Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:15:22 -0800 (PST)
From: Mary Barrett <mommab_78@yahoo.com>
Subject: To Rise Again Ch. 13 Gay Male/Sci-Fi

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction that came from the recesses
of my own mind. Any names or places are all of my own creation. Any
characters that may engage in sexual activity are over 18. If reading this
is illeagal where you are from then please do not continue, you know your
laws. I hope you enjoy what I have tried to create. This story includes M/M
relationships..if this is not for you, then please leave now.


Thirteen

River sat quietly and waited for Eithen to work up the courage to tell his
tale. He could see that whatever it was that Eithen was about to reveal
scared him. River stayed silent, he wouldn't push for the answers that he
seeked. Finally, after what felt like hours, Eithen gave his hand a gentle
squeeze, and he began talking.

Eithen took a deep breath, "I guess there really isn't an easy way to
explain this other than to just come right out and say it." He kept his
eyes locked with River's to watch for any kind of reaction to what he was
about to say. "I was born and raised to one day take over for my father,
just as he did from his father. We come from a long line of leaders...
better known to those of my kind as Alpha. I am what you would call a
Shifter or a Werewolf." Eithen waited for any kind of response from River
but received none. He just sat there, holding his hand, waiting for Eithen
to continue.

"OK, well umm...I took over as Alpha five years ago when my father decided
that it was time for me to lead our pack. There are currently around 150
members that look to me as a leader, a teacher and a role model to their
pups. They turn to me to help settle any disputes that may arise within the
pack itself." Eithen stopped to let all that he had said to sink in for
River. River sat there silently, not moving. Eithen started to worry,
"River...baby....you ok? I know it's a lot to take in, but like I said,
there was no easy way to explain it. Say something River...please...
anything." When Eithen went to stroke the side of River's face, it was like
the air was sucked out of the room. River had shied away from his touch.

River sat there and heard the words that had come out of Eithen's mouth, he
had expected to hear something, anything...but certainly not that he was
a...a...he couldn't even think it. He felt like his life had turned into an
episode of the Twilight Zone. Just a few weeks ago he was a simple man with
a stressful job, a boss he despised, and a daughter that he wanted back.
Now...now he was a man that was having strange dreams, excruciating pain
accompanied by visions of his daughter and an attraction to his boss so
strong that he couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.

Something nagged at him from his memory, a message he had heard in a
dream. One of the dreams that had Siobhan in it, along with the beautiful
wolf at her side. The wolf, his wolf, and with that the message became
clear to him again. `Trust in myself, believe the unimaginable, see with my
mind, and listen with my heart.'  With the realization of what he had
heard, River started to breathe a little heavier, his heart beat a little
faster and his body began to tremble.

Eithen tried to pull River to him when he felt the shaking, he knew that
River was having some sort of an attack and Eithen needed to get him to
calm down. River resisted though, instead he scooted back, released
Eithen's hand, and stood up. Eithen was afraid he had just lost his mate,
that River couldn't accept him for what he was. He watched River slowly
walk away from him, towards the windows that overlooked the backyard and
the woods. "River, baby, what's going on in that head of yours?"

River stood at the window, arms wrapped around himself, as he tried to come
to terms with his life as he knew it. He heard Eithen speak, but he
couldn't open his mouth or make a sound. What could he say to that? He
needed time to think, he needed to be alone. River turned around to find
Eithen standing in front of him, with a look of pain and sadness in his
eyes. He couldn't do this right now.

He tried to tell Eithen, but his mouth was dry. He shook his head no, as he
pleaded with his eyes for Eithen to understand. He swallowed a few times,
trying to get his voice back. Again he shook his head no. "I...I can't do
this Eithen, not right now." River walked around Eithen and headed for the
door, not wanting to see the hurt on Eithen's face. As he reached for the
handle he had one more question to ask. "Before I go to my room, is there
anything else I need to know?"

******

Raivyn sat there on the ground with her arm raised and hand out as she
waited for the pretty doggy to come closer. Her daddy had always told her
not to touch strange dogs because you never knew if they would bite, but
she knew she was safe. It was so pretty and soft looking. The animal
dropped down into a crouch and belly crawled the rest of the way to where
Raivyn sat, showing it meant no harm to her. It bumped her hand with its
snout, telling her in its own way that she could touch. She rubbed her
hands over its head just before she threw her arms around its neck and
started to cry.

She was away from the mean people now and all her fear and sadness just
poured out of her little body as she laid there wrapped around this
animal. She felt safe, for the first time in a long time. She could see the
sky without looking through a window, she could feel the breeze against her
skin and blow her hair around. She was so dirty and so tired. Raivyn held
onto the pretty doggy a little tighter as her eyes started to close. "Just
a little nap until the nice tall man comes to find me," she whispered to
the animal.

The wolf stayed where it was, unmoving as the little angel slept wrapped
around it. It would protect her, keep her safe. It would do what it could
to insure nothing happened to her. It heard the snap of a twig and whipped
its head around sniffing at the air. It bared its teeth, a low growl
emanating from its chest to let the danger it smelled know it was there. It
watched a man emerge from behind a tree with his hands held up, showing the
wolf it meant no harm to either it or the little girl.

"Hey there boy," the man said in a soft voice as he fell to his knees just
out of snapping range of where the wolf lay. The man could see the
protective nature of the wolf with Raivyn; he just wondered why it would do
it so quickly. "I won't hurt her boy, like you, I just want to keep her
safe." The man inched closer as he spoke, hands still held up. "Will you
allow me to take her now boy? She has people that are waiting for her to
come home."

The wolf's growls quieted down after it scented the air again, smelling for
any sign of deceit from the man. The wolf would let this man take his
little angel, but he would follow where he took her. The wolf would now
forever protect, to watch over and keep safe from a distance until the time
was right.

The man knew the moment the wolf had accepted him. He reached out and pried
Raivyns arms from around the wolf's neck and gently cradled her in his arms
to not wake her. "Thank you my young friend," the man said to the wolf as
he stood and started into the woods once again. "I think you just made a
lifelong friend little one," he whispered to a sleeping Raivyn.

The man could smell the young wolf as it followed. It didn't concern him
though. He just wondered where the rest of the wolf's pack was. He knew the
wolf wasn't one of theirs, the man knew all the families and the pups
within the Donovan Pack. He would have to inform the Alpha of a possible
throwaway. It was too protective of the little one to be a wolf gone rogue,
so there seemed to be no threat. He hoped that the Alpha would know what to
do for the boy because he didn't see him leaving Raivyn anytime soon.

They had walked through the woods for about 20 minutes when Raivyn started
to stir in the man's arms. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around to
see where she was. The nice man had come for her, she knew he would. Raivyn
looked around again and wondered where her pretty doggy was. "Don't worry
little one, he's following behind us a ways. My name is Lonnie by the way
and I know that your name is Raivyn."

"I miss my daddy," Raivyn whispered.  "Are you taking me to my daddy now
Mr. Lonnie?"

"That's the plan little one," Lonnie said with a smile. "We just have to
make sure we are safe before we can head to where he is ok?"

Raivyn nodded her head and snuggled back up into his arms as they continued
to walk. Mr. Lonnie hummed a song as they weaved in and around trees and
over fallen branches. Every so often Raivyn would catch a glimpse of her
doggy, his light brown fur with white patches. She wondered if her daddy
would let her keep him. He was so soft to lie on.

******

The wolf followed behind the man at a distance. He had to keep her in his
sight. She was his and he would insure that nothing happened to her. He had
been alone to long, shunned by his pack, his family. It was an accident, he
never meant for it to happen. He was lucky that he didn't pay for it with
his own life. Maybe that would have been better, instead, now he had to
live with the memory. The memory of seeing his little sisters face filled
with fear as she was pulled under the water. There had been nothing he
could do to help. Maybe if he could protect this little girl, keep her
safe, his own conscience would feel redeemed.

He stayed alert, focused on all sounds and smells that came at him from
every direction. There had been no sign of danger up to this point, but he
wouldn't take any chances and let his guard down. He wasn't sure how long
the man had walked, but it seemed like he was trying to insure that it
would be very difficult to be followed. The young wolf noticed the man had
started to walk a bit slower, his gait seemed off, like he was in pain. He
chanced a closer look, he trotted up alongside the man, and then he saw
it. A hole in the shoulder of the man's shirt with splatters of blood
around it. He knew now, danger would be close.

******

Lonnie should have waited longer before heading off into the woods after
being shot. It felt like someone kept sticking a hot poker in his
shoulder. He would heal fine, he had experienced worse, but back then he
didn't have to carry the weight of a sleeping child. Lonnie owed this to
his Alpha though, prove himself as a member of the pack and wasn't just a
screw up. He tried his best to cover their tracks. He knew it was just a
matter of time before they sent out the search party for Raivyn. She had
seen all of them, would be able to identify them and was now a threat to
what they had going.

They were 30 minutes from the edge of the woods located behind the Alpha's
home, when Lonnie noticed a shift in the air around them. The animals
ceased their chatter, aware of the danger headed their way. The young wolf
at his side seemed to be aware of the change as well. Lonnie watched as it
took off back towards where they had come from. He couldn't just stand
there and wait for them to show up though; he had to get Raivyn to
safety. Lonnie took off again, headed for his Alpha's home when he heard
the first shot ring out. He hoped the young wolf would be smart and stay
hidden.

Raivyn was jostled awake from Lonnie speeding up; she knew the bad people
were close. She tightened her arms around Mr. Lonnie's neck, hiding her
face in his shoulder. She didn't want to go back with the mean people, she
just wanted her daddy. She was scared; she could hear the mean people shoot
their guns.  "Mr. Lonnie," she whimpered, "are they going to hurt us?
Where's my doggy? Did he go after the bad people Mr. Lonnie?"

Lonnie tried to think of answers to her questions that wouldn't frighten
her more than she already had to be. "Your doggy will be ok little one, he
can protect himself and he won't let anything happen to you. I am also
going to do my best to not let them get you again. Your daddy has been
looking for you and it's time for you to see him again." Lonnie hoped what
he said would ease Raivyns mind a little.

Another shot rang out, they were getting closer. Lonnie needed to find a
place to hide Raivyn. "I'm going to put you down here little one and I need
you to crawl in under the bushes for me ok? Stay here and be as quiet as
you can so they don't find you. I will be back as fast as I can, then we
can go see your daddy together. Can you do that for me little one?" Raivyn
looked up at him with a tear-streaked face and nodded her head as she
wormed her little body out of sight.

Lonnie made sure he was far enough away from Raivyn before he allowed the
change to take over. In the blink of an eye, where he once stood, there was
a wolf with golden red fur. He scented the air and took off to where he
knew he would find the people that were after Raivyn.

Raivyn laid there with her eyes closed and just listened. She heard
shouting, growling and more shots. Then it was silent, too silent, Raivyn
knew something was wrong. She did what Mr. Lonnie told her though and
didn't move or make a sound. It was starting to get dark out when she heard
the crunch of dried leaves. A minute later she felt something bump her hand
and knew that it was her doggy. At least he was ok.

Her doggy kept bumping into her, trying to get Raivyn to move. "I can't
leave doggy," she whispered, "Mr. Lonnie told me to stay here." This time
the wolf gently bit down on her sleeve and tugged until she didn't have a
choice but to go with him. "Are we going to find Mr. Lonnie? He knows where
my daddy is." The wolf looked at her a moment before he started to walk off
in the opposite direction of where she knew Mr. Lonnie should have
been. "This is the wrong way doggy, we need to go that way," she said as
she pointed back the other way.

******

Eithen wondered if River could handle any more stress, so he decided to
hold off on telling him that they were mates, meant to belong to one
another fully, in every way possible, heart and soul. He would give River
time to digest all he had been told already before he laid that out there
in the open as well. Eithen shook his head, "no, nothing that can't wait
until later River. I'm sorry baby, I really am. I never meant to frighten
you, and I know that this is a lot to take in. Please baby, don't let this
change the things that have started between us. You take all the time you
need and I will be here waiting for you. I will always wait, now that I
have found you."

River had his back to Eithen as he stood at the doorway, he didn't see the
pleading look in Eithen's eyes as he spoke. He didn't see the pain and the
anguish on Eithen's face at the thought of never being with him. River just
needed time to think and absorb it all. He wasn't running away from Eithen,
he was drawn to the man and there was no way that he could just walk away
from him now. "I know Eithen, and I'm sorry too." River walked out the
door, to his room, where he stayed hidden away for the rest of the night.

River wasn't aware of all the times that Eithen walked up to his door and
just stood there, head resting against the frame. When he would raise his
hands and place them on the door, knowing that River was in there, slowly
slipping away from him.

Eithen wasn't aware of River standing there at the door either, ready to go
back to the office and throw himself at Eithen. Wrap his arms around the
man that had become his world in such a short time. To tell him that it
didn't matter what he was, but who he was as a man that River had started
to fall in love with.

They were both afraid of how they felt for one another, they both needed
the other, yet neither knew how to finally cross that line if it wasn't
during a spur of the moment. They both needed to learn to communicate, or
what they had building between them would never work.

The next day there was a strained silence around the office once they got
there. The other employees knew to keep their distance from Mr. Donovan,
but they chose to keep River at an arms length as well. They only spoke to
him if it was necessary, and even then they kept is brief. Eithen stuck to
his word and gave River all the time he needed to sort things out. River
took the time to go over everything that has occurred in his life over the
last 6 months. River and Eithen only spoke about work and kept to
themselves at the house. That was how it went for the next week.

River didn't have any more strange dreams or visions, and he actually
started to worry about that. He had done all the thinking that he could
because he kept returning to the same conclusion. He had to man up and go
to Eithen, to be strong and admit what he felt; about him, Eithen, and also
his fears about what was going on with Raivyn. They were no closer to
finding her. As each day passed without a lead, he became more afraid they
would never find her.

Two weeks had gone by, it was now a few days before the big charity event
for The Sanctuary, and River needed to make sure that Eithen was ready for
it. He used that as his excuse to leave his room and go to where Eithen sat
in his office staring out the window. River walked in silently and made his
way over to stand behind Eithen, and placed his hands on the back of the
chair. Unsure what to do, River slid his hands down over Eithen's shoulders
and wrapped his arms around him from behind and rested his head against
Eithen's.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in Eithen's ear before he placed a feather light
kiss to his cheek. "I should have come to you sooner," he whispered again
in Eithen's ear as he slowly made his way around the chair and sat down in
Eithen's lap. Eithen wrapped both arms around River and just held onto
him. It had been a long two weeks and all the emotions came flooding out of
them both. "I accept you as you are Eithen. I have come to realize that I
need you in my life. Whatever you are, it doesn't matter to me. It is you,
Eithen, that I am falling for. Forgive me for taking so long to."

Eithen had been so sure that he had lost River, that he would never hold
him in his arms again. He was relieved to know that he was wrong. "All that
matters is that you're here now. I really thought I had lost you before I
was ever able to call you my own. I need you River," Eithen said softly
right before he claimed River's mouth.

The kiss was gentle but possessive, it left no doubt in River's mind that
Eithen had just staked his claim. What they couldn't put into words they
put into that kiss. They just sat there and held on to each other, there
was no need to do anything more. This was a time to reconnect, to make the
hurt and doubts from the last few weeks melt away and be forgotten.

River pulled back to stare into Eithen's eyes. He saw the same love
reflected in them that he was sure Eithen could see in his own. He knew
that they still had things to talk about, to work out, but they could get
through it together, he was done running. He wanted Eithen at his side to
help raise Raivyn.

They talked long into the night, River told of his past, the reason he
didn't do well with large crowds. What he could remember of it that is. He
was young, maybe 7 or 8 when his parents decided to have a family
outing. They went to a new aquatic exhibit that had opened a month before.

River was fascinated with all the life that could be found in the
ocean. For most of the day he kept his face pressed against the glass as
schools of fish swam by, asking his parents question after question. They
were only too happy to indulge their only child, and would come up with
answers that would make him laugh. It had been a good day, one that they
should have been able to look back on and smile.

It only took a moment though for it all to change. In a matter of minutes
it went from a happy memory to one that would become River's personal
hell. The seal on one of the tanks gave, water rushed out into the tunnel,
the crowd panicked and chaos ensued. River was separated from his parents,
everywhere he looked people were running and screaming, as they tried to
make it to the exit doors. He was knocked down, stepped on, unseen lying
there on the floor as the water level continued to rise.

River couldn't remember anything after that, he woke up in a hospital with
all kinds of wires and tubes connected to his little body. He turned his
head and saw his parents asleep in chairs next to his bed. When he asked
later on what happened, his parents would go quiet and avoid eye
contact. He overheard the doctor and his parents though and knew that he
should not have survived. They moved shortly after the incident, it was
never spoken of again.

Eithen listened and could understand where the panic attacks came from. He
would have been messed up after something like that as well. He held River
tighter in his arms, "if you ever feel that you can't handle something,
come to me ok?"

"Thank you," was all River could say to that. "Ok, enough about me for now,
tell me more about the pack. I want to learn all I can about you and your
community here."

For Eithen's part, he talked of growing up in a pack, what it was like to
have so many people to count on. He told River things he had done as a
young pup that had them both laughing. Eithen spoke of the close bonds that
formed among all the members. He explained that the pack was more than just
a group of people, it's like a large family in a way, and everyone looked
out for everyone. He only left out one important aspect of Were
life. Mates, and how important it was to find the one that Fate intended to
be your other half.

"There is one thing that every wolf strives for, dreams of and prays that
it will one day happen to them."

River turned and gazed up at Eithen, "and what would that be?"

"For the day to come when we find that one person who will complete us and
make us whole. The day we find our mate." Eithen waited for that statement
to sink in, to see if River would understand what he was saying.

River's mind started to put all the small pieces of the puzzle that were
Eithen and River together.  "And how do you know when you've found your
mate?"

"Our wolf always knows, sometimes it may take our human side a little
longer to figure it out, but the wolf, it knows its mate as soon as it gets
a good scent. We feel drawn to our mates and find any excuse we can to be
near them. Our mates are to be loved, cherished and adored like no other,
we would die for our mates. When we find our mates, there will never be
another."

River was afraid to hope, afraid to ask the question of whether or not he
and Eithen were fated, destined to be one. He feared that what he felt for
Eithen was one-sided. The need to know the answer was stronger though. He
ached for and longed to be held and loved by this man. River asked without
words, the question was clear to see in his eyes.

He got his answer when Eithen tightened his hold, leaned down and whispered
one simple yet powerful word...Mine.