Hannah

70

The dragon was on edge. Which meant Caspian was very much on edge. The dragon was honour bound to protect the lands their flock was going to reside. The problem was, the most honourable dragon was not sharing enough information with Caspian. Constantly being told to just keep doing as he was doing was tiresome.

Judy was a force, Caspian had more than come to respect the youngest of Hannah's mates. Max had strength that wasn't obvious, lacked the youthful arrogance most wolves had at his age. He was good for Hannah, reminded her how to be young in the best ways. Caspian was still working on all his plans to ensure Hannah would live a worry free life the rest of her days.

Caspian looked slightly to the east, through the walls of the pack house in the direction that he knew Max currently was, picking up both his mates from the airport. Caspian was more than proud of how the young Beta had stepped up to maintain their charade, and tended to his duties today. Even going so far as to pantomime a visit to his mother at her home for tea before lunch. The house was empty, but the effort was needed for show. Wolves had seen Max going to the home, checking in on his mother. The Dragon was at least kind enough to assure Caspian that the pack members he could overhear, were satisfied by the bluff so far.

'So far' was the biggest problem right now. Their time was short to find a resolution. Every moment Judy spent accepting the darkness, the less likely there would be a way to bring her back. Caspian turned his head, looking at Aspen as he slept on the lumpy couch, piled with pillows and a few blankets.

Caspian was also immensely proud of Aspen. The elf was far stronger than his first appearance would have portended, the woods and Hannah had worked a near miracle as far as Caspian was concerned.

Maintaining the bonds on Judy was an exhausting effort. She constantly fought against it. Any time Caspian asked the Dragon to let him quest near her mind, it was a torrent of hate and religious nonsense he did not ascribe to. Caspian and Aspen alone were not enough to keep Judy contained for long. Even with the spiders doing all their efforts could manage to maintain an extra layer of shield around Judy's cell.

It had been a long day. Holland and Hannah were due to return by lunch time. Caspian had been watching the clock. Max was already gone to pick the two up at the airport. To get them home as quick as possible. Hannah's father was set to arrive later this same afternoon. Hannah had thought her father would need to take a break partway through his travels; by all reports he had been remarkably stable during the long drives on the highway. Caspian had spoken with his unofficial head nurse himself. Deloris said she would swear that Colton had hummed a song she could almost recognise as the medical transport van cruised down the road. Hannah's father travelling safe and easily towards them was the best news they had.

Blue Willow had reduced them to only getting as far as the secretary for the pack house. Their answer was already on the way, the dutiful and faultlessly polite secretary would repeat once before hanging up. Caspian was near driven mad by his situation. Maintain the hold on Judy. Make sure she was safe, unharmed, and ate if at all possible. She at least would drink when it was offered. Take care of Aspen, make sure Max was eating, that he wasn't getting corrupted through his mother. Bless all constellations in the sky that Aspen had charmed Max to create a wall between he and his mother. If the two hadn't done magic together when left alone, Max could have been lost as well. Not a thought Caspian was brave enough to think too deep on. Max was still in danger, which meant Hannah was as well.

Hannah is near. Holland will assume some of the load. Hold fast Caspian. The dragon rumbled. One of his longer communications to Caspian. Caspian held the bond with Hannah tight, closed his eyes and let a part of his mind focus on just Hannah. She was getting closer and closer with every second. A balm to his frazzled nerves. Things would be better when they were all together.

Holland would take care of everyone's basic needs. Ensure they were eating, that everyone had all they required. Holland was a good, solid man who appreciated family. The wolf of course didn't understand or hold to the standards of Flock. Caspian appraised that Holland was still a more than adequate companion to help tend to the needs of all those Caspian and his dragon saw as theirs. A welcome relief after a full day on his own with Aspen and Max under such stressful conditions. Especially when everyone had been able to feel Holland and Hannah when they had deeply enjoyed their time alone together last night. Max had gone to the apartment for a long while. Aspen had spent extra time out in the woods this morning when Caspian had taken over Judy's bonds. Caspian however, hadn't had time to indulge himself in anyway. He was cranky, anxious, on edge, and strained more than he had ever been in his life.

Caspian wasn't gifted with foresight, but even he could tell that fate and wings of change were in the air around his flock right now. Darkness had tried to touch them. So many people were in motion because of Hannah, because of the bonds she had managed to pull together around herself. Caspian's sweet treasure had started something just by being herself. He and the dragon were both excited and nervous about what their future might now hold.

Aspen sprung up from the couch he had been resting in, the same moment Caspian's phone made an alert noise indicating Hannah had texted him. They were finally back. Caspian could feel her now inside the small completed barrier he and Aspen had managed to get in place before everything went sideways. His wonderful mate was back, on protected ground. With Holland also safely returned. With only the three of them to coordinate and a little help from Alpha Bryan and Luna Cara, it had been an exhausting day for Caspian, Aspen and Max. Everything would seem more manageable when they were all back together. When the Flock was complete.

Caspian was in charge of Judy right now. He had to stay put while Aspen excused himself to go and meet up with Hannah as soon as possible. Taking the hidden service hallways to make it seem like he had come from the apartment instead of the basement. Duty before pleasure. It was more than a challenge as he had never had to actually follow his family creed with heart before.

Caspian was rewarded for his diligence with a brief flicker of pride from the dragon. The beast was pleased Caspian had made the correct decisions on his own, without the dragon needing to interfere and guide him. Caspian had fucked up once with Hannah already, he had learned his lesson, suffered for it. He was determined that he would make the right choices from now on.