Wounded Shifter

8. Reconnecting

Both Anya and Ezra sat outside on Sam's patio. A safe, neutral place that wasn't enclosed and allowed either of them the comfort of being able to walk away should they need to, as their counselor had suggested. It's been a week since Ezra was released from the hospital and two since the incident at Amalie's school, and both were taking this chance as the other two, with their Uncle Sam, were teaching Denis how to ride while Isaac paced as he was on the phone a bit aways where he could keep an eye on them but not hear them.

They needed to talk, really talk, and get to know each other again like Paige had suggested, though he had pointed out that complete privacy could force the relationship too far, hence the chaperone in the distance and the kids off being distracted. So they sat sipping on lemonade and a charcuterie board between them should they be peckish, or in Ezra's case only able to eat certain amounts of certain foods before becoming sick.

"I missed the times we'd do something like this." Anya started, reminiscing as she looked out at the woods were Ezra had reunited with her.

"It can't have been for the lack of company." He started before looking through his own memories. "Whenever you were here, I'd be watching just about where you found me."

"I was alone those times, it felt wrong to do this with someone that wasn't you if it wasn't with Becca." She started. "Lots of things felt wrong, like sleeping alone, hell touching myself for stress relief was torture."

"I'm sorry about that."

"What did Paige say?"

"I'm not responsible for the way our bond affected you when we were under the incorrect belief that I was the scum of the earth." He sighed in indignation.

"And?" She leveled him with look.

"And that you wouldn't want to be in the same room as me if that belief held any water." Ezra continued reciting what was said in the first session.

"And?" Now Anya was teasing him.

"And from where she sat she thought you'd've ridden me like a stallion had we not been observed." He flushed at that and looked a tad sheepish.

"For now though, hand holding will be more than enough to satisfy me." She reached over and took his hand in hers and squeezing it reassuringly.

"That's the thing, it shouldn't be like this An." He clutched her hand like she was a life raft. "I should feel like we should do more but when I think about it I feel like I'm not worthy to even look at you."

"Do you want to expand on that or would you like to tell me your favorite color?" She offered him an out immediately.

"Expand." He then after a bit took in a deep breath and faced her. "I want to do the things mates do, Anya, but then I remember how I hurt you, that is what I did don't deny that please. I hurt you and it scares me to think that I could ever make you feel like that again."

"You won't Ezra. Don't give me that look, if you were capable of hurting me of your own volition she wouldn't have needed to had threaten you in the first place. That reminds me. I forgive you."

"What?" He blinked at her owlishly.

"In all this mess I never explicitly forgave you, therefore, I forgive you. You did nothing wrong." She watched him as tears sprung in his eyes as he wrapped his head around what she had said.

"Can, can I kiss you?" He asked after a long silence while he went through the motions of his cascading emotions.

"If you really, absolutely want to. Hell if you want us both to join a monastic order we can-" She was cut off by the very gentle press of his lips against hers.

Once he pulled away he smiled softly at her and said, "(e/c). That's my favorite color."

~~~~~

Jeremiah called one of his friends, a lawyer that works primarily with custody cases, while peeking out of one of the windows that looked out on his and Sam's patio.

"Hey, Xander, I think I've got a case you can work."

"I thought you lived in a shifter community Miah?" The wolf shifter on the other side of the line asked by way of a response.

"That doesn't stop bad actors. My brother-in-law found himself in a pickle and the kid's mother is atrocious." Jeremiah's nose scrunched at the reminder of Jolene, if that was even her real name.

"I thought he was happy with Anya, what happened?" Xander sounded concerned at that, there were instances of nonshifter mates being awful but those were few and far between.

"You'll get the full scope of it only if you agree to take on the case. I think you'll like his homeroom teacher." Jeremiah teased before he sipped his tea.

"I'm not looking, you know I've already met my mate." He sighed before continuing. "Yeah I'll take the case, I'm due to visit soon anyway, what's my client's name?"

"Denis Wilder. We want to get him out of his mother's clutches and he's got four uncles who don't mind taking care of him after doing so if Ezra isn't ready for that."

"Why wouldn't Ezra be ready for fatherhood? Isn't he already a dad?"

"Like I said, I can't tell you anything until you get here." That earned a groan.

"How's your business and finance degree serving you?" Xander sighed out his question.

"About as well as your history minor is."

"Please don't remind me." He groaned. "Anyway who's Denis's homeroom teacher?"

"Only because I know you are going to have to interview her, Kathy Hale is her name." There seemed to be a moment where his friend's heart seemed to stop.

"Does, does she have any scars on her face?" Xander sounded almost like he was pleading.

"She does, from my understanding, though, she doesn't like talking about it." Jeremiah concede, he understood as he didn't particularly like talking about his chest scars when the odd person stumbled upon his usually shirtless frame in the early years.

"I'll be there as soon as I get things settled here." The wolf said and then he hung up.

Jeremiah hoped that a little of the luck that his brother-in-law had would rub off on his friend.