Xavier's POV
Jacob helps to steady Celeste on my back, making sure she has as secure of a hold that one hand can offer, before shifting back to his wolf form himself. Celeste's friend Lycer has a slight limp as he makes his way to us, nudging Celeste with his nose. I huff and she swats at the back of my head. I huff again.
I'd been almost fine with their friendship. My wolf tends to punch through with jealousy every time Lycer is brought up but I'm good at pushing it off. I'm good at reminding myself that Celeste is mine as much as I am hers and nothing comes between that.
Then she was taken. Then she was hurt.
A growl rumbles its way through my chest as I think about the injuries on her arms. The cuts going down her arms did their best to heal but left a long scar. Werewolves don't get scars, not easily. It's an upsetting sight to see. Her shoulder, though, is in rough condition. Large and angry, I'm sure it could bleed with the wrong move.
We begin our trek back. Jacob trails on one side of me while Celeste's friend stays beside her on my other side.
'Alpha,' Jacob begins with my title, showing his hesitation. 'What do we do with him when we get back?'
'He's Celeste's friend. She'll want us to put him up,' Josh offers.
'And we will,' I link slowly. 'We will double Celeste's guards and her training until Malum is taken care of.'
'And how the fuck are we going to do that? Asshole managed to avoid us for this long. If it wasn't for Celeste linking you, we probably never would have found his base.'
'And we wrecked it so he'll just run somewhere he can rebuild.'
'And that's where Lycer will come in. If anyone knows anything about this Malum, it's him.' They both let out a huff through their nose. 'For now, I just want us to focus on getting Celeste home.' They sent their agreements through the link.
'Celeste,' I whispered many hours later. She had fallen asleep several hours back, her hand tight in my fur and her face buried against my back. 'Wake up, baby. We're home.'
Many of our pack members were here waiting for us. They cleared a path as we all walked through. Their eyes couldn't help but drift to the large wolf next to me. Lycer must have some Alpha blood in him to compete with my size so well. I'd dare to say he probably even has a few inches on me. Then they drifted to Celeste. Their concerns drifted to me through various lines of the pack link.
Lycer nudges her and she stirs. Her head lifts and her hand in my fur tightens. When she lifts herself, I hear her let out a hiss of discomfort. From her arm or from how she had been sleeping, I'm unsure. She must give everyone a small smile as I see a sea of smiles begin to reflect back at us. Then, they're cheering. It starts out small and quickly grows. A welcome home for their Luna.
At the end of the cue, closer to the packhouse, stands Zay. She's quick to wipe a tear to her eye as she does a little jog to make her way to us. 'Her arm,' I warn her as she holds her hands out to Celeste. I lower myself to the ground to aid. Zay is quick to wrap Celeste in her arms, murmuring lines along 'don't do that again' and 'I've missed you so much' into her hair. Several of my people come forward, offering clothes in their outstretched hands for us all to shift into.
"Thank you," I say, turning to the warriors after I finish pulling on the pants and sweater I was given. "Thank you all for helping me retrieve our Luna. She is home now. And for that, I will forever remember this group. I want you all to go home proud. More will come but for tonight just be proud. Be happy." I glance to Celeste who's still swaying dramatically in Zay's embrace, giggles bursting from her lips. "I know I will be."
Several pack members were lingering and I spent time talking to each one, shaking their hands as I thanked them for coming to welcome Celeste home. They said praises of our group we chose and of the Goddess above. I returned the sentiment before sending them each on their way, promising them time with Celeste later.
A boy came jogging out of the pack house, another set of clothes in his hands. I watched as he handed the clothes to Lycer but glanced away as he shifted. Instead, I walked over to Celeste, pulling her from Zay and bringing her body to mine. I reveled in the sparks that shot through my hands as I held hers.
"Zay, I need you to look at her shoulder." I'm being selfish, I know that. I want her all for myself for that to happen, I need everything to settle into place.
"You should take a look at her legs too." My brow twitches. Turning to him, I'm surprised to find Lycer is shorter than me. His hair is just as brightly blonde, if not brighter, than it was in his wolf form. He's thin, the clothes given to him practically swallowing him whole. He readjusts the collar of the red sweater I know is Josh's. He holds his hand out to Zay. "Hi, I'm Lycer." The smile he gives her is dazzling despite his likely years of mistreatment.
"Zay." She takes his hand and then returns her attention to Celeste and I. "I can take her inside. Maybe you can show Lycer to his room?"
"I don't want it too far from ours," Celeste pouts. I want to kiss that pout. I settle for placing a kiss on her temple instead, squeezing her hand in mine.
"Go with Zay, I'll meet you there."
It's hard to let her go. Physically and mentally. I hold her to me, just staring at her. As if the second I turn away, she'll be gone. My own Eurydice.
"Xavier?" I blink several times and clear my throat.
"Sorry," I apologize, squeezing her hand again and taking a step back.
"It's okay, Xavier. I got her." Zay puts a hand around Celeste's shoulders, smiling at me as she guides Celeste into the pack house.
I watch them go and a block forms in my throat. I clear my throat again and it only gets worse. 'Celeste?' She looks back at me as she walks into the house, giving a small smile. And I see it. The hesitation in her steps and the flicker at the corner of her lips. "Josh!" He's quick to my side, asking if everything is okay. I turn to Lycer who stands shifting from foot to foot. "I need you to take Lycer to a guest room, on my floor if you could. Lycer," I take his hand in mine, shaking it, "I will see you at breakfast in the morning. Please join us, Celeste would love it." My wolf makes a snide remark. I don't dismiss it.
And then I'm jogging into the pack house, maneuvering around the couch and side tables and down the first hallway to Zay's office. I knock politely at the door before immediately going in. Celeste lets out a breath, her shoulders deflating. I find my way to her side, resting my forehead against the side of her head and holding on to her waist. I take in several deep breaths. Her hand finds my arm, tracing lightly over the skin in a pattern of sparks.
"Xavier, if you're going to be in here then I need you to be calm. Don't get in my way."
"Yeah, yeah. I know the rules." I roll my eyes as Celeste lets out a giggle.
"Where's Lycer?" Her voice comes to me in a whisper. I watch as her finger trails over my arm, entranced by the simple action.
"Josh is taking him to his room. I couldn't-"
"It's okay." She stares at me and I can't help but stare back. I could've sworn she never had laugh lines around her eyes when I first met her. I feel like I would have remembered that. She glances at my lips and I smile. Leaning down, I press my lips gently to hers. Her hand on my arm stills and the world follows. For a second, it's just her and I. One of my hands finds her chin, tilting her head up further into me.
And then Zay is clearing throat.
I pull back and see that beautiful blush I've missed so much. I press my lips to her cheek and she shoves at me. "Okay," Zay stretches, "let's get off that coat." I help Celeste slip it from her shoulders. "Where did you get this?" Zay takes it from me, pinching the fur between her fingers.
"We met a man named Leroy. Good guy, gave us breakfast too."
"And he was human?" She nods. "Well, I'm glad he didn't murder you in your sleep." A growl slips past my lips, I clear it with a cough. Celeste runs her hand over my arm. "Let's look at your arm, yeah?" Zay sets the coat down and turns back to us, wincing when she sees Celeste's bloodied shoulder. "Goddess, Celeste - what did they do to you?" Her hand reaches out as if to touch her. My wolf growls in my head at someone daring to approach our mate. Zay retracts her arm as if she heard him, only to put on a pair of gloves and resume her position. She traces the wound gently; Celeste flinches.
"I was told they used a magi weapon?" Zay had pulled out several towels and a bowl of water. Asking Celeste to stretch her arms forward. She couldn't lift her injured shoulder, biting at her lip as tears sprang to her eyes. Zay sets her hand on Celeste's arm, telling her it was okay.
"That's what Lycer said. I don't - I um don't really remember that day. Just the pain." I fail to hold back the growl this time as I feel my wolf push forward. Zay gives me a warning glare. I huff.
"Magi weapons aren't meant for non magi to use. And they aren't meant to deal pain to our ranking of creatures. I'm sorry to say Celeste but these might stay scars for the rest of your life."
"There must be something you or Shia can do." There's an insistence in my voice. I don't know if my fight is for Celeste's sake or my own.
"My biggest worry is the damage done to your shoulder." Cleaned, the wound looks no better. If anything, the revelation of the true extent of damage is infuriating. Zay tells us it's started to heal, which is the best sign we can hope for. She said there was a chance it wouldn't have healed at all, with the weapon of choice. "Given the signs of healing, I'd say chances are the wound will heal on its own. I don't want to let it try for anymore than three days. If it doesn't then I'll have to perform surgery on the wound to help it properly close."
"Surgery? Like as in knives and needles?" Celeste reaches out her good hand. I grab hold and give a tight squeeze.
"Yes." Celeste nods, her shoulders tight.
"So for now?" I step forward, wrapping an arm around Celeste's middle.
"For now, I wrap up the injury and we wait. Your friend said your legs too?" When she shows us the burns on her legs, I break Zay's rule. My fist breaks through the wall by the door before Zay can even tell us that the burns have fully healed on their own. She said the fabric in Celeste's leggings was damaged, melted against her now healed skin. I ran upstairs for a change of clothes for Celeste while Zay helped pick at the fabric. My breathing only returned to normal when Celeste was changed, bandaged, and dismissed from Zay's office for the night. Zay and Celeste exchanged a tight hug before they parted.
"I should go find Lycer," Celeste whispered into the air when we got to the stairs.
"He's okay, Celeste. Let's go to bed." I wrap an arm around her and begin to sway our bodies. I press my lips to her head.
"But he's-"
"He's probably already asleep. Bed, Celeste. I've barely slept for the last few weeks."
"Weeks?" I nod.
"Almost three full weeks without you." She turns in my arms. Her arm is in a sling and it rests in the middle of us.
"That's so long." I nod. "I didn't even-"
"Let's go to bed? Yeah? I told Lycer to join us for breakfast, you can see him then." She nods and lets me lead her up the stairs.
It feels both odd and exactly right as I lead her through our bedroom door. I immediately pull her between my legs as I sit on the bed. My lips find hers. She gasps, her hand jumping to my shoulder. She kisses me back, leaning into me. I lean back and she falls on top of me. She giggles as we bounce on the bed, resting her head on my shoulder.
I feel exhausted. It consumes me as I wrap my arms around her and hold her close. We stay like this for a while. Her hand traces patterns into my shoulder. We don't speak this entire time. At some point, I notice our heartbeats have synced together and all is right.
She's home.
And all is right.