Fur and Fang [BXB]

Five

Atlas had to leave to attend some meetings and Fenn disliked the void his absence had left in the room. He liked talking to the man. Anything was better than being alone with his own thoughts.

Fenn pulled the shirt he wore up to his nose, inhaling the comforting scent. To his dismay, the scent was already fading.

He sighed and looked around the room wondering if it held anything that could keep his mind occupied.

That's when he spotted a small stuffed animal on his nightstand. Fenn reached out and brought it closer to him, wondering where it came from.

His question was soon answered when he caught a whiff of the same scent that adorned his clothes.

Was this the scent of a mate?

He found it absolutely intoxicating, but without his wolf to confirm it, he was hesitant to label it as such.

Regardless, Fenn hugged the little bear and let that comforting scent lull him into sleep.

^°^°^°^

"There are a few things you could try to draw out your wolf," the doctor said. "Running in the woods or chasing something might provoke your prey drive."

Fenn doubted running would be the answer. If that were the case, his wolf would have emerged to help him in his escape.

"Reconnecting to a pack bond might also give your wolf the feeling of safety and stability it needs to come back."

Fenn pondered that one. He hadn't heard anything significant about his pack since the raid. He wondered how many survivors there were, or if they'd been able to rebuild what they'd lost.

A part of him wanted to ask Atlas for information, but another, larger part didn't quite trust him yet. If Atlas learned what pack he was from and then connected the dots to the raid, he might figure out exactly why the raid happened.

If life had taught him anything so far, it was that some things were better kept secret. Maybe it was for the best that his wolf was unreachable. It meant he didn't need to risk shifting around these strangers and revealing himself as an Omega.

"A mate bond might also help," the doctor said.

"Thank you, doctor," Fenn said, not wanting to hear his other options. Though he missed her terribly, he had decided he would not deliberately try to wake his wolf. She could wake on her own when she was ready and he would deal with the problems that came with that at a later time. "Do you think I could speak to the Alpha again?"

He wasn't sure what came over him. The request had come so naturally, but he hadn't given it permission to pass his lips. Yet the doctor smiled. "Yes, I'll send for him."

"Thank you," Fenn said, looking out the window to try to tame his embarrassment. "Tell him not to come if he's busy."

"Sure thing."

The doctor left the room then. Fenn sighed, sinking back into his pillows. He wondered how long it would be before Atlas arrived.

He realized he should probably think of something to talk about, but his mind was drawing a blank.

What little thoughts he had were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," he said, thinking it was a nurse. However, when the door opened, it was Atlas that greeted him.

"You called?"

"I didn't expect you to be so fast," said Fenn.

Atlas, not wanting to admit that he'd been waiting in the lobby for another opportunity to see his mate, said, "I was already on my way here."

"Oh?" Fenn questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah," Atlas rubbed the back of his neck, thinking fast. "I, uh... I wanted to ask if you'd be comfortable moving into the pack house once the doctors clear you to leave the clinic."

"The pack house?" Fenn repeated, biting his lip. Outsiders weren't typically allowed in that part of a pack, since it could lead to vulnerabilities. The pack house was the heart of a pack. It served as a fortress in the event of an attack and was fiercely protected by all able-bodied wolves. "Don't you think guest housing would be more suitable? I'm not exactly a member of your pack."

Atlas frowned, the thought never having crossed his mind. His instincts immediately shot down the idea of Fenn staying in guest housing, but it took him a few extra moments to put together the reasons why.

"You're my mate, Fenn," he said. "I want you close to me. Especially when you're in a vulnerable state with bad people looking for you."

Fenn's gaze flitted away from the Alpha. He hadn't thought about the possibility of being discovered on pack lands. He had foolishly believed he was untouchable here.

"And if you accept me as your mate, this will be your pack too, one day. It's not like you're a complete stranger."

"Okay," Fenn said. "As long as I'm not a burden."

"You could never be," Atlas assured him with a kind smile.

"Will I be moving into your room?" Fenn asked, his voice a bit hesitant.

Atlas laughed lightly. "While I would love that, I was planning on setting you up in a smaller room in the Alpha suite. That way you can have your own space but are close enough to reach me whenever you want to."

Fenn nodded. "I'd like that."

"I'll start making preparations then," Atlas beamed and Fenn couldn't help the small smile that graced his own lips. The Alpha's happiness was contagious.

"Oh," Atlas suddenly remembered, "What was it you needed to talk to me about?"

"Oh, I, uh..." Fenn looked around for inspiration before finding one in his boredom. "I was wondering if I could have a book or something to pass the time."

"Fenn," Atlas said seriously, gently engulfing the boy's hand with his own, "From this moment on, you can have anything your heart desires."

Fenn's heartbeat sped up and he was thankful to no longer be connected to the heart monitor as he stared down at the warm hands that covered his own.

"Okay," was all he said, and it came out as barely a whisper.

At the moment, he wasn't sure what his heart wanted.

^°^°^°^
A/N

For all my American readers, I hope you have a delightful Independence Day tomorrow.

What's your favorite kind of firework?

Mine are the kind that trail down like a weeping willow tree. 

See you next week,
-Mora Montgomery