Red Is for Traitor

Two days later I was in the yard with Zane. He was healing nicely and would soon be able to take out his stitches. While he stalked a few birds pecking the ground for anything to eat, I was stitching up Sindri's shirt he had been wearing the day he and Zane were attacked. I probably should have turned it into a rag since it had so many holes, but sewing kept me busy while we waited. Suddenly Zane perked up and looked towards the cottage. I stopped my activity and asked, "What is it?"
"Poppa's awake!" He grinned as he shot towards the door and was in before I even stood. I tied off the last stitch and placed the needle in the small pin cushion I had brought out with me. Taking a deep breath, I walked in to find Sindri sitting up and Zane cuddling into the side that was not hurt. A relieved smile formed on my lips as I watched the pair interact. Sindri looked up and gave me a tired and pained smile.
Going in for the rescue, I placed the shirt on the table. "Zane, you may stay with your Poppa but you need to be careful. He's still hurt, even if he did waste two days sleeping." I gave the older wolf a teasing grin.
While he playfully narrowed his eyes, Zane settled down. "I'll be careful."
"Excellent. How is your side feeling today?"
Zane twisted a little and pulled down a part of his pants to reveal a small four stitch line. "Okay. It feels weird when it pulls." I watched Sindri scowl at the wound as if it personally offended him.
"You will be able to get them out in a few more days. Please try not to get too rowdy until we know it will not open again."
"I won't!" He chirped happily, no longer looking at the injury.
"And how are you felling Beta Moonshadow?" I grinned while bringing over two bowls of deer stew.
"Do I have to eat that?" His tone gave way to how eating the stew would alter his state of being.
"Arawn made it this morning so you will not die from eating it." I glared. I handed Zane his bowl first and held Sindri's just out of reach. He pouted while Zane ate happily. With a chuckle I handed my friend his food.
After taking his first bite, Sindri reported, "I'm sore, tired, and the stitches in my back make me anxious. It's uncomfortable feeling them pull when I move."
"Be glade only three of them required stitches. I would like to look at them after you are done." He nodded as he continued to eat half the bowl's content. He handed the bowl back to me as his eyes started drooping. "Please stay awake a few more minutes so I can reapply ointment." He nodded but did not reply. "Zane would you mind helping me?"
"Nope!" He passed his bowl to me and waited patiently to be told what to do.
"Carefully pull your Poppa's shirt up to his neck and let him lean on you." While Zane went to work, I collected the new bandages and ointment. "Thank you." I smiled at Zane as he let his father lean his weight on him. I started unwrapping the old bandages that had a few blood spots on them but otherwise were clean. I tossed the used linen to the floor and inspected the three wounds. The inflammation was decreasing and the skin healing properly. I cleaned the area gently, spread some more medicine on them, and wrapped the area. Once finished Zane pulled his father's shirt back down and helped him lay back down. I looked over just in time to see Zane kiss Sindri's cheek before crawling off to help me clean up.
"Mak?" I looked over at him and waited. "Why is Poppa so sleepy?"
"When someone is hurt, especially with the wounds he has, your body spends all of its energy on healing. Sleeping is the best way for the body to heal because it does not have to worry about other things like seeing, hearing, running."
"Oh, okay. Will he be back to playing with me soon?"
"With how you werewolves heal, I would say within the next week."
"Okay. Good, I want Poppa better." I ruffled his hair causing him to grin up at me. When we finished cleaning up, he crawled back into bed and took a nap. Feeling less anxious, I started cleaning the cottage which I had neglected to do as I watched over Sindri.
The rest of the Moonshadow pack and Sionnah came by to see how Sindri was doing. He woke up when the group came and was showered with hugs, nuzzles, and kisses (mainly from Trista). They ate the rest of the stew before heading back to the Den for the night. Zane of course refused to leave his father's side by curling up next to Sindri and glaring. Some of his pack mates tried not to laugh too loud at how cute he was being. Trista was the last to leave. She kissed Zane on the top of the head, kissed Sindri on the cheek, and then gave me a kiss on my cheek with a smile. I walked her out and watched the pack walk away until they were nothing. I turned to find Zane crawling under the blankets with a yawn. Sindri looked down with a loving smile as he waited for his son to get comfortable. Within minutes Zane was breathing deeply exhausted from stress and moving around all day while still healing.
"How are you feeling this time being awake?" I asked walking over to stand beside the bed.
Sindri looked up at me. "Still tired, but better. That salve is working well. How long until I can go back to being Corbin's Beta?"
"With how you are healing, it should be about a week. Maybe sooner if you do not push your body and let it heal."
"I'll try not to be too impatient." He grinned up at me.
I gave a small smile that probably did not reach my eyes. "Good or I will have to have Zane police you."
"Don't want that." His turquoise eyes stared at me as if trying to decipher some code. His piercing eyes made me want to cry. I looked away to try and protect myself from his omniscient look. "Macha." I jumped when he took my hand in his. "What's wrong?" What wasn't wrong? I did not reply instead stared at him. My face must have shown something because he cocked his head in confusion. With very little thought on my part, I leaned down and hugged him with my face buried in the side of his neck. He tensed a moment in surprise but easy relaxed and wrapped his arms around my back.
He was alive. He was not dead and I was not in a dream. That acknowledgment was enough for tears to start dripping down my cheeks. Dammit I did not want to cry.
I let out a bit of a surprised yip when he pulled me down next to him. Instead of still awkwardly hugging him, my arms were now trapped between our bodies. "What's wrong, Macha?"
I let his heart calm me enough to whisper, "I was afraid... I was afraid you would die." My mind flashed back to when Sindri first was laid down to rest. I looked down to find my hands and dress covered in blood. Too much blood.
"I didn't though." His voice matched my volume.
"You had lost so much blood. I have seen many die from lesser wounds. I thought I had not gotten to you in time."
"But you did, I'm still alive."
"I almost was not!" I pulled back knowing he could hear my heart rate rise. "If I was seconds later you would not have survived. We were both covered in blood. It was like we bathed in it."
"You got to me in time, Macha. That's all that matters." He took my face in his hands and made sure I was looking at him. "I am alive because you saved me. You. Saved. Me. I doubt anyone else could." He muttered the last part as he pulled me into another hug.
"Why was I the only one you would let near you? You growled at me, but nearly attacked when Sionnah, who is basically apart of the pack by now, tried to follow me." When he did not answer me, I pulled back to look at him. My brows rose in surprise to find him blushing. "What?" My heart started racing and my stomached filled with butterflies. For some reason I was anxious for his reply.
He cleared his throat having decided on a reply, "It probably had to ah do with my feeling for you." He looked up at me hesitantly. "May I court you, Red?"
I looked at him with wide eyes and mouth slightly ajar. I did not know how to respond, my mind was completely blank. When I finally registered that his face had changed and I was taking too long to answer I replied, "I want to jump on you right now but I am scared I will hurt you." Whoops, not exactly a reply but I hope he understood me. Emotions were not my strong suit apparently.
His face relaxed into a soft smile that quaked with a chuckle. He pulled me hard into him. I wrapped my arms easily around him and rested my head on his shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Yes, it is a yes." He rumbled happily and nuzzled my cheek and jaw. My chest felt tight and warm. For once everything felt right. The feeling flowing through me made me want to cry but I held back. I was not the crying type no matter how happy I was. And for this short period of time I tried to forget all the troubles we were both experiencing because that did not need to ruin this moment. We were safe. I was beyond happy. And more than anything, I felt loved.