"Hurts..." I whimpered, burying my face into Aster's chest. He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming hungrily as they traveled over my body. My chest, stomach, shoulders, neck, and inner thighs were covered in hickeys, bruises, and little red fingerprints. My breathing was uneven, and tears streaked down my face. My whole body trembled. Aster wrapped his arms around me, sliding my limp body on top of him. I wrapped my arms around his chest and my legs around his waist, like a koala clinging to its mother. Though in this case, he was more like my daddy. I smiled to myself at the joke.
"You're alright," Aster whispered into my hair. "Everytime you remember how this felt, you'll remember why I had to do this." He grew serious. "You attacked someone, Red. Now they're going to tell the other humans that there's a wild wolf attacking people in the woods. You don't get it, we're all in trouble now. I don't know how we're going to explain to the town that the wolves are 'safe' when that drunk is going to act like its the worst thing that ever happened to him."
I whimpered quietly.
Aster sat up further on the pillows, cradling my head against his chest. "Shh... you don't have to speak. I know how you felt, I know how it feels when someone in your pack is in danger but you should've known better. What if you had turned him? Or worse, killed him? There's no chance we would've been able to excuse that."
"I'm s-sorry," I murmured. My eyes burned with tears. I hurt- everywhere. I could barely focus on what Aster was saying. If he wanted to teach me a lesson, he shouldn't have punished so harshly that I wouldn't be able to stay conscious long enough to listen to the actual moral of the story. I pressed my lips together and planted small kisses on his chest, the rhythm of the kisses soothing my aching body.
Aster moaned softly in my ear, but he seemed to regain his senses. "Red, you're going to have to explain to the people that the wolves are okay, do you understand that? My pack is responsible, we won't attack unless we have to."
"I had to. He-"
"He was drunk, he wasn't going to do as much as you think. He probably thought they were lost dogs. The pups can protect themselves. No one would blame them for biting, but they're mature enough to know not to. Unlike some people."
I pouted. I knew I shouldn't have attacked him, but Wolf had been itching for a chance to fight something, anything, and the drunk bastard just happened to be there. I curled up on Aster's chest, my body small enough to fit comfortably on the length of his torso. He planted soft feather kisses on my ear as I trembled. "You always make me feel so bad for punishing you," he sighed. "You're so adorable. I wish I could just let you get away with this, but even if I do forgive you- the townspeople might not. Most of them might understand it if it comes from you, but if the drunk is the only witness then who knows how he'll twist the story."
"I don't even recognize him," I said. "I've never seen him around town."
Aster ran his fingers through my hair. It felt amazing. "He could just be on vacation, but I wouldn't count on it. He'll still tell people about it, and the sheriff could issue a reward."
"For what?"
"Killing us."
I shot upwards. "What?!"
Aster shushed me and pushed me back down. "Hush, don't alert everyone else. I believe you can fix this, Red. You've proven to be a very good boy for me," he added teasingly. I flushed and hid my face in his neck. "This might be up to you to save us." Aster grabbed my shoulders, serious again. "Red, if you can't fix this, and if we're viewed as a threat, we're going to have to move again. Do you understand? I have to take my pack and we'll have to leave. I need to know if you want to come with us or not."