#4

The next morning, Snow helped his father and Rudi set up a little cot made of blankets and poles. They didn't shift into their human forms, so it was difficult, but he sensed their human forms would frighten Sable. So they managed in their wolf forms. The idea was that Sable would be in the blankets and four wolves would carry her to wherever his father had vehicles waiting. Then, they would figure out how to get her into one of the vehicles and drive home so she could be treated.

The problem started when he asked her to get into the blankets. Sable looked at the contraption, tried to lift her body to crawl over, and collapsed. He was there to soften the fall of her head so she didn't hit it on the hard stone. Tears came to her eyes and she began to cry. Snow looked to his father for help, but even Turk was startled at the weakness in Sable's body.

Snow laid in front of Sable and flicked his tongue out to catch her tears. "I want to get you out of here, but I don't want to hurt you by dragging you over."

"I am too weak."

"I need to shift."

Fear took hold of her body and Snow hated it.

"I promise I will not hurt you. I won't touch you skin-to-skin. I just want to get you to the blankets."

"Humans are liars!"

Snow flinched and backed away. This was worse than he feared. "Please, let me help you!"

"No human!" she barked. "i do not trust the human halves of wolves."

Snow nodded his head and began to pace. Anju looked between him and Sable, worried. Turk walked over and nuzzled his son, whining as he knew somewhat of how it felt to not be trusted by your mate.

Finally, Snow stopped and dragged the blanket contraption to right in front of Sable, then laid on it, eyes boring into hers. "Will you allow me and Anju to roll you onto it?"

Sable looked at the contraption then back at Snow. "I haven't full stretched out my limbs for a long time. I don't know if I can get straight."

"Someone will be on either side of you to soften the fall of your body. But, if you want to try and stretch out, you may do so."

Snow waited as he saw concentration on Sable's face. Her legs began to quiver, her body straining to move the parts that had been still in one position for a long time. He wondered just how long and had to swallow down the urge to growl and bare his canines.

Sable whimpered. Her bones ached at having to move. Her head ached at the concentration it took to move only two limbs. Her body hurt no matter what she did. However, she was able to get her knees away from her chest and her calves at a ninety degree angle from her body. It was the best she could do for now and she panted.

"We are in no rush," said her white wolf. "Take as long as you need."

"I don't think I can go any further."

Her white wolf began to move, as well as the female wolf he called Anju. She felt Anju behind her and her nose prod into her back. Sable held in her cries of pain as they began to roll her onto the blankets. Only whimpering when she felt her body fall to the other side, expecting hard rock to cause her pain. But only a warm body with soft fur met her skin, easing away slowly so she laid on the rock gently.

It took three turns of her body to be on the blankets securely. Afterwards, Anju covered her up with three blankets and set a piece of jerky beside her. Sable's stomach revolted at the sight, so she closed her eyes, ignoring the food and focusing on what was happening around her.

Snow, Rudi, Inigo, and Turk grabbed the four ends of the poles and lifted while Anju and Shiba took the front and Lass and Kortan took the rear. They began to leave the cavern, Snow's mate safely in the middle.

It took a bit of maneuvering once they got into the tunnels, but they all worked as a team, not once setting Sable down. Once they were outside, then they took a break. Snow nudged Sable gently, encouraging her to look around. When her eyes opened, a smile bloomed onto her face as green and brown and blue and yellow surrounded her. Sunlight spilled onto her face, making the smile she wore look brilliant. Snow gave a grin with his tongue lolling out, his chest out in pride at the joy on his mate's face.

They stayed there for ten minutes before continuing on, finding the trucks his father and the six brought near the road that would lead straight to home. However, the moment Sable saw them, there was fear again. Once they set her down, Snow went to her and whined softly, wanting to comfort her. "We are going home. You will be safe. No one will hurt you where we go."

"Can I ride in the bed of the truck?" she asked in a shaky voice. "I do not feel safe inside."

"As long as you let one of us ride with you."

It took a moment, in which Snow thought she would refuse, then she smiled. "I want you."

He licked her nose and bounded over to his father to give him the information. Turk wasn't happy about the arrangements, but wouldn't force anyone to be in a place they weren't comfortable. The made a makeshift ramp, then carried Sable into the bed of the truck where they laid her on extra blankets so she was comfortable. Snow laid beside her, watching as Anju shifted and dressed, then closed the bed of the truck. The others shifted and dressed, but were out of sight of Sable. After a few minutes, the truck started and they rumbled down the road towards home.

"What about them?" Sable asked in his mind.

He nuzzled her gently. "My den is impenetrable from the outside. Not to mention, any outsider invited in would easily get lost without an escort."

"Why?"

"My den is large, full of rooms on many floors." He saw her anxiety and whined. "You won't be left to get lost. Someone will help you, but first you will gain strength. While I know my den like the back of my paw, I would not like to try and find you, calling you without an answer because you are unconscious. It would be a while before i found you."

Sable put a hand on his paw, her hand small and soft. He watched and waited. But she just rested it there, unable to do anything else. "How do I know I can trust you and your pack?"

"You don't," he answered truthfully. "But I hope you will in time. I hope you will also learn to trust my human form, as it is just as protective of you as my wolf."

"I do not trust human forms. They aren't loyal."

"Mine is." Snow could see the doubt in Sable's eyes, but had no way of convincing her it was the truth. So, he said, "I will stay a wolf around you for a while. But I want you to see my human half. It is much the same in looks and personality."

"No."

"You will. I won't come near you in that form, but you will see my human half. You cannot trust the wolf and not the human. They are the same in mind."

Sable shook her head. "No wolf has hurt me! No wolf could. Only the human half. Only the human could strike me down and make me weak!"

"Then you do not know wolves at all," Snow told her in a low growl, then went silent for the rest of the ride home, only getting close to her when nights came and chilled her body. He noticed she didn't eat. Anju left several pieces of food for her, but nothing would enter her mouth. He was happy to see her drink water though, and ate her food for her. He figured she'd eat more once she was treated and started on soft foods. Little at a time, he knew she would eat a full meal in time.

They made it home in three days, Turk driving as fast as he dared. Snow was relieved and jumped out the truck and stretched in the grass. "We will put her in one of the ground houses before settling her in the den," his father told him.

Snow shrugged, knowing his father would see the best for Sable and knew the most as he was Alpha. They carried Sable to Aurora's house, at the base of a tree where climbing wasn't needed. The pack doctor was rushed in. Immediately, Sable began to whimper and squirm, but Snow settled beside her and gave her comfort. He told her the male was trusted by him, that he would be gentle and go nowhere near her lady parts. He told Sable that the doctor would ask permission before removing any blankets guarding her body and that any pain wasn't on purpose.

Sable didn't trust Snow's words, and he saw her eyeing the doctor suspiciously. But in the end, she allowed the doctor to take her vitals, check her ankle where she was chained up, then administer some medication. Snow knew the doctor wasn't satisfied with his findings, but he'd have to wait until Sable was less fearful of everyone.

Eventually, Snow's mother and sister came in, in human form. Sable wasn't about to let Mazelina close, but something about Noreen's innocent eyes and cheerful features allowed the girl to get close and sooth Sable just enough to let Noreen and Anju, who was also in human form, to lift her onto the bed. Turk stayed in wolf form, and his mate knelt to hug him. Snow nuzzled Sable to look at his parents. She did, and blinked in shock.

"They are mates?"

"The wolf is my father. She is my mother."

Sable watched as Turk and Mazelina played a bit before settling down with Mazelina sitting beside Turk with a hand on his back. Sable still didn't feel comfortable with the human woman, but saw the love in the wolf's eyes, saw how he trusted and enjoyed her company. Maybe she could learn to trust. Maybe if those two could trust each other in either form, she could learn to trust her white wolf in either form.

"I would tell you that I'm never going to allow you to be as you are because of your circumstances," said the pack doctor. "However, I won't be responsible for your fear. So, here's what I know."

The pack doctor listed of many problems Sable had, many of which she already knew. He also stated that she was to begin eating small meals of soup and other liquid substances. He told her that he knows more is wrong with her body, but won't force her to reveal herself, but that should she wish, he would be happy to look her over and treat everything. With those words, he left with a bow, taking all his instruments with him.

Six others left, one being Anju, which left Sable with Snow and his parents. She looked at her white wolf and back to his parents, wondering what was going on. Then, the female stood and slowly approached. Sable wanted to run, but knew she didn't have the strength, so she cringed away. Mazelina held up her hands and smiled. "You have every right to be afraid of me. But I won't hurt someone who is important to my son. I just want to talk to you."

Sable stared at her, not answering, not moving an inch. Her wolf nudged her, whining softly. She jumped at his affectionate lick to her cheek, but relaxed as she knew he would protect her, even if his human form wouldn't. She nodded to the female.

Mazelina gestured for the huge black wolf to join her. "I know you are scared. But I want to tell you that Turk and I protect our pack. We would protect you too if you allow us." The female's gaze turned solemn. "I also want to tell you that I was in that cavern once as well, chained up and hurt."

Her wolf's head snapped towards his mother in shock, Sable thought. But Sable herself tilted her head in interest. She opened her mouth to speak, only to cough. "You can use the link with her. She's open to you," her white wolf informed.

Sable did just that. "What happened?"

Mazelina sighed. "I was left there. At first, those who kept me there fed me, but I had to take my wolf form, I had to stay a wolf and they didn't like it. So they starved me, leaving me there to lay in my own filth, living off of rats." Sable flinched. Mazelina gestured to her son. "He was born there, as well as his five other siblings, two of which didn't make it."

"How did you escape? How did you survive?"

"Same as you," Mazelina answered. "My mate."

Sable nodded and felt her hand clutch at her wolf's fur, holding it tightly.

"There was a time when I didn't trust my mate," Mazelina continued. "To me and all those around me, he was a feared beast who would kill anything and everything. But then, I learned about him, learned to listen and watch, and eventually he was always telling me the truth when he said none of the things I heard was his fault."

Turk growled lowly.

"What I want you to do, is to listen to your mate, compromise a little with him. Snow is a very quiet wolf but he is a very loyal one, no matter his shape. If you open up to him, you will see he is what you need to know that safety surrounds you."

"I am scared."

"And that is understandable, but he can't help you without a little information and a little of your willingness to be helped." Mazelina smiled. "You don't have to tell him everything all right now. You don't even have to let him in all the way. But start with something small, and with time, let him in more."

"What about his human form. I do not trust his human. Only his wolf."

Mazelina was confused, but said, "I think you will see that Snow is very different from those who captured you. I think you'll find he is very in-tune with his wolf, just like his father."

"Will he hurt me?"

"Not intentionally. He might scare you with his rages, and he might hurt you in order to help you. But it will never be intentional, never be on purpose."

Sable nodded. "Can I be alone with him?" Mazelina smiled, then gestured for her wolf to follow her out of the small house. When she looked to her own wolf, Snow, his eyes were already on her. "I will learn to trust you in both forms. But can we be slow?"

"Of course. However, I cannot feed you like this. If you want food, I or someone else will have to be human to fix it."

She thought for a moment. "Where's the kitchen?" He gestured to the far end of the house. "Can you make it then bring it over in wolf form?"

She heard a rumble in his chest that might have been a laugh. "You like to challenge me!" He nuzzled her chin and licked her nose. "We shall see if I can do so without spilling anything on myself. I can be a bit clumsy when I am carrying food."

Sable smiled and thought that was enough for her. "Alright." And after a moment, she fell asleep.

Snow watched his mate for a while before carefully getting up and going outside. He shifted and dressed, then looked to his parents who were waiting for him a few feet away. "Why did you not tell me?" he demanded.

"As I said, it not the time or the place," his father replied. "Not to mention, it's your mother's story, not mine."

"But I would not have let you come if I had known!"

Mazelina laughed. "Snow, by now, you should know that your father will do anything for you and the rest of us. Even if it means entering a place with bad memories."

He looked at her. "I was born there?"

She nodded. "Yes. If it weren't for your father reaching me in time, we all would have died."

Snow swallowed the lump in his throat. "Are they...are they buried there?"

"No," Turk said darkly. "I took the pups and buried them where Rudi and I found a den to keep your mother until she was able to walk. We buried them at that den, away from the harshness of that one!"

Snow sighed. "What happened?"

Mazelina shook her head. "All you need to know is that I was not as brutally treated as your female. I was just starved and couldn't birth my pups in a proper den."

Turk stood and stretched, wrapping an arm around his mate when she did the same. "We are going to the main den now. If you need something, just link one of us. I will send a pack mate out every once in a while to get her used to others, but only one at a time."

"Do you think she'll ever be ready to be in the main den?"

"Only time will tell," his mother said and they walked away.

Snow went back inside and looked at his mate, seeing she was peacefully slumbering. He heated a pot of soup and sat down, grabbing a book and began to read