His mind blanked."Eh...I don't remember.Once I left the hamlet without permission."
"And went where?"
"I followed Izibine to the grocery store."
Rourke stopped breathing."You went grocery shopping without permission?"
"Once I hid a cat."
"A familiar?"
"She wanted me to make him my familiar, but I'm unable to connect my magic to animals.She'd either have taken him for herself or killed him.I wanted to keep him, but she shrunk his skin until it burst, and he bled out."
Rourke growled, and tears prickled Ezra's eyes.He'd only wanted to keep the cat as a pet, as someone he could cuddle with in his hut.Someone to feed and interact with.Its screams would haunt him forever.He blinked rapidly to prevent the tears from falling.
"And then she whipped you?"
"It was the last time.I was of age then, and physical pain can enhance your power, like panic, you can do things you never could otherwise.Adrenaline, I guess.But when I couldn't defend myself, she stopped whipping me."
"Because it harmed you more than someone who could defend themselves?"
"No, because she could use curses instead, and I wouldn't be able to deflect them.The skin-shrinking is her favorite."
"Jesus fucking Christ."Rourke held him tighter, and Ezra only stood there.He didn't know what to do next.Then his stomach grumbled, and Rourke snorted.
"Eat.I made you some sandwiches.I didn't know if you were up for warm food in the middle of the night."He gestured at the table where a plate with a mountain of sandwiches was waiting."I'll have a quick word with Ulric, then we're heading to bed, okay?"
Ezra glanced at him over his shoulder.Bed?Would there be no punishment?He'd prefer to have it over with instead of walking around wondering when it would come.
"Aren't you gonna..."He must've lost his mind if he was going to ask about it.
"Gonna what?"
"Punish me?"
Rourke stared at him."You're serious, aren't you?You don't mean in a Daddy-I've-been-naughty-so-you-better-spank-me way?"
Ezra was aware of his mouth dropping open, but he couldn't halt it."What?"
Rourke sighed deeply."Didn't think so.No, honey, I'm not gonna punish you.And as long as you don't betray the pack, I will never punish you."
He walked out the door before Ezra could make sense of the words.
* * * *
Chapter 15
Rourke walked into Ulric's room again.It was dark, and he could make out Ulric's form underneath the covers.Like last time, he sank down on the edge of the bed and cradled his head.
"What are you doing in here, Rourke?"Ulric's voice was sleepy.
"He has whipping scars all over his back."
Ulric didn't reply, instead, he rubbed a hand over his face."Uh-huh."
"Every time he's showered, he's come out of the bathroom wearing a shirt.When he exited now, he wore the same dirty one as earlier, so I took it off him."
"Okay."He spoke on a yawn.
