I was fast asleep, and then suddenly I was wide awake.  I sat bold upright and looked around me in a panic.  It took me a minute to figure out what had woken me up.  The TV was still playing a movie, it looks like Rufus was on to The Two Towers, the alpha was asleep at the other end of the couch, but something was still off, then I looked behind the couch towards the kitchen, and saw a figure standing in the doorway looking at me with a guilty look. 

“Sorry to wake you up,” the stranger said in a hushed voice. “I’m Carson, the beta of this pack.  I just came to check on you and Rufus, since I hadn’t heard from him in a while.  How are you feeling? No offence, but you look pretty terrible.  Ru told me how he found you, I’m sorry to hear about that by the way, but I can tell you that you are safe now and that no one in this pack with hurt you.”

Looking at the man again, I decided to that he looked trustworthy enough, and since he was the second to Rufus, that must mean that Rufus trusts him.  That made me realize that some how in the few hours I had been awake, the alpha had gained my trust enough to trust his judgement in companions.  “I’m Felix.  I am feeling a bit better than I was before, but I’m not that surprised that I look terrible, I was essentially starved and drugged into oblivion for the past 24 days.”

The look of shock, pity and anger that flashed across Carson’s face with that last statement was so comical that I let out a small chuckle.  “Oh, you poor thing, please tell me that Ru got you some food.  If not, I will have to kill him.  Here let me make you some hot chocolate.” He was about to grab my arm when I flinched back, and a growl came from the now awake alpha wolf behind me.  I saw an arm snake around me protectively, but he managed to not touch me, just shield me from his very surprised beta. 

“Don’t touch him.” The very deep and sleepy voice from just behind my ear made be flinch a little, but it was also comforting knowing how protective he was of me over his own beta. 

“I am very sorry, I didn’t know. I promise it won’t happen again. I really didn’t mean any harm by it, I guess I just got a little too overexcited” The nervous beta said. 

“I’m sorry too, I know you weren’t going to hurt me, but I guess that it is just habit at this point.  I haven’t had much contact with others in a while before this whole kidnapping and auction debacle.  I just need to get used to people again,” I said letting out a soothing purr. 

“You don’t need to apologize to him. He was in the wrong and should know better than trying to just grab someone who doesn’t know him, especially if they have just been though a traumatic experience.” I could hear the irritation in the Rufus’ voice, which is a little confusing, but it also makes me slightly happy.  Though, I did not want to be the source of them fighting, so I purred just a little louder, and decided to lay back against Rufus’ chest to comfort and calm him down a little.  I must have surprised him a bit because he shied back at first, but before I could pull away, his arm tightened around my middle and his chin settled on my shoulder, right next to the scent gland in the neck.  I didn’t realize how much I missed the comfort of touch until I was laying in against his chest in his arms.  I was woken from my reverie when a throat cleared.  I looked up to see Carson staring at us with a surprised and amused look on his face.  “So, hot chocolate anyone?”

“Yes please!” I heard a grunt of agreement from the man behind me.  After getting an answer from both of us, Carson quickly walked back to the kitchen, leaving Rufus and I alone to our snuggle time.  “It seems weird that I feel so comfortable in your arms.  I mean, I have known you for less than 2 days, and already I feel safer with you than I would with any of the other cats that I grew up with.  I just can’t help but wonder what makes you so different.”

“I am glad that you can feel safe with me.  I was worried that, because I am wolf shifter, you would feel uncomfortable around me.  I love the feeling of you in my arms.  You are perhaps a little too skinny at this point, but I love how small and delicate you feel.  It makes me want to always carry you around just to ensure that nothing bad ever happens to you again.  While that might be taking it to a bit of an extreme, I do want you to know that I will protect you for as long as you let me.”

“Speaking of skinny,” I say quickly to change the subject before the blush already covering my face spreads even further, “Do you perhaps have a pack doctor that I could talk to? I am worried that the prolonged sedation might have some adverse reactions, and I would rather know about those ahead of time if at all possible.  I already suspect that migraines and headaches will be an issue, because I have a headache right now.”

“Oh yes!  I should have thought of that before.  I can take you to see him now if you would like.  He has delt with all of the other shifters that have been saved from the auction, so he would most likely know what to expect and have a good treatment plan for you.”

I couldn’t help but smile a little at how eager Rufus was to help.  He was being so nice without even knowing pretty much anything about me.  It was a nice change from what I have become used to.  “Sure, we can go.  But I think Carson will be sad if we don’t drink his hot chocolate, so maybe we can drink that first?”

“If you want the hot chocolate just say so,” he says with a chuckle, “you don’t have to drink it on account of not  wanting to hurting Carson’s feelings.  Sometimes I think he is still a puppy with how easily gets excited about the littlest things.  You wouldn’t believe that he is one of the best warriors, and a great pack beta.” 

I carefully get to my feet and start making my way to the kitchen.  I am happy to discover that I am a little more stable than I was before.  I am sure most of that has to do with the food that I have in my stomach.  Once in the kitchen, Rufus and I can see that Carson has three mugs lined up on the counter with some hot chocolate powder in the bottom of each, and said beta is carefully stirring milk in the stove to warm it up.  I reclaim the seat that I was in before, and like before, Rufus sits down next to me.  Carson pours in the hot milk and stirs up the cocoa.  Before handing me the mug, he takes a handful of mini marshmallows that he had on the counter and dumps them on top making a little mound.  Then he carefully passes me the nearly overflowing mug of warmth and sugar. I gleefully take lick off the top couple of marshmallows and start purring in delight as the sugar hits my tongue.

“So, Felix where are you from?” Carson asks with a hesitant glance at me.  I can tell that he doesn’t want to scare me again after the earlier misunderstanding. 

“Not from around here I think, though I don’t know where exactly here is.  I have been living in Feline Springs in northern Idaho for the past 4 years, though I am not originally from there.”

“Oh wow, you are a ways from home seeing as you are now in northern California.  I would be interested in hearing your full story some time once you are feeling better.  I heard that cat shifters don’t really like leaving their birth community unless it’s to be with a mate, and it doesn’t look to me like you are mated.”  After seeing the rising panic on my face, he quickly added, “Of course there is no pressure to do so, I am just an overly curious and nosey wolf.  You can ignore me.  So, how old are you?”

I thought it was both funny and considerate how he is trying to not step on my toes and quickly changed the subject when I was getting uncomfortable.  “I will be 22 in a couple of weeks.  My birthday is the 25th of June.” Turning to Rufus I ask, “How old are you? I thought pack alphas were always supposed to be older wolves, but you look to be about the same age as me.”

“I am actually 25.  You are right that normally the position of alpha isn’t passed on until the successor is at least 30, but my parents died when I was 21, so I had no choice but to take charge.”

“Oh, my goodness, I am sorry about your parents.  I hope my question didn’t bring up any painful memories.  This is why I usually am just by myself, so others do not have to deal with my poor excuse for communication skills.  I am just going to shut up and drink my hot chocolate.” I rambled while I stare intently into my cocoa to hide my flush. 

“Hush kitten, you’re fine.  I have had a lot of time to deal with the passing of my parents, so it’s not as painful.  Also, don’t talk negatively about yourself, you are doing great. You have had it rough this past month, so you don’t need to be piling the guilt and negative self-talk onto everything else.” Rufus says to me with a bit of a chastising tone.

I just look towards him with a quick nod of my head and settle myself with finishing my hot chocolate.  I was starting to not feel so good; my headache was pounding away in my skull, and I was starting to feel flushed like I was running a mild fever.  Despite all of that, every time I look towards Rufus I feel a warm, tingling feeling in the pit of my stomach that I just don’t know how to properly describe, but I am quite certain that I am starting to like it.