Chapter 5:

Garrus

I watched as she grabbed her water and retreated into her room, listening as she got ready and climbed into bed. From the sounds of it, she quickly settled in, no doubt falling asleep after a few minutes.

I hesitated, unsure of what to do in this situation, before deciding to eat my dinner.

The show- Midsomer- just wasn't as fun to watch alone. Something that bothered me. A lot.

I shouldn't feel so attached to her- she was my protection duty, after all. I shouldn't feel any way about her, other than professionally.

Shaking my head, having eaten half my food, I went back to going over paperwork

Hours passed, where I heard her moving about- taking her nine o'clock meds- and before I knew it, it was after midnight.

I looked at her door, concerned. She'd said, "midnight snack", so she should be getting up soon, right?

I waited another hour, the concern only growing.

Getting up, I knocked on her door. "Are you awake?"

She shifted a little, confirming that she was, but she didn't respond.

"Andromeda?"

More shifting, but it sounded like it was all in the same place. Like she wasn't moving to get up. More like... Did she know I could hear her?

"Say something?" It came out a question, due to my uncertainty.

Movement, but still nothing verbal.

Did I go in? Did I ignore her, like Bailey had told me?

I rubbed the back of my neck, torn, before taking a deep breath and pushing the button to open the door. My biometrics were only for the front door, so I had to manually open hers.

It was dark inside, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.

I stepped inside, murmuring. "Andromeda? Are you okay?"

Going to where I could see the majority of the bed, I saw that she was curled up in a ball under the blankets.

She stirred a little, but it looked... odd. Her movement reminded me of a dog, like it was wagging its tail and moving its head around at the same time.

I reached out and grasped the edge of the blanket, tugging slightly.

A whimper sounded from underneath.

Was this... a dog?

I threw the blanket back, revealing a... wolf. It was a wolf.

"I've been here a week, and I've never seen you before." Was the first thing out of my mouth. My eyes widened in realization. "Where's Andromeda, if you're the one on the bed?"

The wolf yipped and jumped up, shaking its head. I stumbled back a couple steps, and it lunged forward, catching the bottom of my shirt in its teeth. Effectively holding me there.

"What?"

Its eyes met mine, and it shook its head again, as if to say "stay". Then, it turned and burrowed under the blanket again. A moment later, I watched as the form underneath shifted, becoming...

She popped her head out, the blankets wrapped around her.

"This was not how I expected this to go, let me start with that." She made a face.

"You can... turn into a wolf."

Meeting my eyes, she nodded. "I'm a werewolf."

She's... a werewolf.

I blinked at her.

"What?"

"Here."

She shifted before my eyes, the white wolf taking her place. A soft whimper left her, breaking me out of my daze.

"This is... a surprise. To say the least."

She made a sound that was suspiciously like laughter.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Are you making fun of me?"

The noise got louder, and she dipped under again, coming back out as a human. Hysterical- switching between laughing and crying.

My eyes widened. Without thinking, I rushed toward the bed and gathered her up in my arms, keeping the blanket firmly wrapped around her. She buried her face into my shoulder, settling on sobbing.

I had no idea what else to do, so I simply held her, waiting.

By the clock on her bedside table, I saw it was almost two-thirty, when her sobs turned to hiccups. A few more minutes, and she was calm.

A light push against my chest, and I loosened my hold.

She pulled back a little, wiping her eyes, before looking at me. "I'm sorry."

Her voice, the state of her, tugged at my heart.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who came into your room."

Her green eyes suddenly changed to a shade of lavender, and she gave me a sweet smile.

"I told her you would handle it well. She just wouldn't listen." She rolled her eyes, her voice sounding different. Higher pitched.

"Her?" I was even more confused, but I knew I wasn't speaking to-

"Meda. I'm her wolf. Genesis."

I stiffened when she suddenly leaned in and sniffed my neck.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Garrus." Her tone shifted, becoming lonely, as she added. "I've been waiting so long."

I sat perfectly still, unsure what was happening.

"Uh. Genesis?"

"Yes?"

"Can I speak to Andromeda?"

A soft growl left her, and I felt her shake her head. "No." Stubbornly.

"Why not?"

"I want to spend time with mate, too." She froze, jerking away and covering her mouth. Eyes wide.

"Mate?" I shook my head, feeling sadness wash over me. "We're not together."

"Not yet." She asserted, eyes narrowing in determination. "The mate bond will draw you together."

Werewolves.

Mate.

Mate bond.

She continued before I could speak. "She's rejected almost a dozen mates. She hasn't rejected you, though. And I actually like you. Unlike those others." She wrinkled her nose.

"Okay. One... One thing at a time." I took a deep breath. "What's a mate bond?"

Her face lit up. "It's a blessing from Selene, the Moon Goddess. Think of a mate like... your other half. Your soulmate."

"And you think we're-"

"I know we are." She leaned closer, earnest. "I felt it the moment you walked through the door. And we smell it- you smell like rain and old books. Our favorite scents. And when we touch," Her hand cupped my cheek. "there's sparks. And should you both embrace the bond, if you're ever separated, you'll be able to find each other."

"So... What I feel... I have no control over it?" I had to look away from the hurt in her eyes.

"You can choose to deny the bond. Or... Or reject us." She was quieter, head down, her hand dropped to her lap as she moved away from me. "But the bond only opens you up to each other. It doesn't create emotions out of nothing."

"So, I'd already found her attractive, on some level?"

I'd never found a human attractive before. Why was she different?

"Yes."

A shudder ran through her, and she gave me a sad smile, before her eyes went back to normal.

"Andromeda-"

"I'm going to bed." A soft murmur as she turned away.

"Andromeda-"

"Goodnight, Garrus."

I hesitated.

Andromeda

I laid down, facing away from him. I couldn't bear to look at him.

He shifted, and I thought he was getting up, but instead, I felt his hand on my hip as he leaned over me.

"Do you really want to leave it like this?" His voice was soft.

I didn't say anything, my eyes watering. Turns out, I hadn't cried out all the water in my body, contrary to how I felt.

A few minutes passed in silence, before he sighed and moved to get up. Without thinking, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his waist. Buried my face in his lower back. He froze.

"Stay." I whispered, the tears falling again. "Please."

He patted my arm. "Let me go change."

A soft whimper left me.

"I'll be right back, I promise."

I held him tighter, unwilling to let him go.

"Meda." It was quiet. Tender. "Why don't you come, too? Clean your piercing? It'll give you something to distract yourself with."

Don't let go! Gen wailed.

I shook my head. "Please."

"My clothes are in my room."

"Stay."

"Meda, I don't have anything to wear."

"I'm not wearing anything." I reminded him.

A shiver ran through him, his voice coming out tight. "I'm well aware."

I wasn't sure what else to say- what I could do to convince him. After another moment, he pulled his shirt over his head. I blinked, loosening my hold in surprise, and he stood. His pants dropped to the floor, before he climbed onto the bed.

"Thank you." I breathed as he settled in beside me.

One of his arms slid under me, the other hand going to the back of my head. Guiding me to lay against him, my head on his shoulder.

I let out a deep sigh, the pain in my chest since deciding to take it slow disappearing.