty and back towards the trees behind the house. 

The wolf pulled out of his grasp and Jonas jumped forward, assuming he was going back for Kitty, right into the teeth. He fell back, the weight on top of him even as he tried to dislodge it. His head fell to the side just in time to see the back door swinging.

[dreadwolftags]

It wasn’t the best night sleep - she woke a few times. Not just from the pain. But from memory, from nightmares pricking at her conscious. Thankfully they chased her to wakefulness before they gripped her fully, Kitty slowly nudging toward Jonas more each time. Until she woke and he was gone, Kitty frowning as she stretched - and instantly regretted it. Oh, she was stiff, and sore. 

The sound of voices downstairs drew her up, Kitty grumbling quietly as she grabbed one of Jonas’ jumpers only to realise she couldn’t get in it without hurting her shoulder more. Pout was still softening her features as she skulked downstairs, faltering on the bottom step at the sight of Nate and Taryn. 

“Preferably,” Kitty answered Nate’s question, moving past them toward the kitchen. She needed coffee. Passing she nudged lightly into Jonas as a greeting, a dance of fingers across his waist. “Given that y’know, we nearly died yesterday.” Kitty without coffee was never a good thing in the morning. But getting sassy with the Alphas was not a good idea. 

“And hello Kitty,” Taryn greeted.

She stopped in the door way, gaze falling on the now dried blood. Oh. She’d forgotten about that. She took a slow breath, regretting it instantly when the scent hit her. The first thing she did was open the back door, letting the cool air in. How did you get blood out of wood? she was going to have to google that.

“Cole and Liam were out last night. We had patrols on the other houses but no sightings as of yet. Either of you seen anything?”

He helped her snuggle closer as much as possible, pulling bedding out of her way and such, until she was as close as she could manage. His head drooped against the pillow as she spoke, exhaustion from the ordeal pulling him towards sleep, a small, melancholy smile on his face. He spread his fingers to let hers fall in the gap. This was life, he wanted to say. This small connection that meant so much. But he just shifted a little more, legs brushing hers under the blankets as they both fell asleep quickly.

He would be loath to admit it, but Jonas had a strong intention to go against Kitty’s wishes in the morning. Only during full moons in the city did she regularly get up before him; usually he was the one luring her out with coffee. He figured he could get up and start cleaning, and even if he was slower moving than usual, he could get a good chunk managed before she got up.

He didn’t expect to sleep past nine, though, or the wake up call of someone pounding on the front door. Jerking upright, his injuries followed shortly, and he swore, his voice croaky. Making sure Kitty was still in bed, he crept downstairs, wishing he hadn’t left his gun in the kitchen. But by the time he got to the door, he could hear voices speaking on the front steps. Running a hand through his hair to brush away some of the anxiety that had taken hold of him, he unlocked the front door and found the two Alphas standing together. Nate looked exhausted and grouchy, while Taryn seemed disdainful of the whole situation and location, but there was a tenseness in her crossed arms.

“Hello Kitty?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” Nate said, confused at this apparent derailment of his plans. Shaking his head, he looked at Jonas. “Were you planning to sleep all day?” he asked, pushing into the house.

[dreadwolftags]

He managed half a banana before giving up. He couldn’t even be bothered to but it anywhere besides his nightstand, shuffling the rest of the food onto the floor. The covers were caught underneath him, requiring him to wriggle around strangely before he could slide his legs between the sheets.

With a sigh, he realized he wouldn’t be able to sleep on his back, not tonight at least. Turning, he eased down onto his side, sliding an arm under the pillows, the other adjusting blankets around them. Normally he would just drag her over to him, or slide onto her side, but he didn’t want to crowd her and her injuries.

Instead, he leaned over her carefully and kissed her goodnight, before settling back down, watching her to make sure she was comfortable.

With slow motions she shuffled closer to him, grumbling quietly - and mainly incoherently - under her breath as she tried to get comfortable and close at once. “This sucks,” she muttered, face sad as she finally found a spot which didn’t hurt too much. It felt off not being tucked into him somehow.

“No cuddles, what is life.” Finally she snuck her hand out, carefully curling her fingers over his hand. At least they could touch somehow. Silly how much she hated sleeping alone now, how it felt wrong not to be touching in some way or other.

Slowly sleep pulled her under, Kitty far more exhausted than she realised.

[dreadwolftags]

He relaxed when she said she would go back up, but frowned down at her when she told him not to deal with it. But he held her as she reached up to place a kiss on his cheek and watched her retreat upstairs.

Sighing, he turned to survey the damage. There was half a blanket fort slowly falling down in the living room as he passed through it to lock the front door. And then there was the kitchen. The drops of blood splattered the walls, even maybe the ceiling, he couldn’t be sure in the dark. He looked down at the dark puddle starting to dry on their floor. It really ought to be dealt with sooner rather than later, but he couldn’t right now, both because of his body and Kitty’s command. So tiny and yet so bossy.

He looked out in the backyard before he locked the door. There was no body on the grass, but he could see the evidence of the fight. Gouges out of the ground, dark patches on the grass in the evening light. His eyes flicked up to the woods, wondering who was out there right now. Hopefully just their Pack.

With the lock snapped shut, he turned to the kitchen, grabbing a large glass to fill with water, before he noticed the smell. Wrinkling his nose, he looked around, eyes landing on the oven. ‘Shit,’ he wanted to say, but instead frowned, opening the door to find rather crunchy chicken nuggets they’d been making for the kids before this all started. Thank goodness they’d had the oven on a timer. Dropping the tray on the stove, his stomach grumbled even at the charred remnants.

He reappeared in the bedroom with water and pain pills, but also a few varied snacks in case she wanted something. He dropped them on the bed before handing her the water and pills, then finally, slowly easing himself onto the bed. Grabbing a banana himself, he peeled it quickly but ate more slowly, swallowing small bites.

As much as she hated the cold there was something deliciously normal about the crispness of their covers. Normal. What was really normal about any of their life? It wasn’t that long ago she’d been single and almost throwing herself into what would have been yet another doomed relationship. Looking at her past relationships now it was easy to see how they failed. She always seemed to choose the unobtainable, the ones where she had to work to earn their love yet would never really get there. It was always her chasing their heels, needing and wanting but being left empty. Then there was Jonas. And the strange thing of them. Married before she’d even met him yet they worked. They clicked. She didn’t need to chase because he met her half way, he gave and took and God, she loved him. Loved him fiercely.

Sitting there waiting for him, knowing he was probably doing stuff he shouldn’t, all she could feel was that strength of love. It scared her how much it filled her, too much for her tiny body. But they were now standing on edge of a storm. Today was potentially just the start and that terrified her. It would be easy to run. To pack a bag. To slip away in the night. Physically easy. Her heart ached at the mere thought. She couldn’t leave. Even if the thought of being attacked, of what might be out there made her heart race and slam against her chest in a flight response. At least with the curtains closed she couldn’t see the woods. The Pack was going to keep them safe.

Gaze lifted as he returned, suddenly feeling exceptionally tired. The sight of food perked her up some. She drank quickly, popping a few pills before reaching for the chocolate. Eyes closed at the first taste of sweet goodness, letting it melt on her tongue. “Sleep?” She suggested, sliding further under the covers which made her grimace, lifting anything with her shoulder was bad, bad, bad. “If I can find a bit of my body which doesn’t hurt.”

[dreadwolftags]

He stepped away from the counter, hands reaching out to help her down. He turned for her as she needed, craning to see what she was seeing, what she was doing. He couldn’t see much, and gave up trying to see when he felt her lips trailing after her hands, eyes shutting and a pleased sigh escaping his lips without his expecting it. His body hurt plenty, but it seemed he wasn’t chewed up too badly on the rest of it. Her touches helped. She asked about bandages and he turned to survey the options with some skepticism. Pulling up the pink box, he tapped the word “Kitty” before setting them back down. Looking at the superheroes, he shook his head with amusement. When had these appeared in the house? Shrugging the shoulder that seemed to hurt less, he handed them back to her.

When she seemed finished, he turned back to her and looked for more cuts. The worst seemed to be on her arms, so he lifted those and quickly but gently washed them. They were much easier than her shoulder, and much smaller. Most had already started to scab over, so he tried to let those be. Dropping the rag back in the sink, he let the water out and grabbed whatever bandages were left, spreading them across her arms as needed. They both looked rather silly, he decided, covered in brightly colored plasters. But she was safe, and that was all that mattered.

Bending down creakily, he grabbed the blanket off the ground. His hands slid up her hips as he stood–to steady himself, he would argue, if he could–before he wrapped the blanket back around her. Then he noticed the bloodstain her shoulder had created on the threads. Humphing, he tugged it off again, intending to find her a clean blanket or sweater, though he paused, looking her over, wondering if he might just take her like this, little cartoon plasters and all.

She grinned wickedly at his choice. “Makes you all mine,” she coo’d. Kitty wasn’t one to usually feel claimy but it certainly made her wolf happy, these little silly marks all over her husband. “I got them when we started looking after the Cubs,” Kitty advised, knowing he’d be wondering because she knew him well enough to know what was going on behind those pretty eyes. The mention of the kids made her frown, gaze dropping. She hoped they were alright, she could only imagine how scared they were. It surprised her how protective she’d felt, so willing to lay down her life. How strong would that have been if it had been her own child? If they had kids. With Jonas blue eyes and her olive skin and a mix of both their grins. The thought made her smile, a heat filling her chest. They hadn’t talked about that, didn’t know if Jonas wanted kids ever…

She submitted to his ministrations, letting him patch and clean. Tomorrow hopefully things would have scabbed enough for a shower. Pout danced along her lips as he gave back the blanket only to take it away. “Ok let’s not stand naked in the bathroom. It’s too cold in here.” She did not do well with cold. Quickly she padded into their room, shuffling through her clothes until she settled on one of his plaid shirts and sweats. “I’ll go make sure everything is locked up. Do you want to try pain killers?”

[dreadwolftags]

He raised an eyebrow at the ceiling when she made a comment about how this would go in a film, swallowing and then wincing because of it. Much more of this talk and he wouldn’t need a voice to let her know how much she didn’t need to worry about scars or anything else detracting from her allure. Not that his body would be able to follow up on that desire, at least not in full. He still had plenty to offer her, though, he thought, but also figured that might not be an option.

Focusing on her being sore, not her reactions, he let his hand slide down, picking out an uninjured bit of her shoulders, and tried to massage as well as he could in such an odd position, then switching it around under her arm to reach behind her. He brought his chin down, looking in the mirror to see what she was doing. He reached up and directed her hands, adjusting the bandage ever so slightly. He nodded, indicating that it was in a good place, and reached down for the tape, handing it off to her. His beard was the least of his concerns. One hand still holding the bandage up if she needed it, the other went back to slowly massaging across her muscles. His head down in such a way that he could see in the mirror, again, he pushed the blanket down to her waist, exposing her back. There were scratches and cuts, but nothing too bad it seemed. And so his fingers worked between them, moving up to her shoulder blades and back down.

Kitty made a soft pleased little noise at his touches, arching into it only to instantly regret that move. Why did everything need to hurt? Thankfully her biggest injury was her shoulder but the rest of her had cuts from their attackers claws and new forming bruises. Fighting sucked. There was nothing good about it. The movies were a lie. The sort of massage helped. She’d always been touchy feely - she was a hugger and often entirely forgot about personal space. It was worse when it came to Jonas. After the first night they’d shared a bed it was like stepping over a line, she was suddenly allowed to touch him. And she did - frequently. Often just little innocent things, reminders he was still there, a brush of fingers at his wrist or through his hair. Touches from him were just as welcome, easing and calming her. It helped remove some of the tension from her muscles. On any normal day it would likely de-evolve quickly, Kitty happily wiggling out of the blanket to draw him into more. Now she just tried to take it as comfort, a reassuring touch.

She let him position the bandage, moving it as required before finally taping it down. Missing as much of his scruff as possible. “There. Now let me look at the rest of you.” As much as she hated moving out of the cradle of his body and arms she slid off the counter, grimacing at the cold tiles so she could check his back.

Scratch marks covered him, Kitty touching lightly. Carefully she cleaned them, pressing a kiss to each section of unharmed skin which came clean. Once more she picked through the first aid kit. “I don’t think we have enough plasters. Unless you want Marvel ones. Or Hello Kitty.”

[dreadwolftags]

The grin didn’t help - he knew exactly what he was doing to her. And she was thankful. A reminder that things weren’t all bad, that what had happened today hadn’t changed everything. Fingers brushed along the bandage, wrinkling her nose as it crinkled as she moved. Sleeping was going to be fun with them trying not to hurt themselves.

The heat of his hands on her thighs was steadying but also a reminder of how naked they were. Kitty trying to keep her thoughts from there. Her concern showing on her face each time he winced or tensed. “If this was a film we’d be having some sort of yay-we’re-alive-sex,” Kitty murmured as she cleaned. “Which is kind of ridiculous. I don’t think I have a muscle in my body which doesn’t hurt.” She smiled twisting to nip almost playfully at his fingers before before replacing it with a kiss. The bite across his throat was messy but she did the best she could with slow, careful motions. She tugged the first aid kit forward, picking through it until she found some gauze, holding it up to see if would work. “Maybe? I don’t want to tape your beard. What do you think? try it?”

Her reactions sent a wicked grin across his face, but he too knew that it wouldn’t be fair to rile her up any more. But he made a mental note to continue this at the next available opportunity. For now, he finished up her bandages, large white blocks against her skin that he saw already beginning to bruise.

And then it was his turn. His hands rested on her thighs while hers held his jaw gently, and after a quick chuckle at her choice of words he stood still, trying to be a good patient. His flesh was torn and the wolf’s jaws had crushed his esophagus, the reason he couldn’t speak, and even her gentle ministrations were painful. He tried to restrain himself, though, clenching his jaw, but his hands occasionally tightened on her legs for just a moment. He gave a soft chuckle at her comment. He had to stare at the ceiling for her to have access, but one hand came up to finger his beard, then stumbled across to her own cheek, and hmmed thoughtfully. There were certainly other things that didn’t match, particularly obvious in their current situation, but if neck kisses were off limits, those were too.

[dreadwolftags]

Her concern for him washed over him like a wave of heat from a fire. It soothed his nerves, still raw from what had happened so recently, and made his shoulders relax minutely. There was still too much pain and blood between the pair of him to let him relax fully.

The brush of her lips against his fingers made him smile, reaching around her shoulder to clean the back of the wound. But her words made him pause. Her old insecurities. Letting the bloody rag sink into the water, he dropped her hand as well. Hands brushing lightly through her hair to the nape of her neck, he leaned into her now exposed neck and slowly pressed his lips to the old scars that spread across her skin in faint lines. He kissed his way across these imperfections she was so worried about in a leisurely way, lingering against her skin as he made his way to her jaw and finally her lips. These he kissed deeply, his hands slipping to her waist, pressing close to her blanketed body, as closely as he dared in that moment. Eventually, finally, he pulled away for a breath, and raised his eyebrows at her. He didn’t find scars sexy, he found her sexy.

He felt something running down his chest, a warm trail of blood that had broken away from the mess of his neck. Sighing, he stepped out from her legs and rummaged under the sink for their first aid kit. He found it severely understocked for their needs, it had enough for the worst of their injuries. Using a new damp cloth, he pressed it slowly against her shoulder, getting the last of the dirt and blood he could clean away, before swapping it for large pieces of gauze, beginning to tape them to her skin.

Oh. Oh, that wasn’t fair. It was a conflict of emotions because his lips did things to her which made her squirm but then the logical part of her brain pointed out that moving was just bad. But she understood the intent, enjoyed the brush of his mouth. “This is some cruel torture,” she murmured softly, dipping her head back. Exposing those scars she usually covered. It was funny - she worked to make people monstrous, into zombies or vampires or victims. She loved making a mess, the scars and wounds she could create. But when it came to herself all she could think of was her mother. Her mother and her rules on what little girls should do - sit down, stay silent. Little girls like her were supposed to be so many things that Kitty lost track. Disappointment was inevitable and she didn’t want to disappoint Jonas. “Neck kisses are banned until things don’t hurt.”

With the cloth she cleaned the line of blood from his chest, chasing it away. She hated the blood on him, it seemed so wrong. “We’ll need to get a better kit if…” If being attacked was going to be a thing. They didn’t even know who those wolves were. “Maybe I should learn to fight. I didn’t really know what I was doing.” She talked as he taped, holding her hair to one side to ensure it didn’t get stuck. It was awkward to bandage but likely easier than his throat.

“Ok let me do you now.” Fingers tucked under his chin, gently lifting so she could clean the wound. It was no wonder talking hurt and it was scary how close it was to being… Nope, she wouldn’t even think. “Least we match now.”

[dreadwolftags]

He just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and protect her from everything and everyone. He didn’t want to see her tears anymore, or her fear. And he wouldn’t if he could help it.

He grinned a little at her scolding, and held up his thumb and forefinger, indicating her tiny size, before flexing his arm. Though the second movement sent a flare of pain across his nerves as one of his cuts opened up again. He dropped a light kiss on her lips to quiet her concerns, his eyes only on her.

He didn’t stop her when she started to clean his own body, though. He had caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and had been surprised at the amount of red on his neck and chest, and all over really. He was sure some had been smeared by the wrestling, but even he allowed that he would need careful bandaging before long, and probably a lot. But first, her…

His hand kept moving in slow strokes around the wound, moving closer each time, revealing the real damage done to her, as she asked her question. He pondered it for a while, face serious in thought. He wanted to firmly shake his head no, to promise her that she would never need to worry again, but he couldn’t lie to her, and he knew that it would be a lie. Instead, he shrugged noncommittally, flinching at the pain on his back. But he looked up at her face, finding her eyes. “Pack,” he managed, then pointed at his eyes before drawing a circle to encompass their little house. He felt ridiculous, but even swallowing was painful at the moment. As long as his packmates were keeping an eye on the house, he could sleep easy. Or, well, he assumed he could.

His hand found hers, holding it up between them and lacing their fingers together. He squeezed her hand, and nodded, before letting them relax back to her lap, returning to the business of cleaning her up. Even if his Pack wasn’t there, he was, and he wasn’t going to let her go easily.

She smiled wetly at his teasing, rolling her eyes some but accepting the kiss gratefully. “Ah, lumber husband. Doesn’t mean you should be hurting yourself.” Any more than he already was hurt.

Cleaning away the blood helped calm her - the motion was slow, methodical. Kitty gentle with her touches, taking her time. It gave her something to focus on other than the fact they’d been attacked and the pain radiating from different parts of her body. She ached yet it was almost welcome.

Concern crumpled her features at his pain, wanting to help him properly but she knew her husband needed this moment to ensure she was ok just as much as she did. She smiled at his charades, nodding. “I know.” But it didn’t mean they were going to be safe. There were other Pack houses which should be protected too. Two Packs to keep safe and they were the tenuous link between.

Fingers fit against his, locked for a moment and she got it. Together. She lifted their hands, brushing a kiss along his knuckles. She twisted a little so he could get at the bite, giving in fully to him taking care of her.

“Scars are sexy at least right?”

[dreadwolftags]

He pulled out a few of their sorrier looking towels and rags, returning to the sink and her, turning on the hot water. And then her hands were on his, both smudged with blood and dirt, stopping him. He reciprocated her kiss, keeping his forehead on hers as she pulled back to speak. Her voice caused a tightening in his throat, a lump that he could not talk around right now. So he cupped her face and kissed her lips, trying to convey his feelings without words. Each press of his lips to her lips, her damp cheeks, her forehead was his way of mutely professing his love. His gut-wrenching love for this tiny, fierce spirit who had suddenly appeared in his life without warning, the woman he’d give up his life for without a thought he now knew.

Sighing, he pulled back to look her over again. Letting his hands slide down her blanket-covered back, he picked her up by her thighs with a groan and lifted her onto the counter, staying close between her knees. He reached to his right and took a cloth, wetting it with the warm water that had filled the sink in the meantime. In the silence after he turned off the water, he slowly pushed the blanket off her shoulder to expose her wound. With one hand on her thigh, his other began slowly washing away the blood, pausing at any sign of pain.

Between one kiss and the next she began to cry, matching each kiss with one of her own. She hated how her body protested at movement, left shoulder screaming with each motion but it didn’t stop her. She needed this moment - to sweep her lips against his mouth, to kiss along his cheek, forehead, to pepper him with kisses. Words weren’t enough, how could she convey how much she loved him? They’d been forced together but in all honesty there was no one else she could imagine spending her life with. No one else she wanted to.

“Jonas!” She scolded as he lifted her, warm hands cradling her thighs. “You’ll hurt yourself more.” He was hurt yet still so focused on her he didn’t stop to help himself. Carefully she twisted to pick up a cloth herself, wetting it as best she could. As he cleaned away the blood she did the same, gentle sweeps across his skin, slow and light. She only paused when he moved to clean her shoulder. The large bite mark was messy and awkward now she was in human form. Things didn’t line up correctly. It looked ugly, yet another scar to add to her collection. She dipped her shoulder for him, biting her lip against the pain.

“Do… Do you think they’ll come back?” She asked softly, wording it so he could easily answer with a shake or a nod of his head.

[dreadwolftags]

Nate’s voice was a steady stream of orders in the background, a sound that was familiar to him, comforting in a way despite the fear involved. His eyes, however, remained on Kitty, on her watery eyes. She looked down, away from him, and his heart sank at her pain.

Slowly, gently, he held her face with the tips of his fingers, turning it back up to his. He kissed her slowly, steadily, ignoring everything but her. Pulling away, he shook his head. “You saved us,” he croaked emphatically, smiling sadly down at her. But his eyes followed the body out as well, a hand falling down to the small of her back, holding her steady.

“You guys look like shit,” Nate said, interrupting their thoughts. Jonas turned an unamused eye to him. “Don’t give me that look, you haven’t seen yourself.” He grabbed Jonas’s chin and lifted it, examining the cuts on his neck, before surveying his body, then Kitty’s as well. It wasn’t a desirous gaze at all, merely an inventory of the damage to his pack, but Jonas couldn’t help circling his hand further around her back and onto her hip, holding her close, protective. Nate gave him a look before rolling his eyes. “Looks like you might get by without stitches,” he said, running a hand through his short hair. “Clean yourselves up tonight, and let me know if it’s worse than I think.” He turned, walking towards the front door. “We’re going to have patrols around the house 24/7 for a while, and I’m sure Taryn’ll want to see you tomorrow,” he said, stopping at the door and turning back to them. “You got this?” he asked. 

Jonas nodded, watching Nate leave. When he heard the truck crunching out of the driveway, he moved away from Kitty finally. Grabbing a blanket from the fort, he brought it back and wrapped it around her. Tilting his head, he tried to lead her into bathroom. Neither would do well in a shower, he figured, but there was the sink. He patted a hand on the counter, telling her to sit down, while he searched out wash clothes, grimacing and rolling his shoulders to stave off the soreness already creeping in.

Her heart ached at his touch - so gentle on her face, such a difference to the violence they’d just witnessed. She leaned into the kiss, to the sweep of his mouth and the reminder of goodness. That before and beyond this life would go on. That in time they’d be normal again. Changed perhaps but life wouldn’t always be blood on their kitchen floor. Hand lifted, touching across his cheek. “You did too. Big damn heroes.”

Kitty actually jumped when Nate spoke - having been wrapped up in her husband and the removal of the body. Nate was loud - a heated presence which took up so much space in the room. Alpha mode was activated. For once she stayed quiet, curling into Jonas as Nate looked at her. She knew that nudity was ingrained in Pack life, that it was just one of those things but it still made her squirm sometimes.

“Thanks. I’ll call you if we need anything.”

Then they were alone. The house was too quiet now. How had all of that happened in less than twenty minutes? How had everything been turned upside down so easily? A brief, sad smile touched her lips as he wrapped her up and guided her through to the bathroom. All the time silent. The sight of him made her heart hurt and feel full all at once - the realisation that she had almost lost him and how much she loved him warring for dominance. Without being asked he moved to take care of her, to make sure she was ok despite the fact he was as hurt if not more hurt than her. But he did it without a word.

As he neared she caught his hands in her own much smaller. She pulled him close, ignoring the sharp jolt of pain in her shoulder as her arms lifted. Fingers curled at the nape of his neck, the others ghosting along his jaw as she kissed him. “I love you,” she breathed, voice soft, breaking, cracking under the weight of it all. “So much.”

[dreadwolftags]

He didn’t want to, but he let her go. He followed more slowly, stooping to pick up the gun, switching the safety on before mounting the back porch.

His entrance seemed in sync with Nate’s. “There’s another out back,” he added after Kitty, noticing the raspy quality of his voice, eyes on the covered figure on the floor. Blood was slowly staining the sheet, the cotton drinking it up greedily. They were suddenly swarming with small children in various states of distress, but all physically unhurt.

He sighed in relief as Kitty turned to him, wrapping his free arm around her shoulder to pull her close, pressing his lips to the top of her head before answering her. He pulled back after a minute, taking stock of his injuries for the first time. The other members were shepherding kids out to the front yard, while Nate was peering under the sheet, a hard frown on his face.

“I’m okay,” he said, and grimaced as his throat burned at further use, badly bruised from the other’s jaw it seemed. He let go of her to run his hand over the skin, finding torn flesh and blood, plenty of it. His arms were likewise scratched, and he could feel stinging on his back and legs without looking. “I think,” he rasped, wincing as he gently proved his throat again, feeling warm wetness over the older, tacky blood. “You?” he asked her, using his voice sparingly now. He carefully propped the rifle in the corner of the room before returning to her, hands ghosting over her skin as he could more carefully check her now.

Tears blurred her vision as she took in his injuries - the marks around his throat and how close… No, no. She couldn’t think about that while standing naked but for blood in the middle of her kitchen beside a corpse and her Alpha. Nate moved with purpose, phone out as he barked orders for a patrol to go out and a roll call of sorts to all Pack members. "I'm glad you're.... You're OK. I was so scared."

Kitty just felt numb now. All that hot rushed panic gone and inside there was numb cold which settled between her ribs to coat her heart. Was she ok? Her shoulder hurt like a bitch, she could feel dribbles of blood rolling down to splash on the floor. The pain was almost welcome. It overtook the shock of the body on the floor. Almost anyway.

“I killed him,” she whispered, brown eyes focused down. “He might have family. Kids.” Why would they attack? What had they done to deserve this? Her hands are shaking, bones rattling beneath her skin in horror at what she had done. Her body judging with each shudder - killer, killer, killer. But it was her or them. Or Jonas or them. The kids or them. She’d do it again. And again.

“Do you think the kids will be ok? They might have seen, oh god, Jonas. They might have seen me kill him.” They’d have heard the shot. In all her years as a wolf she’d never seen this side of it. Lucky, really. She’d lived in a world where she just got a bit furry every month, where she felt more bonded to her Pack than she ever had blood family. Which was no surprise.

Two Pack members moved to lift the body, artfully arranging the sheet around it so she didn’t even get a peek. It dripped a line of blood toward the garden, the sound loud in her ears.

“We need a new roof. The sheets all bloody.”

[dreadwolftags]

They rolled over and over, neither being able to keep the upper hand, but neither giving up either. He wasn’t even aware of separate wounds anymore, his whole body a mass of pain and blood. But his drive was stronger. His need to keep this wolf away from the house, away from Kitty. Even if that meant letting himself be torn apart.

The sound of her voice startled the black wolf. Jonas, surprised as well, luckily understood, not taking the time to recognize the relief flowing through his body at the sound of her. Scrabbling out from under black fur before the other could tear into him again, he ran a few paces away, wheeling when he heard the crack of the gun. The black beast staggered to the ground, legs trying to propel him towards Kitty and the outstretched gun. Jonas was back on him in an instant, dragging him away, before shaking his head harshly. When he stopped, the body was limp. Jonas let it fall from his jaws.

Halfway across the yard he shed his wolf form, stumbling to be suddenly his usual height and on two legs again. His hands found Kitty’s arms as he ran his eyes over her to ascertain how injured she was, paying no mind to his own bleeding. When he felt sure she wasn’t going to bleed out in the next twenty seconds, he wrapped her in a tight embrace.

His eyes landed on the house behind her and he remembered. “The other one–” he started, pulling back to look down at her. “The kids–did anyone–they aren’t–” He couldn’t finish the though, unable to accept the possibility that they could be hurt, or worse.

She cried out as Jonas launched back in, this time though he was the only one to rise. The gun dropped from her fingers, moving as he did to catch up into his arms. It didn’t matter that she was naked, bloodied or wounded. All she needed right then was to feel the solid form of him, the familiar scent beneath the blood.

“They’re fine. I think. I mean he didn’t get in there. I- we need to cover the body, oh god, they can’t see that.” She stumbled away, forcing herself to walk when all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry. The wounds the wolves had inflicted were starting to hurt - the large bite on her shoulder along with the numerous cuts and bruises covering her body where she’d rolled and fought in her human form.

Quickly she grabbed the roof of the fort, snapping the sheet out to cover the body. As it settled the front door opened, Nate along with some of the rest of the Pack rolling in.

“Where are they?” Kitty wasn’t sure which they Nate meant, brown eyes glancing down at the body at her feet.

“The intruders are… Not going to cause any more trouble. And the kids–” even as she said the little ones finally made an appearance, rolling in to crash into adult legs, a mess of tears and rushing words. She knew how they felt. Kitty turned to Jonas, reaching out for him.

“Are you ok? There’s so much blood. I don’t think there should be so much.” Fingers danced over him, wanting to touch but not sure if she should, worry evident in her features.