Trials of the Bitten

Part 9

Warmth still filling his chest at the praise, Martin looked up shyly at Virgil, his fringe getting in his eyes slightly. The scarred wolf smiled at him before picking up the collapsed Stein like a toddler. Lumbering over with Stein on his hip, he patted Martin on the shoulder firmly. Warmth exploded again and Martin ducked his head down lightly. "Come on. Let's go find somewhere out of the way," Virgil offered friendly if not slightly tensely, nudging him towards the door. 

Martin smiled tensely, but the grip was gentle. Martin followed the older man's guiding steer, suddenly feeling confused and a touch lost. He was not quite sure why Virgil was tense. Was it because Martin was bitten? Or was he worried about Andreas? The two had seemed quite close but surely if he was worried about Andy, he would have gone with the alpha. Right?

Urick and May joined them as they left the gym, Urick replacing Virgil's hand on his shoulder with an arm. May was happily teasing a very sleepy and sluggish Stein and Martin still felt like the world was spinning on edge. He stepped out the way as they entered a strangely empty living room. 

At his hesitation, Virgil grabbed his arm again and yanked him so he was sitting on the sofa next to him and Stein. As Martin tried to push away, Stein was draped over Virgil's lap. practically asleep but now taking up most of the room on the sofa. He was unable to get far. Martin watched as Stein curled into the warmth and almost seemed to purr as Virgil pulled a blanket over him. Martin was not so comfortable. He tried to edge away again, trying to get some room between them so he wasn't quite so flushed against the man. 

"Oh, no you don't," Virgil rumbled, hooking an arm over Martin's shoulders and pulled him back so they were pressed together. Heat exploded along every point they were connected and Martin felt his face heat up again. "You're sticking close to me, cub," he hummed. 

"I can stay close while not on top of you," Martin snapped, surprising himself with the harshness of his words. There was a bite to his words that he wasn't used to having. 

"Eh" Virgil lifted an eyebrow and Martin quickly ducked down, not looking at the man but instead at the TV. May had switched it on to some channel showing some band Martin vaguely remembered. Urick was fighting with her, wanting to watch some sports thing. Martin just focused on keeping his breathing even, his chest feeling strange. Virgil hummed calmly and a kiss was pressed to the crown of his head before he was somehow tugged even closer. The arm on his shoulder stayed, but relaxed slightly into a more friendly hold. 

It felt heavy. He was almost painfully aware of it as they watched TV and waited for news. Every time Virgil shifted, Martin had to hold himself tight to stop himself flinching. The mantra that Virgil wasn't going to hurt him went around in his head as he counted his breathing. Urick won the argument and it was now rugby on the TV. May was pouting and Stein was dozing soundly. 

Eventually, May and Urick went home with their respective parents. May's mother was a particularly beautiful woman with long flowing blonde hair, manicured nails and immaculate makeup. Urick was picked up by his father, who was the standard pack male, big, muscular and heavily bearded. Both May and Urick nodded goodbye to Martin like normal people but hugged each other and gave the basically asleep Stein an attempted hug. Martin watched curiously vaguely confused by it all. The TV was only white noise in the background as it all occurred though Urick's father made some comment to Virgil about sports teams before leaving.