15.
1386 Words
CHAPTER 15
RALPH POV
Incredible. Rini Rabbit was so incredible.
But beyond f*****g idiotic. I mean seriously. To just assume I left before Lyall and without saying goodbye? Idiotic.
She should have checked, she normally would have checked and that’s how I know she’s not ok. Not by a long shot.
Shifters aren’t like Weres in a lot of ways. We shift into animals but don’t share a consciousness with a beast, there are many different types of shifters, we can breed easily with humans and some of us are gifted more than the ability of speed, hyper senses and strength.
For Rafe? He can determine people’s intentions and change them to suit his needs, it’s why he’s always been the gentler of the two of us, he’s too empathetic for his own good.
But me? I can camouflage myself into any background so that I appear invisible. Incredibly handy for avoiding our irritating fan club at school, listening to conversations our parents don’t want us to be around for… and now; finding out what’s really going on Rini Rabbit.
I stand silently and watch as she curls into a ball, shoving her pillow into her mouth and making some god awful sounds.
What the f**k is this s**t? Why did the Doc leave her alone if she was this bad? Surely she couldn’t have him fooled too?
I watch as she writhes on her bed, her mouth open in a silent scream and my whole body tenses.
This is not a girl with a low pain tolerance. She literally walked miles on feet cut to s**t and for years she’s endured shoes and clothes that don’t fit, living in a poorly insulated room and never ever complaining about anyone’s treatment of her.
Even now it’s clear she’s in agony but is forcing herself to be quiet so no one comes to check, so she doesn’t burden anyone, need any help.
Fucking i***t.
“Alone at last,” I drawl and she jumps in fright.
It’s crazy the way she forces the clear agony she’s in away. Sitting up a little stiffly but sweeping the pain off her face except for her eyes, even she can’t wipe the tension from them.
“How did you get in here?”
“The door,” I reply simply.
“Ralph, leave.” She says quietly.
“I don’t think I will.”
Her eyes don’t even flash in annoyance and it concerns me.
“Please Ralph. Please just give me a couple hours.”
“No.”
I’m f****d up but even I’m not so cruel as to leave her alone like this.
“P-please,” she says, her voice cracking slightly as her eyes grow wet.
I move forward swiftly, and ignoring her protests, kneel beside her bed, taking her face in my hands, staring deep into those impossible blue eyes.
They shut immediately and she’s doing everything she can to keep me from her but I will not allow it.
“Look. At. Me.”
It takes 3 whole seconds but she opens them. The pain in them is staggering.
What the actual f**k?
“What hurts?” I demand. “Don’t lie to me.”
“My head, my feet, m-my skin!”
A single tear slides down her cheek onto my hand and I have the strangest urge to taste it. I ignore the urge and realise her skin is fevered beneath my touch.
She’s really sick. Really hurt. On my watch.
I’m furious immediately. Beyond furious.
“Why the f**k didn’t you tell anyone how bad this is?” I demand, not capable of the gentleness she deserves.
“I… just… need… to…sleep.” She’s panting now, still working hard to contain herself from me and I’m sure the effort is only making it worse.
“You need antibiotics and pain meds at the very least,” I snap back.
Rafe I snarl mind to mind.
What? He snaps back and little Rini Rabbit must have done a number on him for him to still be this wound up.
Rini needs pain meds NOW and we aren’t waiting for antibiotics either. Find a way to get them stat.
There’s a brief pause and then he replies, anger gone and concern taking it’s place.
What’s going on?
She feels like fire and is trying not to scream she’s in so much pain. Are we gonna chat or are you going to help?
I don’t normally speak to him like this but he’s not the only one worried.
Shit! Give me 40 to get everything.
Rini lets out a little pained mew that I am certain she fought hard against and I stiffen.
Make it 20
He cuts the connection without a reply and I turn my focus back to Rini. Letting the ice that I actively fight from controlling me, take over. I cannot be emotional right now, I need to be cold and logical so I can figure out what the f**k is going to fix Rini the fastest.
She’s definitely got a fever, her skin is scorching to the touch. Her eyes are now looking very glazed and her hands and pressed so firmly against her forehead that I can only assume she’s got a migraine too.
She groans every time I come into contact with her skin so I’m thinking maybe some sort of infection that’s attacking her internally and causing this sensitivity to touch.
I can’t fix the pain at the moment but I can try to help with the fever.
I’m immediately annoyed that Mom put Rini in here. I can’t even really call it a room, it’s a f*****g sorry excuse for a basement let alone a bedroom and the absolute lack of amenities is more than inconvenient right now.
If she had an ensuite like we all did I could jump in the shower with her and cool her body down a little.
I stand with every intention of sprinting for a bucket of water and wash cloth but hands of lava clamp onto my wrist.
“No,” she says quietly. “Please don’t leave.”
Fuck. This is bad bad bad if she’s asking me to stay.
I hesitate for only a moment before I strip my top off and lie down next to her. Another myth about shifters is that we are always warm to the touch. Most are, but a few like me, are cool to the touch unless we are in shifter form or about to shift.
I press myself against her heated skin and she actually moans in relief, the little sound going straight to my d**k like the sick f**k I am.
I’m fully hard when the door slams open and Lyall stands there, claws protruding from his knuckles and his eyes promising violence.
“What the f**k?” His voice is so slow I’m not even sure Rini heard him, though to be honest, he could be screaming and I’m not sure she would hear him.
“She’s sick,” I tell him, stroking my cool fingers down her arm. “I’m trying to cool her down.”
“No f*****g s**t,” he snaps. “I’m talking about the fact you didn’t call me as soon as you realised how bad it was.”
Fuck. We had agreed to be in open communication about Rini when we’d spoken mind to mind before and it was only because Lyall knew about my gift and how I planned to use it to check on Rini, that he even left before.
I had definitely f****d up.
“Not…Ralph…fault,” Rini panted weakly. “Wanted…leave…wouldn’t…let…him…back…off…Lyall”
I had never been nice to Rini. Not really. I couldn’t let myself be, refused to dig too deep into why I was so dismissive to her and yet utterly obsessed.
None of us had been particularly kind to her - well Rafe was when he thought no one else would know about it - but I had been the cruelest, had almost delighted in angering her because it meant she was feeling something for me.
I had given her no reason to defend me and yet here she was, trying to protect me against the threat she believed Lyall to be.
Adorable little i***t.
- Writer
