Cernunnos - 18. Chapter 18

All eyes were on Arric. The Alpha noticed that his Beta held an approving gaze, the commander seemed shocked, and the deer remained terrified. “Farren, you seem disturbed.”

Snapping out of his fazed thoughts, Shea shook his head, “No, sir! I’m just...you’re coming on the mission?”

“Yes, it’s been a while since I stretched my legs. Don’t let my presence hinder your leadership. I’ll just be along for the ride as back-up.” Turning to Walter, Arric smirked, “Can you hold the fort down?”

A proud harrumph blasted through Walter’s throat, “Of course! Squashing rumors and acting in your stead is a common part of my job. An excellent decision, Arric! I can help by getting some APB's out on Eike, Marric, and Hauser, along with their registered vehicles if they've decided to go that route. That'll give us a start." The older lycan turned to the cernunnos in slight concern, "Cyn, are you okay with all of this?”

Shaking like a leaf, Cyn closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. Arric is coming along. I...I can handle this! He’s just another friendly wolf and he is there to help me. Opening his eyes, Cyn still felt his nervous system acting haywire. “Y-yes. It will just take some getting used to.”

“I’m impressed, little fawn.” Arric leaned back on the refrigerator again and maintained eye contact with the cernunnos, “It’s one thing to conquer your most feared enemy, but to look their leader in the eye and combat that as well. You are becoming braver than I thought!” Returning his attention to the commander, the Alpha got down to business, “Are we leaving now? Eike’s trail is becoming cold and we need to act fast.”

“Yes, Alpha!” Shea’s face turned cold with determination.

“Now, now. Don’t let me lead the mission. This is yours. I’m merely acting as the bodyguard in the group. If you want to wait, we will wait.”

Wow! Arric really is just being Cyn’s guard! But he is right, we can’t dawdle any longer. If we wait any longer than a day, we’ll lose his scent. “No, we need to go now. Kara!” The red-haired bodyguard came in from the front door and entered the kitchen. “We will drive to Kettle and follow Eike's scent there. They're on the run. We just need to find out if they drove off, or if they are hiding out in the woods somewhere. Clear?”

“Clear!” Kara and Arric stated their approvals, but Cyn remained quiet. He subtly nodded as a warm and bold sensation began to build in his chest.

What...what is that? I feel like I should start running. No, not away. Towards! Running towards the goal? Yeah, that feels right. A meager smile rose to his lips and reached for Shea’s hand. “I’m ready.”

Gripping the small hand, Shea gave the deer a loving smile, “Good. Kara, call Jaime and tell him to wake up. You and Arric will pick him up and meet us at the lot near Armstrong. It’s the area closest to where Eike struck.” The commander kept his determined mask on as he turned to ask Arric a question, “Alpha, what’s your recommendation for handling the tracking team, should we run into them?”

“Ignore them. We are the real tracking team and we can’t be bothered by misleading information. You know the scene and we will follow the trail from there. If someone persists, I’ll tell them to back off.” He raised a good question. If one of the tracking team does pester us, I’ll be sure to question them later. They might have sided with Eike.

“Alright, let’s move out. Cyn, you’re with me.” Cyn blinked rapidly but followed the order. Leaving the manor, Cyn entered Shea’s car and watched as they drove off. “Cyn?” Hearing his name, the deer gave the wolf his undivided attention. “I just want to let you know how awesome you are! It must have taken some serious balls to handle my wolf. It...it really meant a lot when you pet me.”

Recalling the soft furs his fingers combed through, Cyn bashfully smiled. “It was a lot to deal with. I…” Taking a deep breath, he tried to put his feelings into words, “I never thought I could do that, or do any of this! To...to be friends with a wolf seems like something I should never do.” The buck saw Shea’s eyebrows droop as the wolf drove. “Sheamus? I’m really glad I met you.”

The statement perked the lycan up. Shea moved his arm to Cyn’s side of the cabin and rested his hand on the buck’s knee, “I’m glad to have met you, little man. At the time, I didn’t realize I was saving a future friend back in the forest, let alone a cute boyfriend.” He caught Cyn shifting in his seat and smelled the blood rushing to his face. Yeah, he’s adorable! I still can’t get over him being comfortable around me as a wolf! Riding the waves of joyful glee, Shea focused on the road.

Cyn’s attention was focused on the hand pressed to his knee. It’s so warm and big! He laid his hand on top of it, interlocking the fingers. The hands remained in place for a while but Shea withdrew his hand, only to place his over Cyn’s. Feeling euphoric, the buck closed his eyes and relished in the warmth.

***

“Cyn, we’re here.” The buck sleepily opened his eyes. He quickly noticed that the car was silent. After looking through both the windshield and the window to his right, he noticed that he was in a small wooded area. “Wakey wakey. Arric and the Turbins will be here shortly. C’mon, let’s step out for a bit.”

Shea opened his car door and felt the breeze. It’s getting warmer. Good, I’ve had enough with this snow! Makes my job a living hell! As he closed his door, Cyn’s opened. The wolf circled around his vehicle and sought to be closer to the smaller shifter. He wrapped his arm around the deer’s waist and pulled the body closer. “Did you get a good nap in?”

Rubbing his eyes, Cyn gave an affirmative hum. “How long did I sleep for?”

“Just for fifteen minutes. I know you haven’t had a good sleep for a while, but if we make good progress today, we can get some real sleep tonight.” With the spoken promise heard, the deer leaned his head against the lycan. Shea could only look down in a blissful stupor. It just feels so right to have him in my arms. I’m...I’m really falling for this little guy, aren’t I? He lifted a finger to Cyn’s chin, causing the buck to look up. Those eyes, that smile...he’s so innocent. The wolf barely recognized his own movements as he dipped his head down. “I like you, Cyn. I really do. It may have been risky to bring you along, but I’m glad you came.”

“I’m...me too.”

The whispered words melted the wolf’s heart. Holding the man tighter, he wanted to solidify his relationship to the cernunnos, “Hey, Cyn? I know we talked about it back at the hospital, and you mentioned it in front of Arric. I want to take a small step in our relationship, if that’s alright with you.”

A step? “I don’t really know how dating works, Sheamus.”

“I know, but it’s important for me to ask you. We haven’t had the chance to go out on an official date, and I’m not sure when that will be possible. Until then, I’d...I’d like to be your boyfriend.”

Cyn felt the weight of the word despite not fully understanding the proper meaning. This must be very important to him. I can smell the nervousness pouring off of him! He said a boyfriend is somewhat similar to a mate, just not as intense. After scowling in thought for several moments, the buck brought his eyes to the lycan’s, “Okay, but can I be your...boyfriend too?”

Shea wanted to chuckle at the deer’s warped thinking, but he was grinning too hard, “Of course you can! You do know what it means to be a boyfriend, right?”

“Kind of. It’s like being a mate, but not being mated.”

“Well, that’s one way of putting it. It’s the first major step in dating. Being someone’s boyfriend is a sign of committed interest. As your boyfriend, I’ll have eyes for you and you alone.”

Cyn’s brows furrowed in confusion, “This sounds a lot like mating.”

Loud laughter came out of Shea’s throat, almost startling the deer, “It kind of does! But it just gives us more time to discover what each one of us likes and dislikes. For example, I’ll be bringing you lots of acorns every now and again.”

Oh, I think I get it. There’s a lot of gift giving and learning! The buck looked at the taller man but as he began thinking, the deeper his brows fell. I don’t know much about Sheamus! I don’t know what he likes to eat or do! “I don’t think I’m being a good boyfriend, then.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I...I don’t know anything about you.”

“That makes two of us.” After receiving a curious glare, Shea chuckled, “All I know about you is that you like acorns and salads from the hospital. But that's what dating is for. It gives us time to learn about each other."

Knowing that Shea was also uninformed made Cyn feel more confident. He turned his head to the left as he heard something. "I think they're almost here."

Shea turned in the direction the deer was facing. I don't hear a thing. Can he really hear their car from here? After a few moments, the wolf heard the approaching car and turned back to Cyn. I guess so! His hearing is amazing! "I'm impressed, Cyn. You might be a better tracker than me!"

Seconds passed, and Kara's sedan parked beside Shea's. Arric got out from the passenger seat, followed by the Turbins. The Alpha approached and was mildly surprised to find that the deer was unphased by him. "You're getting used to us being around you, aren't you Cyn?"

Feeling slightly uneasy around the wolf, Cyn nodded and gripped Shea's hand. "I think so."

"There's no need to think, you are improving. That's good!" Bringing his attention to the commander, Arric waited for Shea's guidance.

Seeing the four shifters' gazes, Shea gave his orders, "Alright, we have a five man squad. I want Cyn and Kara at the front, and Arric will take the rear with me. Jaime will scout ahead by half a mile."

Kara nodded but couldn't help but smirk and chuckle, "Don't want Cyn with you? You must have gotten put in the doghouse before we got here."

"Nope," Shea folded his arms and shifted his weight onto one leg, "I want Cyn up front since he has the best senses out of everyone here. You're there with him since you know how to get to the site. We'll take a break after five hours and set up camp at midnight. Clear?"

"Yes, Commander." The trio and Arric confirmed the plan while Cyn remained silent. Shea and Jaime opened the trunks of their vehicles and pulled out three backpacks. Jaime began to strip his clothing and once he was naked, he started his transformation.

The buck kept still as an auburn-haired wolf strolled out from behind the car. I recognize that wolf! "Sheamus? He...he was one of the ones from those pictures you showed me."

"Yep! I showed you everyone's wolves in those photos back at the hospital. Hey, Kara? You mind carrying a pack?" She nodded as she stepped forward and took off her shirt.

She noticed her mate's tongue out and chuffed, "You aren't cute, Jay!" A low whimper came from Jaime, causing a nervous giggle from Cyn. "Commander? Three packs? Who's carrying the other two?"

"I'm carrying one, and I'll let Arric and Cyn decide who is carrying the other."

The Alpha looked at the deer and smiled, "How 'bout it, Cyn? Want to earn your keep?" Cyn was grateful for being included and nodded, "Then go ahead and shift so we can attach your bag. You too, Kara.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Kara took off her remaining clothes and began shifting. Sounds of bones crunching filled the quiet air. She dropped to her hands as her arms and legs changed lengths. A mixture of dark gray and silver fur protruded from her skin. When her transformation was through, her eyes were a deep hazel. The fur around her muzzle and eyes was an off-white being surrounded by the dark gray hairs across the rest of her body. As she paced over to Jaime, it was noticeable that Kara was a few inches taller than him.

Cyn watched in awe as the wolves interacted. I never...I never thought of lycans being so beautiful in their wolven forms! The deer flinched when Kara caught sight of him staring. She slowly approached him, but stopped midway and laid down. Snorting, she asked for Cyn to come closer at his own pace. Right. She...she wants me to get used to her. I’ll probably have to do that to Jaime and Arric as well. He remembered the outcome of touching Shea’s wolf and grew bold in his decision to walk up to Kara. As he touched her head and rubbed, he felt the soft hairs between his fingers.

“Holy shit…” The buck raised his head from the whispered words that were uttered by Shea. “Cyn, you...you just walked up to Kara like it was no big deal!”

“Give him some credit, Farren.” Arric gave the commander a hefty slap on the shoulder, along with a smirk, “He’s handling it just fine.”

“Right.” Shea brought a backpack over to Kara and began to attach it to her. She lifted her paws through the strap loops, and Shea quickly tightened the shoulder straps. He fastened the undercarriage belt and rose from his kneeling position, “Alright, you’re good. Cyn? You ready? How about you show everyone your fancy shifting ability?”

All eyes darted to Cyn. He started to panic from the sudden attention, but Shea quickly latched onto his hand and gave a gentle squeeze. Given the lycan’s boost of confidence, the deer smiled and released himself from the grip. He took off his jacket and shirt, letting the chilling air hit his chest. Oh, wow! It’s really cold out here! Frantically removing the rest of his clothes, Cyn couldn’t wait to have his deer’s coat. Standing naked he focused on his shift. He calmly slowed the reforming of his bones and muscles, making their changes completely silent. Cyn flicked his eyes open and saw Arric and Shea’s faces in complete shock while the two wolves were slack-jawed. Although the transformation was nearly painless, his antlers always presented him with a dull pressure as they grew from his skull.

The silent shift took longer than the wolves’, but the buck preferred this method. I like the quietness of it. The faster way is much more noisy, and I can do it if I’m in a pinch, but this feels much more natural. Cyn opened his eyes to see the shifters staring at him. He knew they were all friendly but his instincts flashed into high-gear. No! They’re okay! Just breathe. Just remember that they mean no harm. Calming himself down, the buck slowly trekked to Kara and Jaime. The wolves seemed impressed when Cyn walked closer to them.

Shea stood in an utter daze. He can approach them! That’s amazing! He’s...he’s conquered his fears! Turning his attention to Kara, the commander couldn’t help but snicker. She seems low-key mad at the fact Cyn’s deer is taller than her. I might have to tease her later! “Okay, Cyn. I’m going to come closer and attach this pack to you.” Having the buck dart its head towards him inflicted a fear of spooking his boyfriend. Oh, shit! Don’t run away! Don’t do it!

His fears were squashed and tossed aside as the deer took several steps towards him. As Cyn stood, his body stood at nearly three and a half feet tall. With his antlers included, the buck stood nearly five feet tall. The lycan understood the feeling Kara possessed as Cyn was mere feet from him. He’s...impressive! In his deer form, he’s taller than any wolf I’ve seen. I bet Arric’s pissed, Cyn’s got a few inches on him! The wolf slowly stretched his arm out, opening his palm. “Not going to hurt you, Cyn.”

Shea couldn’t keep his eyes in the same spot. He had never been so close to a live buck in such an innocent fashion. His antlers are really different! They look somewhat intimidating, but I know I’ve seen plenty of other deer with much larger sets. His attention shifted back to the deer’s head. While Shea had drifted away in thought, Cyn got closer and pressed his wet nose against the wolf’s palm. Carefully, Shea moved his hand higher and landed it on the side of Cyn’s closed mouth, then to the top of the head in between the bases of the antlers.

My God! I’m...I’m touching a deer. I’m touching Cyn!