Eight

Colson jerks awake, the harsh light forcing him to close his eyes. His heart going crazy, his breathing coming out in pants.

"Here..."

Colson visibility relaxes when he hears Cobie's voice. He feels something being slid on his face and weigh on his nose. The next time he opened his eyes everything was tainted. Cobie has slid on sunglasses for him.

"Cobie..." Colson's voice shook.

Cobie climbed onto the bed and sits beside his brother, careful not to harm him even more. Colson had a bandage around his head, a white plaster on his chin, a bloody lip, bandage around his shoulder and a purple bruise under his eyes.

"Here." Cobie slips a straw between Colson's lips. Colson took careful sips and let go of the straw when he was done. "Who did this to you?"

Colson licks his lips, his eyes darting around the room to check if Michel was in the room. He couldn't even say, Michel could hear with his damn enhanced hearing.

"I can't say. Might hear." Colson bits out and Cobie frowned. Cobie gets down from the bed and check the hallway, he locks the door when he walks back in, he locked the door, drew down the curtains and snapped his finger. The room was surrounded by a bubble.

With a shaky hand, Colson pulled the glasses off his face and stared at his brother. His face was probing.

"Water?"

Cobie grabbed the bottle water on the table and sits on the bed. "I didn't want to do it when you were asleep." Cobie said as he uncaps the bottle water. He waves his hand in front of it and the bed of water floats to Colson's eyes, resting on the purple bruise for one, two, three seconds before the skin heals and the purple vanishes.

"Colson this isn't the time to be quiet. You are never this quiet. Who did this to you?"

Colson wants to say, he really does but he couldn't say. He's trying to push the words out but they're stuck in his throat and he feels a prickling of dear growing within him. Something that hasn't happened since his father.

"Colson..."

The water all was now floating, Cobie unwraps the bandage and Rests the water all on it as he stared at Colson who still wasn't talking and he was also looking anywhere but at Cobie.

"Colson look at me..."

Colson shifts his gaze from his hands to Cobie's face. His brother's face was etched with worry and his eyes were bright red with flecks of brown in them.

"Can you say who did this to you?"

Colson shook his head.

"Was it Baba?"

Colson shook his head. His body shook as he remembered Michel's face, his voice, the way he had been pushed and grabbed and hurt. Colson shakes his head again.

"Was it someone we know?"

Colson nods. Cobie's cussed and got off the bed. He had successfully healed his brother's wounds, the bandages were discarded on the ground and Cobie was pacing. It was then that Erik walked into the room. Immediately he stepped in the visible bubble in the room, to keep most wolves from listening popped.

"How are you feeling?"

Colson looked behind Erik to see if Michel had come in with him. He relaxes when he sees Erik was alone.

"A little sore but at least my injuries are gone." Colson replies, grabbing another pillow so he could put it behind him.

"Water?" Erik asked Cobie who nods. "When we found you I tried to scent what or who could have done that to you but I didn't get anything, there was no scent." Erik said as he walked closer to the bed. "Cobie told me you can't say who did this to you."

"I can't." Colson replied, forgoing asking how Erik had found out so quickly. It's the telepathic bond they shared.

"Can you describe the person? So we know what to look for?"

Colson shook his head. The incident kept playing over and over again, each time he closed his eyes. It's not like he doesn't want to say Michel did it, the words won't just come out. That meant Michel was tapping into magic. Nothing else could explain it.

"Maybe it was a witch?" Cobie asked.

"I'll look into it." Erik said as he got up. "I asked the pack warriors to meet out back. We'll go and check one more time before questioning the witches."

Colson gives Erik a nod.

"I'll send some with food."

Erik walked over to Cobie and pressed a kiss to his temple, his hands resting on his mate's waist. "Colson is fine, he's here and you've held him. He's going to be okay."

"I know." Cobie sniffed.

"Just stay and relax with your brother. Is there anything you need?"

"Curly fries. A lot of curly fries with a larger than large smoothie."

Erik chuckled and pressed one more kiss to Cobie's temple before heading out of the room. Colson had watched the entire display and he remembers Aetos.

"Where is Aetos?"

Cobie raised a brow at Colson and paused for a few seconds before answering. "He's in Granger City. We haven't told him yet about what happened to you."

"Can you not say anything to him?"

"What?" Cobie asked as he slid onto the bed.

"Don't tell him. I don't want him to be worried." Colson plays with his thumbs. It was then he finally noticed he had on one of his onesies.

"Fine but he's still going to find out. Some vampires and wolves talk and we can't make the wolves silent. They felt how scared I was when we were looking for you and how loud I screamed when we found you and the relief pouring through the pack bond when you woke up." Cobie tried to explain.

"How?"

"I'm the Luna, Colly. They felt it through the pack bond."

Oh. Right. Colson pouts. Anyway there was no guarantee that Aetos was going to come back just to make sure Colson was alright. He had serious business to take care of.

"Okay. It's fine."

"Do you want to watch anything? We didn't finish Midnight Texas before you..." Cobie trailed off.

"Can we just stay and talk? When is Pa coming back?" Colson asked. He pulls off a pillow and hands it to Cobie, they lie down side by side on the bed and talked.

"He's with Connie. They're still at the Canyon, the cell reception is bad there." Cobie said. "They'll be back next week."

"What kind of honeymoon takes four months?"

Cobie wiggled his brows and grinned at his brother. "The good kind."

"You are a nasty bro. Don't think I've forgotten you and Erik having wolf sex."

Cobie doesn't even look embarrassed or shy. "It wasn't wolf sex."

"I saw claws, red eyes and fangs."

"No fur though." Cobie stuck his tongue out at his brother. "You are a nosy shit."

"I'm nosy because I care."

Colson rolled his eyes at his brother, tempted to smack him in the face. He has missed this. They always talked all the time these last few months, about every and anything but ever since he and Michel started their night time activities, he hadn't been able to talk as much, knowing one way or another, Cobie was going to know.

"Last night, Blue came up to me and said he wanted to get his fathers together."

"Noo..."

Cobie grinned. "He wants Se Ju and Randall happy and asked me how he could."

"He's five."

"He's smart."

"He's also a child. This isn't the parent trap." Colson snorts. "Life isn't that easy." Colson placed a hand under his head and rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to meddle."

There was a knock on the door and Randall walked in after Cobie gives his consent. He's holding bags with the DYCE logo on it.

"I've got curly fries, smoothies, burgers and a hotdog." Randall hands Cobie the bag. The Luna sits up and grabs each bag so he could place them on the bed.

"Thank you, Randall."

The omega walks over to Colson and takes a seat by the bed. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Healed up." Colson replied, reaching for a bag. "Where's Kai?"

"He's with Se Ju. He's been asking to spend a lot of time with his dad." Randall said and Colson snickered. He lays the napkin on the bed and settles with his burger. He wants to ask if Randall still has feelings for Se Ju but ... Colson already knew the answer to that. He's been people watching since he arrived at Astir.

Randall was still in love with Se Ju.

Blue honestly didn't have to work hard.

"Thank you for this." Colson waved his half chewed burger at Randall.

"It's Erik."

Cobie dips his fries in ketchup, put it into his mouth and lets out a loud grain. Like he was eating something wonderful and Colson gets it, the burger tasted like it was the first one he's had all his life. He hadn't even realized he was that hungry until he took his first bite.

They talk and eat. Everything was going well until Cobie drops a fry back onto the pack.

"Randall, can you please get me some gravy?"

Colson almost spat out the hotdog he was now eating. He turned to his brother with a look of disgust on his face while Randall gives his Luna a nod and leaves the room.

"You're joking."

"The ketchup tastes bland." Cobie said before taking a long sip of his fruit blend smoothie.

"You do know you can dip your fries into the smoothie."

Cobie shrugged and dips his fries into the smooth and put it into his mouth. His eyes widened and a chews happily.

"See? Your brother knows best."

"The same brother who thought it would have been nice to pour sand into his water bottles to purify it." Cobie sassed, dipping another fry into his smoothie.

"I was nine!"

"So was I but you didn't see me acting up."

Colson snorts. "Oh. So that time we went to the beach and you jumped into the water with all your clothes on so you wouldn't be cold, was a wise decision?"

Cobie's cheeks heat up and his eyes turn pink. Colson shakes his head fondly at his brother before taking the finishing bite of his hot dog. He downs it with the remainder of his drink.

"Randall isn't back yet."

"Told him to forget the gravy." Cobie replied as he polished off his fries and pushed them down with his smoothie. The cup of smoothie Erik had found was the length of his arm. Long.!

-

By eleven, Colson was showered and in one of his many onesies with the hood pulled off so he could show off his bunny ears. Every light in the room was switched on and sleep just wasn't coming. Each rock of the clock was telling him Michel might come, Michel night come, Michel might come.

He's petrified.

Colson kept staring at the door, his heart pounding. He could go to Cobie's room and demand to sleep there but he couldn't. He had already scared them enough for one day. He stands up from the bed and began to pace.

What should he do?

What should he do?

He brought his hand up to his lip and chewed on it nervously. He couldn't stay here, it would make it easier for Michel to reach him. He needed to leave, to go somewhere safe and the pack house wasn't safe for him anymore. That's when it hit him. Aetos was gone but his house wasn't and he, Colson, had the key. He could stay there until the vampire returns.

Colson quickly looked through the jeans he had worn earlier today. It took him a few seconds but he does find the key he was looking for. He stuffed his feet into a pair of sneakers. He made his way silently down the stairs and into the sitting room. Cobie wasn't the only one with secret gun compartments in the house. Colson all's has several, spread out in the pack house. They always had to be ready for anything. That was just how they were raised.

Colson made his way to the kitchen, flipped on the lights and made his way over to the cupboards under the sink, he pulls it open and slid his hand around the smooth wooden panels on the floor until he found the tiny latch, he pressed it down and the wood lifts right out. He grabbed the two black glocks hidden and shoved it into his onesie.

Damn, he should probably have changed clothes.

He switched off the lights and made his way to the front door.

"Colson..."

Colson went rigid with fear but didn't turn around. It took him a few seconds to register who had been speaking to him and visibly relaxed when he realized it was Erik.

He turns around to find the Alpha standing behind him, no shirt and the sweatpants hanging low on his his. Cobie was a lucky lucky man.

"Where are you going?"

"To Aetos' house." Colson said and the Alpha nods.

"Can I walk with you? I'll tell Se Ju to watch Cobie, I want to make sure you're safe."

Colson cocks his head to the side. "Cobie made you promise didn't he?"

"Yes but as your Alpha, it isn't safe to let you walk there alone." Erik answered. Colson rolled his eyes at the Alpha.

"So I'm a part of your pack?"

"Definitely. Do you think I allow just anyone to train with my wolves?" Erik asked as they walked out of the room.

Colson chuckled.  "I would hope not."

Colson was expecting the Alpha to keep asking about who had roughed his up but he doesn't, he doesn't pick up the conversation when it does and he was still shirtless as he walked through town.

"Do you have a secret kink where you go shirtless everywhere?" Colson asked.

"I actually forgot I hadn't worn a shirt. It's warm out though."

Colson turned to stare at the Alpha with a bewildered expression on his face. "Are you crazy? It's cold out." Colson said. Erik just raised a brow at Colson until he remembers.

"Ohh. Damn werewolves and their natural warmth."

"Your brother doesn't complain."

"Okayy Alphie Erik. Don't make this a nasty walk." Colson tuts. He smiles when Erik starts laughing, abs tightening and shoulders shaking, his head thrown back a bit.

"Do you have names for the babies? I had a couple you might like."

"Babies? Two?" Erik asked. He was staring at Colson like he had gone crazy. Maybe it was the too many hits to the head.

"Obviously. I say you go with Colson and Alasdair."

"We can't name them after you."

Colson jumps happily to the front of Erik, one finger out as he yelled. "Aha! So you believe he's carrying twins."

"Shut up Colson."

"Come on, Alphie."

"Drop it." Erik glared at him and Colson waves it away with another spectacular eye roll. Colson hummed as he continued walking. They finally got to Aetos' house and Colson pulls out the key. Thankfully, Colon knew the Cobie's for the gate and walked right to the front door like he owned the place. Erik silently behind him.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay here?"

"Yup. You don't need to worry, Alpha." Colson replied and Erik nods. The Alpha waited for Colson to get into the house before turning to walk back home. Cobie flipped on the lights as he walked in, heading right for the kitchen. He pulls open the feeezer and took out a medium sized tub of ice cream.

He makes his way to the sitting room and flipped on the tv, he scrolls through the various channels until he stumbles onto Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. It was his favorite book and movie because he was a fan of Cedric Diggory and his death was a slap to the face. The house was quiet but at the same time, it felt safe. He wonders what Aetos was up to. What he had done some day and if he had eaten.

One kiss and it felt like his brain was scrambled.

Okay, maybe not scrambled.

Did he actually like the vampire? Not so long ago he felt like Michel was it for him and now, it's Aetos. And the last thing he wants to do is hurt the vampire. Aetos could find someone better, someone who would love for as long as he will. Colson liked their friendship, how they talked about the little things and he can learn to be contented with that.

Colson doesn't make it halfway through Harry Potter and instead, walked upstairs. He stops at the door to his room and sighed. He could go into his room and sleep or he could go into Aetos' room and sleep, the vampire wasn't there to tell him not to and Pytor was no where in sight. He takes a couple of steps towards the other door and pushed it open. He slid into Aetos' bed, placed the guns underneath the pillow and pulls the duvet over himself.

He was safe, warm and sleepy. The fear in his heart had all but been pushed down, he could breathe easier and he didn't have to worry Michel was going to pop out of the corner. He couldn't leave with this fear all his life, he was going to have to learn how to say Michel was the one who did it, he was going to learn how to fight back against Michel. He didn't like feeling weightless and weak, he was going to learn how to conquer this fear so he could tell all the Astirians their head Beta isn't who they think he is.

Colson yawned, his eyes were heavy. Finally he was going to sleep. He blinked, one, two, three, four times before finally drifting off.