Title: Acceptance
Summary: He was mine, yes, but in a way that I thought I would never understand. Instinct -human and wolf - drive him to love me... And he did, always. I think I was harder for me to accept our differences at first. Warren struggled as well but I, I had to learn to love not only the man but the monster as well.
Word Count: 1,200 +
Well here is my second fic for the Mercy Thompson series, I love the books so much! Who else is exited for Shifting Shadows? I know I am. Last Kyle fic I said I probably wouldn't write about them again but... My muse was being obnoxious, and I had too. Without further adieu, enjoy!
He was mine, yes, but in a way that I thought I would never understand. Instinct -human and wolf - drive him to love me and he did, always. I think it was harder for me to accept our differences at first. Warren struggled as well but I, I had to learn to love not only the man but the monster as well.
Warren had trouble accepting that I didn't care what he was, I had trouble accepting the secrets. So many secrets. He was used to hiding his differences and I was used to ignoring them. When he stopped hiding, finally opened up to me, I found that it was just as hard knowing and seeing. He stopped hiding, stopped holding back growls, stopped pretending not to hear the car on the driveway and stopped pretending to be human. Every time he breathed in my scent I was reminded that no matter how it appeared so, he was not human.
(Knowing scared me just as much as not knowing.)
When Warren went to run the the pack I worried. He was strong I knew, but I had seen the cruelty of the preternatural world. It scared me and I always waited with baited breath for him to return.
I followed him once when he left suddenly in the middle of the night (I think he let me), but as soon I a tried to enter Adam's house I was intercepted by Mercy. She smiled grimly when Warren came to stand beside me and I tried to act as if the large gray and white wolf - Adam - standing at her side was not sending shivers up my spine. I leaned into Warren for comfort as Mercy ushered us in. She said something to the wolf, he nodded, such a human gesture, and trotted off returning moments later with Jesse at his heals. I spent the rest of the night with Jesse in the kitchen.
It had been rather stupid of me, some of the wolves in the pack had a barely hidden hatred of Warren and I and after that Warren brought me with him to Adam's house for pack meetings. Probably to keep me out of trouble, though I was never allowed to participate and I usually hung out with Jesse. I like Adams daughter, she was good company. The two times that I was allowed to listen in they ignored me and Warren instructed me beforehand to be silent. Even though I had never beed one to submit I listened and was silent.
I was Warren's mate, whatever that entailed, and I was given, I think, more respect than if I was not. It was obvious that the more aggressive members of the pack had been told to leave me alone. I thought that I would never understand the power Adam and later, after their marriage, Mercy had over the pack. Why would a man like Dylan listen to Mercy, who (albeit being rather scary when angry) was half as large as him. There were so many things I didn't understand about the pack and I resigned myself to never knowing. "It was okay." I told myself, ''As long as he's happy."
* * *
It happened in Las Vegas - oh the irony - almost a year after Adam's ex's visit. I was traveling with a client and had been in court until late.
It was quick, quick and deadly. I heard a growl and saw a flash of sharp teeth, I stumbled backwards and my arm burned, pain lacing through nerves I didn't even know I had. I had thrown my arm up to protect myself. I heard, and felt, breaking bone, and blood dripping and all I felt was blackness.
I woke up in my room, the sound of steady breathing greeting me into wakefulness. The smells, the noise, everything was different, stronger, louder. Everything hurt and I felt like I had been taken apart and haphazardly, with a dull rusty needle, sewn back together. I heard someone shift beside me, heartbeat, I heard a heartbeat, and for the first time noticed the warmth holding my hand. I opened my eyes. Warren, he smiled grimly.
Mate
I looked at him, the look on his face, and I knew.
I could not have done it without him. I can't image how a new wolf had ever lived without a pack.
Control. It was all about control. Control your breathing, control your anger and most of all control the monster. It was hard, at first, but slowly I learned. Pack dynamics, rules, things that I had never understood. A lot of it was instinct. Listen to the alpha, don't look another wolf in the eyes (hell, I couldn't even look Mercy in the eyes). For the first time in forever understood. The freedom of running, the bonds, pack.
I love Warren, and understand, for the first time, how he felt. I would outlive them, my friends, my family. I had wondered, how Warren had coped with outliving his. Now I would, as well, outlive my loved ones. Forever in my prime as they aged. It was a strange thought .
I loved Warren, always will, changing species didn't change that. He was there the first time I changed, taught me to hunt, play and when to run. It was him, not Adam who taught me control. It was funny how he was older than the alpha but to me he had never looked younger. He looked alive and I could tell he was happy.
We trust him, my wolf and I. Adjusting was hard, but I did. I was accepted into the pack and protests were quickly quieted by an irate Mercy. It was funny how, and though now I understood why, the pack listened to her, a coyote. Through it all Warren was at my side, always... And now forever.
This was my first try at a piece with no dialogue but yesterday I actually wrote another one, I'm not sure which will be posted first. I had this idea awhile ago and wrote this, but I didn't get it typed until recently. I think it is really sad that Warren will probably outlive Kyle, so I had to fix that. I don't like how it turned out though... It's not very good but I decided to post it anyways... I think Kyle is a little OOC, and it felt rushed. I also haven't read a book with them in it really for a while. I just read the newest but it didn't really have Warren and Kyle in it. Tell me what you thought! Review!