In the Eyes of the Wolf

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

-Farley-

I was dragged back to the packhouse. I tried to hold my pained grunts in, so that Pax didn't get concerned. His grip was painful, his thin hands felt like metal wire around my fingers. The change in behaviour was so quick, I didn't have any time to prepare for him running away.

He didn't calm down until we were in the house. He barely let me get through the door before he shut it. I sat on the stairs and took some deep breaths,

"What happened?" Caspian asked from the door to the living room. "You two look like- you're bleeding."

I followed Caspian's eyes to Pax. I scanned him, but he didn't seem to be bleeding.

Pax raised a hand to his ear and held it there. "Yeah," he muttered. He pulled his hand away to reveal splotches of red across his pale skin. "I don't think that was an ordinary dog whistle."

He sounded and looked weak. My clothes were too big for him, making him look skinny and frail. His skin was white as a sheet, bringing out the dark circles under his eyes. The blood only added to the defeat he portrayed.

"Pardon?" Clementine asked as she came up behind Caspian, putting an arm casually around his arm. "You look terrible, do I have to kick Farley?"

I huffed at her and stood up. "No kicking necessary." I lifted some of Pax's hair and got a good look at the inside of his ear. "Your eardrum is very damaged," I mumbled. We might heal quicker then normal humans, but we could still cause permanent damage to our bodies. "What was it?"

Pax flinched away from my hand. "It's just something Kian used to do. Use a very high-pitched whistle. You know, since I concentrate more on hearing...my hearing is a little bit better than the normal wolves."

"And you were even considering letting him go back?" my mother exclaimed as she came over and hugged Pax tightly. "He can stay at ours in Farley's old room if you don't have him here."

I would've usually argued about anyone having my bedroom, it was mine and they didn't have any right to say that anyone could stay there, or even step into the door. But I didn't seem to mind the thought this time.

"You don't have to-" Pax was interrupted by another hug.

"Does that mean we can keep him?" Rowan asked from the top of the stairs, he was hanging over the railing. Iris was leaning on the wall behind him with her arms crossed, a frown on her face.

"He's not a pet, Rowan," Iris sighed. "But can we keep him?"

The little amount of Pax's face which was visible had turned pink.

Caspian sighed and ran a hand down his face, looking from Pax to Clementine. The two adult members of my pack had a silent conversation.

After a few nods, Caspian addressed Pax. "If you want to stay, we'll figure something out for you."

My mother didn't look too pleased that there was an option of saying no. Pax, on the other hand, had wide eyes and his mouth had dropped open. "Me, like, me? You're asking me if I want to stay?" he emphasised the word 'want'. "Little, blind, useless in everything, me?"

"He is," Rowan said as he bounded down the stairs.

"We'll work on your confidence later," Iris finished off from the middle of the stairs where she sat herself. "Are you staying?"

Pax's eyes wandered around the room, never focusing on anything. He bounced on the balls of his feet and his hands were clasped together in front of him. "I don't want to be any kind of bother. You know I'm-"