Peter felt like a caged animal pacing back and forth in the hospital safe room. Waiting for his family to show up; after he managed to call up his mother with Helen’s cell phone. Despite the safe room unlocked and open for him to leave; Peter was still in his were-lion fursona. Shifting into it after getting shot on Friday evening; his body reacting to the extreme trauma he experienced and trying to heal the damage done as quickly as possible. As such, Peter had to maintain a low profile while recuperating from his near death experience; a were-alert was in effect and the hospital does not allow weres to wander about while in their fursona for security reasons.
“I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” Helen speaking as she observes through her periphery of Peter’s pacing. The were-rabbit who is also a doctor, was able to leave the safe room and head to the staff change room; a robe allowing her to remain concealed while she was in her fursona as she wandered through the halls, giving her a chance to get at her everyday clothes. Now back in the safe room and completely defurred; the doctor was looking at a few text messages her brother and parents sent her the evening prior.
“Now I know how a lion feels like in a zoo enclosure,” Peter grumbling; “being confined to a small area, not allowed to roam free; it’s intolerable.”
“It could be worse,” Helen looking up at the were-lion; “you could be forced to perform in front of a crowd under a circus tent.”
“I’d decapitate the lion tamer,” Peter using his furry fingers as quotation marks; “the moment he sticks his head in my mouth.”
“Don’t do that,” Helen cracking a sly smile; “you don’t know where that lion tamer has been dipping his wick.”
“Yuckity yuck yuck,” Peter chortling; “not that kind of head.”
Helen chuckles as Peter shakes his head and rolls his eyes; watching his mate get up and leave the safe room, leaving him alone for the moment.
“Did I say something wrong,” Peter looking confused as he sat in a chair; the gap in the chair back allowing his tail to slip through, ensuring he didn’t roar in pain as he sat on the sensitive appendage.
“Did you say something,” Helen returning with a couple cans of soda and joining Peter at the table.
“For a were-rabbit,” Peter looking bemused; “you have horrible hearing. I asked if I said something wrong.”
“My hearing is excellent,” Helen looking unamused; “despite the door to the safe room open, this is a sound proof room. It is extremely difficult even for a were to listen in on what’s going in here.”
“Oh,” Peter opening up a can of soda and sipping it; “guess that makes sense in a way. You don’t want the rest of the hospital to hear someone screaming like an animal if they are experiencing an incomplete transformation.”
*******
It was another hour of waiting, before Peter’s parents finally showed up at the hospital. Being directed to the secured wing of the hospital; the area housing the safe room Peter was currently in. Both Leon and Regina enter to see their son, no worse for wear; yet looking irritable at having to stay stuck in on place. They also see Helen Thompkins sitting next to Peter. The doctor feeling better after her extreme heat cycle from taking the wrong were birth control pills; there was at first an awkward silence as Regina and Helen stare at each other intently, only broken from a cough curtesy of Leon.
“I take it you are feeling better,” Leon speaking; “less aggressive and prone to violent outbursts?”
“You know I wasn’t fully myself,” Peter answering; “Helen’s pheromones bringing out the lion in me more than usual.”
Leon was silent for the moment; thinking on the time he met Regina and felt that exact same rush of desire as he found his mate. Looking at Regina as he shrugs his shoulders, Leon looks back at Peter.
“You know you are still recovering from being shot,” Leon speaking; “wanting to come home…”
“At least I can keep busy while at home,” Peter speaking; “here I’m just lying in a bed doing nothing.”
“Or her,” Regina looking at Helen.
“This is not the time for that,” Leon sighing; “besides Peter, physical activity could reopen the wound in your abdomen.”
“Highly unlikely,” Helen speaking; “there is little risk of exsanguination. Internal bleeding however is another matter.”
“I can still do the paper work,” Peter looking at his father; “run the books and manage the accounts. Just don’t ask me to hoist an engine block or strip out an exhaust manifold.”
“At least for a week,” Helen speaks up; “Peter’s body is still knitting itself back together. As such he will need to be in his fursona for some time to help speed up the healing.”
“This means he won’t be able to attend his classes at Moon Lake College,” Regina sighing.
“We knew that,” Leon nodding; “do you have any tests coming up Peter? Any important course work that is due?”
“None that I can think of,” Peter thinks; “but my professor does love to spring surprise tests upon his class. You might want to talk to Dean Myers about having those excused due to my medical issues.”
“I’ll call him tomorrow,” Leon responding before handing over a large grey robe; “hopefully that is big enough to keep you covered.”
“It’s bigger than the white robe doctor Tachibana provided,” Peter throwing it on and getting up.
“Then let’s go home,” Leon speaking.
As Peter followed his father out the room, Helen got up to follow suit. Trying to get out of the room she was stopped by Regina.
“You and I,” Regina giving Helen a cold stare; “are going to have a talk.”
“If it’s that clichéd intentions chat,” Helen smirking; “be advised my parents have the same one planned for Peter. Me being the girl in the relationship after all,” Helen staring back at the were-lioness; showing no fear, despite being in the presence of a powerful were.
“Most of the smaller were’s,” Regina looking at Helen; “ooze fear when in my presence. Why is it you have none?”
“Because Peter made a promise last night,” Helen responding; “to protect me, and keep me safe from those that would harm me. It was not some idle pledge; it was his were-wedding vows to me.”
Regina looked at Helen as she walked around the were-lioness; determined to catch up to her mate and father in-law.
“I hope you know what you are getting into Peter,” Regina speaking to herself; “once the were-lioness’s in our pride get wind of you taking a were-rabbit for a mate, there is going to challenges made against her. You better be serious with those vows to protect her.”