28 comments/ 17903 views/ 39 favorites Love, Be-Were! Ch. 01 By: Mistress_of_Shadows ***Hello my lovelies! After diligent urging from a very talented author and friend ( Tendrils of mist curled lazily between the trees towering overhead, undisturbed as was the quiet morning air. A shadow passed through the underbrush; a well-muscled harbinger of destruction moved swiftly on four padded feet, his hackles rising as he caught another faint whiff of his prey's scent. Hunger gnawed at him, ripping at his insides as he forced his feet to tread lightly. He dropped into a slow stalk, every inch of his body taut as a spring as he closed the distance between himself and his next meal. Disappointment washed over him as he peered through the last bit of foliage and realized exactly what it was that he'd been tracking so diligently. Piercing yellow eyes studied him with an intense stare as he brought himself up short, abruptly dropping back on his haunches as a small whine escaped his throat. His prey was, indeed, a rabbit as he'd thought...but it wasn't just a rabbit. Unfortunately, the keen human intelligence in that gaze identified this particular fuzzy treat as a Were: a shifter, a hybrid between the animal realm and the human world. Although the massive creature would feed him for a long time, he knew without hesitation that attacking it would mean the end of his own life. As hungry as he was, that wasn't a price he was willing to pay. Rhochlan watched the wolf's motions carefully. He wasn't worried for his personal safety, but he was concerned about the beast's state of mind. He could sense the aura of desperation radiating from his stalker. Despite being heavily muscled, the wolf appeared malnourished and the way it was licking its muzzle while watching him indicated that hunger may force it into action. He was relieved to see the decision to stand down finally reflect in the animal's eyes; he wouldn't have to euthanize it to protect the other members of his colony. Struck by inspiration, he hopped slowly toward the wolf where it was reclining with its chin on its paws. The large animal raised its head as he approached and watched him with a wary alertness, body tense and ready to flee. Rhochlan dipped his nose to the ground, nodding his head at the wolf as he turned and hopped away. He paused and inclined his head again, hoping the canine would get the message. He waited patiently as the animal finally realized he wanted to be followed, and slowly padded over behind him. The Were lead the wolf deeper into the woods, pausing every so often to make sure he was still trailing behind. Finally making it to the copse of laurel he was looking for, he hopped to the side of the entrance and motioned for the wolf to precede him. If he could have smiled while in his animal form, he would have done so at the incredulous look he received from the other animal. While on his rounds in the early dawn, he'd run across the freshly killed carcass of a small deer that had most likely run afoul of another wolf. The dew had been heavy, making identification of the hunter difficult at best. He'd been contemplating ideas on corpse disposal to keep the younger members from running across it. He figured that delivering it as a meal to another hunter, one who was capable of showing common sense and intelligence even in the midst of its hunger, would be a prime solution to his dilemma. The wolf bowed its head to him in silent gratitude as it walked toward the corpse, settling in for the best meal it had eaten in weeks. Satisfied that the mess would be taken care of, Rhochlan turned his back on the grisly scene and hopped back through the forest to pick up his rounds where he'd left off. After an uneventful hour, the large Were slowed as he crept toward the most dangerous area of his route. One edge of the colony's territory fringed a local state park, and it was the one area where accidental contact with humans typically occurred. While contact with humans wasn't forbidden (after all, the Weres led human lives as well outside of the warren), such contact generally led to dire consequences so close to home. As Alpha Buck of his colony, it was his responsibility to be both judge and jury when such infringements came to light. Rhochlan froze. A strange scent floated across the breeze, and his entire body went perfectly still except for his whiskers. Suddenly thankful for the light cloud cover that kept the sun from gleaming off of his bright white-tipped fur, he crouched low to the ground as he tried to decipher what had alarmed him. He could hear the voices of a group of children in the far distance, but he knew that wasn't what had triggered his fight or flight response. No, there was something disturbing his sense of natural balance...and that something was very close. When a visual search didn't alleviate his tension, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his other senses. The scent was familiar, yet not; almost as if it was similar to something he'd smelled before, but just different enough to make it unique. His long, tapered ears moved independently of each other as they twisted and turned, listening for the slightest nuance of sound. His sharp hearing picked up a muffled whimper off to his side, and he held his breath as he opened his eyes to trace the sound to its source. After gathering as much information as he could without moving, he slowly eased his rigid posture and crept towards the sound. He paused after every step, his ears constantly swiveling to vector in on the sound's location. After several such steps, a bright flash of color caught his eye, and he instinctively dropped back to the ground. Soft sounds of misery made his ears perk; as his eyes adjusted to the darkened area he'd crept into, he realized he was looking at the bowed head and hunched shoulders of a small child. Quickly scanning the rest of the area, he was certain that they were alone. He crept closer, taking care to remain silent as he approached. He could sense the fear rolling off of the little one in waves, his small frame shaking with barely repressed sobs. One hand appeared to be clutching a plastic bag filled with plastic Easter eggs, while the other showed evidence of melted chocolate. Rhochlan paused to observe the child, taking in his disheveled appearance. The boy was covered in mud, evidence of his tears visible in the small clean stripes cutting through the dirt on his face. The bottom of his red shirt was ripped, and there were scratches all over his tiny arms that were probably made from branches as he ran through the woods. His hair was longer than normal, brushing the collar of his shirt and feathered back from his face. Rhochlan's eyes narrowed as he noticed that his hair was dark at the roots, graduating out to light blonde at the tips...very unusual coloring for a human. He took one step further, his whiskers twitching as he tried to catch the child's scent again. As fate would have it, his paw fell on a brittle twig and the resulting sharp crack caused the child to cry out in alarm as he darted a few steps away. As the child hesitated and looked back over his shoulder, his eyes fell on the large rabbit for the first time. He turned slowly, a tentative look of wonder creeping across his delicate features. Rhochlan was amazed at how quickly the boy moved, and as his scent washed over him, his amazement continued to grow. The child—lost, alone, and staring down a "wild animal" that outweighed him by at least three hundred pounds—was a Were. "Are you the Easter Bunny?" The child's tremulous voice was so quiet; he had to strain to hear it. "I snuck some chocolate away from the party while Nyrra wasn't looking...and I got lost. Can you help me find my way back? She'll be so worried." Light blue eyes watched him expectantly as the little one began to inch toward him. Rhochlan stared at him pensively for a moment, wondering at what twist of fate had crossed their paths. His thoughts were brought up short as he remembered the starving wolf he'd run across earlier; he shuddered at what may have happened had it been the canine, and not himself, who'd stumbled upon the youth. He moved slowly, taking a few short hops toward the boy while watching his eyes carefully for indications he was about to bolt. He stared intently into the child's eyes, and chuckled softly to himself. All of the fear scent was gone. Only a child, he mused, could be alone in the woods and feel safer with a five foot long rabbit. Only a child would see his appearance on Easter weekend as a natural occurrence, and trust him. He decided, in that instant, that he would return that trust and deliver the child safely back to his home. "Riocha?" He sent a mental message to his sister, the acting Alpha Doe of his colony. He would need to inform her of his plan to leave the surrounding territory, knowing she'd be tearing the countryside apart looking for him if he didn't. "Rhochlan! I was worried when you didn't check in...everything alright?" His sister's instant reply had him rolling his eyes. It didn't matter that he'd been Alpha for many years, he supposed, he would always be just her little brother as far as she was concerned. He loved his sister with all his heart, and couldn't imagine her any differently. "Everything is fine. I took care of the mess I contacted you about earlier; found an honorable wolf that needed a good meal. I've found another issue that needs my attention, and have to leave the territory for a couple of hours. Have the triplets come to the south border, near the park, and take over the border patrol while I'm away." He paused, wondering for a second if he should tell her about the boy. He could feel her curiosity through their bond, and decided to indulge her. "I found a child while I was on my rounds; it looks like he ran away from an Easter party in the park. He thinks I'm the Easter Bunny, and asked me to take him home. I have a need to see that he makes it there safely. Rio...he's a kitten, and I don't think he has any idea of it. I need to know his story, and why a Were-rabbit child has been abandoned in the woods." He felt her sharply drawn breath, and her gentle acceptance of his refusal to leave a baby rabbit, a kit, in the woods unsupervised. He felt a shaft of love beaming down his Alpha bond, and was reassured when he felt his sister support his decision. Turning back to the expectant gaze boring into him, he finished closing the distance between himself and the child. Extending his head, he brought his nose up and touched the boy's nose in a customary rabbit greeting. The child giggled and ducked his head as Rhochlan's whiskers tickled against his face and neck. The large Were snuffed at him, blowing air straight at his face and sending his feathered hair straight up to the sky. Satisfied that the little one was feeling safer, he stilled his movements and sent a thought into the kit's mind. "What is your name, little one?" The boy started in surprise at hearing the voice in his head, before looking at the giant rabbit in wonder once more. He put a trembling hand on the side of Rhochlan's neck, stroking the soft fur as it covered his fingertips. A shy smile spread across his lips as he mentally whispered a response for the very first time. "My name is Rye." Rhochlan tilted his head to the side as he wracked his memory for any potential kidnappings in the surrounding colonies. He looked at the boy intently as he tried to match his coloring to any of the Weres he knew. His scent was familiar, so familiar in fact that it was making his protective instincts go haywire, but the reasoning for it eluded him for the moment. Pointing his ears straight ahead, he began to hop toward the park. "My name is Rhochlan. Come along, child; let's see if we can find our way back to your party." As he hopped slowly in the direction of the voices he'd heard earlier, he found the child to be a very good travel companion. They lapsed into an easy camaraderie during which he gently questioned Rye on his upbringing. He was certain that the little one wouldn't have been so forthcoming to a stranger if that stranger had been a human. He learned that the boy was an orphan; though Rye said that he didn't remember much about how his parents died, Rhochlan caught glimpses of images in his thoughts that belied the fact. The raw pain and misery he felt emanating from the small body beside him caused his own throat to constrict, and he worked to steer the conversation to happier thoughts. He asked him about the woman, Nyrra, that the child had mentioned earlier. Rye's face transformed with a radiant smile that crossed his small features. It was obvious that he cared for the woman a great deal, although she was just a social worker that had been assigned to him two years ago. Relieved to leave the other subject behind, he launched into describing the "angel" that he thought had been sent to protect him. As Rhochlan listened, he was amazed at the love pouring from the child at his side. Obviously, this Nyrra person was very special; she'd taken a personal interest in the children that she worked with, trying to help ease them through a hard transition in their lives. It was unusual to find social workers that looked at children as anything other than numbers on a roster, and it appeared she was determined to help these children find some sort of normalcy in their lives. It took strength and resiliency to fight the degradation of the system, and he found himself respecting her without having met her. Although the short legs of his companion made their trip a little time consuming, their camaraderie made the distance pass quickly. Without realizing it, they'd made it to the edge of the park and could see Rye's party group through the light brush at the forest's edge. Rhochlan came to a stop, and looked pointedly at the child. "Wait here, little one. I'll send someone to take you the rest of the way; someone that will be able to explain your disappearance so you won't get into too much trouble." Rye's disappointment washed over him as he soothed the child's objections. While he understood that seeing a huge rabbit would be a wonder for the other children, he had to ensure the safety of his colony first. "You'll know who I've sent when he appears. His eyes and his hair will remind you of me. Listen and do as he says, and he'll get you delivered safely." Seeking to erase the tears he saw forming in the child's eyes, he butted his nose against the small chin and tickled the tiny face with his whiskers. Satisfied with the sheepish grin peeking from behind the sad gaze, he turned and began to hop away. "Don't despair, Rye. We'll meet each other again; we have more things to speak of, you and I." Rhochlan moved swiftly away from the boy, pausing only long enough to make sure he'd stay where he was told. He hurried through the underbrush around the edge of the park until he reached a secret stashing point known only to him and the other members of the border patrol. He shifted to his human form, activating the hidden door to access the supplies hidden within. Grabbing a pair of khaki cargo pants, a tee-shirt, socks and boots, he dressed himself quickly. Moving with much less noise in his human form, he returned to the spot where he'd left the child. Seeing Rye's shoulders hunched in defeat almost made him regret his decision, but he was an Alpha first. He couldn't chance exposure of the Were community until the kit was old enough to need the information he was willing to provide. Squaring his shoulders, he cleared his throat softly, trying not to scare the boy anymore than he had already been that afternoon. Despite his effort to be less frightening, the boy cowered as he noticed the giant of a man that had entered the clearing behind him. Crouching down to make himself seem as small as possible, Rhochlan waited patiently as he gave the child time to inspect him. He knew that at 6'4" his height was intimidating to most adults, and doubtless more so for the small being located in front of him. Making sure to keep his voice low, he spoke to the lad in a soothing tone. "Hey there, Rye. I believe you're expecting me." The boy stood and inched toward him, his hesitation evident in the slight pause between each step. His eyes narrowed, focusing hard as he tried to compare the man in front of him to the rabbit he'd followed through the woods. He stared deeply into the yellow eyes watching his progress, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as he reached up to touch the man's unusual hair. Longer in the front as it swept over his shoulders, it was black at the roots, lightening to silver and then an astonishing white at the very tips. It was the exact same color as the rabbit's fur. "Did the Easter Bunny send you, sir?" Rhochlan's heart ached at the hope and trust in the small boy's humble voice. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them once more and smiling with reassurance down at Rye's questioning face. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to whatever forces had decided to place him in the child's path, instead of one of the thousands of monsters that would have preyed upon his innocence. Holding out his hand, he stood slowly as he continued smiling. "I'm not sure whether or not he's the bunny you have in mind, but a large fuzzy friend of mine said you needed some help. I was happy that I could lend a hand. What do you say? Let's get you back to your party. I'm sure you have friends that are worried about you." Keeping his stride short so that he wouldn't outpace the boy by his side, Rhochlan picked his way carefully through the light underbrush. Heading toward the other children, he cast his eyes around the playground looking for the closest adult. Finding a portly looking young woman he assumed was Nyrra, he called out to keep from startling her. The last thing he wanted was for someone to think he'd kidnapped the child and taken off into the woods with him. "Excuse me, miss?" Glancing up from the drinks she was pouring, the young intern's eyes automatically fell first on the child standing near the table. Quickly setting the bottle of fruit juice on its surface, she exclaimed in joy as she recognized his face. Rushing around the table, she scooped him up with her arms in a gentle embrace as she set him on a nearby bench. As she carefully scanned him for injuries, she withdrew a hand-held radio from the big pocket on her scrub top. "Nyrra, can you hear me?" Rhochlan had been looking around, surveying the surroundings and watching the children play. He was surprised to realize that the woman before him wasn't the one that Rye had been talking about. He supposed that could be responsible for the little boy's rapidly increasing pulse and breathing. Was he upset that she wasn't there waiting on him? When he heard the voice that came back over the radio, his attention focused on the sound. "I'm here Sarah, has anyone checked in with news?" The voice was so pure and distinct that he could hear it echoing in his mind. The melody of her voice sang along his nerves like the sweetest song of spring, waking up his heart and causing it to beat a hard cadence in his chest. He shook his head as if to rid himself of the thoughts that suddenly sprang to life in his mind. Love, Be-Were! Ch. 01 "Nyrra, he's here! Rye has been found!" "Oh praise the heavens! Keep him safe, I'll be right there!" Relief swept through Nyrra's lithe frame, causing her to sag against the nearest tree. She'd spent the last three hours in the woods, diligently searching for the errant child, praying that she'd find him before something with foul intentions did. She blamed herself for letting him out of her sight, knowing what a penchant he had for bending the rules and separating himself from the rest of the children. Rye, with his broken heart and damaged soul had claimed her heart two years ago; she'd looked into his soft eyes, and promised him that she'd keep him safe. She wasn't very clear on many of the details in his past. She only knew that sometimes, when she could distract him enough, he'd start opening up to her. In those moments, she'd glimpse a pain in his gaze that was so intense it would shake her to the very core. There was a wildness in him then; she could sense it, like he was struggling with an inner demon. She'd stop questioning him, pull him onto her lap, and soothe him until he got back under control. When she first noticed he was missing, she hadn't even waited long enough to get a search party together. Delegating that to her intern, Sarah, she had immediately grabbed her pack and a couple of extra water bottles and headed into the nearby forest. It had been difficult to smother the panic that threatened to overwhelm her as the hours ticked by with no updates, and no sign of the child. Sarah's message had been an answered prayer, and she turned her steps back toward the park. She couldn't wait to see, for herself, that the small waif was safe and sound. Fussing over the boys nicks and bruises, the busy intern barely spared a glance for the man kneeling down by his side. Anonymity suited Rhochlan just fine. He would have already melted away if it not for his instinctive need to learn the kit's story; that, and his sudden yearning to put a face with the alluring voice on the radio. Something about it had called to him on an instinctual level, threatening to send his inner rabbit into a frenzy. As he watched the young woman intently, he realized that Rye was staring at him. He smiled with reassurance at the child, and was surprised when a small hand stretched toward him. Keeping his gaze locked on the boy's, he stretched out his arm and enveloped Rye's fingers with his own. His enhanced senses picked up the slowing rhythm of the little one's heartbeat as his inner Were instinctively reacted to the Alpha's presence and support. Rhochlan's other senses suddenly went into overdrive as a soft, sweet aroma arrested his attention. The subtle scent of clover enveloped him; succulent, as if the blossoms were tipped with early morning dew and bearing a kiss from the sun at dawn. Awareness raced through his system as the smell triggered something deep within him, and his rabbit struggled for freedom. It took him by complete surprise; normally, he and his inner beast were so well balanced that he didn't have to use conscious effort to remain in control. Something had piqued the interest of his other half and it was determined not to cooperate. His entire body stiffened as he heard the unmistakable sounds of movement in the underbrush behind him, and it was with a great deal of difficulty that he reined in his feral side. Forcing himself not to move, he ruthlessly shoved the animal down in his consciousness, only slightly reassured as he recognized the hurried cadence of human tread. Again, the smell of clover washed over him; that scent, combined with the soft exclamation that heralded the boy's caretaker, almost made controlling himself more than he could manage. "Ah, sweet boy! You just about scared the life from me. I was so afraid when I couldn't find you. Thank God you're safe!" Suddenly, his line of sight was filled with extremely well toned, bronzed legs as the child was scooped up from the bench and hugged fiercely by the newest addition to the small group. Rhochlan allowed his eyes to travel up the firm calves to well muscled thighs, his gaze lingering before traveling up to the khaki hiking shorts above. His breath caught as he realized that those shorts were hugging the most perfectly rounded pair of hips he'd ever seen. Continuing his perusal, his fingers began to ache with the urge to bury themselves in the wild black waves of hair brushing against her narrow waistline with a mind of their own. He watched as she relinquished her hold and set Rye back down, brushing his face with her long, slender fingers. He barely registered the intern speaking to the new arrival, until he heard her mention that Rye was brought back to the park by a man and her apology for not taking the time to find out any details. His pulse began pounding as she pivoted on her toes, and turned to face him. Raising his eyes toward her own, it was difficult for him not to linger on how the shirt she was wearing clung to her voluptuous curves...but all of that was forgotten the instant he got his first good look at her face. Rhochlan found himself fighting to control the instant wave of desire that flooded his system. His eyes traced her slender neck to the gentle curve of her jaw, her pouty lips splitting into a generous smile. Perfect, white teeth glittered in the sun's light as he raised his gaze past her gracefully high cheekbones before meeting her eyes. Large, slightly tilted and almond shaped, her eyes were the color of pale honey; they were so light they were almost translucent, with deeper flecks of amber around the outside of her irises. Nyrra was so thankful to see that Rye was safe that she asked how he'd made it back to the park almost as an afterthought. She turned to thank the man that had found him in the woods, expecting to see a worn out hiker, as muddy and exhausted as she was. One thing she did not expect to see was an extremely well muscled image of perfection kneeling at her feet. She felt the blush blossom on her cheeks long before his gaze finished lazily roaming up her body. She took the opportunity to scope him out as he was so obviously doing to her. With him crouched down so low, she couldn't see much of his body beyond an impossibly wide set of shoulders, and sculpted forearms. His hands were very large with long tapered fingers draped casually together in front of him with one elbow propped across his knee. His hair appeared to be rather long, framing his face and brushing well below the collar of the shirt he wore. It was a very unusual shading, and although she first assumed he had simply dyed it in an "emo" style, she couldn't quite shake the feeling that it looked too natural to be chemically altered. He had very chiseled features; a strong jaw that blended perfectly into a square chin, deep lines at the sides of his generous lips that she could imagine breaking into long dimples when he smiled. A proud nose led into a smooth brow, heavy enough to give him a slightly brooding look and add a little element of mystery. Just then, his long lashes lifted, and his eyes pierced her with an intensity that took her breath away. For a moment, she thought he was wearing Halloween contacts. Upon closer inspection though, she couldn't see any lenses, and realized that his eyes were that bright naturally. She'd never seen that shade before; she was used to bearing the brunt of scrutiny because of her own unusual eye color, and could only imagine what he may have to go through. They were such a vibrant yellow, and were boring into her with such a blatant hunger, that she could actually feel her body temperature rising. Chiding herself for being silly, she plastered a huge smile on her face, and extended her hand to him in greeting. "Hello there. My name is Nyrra; I can't possibly thank you enough for returning Rye safely to us." She watched him stand, fluid grace belying his huge frame as he uncurled himself from the ground. Being a tall woman herself at 5' 10", she wasn't used to feeling small on a daily basis. However, as the man in front of her rose to his full height, she felt unusually tiny. Tilting her head back, her heart started racing as he stepped closer to her, his eyes burning into her with a heated intensity. Her mouth parted on a silent gasp as he curled his long fingers around her hand and lifted it to his lips. As she felt the velvet touch brush across the back of her knuckles, desire slammed into her so hard it left her completely stunned. The rest of the world ceased to exist as he closed the distance between them, using her captive hand to pull her soft curves against his hard frame. Sliding his hand along her jaw, he curled his fingers behind her neck, wrapping his fist gently in her wild mane as he tugged her head back. Searing her with his eyes, she couldn't stop the soft moan that issued from her as he lowered his face to hers. Hot lava exploded through her veins at the first touch of his lips on her own, the tip of his questing tongue tracing her bottom lip. Coherent thought became impossible as another low moan granted him access to her sweetness, his mouth teasing her unbearably. Sliding her hands up his rock-solid chest, she wound her wrists around the back of his neck, almost having to stand on her tiptoes to do so. Her full breasts pressing against him ached with the need to be touched, and she arched into him as his other hand slowly inched up her waist. His fingers on her rib cage, his long thumb traced the bottom curve of her breast before slowly grazing her taut nipple. Her instant reaction to him sent heat racing to her core, and she felt her sheer cotton undies beginning to dampen. His lips left hers, finally letting her catch her breath as he placed soft kisses along her jaw, sweeping her hair to the side so he could have access to her neck. Wrapping one large forearm securely around her waist, he lifted her up and she didn't even try to keep her thighs from wrapping around his waist. As he cupped her rounded ass in his large hand and pulled her tightly against him, she cried out softly in pure need as she felt his hard length pressing against her moist heat. "My name is Rhochlan, and believe me...the pleasure is all mine." The deep baritone of his voice made Nyrra blink as her surroundings slowly came back into focus. The beautiful man before her was still holding her hand near his lips like a gentleman, murmuring a response to her against the back of her fingers. His eyes were dancing with amusement as well as a lingering desire, and she squirmed uncomfortably as she realized just how wet she was after her little fantasy. She hoped she hadn't embarrassed herself by making any noises out loud. She'd never had anything like that happen before, and the fact that it happened in front of such a young audience left her absolutely mortified. Glancing quickly at the intern and child near her, she was relieved that they didn't seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. A slight frown creased her brow when she saw the expression on Rye's face; he was suddenly watching the man with an excitement he seemed barely able to contain. Rhochlan's nostrils flared as he scented the arousal on her skin. As Alpha, he had the ability to read not only the minds of members of his colony, but the minds of other Weres and the minds of those destined to be Weres. He was curious how she would respond to the mental images he'd been projecting to her for the last few moments. His inner rabbit was doing a jolly little dance now that they'd made contact, and his mind raced with the implications of what that might mean. The fact that she was receptive to his mental advance was very promising...very promising, indeed. A slow smile spread across his lips, and Nyrra froze when she saw it; it was as if he knew exactly what she'd been thinking. She blushed profusely as she lowered her eyes. She usually had very high inhibitions, always taking dating seriously and never letting things go too far too fast. She couldn't believe she'd let a perfect stranger, one that she had no aspirations of being in a relationship with, have that kind of effect on her. She was, however, completely convinced that if the mystery man had placed any of the moves on her she had allowed herself to imagine, she would have been putty in his hands. Rhochlan could feel the excited buzz coming from the child as he tilted his head, looking over Nyrra's shoulder to catch his eyes. He found Rye staring at him with a very strange emotion flickering on his tiny face. Briefly touching on the young kit's mind, he was staggered by the chaos evident there. The boy's expression left no doubt, however, that he had realized the man's name and that of the rabbit he met earlier was the same. Something about the possibility of the man changing into a rabbit had triggered a cascade of memories in his young mind. Rhochlan's brow darkened as he picked up disturbing flashes of violent images scattered through those memories. He realized he was going to have to have that conversation with the little one much sooner than he'd anticipated. Allowing Nyrra a few moments to compose herself, he spoke to the intern, giving her his contact details and requesting some information about Rye and his background. Nyrra finally felt the flush begin to leave her face as the man conferred with Sarah. She didn't miss the fact that he held gently onto her fingers the entire time he was speaking or the hint of promise in his eyes when his gaze again met her own. When he brushed his lips against the back of her hand once more before parting, she was able to keep her naughty mind under control and assure him she would contact him with the requested answers. Her eyes drawn to his muscled back as he turned and strode away, she smiled sadly to herself. She probably wouldn't see him again, and her earlier thoughts would be a moot point. Regardless of how hard she tried to banish it though, his voice kept replaying in her mind...She couldn't help but shiver as she remembered how his eyes had blazed when he'd said the word "mine." Love, Be-Were! Ch. 02 Greetings all! I can't thank you enough for the outpouring of support you've given me on the first chapter of this new series. Please remember that your feedback is always taken seriously and shapes the future of each storyline. There was such a flood of interest and inquiry about the young child, Rye, that my Muse decided his story needed to be shared. Will he be the center of the bond that draws our two main characters together? Will Nyrra's love and Rhochlan's sense of duty allow them to unite? *********************************************** *Chink* *Chink* *Chink* For hours, without ceasing or slowing down, the noise continued. The sound of metal clashing against metal—wires squealing in protest and steel bars slamming against each other—was relentless; it echoed across the empty vastness surrounding its source. *Chink* *Chink* *Chink* The wrenching notes never wavered in their rhythm. Although sometimes louder, sometimes softer, the cadence remained uninterrupted. In the darkened gloom, surrounded on all sides by an empty waste land, was a small steel cage; the sound appeared to be coming from the box, issuing forth every time the structure shuddered from the actions of its solitary occupant. The metal bars, although unfazed and untouched on the outside surface, looked a bit different on the interior. Long deep gouges had been furrowed down their length, dried blood in the grooves attesting to the number of times the creature had dug its claws into them. Sharp niches marked the spaces where it had desperately chewed against the metal wires between the bars until its gums, too, were raw. The noise began to slow, becoming weaker, until it finally came to a complete stop. The weary creature came to rest in the middle of the cage, its sides heaving as it drew desperate breaths into lungs too tired to function properly. Its head drooping low in front of its shoulders as it hunched miserably in the middle of the floor, the beast shuddered as its mind reached out to a human child; it reached out to the only other living being with whom it shared a connection. It scoured his young psyche, searching for the strength to continue. Water leaked from the creature's eyes as it sensed the pain the boy tried so hard to ignore. Its heart ached more deeply than a broken body ever could as it shared in the boy's despair, wishing it could burst forth from the unbreakable cage and offer the child sanctuary as no other could do. For two long years, it had fought with a fierce determination to escape the restraints; guilt over the mental anguish the boy endured as it did so forced the beast to stop, to rest, so the boy didn't go insane. A couple of months ago, it had all but given up hope. The boy didn't think about the creature anymore; time, new faces, and new places had allowed the child to bury all memories of the day his life changed. He'd slowly begun to forget his parents, his heritage, and all the dark, evil thoughts that were tied to them. He stopped thinking about the creature in the box, and it curled up and dozed in fitful despair. It didn't like causing the boy pain, so it had made the decision to hibernate, and leave him be. The creature raised its head, staring at the stark interior of the cage. Through the bars, it could just make out the shape of the large lock on the door. Concentrating hard, the beast forced the long ears that drooped to the ground to once again stand tall and proud. Testing the tenuous bond it held with the boy, and feeling his turmoil again, the beast felt a new infusion of determination strengthen its weary limbs. Flexing its paws, feeling the dewclaws that had finally regenerated after being ripped out by the wire mesh, the creature stood. Tucking its long, powerful hind legs underneath it and wiggling its fluffy tail, the beast's heart rate steadied as it remembered its purpose. Calming its mind, bringing itself under control, it remembered what had awoken it from the deep slumber. The Keeper of the Key had finally come. The creature didn't know how, or why, or by what stroke of fate; all it knew was that the Keeper had finally come to set it free. It could feel the truth in the serenity that had flooded the boy's mind, the temporary peace that had invaded the darkness with a soft, white glow. The beast had stirred back to life then, its coma disturbed by the sheer power radiating from the being the boy had come in contact with. Pure instinct guided the young creature's movements as it stretched lethargic limbs and clambered to its feet. It felt the need to renew its struggle to break free; it needed to make sure the Keeper was aware of its existence and the freedom that it craved. The beast knew that in order for the Keeper to use the key to unlock the cage, the child had to be ready. To be ready, the boy was going to have to be reminded of what, and who, he was supposed to be. The beast's soft, golden fur shone softly as it paused to look in the reflection it could just barely see on the dull metal bars. Its pale blue eyes narrowed in determination as it realized it was not just a mindless creature, a feral beast. Taking a deep breath, the young rabbit gazed deeply into its own eyes as it felt strength flowing back through its veins. As before, it lunged at the wall of steel, hurling the full weight of its body against the bars. The metal sound echoed again in the darkness, and the rabbit winced as it felt the child flinch, his agony racing back to the creature through their bond. Back and forth it went; first one side of the cage then the other. The force from the rabbit's body caused the boy's mind to lash out, caused the dark memories to awaken, and begin to chase each other in the gloom once again. It was time for the boy, his boy, to remember. ************************************************* Lulled by the silence that had draped over the children's home as the last child finally drifted off to sleep, the psychiatrist assigned to the facility sank into his office chair. To say it had been a rough day would be a bit of an understatement; one of his charges had been especially difficult, and that had only gotten worse as the evening progressed. Dr. Stanley Rosch shook his head in exasperation. The boy, Rye, was normally so soft spoken, respectful, considerate...he just couldn't understand what caused the child to lash out with such hostility, and with so little warning. Clicking the keys on his laptop, he called up the boy's file. There was very little information available on the circumstances leading up to his admission to the orphanage. Even after working with Rye on a daily basis for the last six months, Stanley had made very little progress on evaluating the small child. Although he exhibited a friendly disposition when engaged, the boy remained introverted and refused to revisit (even in therapy) the night of his parent's death. The only person that the doctor had witnessed Rye interacting with on a regular basis was the worker assigned to his case, Ryanyrra Ambresh. Although she worked with several of the children in the center, she seemed almost drawn to the little waif; when he had his manic episodes, she appeared to be the only one that could bring him back from them. Rye called her Nyrra, being unable to pronounce her full name when he'd first met her, and the name had stuck. Stanley fished a pen out of his desk drawer and a sticky note pad. He jotted down a few sentences so that he'd remember to give Nyrra a call first thing in the morning and fill her in on the difficulties of the day. He finished the note and laid the pen down beside his computer, closed his tired eyes and placed his head in his hands. His reprieve was cut short the moment a blood-curdling scream echoed down the corridor near his office. His head jerked upright and his eyes opened as he pushed his chair away from his desk and stood. Moving without conscious thought, he closed the distance to his office door in time to see the night-shift nurse, Lynn, running down the hallway. He matched the woman's swift pace as he followed her to the room she had just entered, and a frown creased his brow as he identified the terrified youth tossing on the bed. Stanley watched the young woman press her hands against Rye's forehead, checking for a temperature. She looked up at him and shook her head, her expression clearly puzzled. Although his small frame was broken out in a cold sweat, the doctor presumed it was from whatever mental trauma the boy was fighting and not a result of any type of fever. He moved closer to the bed, reaching out with his own hands to smooth the hair from the child's face as he shook him gently, trying to ease him awake. He pulled his hand back, thankful for his quick reflexes, when the boy's body arched in sudden pain. Rye's eyes jerked open, but it was obvious to both the doctor and the nurse that whatever he was seeing wasn't visible to them. His hands and arms began churning as he violently pushed himself backwards with his feet, scrambling to get to the corner and put his back against it. Sobs wracked his young frame, broken by a harsh cry as he threw his arms up over his head, as though shielding himself. Observing his behavior for a brief moment, it didn't take the doctor long to realize that all his murmured attempts to soothe the child were having no affect. It was obvious that the boy was convinced he was being attacked by something, and Stanley was afraid he was going to go into shock if they couldn't do something to get him calmed down. He did the first thing that came to mind; he pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and hit the speed-dial for Nyrra's home phone. He shared a look of dismay with the caretaker as the child jerked again, tucking his knees tightly to his chest as he huddled in the corner. Every time Lynn would reach for him, he'd cry out like he'd been hurt. Stanley was getting frustrated, the incessant ringing of the phone in his hand not offering him the solution he'd been hoping for. Finally, on the fifth or sixth ring, a young woman's drowsy voice came on the line as she answered his call. "I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour, Ms. Ambresh. You requested that we contact you if there were any developments with Rye that required your immediate attention. I'm afraid if that has ever been true, it is now." Struggling out of the sleep induced stupor in which she'd answered the phone, Ryanyrra scrambled to match the voice with a face from her memory. An image of friendly green eyes framed by thin, wire-rimmed glasses and an easy smile sprang to mind. She tried to focus on his words for the few seconds it took her addled brain to catch up to speed. "Dr. Rosch? What's wrong? Has something happened?" It only took a moment of his urgent explanation before she was throwing the quilt off of her, and swinging her legs off of the bed. She moved swiftly to her closet, the phone cradled to her ear as she grabbed the nearest shirt and pair of pants she could find. Dressing with haste and grabbing her keys off of the kitchen table, she hung up with the doctor just to call him back immediately on her cell phone. She cringed as she heard Rye's terrified voice in the background. Forcing herself to find her purse, her heart pounded as she tried listening to the doctor's words, but all she could focus on was the sound of the boy's distress. In less than ten minutes from the time the phone rang, she was in her car and pulling out of the driveway. ************************************************** Fear pulsed through his veins, hurried footsteps matching the speed of his heartbeat as they ran. He was so tired; his little legs aching as he was drug along by the hand clamped to his own. He ran until he just couldn't run anymore. A woman's soft hands cupped his face, her large pale blue eyes brimming with tears as she looked behind them. She was so small, so petite, and so very exhausted...but still, she scooped him up in her arms and pressed forward. She weaved among the enormous trees, her excellent night vision taking over as the sun's rays continued to wane. As the darkness began to creep in, she could still see the large figures leaping and bounding at the edges of her sight. Their long tails whipped behind them as they jumped through the trees, claws scraping against the bark. Fierce growls emanated from them as they gnashed their cruel jaws together, promising death if she should falter. He buried his head into her shoulder and clung to her as she ran. She stumbled, she fell, but she never let him go. Her arms held him securely even as her legs began to give way, the cuts and bruises on her feet making the pain unbearable...but still she forced herself to keep moving. Tears flowed down her face as she cradled the little body close to her, trying to protect him as best she could from the terror she knew was bearing down on them. The child tried so hard to be brave. He could hear the snarling sounds behind them, could hear the angry hiss of the beasts they were trying so hard to elude. His mother's legs finally gave out underneath her and they both tumbled to the ground hard. She instantly scrambled to cover him with her body, unable to go on, unwilling to let anything happen to her only son. She cradled his little face in her hands and met the blue eyes that mirrored her own. She could feel her inner beast rising up within her, clawing to the surface with the need to defend her baby. Instinctively, she knew she was outmatched; even in her fully feral form, the Were-rabbit doe would never be able to outfight the great felines that were hunting them. The young woman could sense the malevolence of the creatures closing in; hair rose on her arms and the back of her neck as she felt the evil presence wash over her. Knowing she didn't have time to complete the transformation to her beast, she prayed that her human form would be able to withstand punishment long enough for a miracle to save her child. Begging her rabbit to forgive her and lend her the strength she needed, she shoved the animal down with ruthless determination. She vowed to shield her son as long as she was able, and steeled herself for what was to come. She curled her body around him, holding his stare as the pain flashed across her face. He could hear her whispered words of love and apology as her body jerked; he could see the blood start trickling from her nose and the corner of her mouth as she leaned her lips to kiss his forehead. Her soft voice was strained as she told him not to be afraid, to have faith that help was on the way. He couldn't see what was happening, all he could see was his mother's love shining from her eyes as one of the creatures that had been chasing them began tearing her apart. Suddenly, he heard a roar—a familiar voice that was infused with rage and louder than anything he'd ever heard before—as the monster was ripped away, forcing his mother's body to jerk hard. Her luminous eyes, though filled with tears and dazed with pain, blinked rapidly as she cradled him even closer. Her arms, though so very weak, still held him close as she leaned her forehead against his. He could hear the sounds of fighting; feel the earth thudding underneath his back as bodies were hurled against it in the heat of combat. His mother flooded him with love through their bond, trying to drown out the shrill screams that were accompanied by the sound of ripping flesh. He felt her body shudder against him as she held him tightly, keeping his head buried so that he couldn't witness the carnage that surrounded them. He heard a piteous sound that could only be the death wail of a dying creature. His mother cried out as gentle hands closed around her shoulders, softly prying her away from him. Sobs shook her then, her small frame heaving as her emotions took over. The boy's father gathered her up in his large arms, rocking her with care as she cried. The boy could see her back, the bloody evidence of what she'd given to protect him running down his father's body as he cradled her. The boy stood up, and looked around. There was blood everywhere; it covered the trees, the grass, and the earth. Even the beautiful white daisies that nodded by the nearby stream were stained with red. Four large bodies seemed to be the cause of most of it; parts of them were strewn all over the area, even bits of fur and claws and teeth. He reached his little hand up to touch the weeping woman, and his hand passed through where her back should have been. His fingers pushed through her body cavity, and he jerked his hand back as he felt the pulse of her heart against the back of his hand. He stood in shock as he looked at his fingers. Bright red blood stained his small palms, bits of torn flesh sticking to his fingers as he held them out. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wished, with all his heart, to wake up from this terrible dream. The boy's tiny form started shaking. He looked up, and all he could see was his mother's broken body and his father's large hands. He backed away until he could stare up at his father's face...and he saw the truth in the older man's defeated gaze. As his little ears concentrated, he could hear his mother's heart beat getting weaker, and he heard the instant that it stopped. He watched his father close his eyes, and lay his head against the silent chest of the woman in his arms as soul wrenching sobs shook his large frame. Deep gashes scored the man's heavily muscled shoulders, his right bicep slashed to the bone. His right eye was already swelling shut from the beating he'd received while trying to keep his family safe. His heart ached as the evidence of his failure lay limp and lifeless in his arms. After gently laying the body of his wife on the shredded forest floor, the large Were looked back up at the face of his son and his eyes blazed with rage and denial. His roar of loss shook the forest as he poured out his grief in one long, primal scream... ************************************************* The feral roar that ripped from his own throat shook the room's walls as the giant of a man fought out from under the blankets on his bed. Sweat streamed down his chest in rivulets, snaking between the taut muscles of his abdomen as he jumped to his feet. Long black waves were plastered to his brow, the white tips of his long hair laying wet against his heaving chest. He bellowed again as the images flew through his mind, the terror and the pain and the aching sense of loss... His eyes opened, a bright yellow gleam raking around the room as he felt the shift begin. Long silver claws erupted from the ends of his fingertips as his hands began to lengthen. Soft downy fur sprouted across his wide shoulders and chest, flowing like water across his tightly muscled form. His feet and legs began to change; his feet elongated as silver claws erupted from the ends of his toes, thick bands of muscle adding to the breadth of his already well defined thighs. Long, mobile ears sprang from beneath his hair, his face lengthening until it was no longer recognizable as human. Fragile whiskers sprang from his face, his nose twitching as his front teeth grew. Silver, as were the claws on his hands and feet, the teeth extended past his bottom lip. Rolling his shoulders and flexing his heavily muscled chest, he stretched to his full height; including the length of his ears, the enormous creature was just over eight feet tall. His golden eyes pierced the gloom as his transformation to his hybrid form—half man, half rabbit—was completed. Rhochlan shook his head and took a deep breath as he fought to control the surge of rage inside of him. He struggled with his inner rabbit, the Were portion of his heart and soul that demanded an Alpha's justice. Thinking rapidly, he tried to place the faces in his dream, tried to reconcile the scenery as it had flown past his mind's eye. In a moment of clarity, the eyes of the woman that had been murdered stared directly at him...and he remembered looking into the eyes of a small boy the day before that were identical to them. Love, Be-Were! Ch. 02 Without another thought, he started moving toward the door. Not wasting the time to shift back and gather clothes, he moved swiftly down the hallway to the stairs. Quick strides took him to the bottom floor and out the front door. As he stood looking up at the night sky for just a brief moment, his eyes darkened as his mind was pierced by another gut-wrenching scream. The powerful muscles in his legs rippled as he covered the distance, striding with purpose to the open area in front of his home. A kitten, a Were-rabbit child, was reaching out to him; trapped, alone, terrified and defenseless. As Alpha of a colony that had unwittingly just claimed an orphaned boy, his Were-rabbit soul demanded that he answer that call. As he reached the center of the drive, Rhochlan slammed his foot down on the ground. Five hard, quick stamps on the packed earth, and then he began to move towards the neighboring woods. As his steps drew him away from the compound, he heard the telltale signs of his colony mobilizing around him. The sounds of shifting Weres filled the night air as the shadowy forms of his companions fell into formation at his back. They didn't complain, they didn't question, and they didn't stall. One by one, each shifted Were filed out of the homes in the Warren and followed the tall figure into the forest. Each of them could feel his urgency; feel the pain radiating from him, although none of them knew the cause. They didn't have to understand. The only thing they knew, the only thing they cared about, was keeping him safe. Their Alpha was on the move. ************************************************* Parking in front of the orphanage, Nyrra was opening her car door before the car even stopped rolling. Barely pausing to throw the transmission into park and grab her keys from the ignition, she slammed the door shut and bolted up the concrete steps leading up to the building. Hurrying through the door, she didn't take the time to secure the latch behind her; she was distracted by a loud wail coming from Rye's room, her steps breaking into a sprint as she was pulled toward the child. When she entered the room, she almost ran into the doctor's back. Elbowing gently past him, the sight that met her eyes forced her throat to constrict as she fought back tears. Ignoring the nurse that sat gingerly on the edge of the child's bed, Nyrra had eyes only for Rye. The boy was huddled as far back into the corner of his bed as he could get, his hands spread out in front of him with a horrified expression on his face. His fingers were clean, but the way he was looking at them led her to believe they were covered with something only his little eyes could see. A high pitched keening sound was issuing from his throat, and every time the nurse reached toward him, his body would jerk as though he'd been wounded. The misery on his face was plain to see, and the obvious helplessness radiating from the other two adults was only adding to Rye's tension. Her voice was soft, but firm, when at last she spoke. "Leave us." The doctor opened his mouth as if to argue, but realized that if he hadn't been able to reach the child in the last thirty minutes, the likelihood of him doing so was negligible. Motioning for the nurse to join him, he backed slowly from the room. He hoped that Nyrra would be more successful, and murmured his support to her in soft tones. He filed out into the hallway, and headed to his office; his heart was heavy as he wished he'd been able to do more to help the stricken boy. Nyrra moved with care, silent steps leading her to Rye's side. She stood looking down on him for a brief moment, before taking her jacket off and tossing it into the nearby chair. She sat down on the edge of his bed, and just started talking to him. He didn't seem to respond to what she was saying, but she did notice that the sound of her voice seemed to soothe him some. She kept murmuring to him how she wished she could take away his pain, and didn't notice the tear that slipped down her cheek. Rye's whimpers began to subside, and his breathing began to slow as if he was coming out of his trance. She leaned toward him, caution guiding her movements. She stretched out her hand, gently brushing her fingers across his tiny palms. She couldn't help biting her lip in frustration as the boy began that high pitched wail again. He sounded like a trapped animal, lost and alone, and she was utterly clueless on how to help him find his way. ************************************************* They moved through the darkness, silent shadows melting from one tree to another. No communication was necessary as they closed in on their destination, each of them in perfect tune with the movements of the next. Filtering through the forest surrounding the children's home, the Were-rabbit march slowed as their Alpha came to a halt. Tilting his head sideways, Rhochlan observed the towering brick façade. He knew he'd have to shift back to his human form to make his final approach, but he wanted to glean as much information as possible from his enhanced hybrid senses. He felt the uncomfortable rustle move through the other rabbits as the sound of the child's cry carried on the quiet night air, his distress transmitting to them through their common bond. The aged mortar was crumbling in places and the shutters were worn, but the windows seemed to be clean and well-kept. His eyes roamed over the landscaped entrance, noting the care that was taken in its preservation. Bold bronzed letters stood out in sharp relief against the bricks as he noticed the name of the orphanage: In Heaven's Hands Child Sanctuary. Below, he could just make out the motto "Protegi Alis Angeli," a Latin phrase which roughly translated to "protected by the wings of angels." He wondered, for a moment, if the children inside its walls were treated as such. His body stiffened as the breeze carried a familiar smell to him. He closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply as the sweet scent of clover danced along his whiskers; he wasn't surprised that the kit's distress had drawn her there. An image of exquisite features and honeyed eyes conjured behind his lids before they fluttered open again, and looked straight at the door left ajar. Feeling his heart lift, the Were-rabbit Alpha whispered an ancient rabbit proverb in the minds of his brethren as he shifted back to human form. "Where the heart leads, a path will fate provide." Feeling the presence of his second in command at his shoulder, Rhochlan glanced at the seasoned Were. Rathe's unflinching stare helped to soothe the lingering turmoil he was feeling as he took the proffered stack of folded clothing. He smiled internally, grateful that his beta's cool head prevailed when his boss acted like a wild hare. The man's quick thinking had saved him from embarrassment and conjecture more than once, and he acknowledged it this time with a slight incline of his head. The speed with which he dressed might have been comical if the situation wasn't so dire. Instructing his colony to remain hidden within the tree line, the Alpha strode across the parking lot. He reached the open door within seconds, easing it further open as he slid his body through the entrance without a sound. Crouching inside as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he took a moment to orient himself. He could hear two voices, a man and a woman, behind the closed door to his right. Dismissing them, he reached out with his other senses; immediately, he felt the distress emanating from further down the hall, and moved in that direction. Slowing his pace as he neared the entrance to Rye's room, he peered around the corner. He could see Nyrra's tense form as she cradled the boy's hands in her own, though her face was hidden by unruly waves of dark hair. He could hear her voice, soft and smooth as she murmured reassurance to the child; she talked to him as if he was a wild thing, cajoling him with the rhythmic cadence of her words. Loathe to disturb the pair, but realizing it was a necessity, he knocked softly on the door's frame. Although startled by the interruption, Nyrra managed to keep her tone from changing as she continued to speak softly. Turning her head, her tear-filled eyes widened in shock as she recognized the looming figure in the doorway as the man that had rescued Rye from the woods. Her body stiffened as alarm from his unexpected appearance bolted through her, instinctively making her change the angle of her body to separate him from the boy. "What are you doing here? How did you get in here?!" Rhochlan couldn't help but admire the flashing fire in her eyes as she reacted to the perceived threat. Holding his hands up in front of him, he met her accusatory gaze with the intensity of his own, allowing his rabbit to come forward just enough to further enhance his senses. He could hear Rye's breathing escalate, and knew the boy was aware of the sudden change in the atmosphere of the room. His brows drew together in concern as he faced down the protective woman in front of him. Nyrra tried to ignore the magnetic pull of the eyes boring into hers as she stood her ground. She saw the frown that marred his handsome features as he reached behind him and slowly closed the door. She tried not to flinch as his long fingers clicked the lock into place, but failed. She braced herself as he moved toward her, his long legs covering the small room in but a few steps. She was not expecting, however, for him to crouch down in front of her and lift his earnest face towards her own...nor was she expecting the blood to begin sizzling through her veins at the close proximity to him. Her breath caught in her throat as his eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, pulsing with a power that was almost tangible. When he spoke, the deep timbre of his voice washed over her frayed nerves like a balm, even though her heart began to race. "I'm here because a child's mind is in danger. I am drawn to this place because his entire being is screaming out for help, and my heart heard his call. I'm in this room because fate delivered you to him in his hour of need, and you left the door open for me." His eyes began to glow with a fierce inner light, and rather than being frightened, she felt strangely drawn to their swirling depths. She felt another tear slide down her face as Rye whimpered listlessly behind her, his little voice weak after the screams had stripped his throat raw. How could this stranger possibly think he could help? How was it conceivable that he, after knowing the child for less than twenty-four hours, could help the boy more than she could after being privy to his pain for two years? Hearing the boy move, she glanced back at him. His little blue eyes were trained on the man, and she saw something she'd swear was a glimmer of recognition flicker in them briefly. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, Nyrra resolved that she would protect Rye in whatever capacity she could; even if that meant swallowing her pride and fighting her instincts. If there was even a slim chance that this stranger could bring Rye back from the dark place he was in, then she would accede that right to him. "What do you intend to do?" She felt herself shrink against the bed frame as he rose to his full height and towered above her. She was surprised when he held his hand out to her and inquired softly if she was sure she wanted to know. Nodding slowly, although she still doubted the wisdom of her choice, she slipped her hand in his as he tugged on her fingers, pulling her to her feet. She gasped as she stumbled and pressed her hand against his chest for balance. His body was hot to the touch, searing her palm as surely as the intensity in his eyes was searing her soul. Rhochlan felt the pressure in his mind as his entire colony began to hum softly. In the Were-rabbit tradition of showing support, he could feel as they began channeling their collective strength into their Alpha; he felt a shroud of calm settle around his shoulders, a stoic strength flowing throughout his system as his gaze bore into her own. He knew after tonight that there would be no turning back. Their secret would be revealed to the exquisite creature trembling in front of him, and their futures would be inescapably intertwined. She would experience horror, despair, and pain like nothing she'd ever dreamt of before in their quest to save the boy. If her faith and love for the child was strong enough, Rye would cower no longer, though his wounds would take time to heal. An echo of the generations of Alphas preceding him laced his words with power as he responded. "I intend to set him free." To Be Continued... ~~~ Special "Thanks" going out to my Angel_N_Disguise for her editing expertise. ~~~ Love, Be-Were! Ch. 03 ***I want to thank you all for your patience, and continued support; especially Angel_N_Disguise for her excellent editing skills. It's been a very busy and rocky couple of months, and the months ahead seem just as determined to remain that way. Here is the next installment of our Were-rabbit series, and I truly hope you enjoy it. As always, remember that I love hearing your feedback, your questions, comments, fears and hopes for the continuation of the story line. You have all been amazing, and I hope you continue to follow me as we embark into both the light...and the darkness...of their world. Come, walk in the shadows with me.*** Silence crept over the darkened glade, soothing the chaotic motions and sounds of all encased within its depths. Birds and beasts alike felt its serene shroud settling upon their brows, lulling their frantic movements with a deep calm. Even the merry chirping of crickets and other nocturnal bug life stilled as an expectant hush fell across the surrounding forest. One by one, small lights began clicking to life. The soft glow from the fixtures spread with a slow and methodical rhythm, illuminating a low stone wall that ran in an arc along the center of the clearing. The luminaries spread from the only break in that border, a majestically hand-hewn arch with a wrought iron gate, and drifted along the paving stones of a long pathway. The soft glow raced along the stones, casting shadows over the exquisite landscaping that bordered its path. Beautiful blooms, their colors made indeterminate by the looming darkness, seemed to nod in greeting as the light spread. Reaching the end of the stones, the lights split in opposite directions, and morphed into larger fixtures in a semi-circle that paralleled the low stone border. Large spot lights hummed as light poured from them, the glow spreading across vast amounts of layered stone. The procession finally came to a halt as the last few fixtures clicked on, casting illumination along the entire base of the enormous three-story structure that stood in sharp relief against the darkness. The tall rock walls flowed seamlessly from the cliff behind them, each stone appearing as if it had been molded from the mountain face instead of being hewn by the hands of men. Over the space of two hundred years, Werehaven Manor had remained a beacon of hope and prosperity for the neighboring towns. Although it had undergone numerous renovations during that time, the aura of serenity it exuded had never wavered. With its lofty parapets, tall columns, and beautifully manicured grounds, the manor house presented an impressive façade. It was, however, more than it seemed; the building's founder, Rhochlan Werehaven, had designed it for a dual purpose. Many human patrons had frequented its halls and given wonderful reviews of the Werehaven Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn as a secluded retreat. The B&B boasted a fully staffed kitchen that made it possible to offer three home-cooked meals a day; it wasn't unusual for the dining room to be packed at each of them, by both guests and people just walking in off the street. It even offered a gift store that sold hand-made crafts, and a harvest season farmer's market that encouraged young farmers and children to sell their home-grown produce. Beyond the hustle of the business front, and out of the path of any curious humans, deep hallways pushed back through the mountain itself. The stones in those tunnels were much older, much heavier. They housed a multitude of rooms designed specifically to be used as homes for Weres: shifters, individuals that were as much beast as human. After he lost both his mother and his younger sister during childbirth, and after his father was murdered by a rival Were species, Rhochlan built the Inn to preface a half-way house for orphaned Were children. As Alpha of the Werehaven rabbit colony, Rhochlan recognized the need to provide a future for abandoned kittens—Were-rabbit children—because their genealogy was a bit different from other shifter species. A kit was born in human form to both parents, but unlike wolves or cats, the beast didn't manifest upon puberty; instead, it was locked from birth inside a cage in the babe's mind. Upon the child's fifth birthday, a visit would be scheduled with the Alpha to unlock the beast, allowing the two halves of the kit's psyche to merge and become whole. If, for some reason, the cage remained unopened...the consequences to the child were often terrible to behold. In the beast's desperation to be free, the kit's mind would be ravaged; all too often, it was damaged beyond repair. Usually, this was as a result of a family tragedy or extenuating circumstances that removed the kitten from an Alpha's influence and ability to perform the rites necessary. Running a licensed shelter for troubled youth provided Rhochlan with a unique opportunity to seek out those orphaned children who may benefit the most from an Alpha's presence. There were times when he succeeded, happy moments when he drew the children away from the madness and back into the light. He'd bring them back to the Manor, and the love of his sister and the other Weres at the compound would help them come to peace with their life. When they were ready, they'd make the transition to the rabbit colony, where they would be granted the ability to grow and prosper as a part of the community. Occasionally, however, there were times when success was no longer a possibility. Exhaustion would force him to leave the minds of those children who were too plagued with pain, terror, and agony to save. There was always the threat of his own mind being lost when he tarried too long in those dark places, drowning in the horror that came to life when a child's Were had been caged for too long. He fought for them, wrestled with their demons, until he risked his very own sanity in his bid for their freedom. Hard decisions had to be made then; decisions for the safety and security of those around the child as well as the need to preserve the secrecy of their heritage that made Rhochlan sick to his very soul. Only when the child's mind held no hope of recovery would he relent and make the little one's passing as painless as possible. He'd always chosen to ignore the fact that eventually he was destined to fail...refused to accept that there would come a day when a mind he tried to save would bring an end to his own life. He was the Werehaven Alpha: the failure to try was not an option. ***** After the last light switch clicked into place, Riocha closed the fuse panel door. Her eyes swept over the marble kitchen counters as she opened cabinet and refrigerator doors, mentally checking off inventory items that she'd need to restock. She wandered throughout the manor as she checked the locks on doors and windows. Finally satisfied that all security measures were in place, she scanned the yard through one of the front foyer windows and then headed toward her personal chambers. The unusual silence within the Inn's walls pressed against her senses, heavy and oppressive. She sighed, exasperated with herself; after all the times that the noise of the children drove her to the point of madness, she couldn't enjoy their absence either. As acting Alpha Doe, she was used to handling a constant barrage from the little ones, and felt a bit out of sorts as she wandered through the empty rooms. The stone walls felt hollow and bare without their laughter ringing through the halls. Riocha felt contentment envelope her as she entered the door of her personal burrow. Soft light filtered from recessed sconces on the walls, casting gentle shadows throughout the three rooms. She softly tread towards the kitchen, pausing when she reached the fully stocked wine cabinet nestled in the corner. Her fingers trailed along the corked bottles as she selected her favorite vintage and pulled it from the shelf. As she often did, she offered a silent prayer of gratitude that the Colony maintained its own personal vineyard, complete with recipes for fine wines that had been passed down for generations. Her wine goblet in hand, she meandered toward the large porcelain tub in the bathroom. Her brother had spared no expense when she'd decorated her burrow, as he knew she'd be making a permanent home at the Inn instead of the Colony. She balanced on the edge as she turned the knobs, the steady thrum of the water in the basin soothing her frazzled nerves. Setting her goblet down, she added a light touch of mint oil to her bath. Disrobing quickly and turning the water off, she stepped into the tub, and sank her lithe form into the steaming water with a sigh. Retrieving her wine from the nearby counter, she took a sip. She closed her eyes in appreciation as the deep fruit and earthen tones swirled around her tongue. Taking another sip, she sank further into the bath and felt her stressed muscles begin to relax. The fresh, effervescent mint essence rejuvenated her tired body, soothing her aching feet and back. Her mind drifted to the male Betas that assisted her at the Inn, and wished for a fleeting moment that they'd already returned from dropping the children off for their monthly fieldtrip to the Colony. Another sip and they, too, were forgotten as she felt her mind enter a meditative state. Her eyelids fluttered open as she realized her water had cooled. Surprised that she'd relaxed enough to nap in the tub, she washed quickly before she stepped out of the water. Chill bumps raced along her skin as she dried herself off, not bothering to dress as she headed toward her bed, her nest. The greatest of all her comforts, it brought her the most pleasure and was truly worthy of an Alpha. A small smile graced her lips as she looked at it; over-sized and round, the mattress was recessed into the frame. Soft, downy quilts and comforters were piled on top, with fluffy pillows galore; it was sized to easily accommodate her beast and the several young kits that inevitably snuck into her room in the middle of the night. When in human form, her diminutive size was dwarfed as she snuggled in for some much needed rest. Several hours later, she began to rouse as she felt her beast stir within. Her inner rabbit had been disturbed from slumber; keeping her eyes closed, she allowed it to extend her senses to figure out why. New scents teased her nostrils, but her suddenly tense muscles relaxed as she realized they were familiar to her. Rich chocolate with a hint of strawberries made her think of Raycer. Mocha with a splash of coconut brought Raevin's face to mind. Caramel and banana instantly sprang forth an image of Ridge. Her lips curled into a sleepy smile: the triplets were home. Riocha allowed her rabbit to enhance her hearing even further. She could just barely make out their quiet steps as the three males approached her bed, and smiled to herself as she sensed their hesitation. She peeped through one eye to find them watching her, letting them know she was aware of their presence and wouldn't allow her beast to lash out at them. She heard at least one sharp intake of breath as she languidly stretched and turned over on her back, allowing the quilt she was under to slip to her waist. The cool breeze from the door felt delightful over her flushed skin as one of the brothers closed it, the other two making their way over to where she lay. She held still, expectant, as anticipation caused her pulse to accelerate. She gasped softly as warmth encased each of her hands and both of her feet at the same time as the brothers separated and moved to opposite sides of her bed. Raycer massaged the fingers of her left hand while Raevin gently rubbed the right; Ridge was at the bottom of her bed, his large hands gently easing the stress from her tired feet, one in each hand. As the soothing sensations spread throughout her system, her blood began to heat and desire kindled deep in her core. Lulled by the slow, rhythmic movements, at first she wasn't aware of their hands changing positions. Soon, the warmth that enveloped her hands and feet moved to her wrists and ankles; velvet kisses and quick flicks of their tongues soon joined the caresses as the brothers shifted to her forearms and calves. She felt her skin flush, and her temperature rise as liquid fire raced through her blood. Every kiss, every nibble, every brush of their talented fingers set her skin aflame as they kissed the insides of her elbows, and gently petted behind her knees. The brothers moved as a single entity—biting, licking, kissing, and rubbing— as they moved slowly toward her molten center. Riocha was a writhing mass of sensation as she lay between them, her arms and legs captured by strong hands as the brothers restricted her ability to move. She couldn't decide if she wanted to push them away and catch her breath, or pull their hard bodies closer and drown in the pleasure they offered. She couldn't concentrate, couldn't think, and the evidence of her arousal was pooling quickly between her thighs. A low moan escaped her lips as Ridge began kissing along her inner thigh; her heart beat wildly as she felt lips leave her shoulders on each side, felt tongues run up both sides of her neck simultaneously. Her arms still restrained, her fingers flexed with the need to hold, to stroke, to control...but the brothers refused to relent. Her body hummed with delicious anticipation as her senses were overwhelmed. Her ragged breath escaped in quick bursts, and tendrils of desire coiled like a tightened spring low in her belly. The triplets teased her mercilessly, building her need to a fever pitch. A light sheen of perspiration clung to her skin as her body begged for release, begged them to ease her torment. Her chest heaved as she panted, every nerve in her system screaming for the climax she was being denied. Her hips thrust futilely towards Ridge's face as she felt his lips inching towards, but refusing to touch, the center of her desire. She trembled violently as Raycer and Raevin trailed their fingertips lightly up her rib cage, and her closed eyes were unable to see the wicked smile shared between the three brothers as she finally moaned the plea they'd been waiting for. "Please..." As one, Raycer and Raevin moved from her neck and each cupped a heavy breast in one of their large hands. Riocha's upper body lifted off of the bed as both of her nipples were bitten simultaneously, wet heat engulfing them as the brothers sucked the hard peaks into their mouths. At the exact same moment, Ridge cupped her hips in his hands, and pulled her aching pussy to his mouth. As she felt his tongue plunge between her folds and he sucked her hard little nub into his mouth, her entire world instantly shattered. Bright colors exploded behind her eyelids as her juices exploded on his tongue; screams of pure satisfaction ripped from her throat as the pleasure coursed through her. Her body shuddered and convulsed in climax as he slid two fingers deep inside her, and a second orgasm closely followed the first. Moans issued from her lips non-stop as Ridge nestled between her quivering thighs and flexed his fingers in her tight channel. Riocha arched again when his fingertips curled up inside her and grazed her G-spot. His tongue made long passes between her dewy lips, nibbles and nips from his teeth forcing her hips to jerk before he soothed the reddened spots with soft caresses. His tongue traced lazy circles around her sensitive clit before he sucked it into his mouth again, his fingers stretching her to accommodate him. She whimpered in frustration as she felt his mouth and fingers pull away from her right before she could push herself over the edge for the third time. Raycer continued concentrating on her breasts while Raevin shifted higher in the bed. He swallowed the next curse that left her mouth when he seemed unable to resist the temptation anymore, and sucked her pouting bottom lip into his mouth. She moaned against him as his velvet lips captured hers, his tongue slipping inside her mouth and plundering her until she was breathless. His fingers weaving through her long red waves, he fisted his hand in her hair and angled her mouth to his, fitting against her like a glove as his kiss turned more demanding. She growled against his lips as her hunger flamed anew, and finally getting one of her hands free, she slipped it behind his head and held him to her. Her beast was rising, and she demanded satisfaction. Raycer rolled to his side, freeing her other hand as he bit and licked down her rib cage, stoking her inner fires. Her hand groped against his muscled abdomen, and she dug her fingertips into the hard muscle as she tried to ground herself against the sensations overriding her mind. Those efforts were for nothing as she felt the bed shift again, and she pulled away from Raevin's mouth as Ridge's fingertips lifted her hips. Without warning, Ridge pulled her hips down, and speared his hardness into her with one sharp thrust. Her tight tunnel gripped at him, and she heard him groan as he sunk into her wet heat. Her shoulders propped on the bed, her back arched in a rainbow as he slid his hands under her waist, supporting her as he thrust into her hot sheath again and again. He adjusted her hips, and as he got her to the right angle, began slamming his thick rod into her at a bruising pace. Her eyes began to glow, her beast surfacing as the hard cock pummeling her pussy gave her what she needed, what she craved. She felt his body stiffen as his manhood pulsed within her, his hot cum rushing to drench her insides. He thrust hard into her and dug his fingers into her waist as he throbbed within her depths. Ridge leaned down to suck her nipple in his mouth before he wrapped his arms around her and rolled, quickly switching positions with her until she was astride him. His cock remained rock-hard inside her, if anything having grown fuller as his own beast began to rise to the surface. His pace slowed as his brothers surrounded her and moved into position. Leaning forward, she braced her hands on his chiseled chest as she lifted herself, slowly sliding up his thick length. Flexing her stomach and thighs, she moved her hips in slow circles and teased the head of his cock. She sank down on him—an inch or two at a time—but as soon as his eyes would begin to close in pleasure she'd lift herself back off of him again. Tossing her red waves to the side, she looked back over her shoulder as she felt another pair of hands begin caressing her lower back. Raycer stood behind her as he caressed the swell of her ass; crouching down between her spread feet, he lowered his head as he began to kiss and nibble at her spread cheeks. Her eyes issued a challenge to him as they met his gaze, one he answered by running his tongue across the puckered star of her rear entrance. Her hips bucked away from him, but she was offered no respite; that only succeeded in driving her pussy down on Ridge's hard cock underneath her. She moaned as she lifted herself back up and felt Raycer's fingers slide inside her forbidden hole, stretching her. Raevin moved in front of her, his strong fingertips lifting her chin as he claimed her lips in a searing kiss. A low groan of pleasure forced itself past her lips as she felt Raycer's massive length replace his fingers. He grabbed her hips when he slid his cock into her tight ass and her body instantly spasmed around him. Ridge slid his hands up beneath her heavy breasts and cupped them as his fingers deftly rolled her hardened nipples. Another orgasm crashed over her when he started sliding his length in tandem with his brother. The dual sensation of having both of her lower holes filled stoked the flames of her desire even higher. She was insatiable in her pursuit of greater pleasure, and drove her willing body hard as she relentlessly slammed against the two hot cocks within her. It didn't take long before the friction made Raycer begin to pound her ass with a vengeance; his hands gripped her hips hard as she felt him explode, his thick cum spurting into her ass and easing the burning sensation as he continued to pump through his first orgasm into another. Love, Be-Were! Ch. 03 Able to open her eyes again, she watched Raevin move closer to her. His strong fingers cupped her face as he traced her jaw line, before he slid his hand behind her head. His hand fisted in her hair as he angled her mouth toward his stiff manhood, and her mouth watered when she saw it. Long and proud, his thick rod bobbed in front of her face, begging for attention. She raised one hand to brace against the corded muscles of his thigh as she timed the thrusts from below. Riocha looked up at Raevin through her long lashes, and felt predatory as her thick lips latched around the head of his staff. She closed her eyes in delight as his hips thrust forward, impaling her mouth on his turgid length. Rapture coursed through her as she was completely filled; she began to hum around his cock as she swallowed in reflex, the tight muscles of her throat massaging his length. Raevin groaned and gripped the back of her head as he began fucking her face with long, fast strokes. Silver claws broke through the tips of her fingers as she clung to his thigh, and the slight pain seemed to only add to his pleasure...his cock thickened and pulsed between her lips, and he bucked more forcefully against her as his climax neared. As she continued to hum, the vibrations carried throughout her entire body, and the two brothers rutting away at her other holes moaned in unison. Within moments, she was swallowing down a full load of delicious, creamy cum while cocks throbbed with release in her pussy and ass. Without missing a drop, and without pause or hesitation, she rode all three cocks until she felt the tremors of another orgasm wash over her, and the triplets moaned as her various body parts convulsed around them all. She never slowed in her movements, never offered them the opportunity to recover. For hours, the only rest offered to the three men were the moments of respite while changing positions. They bent her body to their every whim, and the only resistance she offered was when the pace slackened, or the force with which they fucked her began to wane. She lost count of the orgasms that wracked her body with pleasure. She lost track of the times one of her men released a load of cum into her, before finding another way to love her even harder. For hours, the Alpha Doe challenged the males in her burrow, and for hours, her Betas answered her call. Gradually, as the night progressed, their pace finally began to abate; all four of them eventually drifted into an exhausted—but well-sated, and well deserved—slumber. In the wee hours of the morning, long before the manor or the clearing surrounding it would be kissed by the dawn's early light, Riocha dozed fitfully. She whimpered in her sleep, jerking as her muscles tightened. Her movements woke the triplets, and they snuggled close in an attempt to comfort her, concern clearly etched on their faces. One by one, they began to stroke her skin softly as they tried to ease her from whatever nightmare plagued her mind. They quickly moved away from her when she bolted upright, her eyes glowing with a fierce light as silver claws erupted from her fingers and toes. She came fully awake and sucked in a few ragged breaths; she calmed her inner rabbit and forced the shift to her animal form to stop immediately. The claws retracted as she slipped out of bed, padding toward the door on silent feet. The brothers shared a quick look of confusion, before following her out the door. Silent as shadows, they followed their Alpha, determined to protect her, even if only from herself. Riocha led them through the winding passage that led deeper into the mountain. Eventually, they came to the exit that would allow them to enter the forest heading toward the Colony compound. The red-head stopped her forward progress as her bare feet hit the grassy carpeted floor of the ancient wood. Tilting her head sideways, her rabbit-enhanced senses strained to penetrate the night. She felt the Beta males fan out behind her; they'd shifted to their hybrid forms during their trip, and she could tell that their senses were now sharpened well enough to feel what had drawn her from the nest. In the distance, they heard five distinct thumps; the tremors carried to the Inn, and they all knew what the significance of that sign was. Even this far away, they could feel their Alpha's call to arms. She held out her hands; a soft expression crossed her face as the triplets melted back into their human forms and joined hands in a circle with her without breaking the silence. She locked gazes with each of them in turn before closing her eyes and beginning to hum. Their voices joined her in steady support of the Alpha Buck's march, lending their harmony across the breeze in a plea for his safe return. Though they didn't know the details, they had to protect the Inn; the four of them would be unable to answer his summons in any other way. Riocha closed her eyes, and tested the familial Alpha bond she shared with her brother. His rage was muted now, although his sense of duty and purpose shone like a bright beacon inside her mind. She'd sensed the nightmare that had dragged him from his slumber, as surely as the emotional connection they shared had done to her. She'd felt the pain, the horror, the overwhelming need to act. "Rhochlan?" Instantly, her mind was flooded with a fierce surge of protectiveness as her brother opened his mind to her. She could feel the energy thrumming through him, the power radiating from his center as his focus turned to her for a brief instant. She sent as much love and support to him as she could with a single thought, once she knew he was listening. "Bring him home." ********** Her eyes swept over the mountain of a man crouched down before her. Nyrra had no idea how he could shrink his massive form that low to the ground, though the sheer force of his presence was in no way diminished. His golden eyes burned into her with such intensity she fancied she could actually feel the heat in his stare; long black hair swept over his shoulders, the severity of its shade graduating to silver, and finally white at the tips. She sighed as her gaze traveled over the long tapers of his fingers, and over the tight musculature of his body. To say the man was handsome would have been, in her mind, blasphemy. She thought to herself, instead, that he was the embodiment of untamed beauty; a true force of nature. The aura of power he exuded made her hands tremble, her knees quake, and her heart do a silly and uncontrolled dance when he was near. He was...magnificent. It was such a shame that he was also a raving lunatic. Her head throbbed as she tried to wrap her mind around the ludicrous tale he had just finished. Human and animal hybrids, he'd said. Really, did she look that gullible? Did she look that stupid? He had called himself a Were-rabbit; he'd said he was half man and half rabbit. She'd busted out laughing on the spot as the image of him sprouting ears and a big fluffy tail came unbidden to her mind. She had shaken her head in outright denial, and scratched him off of her list of potential romantic interests. Yet, there was something in the way he watched her face—something in the way his stare never wavered—that convinced her of his sincerity. Whether or not what he was saying was true (after all, how could it be?) he believed it whole heartedly; of that she was certain. The concept was so foreign, so difficult for her rational brain to accept. Why, then, did she yearn so badly to believe him? What was it about those eyes that made it impossible for her to look away, and instead of continuing to laugh at him for being crazy, want to embrace everything he said? She shook her head again in disbelief. When she did so, however, she caught a glance at Rye from the corner of her eye. The little waif was rocking back and forth on the bed now, his unseeing gaze wide as he trembled. His tiny features were wracked with despair as he kept his hands spread wide in front of him, the disgust and fear on his face tangible as he looked at something only his little eyes could see. She tried speaking to him once more, reaching out to touch him with a gentle hand. He visibly jerked, as if in pain; she felt the man beside her move then, and saw him lay his fingertips against the youth's brow. The result was instantaneous. The boy calmed, for just a moment; his features smoothed, his trembling ceased, and he leaned his head against the grown man's hand. As soon as the man removed it, the boy went right back into his miserable, catatonic state. Her heart ached for the child. She couldn't reach him, and the giant before her clearly could. Internally, she raged against the unfairness of that fact; she'd been a part of the boy's life for two years, and was helpless to guide him from the terrors of his own mind. Now this stranger, this Rhochlan fellow, was in the picture for less than a full day and Rye was already reacting to him on an instinctual level. She was so torn; did she follow her mind, and call security to remove the crazy man from the boy's room...or did she follow her heart, and believe whatever was necessary to believe in order to help the child? Her attention flew back to Rye as he started making a high pitched keening noise. He sounded so much like a wounded animal in a trap that she felt her conviction begin to waver. How could she deny him? Nyrra's head jerked back around as she felt Rhochlan take her hand in his. His piercing yellow gaze searched her expression as indecision flashed across his face. She noticed his jaw clench in determination and his eyes narrow as he appeared to reach a conclusion. He looked to the boy, and then looked back at her before his deep voice rumbled quietly from his chest. "So be it." Her eyebrows furrowed as his eyes began to glow. That's the only way she could describe it, locked as she was in their intense depths. He seemed to grow larger and the air around her grew thick as the emotion in the room began to escalate. She tried to shrink away from him, but he held her fingers fast with his own laced between them. "I apologize for what I'm about to do, but you're not leaving me a choice. Rye is out of time. I tried the easy approach, but you're unable to believe me. Now, we have to do it the hard way." He gathered both of her hands in his as he shuffled closer to her. The strength of his hands wouldn't allow her to pull away, despite how she struggled. She could read regret in his eyes, and sorrow; she didn't know what he was about to do, only that he really didn't want to have to do it. For the first time since entering the room, she was fearful for her own safety. He whispered something that she couldn't make out, and suddenly, she couldn't see his face anymore. Nyrra couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she couldn't see anything she recognized around her. Where sterilized walls had once been, she could see only trees and grass and earth. Out of the darkness, she saw a tall figure stalk toward her, and as the man drew closer, she sucked in her breath as she realized it was Rhochlan. She could hear his voice as he began to speak, though his lips never moved. "You asked me why I showed up, after hours, in the room of a small child. I answered you, and while I feel confident that you would have believed me in time, time itself is the one thing we don't have." She watched in awe as he began to remove his clothes. Sleek, powerful muscles rippled beneath his bronze skin as he continued to move closer to her. She felt her breath catch as his physical perfection was slowly revealed, but her pulse began to race as fur began to sprout from his shoulders and spread across his chest and arms. Unable to make a sound, she swallowed the scream that would have otherwise erupted from her chest as his beast made its presence known. The monstrous hybrid held its ground, and didn't advance any closer to her as she fought to get her response under control. It looked deadly, yet wasn't offering to do her any harm. She felt her pulse begin to slow, and realized that she didn't feel threatened; the beast had long silver claws that could tear her limb from limb, and yet she found herself unafraid. She jerked in surprise when she could still hear Rhochlan's voice. "I'd hoped that your introduction to our culture could be approached in a different way. Rye's inner rabbit has forced my hand, and made that impossible. In order for you to understand, I have to share with you what I've seen. Brace yourself...I will show you what Rye is reliving." ...Fear pulsed through his veins, hurried footsteps matching the speed of his heartbeat as they ran. He was so tired; his little legs aching as he was drug along by the hand clamped to his own. He ran until he just couldn't run anymore. A woman's soft hands cupped his face, her large pale blue eyes brimming with tears as she looked behind them. She was so small, so petite, and so very exhausted...but still, she scooped him up in her arms and pressed forward... Nyrra's senses were assaulted with terror. She registered every emotion the boy had as the images flashed through her mind: fear, anger, sorrow, despair, guilt...and love. Freed to move at last, tears streamed down her face as she reached out to the empty air to touch his mother's back as that scene re-enacted itself in her head. She stared at her own hands as he had, saw them covered with his mother's precious life blood as he did. Horrified, she felt the crushing weight of his father's grief as he roared his rage to the sky. She experienced every moment of Rye's despair, his guilt, and the way he blamed himself for his mother's fate. The remembered scene faded from her view, and she looked at her hands; the image of red drops hitting the forest floor now burned deeply in her own memories, and her breath became ragged as her emotions overflowed. She closed her eyes, losing herself for a moment in his sorrow and self-recrimination; her body was wracked by sobs, and she didn't pull away from the strong arms that wrapped around her. She leaned into the offered comfort instead, and buried her face against the naked chest pressed against her. She cried until her tears ceased to fall, hard enough that her throat felt raw afterwards. Rhochlan hummed a soft melody against her hair, and she felt herself begin to calm. When she opened her eyes again, she was back in Rye's room. She was standing, and still cradled by the man in front of her. Turning her face towards him, she noticed that the chest she was pressed against was no longer naked. He was fully clothed, and Nyrra realized that what she'd witnessed was all in her own mind. She felt fingertips under her chin, and allowed her face to be tilted up to bear his scrutiny. "Do you believe, now? Search your heart; search your soul. The true answer to this question is more important than you know." She looked at the boy, huddled in the corner staring at his hands. She shuddered as she realized what he was seeing, and tears welled in her eyes again. She quickly looked back at Rhochlan, and prayed he didn't doubt her when she gave him a quick nod. "What can be done?" She watched the same focus and determination as before cross his beautiful features. "I need your help, Nyrra. I can feel his rabbit and can sense the location of the cage in his mind; the kitten's rage and fear is what is driving these memories to resurface. I'm fairly certain they've been buried, and his rabbit is forcing him to remember who and what he is. I have no emotional ties to the boy; he doesn't know me, and I can't find him. He is lost; his mind is cracking under the strain of reliving these memories over and over again." His words triggered an immediate reaction from her. She felt her protective instincts surge forth, driving her fear and helplessness ruthlessly down. She straightened her back, lifted her head high, and met his gaze with her own. She refused to flinch away from the intensity that radiated from him as she murmured a response. "What must I do?" His eyes never left her face, and she thought she caught a brief flicker of pride in their depths, though she could have easily been mistaken. "Love him, Nyrra. We will enter his mind, and you must be willing to overcome your own fear, your own horror, your own instinctive need to flee from what you witness. You must pour every ounce of love you hold for Rye into your every thought. Follow your heart, and it will lead us to him. We'll help him fight his demons, push through these memories, and set his rabbit free." "And if we fail?" She swallowed hard as his stare turned hard and unyielding. The timbre of his voice made her shiver when he answered. "If we aren't successful...the boy will die." To Be Continued....