A Reluctant Slave - 58

Rain knew that although he wanted to spend time cuddling with Lucy at the lakeside, he had to get back to his pack. She seemed to have calmed down after their emotional exchange, the Alpha still being able to feel his heart pounding from the words they had spoken.
Lucy's amber eyes flickered up to him as they cuddled one another, stroking each other's skin with tender caresses whilst they enjoyed just being together for a moment. She knew they couldn't lie here forever, that there was a whole pack to deal with. She didn't know what had happened back in Baurn but she did know that Rain was back and he'd brought his men. Something major had shifted in his plans and she worried about the outcome of that.
"As much as I would love to lie here with you for hours, Lucy, we should get back to the pack," Rain breathed, stroking her cheek with a tenderness he had never truly showed another before. But it showed she hadn't felt such a caress before either as she turned into it, closing her eyes as he felt her wolf growl in a soft pleasure. She craved to be touched with tenderness, to know that the person was being soft and kind not because they wanted to manipulate or hurt her, but because they cared about her.
"I have to share you with the pack…I forgot about this arrangement," she breathed, her eyes still closed but Rain only chuckled at her words; they sent warmth through him, to know that she still wanted him as every moment he expected her to turn around screaming for what he'd done. But he was thankful to know that she wanted him more than she wanted death or being human.
"You should come meet them too," he continued to caress her, to reassure her that he was there and wasn't leaving her at all. Her eyes fluttered open and he saw the hesitation to her eyes but he understood it. He ducked his head and kissed her, a gentle caress that sent shivers down her spine, "the wolves you have seen are my army, away from their families in the spoils of victory of a race that has forever looked down at them." He explained, hoping she could try and see past the torture and bloodshed his men had shown her at their stay in Baurn, "we are not perfect, our morals are different to that of humans' but the acts you saw were that of revenge and anger."
"They looked pretty bloodthirsty to me," Lucy growled, still not convinced but Rain sighed and kissed her once more before sitting back so they could stand.
He offered her a hand, "Wait until you feel your hunger for the first time and then you shall full appreciate it." He said, not condemning her thoughts at all; it was natural for a once human to still cling onto their old opinions but they would change...because they had changed, they weren't human anymore and they would never be. The world was a different place and she would appreciate that in time, he knew.
Lucy studied his hand for a moment before taking it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She had accepted him it seemed, but she now remembered him consuming a vampire whole before her very eyes…he was a wolf, an animal…just as she was now. In the moment of emotions and love she had forgotten about everything else but she had a feeling it would just take time to get used to.
Rain gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand before beginning to lead her back towards the pack. He noticed that she didn't seem to care she was naked but he wasn't surprised; she was a wolf now and although she wasn't consciously aware of its influence it was apart of her just as much as the blood flowing around her veins. Although she couldn't feel the blood, it was still keeping her alive.
The walk back was pleasant but tense as Rain knew that he had Lucy to worry about and his pack. He had just made a decision without them from his own emotions; it had taken a long time to gain their loyalty and he knew that they would stick by him, but they weren't completely submissive, they were going to ask questions.
Lucy regarded the pack area with a careful eye; she hadn't seen it when she had been taken in as she had been unconscious the entire time. But seeing it, she felt strangely safe…and at home.
Surrounded by a cliff face and protected by the canopy made up of the leafless trees, it was a secure place to raise a family. Huts made from wood stood proudly around the perimeter of the grounds and slowly made their way inwards, though wherever there were a circle of huts there was a circle of large stones with burnt ground in the centre for the social fires the wolves held.
Lucy could see from the setup and the huge fire in the middle of the grounds that the wolves led a very social lifestyle. They had their privacy of their huts, but it seemed to her that they were mainly used for guards against the weather. Furs and other more substantial materials made up areas for wolves to relax outside and as they began to move through the pack, Lucy could see a couple openly mating next to one of the fires. She blinked, expecting to be embarrassed but something flashed forwards then; she actually smiled. Her wolf within her growled pleasantly as it saw this couple showing their love to the entire pack and how much they had missed one another. They were proud enough of their love not to have to hide it but to display it for all to see.
As Rain saw them he tilted his head back and gave a howl that shivered down Lucy's spine but she was surprised to find that the sound echoed in her throat as well. It was a small sound, young and inexperienced but her Alpha looked to her and gave her an encouraging smile. He could see that she accepted that part of his culture but he knew it was because it was hers now as well.
Things she had seen before as a human that hadn't made sense to her would now become second nature to her. She was a wolf now and this was her family.
Lucy's eyes flickered up as a female came over to them but she was in her wolf form. She was large, like all the wolves though where Rain was over seven foot in his wolf form and the other males at least six, the female only four or five. But her size didn't make her any less intimidating as her muscles and sharp claws more than made up for it.
Her amber eyes were large, her fur different shades of brown though lighter around her muzzle. Rain focused down on her, coming to a stop and watched as the wolf dipped her head. Rain returned the gesture and Lucy stopped slightly behind him, watching the exchange though she saw the warmth in Rain's gaze as he said, "Luna." But it wasn't spoken, but growled in the language of the wolves as he reached down and ran a hand through her fur. The touch caused the wolf to shiver, savouring the warmth from her Alpha.
"You have been missed, Rain," Lucy stared at the wolf as she realised she understood the growls coming from her muzzle, not even having to think to translate it at all. Rain snorted at her words though in amusement as he looked around at his pack.
"Only because I took their mates away."
"You are too harsh on yourself," Luna responded though Lucy could feel the amusement in her tone.
"That or realistic," he smirked though added. "I hope you've been keeping well without your brother," something flickered behind the wolf's gaze but she replied with a careful tone this time.
"Us females have been coping just fine."
Rain studied her for a moment but Lucy could tell something wasn't being said, that there was a history here that neither of them were going to openly discuss. She nibbled her bottom lip but blinked as Rain looked to her then, "Lucy, this is Luna an old friend of mine."
Lucy's amber eyes went to the wolf who studied her though she was careful not to look Lucy directly in the eye and from that alone Lucy could tell she was submissive in nature, "hi." Lucy spoke normally, unable to latch onto the language of the wolves just yet.
"Hello," Luna responded carefully though she soon looked back to Rain. "The pack is happy to be reunited, Rain…but…"
"I know," Rain sighed, nodding at Luna. "I am going to talk to them all tomorrow…but I'm going to give them tonight together before they corner me." Luna smiled slightly and bowed her head once more.
"Then I shall leave you," the brown wolf turned and trotted off then and Lucy watched her go. She stepped up next to Rain then, glancing around before focusing on him.
"How much trouble are you in?"
Rain sighed and then glanced to Lucy. He studied her for a long moment before deciding to answer honestly, "Unless I think of a plan between now and tomorrow about how we're going to rise against the vampires without Frost…a lot."
Lucy frowned at his words but it began to dawn on her then that Rain hadn't only turned against Frost for her, but he had risked his pack, the people he considered his family, turning on him as well – he had sacrificed their revenge for her and although they understood love, could they ever understand that he had chosen his own needs over theirs?