Runt [ManxMan]

Chapter Sixteen

Dax woke to a loud banging on his bedroom door.

He groaned and rolled over, bleary eyes struggling to focus on the digital alarm clock next to him. 3:17 am. Who the hell was knocking on his door at 3:17 am? The alpha had only been asleep two hours or so and would have to rise with the sun in another three, so the last thing he wanted to do was drag himself out of bed to see what the problem was.

But he was the alpha, and whoever was banging on the door seemed to think this was an emergency in need of his immediate attention, so drag himself out of bed he did. He didn't bother with clothes, moving across the room in only his boxers to see who was there.

Of all the things he had expected, Chase was possibly the last one. Especially Chase with Mason curled up in his arms. Dax was tired and confused, so putting together intelligible words was a struggle, and all he could do was stare down at the brothers.

They both had ruffled hair and bleary eyes, clearly also having just been dragged out of bed. Chase looked far more awake than Dax felt, though, and seeing his wide eyes and pale face made Dax stand straighter. Whatever was happening, it was serious.

"Dax," Chase was breathless, and when he started speaking it all came in a panicked rush. "Mason is sick, he woke me up with trouble breathing and I just, I don't know what to do. Dax, what do I do?"

Okay, this was something Dax was familiar with. Chase wanted him to be the big brother, not the alpha. It had been a fairly common occurrence when they were kids, right after they took Chase in, for the beta-born to come to Dax when he needed something instead of going to Dax's father. Though it had been years since he had seen Chase this worked up, it was something he could deal with.

"First, calm down," he said, putting his hands on his adopted brother's shoulders. "Deep breaths. In, out." He felt the smaller man's shoulders move as he struggled to follow the alpha's directions. Once he had calmed, Dax turned his attention to the omega.

Chase was certainly right, the kid was sick, but Dax didn't think it was as bad as the hunter's panic had made it out to be. Mason was wheezing a little, and from the high spots on his cheeks he likely had a fever as well, but he met Dax's gaze with wide, lucid eyes and he wasn't gasping for air. Still, werewolves got sick so seldom, and if the symptoms had escalated this quickly, it was certainly something to get checked out.

Mason did look a bit freaked out, but Dax had a feeling that was more because of his brother's reaction than because of his illness, though of course that was also something new for him that would be unsettling. The best thing for both of them would be to separate them so they could calm down.

With that in mind, Dax turned his back on them and went back into his room to root through his drawers until he located a pair of jeans to pull on. He didn't bother with a shirt and returned to the doorway where the two brothers were waiting, watching him with identical confused expressions.

He held out his arms, gesturing for Chase to hand the omega over. When he didn't immediately comply, Dax said, "Look, you're faster than me. Go and wake the healer and I'll meet you at the infirmary with your brother."

Chase was still hesitant, but Dax knew the hunter trusted him more than anyone, and even if it was with his precious, newly returned brother, he would do almost anything Dax said. So, after a moment, he settled the omega in the alpha's arms and without further delay took off down the hall in search of the healer. Dax didn't bother to tell him she lived in the other direction.

He walked in a much calmer fashion after Chase, down the stairs and outside to head toward the infirmary. It was still dark, with only the light from the moon to illuminate the way, but Dax didn't mind, and Mason didn't seem bothered either. Separated from his anxious brother and stuck instead with the stoic alpha, the omega was calming, his breathing evening out as he rested his head against Dax's shoulder.