Maverick ran into the forest; he didn't know why or what was happening. What was bizarre was that he felt a strong sense of anxiousness and fear. "Why am I feeling this way?" he asked as he ran by trees. He glanced at his surroundings and noticed nothing but trees; it looked familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"AAAHHHH!"
A scream echoed throughout the forest. It was so strong that it made him tremble. Maverick stopped in his tracks; the scream sounded familiar. "I-Iris?"
"AAAAHHHHH!"
Another scream echoed, and Maverick realized that Iris was the one screaming. His anxiety and fear intensified, his heartfelt pain. It was a feeling he knew very well; it was something he felt when Ofelia died. "Iris!? Where are you!?" He frantically looked around, and there was nothing but endless trees. He was about to continue running but noticed something in the corner of his eye. It looked like a figure hiding behind a couple of trees. "Hey, who are you!?" The figure didn't respond. Instead, it ran away. Maverick immediately followed it; he thought it might know where Iris was.
The figure seemed floating but was quick to get away from him. Meanwhile, Iris's screams echoed occasionally. However, the screams sounded louder, and he was getting near. From afar, he noticed a cave that he had never seen before. The figure stopped in front of it momentarily but eventually entered. Maverick was cautious; there was a possibility that it could have been a trap. Then, a scream came from the cave, and all cautions faded. "I'm coming Iris!" The Beta ran toward the cave, and darkness surrounded him. he used his werewolf vision, but what confused him was that he couldn't see anything. "Iris!? Where are you!?"
Walking in the dark, he noticed a small light that looked like a candle. Maverick ran toward the light, and the more he ran, the more candles he saw; it was as if they were lighting his path. A strong metal door blocked his path; Maverick was about to kick it open, but it opened.
When fully opened, there was a room lit by a couple of light bulbs, and that was when he saw her. Iris was lying on the ground, blood dripping from her lips. Her eyes were emotionless. Maverick's eyes widened in horror as he ran and held her in his arms. "I-IRIS!? IRIS!? PLEASE, SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING!" There was no response; his heart was tearing into pieces. It was the same pain all over, and he screamed for his mate to make any response.
Then, footsteps echoed behind him, and his heart skipped a beat as he turned. The figure was someone he knew all too well. "O-O-Ofelia!? Wh-What is happening!? I-I th-thought..."
Ofelia stood by the cave's exit; her eyes looked saddened. She extended her arms outward. "Save her, Maverick! You know there is only one way to save her!"
Tears formed and dripped from Maverick's eyes as he tried to reach out for her. Then a pair of hands reached around Ofelia and took her within the darkness. "OFELIA, NOOOOO!"
"NOOO!" Maverick looked at his surroundings and realized he was in the living room. His heart was racing uncontrollably; he was a sweaty mess.
"M-Maverick?"
The Beta looked toward the kitchen and saw Iris standing with a glass of water. "S-Sorry, I wanted to get a glass of water, but I noticed you were talking while you were asleep. It looks as if you were-." Iris couldn't finish her statement since Maverick used his super speed and tightly hugged Iris. She was surprised by the sudden action, but his grip on her tightened, making it difficult for her to breathe. "M-Maverick, you're hugging me too tight!"
Maverick realized that his tight grip had lessened it. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't want to hurt you."
"It's okay. Here, you need this more than I do." Iris motioned for him to take the glass of water, which he gladly took; Maverick gulped the water. "Did you have a nightmare?"
The Beta nodded as he put the glass on the nearby table. He glanced at the clock; it was 4:45 a.m. "Sorry if I disturbed you, but I'm okay now." Maverick sat back on the sofa but knew he couldn't go back to sleep.
Iris noticed his troubled expression, and she couldn't let it slide. She slowly walked to the sofa and sat beside Maverick, holding onto his right hand. "Tell me about it. Sometimes, it's good to let out whatever troubles you."
Maverick didn't want to relive or speak about his nightmare; it felt too real to him. However, Iris wouldn't appreciate it if she was not being trusted. She was taking the time to get to know him, and he needed to show her that he could be honest. "I-I dreamed of you, being hurt or dead. I-I don't know!" He let go of her hand as he scrunched his head. "I don't want to be reminded of what I saw!"
"Okay! Okay! It's okay, Maverick! Like I said, it was just a nightmare!" Iris gently massaged the back of his head, trying to soothe him. She felt him less tense. "I think you have been through so much stress. D-Do you think you should take at least a day off?"
"Take a day off? I have after Ofelia died. I don't want to burden Matthias with all the pack responsibilities. Which reminds me, I still have to introduce you fully to the pack."
"Oh, um..."
"Only if you are comfortable."
Iris was slightly anxious about meeting a group of werewolves. She didn't know how they would react to her since she was human. Yet, the young woman didn't want to live in fear; Maverick was taking his time for her to accept him fully. The time spent with him made her feel so much enjoyment. "I-I would like to meet them."
"Really? Are you sure?"
The young woman giggled as she kept massaging the back of his head. "Of course. I'm starting to accept this werewolf thing and it would be nice to meet more of them. However, I'm worried about Jessica. Maybe this meeting would be good for her too."
"I agree, I will speak with Matthias to see when would be a good time. How is Jessica by the way?"
"She's still asleep and I know that she will eventually accept everything, but I think it's Rickon that would be difficult for her to muster." Iris felt Maverick gently squeeze her hand; it felt suitable and warm.
The two looked at one another. Maverick used his free left hand and gently touched her soft face. "You truly are one of a kind." He slowly motioned his face toward hers; Iris knew what he wanted. She, too, motioned her face toward his; their lips touched. A euphoric sensation hit them; their kiss was slow and gentle. Iris got courageous and slowly opened her lips to let Maverick get more access.
He got the message and slowly used his tongue to enter; their tongues intertwined. Maverick let out a low, wolfish groan. He enjoyed the sensation of the kiss, and he was getting excited. Iris felt the same way. She then put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Maverick then put his arms around her; her body was on his. Excitement was apparent since he felt Iris's breast on his chest. He wanted to touch her entire body and show her how much she meant to him. To his surprise, Iris pushed him down on the sofa, making her go on top of him. They separated from the kiss, trying to catch their breaths; a hint of saliva dripped. "Iris..."
Iris kissed him again, but then her lips trailed down to his neck, kissing him in different places. Another wolfish groan escaped his lips. He got so excited that he started to feel his erection growing. Maverick wanted to take her there, but Jessica and Asher were in the other rooms.
Suddenly, the two heard a door open. They stopped what they were doing and immediately sat up; Asher was slowly getting out of the room. "A-Asher?" The adults stood up from the sofa but decided not to get too close to the child; they didn't want to scare him. The little boy noticed the adults looking at him with relief and concern.
"Aaammmaa..." He struggled to speak; his throat was dry, and it caused him pain. Asher wanted to cry again.
Iris noticed he was about to cry, but she slowly approached him and stopped a couple of inches. The young woman knelt to his level and made the water sign. "Water?" The boy noticed Iris; she smiled softly toward him and did some sign language for water. He slowly nodded. "Maverick, could you please get a glass of water for him?"
Maverick nodded as he went to get a small plastic cup and filled it with water. When he went to Iris to hand it to her, she shook her head. "I want you to give it to him. He needs to get comfortable around you. You need to earn his trust."
It made Maverick uncertain whether or not to move so fast, but he knew that Iris had a point. He couldn't be afraid for so long. Maverick knelt beside Iris and looked at the boy. Asher trembled and slowly walked back. "It's okay, buddy. I won't hurt you. You are safe here with me and Iris." The Beta did the 'water' hand sign. "Water?" He then motioned out the cup to him, waiting for the young boy to get it.
The couple were silent as they hoped Asher would get the cup. Asher eyed the adults, trying to determine whether or not to get the cup. He was very thirsty and looked upon with warmth and understanding. Asher slowly walked forward, took the cup, and immediately backed away. He drank from the cup, making the adults sigh in relief. When Asher was done, he slowly motioned out the cup. Iris motioned Maverick to take it, which he did. "We're so happy that you're awake and okay, Asher. Are you hungry?" Asher nodded as he had a couple of fingers in his mouth. "Okay, I will make breakfast for you and everyone here. I will make some pancakes. What do you think, Maverick?"
"That's a great idea, love. It's been a while since I had some good pancakes." Iris realized what Maverick called her; he seemed to realize it, too. He blushed, but Iris giggled. She didn't mind the little nickname. She motioned for the cup given to her and proceeded to make breakfast.
Maverick smiled at Asher and thought of an idea. "Hey buddy, would you like to watch a movie? I heard that Hotel Transylvania is on Netflix." When he didn't receive an answer, Maverick stood and went to turn on the television. He went on Netflix and picked Hotel Transylvania. "Come on, buddy. You can sit here, and I can sit there so you can feel comfortable." The Beta sat at the farthest seat and waited for Asher. When the movie began playing, it caught Asher's attention. The child slowly walked toward the living room while looking at Maverick, who was watching television. When realizing that Maverick wouldn't harm him, Asher sat on the most extended sofa and began to watch the movie. Maverick smiled when he noticed Asher letting out a small smile.
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