Here's the new chapter all! I really like this one, hopefully I'm not getting to carried away with this, seems like it keeps getting longer. Anyway, thanks for all the nice reviews!
At dinner that night, Britany sat with Lilly and Kane. Ace and Fortune sat with Infinite and Gaia like usual. Lilly missed sitting with Ace, but Kane would be too upset to sit with him. And she couldn't just leave him alone.
The pup watched warily as Infinite walked past their table. He hunkered down as the jackal got close. He was tall, and intimidating, but very lithe and thin. Kane had no doubt he could move like lightening if the need arose.
It wasn't long until that theory was tested. Lance was following him.
Kane sniffed the air, he could smell hostility and he didn't like it. His fur bristled as he watched.
Lance leaned closer to Infinite, saying something in hushed tones. A smirk rested on his lips.
Kane screamed and dove under the table as Infinite snapped and lunged at Lance with a horrific snarl. He covered his ears with his hands as they fought.
Infinite slammed the other jackal into the trays of food, sending rolls flying. Lance tried to hold him back as teeth went for his face. Maybe he'd bitten off more than he could chew. It was a good thing Infinite didn't have his sword with him, he would definitely be dead by now if he did.
He gasped as hands went around his neck and held him against the counter. He squirmed, trying to get loose. He swung his foot and caught his cousin in a sensitive spot.
Infinite grunted and let go as he went down on one knee. Lance decided to get away, but Infinite grabbed him by the tail and swung him on a tabletop. Wood splintered as it broke into pieces.
Kane skittered under a different table, trying to get away from the commotion. Lilly got up to follow him. He screamed again as Lance's body crashed through the table he was under.
Lance did feel a little bad for scaring the pup, but he had other problems right now.
Lilly scooped Kane up and held him to her chest. She held his face where he couldn't watch the fight anymore and he sniffled.
By now, Ace was trying to break them up. "Get off him uncle." He pulled on Infinite, but the other jackal was in such a frenzy, he didn't hear him. He was intent on seriously hurting Lance, if not worse.
His claws dug into Lance's face and a yelp sounded. Infinite grinned sadistically and Lance felt his heart drop into his stomach. He was about to be put in his place.
Lilly couldn't tear her eyes away as teeth sunk into the other's face. The scream that tore through the room was going to haunt her for a long time. Kane sobbed as she held his face to her chest, grateful he couldn't see what was happening.
"Stop it!" Ace yelled, "you're going to kill him!" He hit Infinite repeatedly, trying to get him off.
Before jaws closed over Lance's throat, Infinite was roughly yanked off him. Shadow had hold of him by the arms and held them behind him.
"Let me go," he shouted. "Let me go!" His voice cracked as his mane fell around his face.
Vanilla came to see what was going on. "Infinite?" She asked, carefully stepping around Shadow.
He looked up at her from where he'd sank to his knees. The wildness slowly left his eyes, and instead brokenness appeared.
The rabbit helped him up, "what happened?"
It was then that he was hit by the realization of what he did. Swallowing, he turned to look at Lance.
Gaia was helping him up from the floor. Infinite's gut twisted. Lance's face was covered in blood, so much so that he couldn't see the extent of the injury. But a part of him relished in what he'd done. Lance deserved it for what he said about Bella.
He ran his tongue across his jaws, tasting the blood on it. He felt chunks of flesh between his teeth, but he would clean that out later.
When his eyes met the wolf's, he felt some sort of regret. Her gold eyes were sad. He'd come so far from what he used to be, and today he'd immediately gone back to that old life. "Why did you do it Finn?" She asked sadly.
"Because he can't talk that way about Bella," he said firmly. "He can't say she was a good for nothing that can't even bear me pups. He can't say she deserved to die because she didn't. She deserved to live more than I do." His fists clenched at his sides, "and I would do it again to preserve her honor." Then he pushed past Vanilla, leaving the room.
Maybree entered the cafeteria shortly after they got the room cleaned up and everyone resumed eating. Blue eyes swept the tables, looking for somewhere to sit.
Britany waved to the blonde, "over here."
She came over and sat beside her, across from Lilly and Kane. "Looks like I missed the party," she grinned while watching Sonic helping pick up the last few pieces of wood.
"It was quite the fight," Britany said while sipping her drink. Lilly involuntarily shuddered thinking about Lance's scream.
"Really?" She leaned forward, "what happened?"
"Lance said something really rude, not sure what, and Infinite snapped." Britany lowered her voice so Kane wouldn't hear, "we came close to witnessing a murder. Good thing Shadow was able to break it up."
"That's crazy." Maybree shook her head.
Britany nodded. "These jackals are so emotional." But she smiled.
Kane looked up from his plate as Ace approached them. He bristled as the jackal rested his hand on Lilly's shoulder. But Lilly said he was a good man, so he just watched warily. One could never be too careful.
"I'm not staying long," Ace said to Kane. Then his eyes left the pup and rested on Lilly's face, "Devin got me a gig tonight. It's at the club that just reopened. You want to come with me?" He didn't miss the gasp of excitement that left Britany's lips. A smirk rested on his mouth, "you can come too Britany."
She grinned, and Lilly nodded.
Ace placed a firm kiss on the vixen's mouth. His ear twitched as Kane let out a low growl, but otherwise he didn't react. He pulled back, "see you at eight."
After he left Britany clapped her hands together. "This is going to be so great," she gushed. "I haven't been to the club in so long."
As Britany started excitedly talking about getting ready, Lilly noticed the sad look on Maybree's face. She obviously felt left out. Even though Maybree had been so mean to her, Lilly felt bad. The hedgehog girl really didn't have any friends, or anyone to really spend time with. "Maybree," she said softly, "you can come too if you want."
Blue eyes met pink, "really? You don't mind?"
"I don't."
Maybree grinned. "Thanks. And I'm sorry for all those awful things I did to you. I know apologizing won't make up for it, but I want you to know how sorry I am."
Lilly smiled. Maybe they could work things out to be friends. Having a girls night would be a good start. Even though Ace would be there.
Britany shoved the rest of the food in her mouth. "I'm going to take Kinnley dinner, and then we can meet in my room to get ready. I'll see you in thirty minutes," her green eyes looked at the clock.
"Is it really going to take two and a half hours to get ready?" Lilly asked.
Britany laughed, "you two have much to learn." Then she hurried off.
Lilly sighed and stood up, gently picking up Kane. "I need to see if my mom can watch him while we're gone tonight."
"He could hang out with Spade," Maybree suggested.
Kane clung to her neck. He really didn't want Lilly to leave him alone. Especially not with Spade.
"I think it would be better if he was with my mother," the vixen said while rubbing his back. He visibly shuddered when her hand rested close to his tail on the small of his back. "Sorry Kane," she whispered while removing her palm.
Maybree shrugged, "you know best." She stood up too, "I'll see you at Britany's."
Infinite rushed through the door to his room and hurried to the bathroom. He was breathing heavily.
Turning on the sink, he leaned forward to rinse his mouth out. Blood and chunks of flesh stained the white porcelain.
Once he finished, he just stared into the mirror. His gut twisted with guilt. He felt horrible about what he had done. Despite the fact that Lance had said horrid things about Bella, his cousin didn't deserve to have his face ripped off. Even though he'd wanted to in that moment. He'd wanted to kill him right then and there.
The door opened and he heard soft footsteps. "Infinite?"
His breath hitched. It was Vanilla. His face crumbled and tears fell.
She was at his side in a second. Her hands gently rubbed his shoulders, "it's ok."
"No it's not," he gasped. "It's not ok." He sank to his knees, "I tried to kill him." A sob tumbled out. "I tried to kill him." Everything he worked so hard for was for nothing. He was still a monster.
"But you didn't," she soothed.
"Only because Shadow stopped me." He clutched his arms tightly.
"That doesn't matter right now," she said calmly. "What matters is that it wasn't worse than it was. Everyone experiences setbacks."
"Yeah," he wiped his face. "But most everyone doesn't try to rip someone's face off."
"Oh Infinite," she breathed, "I'm sorry you're struggling so much. I understand what Lance said hurt you, he was out of line to say such cruel things about Bella, but you can't act on your emotions. I know that's how jackals are, but you have to change that about yourself. Especially if you want to be truly happy."
He nodded, "I know."
"You've come a long way, and I'm proud of you for that." Her fingers rubbed his arms, "there's still a lot ahead of you, and you can't give up. You have a life now, and you deserve that."
A sniffle, "I don't feel like I do."
"You have people here for you. Who care a lot about you. Who want to help you."
"Finn?" A soft voice asked. "Are you ok?" Gaia was standing timidly in the doorway.
He looked over at her. Once he saw the concern in her face, fresh tears welled up. A hiccup. She cared for him so much, even though he didn't deserve it.
She was at his side with her arms around him before the first tear fell. Blue and gold eyes widened, then he hugged her back, sobbing. She just held him, silently letting him know she was there for him.
They stayed that way for a while. His forehead rested on her chest as the sobs weighed him down. A strangled gasp clawed its way out of his throat and his arms held her waist.
A heavy sadness rested in Gaia's chest. He was hurting so bad right now, and she hated she couldn't do more for him. All she could do was love him, and stay at his side.
It was so hard loving someone with so much baggage. Finn had more than almost anyone. But you couldn't pick who you loved, you just had to endure the bad times with the good.
Carefully, she helped him to his feet and guided him to his bed. She got him to lay down and covered him with his blankets.
Slowly, his sobs quieted to heavy breathing. His eyes began to close as he was so exhausted.
The wolf bent and hesitantly placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. He smiled softly at her with affection in his eyes. "Thank you."
She returned the smile and tucked his hair back. "Get some rest." Then she stood to leave.
The jackal's hand grabbed her arm, "stay with me?" He pleaded.
"If that's what you want."
"Yes," he whispered, "it's what I want."
Gaia glanced over her shoulder to see Vanilla's reaction, but the rabbit had already left. She turned her attention back to Infinite. He seemed so sure right now, something she'd missed seeing from him. "Ok," she finally said.
As she slid under the covers beside him, he slid his arms around her waist. A soft sigh escaped him as her hands rested on his back.
Being with Gaia calmed him. It dulled all the pains in his life. Even though he still felt some guilt for being with someone in a way similar to how he was with Bella, he knew she would want him to be happy. To have a chance at a family again. If that's what he really wanted.
But he wasn't sure. Did he want a family with Gaia? She was so different from Bella. Bella had been soft, angelic. A light touch in his life that twisted so deep he didn't want to let her go. But Gaia was like a punch to the gut. She was tough, bold, and yet, she knew how to be gentle when she needed to. And he didn't want to let her go either.
Would he ever want to have babies with her? And the bigger question, would she want that with him? She seemed to like him, chaos only knows why. But he knew wolves were different. They didn't seem to have the desire for children as strongly. Why did they even get together? To take a mate? What other purpose was there for sharing kisses? For coming together in a such an intimate way? The whole thing felt awkward to him.
Don't get him wrong, he loved Bella, and kisses from her were nice, but they had a purpose in being together. Even though he would've chosen her even if he knew about her inability to bear pups. There was a reason for jackals to be so close. Why did other species have a seemingly casual approach to such activities?
He guessed it was how they loved. Only a small handful of jackals showed love in that way, only a small handful even showed love at all. He knew for a fact Jay and Tempest did. Even Keelie had some semblance of that kind of love in her life. But did he? Did he even have that capacity?
"What are you thinking about?" Gaia asked, jerking him from his mind.
"About us," he whispered. Because that was the simple answer.
She smiled. "And what exactly about us?"
"Have you ever thought about having pups?" He asked suddenly.
Her face flushed. Leave it to a jackal to skip straight to that. To be honest, she had thought about it in the past, but she didn't know if she was cut out to be a mother. Especially when the father was a jackal. How many would she have? Wolves typically only had one at a time, but jackals had big families. Finn himself was in a litter of ten. Granted, it was only him and Jay now, but that was besides the point. Could she do it? Did she want to do it?
So many questions were running through her mind. Why did it even matter? Actually, she knew the answer to that one. He was a jackal, and that alone was reason enough.
She realized he was still waiting for an answer. So instead she asked, "why are you asking me that?"
"I just wondered."
She rolled her gold eyes, "no one just wonders those type of things Finn."
He chuckled lightly, his fingers gently rubbing her skin. "I guess the real question is, would you be willing to have pups? With me?" He added the last two words with a vulnerable look in his eyes.
"Do you mean right now? Or in the future? And can we be together even if my answer is no?"
He seemed puzzled by her last question, "isn't pups part of being together?"
"Not always."
He rolled onto his back with a sigh, "that's what I don't understand. Why are you with someone without a purpose?"
She frowned, "oh I don't know Finn, maybe because you love them." Annoyance was evident in her voice. But when she saw the look on his face, she softened. "Didn't you love Bella?"
"I did," he whispered, voice thick. "I still do."
"Isn't that why you were with her? Because you loved her?"
"Yes. But we were more than that."
Her brow furrowed. "Why would you want more? Isn't love enough?"
"Because that's all I know." He said it with desperation in his voice. "I was alpha. I needed a female. And she was who I wanted." His voice filled with tears, "I wish there didn't have to be more involved than love, but there was. Love doesn't matter when it comes to the greater good of the pack. I guess I was just one of the lucky ones. To have it for even a few seasons." He wiped at his face, "sometimes I wonder if it was worth it."
Her hand rested on his chest, and she took a moment to appreciate the muscle there. Then she said, "you don't have to live like that now. You don't have to have a definite purpose in life, you can just live. Do what makes you happy."
He didn't say anything.
"What makes you happy?"
He turned back on his side to face her. "Right now? You."
Her cheeks flamed, but she smiled. "You make me happy too."
His fingers traced the curve of her spine, "how much?"
"I'll show you. If you'll let me."
"Show me," he breathed.
Heat rushed through her as she pulled him close. His breath brushed across her face, warm and soft, like a whisper. She cautiously touched her lips to his.
His heart felt like it stopped in his chest. Her lips were warm, soft, and he liked the way they caressed his. But a part of him felt bad for enjoying it. He changed his mind when her tongue brushed across his teeth. This was new. He and Bella had never done anything like that. But he liked it, he wanted more of it.
She stiffened when he returned the gesture, but then she slipped her arms around his neck.
Soft kisses grew deeper, initiated by Gaia of course. She tilted her head back as he left a trail of kisses down her neck.
His thumbs rubbed little circles on the edge of her ribs. He liked how she arched her back to get closer to him.
A gasp escaped her as he pressed harder. He smiled as she returned his mouth to hers. She opened her mouth for him, but he didn't know what to do next.
He pulled back, looking away. "Sorry," he mumbled.
She turned his face towards hers, "it's ok. I know this is all new for you. But just do what feels right. What you want." Her hands rubbed his shoulders, "I'm all yours."
"Can we just leave it at this for now?" He asked, almost embarrassed. "I feel a little overwhelmed."
"Of course." She smiled to reassure him. Then she settled back in his arms.
He just held her, resting his chin on top her head. He kind of liked this, being together just because you wanted to. No pressure. A soft smile rested on his muzzle as he fell asleep.
When Britany got back to Kinnley, he was asleep. She smiled gently as she placed his plate on the table next to his bed.
His foot was propped up on some pillows, and his leg was wrapped in a cast.
She pulled the chair next to him and sat down. Her fingers gently rubbed his arm, "Kinnley, wake up babe."
He stirred, lightly mumbling. Slowly blinking, he yawned. His eyes focused on her, "hi." His voice was a whisper.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck." He coughed and then groaned in agony.
The nurse appeared. "Everything ok?"
"I'm hurting a lot," he almost whimpered. Britany could see the tears brimming in his eyes from the pain.
"I'll get you some more medicine." She left, walking briskly.
"I'm sorry for all this," he groaned. Before Kinnley could wipe the tears away, Britany reached up with a tissue, and gently dried them.
"Baby I'm the one who's sorry." Her own eyes grew moist, "this is all my fault. None of this would've happened if i wasn't so selfish and hurtful towards you."
"Hey," he touched her hand, "you don't know what would've happened. Don't beat yourself up over me. I'll be ok."
She wiped her cheeks as she sniffled. "You're the absolute strongest man I've ever met, and I adore you."
He smiled, despite the stinging pain in his cheeks. "I don't know what I did to deserve a girl like you."
They sat together, holding hands until the nurse came back with his medicine. After he swallowed the pills, Britany got the plate she'd made for him and set in his lap.
"I figured you're hungry. Have you ate anything yet?"
"No." He looked down at the food. She had put a little bit of chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and a roll on the plate. Even though it was bland food, the sight of it still made his stomach churn. He didn't know if it was the medicine, or the injuries that made him nauseous, but he definitely didn't want to throw up. "To be honest, I don't think I can handle eating right now."
"You sure? I can just get you some broth." She sounded worried. Before he answered, she hopped to her feet and went to get it.
She came back with a mug and gave it to him, "at least drink a little. I don't want you to be hungry."
He smiled and took a small sip.
"So I was gonna go out with the girls tonight," she said finally. "Nothing too much, just some dancing. One of the clubs reopened."
His thumb rubbed the back of her hand, "sounds fun."
"I wish you could come with me," she whispered.
"Hey, I'll be fine here. I want you to have fun." His hand slid to her waist, squeezing her hip, "just don't forget," his voice lowered to a husky whisper, "You're with me."
She shivered, "how could I?"
After a few minutes, Kinnley said, "I think we should get married."
She gaped at him. "Are you proposing?"
"Do you want me to?"
She nodded with tears pooling.
"I know this isn't the most romantic way to do this," he muttered while propping himself up. He reached over to grab a small bag on the side table. "I had papa bring this to me earlier," he said with a smile. "I've been saving it." He pulled out a small velvet box. "Britany," he smiled, "you mean more to me than anyone. I can't imagine life without you. You are the light that makes my world better. Will you be my wife?" He asked. "Forever?"
She nodded, covering her hands with her mouth as the tears rolled down her face. She pulled her hands down, "Yes, a thousand times yes."
He reached out for her hand and she gave it to him. He slid the small band on her finger. The diamond was small and not very flashy, but the metal had been polished to shine. She instantly loved it.
"I know it's not as fancy as you're used to," he started.
She interrupted, "it's perfect." Her lips pressed a kiss on his forehead, "once your mouth heals, I'm going to kiss you so hard," she promised.
He smiled gently, as his face still hurt, "I'm going to hold you to that."