Cernunnos - 12. Chapter 12

“Welcome to Alpha Claude’s manor.”

A...a manor? This place...is a home? It’s too big to be a home! If a home could be a forest, this would be it! Cyn couldn’t stop gawking at the structure. He had never seen such a sight, and was baffled at how it could have been built.

The manor was a three story tudor-style estate with the plenty of brick and dark wood trimmings elegantly decorating the exterior. With the roof being steep, the building was given a more orderly and menacing statute. The windows across the upper right side of the house were large, but inviting, especially as the sun was beginning its rise.

Cyn looked off to the sides and around the hidden property. Very low hedges were professionally trimmed with fierce-looking statues of lying wolves were placed at both sides of the front entrance. The door captured Cyn’s attention, as it was wider than any human door he had ever seen. The buck’s ears flickered as he heard the sound of rushing water. Is there water nearby? A creek, maybe a small river bed?

Shea watched as the cernunnos took in the sights. Yeah, I don’t blame him. The Alpha’s house is humongous! Damn near shit myself when I first saw the place. The lycan opened his door and calmly closed it as he moved to the other side. Opening the passenger, Shea offered Cyn his hand and the gesture was taken. Still awestruck by the manor, Cyn let the wolf guide him.

Jaime waited by the front door to the manor for the two shifters and texted his mate that they had arrived at the Alpha’s. My shift is almost up, so it’s best to let Kara know where to go in case she wakes up cranky. The small wolf nearly jumped out of his skin when the door behind him opened, causing all three of the shifters to turn their attention.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here so soon.” Arric stood in a pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt. Shea swallowed, realizing his mistake. Whoops! Forgot to text him we were on the way. Please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me! “That’s alright.” The Alpha noticed that the cernunnos was practically shaking himself to death. “Cyn. I’m certain that one of these two told you who I am?”

“Y...Yes, sir.” The words barely escaped his lips, and no matter how tightly Shea held him, the fear of the taller lycan in the doorway wouldn’t settle down.

“Then it should calm you to know that you are an esteemed guest in my lands. Please, I urge you to push your fears to the side. Come on in, you three. Cyn, you are to make yourself comfortable.”

Jaime bent his neck to the leader before speaking, “Alpha Claude? Would you rather me watch the door?”

“No, I already have three of the hunting team members guarding the woods. I cleared them of having anything to do with Eike, so they will suffice. Jaime, I’d rather have you inside watching over Cyn.” Understanding his orders, Jaime walked in behind Shea and Cyn as the two followed Arric. The buck was still absolutely terrified of the larger shifter, but he did his best to abide by the suggested orders. Okay...calm down. He wants me to calm down. How am I expected to do that when he’s an Alpha?

“Hey, little man.” The whispered words in his ear shut out the crazed thoughts. Cyn saw Sheamus smiling at him as he felt the lycan interlock their fingers. “Arric isn’t a bad guy. He just so happens to look like one.” Shea saw his Alpha’s head twitch from his peripheral vision, but knew the comment would be slid under a rug. “He’s making sure you stay safe. Once you get to know him, he can be a real fun guy.”

“A fun guy, huh?” The commander swallowed all moisture in his mouth, knowing that his Alpha was standing right behind him. I keep forgetting that he’s sneakier than I am! Turning slowly, he noticed that Arric had a cheap and cheeky grin, but had eyes fixated on the slightly smaller lycan that could cut like daggers. “I suppose I’m fun every now and again, but that side doesn’t come out very often.” Losing the sharp eyes, Arric kept his smile as he pivoted to face Cyn, “Shea is right though, little fawn. There is no reason to fear me. You are here under my protection since this is the only place where Eike will not harm you.”

Cyn watched and trembled slightly when Arric stepped forward, only to drop himself into a seated position. Just...just like he did in the hospital! “I do not offer hospitality in my home for anyone, but you are considered a welcome guest, not only in my home, but also throughout my pack.” The statement shook the buck down to his bones, but his gasp was cut off, “My staff will tend to your every need, and we will get you outfitted with some new clothes. I know being around lycan is intimidating, but as its leader, my pack has strictly obeyed the new law protecting non-predatorial shifters. Although my Enforcer and a few others have disobeyed this order, you are considered safe here.”

The cernunnos let the words soak in. No longer shaking, Cyn felt tears welling up, but didn’t want to show the strong man in front of him his sign of weakness. This...this wolf. He is protecting me. This is...this goes against everything I know! “S...sir?”

“Arric. You will call me Arric, young cern.”

Hearing the harsh voice turn gentle pulled the final string for Cyn’s waterworks. He raised his arm to wipe away his tears. “Thank you...Arric.”

The Alpha rose from the floor and stretched out his arm, offering for the buck to shake his hand, “You are welcome, and I must thank you. You are much stronger than you seem, even if you don’t believe it. To survive an attack, only to persevere to walk among the kind that struck out at you mere days later. There are some Alpha leaders in this world that can’t handle what you are doing.”

Both Shea and Cyn’s mouths were unhinged at the statement. Cyn wasn't able to fathom Arric's statement as he lifted his arm to meet the Alpha's. I...he...what? What does he mean by that? I was told by my birth cern that Alpha shifters were the strongest of all beings! How...can I be doing something they can't?

His thoughts were cut short as a large and warm hand was placed around his hip. The cernunnos knew from the touch it belonged to Sheamus. Cyn looked between Shea’s sincere stare and Arric’s puzzled one. A cough from the Alpha brought the deer’s full attention back to him, “If you don’t mind me asking, are you two...a thing?”

A thing? What is he talking about? Craning his neck again to get an indication from his bodyguard, he noticed Shea’s cheeks were burning. He’s...embarrassed? Why is he embarra...oh! Recalling Shea’s description of how the lycan tend to mate with long and drawn out conversations, Cyn understood Arric’s question. “Sir? Do you mean dating? Yes, I think we are.”

If Shea’s body could collapse to the floor from second-hand awkwardness, the lycan would be a puddle. The wolf was frozen as he watched the buck offer a thin smile and his Alpha giving a cheeky smirk. He...just announced that! Holy shit! I...I don’t think he knows the weight of the word dating. “Well, that’s good!” Arric’s boisterous statement caused Shea to drop his thoughts, as well as his jaw. “I think it’s good for both of you. High time you get a boyfriend, Farren.”

Arric’s smirk settled into a genuine smile. This...is damn-near perfect in several aspects! A lycan and cernunnos coupling will strengthen the governing laws across our pack and the nation. If I am making an accurate assumption, hopefully this will also help invite the cernunnos into civilized society, or at least create an interest for them to come to the political tables. But those are some projects for a later time. For now, these two could use some food and rest. “My cooking staff will be here in an hour, so start thinking of what you’d like for breakfast. I’m heading back to bed for a few hours.” As the typical brooding grimace reappeared on his face, Arric sniffed the air and tweaked his nostrils, “You two might want to consider a shower first. I can smell the hospital on your clothes. Farren, you and Cyn can take the two guest rooms on the second floor.”

The two watched the Alpha disappear down a dark hallway. Shea let out a small sigh as he clutched his backpack, “C’mon, Cyn. Let’s get the hospital stink off us. I’ll let you take the first shower.” Leading the way, the lycan started to climb the stairs with the buck slowly following behind. Shea had been in the Alpha’s house before, but he never explored the second story. Which are the bedrooms? Opening several doors, he found them, along with the bathroom, which was located between the two rooms.

Shea gently pushed on a door to one of the bedrooms. “Want to take this one?” He noticed Cyn’s muscles shaking ever so slightly. Can’t say I blame him. I’m terrified of staying in the same building as Arric. Who knows what’s going on in that head of his. “Hey, Cyn? What’s on your mind?”

“I’m...I guess I’m not used to all of this.”

“What do you mean?”

Cyn looked around the room, noting the bed and several wooden furniture pieces. “This. I’m...I’m used to living in a forest.”

Oh. That’s something to get used to. The lycan took a second to quickly realize that humanity is not the deer’s strong suit. “When was the last time you slept in an actual bed? I’m not counting the hospital one, that’s just hard plastic.” Seeing a blank stare on the cernunnos forced Shea to scrunch his face. He’s...never. Never slept in a bed? Damn, kid. Nomadic life seems peaceful and all, but I’ll be damned if I sleep outside every day. “Well, I guess you’re going to be getting a crash course in humanity and its luxuries. C’mere. Sit on the bed with me.”

Cyn watched the larger man walk past him and sit on the edge of the bed. The buck followed and as he sat on the bed, he felt his rear melt into the bouncy material. Shivers of pleasure trickled across his back and into his limbs, giving Cyn a serious case of goosebumps. “Oh...oh wow. What is this stuff?”

“It’s a mattress, and from what I feel, a very nice one. I hope mine feels just as nice.”

“Yours?” Shea gets his own? But...that’s not smart.

“Yeah, I got my own room a few doors down. Does...does that bother you?”

Cyn nodded, “It’s not smart to split off.”

What is this guy talking about? “You lost me.”

“The herd is never to split away. That’s...that’s how you die.”

Shea’s mind was smacked, and hard! Herd mentality! Ronnet and Jaime were telling me about this at the hospital. The cernunnos race is super into their animal’s mentality of survival! I just wasn’t expecting it to take part in the human half’s intelligence. “You do know we are safe here, right? Nothing will happen.”

The buck grimaced and let his eyes dart between his knees, “But...you should always be ready.”

“I don’t think you were a part of the Boy Scouts, but you are partially right. It’s smart to be ready at all times, but if you do that, you'll never enjoy life. What’s your favorite thing to do?”

Cyn wanted to ponder, but he kept circling back to the same answer, “Running.”

“Running? Like, in your deer form, or human?”

“Either, but I prefer to run with my hooves. It just...feels so free.” The deer gripped the edge of the bed as he remembered his last peaceful run. Wind rushing past his face, dodging trees, and feeling his own heart beat in the excitement.

“Well, you do know that humans like to run too, right?” The question nabbed Cyn’s attention and Shea quickly dived in the topic, “They like to run, especially in competition. There’s these things called Olympics where the best athletes from every country come together to compete. Running is one of the biggest sports, and there are some fast people out there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Let me pull up a video.” Shea grabbed his phone from his jacket pocket and pulled up a video from the last Olympics. “See?”

Cyn watched on the strange black block as several people were lined up. He heard an unintelligible phrase, causing the bodies to change their stance. A loud bang shot through the device and Cyn inhaled sharply as the humans ran. They’re running! Are...are they seeing who is the fastest? A man caught the deer’s eyes. Him. His gait is longer. He will be the fastest. Cyn fixated on the man with the green and yellow clothing with intensity. Watching, the man ran past several of the other competitors and Cyn’s body tightened with excitement. He is fast! Faster than me! I...I want to be fast like him! The noise from the crowd as the race concluded captivated the young buck. “Who is that?”

“That’s a guy from Jamaica named Usain Bolt. During that Olympic game, he broke the world record for the fastest one hundred meter sprint.” Cyn’s mouth was agape, but asked for the video to be played again. Handing the phone to the buck, Shea showed him how to play the video and let Cyn be left in wonder. So...running, huh? Looks like I picked up a new hobby. After watching the clip for three more times, Cyn’s face was beaming! “Think you can beat him?”

Shaking his head, the buck almost wanted to watch it again, “Not with my feet, but I can beat him as a deer. I don’t think that would be fair though.”

Shea laughed and innately wrapped his arm around Cyn’s side, pulling the two together, “No, it wouldn’t, but I’d like to see you run sometime. The pack secretly sponsors a marathon twice a year for charity in the city. Once you get comfortable being around other shifters, I think you’d win the race.”

Cyn stared at the big man and blinked several times at him. “You...your pack would let me run in the race?”

“Of course. Arric just said you’re our guest, so I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to.”

The buck’s heart fluttered at both the new concept of competition and the encouragement. It sounds like it would be fun! Sheamus says I can win. I...I would be the fastest. Scrunching his eyelids shut, he tapped his feet on the ground in pure excitement. I can be like the fast man in the race!

“I want to. I want to run!”