My Quiet Mate

Chapter 29: Check Up

                 

Pic of Dr. Malan

Quinn's POV

Devon carried me back to the pack house with the cubs right on his heels as they watched me with worried looks. Ox had a firm hold on Coda's hand as they followed us as if he was afraid of Coda running off again. Devon pushed the door open and entered the house and the warm air immediately surrounded me but since I was naked I was still cold. Devon entered a random guest room and snatched off a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around me quickly before continuing on in the direction he was going before.

Devon entered the living room and there was one small gasp that come from one of the couches. Someone wasn't asleep. I tensed up as Devon set me on the couch and I pulled the blanked closer around my shaking shoulders.

"I'll be right back," Devon assured me as he rushed out of the living room and disappeared.

The cubs ran up to the couch and held their arms out to me for me to pick them up. With a soft smile I removed my hands from the blanket but froze when I saw my blood stained hands. Pulling my hands back I gave them a sad smile, "Why don't you guys go help your Dad?" I suggested. They shook their head no and just crawled up onto the sofa and leaned into my sides. I don't know if it was that they were seeking comfort, or comforting me.

Another weight settled on the sofa and I glanced up to see Ryan smiling softly at me, but I looked away in shame as I stared at my hands. I hadn't really talked to Ryan all that much, but I knew that he was Masons mate, and I knew that Ryan was fairly quiet. I had only heard him speak once or twice. He looked at my hands then to my face and I quickly hid my hands under the blanket again. He sighed softly and leaned back into the plush sofa as he looked at the ceiling.

"Did you know that I was once a human?" he says quietly. My head snaps up and I loo at him as he has his face turned skyward and his eyes closed.

"No, I didn't." I admitted softly.

Ryan smiled fondly, "Yah, I was a human. I was a wild thing back then, always causing trouble and full of energy; kind of lie how Cooper is now," he admitted.

I looked him over in disbelief. Ryan seemed like the calm and collected type, the person who keeps the peace without saying a word and everyone's silent support, like the blood of the family.

"Do you know the first time I was forced to take another's life?" he asked in almost a whisper. I tensed up and clutched the blanket tighter as the smile slowly slipped off of his face and he seemed to collapse onto himself a little. He didn't even allow me to answer before he started, "I had just been changed, I think the week before it happened. Have you ever seen a first shift? It's a scary and dangerous thing that most don't survive, but I did. Anyway, It was the week after I was changed and Mason and I were strolling through the forest when we were attacked," his voice became slightly strained, "The hunters came out of nowhere and there were so many of them, but they seemed to be focusing on Mason more then me. He was surrounded and pinned down, and the man had the knife, and I just; I did it. I took his throat out with my teeth," he started sobbing quietly and I watched him in confusion of what I should do. He sucked in a breath and whipping his eyes with the back of his hand he sat up straighter. "I had to do it you see," he continued, "It was either Mason or the man. I was protecting someone I love and I would do it over and over again if I have to. I think the biggest difference between being human and being in the supernatural world is in this world it is eat or be eaten." He took another shuddering breath, "But like I said, I would do it again in a heart beat."

I could see him trying not to cry as his lip trembled but it was too much for him. Tears started slipping out of his eyes and he covered his mouth to keep the sobs quiet. Watching him in empathy I got a pang of protectiveness over him as I leaned over and wrapped my still bloody hand around his shoulder. He turned and pressed his face into the crook of my shoulder so I wrapped my arms around him as a few tears of my own slipped out and onto his shoulder. After he was calm he pulled away and sniffled a bit as he looked down in embarrassment.