Lavender

Welcome Home

Episode 7

Welcome Home

"I-I don't know, D-Dean. I just can't b-breathe." I'm trying to breathe deep, but it's just not coming through clearly.

He takes his own deep breath like he's relieved, "It's okay, baby girl. You're having an anxiety attack. Tell me what five things you can see." I don't respond, trying to breathe. "Come on, you have to tell me five things."

"Uh..." I'm trying to focus, "Trees... Clouds... Motorcycle... Sun... You..."

"Okay good, four things you can touch."

"You... Grass... Jeans... Shoe... Hair..."

"Three things you can hear."

"Your voice, the wind, the birds." I can breathe again, but I still feel like I'm trying to catch it.

"Two things you can smell."

I breathe deep through my nose, "Pine and sweat." And now we're laughing together.

"Good job, princess. Let's breathe together. In for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four."

I watch him closely, matching my breathing to his. His eyes are locked on mine. I never knew you could feel so much warmth from such icy eyes. I look over his whole gorgeous face, wandering down to his mouth. I've never felt the urge to kiss someone before. This is a completely new sensation. I'm suddenly hyper-aware that I'm sitting in his lap, his arms wrapped around me, his face so close to mine. All breathing exercises forgotten, I realize I could close the gap between us in a matter of seconds. Fire is covering every inch of my skin where his meets mine. But he smiles and breaks the connection. "Not yet, baby girl. We're going to wait until you're ready. Do you want to tell me what happened or wait?"

I'm thoroughly disappointed, which he can tell by my pout. He starts laughing, which makes me blush. See, he's laughing at you. He doesn't want you, he's going to drop you so fast. You're nothing, worthless, pointless, just give it up. My eyes drop to the open space between us and I feel hot tears prick at my eyes. He holds me tighter, takes my chin, and lifts my eyes back to his. "I want you so badly. I've waited for you my whole life. I've stalked you and followed you and tried my hardest to find you for so long. I had no idea if you would want me back. I didn't know if you'd even come with me. But I wasn't gonna take 'no' for an answer easily." He rubs his palm over my cheek and I lean into it, my tearful eyes looking straight into his, as he says, "But there's no rush here. We have an entire lifetime, even longer as wolves, to do this right. We're going to get you healed up, emotionally. We're going to celebrate your birthday and your first change. And you're going to get to know who I am before we push this any further. It's not that I don't want you. It's that I want you so badly, baby girl, that I will do anything to make sure we do this right."

I don't know what to say to that, I just nod my head against his hand before I throw my arms around his broad shoulders and suddenly, I'm crying all over him. He lets me sob, rubbing circles over my back, shushing me, and telling me it's all going to be okay in his gentle voice. Finally my tears stop. I lay on him for just a moment, before pulling back and looking in his face. He wipes my face clean with his thumbs.

"Feeling better?" I laugh a little bit, "Yeah, much better. Sorry for that." I start to pick myself up off his lap and he hurries to wrap his arms around my waist like a steel bind. "I didn't say you could get up, princess. You have nothing to be sorry for." Then he gives me a big toothy grin and his hands are all over my sides, tickling me. Somehow, I wound up on my back with him leaning over me. I think I'm going to die from laughing so hard. I'm hitting his hands and telling him to stop, crying all over again, with happy tears this time. And he stops, gives me a kiss on the cheek, and pulls me up from the ground with my hand in his. He gives me a quick hug and then picks me up and puts me back on the bike. At some point, he must have taken my helmet off, so he buckles it under my chin again, then gets on the bike in front of me.

---

I know as soon as we hit our destination. People are walking out of their houses and waving at Dean when we come driving down the street. There's even a couple of cheers here and there. My heart is down in my stomach, I'm so nervous. What if they don't like me? We drive a little longer, pass even more people, and then he pulls into a driveway. Oh gosh, I don't know if I'm ready for this. He puts the kickstand down and climbs off before turning to grab me with him. He pulls off both of our helmets and stows them away, then takes my hand. "Ready, little one?" He's like a kid on Christmas morning, so excited. I give a little nod and we start up the steps.

The grass is so green here, the trees overgrown. It's just like he said, a whole community deep in the woods. The air is so clean, it's so much easier to breathe. I can smell the pine trees, no dust or pollution, just free air. I feel so light-footed, so hopeful. Dean opens the front door to the huge house. He leads me up a long staircase, and we come to the end of a hall. He stands directly in front of a door and knocks quick raps, one, two, three. "Come in!" A voice booms from the other side of the door. I must have flinched because Dean squeezes my hand before he opens the door.

"Alaric. I found her." The booming voice belongs to a massive man, he turns his chair towards the door and stands up. He comes closer to me and I step back, partially hidden behind Dean. The man stops in front of Dean and his deep black eyes look directly into mine. "Purple eyes. Ha! I'll be damned, boy! Gwendolyn, welcome home!" He reaches for me and I step back again. Dean turns around and takes my other hand. "It's okay, little one. Please don't run, this is your father."

He turns back to Alaric and explains "She's been through a lot, sir. Gideon pretended to be her father all these years and didn't take care of her. She knew nothing of the pack, of her family, nothing of the truth, when I found her. You'll have to be patient with her, sir, but she'll come around."

I didn't think it was possible, but Alaric's eyes turn even darker. "I'll kill that son of a b***h if it's the last thing I do." "Not if I get to him first, sir." Dean retorts. "The only reason he's alive now is because Gwen was right there, and I didn't want her to see that. She actually stopped me from throwing him across the yard." He gives me an amused expression.

"Well, Gwen, I'm glad you're home. You take all the time you need to get adjusted. Meet some people and make some friends. Learn about the pack and start your training. Your birthday's coming up in a month, and we're going to have a huge celebration. I'm here when you're ready, this is my office, and I'm here pretty much all the time." He offers me a kind smile. I try to return it, but I'm not sure that I succeed.