Runt [ManxMan]

Chapter Twenty

Dax was happy to say it had been an uneventful morning. The hunters had left early, so he had been in the infirmary since before dawn, as he'd promised Chase he'd stay with Mason the entire time the hunter was gone, and he meant to keep his promise. Not that it had made any difference as of yet, as the omega hadn't stirred from his sleep since the alpha arrived, and that was hours ago. It was now mid-morning, the light from the windows finally bright enough for Dax to turn off the lamp next to his chair in the corner and still be able to see his paperwork.

He had never minded paperwork, but if he never had to pick up another pen in his life, it would be too soon. The pack merger couldn't finalize soon enough. He still had years' worth of the other alpha's unfinished paperwork to pour through, filling out birth, death, and marriage certificates based on spotty notes taken by the old beta, who had been only slightly less useless than the alpha. The people in the other pack may not know it yet, but they would be much better off after the merger with a responsible alpha leading them.

Movement across the room drew his attention, and he stood, shaking the tension out of his stiff muscles and putting his paperwork back in his chair. It was stiff and wooden, not comfortable in the slightest, and it was no wonder his body ached so much. How had Chase been spending so much time in this room, even sleeping in this very same chair? Perhaps Dax was getting old.

He moved closer to the bed, where the omega had begun to stir. His legs shifted beneath the blankets, and he rolled so he was laying half on his side, facing the alpha. Mason yawned, letting out a tiny, high pitched whine like a wolf would, and even stoic Dax had to admit it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. Then the omega's eyes opened, blinking a few times before they settled on the alpha. It was a few moments longer before a spark of recognition flared to life across his face, and the little omega said, "Dax."

It seemed he had been practicing, and Dax felt the corners of his lips turn up at the sound of his name in the omega's voice. "Good morning, Mason."

Mason blinked again before his gaze traveled from Dax to the rest of the room. "Chase?" he asked, turning back to the alpha.

"He's working," Dax said. "You get me for company until he gets back."

Mason pouted at this, but otherwise seemed unbothered. Dax wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but this wasn't it. He wasn't sure the brothers had been separated for more than a few minutes at a time since they had been reunited over two weeks before. He'd thought Mason would be more upset at his brother's absence.

"How are you feeling?" Dax asked.

Mason paused to consider, then started moving his hands in some pattern that clearly meant something but was lost on the alpha. When Dax showed no sign of understanding, Mason repeated the pattern, but slower, as if that would make it make more sense. It didn't.

It did, however, make Dax remember that Chase had been using the internet to teach himself and his brother sign language because it was easier and faster than teaching the kid to speak, and gave him a means of communication until he built up his speaking skills. That also meant probably the only werewolf in the pack who could actually understand what Mason was saying was his brother, who was currently far away and occupied.

Dax wasn't the only one to have made this realization, and the omega dropped his hands to his lap, whining. It was enough to make Dax wish he'd sat in on their sign language lessons, before he remembered he hadn't the time, and that they'd had them when Tala was still following him around everywhere and keeping her away from Chase was always a good idea. Still, anything that would put a smile on the omega's face was good in his book, a thought he quickly banished as the feeling it brought with him made him uncomfortable.