Chapter 60 - old room

Declan came back faster than Faun had been expecting, his breath catching when the door swung open suddenly.

He sat upright stiffly, his shocked eyes fixed on the door.

Declan didn't say anything to him and even though Faun wouldn't have had anything to say either, it stung him.

Declan unbuttoned his black shirt with a hand, telltale weariness evident in his eyes.

Faun felt a pang but he couldn't ask or offer comfort, instead he sat quietly and tried to make himself blend into the background.

Declan glanced at him sharply like he was just noticing his presence, making his way over languidly.

Faun dropped his gaze, feeling his pulse speed up. The terror was slowly calming down, he didn't feel overwhelming terror anymore.

He raised his head in surprise when he heard the gentle chink of metal on metal. He looked up at Declan then down at the cuff around his wrist.

"Come with me." Declan invited in a gentle voice, stepping away from the bed.

Faun only hesitated for the briefest of seconds before hurrying off the bed.

Maybe he should have been more cautious but Declan seemed so sad, he didn't want to worsen that.

The ghost of a smile whispered across Declan's face but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

Faun followed Declan to the hallway, curious now about where they were going. Declan wouldn't be taking him to the bathroom, would he?

They got past the door that opened into the hallway, Declan going in the opposite direction from the bathroom.

Faun was caught off guard, he had been so impatient to check if there was an escape through the bathroom and so broken-hearted when he found out there wasn't that he didn't notice that the hallway went on for longer.

They went past a couple doors before Declan stopped at the last one at the edge of the hallway, he opened the door and gestured for Faun to go in.

Faun didn't move a muscle, staring blankly up at Declan.

"Goodnight, ask or call if you need anything." Declan muttered, reflexively lifting a hand to ruffle Faun's hair only to catch himself.

Faun watched him leave in despair, he wanted to hurry after Declan and ask him to ruffle his hair but he couldn't anymore.

Instead, he braced himself for what he would see when he got to the room that Declan had given to him.

No amount of bracing would have spared him the shock though; Faun staggered, leaning against the doorpost so that he didn't crumble to his knees.

He was staring at an exact replica of his room back in Oakwood.

His plushies were on the bed, his little trinkets here and there. There was no mistaking the two though, this wasn't his room back in the cottage.

The bed was different, so were the walls, and he knew if he opened any of the curtains he would be staring down at a sheer drop, not the woods that he loved so much.

Faun gingerly stepped in, closing the door carefully behind him. Declan had gone through all this trouble to make sure he was comfortable, why couldn't he have left him behind then?

He was sure that Isla and Lou wouldn't mind… His blissful thoughts were shattered. He was a hybrid.

Eventually he would be found out. The thought made him trudge over to his bed, falling face down on his welcoming plushies.

Thinking about it gave him a headache. He was still hurt from getting betrayed by someone he thought was his mate.

His somewhat stable life had been ripped apart and he was thrust in a strange new place filled with his natural enemies.

This was far worse than when he woke up and found the rest of the hybrids that he had been travelling with long gone.

Wait…

He had become so caught up in Declan that he forgot his original plans.

Declan was a prince right? It meant that he should be able to find out how to get to the north.

He sat up at this thought, excitement thrumming through him. If Declan had brought him along because he was worried about his safety then he wouldn't mind if he went to the north.

It was safe after all and filled with hybrids. There was a pang in his chest, he craved interaction with his own kind, maybe he could even find another fox hybrid.

He searched through the room, finding his clothes in the closet just as he had been expecting. The windows were also barred, it couldn't have been done because he was coming, right?

He also found a connecting bathroom which was a relief because he didn't want to have to share a bathroom with Declan.

Faun cleaned up with newfound purpose; first thing the next morning, he would ask Declan to let him go to the north because being around each other only tore them apart.

He was able to cuddle his plushies with a little smile, his first smile after Declan left the cottage in the morning.

It faded away soon after his brain provided him with a rundown of the entire day. He sighed forlornly, he really hoped this would work out.

Faun woke up several times during the course of the night, unable to fall asleep which was honestly no surprise.

He had spent the better part of the day sleeping and now he was too nervous to fall asleep.

He had also been sleeping with Declan for so long that he forgot how to sleep all by himself.

After a while, Faun gave up on trying to sleep. He sat up on his bed, surrounded by plushies and staring into the dim expanse of the room.

He tucked his knees under his chin, his tail curling around his legs in a bid to comfort himself.

A quiet jingle caught his attention and he glanced in the direction of the side dresser, the sound had come from it.

He opened the first drawer and let out a little gasp at what he found.

It was his cellphone!

He quickly snatched it and settled back to get a good look at it. It was still intact, nothing out of place.

It meant that he could call Isla and Lou!

It had to be late for them though, plus there was a slim chance that Declan could overhear him. It would be better to call when Declan was gone for the day.

He forced himself to steady his erratic breath, his phone told him that it was just 2:13 am. The night was just starting, there was no way he could fall asleep now that he had his phone in hand.

He had hours ahead of him, he was better off thinking about what he would say to them. He couldn't be careless with this opportunity given to him.