Chapter 14

"My mate" I said tightly, feeling my body rumble in excitement and dread.

Ratchet processed the information for what I felt was an eternity, until a smile appeared on his face. "That is good news Ren. You've found your Sparkmate." He said, stepping back and straightened.

I released a frustrated groan at his easy going reaction. He obviously didn't see the look on my face for him to be behaving that way. Nor did he even consider the fact that the only males I've been in contact with are either already mated or are gods dammed alien robots!

I shook out of my thoughts and proceeded to glare at the ignorant sorry excuse for a doctor I call my friend. "Ratchet!" I said with a growl. "You don't get it. It's not that I Found my mate. It's who it turned out to be. And how I'm supposed to make this work. " I exclaimed exasperated, pacing back and forth on the table.

Ratchet watched me with worried eyes as I paced. "Then who is it?" He asked.

I paused in my pacing to look back at Ratchet. I studied him for a few seconds then I let my eyes stray to the sleeping figure in the corner before going back to the doctor.

Ratchet looked between Hide and I a few times before his bright blue eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly open. "Oh I see" he said slowly. I nodded along with him a few times as he thought the whole thing through. "If this is a matter of the fact that he's a—" he started before I interrupted.

"It's not that he's Cybertonian!" I snapped almost angrily. "Neither my demon nor I care about that. He's our intended, no matter what." I growled out feeling more than a bit offended by his presumption of my prejudices. "I just don't know how he's going to react to this. What if he doesn't want me?" I said , allowing the vulnerability I felt seep into my voice.

"I've known Ironhide for many millennia. Like all of us, he has suffered greatly with the loss of our world. And I think that some happiness is long overdue. Trust me when I tell you, he is much more fond of you than you currently realize" Ratchet said almost gently. "You know, he is the one who caught you when you fainted earlier." I pursed my lips, looking down to the floor as I listened to him talk.

I was just about to speak when the energy in the room changed. Specifically, Ironhide's energy; he was waking up. I involuntarily inched my way closer to the side of the table he was closest to in anticipation.

Ironhide silently transformed out of his alt mode and stretched out his metal joints, paying Ratchet and me no mind as he did. When he did look up, his eyes zeroed in on me. I froze and involuntarily let myself get lost in his eyes again.

"Hi Hide. Good to have you back." I said smiling slightly. Gods that sounded stupid.

He nodded in acknowledgement giving me a once over with his eyes before even opening his mouth.

"Good to be back." He said; both his face and tone revealing nothing about his current mood. "Where is Optimus? I must speak to him immediately." He said turning to Ratchet. Said doctor nodded, his eyes dimmed as he com-linked his leader.

Not long after, his eyes returned to normal. "He is on his way."

A pregnant silence filled the room after his words. The three of us just staring blankly at each other; though I was trying to discern Ironhide's emotions to see what he's might be thinking. I wasn't getting much. Hide was just watching the large door in anticipation for Optimus, an intense look in his eyes.

It was kind of odd to see his big metal face awake and moving after only seeing it asleep for so long. Or ever, this is the first time I've seen his real face conscious actually. Odd but very welcome; though it would be nice if he didn't look so constipated.

I was just about to ask him how he was holding up, when Optimus came strutting through the doors of the barn. He approached us all, looking to Ironhide with a friendly smile, obviously happy to have him back.

"Ironhide" Optimus addressed. "You asked to see me" he said. The newly awoken Autobot nodded yes.

"I'm ready to give you a report on the events of the past few weeks" He said seriously. Optimus nodded and motioned him towards the conference table. I'm not sure how they're supposed to sit in it in their big ass metal forms.

I couldn't give that much thought as Ratchet placed his hand in front of me to climb on. After settling in on his hand, he lifted me and headed towards the table. He set me down on close to the head of the table, letting me sit on the chair next to the boss man chair.

Both Optimus and Ratchet went into alt mode, activating their holoforms just as I sat myself; them joining me soon after.

Ironhide, however just stared at us in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asked with an admittedly cute frown.

"You're going to give us your report on what happened." I said folding my hands together on the table nonchalantly.

"Yes, I know that. But why do you have to be here?" he asked in a somewhat annoyed tone. My eyebrows disappeared into my bangs and my ears flattened to my head as he said this. I'd forgotten that he was still missing when I had started to sit in on meetings.

"Ren is our demon ambassador, much like William is for our human counter parts. She is also our superior when it comes to being in her pack. So she has to know everything that happened too" Ratchet informed from his seat across from me—Optimus is at the head of the table—.

"We're in your pack?" Ironhide asked me, looking surprised.

I nodded once with a smile. "Yes, you all are." I said before hardening my stare on my handsome metal faced intended mate, to make sure he understood. "Permanently."

Hide stared at me for a few wonderful seconds before nodding and going into bipedal mode and activating his holoform. Then after a few seconds of silence he started his story.

During his retelling of the events, I could barely keep myself from snaring in rage. I allowed myself to growl under my breath; nothing that would distract the others though. Both my beast and I were outraged that those Decepticon things had dared lay their hands on our intended. But I couldn't show it, neither Ironhide nor Optimus knew about the whole mate thing yet.

And I'm still not even sure I'll tell Hide any time soon.

I'd resolved to start it a nice relationship with the ever glaring alien, before going into the mate thing. That means that I first have to become his friend and someone he could trust. Not an easy feat from what I've observed from any of our older interactions. I'm going to try my best.

But anyway, by the end of story time my claws were almost completely embedded into my hands, blood was slowly leaking down my palms to forearms and on to the floor. I had them hidden under the table while I glared at the table like a gloomy teenager.

"Thank you Ironhide." Optimus said, bringing me out of my thoughts. Quickly I un-clenched my hands and wiped off the blood as best could with my pants leg.

We were just about to end the official meeting when Hide spoke up.

"Optimus, may I speak to you in private?" he asked, his face revealing nothing as per usual. Optimus nodded and looked to us.

"Ren, Ratchet; you are excused" We both nodded, though somewhat reluctantly on my part and stood from our seats. Ratchet's Holoform disappeared as his passenger door opened, obviously wanting me to hop on in.

So I stood from my seat with a nod towards boss man and rounded the table to get to my friend. But I stopped when I was passing behind Hides chair. I watched the back of his head for a moment contemplating if I should say something or not. Everything in me wanted to just hug the shit out of him to make his sour mood go away. But I couldn't do that. Not yet, at least.

I compromised. I went up to behind his chair and looked him for a second before wrapping my arms around his holoform's neck and shoulders in a makeshift hug. His body tensed at my touch slightly, it only lasted for half a second before I let him go and bolted towards Ratch. Climbing on and closing the door behind me.

Ratch, surprisingly didn't comment on my actions, choosing to just drive out of the barn without a word. Once we were outside, Ratchet let me out by the tree in the yard. Probably wanting to talk to me further on the whole Ironhide being my future baby daddy issue.

But I brushed the topic off, not wanting to deal with it at the moment. I've had enough stuff happen to me today. A better –easier—use of my time before patrol should be spending time with Annbelle and Sarah. Though Sarah has a vague understanding of what's going on... She'll probably want to talk about it. Damn that woman and her intuition. She had practically figured everything out before I did. But thankfully kept her trap shut about it and let me come to my own conclusion.

No, I think I'll just go on an early patrol. Some 'me' time will do me good, and Bee' and Jazz deserve a break.

With that in mind I notified my two temporary patrol guards that they would have the night off and changed into my demon form. I was actually kind of exited to be out and about again after so long of being stuck on the property. Though my beast was stiff a bit iffy about leaving out intended alone again. I forced her to calm her tits and get over it. Just because he's our mate we can't be skipping out on our responsibilities.

Not when there's only one actual demon in the pack. Besides, this is a way of protecting him. Making sure no random ass demons waltz into my territory and start hurting the people I care about.

I returned to the house way past midnight. After so long of not being out on patrol my sent markings had been quite faded so I had to redo them all. Not as fun as it sounds to be honest. But I was finally arriving home, ready to find a way to cuddle up to Ironhide's side to sleep without him noticing.

I figured that everyone was already asleep. There was a possibly that Ratchet was still up doing his weird doctor stuff but that's a big if. But when I was turning the corner of the house towards the barn; I noticed something.

There was a big dark figure sitting on the side of the barn, leaning against it and looking out into the distance. I recognized him almost instantly. Ironhide was just sitting there, looking out on the dark expanse of land that was the Lennox family property. Looking a bit lonely.

I watched him for a while. Contemplating whether or not to approach him or leave him to his own thoughts. I decided to just let him be and moved to the barn. Though my insolent furry legs somehow created a mind of their own and instead of going towards the door, they made a beline for Hidy.

I managed to stop a few feet away from him to his right, gaining his attention.

"Hi" I said, nodding to him in greeting and sitting myself where I stood. Hide looked at me for a few silent moments before he spoke.

"Where were you?" he grumbled out, folding his arms over his chest.

"Patrol" I said, pawing at the ground slightly. "Took longer than usual." He only nodded faintly and turned his head back to the darkness. I didn't know what to say, so we just sat in silence for a while; looking off into the distance. I was actually enjoying the feeling of just being close to him, when a thought struck me that made my mood sour.

"I'm sorry" I heard myself say out of the blue. Ironhide's blue gaze settled on me shining in what I can only assume was confusion. But I didn't look back at him to confirm it.

"What are you on about?" he asked after a while of me ignoring his stare.

"It was my fault you got into a fight with that Decepticon. You were taking me out shopping and I attracted his attention." I responded glaring at the ground. "If we had gone another day, maybe you wouldn't have been captured and to—" I didn't get a chance to finish because hide snorted loudly and interrupted.

"Yes, it was your fault we ran into him" he said, frowning in annoyance "But it was my choice to go back and fight the fragger. You had nothing to do with that." He continued. Was it me or did his eyes soften ever so slightly?

I just stared at him in surprise; I hadn't thought he would take the blame on that. Even if it was true.

"So can you forgive me?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, I forgive you" he said, his deep voice rumbling and making an involuntary shiver to run down my spine. But I ignored the feeling and gave him the best doggy grin I could muster.

"So we're friends now right?" I asked happily. He didn't verbally respond but neither did he make any disapproving jester so I took it as a yes.

After that I don't remember much. We stayed outside watching the night go by for hours, until I fell asleep right there on the ground beside him. I don't even remember turning back into my humanoid form half way through the night.

I just remember that I felt happy and safe.