The Alpha and the Fox

Chapter Eleven (Ryan's P.O.V)

     I noticed Henry and Maria were anxious all morning. Both of them were scrambling around cleaning up the house when it wasn't even dirty. I couldn't help but pout around the paci. I just want to cuddle but they're too busy. I had just laid my head down on the couch when there was a knock at the door. I don't like people. They're scary.

I immediately reached for Henry's shirt as he went to walk by. He scooped me up and set me on his hip, so I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Hello, my name is Henry. You must be Alex." Henry said, shaking the guy's hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. And this must be Ryan?" He asked, smiling at me. I clung tighter to Henry and hid my face in his shoulder. Who is he? Why does he know my name?

"Why don't you come in?" Henry said, leading the stranger into the house. He tried to set me on the blanket that was laid out on the floor, but I clung tighter with a soft whine. I don't wanna be put down. What if the stranger tries to get me?

Henry sat down on the couch with me in his lap and began to gently rub at my ears. I couldn't help the purring that rumbled in my chest. Pets always feel nice.

They talked for a while but I wasn't really listening. I was too busy enjoying the soft petting and the light bouncing of Henry's leg.

That was until the stranger got up and moved toward us. I made a noise I've only ever made once before, but last time it got me in a lot of trouble.

Henry's P.O.V

He hissed at him. Ryan hissed at Alex. His ears were straight up and his tail had fluffed out. I had no idea what to do. I stared at Alex, frozen, wondering what his reaction would be. However I was completely surprised by Alex's calmness. He knelt down next to Ryan and I's legs and began to speak.

"It's alright, Ryan. I'm sure you're a little scared. It can be hard to be around new people. But it's not nice to hiss." He said.

Ryan looked over at Alex wide eyed, tail and ears still fluffed and alert. Then, to my amazement, he made a whining noise at him.

"It's alright, Ryan. You're not in trouble. I didn't mean to scare you. Just remember it's not nice to hiss at people. Understand?"

Ryan nodded at him and slowly his ears and tail relaxed. I gently rubbed Ryan's back as he calmed down.

"Ryan, don't you think you should apologize for hissing at Alex?" I asked. After a moment he gave a small nod and signed that he was sorry.

Alex smiled. "You're forgiven. Are you mute?" Ryan nodded. "Is it by choice?" Again he nodded.

"I brought something for you." Alex said.

Alex sat down on the blanket that I had laid out on the floor leaving quite a bit of space between him and me. I watched amazed as Ryan slowly climbed off my lap and sat on the floor with his back pressed to my legs. Alex began to pull things from his bag. Coloring books and crayons, stuffed animals, and a ball came out first followed by teething rings and a rattle.

"You can come play with anything you want to, Ryan. I brought it for you." Alex coaxed. Ryan moved a bit closer but once he couldn't touch my legs anymore he pulled back.

I gently rubbed his head and asked "Ryan, do you want me to come sit down there with you so you can reach the toys?" He nodded so I moved to the floor far enough that he could reach me and the toys at the same time. I thought because of his amazing drawing ability that he would go for the coloring stuff first but he ignored the coloring stuff all together.

Ryan went to reach for the rattle but paused right before he touched it. Alex gave him an encouraging smile, but he looked back at me.

"You can play with it if you want too." I said, and with that he scooped the rattle up. However he froze again when he heard it make noise. I couldn't help but chuckle. "It's supposed to make noise, Hun. You shake it"

He looked at it unsure before slowly shaking it. The beads inside rattled and he panicked. He dropped the toy and crawled his way into my lap.

"Oh, Hun, it's okay. It's supposed to make noise Sweetheart. It's called a rattle. You shake it and the beads inside make noise, they make it rattle." I explained while rubbing the back of his head. I grabbed the rattle and held it up for him to see. "Look, Hun. Watch me." I said.

I waited for Ryan to look up at the toy before I gently shook it. After a moment of shaking it he slowly reached for it. I let him have it and couldn't help but smile as he shook it a little. He shook it a little more then looked up at me.

"He's looking for your approval. He wants to make sure what he's doing is okay." Alex explained to me.

"Perfect Hun, just like that." I said, smiling at him. With that simple sentence Ryan's face lit up with a big smile and he shook the rattle some more. After a bit of rattling he gently laid the toy down, like he was worried about breaking it, and reached for the stuffed animal. Before his hand made contact he froze. At first I thought he was waiting for approval again so I let him know it was okay but when he made no further movements I got worried.

"Hey, Hun, what is it?" I asked gently, picking him up. He squirmed in my arms and began to whine. "Easy, Sweetheart. What's wrong?" I placed my hand on his butt to hike him up against me however at that moment I realized the problem. He was wet.

I looked over at Alex with a soft smile. "We'll be right back." He gave me a knowing look in return and replied "No problem. Take your time, it's okay."

I carried Ryan upstairs and gently laid him on a towel in the bathroom. I pulled a diaper, the wipes, and the baby powder out from under the sink. The poor baby kept signing apologies at me with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Ryan, Hun, it's okay. It's all okay. It happens, Hun, just like I told you yesterday and this morning. I promise nobody's upset with you. I'm not mad. It's all okay." I murmured while gently changing his diaper. When I was finished I picked him up and slowly paced the hallway, rubbing his back and gently bouncing him. Slowly he calmed down so I wiped away his tears and we went back down stairs.