Niel had opened his eyes again, but this time he was sober. Both his feet stood on the earth again. No longer was he floating between that what was real and that what was not. He liked he got to see his sibling again. That their encounters felt so real as if they happened for the first time. But it also played with his mind.
Relieved he had entered the realm of reality again he saw someone vaguely familiar. The teenager didn't expect this person to sit next to his bed. It was Matt, from the soccer game. The warrior in training.
"M-Matt?"
The guy was busy playing games on his phone and got startled upon hearing his name. His head snapped up and his eyes widened. "Oh shit, wow, wait... are you like back? I know that sounds weird, but it seemed you were kinda out of it the past few days and we all-"
"Matt... please. Slow down. Yes, I am back, I guess." Niel barely got to say. His throat still hurt and he had a slight headache still. But overall he felt way better than he did that morning he threw up.
The warrior in training scratched his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, I was kinda nervous when the Alpha asked me to watch you. No one who is in training gets such important tasks, you know?" Niel tiredly nodded his head, understanding Matt. "Anyway, do you need something?"
The teenager tried to sit up more straight. "S-some water... would be nice."
Matt immediately stood up. "Of course, they just brought another jar with fresh, cold water." He walked over to the coffee table in front of the couch where a jar with water and ice stood. After some small sips, Niel already felt way better. The water soothed his throat.
And then a strange feeling washed over him. He longed for somebody, he missed a certain someone's presence. It was Atlas. "Matt? Can you do me a favor?"
"Yes, anything Luna." Matt looked like a puppy to Niel. Eager to follow a command.
"Can you get Atlas?"
The guy quickly stood up from his chair again. "Uhm yes, of course, I will try, you know the Alpha just don't listen to some warrior in training-"
Niel had to once again stop his rambling. He felt for the guy, the nerves were dripping from him. The teenager held up his hand. "Just say the Luna is requesting the Alpha's presence, that should work right?"
"Oh yes, stupid of me. Be right back," And with that, he stormed off.
Niel wondered why Matt was there. The last person he saw sitting on that chair was Rain. How many days was he out of it? Did something happen to Rain? Did he miss something?
The headache only grew when he tried to figure out what had happened during the time he was gone. A restless feeling grew inside of him. He needed something, someone.
All those weird feelings went right out of the window when he saw Atlas entering their bedroom. The moment the Alpha ley his eyes on Niel he knew his mate was back again. He stormed toward his side and sat down next to him on the bed. "Oh thank the Goddess that you are back with us," Atlas whispered. He took Niel's face in his hands and kissed him on the forehead.
Atlas was a wreck the last couple of days, and Dr. Laura grew more and more into an impatient person. She tried to assure the Alpha that even though it was a pretty bad flu, it would be over someday. She tried to show him she watched Niel's progress every day and would make sure when Niel declined she would let the Alpha know. But that wasn't enough for Atlas.
"I missed you," The Alpha whispered softly.
Niel's response was something that took both men by surprise. "I missed you too." They both stared into each other's eyes. They were not saying anything, enjoying the small, innocent moment.
Carefully Atlas got into bed and sat next to Niel. The Alpha didn't want to push it, but he wanted to hold his mate so badly, so, so badly. Slowly he inched his arms around Niel. The teenager didn't mind the comfort and leaned into Atlas' arms. Both of them now snuggled up against each other.
Then something totally unexpected happened. Niel cried. The teenager didn't know why. Maybe it was because he missed his siblings. Maybe it was because he missed being held like that. Maybe it was because he finally felt safe enough to be so vulnerable in front of Atlas.
The Alpha didn't question it. He hold his mate tighter and said comforting words.
Three days later Niel felt finally strong enough to get out of bed and shower. It was under the supervision of Atlas of course. The Alpha was still afraid Niel might faint or feel too weak to stand on his legs. His concern wasn't fully misplaced as Niel had fallen to the floor two days earlier when he tried to get his own glass of water.
When he was all freshened up and in clean clothes, they had bought on that awful shopping spree, he realized something. He had never asked where Rain was. Niel felt so content with just Atlas being around him that he had shortly forgotten about her.
"Atlas?"
"Yes, love?" That had become a thing now. The Alpha had referred to Niel as 'love', 'sweetheart', and 'my beloved'. It was still a bit too much for Niel but he let it slide.
"Where is Rain?" A smirk plastered on Atlas' face. He chuckled, "She is kinda busy at the moment."
"What do you mean?" Niel tilted his head.
"Well, we got an unexpected visit from some royal warriors, which wasn't so pleasant," Atlas muttered. "But it appeared that one of them is Rain's mate."
"Oh, okay... Is she still here?" Niel couldn't lose the one person who didn't hate him or tried to push him into things.
"Yes, she is. But not for long... I am sure she will be present today at breakfast." Atlas noticed the small distress. He walked up to his mate and put his hands on Niel's shoulders. "Look, they haven't talked with me yet about relocating or staying here. If her mate wants to stay here and the royal family is letting her then Rain will stay. Don't worry...yet."
Niel nodded while Atlas hugged him.
The teenager started to accept more and more from Atlas. For some reason, it felt right. When their skin made contact it didn't feel weird anymore, it made sense in some sort of way. It would freak the teenager out from time to time. He couldn't explain why he suddenly accepted it.
It felt like his body and mind went through a transformation when he got sick. As if a blockade was removed.
He had also looked different, but that was mostly because he couldn't eat well when he was sick so he had lost quite some weight, which he didn't mind. What he did mind was that his muscles were almost gone as well. He had to build his strength up again. A goal that would be difficult, seeing as Atlas never let him train how he wanted to.
"Come, let's get downstairs."
Atlas took Niel's hand in his and both walked to the dining room where the usual clique was present. He hadn't seen most of these people in days as it was the first time Niel was downstairs again.
The first person who greeted the teenager was Levi. "My man! Good to see you again. You had us worried, and by us, I mean Atlas," The ginger winked. Niel couldn't help but laugh. He had missed the jolly personality of the Beta.
Then Rain came into his vision, she had stormed off to the teenager and crushed him in a big bear hug. "Hey fresh meat! I missed you!" She let go of him and gave him a small punch on the arm. "Don't scare me like that again. You looked like a fucking ghost!"
Another person, someone who Niel didn't recognize, made an appearance behind Rain. It was a tall woman, almost a head taller than Rain. "Easy there spitfire," The woman had a lower voice than an average woman. The muscles on her body weren't like anyone else's. Niel had seen his fair share of muscular women in this pack and outside of it. Quinn was the most muscular until this tall lady.
The royal warrior grabbed her mate by the hips and trusted her toward her own body. "Tyra, please." Rain tried to get out of her grasp both loving and hating it.
"Aren't you going to introduce me, my little spitfire?" Tyra kissed Rain's head and held her arms around her.
"Tyra, this is the new Luna of the Black Lake Pack and my friend Othniel. But he goes by Niel. Niel, meet my mate Tyra." Rain introduced them.
The royal warrior first bowed her head, as did Niel, but then she held out her hand. Niel was surprised by the gesture. "This is how humans greet right?"
"Uh, ye-yeah," Niel took her hand in his, she had a tight grip.
Atlas saved Niel from the awkward encounter. "I am glad all of you have met finally... Let's eat breakfast, it's ready." The four of them settled next to the people at the table.
Rain noticed the change of attitude of the Alpha couple to each other. She was happy for them, but also worried. Rain didn't want Niel to feel as if he had to do all of those things right away.
After breakfast, she managed to get free from her mate, who kept her strings tight on her. Tyra was almost as territorial, as protective as an Alpha.
"Niel, can you talk for a sec?"
"Sure."
Both of them found a secluded place in the reading room. "So what do you wanna talk about?" Niel let himself fall down on a big armchair, and he sighed. Walking around was exhausting after laying in bed for ten days.
"About you and Atlas..." Rain was nervous. She didn't want to open pandora's box or put a halt on something that went well.
"What about it?" Niel quirked up a brow.
Rain started to pace. "It's just that you are quite lovely dovely with Atlas all of the sudden... Do you feel forced to be like that?"
Niel widened his eyes. "What? No, no, it's not like that... It's just that when I woke up when I was back, I felt this great longing for Atlas. I can't describe it... It is as if I changed like some blockade was removed." The teenager himself had also a hard time explaining his actions. It was weird to him but he didn't want to fight it. It felt great to live around Atlas without the tension, without the constant fighting. And it felt even more remarkable to be with someone who cared for you no matter what.
"When I was sick, I saw my siblings again. Until now I didn't really understand why I was seeing them all the time, but I think I know now. Whenever it was just the three of us I felt cared for, I could be me without the fear I would do or say something wrong... And I think when it's just Atlas and me I can be and feel the same as I did with them."
Rain was silent. Niel didn't talk much about his family. At least not to her. "Does that make sense?" Niel asked her. "I think so... Just...Just know that you do not owe Atlas anything. You don't have to do anything you don't want to and-and that you can always say no. Do you hear me?"
"I don't understa-"
Rain walked over to Niel and held his hand. "Every intimate interaction needs to be consented by you Niel. If you are not ready for something, don't do it. You call me if Atlas ever tries to force you into something." The shewolf had a good picture of Niel's knowledge of intimacy and sexual activities which were almost non-existent. She felt this great urge to protect him from any further trauma because Rain couldn't trust her cousin anymore after the incident.
"I will Rain."
"Promise me."
"I promise."