How Much is That Doggie in the Window? [M]

[Zero]

Striker answered the door personally, a bored sort of expression on his face.

"Lord Henry Striker, you are being served release papers in regards to one Tobias Slate. The former slave is to be released into the custody of his wife, Celestia Slate. Immediately." The soldier held out a copy of the release order for him to examine.

"Hmm. Well everything seems to be in order; I suppose there is no help for it. Come along then. I will take you to the mutt." Striker gestured for them to follow and led them around the outside the house. The feral snarls and roars were easily heard as they grew closer. He was quite smug as he spoke to the group. "As you will see, this is an ill-advised pursuit. The beast is completely uncontrollable, and extremely dangerous. The young woman is setting herself up to be torn to ribbons – and get the rest of us slaughtered as well."

Tobias was still straining against his bonds, splattering blood against the steel beneath him as he tried to mindlessly reach Arapahos.

[DragonSong]

The moment she saw him, Tessa felt her heart stop. Horror washed through her, and without meaning to she found herself giving a soft, high cry as she took a lurching step toward the beast.

"Toby..."

"Miss, stay back!"

One of the guards grabbed her arm, trying to hold her in place. "He's not safe. I'm sorry, ma'am, but--"

"Get off me!" With what little strength she had she threw the man's hand off and took a few more steps toward the creature that part of her still couldn't believe was her husband. Before anyone else could grab her, she moved toward Tobias, steps slow and steady, hands raised to show she meant no harm.

The guards were shouting at Striker and the other man-- she recognized him, one of the hunters-- but she blocked them out. Her whole body shook as she got closer, closer... Almost within reach, but just that one step too far.

Oh gods, what have they done to you?

"Toby." She swallowed, hearing the tears in her own voice, and took a shaky breath. "Toby," she tried again, with a bit more success in keeping her voice even. "Sweetheart, it's me. It's Tess. I-- I came to get you. I'm sorry it took me so long..."

She blinked as her vision turned blurry, tears trickling slowly down her face. "Love, come back. Please. It's me, Toby, it's me. I won't let anyone hurt you again, I promise. I love you, Toby, please...come back. Come back to me..."

[Zero]

The monster turned towards the new sounds with a snarl. More things that needed to meet his claws and fangs. At least, that was what he thought. It was like a splash of ice water running through his veins, to hear that voice calling that name. He knew that voice. He knew that name. Somewhere. Somewhere.

Ears that had been flattened back aggressively swiveled forward, listening as the tiny woman pleaded with him. Why didn't he tear her apart? Her blood and flesh would be so sweet...

NO!

The beast was tense, so tense, as he stepped toward Tessa. He did not lunge at her, but raised a clawed hand towards her slowly. The chains on his bonds rattled as they reached their limit, she was out of his reach and he hesitantly withdrew his hand to look at the stake piercing him. Funny, he hadn't noticed it until now, even though his blood was dripping slowly down the metal links, smearing them a dark red. A glance at his other arm showed him a matching thing.

He should have raged and pulled mindlessly at them, but...somehow he knew that wouldn't work. How could he reason that?

Tobias stepped back, clutching at his head as it throbbed painfully. His maw opened and closed, garbled growls escaping him nonsensically as he tried to make noises he didn't even know how he knew. It was a pained effort, but finally a mouth never meant to make human speech was able to rasp out a recognizable sound.

"Tess...a..."

The creature threw back his head and roared angrily. How dare they try to keep her from him!

HOW DARE THEY!

"That's not possible!" Striker screamed angrily, before going ghost white. Tobias gripped the end of one stake and yanked it with all his might. Blood poured from the wound as more flesh tore and burned, but the restraint was discarded on the ground, he whined in pain but repeated the action on the second.

The beast was free.

"KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT YOU FOOLS!"  The lord shrieked before running for the safety of his house. Arapahos followed his master, clearly not wanting to find out how that monster might repay him for all the abuse suffered at his hands.

Tobias ignored them and stepped toward Tessa. Those insects could be squashed later. His eyes were still a gleaming red, but he lowered his head to gaze at the woman before him, taking in her scent and finding the one truth in the lie that had driven him over the edge. There was most definitely a pup inside the ragged female before him. His pup. And his mate.

His body twisted as he collapsed back to his knees, shrinking and rearranging back into a human form, a naked, bloody, and battered form, but his form nonetheless. Tobias could barely raise his head, but he forced it back so that he could look up at his Tessa.

"They told me you were dead..." The relief was so overwhelming that he dropped his head again and wept. "They told me you were gone!"

[DragonSong]

Tessa caught her breath, holding it as he turned to her, and... Did he recognize her? Oh gods she could only pray he did.

His mouth moved almost painfully and she ached for him-- but that that sound, his voice, calling her name, no matter how twisted it was. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard. "Yes," she gasped out, daring to reach toward him. "Yes, it's me, I'm here..."

He roared and she flinched back, for a moment panicking, thinking she may have set him off again. But no, he wasn't attacking, he was--

"Tobias, no!" she shouted as he reached for the restraints, realizing what he was planning to do. "Stop, you'll hurt yourself!" But she couldn't stop him, could only whimper as flesh tore and blood spattered.

Then Striker's voice cut through the chaos of the scrambling guards and she whirled, throwing her arms out wide as she planted her relatively tiny body between her mate and the rest of the them. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!"

She looked back to Tobias, reaching for him with both hands now. Then he was shifting, changing before her eyes into the man she knew, the man she loved, her husband, her mate.

They told me you were dead...

Tears streaming freely down her face, she dropped to her knees before him and gathered him close, as gently and carefully as she could, not wanting to aggravate his wounds. I will flay them all alive.

But not now. Later. Now, she had Toby in her arms, and she wasn't going to let go. Not for anything. "I'm here," she sobbed, pressing a kiss to his brow before she turned her face into the curve of his neck and shoulder and just held him, her whole body trembling. "I'm here, Toby, I'm here. I'm so sorry, love, I'm so sorry, I should have come sooner--" She took a breath and pulled away just far enough to hold him by the shoulders and meet his gaze.

"I am never leaving you again. I won't let anyone hurt you, ever again."

[Zero]

Tobias was a bloody mess. His face was streaked with self-inflicted scratches where he'd clawed at himself in despair, not to mention the wounds where the silver spikes had been driven through his flesh or the way his back was a patchwork of scars and wounds that were in various states of healing.

None of that pain mattered to him when Tessa pulled him close. At long last, his mate was beside him and his heart felt whole again. He didn't even know just how long it had been! That didn't matter anymore either as he tried to wrap his arms around his mate. More than anything he wanted to hold her and be held by her. He was too weak to do much more than drape and arm around her waist and wearily lay his head against her shoulder as he cried openly.

"I am supposed to protect you." He rasped; voice full of anguish as she tried to promise never to let anyone hurt him again. The wolf felt distraught that he hadn't been able to take care of and protect his mate, especially now that she was expecting their pup - when she needed him most.  "Are you okay?"

[DragonSong]

“I’m fine,” Tessa soothed as she reached reached up to stroke his hair, not caring if it was a lie. She had him back. Somehow, she’d work everything else out. “Toby, I’m so sorry to ask this, but can you stand?”

“I— I’ll call for a carriage,” one of the guards suddenly offered, and hurried back the way they had come. Tessa glanced after her, then looked to the other guards. Her expression hardened.

“What you all have seen here must constitute a breach of the law! Not even a slave may be tortured this way within Adela’s borders— and Tobias is no slave, nor had he been in the entire time he was in Striker’s custody.”

A few of the guards looked between each other, unsure. One mumbled something about going to look for the lord before he too left.

Tessa sighed and her shoulders slumped. She tightened her arms around her husband and dipped her head to kiss one of the scratches that traced down his cheek. “I’m going to take you home, love,” she whispered. “Everything is going to be alright now.”

[Zero]

Tobias was too exhausted to even frown. She didn't seem fine. Cradled against his mate he could feel the slight bump of her belly where their baby rested, but he could also tell that she had thinned below what anyone would call healthy and the shadows under her eyes told multitudes about desperately in need of rest she must be.

This was his fault, he was sure of it. He hadn't been there to take care of her and clearly she had not been taking care of herself.

Even beaten and broken down as he was, Tobias knew that he had to take care of her, to get her better. It was not good for her this way - and it was not good for their growing little one either. They needed their mother to be healthy and strong so they could grow healthy and strong.

One step at a time. He didn't realize his eyes had closed as he stayed nestled against Tessa, but it saved him from having to answer that embarrassingly he didn't think he could walk. Someone said something about a carriage, but he was too tired to care. Tessa was here now and he could finally be at peace.

"Please, I just want to go home." It was a rather pathetic whispered plea.

[DragonSong]

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Tessa whispered, carding her fingers gently through his lank hair. She kissed his cheek again, tasted blood, hated Striker with a renewed surge of heat. "We're going home," she promised him quietly.

She glanced back at the guards, and thankfully they seemed to read the desperation on her face. Two of them moved forward and helped her try to drag Tobias to his feet. "We've just gotta get you out to the front, love, okay?" the young woman murmured as she started guiding him back toward the door. "Then I'm going to get you home, and I'm going to take care of you. I'll make you better, sweet, I promise."

She didn't realize she was still crying, brushing Tobias's hair from his face to kiss his brow, his cheeks, his nose, oh-so-softly his lips.

The guards helped them back around the house and to the now waiting carriage, helped them climb inside. Tessa tried to pay the woman who had called for transport, but she was waved off with "Our job was to help you get your husband home safe, miss. Just doing my job."

With a heavy sigh, she managed to settle Tobias into the carriage, helping him lay down across one seat. She knelt on the floor as the carriage lurched into motion, reaching up to stroke his face gently, then letting her hand trace down his arm to his wrist, examining with the ruined flesh with a soft hiss. "I'm going to wrap this," she told him quietly. "Are-- are you bleeding anywhere else?"

[Zero]

The faintest whimper escaped him as she stroked his hair. His whole body hurt, but he wanted her to pet his hair like that forever. Now that she was with him he never wanted her to stop touching him, the gentle feel of her hands was soothing and reassuring.

"No." It was a weak protest as they dragged him to his feet, and for a moment a low growl rumbled out of him, but then he just whined softly as they helped him stumble towards safety.

"I love you, Tessa." Tobias gasped softly after feeling her lips on his, forcing his eyes to wearily drag open. They were a bright, burnished gold as the wolf bristled inside him. He was in pain and felt vulnerable and unable to protect his mate properly. Of course the wolf was agitated as they helped him collapse onto a carriage seat.

A soft whine escaped him any time that Tessa's hands left him. He hated that she was in the floor, he wanted her in his arms. His eyes closed again as she touched his face and the wolf sighed in relief. It was short-lived.

Tobias choked down a sound of pain the best he could as she touched one of his mangled wrists. If anyone else had touched something so painful a growl might not have been their only reprimand. Wounded animals were dangerous, and the wolf was certainly both of those things right now.

"I don't know." He admitted softly, shifting uncomfortably on the seat as he tried to lay in a way that his mate could look after his injured forearms, but that didn't put pressure on his back, which while not bleeding now, was still healing and tender.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, dear heart." She blinked away a few more tears as she started winding a strip of clean linen around his wrist. She hated that her need to be prepared had come in handy, but in way was thankful.

Of course, even if she'd expected something awful, she could never have imagined this. What that monster had done to him. Her jaw clenched, eyes flashing dangerously as she tied off the bandages, hands gentle despite her rage.

She moved on to his other wrist, leaning in to kiss him softly as she did. "I love you, Toby," she whispered. "I love you so much. We're going to go home, and I'm going to take care of you, okay, love?" She smiled shakily, reaching up to cup his cheek in her hand carefully. "I have so much to tell you, sweetheart." Once he was feeling better, of course.

Gods. Would he ever be okay after this?

[Zero]

Tobias tried very hard to remain still and endure the bandaging in silence. His mate was so gentle, but he still hurt and it was impossible not to suck in a sharper breath a couple times. How he wished those gorgeous eyes that he loved so much weren't tarnished with tears. Nothing could detract from how beautiful she looked to him, but his golden gaze slid over her protruding collarbone and his chest tightened painfully.

He had not been the only one to suffer.

The werewolf whined softly as she kissed him again, tilting his head into the feel of her hand cupping his cheek. Any sting experienced by the scratches was more than worth getting to enjoy the warmth of that hand.

"I love you so much. The worst pain was being away from you. No amount of physical torture could compare to that." His voice was hushed and raw as a fresh wave of tears blurred his vision. Even though it caused pain, he lifted a hand so that he could caress her cheek lovingly, apologetically. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you better. I am supposed to take care of you. You look unwell, Tessa. It's my fault, but I will fix it. You need to be healthy and strong for me, and for our little one."

[DragonSong]

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm sorry," Tessa whispered as she tended to him. She hated causing him pain, but she knew she had to get him bandaged, to stop the bleeding. The wounds were caused by silver, and they wouldn't heal as easily as the scratches on his face.

When his hand came up to brush her cheek, she flicked her eyes to his, seeing her tears mirrored in gold.Gold. As much as she loved the color, she knew it was because he was afraid, in pain, and in that moment she hated it.

A soft, startled laugh was pulled from her chest and she shook her head when he spoke. "I should have known you'd realize," she murmured. Carefully, she reached up to tap his nose gently. "The nose knows, huh?" She leaned in to kiss his brow. "I'm...a little tired," she admitted quietly, "but I'll be alright. And none of this is your fault, love, you hear me? None of it. I'm just sorry it took me so long to get you back..."

The carriage rattled away down the road, she could feel the curve of the familiar streets. Down through the merchant distract, passed a few estates-- The Varrys' among them-- then on, down a sidestreet and into a different, smaller residential area. 

[Zero]

Tobias managed to crack a very weary smile, for her he could smile no matter how tired or how much pain. "The nose always knows. I knew the moment I caught your scent, even as that...thing I knew the smell of my most precious mate, and of our child."

He closed his eyes again and rested his head against the seat. How much he wanted to simply fade into sleep, but they would just have to wake him when it was time to leave the carriage.

"I wish you would have taken more care with your health, Tessa. Do you know what it would do to me if I lost either of you? Life is meaningless without you." Was he scolding her? Maybe, but his voice was far more tired and sad than angry. She had suffered without him and had worked so hard to be back with him – he couldn't truly be upset with her. He would have done the same. It was just that he didn't have a baby relying on his body to see it born healthy. "Promise me you won't neglect yourself anymore. I am with you now; you don't have to worry anymore. I'll be okay now."

Tobias just needed some time to let his body heal from its ordeal. His mind was another matter entirely and he didn't want to think about what lasting consequences would linger on his psyche.

[DragonSong]

She could have argued with him, pointed out how that protectiveness and fear of losing her was mirrored in her own love for him, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. Besides, they were both exhausted, and he was hurting, and she just wanted to help him get better.

"Alright," she whispered, pressing her brow to his for a moment. "I promise, love."

The carriage rattled to a stop and she lifted her head. She could hear voices-- Della and her husband Jonathan, Mia beneath it all-- and she glanced down at her husband again. "I'm sorry, Toby, do you think you can sit up? We can help you inside the house, if you can get your feet under you."

Running feet pattered down the little stone path, through the tiny yard that led to Della's smallish family home, tucked away between two larger buildings. The voices were closer now, and before Tessa really had time to react Jonathan pulled open the carriage door and Della was there, reaching for her.

Th cook's eyes widened when she saw Tobias and her mouth went tight. Then she shook her head and looked to Tessa. "You help him up and we can get him inside," she told her briskly.

[Zero]

His sweet, beautiful, stubborn Tessa wanted to argue with him, Tobias could tell, but he smiled again when he felt her press their brows together and promised what he wanted to hear. It didn't matter that she was still set on concerning and fussing over him more than taking care of herself, but it still gave him great relief. He would make sure that she was properly cared for now, hearing her make the promise just made him happy.

The sound of other voices, from outside, made him grimace softly. It wasn't that he was unhappy to hear Della's voice again. The woman had been unfailingly kind and motherly towards him, and he had come to like her very much in the short time he had spent at the Varrys house. His displeasure was entirely on the idea of sitting up or trying to limp into the house.

He really didn't even know where they were. It wasn't the Varrys house, like before. This must be Della's house, then. He didn't know that she did not live in the servant's quarters, but he supposed it made sense.

When the door opened Tobias heaved a sigh and made the great effort of struggling to become upright again. At least they were there and he would be able to settle down to get a proper rest very soon. Proper rest and real sleep were not something he had experienced since he had been captured by Striker's men.

"Nice to see you again, Della." Tobias tried to smile at the woman that made him ache for his mother, but it probably looked more like a grimace, and ghastly given his state. "Sorry I'm such a mess."

[DragonSong]

Della stared at him, her eyes suspiciously bright. Then she blinked and shook her head, giving him a firm scowl. "Now don't you go and apologize for something your fool self can't help," she told him quickly, reaching in first to help Tessa down from the carriage-- the younger woman wobbling slightly on her feet-- and then for Tobias. "C'mon, lad, let's get you inside into a nice bath, then to bed with you."

"Here, boy." Jonathan, who had never met Tobias but certainly been told plenty of stories, offered his arm to the younger man as a crutch, glancing to his eldest daughter. Mia met his eyes, seemed to understand, and nodded, darting back toward the house and calling for her younger siblings, telling them she needed their help out in the back garden.

No child should see this.

Wincing slightly, Tessa quickly turned to her husband, reaching out to him. "Here, I can help--"

"You will do no such thing," Della informed her sharply. "You will march your ass back into that house and sit at the table while I make you sommat to each and Jon helps Toby here into a bath. Then you will both go straight to bed, am I clear?"

[Zero]

Hearing her scold him for apologizing made Tobias crack another pained smile despite himself, it made him happy. It made him feel warm and like he was home. This would be home, for at least a little while, until he could stand on his own two feet without help.

He watched Della help Tessa from the carriage protectively, noticing the unsteadiness in his mate. It pained him. What hurt even more was knowing that no matter how badly he wanted to scoop her up into his arms and carry her to bed so they could both rest together at last he wasn't currently strong enough to manage such a feat. Tobias wasn't used to not being strong enough to do what needed to be done. It wasn't a pleasant feeling – physically or emotionally.

All he could do was grab ahold of the offered arm, he had never met the man, but he was guessing it was Della's husband. What a way to meet him.

Just those few moments when Tessa was out of the carriage and hadn't yet stumbled down to the ground felt like too much distance, too long apart. It was irrational. He could see her, she was right there, but he felt a wave of relief when she reached for him. Relief turned to panic when Della was suddenly ordering Tessa to go one place and him to go to another.

"No." The word came out a low growl, the werewolf was trembling and eyes practically burning with how bright and gold they were. Tobias realized his reaction and lowered his eyes with shame. He repeated the simple refusal much more calmly. "No."

The thought of having her out of his sight was unbearable.

"Della please, I can't. I want her with me. I need her with me. We've been apart for far too long, I can't bear a single minute away from her yet."  His voice was hushed and thick with emotion, begging for her to understand and to not try to take Tessa away from him – not even to another room.

[DragonSong]

Della and Jonathan both froze at the growl, looking at Tobias warily. Tessa was at his side in an instant, reaching up to grip his shoulders gently and turn his face down to hers. "It's okay," she told him softly. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm not leaving you."

Quietly, Della came forward to put her hand on Tessa's shoulder, looking up at Tobias. "Alright," she soothed him gently. "Okay. Why don't Miss Tessa and I get you to a bath, then I'll see about making something for you both to eat?"

Tessa glanced at the older woman with a tired, grateful smile. Jonathan dipped his head to them all and murmured, "I can get started heating some water. Miss Tessa, you think the room you've been staying will be big enough for the two of you?"

She looked to him with another smile, feeling tears prick at her eyes. She almost couldn't believe how kind Della and her family had been these last few months. "Yes, I'm sure it will. And you don't have to call me miss, Jon, really."

[Zero]

"I'm sorry." Tobias whispered thickly, closing his eyes as a few tears rolled down his face. How could he growl at Della? It was Della. Tessa was perfectly safe here. He hadn't been able to help it. Still, having her promise once again not to leave him did make him feel an overwhelming relief; especially when Della decided to change her plans.

"Thank you. I'm so sorry Della; I don't know what came over me. I just...I'm so sorry." Gods above he was a right mess, wasn't he?

Della still wanted to make sure he was fed, and the man was asking about them having enough room, it was almost too much to take in. They were looking out for them. It was more than he felt he deserved, but of course he was very grateful.

"Thank you both so much. I will repay you all your kindness. I promise." As soon as he could.

[DragonSong]

Immediately Della and her husband set to fussing over him, telling him not to worry, that they understood, he didn't have to apologize. Things would get better soon.

Both Tessa and Tobias were ushered into the house, through the single room that served as the main living area, kitchen tucked in the back left corner, through to the small bathroom. Della turned and headed back into the kitchen as Jonathan helped Tobias into the wooden bath.

Tessa settled herself beside the tub, keeping her hand on her husband's arm whenever possible. She smiled at him wanly, picking up a cloth to begin dabbing away the grime and blood that covered his skin, slow and careful.