"Elliot, I don't care who your father is. I'm not giving you up."
"Tommy-"
"Just come home with me, Elliot." Tommy held out a hand to him but didn't try to force the issue. "I promise I will prove to you that we belong together and that you can trust me. I won't let you down, pretty baby."
Elliot stared at Tommy's hand for the longest time, trying to weigh his options. He was currently in hell, but he was in hell alone. If he returned, he might still be in hell, but Tommy would be there, maybe.
Was that enough to make him go back? Could he trust in what Tommy was saying after everything that had happened? Elliot had trusted before and been disappointed every single time. Would this time be any different? Nothing in Elliot's past said it would. He really had no reason to trust Tommy's words beyond his desire to believe in them.
"Please, Elliot," Tommy whispered.
Almost against his own control, Elliot saw himself reach out for the hand Tommy held out to him. He had just a moment to soak in the overriding joy he felt at touching Tommy again before agony unlike anything he had ever felt swept through his body.
Elliot's eyes closed and his head fell back on his shoulders as his entire body seized, waves of pain filling every cell of his body. He opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out. He distantly heard Tommy shouting his name, but it was quickly drowned out by a loud rush of white noise.
Then suddenly, silence. The pain was gone and Elliot felt nothing. Once again, he wasn't cold or hot. He wasn't thirsty or hungry. He wasn't anything. Elliot felt like he floated in a bubble, no sound, no feeling, no nothing.
Elliot opened his eyes slowly, frowning quickly when the world around him appeared in shades of grey still. He wasn't in the cavern of hell anymore. Even he could tell that. He was in someone's bedroom.
"Hey, pretty baby, how are you feeling?"
Elliot could feel Tommy's hand stroking him, but it felt funny, like not quite real. He glanced down then whimpered. Dread filled him when all he could see was white fur under Tommy's fingers. Elliot tried to back away. He felt more frightened than he had been when he found himself in the cave, but the fur just followed him.
"Elliot, baby, calm down," Tommy said. "It's okay."
But it wasn't okay. Elliot opened his mouth to tell Tommy that, but all that came out was a high pitched bark. Elliot scrambled away, pushing with his … with his … Elliot's eyes widened when he realized he had paws where his feet and hands should be.
"Elliot, look at me."
Elliot's eyes riveted in on Tommy when the man grabbed his face and held it still. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried to figure out what in the hell was going on.
"It's okay, pretty baby, you're in your wolf form."
Elliot started to shake his head, to tell Tommy he was nuts. He didn't have a wolf form. He was human. And then, as he shook his head, his eyes caught the white-furred muzzle going back and forth as he shook his head.
Elliot froze. This wasn't possible. He wasn't a wolf.
"Elliot, look at me." Elliot raised his eyes to meet Tommy's, whimpering softly. "I want you to think about being in human form. Think about having legs and arms, smooth skin instead of fur. Come on, pretty baby, shift back for me. I promise as soon as you do, I'll answer all of your questions."
Elliot had to believe Tommy. The man was born a wolf. Surely he knew what he was talking about. Elliot closed his eyes and concentrated on being human again. He thought about what it felt like to walk and talk, to stretch his arms over his head and wiggle his toes.
He felt his muscle stretch and contract. Bones popped. But strangely enough, it didn't hurt. It just felt really uncomfortable and incredibly weird. When Elliot opened his eyes again, the color was back, the room seeming almost too bright.
Elliot lifted his hand and held it out in front of his face, grateful to see each long finger. He flexed them, watching the knuckles bend and straighten. Next, Elliot felt over his face, finding the same old nose, high cheekbones, and plush lips.
"Hey, pretty baby, it's good to see you back."
Elliot turned toward the voice that spoke, finding Tommy smiling down at him. There was a suspicious glint in Tommy's eyes. Elliot opened his mouth to speak but only a croak of a sound came out. He inhaled quickly, panic starting to set in again until Tommy's hands stroked down over his arms.
"Sshhh, Elliot, it's okay. Your voice might be a little hoarse for awhile. That can be a side effect of shifting sometimes."
Elliot frowned and shook his head. He didn't understand what was going on. He was even more confused when Tommy took a deep breath and reached down to hold his hand.
"Listen to me, Elliot, this is very important. You're a shifter just like me. I don't know how it happened or why it happened. I don't even know how long you've been able to shift, but you are a wolf." Tommy grinned suddenly. "And one of the most beautiful wolves I have ever seen."
Elliot shook his head. He wasn't a wolf. Despite what had happened a few minutes ago when he had been covered in fur, Tommy had to be wrong.
"Come here, Elliot," Tommy said as he gestured for Elliot to come closer with his hand, "I want you to do something for me."
Elliot frowned and did as Tommy asked, sitting up and leaning closer to the man. He felt a small ache between his shoulder blades that made him wince a bit, but it wasn't too bad. Just kind of uncomfortable like he had slept wrong. And maybe that was the answer to all of this. Maybe he had been dreaming and none of this was real?
"Come closer, pretty baby, I want you to put your face in my neck and sniff me."
Elliot quickly leaned back and cocked an eyebrow at Tommy.
The man chuckled. "I know, it sounds odd, but please, just trust me. I know what I'm talking about."
Wary, Elliot leaned forward at the same time Tommy did, pressing his face into the man's neck. He paused for just a moment then inhaled deeply. The strong heady scent of man and earth and musk filled Elliot's senses, overwhelming him instantly.
Elliot whimpered and pressed closer, inhaling over and over again. He couldn't get enough of the masculine fragrance. He needed more. He needed to roll in the exquisite scent, rub it all over his body. He wanted to bathe in it, to never smell another thing. Nothing on earth could smell this good.
Elliot didn't realize he was growling and grabbing at Tommy's arms, trying to pull himself closer, until he heard Tommy's groan in his ear. "That's so fucking hot, pretty baby. I can hear you growling."
"Tommy," Elliot cried out. He dropped his head back, baring his neck when Tommy started sniffing at him. It was one of the most erotic things he had ever experienced in his life. It made him feel hot, achy.
Elliot could feel his cock filling. He wanted to rub himself against Tommy in the worst way. He was just afraid to. Tommy's family had interrupted them so many times Elliot didn't want to start something they couldn't finish. He just … he needed so badly.
"Tommy," he cried out again.
"Ssshh, I told you I would take care of you, pretty baby," Tommy said as he pushed Elliot back against the pillows then leaned over him. "Everyone has left, the door is locked, and no one will disturb us. It's time for me to make you mine."
"Yours?"
"Yes, Elliot." Elliot leaned into the hand Tommy cupped against the side of his face, the man's skin warm against his. "You belong to me, remember? And I promised you we would always be together."
Elliot nodded even though he wasn't quite sure what exactly he was agreeing to. His mind felt like mush, unable to grab onto any one thought, and so many were floating around in his head.
He wanted to know more about this shifting thing and why it had happened to him, if indeed he wasn't dreaming. He had questions and he wanted answers. He just … Tommy's hands felt so good rubbing against his skin and …
"Tommy," Elliot groaned.
"I've got you, pretty baby," Tommy whispered close to his ear. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Elliot knew he should be protesting or at least waiting until he knew more about what was happening, but he needed so bad. His body ached and the only thing that seemed to make it better was the feeling of Tommy touching him, kissing him.
Elliot cried out in protest when Tommy moved away from him. He clutched desperately at the man's arms, refusing to give up the euphoric feelings coursing through his body. He didn't want reality to return.