Chapter 60- Tub of Tears

"I will always be yours. Even when you don't want me."

Chapter 60

Luna's POV

My ears fell as my jaw slackened.

My feet tingled against the fur carpeting as I lifted myself to get a better look at the man before me. Ever since I'd taken control, I'd been waiting for my mate to shift as well. Though as I peered up at the black-haired man, my mate was nowhere to be seen within such cold, calculating eyes.

I had already scent marked him earlier, ideal for drawing my mate out. Yet he remained hidden within his human counterpart. It was customary for my mate to shift alongside me, to mate with me. Our humans had already done their part. Now it was our turn. Yet he wasn't shifting.

Was he afraid to come out?

My head turned to the side, observing him. He twitched in place, startling me as he narrowed his eyes and cupped his chest.

Is he hurt? Is that why he won't come out?

I lifted my nose, drawing in a short breath. I didn't smell any blood.

A light thumping pulled my attention to the door. The blond-haired man stood by the door, hand on the knob as he watched me through careful eyes. He wasn't a very careful man. One who was clearly quick to act and short to think as I realized the moment he rose his hand out to me in a sign of submission. A hand outstretched like that, any wolf would have taken the initiative to attack but I was never one for aggression so I merely checked his scent. A slight dose of fear was there but not overwhelming enough to cloud my judgment. He appeared harmless yet his words confused me.

As he spoke more and more to our mate about powders and medicines, I found myself growing more and more suspicious of him. I felt myself going on edge, my head spinning. My claws dug into the hard flooring as I felt myself slowly descending to the floor. My head rested against the furs lining around the bed as my ears twitched, hearing a door slam shut followed by heavy footsteps on the other side, growing more and more silent by the minute.

I peered up, confusion reigning me as I watched my mate stand from afar. His eyes were pulled so narrow, jaw so tight. His body language worried me.

Perhaps he didn't want to mate me.

A soft whine pulled from my snout.

River stirred unhappily in the back of my mind. He didn't seem to rather enjoy my pessimistic thoughts. Though he wasn't one to talk.

You cannot blame me. Watch how your mate responds to me.

Our mate, River corrected.

He has not mated me, merely you. Clearly, he's excluded me from our mating.

I pressed as I took a slow step forward and watched as the man's stance tensed.

That's only because he fears you a little, River tried to explain.

Me?

I couldn't wrap my head around it. An alpha male fearing a mere middle rank and his own mate to top it off. What did he have to fear?

Well, you did growl before, River muttered.

A strange creature appeared in my territory, any sane wolf would do the same.

I thought back to how I had scent-marked the blond man. I was tempted to urinate on him to make for certain that he was marked but River nearly had a panic attack by the thought so I settled on mere scent rolling, I did the same for our human as well. Though I would have felt more reassured had River allowed me to mark them normally.

You can't pee on people, River laughed.

I was confused. His words were stern yet his voice was humorous.

Surely then I can mark things that aren't people.

Just as I thought so, I raised my leg and began scent marking my territory. I ran a circle around the fur carpet and near the desk. A loud gasp interrupted my marking as I urinated against a small cabinet.

"My night table," our mate groaned as I lowered my leg to the ground.

Luna, River so much as shrieked.

My ears pressed down.

Goddess, human, I growled as my ears rung.

Does he need to be so loud?

Alastair's POV

Its foot touched the ground with a light tap as a clear urine stain seeped through the wood of my night table. A circular ring of pee wrapped through a couple feet of our room, dripping passed the fur carpet, nearly touching our bed till it wrapped back around to my desk.

I felt my breath thicken, fist clench as I fought to control myself. As angry as I was, lashing out on the wolf would accomplish nothing. Nothing but perhaps a flesh-deep wound on my body from the wolf's instinctual self-defense.

A high-pitched whine filled the room as the wolf turned its eyes away from me and began to crouch down with its tail between its legs.

My brows pulled together.

It was showing an obvious display of submission. Was I scaring it?

I took a step forward and watched as it laid on its side. Its head tentatively rolled to the side, revealing its neck as I stepped over the ring of urine to get closer.

As my eyes roamed the tight ring around the wolf, my lips pulled tight. I couldn't understand its actions. I wished I had known why it had done what it had but my teachers growing up had never expanded too much on wolves in our studies. I could only rely on my basic understanding of their body language, like tail movements and growls. Why it had urinated a circle, I had no idea. Had it just been of no shape, I would have blamed it on a mere bodily function taking its course but this appeared intentional. It purposely marked a circle around it. Why, I had no idea. I could only be left guessing.

Perhaps that was rather regular for a feral wolf to do. However, I wouldn't know. This was my first encounter with one and I could only hope this would be my last.

I remained upright as I reached the wolf's cowering form. I contemplated what the best position would be to be in. Perhaps it was best to remain above it in case it made any other irregular movements.

I peered down at it. Its eyes remained on the floor.

My brows pulled together.

"You needn't be afraid of me."

Why was he suddenly so fearful of me? Mere minutes ago he was curled to my side. What had changed?

Its eyes wavered slightly from the floor, resting on my feet and slowly rising, though immediately stopping by my chest. It wouldn't make eye contact.

Perhaps it was something I did.

I immediately began backtracking, retracing my words and actions. Yet I couldn't think of anything I had done or said to make him so nervous. I was upset earlier but I had made sure not to show it. I had neither voiced nor acted upon it. So why?

Perhaps it's because I'm standing above it? Maybe my height is frightening it.

I slowly lowered myself down to my knees by the wolf. Its eyes immediately dropped from my chest to the floor once again.

For some reason, watching it cower beside me caused my heart to tighten. Though I should have been pleased by its fear, I wasn't. It bothered me. It squeezed at my chest in an irritating manner.

I clicked my tongue, lightly tapping my fingers against the floor as I attempted to get its attention but the action merely caused it to flinch and roll its head to the floor in a light thump. Its ears pressed against its head, eyes rolled to the side.

My eyes narrowed just as a creaking squeak resounded behind me. My head pivoted, eyes blown as the door opened. I immediately stood up.

"Who-" I began only to stop once my eyes laid on a familiar curly-haired blond.

"Michael," I sighed exasperatedly.

He raised a brow as he slowly slid in and closed the door with a light click, "what?"

You nearly gave me a heart attack. "Nothing," I sighed as my fingers combed through my hair.

"Hm," he lifted a papered square from his pocket, "this is for the wolf," he stretched it out to me and I took it. "Only give him a small amount. Just to see if it'll have any effect on him. Maybe..." he peered around the room and settled on a small coin on my desk, "like that big," he pointed.

I nodded, eyeing the coin and then opening the square.

How was I going to get it to eat this? The idea of it licking it right from my palm sounded ridiculous.

"One second. Take this," I sighed as I handed the square back to Michael.

"Alastair, I just went all the way back to my room to get this-" Michael whined.

"I am going to give it to the wolf," I raised a hand, "I just first need to get meat from the kitchen so it'll actually want to eat it.

His mouth opened in an 'o' as he nodded.

"I will be right back," I glanced briefly at the wolf before sliding out the door and down the stairway to the kitchen.

I wasn't quite sure which animal meat the wolf would prefer. Though why I cared drew a shaken head from me. I finally decided on merely bringing some venison, hoping that it was something it could eat. As I hurried up the stairs, tray in hand, I heard a loud thump coming from my room.

I quickened my pace as I hurried to the door. I was anxious by the prospect of what the sound was but as I opened the door a relieved breath escaped me. It was merely Michael, planted on the floor, arms stretched out beside him as the wolf sniffed his shoes. His eyes were blown as he peered up at me.

"Holy shit," he gasped with a light laugh.

"What?" My eyes roamed the wolf, "what did it do?"

It pulled from Michael's shoes and tilted its head to the side, eyeing the tray in my hand.

"It...I think," he breathed, "I think it can understand English."

I raised a brow.

"No really!" he exclaimed as his eyes landed on the wolf, "the thing is frickin' smart. I asked it a question and do you know what it did?"

I shook my head.

"It nodded. It displayed a sign of comprehension. An animal, Alastair," he raised his hands in the air.

I turned my head to the wolf. It licked its lips, eyes still on the tray.

I almost laughed. Its face was just far too ridiculous-looking.

"I believe you," I outstretched my hand, helping him off the floor.

"Really?" He didn't seem to believe me.

"Yes, it's done the same for me before."

His eyes widened, head turning to the wolf. Though it seemed completely unaware of the attention it was getting. Rather, its eyes seemed more focused on the tray.

It could probably smell the meat.

Michael handed me the square to which I carefully unwrapped it and sprinkled a small amount across the top of the meat. I wondered whether the wolf would be able to see the powder but decided it probably would pay no notice to it.

I took a few steps forward and dropped the tray to the ground. Immediately, the wolf hurried over. Though immediately stopped in its tracks once its nose raised to the meat, sniffing it.

A sharp cry escaped its mouth as it jumped back. Its eyes lifted to me and then to Michael, ears perking up, legs apart as a high-pitched growl escaped its throat.

An exasperated sigh pulled from my mouth.

It realized.

I turned to Michael, though his eyes were blown.

I have to get it to consume the powder. If not...

I shook my head.

I wouldn't allow it. River was going to come back. I wasn't going to idly sit back and watch this beast rule over him. I took a step forward to which the wolf took one back, still growling low in its throat as it watched me.

I slowly descended to lift the tray without pulling my eyes from it in case it decided to attack me. Once the tray was in my hand, I stood up again. The wolf's tail shot up as its stance widened.

This wasn't going to work. There was no way to get it to eat the meat with the way it was acting right now. I could get my hand bitten off.

My hands tightened by my side, teeth grinding as what seemed like the only solution decimated right before me.

Suddenly, its stature changed. Its growled halted. Its tail slowly lowered itself until it was merely hanging by its side.

Again.

Except, this time it didn't lower its eyes, merely dipped its neck.

I took a careful step forward, tray in hand.

"I need you to eat this," I hoped it understood me. I could only hope both Michael and I were correct.

Its neck snapped up, ears lifted a little. A broken growl escaped its throat, surprising me as its tail wrapped around its legs and blue eyes turned away from mine.

"Why?" I took another step forward, "why will you not eat it?" My voice rose as frustration built.

Its ears dropped, body slightly lowered as its head bowed forward.

"I need you to eat this," I dropped the plate right in front of it. It flinched as the tray clinked against the stone floor.

Its nose twitched, tail tightly wounding itself around its shaking paws as it eyed the meat.

"Eat it," I demanded.

A chipped whimper escaped its throat. My chest tightened though I wouldn't allow myself to cave to it. Not this creature. I wanted River back and I was going to do whatever it took to make that happen.

My patience was running thin as I watched it merely stare at the tray.

"Eat it," my voice rose.

The wolf's face snapped up and suddenly it was running toward me. I nearly fell backward as I turned, dodging the wolf as it ran past me. My brows rose but comprehension hit me as it took toward the door.

"Michael," I shouted.

He ran to the door quick enough to block the wolf from tearing it down. Its breath thickened, back rising and falling as it jumped side to side, attempting to bypass Michael. Though he remained unwavering even as the wolf growled and snapped at him in an attempt to frighten the doctor. It didn't seem to want to hurt him. Otherwise, it would have done so already.

Both man and wolf stood by the door, both chests rising and falling. Distraught, the wolf took a few steps back and turned, heading back toward me. My eyes widened, though as it reached me it brushed past me and into the bathroom.

My brows knitted together. I looked at Michael to which he shrugged, still catching his breath.

I took a couple tentative steps toward the bathroom. My hand landed on the floor, slowly pushing it open. I peered across the bathroom, brows knitted.

Where did it go?

I slowly walked into the bathroom, eyes roaming when a sudden sniffle came from the tub. Confusion reigned as I took a couple steps toward the tub, fearful that the creature would jump out at any moment. I placed the tray on a chair as I lifted my head slightly to peer inside. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes laid on the small shivering form inside.

There, against the cold, white porcelain laid River, curled up into himself. His back faced me but even without seeing his face, I knew it was him. His gold locks swam by his side as his light cries filled the room. My heart practically shattered as I watched him fall apart.

I fell to my knees by the tub as I reached down to his shaking form.

"Love," my voice came out soft as I pressed my fingers lightly against his shoulder. He flinched, head turning quickly. His bright blues landed on mine and a sharp breath escaped my throat as obvious fear encased them. A sharp cry pulled from his throat as he skidded to the other side of the tub, away from me. There he pulled his knees to his chest and continued to weep.

"What is wrong River?" I asked gently, "why are you crying?"

He shook his head against his knees.

No...what?

"W-why?" His voice came out chipped, broken.

"Why what, love?" I attempted to reach for him again but as I saw him flinch I dropped my hand.

His head rose from his knees, eyes so filled with grief that I gasped.

"Why do you love River but hate me so?" A tear ran down his face as he spoke, landing against the porcelain with a silent drop as a choked sob shook him.