Love, Be-Were! Ch. 02

Without another thought, he started moving toward the door. Not wasting the time to shift back and gather clothes, he moved swiftly down the hallway to the stairs. Quick strides took him to the bottom floor and out the front door. As he stood looking up at the night sky for just a brief moment, his eyes darkened as his mind was pierced by another gut-wrenching scream. The powerful muscles in his legs rippled as he covered the distance, striding with purpose to the open area in front of his home.

A kitten, a Were-rabbit child, was reaching out to him; trapped, alone, terrified and defenseless. As Alpha of a colony that had unwittingly just claimed an orphaned boy, his Were-rabbit soul demanded that he answer that call.

As he reached the center of the drive, Rhochlan slammed his foot down on the ground. Five hard, quick stamps on the packed earth, and then he began to move towards the neighboring woods. As his steps drew him away from the compound, he heard the telltale signs of his colony mobilizing around him. The sounds of shifting Weres filled the night air as the shadowy forms of his companions fell into formation at his back.

They didn't complain, they didn't question, and they didn't stall. One by one, each shifted Were filed out of the homes in the Warren and followed the tall figure into the forest. Each of them could feel his urgency; feel the pain radiating from him, although none of them knew the cause. They didn't have to understand. The only thing they knew, the only thing they cared about, was keeping him safe.

Their Alpha was on the move.

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Parking in front of the orphanage, Nyrra was opening her car door before the car even stopped rolling. Barely pausing to throw the transmission into park and grab her keys from the ignition, she slammed the door shut and bolted up the concrete steps leading up to the building. Hurrying through the door, she didn't take the time to secure the latch behind her; she was distracted by a loud wail coming from Rye's room, her steps breaking into a sprint as she was pulled toward the child.

When she entered the room, she almost ran into the doctor's back. Elbowing gently past him, the sight that met her eyes forced her throat to constrict as she fought back tears. Ignoring the nurse that sat gingerly on the edge of the child's bed, Nyrra had eyes only for Rye. The boy was huddled as far back into the corner of his bed as he could get, his hands spread out in front of him with a horrified expression on his face.

His fingers were clean, but the way he was looking at them led her to believe they were covered with something only his little eyes could see. A high pitched keening sound was issuing from his throat, and every time the nurse reached toward him, his body would jerk as though he'd been wounded. The misery on his face was plain to see, and the obvious helplessness radiating from the other two adults was only adding to Rye's tension. Her voice was soft, but firm, when at last she spoke.

"Leave us."

The doctor opened his mouth as if to argue, but realized that if he hadn't been able to reach the child in the last thirty minutes, the likelihood of him doing so was negligible. Motioning for the nurse to join him, he backed slowly from the room. He hoped that Nyrra would be more successful, and murmured his support to her in soft tones. He filed out into the hallway, and headed to his office; his heart was heavy as he wished he'd been able to do more to help the stricken boy.

Nyrra moved with care, silent steps leading her to Rye's side. She stood looking down on him for a brief moment, before taking her jacket off and tossing it into the nearby chair. She sat down on the edge of his bed, and just started talking to him. He didn't seem to respond to what she was saying, but she did notice that the sound of her voice seemed to soothe him some. She kept murmuring to him how she wished she could take away his pain, and didn't notice the tear that slipped down her cheek.

Rye's whimpers began to subside, and his breathing began to slow as if he was coming out of his trance. She leaned toward him, caution guiding her movements. She stretched out her hand, gently brushing her fingers across his tiny palms. She couldn't help biting her lip in frustration as the boy began that high pitched wail again. He sounded like a trapped animal, lost and alone, and she was utterly clueless on how to help him find his way.

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They moved through the darkness, silent shadows melting from one tree to another. No communication was necessary as they closed in on their destination, each of them in perfect tune with the movements of the next. Filtering through the forest surrounding the children's home, the Were-rabbit march slowed as their Alpha came to a halt.

Tilting his head sideways, Rhochlan observed the towering brick façade. He knew he'd have to shift back to his human form to make his final approach, but he wanted to glean as much information as possible from his enhanced hybrid senses. He felt the uncomfortable rustle move through the other rabbits as the sound of the child's cry carried on the quiet night air, his distress transmitting to them through their common bond.

The aged mortar was crumbling in places and the shutters were worn, but the windows seemed to be clean and well-kept. His eyes roamed over the landscaped entrance, noting the care that was taken in its preservation. Bold bronzed letters stood out in sharp relief against the bricks as he noticed the name of the orphanage: In Heaven's Hands Child Sanctuary. Below, he could just make out the motto "Protegi Alis Angeli," a Latin phrase which roughly translated to "protected by the wings of angels." He wondered, for a moment, if the children inside its walls were treated as such.

His body stiffened as the breeze carried a familiar smell to him. He closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply as the sweet scent of clover danced along his whiskers; he wasn't surprised that the kit's distress had drawn her there. An image of exquisite features and honeyed eyes conjured behind his lids before they fluttered open again, and looked straight at the door left ajar. Feeling his heart lift, the Were-rabbit Alpha whispered an ancient rabbit proverb in the minds of his brethren as he shifted back to human form.

"Where the heart leads, a path will fate provide."

Feeling the presence of his second in command at his shoulder, Rhochlan glanced at the seasoned Were. Rathe's unflinching stare helped to soothe the lingering turmoil he was feeling as he took the proffered stack of folded clothing. He smiled internally, grateful that his beta's cool head prevailed when his boss acted like a wild hare. The man's quick thinking had saved him from embarrassment and conjecture more than once, and he acknowledged it this time with a slight incline of his head.

The speed with which he dressed might have been comical if the situation wasn't so dire. Instructing his colony to remain hidden within the tree line, the Alpha strode across the parking lot. He reached the open door within seconds, easing it further open as he slid his body through the entrance without a sound. Crouching inside as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he took a moment to orient himself. He could hear two voices, a man and a woman, behind the closed door to his right. Dismissing them, he reached out with his other senses; immediately, he felt the distress emanating from further down the hall, and moved in that direction.

Slowing his pace as he neared the entrance to Rye's room, he peered around the corner. He could see Nyrra's tense form as she cradled the boy's hands in her own, though her face was hidden by unruly waves of dark hair. He could hear her voice, soft and smooth as she murmured reassurance to the child; she talked to him as if he was a wild thing, cajoling him with the rhythmic cadence of her words. Loathe to disturb the pair, but realizing it was a necessity, he knocked softly on the door's frame.

Although startled by the interruption, Nyrra managed to keep her tone from changing as she continued to speak softly. Turning her head, her tear-filled eyes widened in shock as she recognized the looming figure in the doorway as the man that had rescued Rye from the woods. Her body stiffened as alarm from his unexpected appearance bolted through her, instinctively making her change the angle of her body to separate him from the boy.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in here?!"

Rhochlan couldn't help but admire the flashing fire in her eyes as she reacted to the perceived threat. Holding his hands up in front of him, he met her accusatory gaze with the intensity of his own, allowing his rabbit to come forward just enough to further enhance his senses. He could hear Rye's breathing escalate, and knew the boy was aware of the sudden change in the atmosphere of the room. His brows drew together in concern as he faced down the protective woman in front of him.

Nyrra tried to ignore the magnetic pull of the eyes boring into hers as she stood her ground. She saw the frown that marred his handsome features as he reached behind him and slowly closed the door. She tried not to flinch as his long fingers clicked the lock into place, but failed. She braced herself as he moved toward her, his long legs covering the small room in but a few steps.

She was not expecting, however, for him to crouch down in front of her and lift his earnest face towards her own...nor was she expecting the blood to begin sizzling through her veins at the close proximity to him. Her breath caught in her throat as his eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, pulsing with a power that was almost tangible. When he spoke, the deep timbre of his voice washed over her frayed nerves like a balm, even though her heart began to race.

"I'm here because a child's mind is in danger. I am drawn to this place because his entire being is screaming out for help, and my heart heard his call. I'm in this room because fate delivered you to him in his hour of need, and you left the door open for me."

His eyes began to glow with a fierce inner light, and rather than being frightened, she felt strangely drawn to their swirling depths. She felt another tear slide down her face as Rye whimpered listlessly behind her, his little voice weak after the screams had stripped his throat raw. How could this stranger possibly think he could help? How was it conceivable that he, after knowing the child for less than twenty-four hours, could help the boy more than she could after being privy to his pain for two years?

Hearing the boy move, she glanced back at him. His little blue eyes were trained on the man, and she saw something she'd swear was a glimmer of recognition flicker in them briefly. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, Nyrra resolved that she would protect Rye in whatever capacity she could; even if that meant swallowing her pride and fighting her instincts. If there was even a slim chance that this stranger could bring Rye back from the dark place he was in, then she would accede that right to him.

"What do you intend to do?"

She felt herself shrink against the bed frame as he rose to his full height and towered above her. She was surprised when he held his hand out to her and inquired softly if she was sure she wanted to know. Nodding slowly, although she still doubted the wisdom of her choice, she slipped her hand in his as he tugged on her fingers, pulling her to her feet. She gasped as she stumbled and pressed her hand against his chest for balance. His body was hot to the touch, searing her palm as surely as the intensity in his eyes was searing her soul.

Rhochlan felt the pressure in his mind as his entire colony began to hum softly. In the Were-rabbit tradition of showing support, he could feel as they began channeling their collective strength into their Alpha; he felt a shroud of calm settle around his shoulders, a stoic strength flowing throughout his system as his gaze bore into her own.

He knew after tonight that there would be no turning back. Their secret would be revealed to the exquisite creature trembling in front of him, and their futures would be inescapably intertwined. She would experience horror, despair, and pain like nothing she'd ever dreamt of before in their quest to save the boy. If her faith and love for the child was strong enough, Rye would cower no longer, though his wounds would take time to heal.

An echo of the generations of Alphas preceding him laced his words with power as he responded.

"I intend to set him free."

To Be Continued...

~~~ Special "Thanks" going out to my Angel_N_Disguise for her editing expertise. ~~~