Safe at Last?

"Aha, you caught that," Tak replied sheepishly. "I tend to protect what's important to me."

"Is a wolf pack something like your theme?" I asked, nervously. "I mean, I'm not pushing, but is it a cultural thing?"

"You could say it's a family thing, I guess. The wolf pack," he replied, hesitating. "That's the closest to the truth. To be honest, we even call this the pack lodge."

"That's what I was wondering more than anything." I looked at my knee. "Are you going to keep me here and make me work?"

"No," Tak replied quickly. "In fact, I would bet Grandad would only have you folding silverware, or stirring pots, or dishing food- anything you can do sitting, and he would make sure you don't overwork yourself. But, that would just be to earn some cash. If you want to stay in here and away from everyone, no one is going to mind. Just come out for mealtimes and say hello to everyone, or you'll end up with my crazy brothers and sisters at your door bringing their plates in here. That would get crowded, very fast," he said, eyeballing the small room.

My thoughts wandered to my little stash in my yard. I sighed.

"There's a tin can buried in my yard, under a large, flat rock," I said. "If you dig just a couple inches down, you'll find it. I have some savings in there, you can take it for rent for the next two weeks."

Tak shook his head. "You aren't understanding. This isn't something to take advantage of you, or hurt you," he looked thoughtful. "I get it, that it's foreign. In time, you'll understand what a real family is like."

I set my hands on my knees- before I really thought about what I was doing. However, the light pressure didn't cause pain, and I looked down in surprise. My knee certainly still looked bad, but once I started thinking about it, the pain had eased off slightly.

"Wow, those herbs are already working," I said, not wanting to continue talking. "That was fast."

"Which means your temperature will be rising soon," Tak said, standing. "Here, lay back." I did, and he gently shifted my legs along the bed, propping up my knee with a pillow to keep it slightly bent and raised.

"I don't think he wanted me to wrap it right away. I'll keep an eye on the swelling and brace it if the skin starts to look bad," he explained. It might have been the fever starting to rise, but with the sun setting and coming through the window, his eyes looked like they were gleaming. Tak left again, and was gone for a while, saying he had to gather things for the night. I eyeballed my phone on the nightstand a few minutes after he left.

More than half of my mind was screaming for me to call an uber and pay whatever fee to bring me back home. The smaller, more powerful part that was left wanted to just enjoy the sensation of being cared for.

This isn't normal, I kept thinking. Nobody would go this far out of their way for a stranger. They want something, and when the time comes you're going to feel obligated to give it. On the other hand, what if it were an equal exchange anyway? What if they did just want something simple, like to work for them, or if Tak just wanted to…

I closed my eyes, putting my arm on my forehead. It sure seemed like a lot of trouble to go through just for a one night stand. Maybe I would be trapped there like a slave? I'd heard about religions that kept people in compounds until they were brainwashed and slaved away their lives for the company.

A tear found its way out. How was that any different than what I was going through, then? At least here in the beginning, they're kind. And they take care of their slaves, if that was the case, as opposed to beating them and leaving them outside in the weather.

For now, said the logical part of my brain. For now, they take care of you. Later, you'll be in the same position as before, and they're all family. You're an outsider. Go home, where they at least know you.

I shook my head, the tears flowing freely now. I was silent, just letting them run down my cheeks and into my hair and ears.

Why was I crying? Because I wanted so desperately for it to be true that someone would care about me, that I was laying in a stranger's bed, in a place I didn't know. I wanted a Christmas miracle so bad I was risking my life for it, and I knew it wouldn't be true in the end. But here I was, anyway, like a fool. No wonder I got beat all the time, I was an idiot.

"Hey, hey hey hey," I heard Tak's soothing voice gently by my ear. He was kneeling by the bed; he had stepped in so quietly I didn't even hear the air shift around him as he entered the room. I was always on high alert at my house, when I was allowed inside. I could tell when someone was walking near me by the change in the noise of the AC or fans. Apparently, that didn't apply here, or he was unnaturally quiet when he wanted to be.

He wiped away my tears, and I turned to look at him, still keeping my arm shielding my eyes.

"Is it the pain?" he asked, gently. I shook my head.

"I see," he replied. "It's all right to cry. What's wrong? Tell me."

"I wish you would just tell me what you're wanting," I replied, hating the tremble in my voice. "I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop and it's killing me. I want to just lay here thinking that I'm wanted, but I just can't pretend, even for a little while."

"What I'm wanting? You are wanted?" he asked, as if confused.

"What do you want from me, that you're willing to go through so much trouble," I cried. "Just tell me, so I can stop guessing. It's torture."

He was silent for a moment. I looked into his eyes, and he appeared tortured, himself. "Just tell me," I begged.

He touched my forehead. "Your fever has risen a lot," he said, then half lifted me to himself, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding me to his chest. I couldn't stop crying, but I took some small comfort in that I wasn't making a sound.

"Lain, I don't want anything from you, in the sense that I think you have in your head," he said quietly, stroking my hair. "Do I want you? Yes, of course. Do I want something from you? Not like what you're used to. If I told you everything now, you wouldn't believe me. I promise, if you just give me one week, I'll explain everything, and it will all make sense. Then, in two weeks, if you want to forget all this ever happened, I'm sure Grandad would let you go back home without a fuss. Hell, he would probably even give you a severance package to help you find your way. Just- I'm not going to hurt you, Lain," he said more quietly. "No one here is. We are guardians, not jailors or torturers."

I took a hiccupy breath.

"Do you believe me?" he asked gently.

"I want to," I replied. "I wish I could."

"I think you will, in a little time," he replied, brushing my hair away completely. "Does this hurt you?"

"No, it feels nice," I said quietly.

"Good. Then, this is how I'll stay." He shifted himself on the bed to move away from the edge, and leaned back against the tiny headboard, pulling me to lay more comfortably on his chest. My lower half was still on the bed next to him, but I was supported by his body sitting up. The movement bent my knee slightly, and I gasped. The sun set, and the room became dark.

"Oh no," said Tak suddenly. "I was supposed to clean your hands. Here, sit up a moment?" I complied and he got up. I could hear him walk to the little dresser and turn on the light; a warm yellow glow illuminated the room.

"Don't rat me out," he joked.

"I won't."

He had me hold my hands in his lap, palms up, and he gently rubbed and wiped on the inflamed tissue and yellowish scrapes with a warm cloth until he was able to peel most of it away. It hurt quite a bit. He stopped often, rinsing the towel and refreshing the water. I looked at it curiously- it was tinged greenish-black.

"This should help a lot," he said, spreading some kind of goo all over the scrapes. "Aloe mixed with a few other things. We use it on the boys' paws when they get themselves into trouble. I'll have to wrap your hands, though."

"That's fine," I said, watching interestedly. He squished more aloe on the inside of the bandages, and wrapped my hands expertly, almost as if I were wearing mittens.

"I don't have any pajamas that will fit," he said presently, as he pulled me onto his chest again. "I can give you one of my shirts- it would be a dress on you- if you wanted."

I thought about declining; but some corner of my mind remembered the nice smell of his jacket and how easily I fell asleep even in the cold with it…

"Yes please," I said.

"All right," he replied. "I'll go get it and bring it here, then I'll be going to dinner. I'd bring it up here, but I don't want to tease you with food when you're sick."

"You can do what you want," I replied. "I'm not really hungry anyway."

He returned quickly with a plain black shirt- he was right, it was like a dress on me. "I'm sending one of the boys up to keep an eye on you," he said from the door. "Don't worry, like I said before, they're big fat boys. You'll be safe."

"Oh, I don't-" he was already gone- "need.." I sighed. I wriggled out of the shirt and skirt, and debated for a moment- whatever, why not. I removed my bra too, for good measure, and set it between the shirt and skirt, and put the whole folded pile beside the bed and next to the night stand. I had just laid back down when a great thumping came to my ears and one of the huge dogs came barreling in.

Well, I supposed, it was probably actually a wolf.

That made sense. It wasn't as pretty as the ones I had seen in movies or pictures. It was more fuzzy and disheveled looking, and seemed much larger than I thought a wolf would be. He had the same golden eyes though as the photos I had seen in magazines and calendars. He jumped up cautiously on the other side of the bed from my hurt leg, but he was so large he took up over half the bed and still laid over part of my chest and waist. He opened his mouth, and yawned, a cute whining sound, displaying fangs the length of my fingers, but wider. He panted and looked at me with those golden eyes- I felt as bewitched as when I met Tak's

"Aren't you a pretty boy," I murmured, slowly stretching out my hand. My heart was hammering in my chest- this wolf could easily fit my entire head in its jaws, and then some.

He closed his mouth and sniffed, then leaned into my scratches, resuming panting. His fur was so thick and soft! My fingers sank all the way to his undercoat, completely covering my bandaged hand. He sniffed my hand when I drew it back, then half darted forward, licking my face.

I yelped, and he seemed determined to taste the inside of my mouth.

"Oh my god, yuck," I gasped, and had the common sense to fold my lips between my teeth, effectively sealing out his affections. After a few minutes of effectively bathing my face, he thumped his nose between his paws and watched me intently.

"Are you quite done?" I asked, rubbing my face on Tak's shirt. Oh no, it smelled so good. I allowed myself a brief moment of holding part of the shirt over my face. No harm no foul…?

"Aaayaa, are you washing her, fat boy?" said Tak from the doorway. I dropped the fold of shirt like it was hot, and could feel my face flushing. "She is warm, she doesn't need an oaf on her. C'mon, get down, elk-bodied wolf," he continued, pushing on the wolf's side. It resisted at first, but then thumped to the floor, huffed, and laid down, with his back facing Tak.

"He was intensely interested in tasting my mouth," I said, covering my red cheeks with my hands.

"Oh, he's just saying hello, you'll get used to it," Tak replied easily, sitting down in the chair. He smelled like some kind of food. It smelled good, and I felt my stomach flip a little.

Tak touched my forehead and then the back of my neck with a hand. "Seems to be steady," he murmured. "That's good. It'll be gone by morning. You aren't sleepy?"

"I'm very sleepy, but-" I stopped.

"But?" he questioned.

"But I'm not going to be able to sleep in a strange place," I finished. "My adrenaline is still keeping me awake."

"Oh," he said, disappointed. "I'm not sure what would help with that."

"Well, a big fluffy wolf certainly seemed to help, if you're sure he won't get hungry in the middle of the night." I heard the wolf's massive tail begin thumping, catching between the underside of the bed and the floor.

"I can play some music, if you like," offered Tak. "Only if you wanted, though."

The wolf got up and re established itself on the bed, its massive torso laying across my chest, and his head half on my shoulder, half on my pillow. I struggled to see Tak over the massive floof.

"That would be nice," I said. "Whatever you like, I guess?"

The wolf sat up, and howled, making me cover my ears. I heard more howls answer from outside, and he leapt down, his nails clacking on the floor as he struggled to gain purchase on the slick wood. He darted out the door and I could hear him thumping down the stairs.

"Well, that's that," Tak said, ruefully. "Time for the hunt. I'll be right back."

"All right," I answered, laying back. I assumed that he had to watch to make sure that the 'fat boys' didn't get into something they shouldn't. But he returned, and held an acoustic guitar.

"Oh, you meant- oh," I said awkwardly.

"Don't worry, I don't suck," he replied, grinning. "I'll just practice while you're here, until you fall asleep, not play any specific songs or anything like that."

"All right," I said. Well, at least that meant I didn't have to lie. What did he say about lying, earlier? That he could smell it?

He sat again, and began practicing guitar. I watched his fingers for a while, but eventually was drawn to his face. His hair fell softly in front of him, and he looked absolutely amazing, concentrating on practicing his music. I felt myself begin to calm down, and the light buzzing headache I'd been struggling with all day faded.

It was like I never wanted anything else, or to be anywhere else but right here. The security of where I was, whether it was true or not, covered me like a blanket, and I fell asleep, the last thing in my mind was the sight of Tak smiling as he played.