Origin opened the door to a house and a tall woman was there. She took Oleander by surprise as she pulled him into a rib crushing hug. Oleander just grunted.

"Mom, easy." Origin jumped in. "He's injured and I heard a bone crack!" He pulled his mom off the stranger.

Oleander's breathing was labored. "I'm okay. Just..." He wrapped an arm around his chest and ribs.

"I am so sorry! I'm Indigo. You must be Oleander. I didn't mean to hurt you!" Indigo smiled but looked worried. "Nothing a nice dinner can't fix. Please, come in!"

Origin chuckled. "Okay? Mom, easy! Come in, Oleander." He held his elbow gently and led him to the dining room and pulled out a chair.

Cedar was happy to be there for this. "Uh, Origin? How is the tour going?" He raised an eyebrow.

Origin glared. "Just fine. Mom squeezed the stuffing out of him."

"Right. Oleander, it's good to see you again. How's the tour?" Cedar watched the stranger.

Oleander nodded. "Good." He took a breath. He was starting to feel better already and he knew by the end of the meal his ribs would be fine.

Dinner was weird. Oleander was so unsure right now as an older male wolf walked in. "Oh, you must be the stranger." The male sat.

"Oleander, this is our father, Rush." Origin smiled at his dad.

Rush nodded. "I heard stories. I'm glad you survived Indigo." He winked. "Did she hug you?"

Oleander smiled. "She did. I think she broke a couple of ribs but to be fair, a vampire cracked them first."

Cedar smiled as he unfolded his napkin. "So, you risked your life for a stranger? A vampire?" He saw something between these two and was very curious. Origin never showed interest in another person like this.

Oleander shook his head. "No. I smelled wolves on him. I knew that Origin was not with them. The one that attacked him is the one that killed my brother." He inhaled sharply and that hurt.

Rush sighed. "I'm sorry for your loss. Don't let Indigo know, you will never leave!"

"Mom has a way of...." Origin stopped and looked at his brother. "What word is there for what she does?"

Cedar smiled. "Suffocating!"

Origin chuckled and nodded.

Indigo glared as she walked in with a platter of meat. "I heard that, Cedar! Suffocate! I don't suffocate, I console!" She sat. "Just for that, go get the rest. I'm tired."

Cedar obeyed and left for the kitchen as he chuckled. He returned with bowels of food, he made three trips with arm loads of food and there were rolls. Oleander was starving and his stomach growled.

They passed food and Rush watched Oleander. He knew the stranger was starving and wasn't sure when he ate last. The stranger, Oleander, didn't touch his food even though he was starving. He stared at his plate but didn't budge. Indigo looked at Rush and back to Oleander.

Rush sighed. "You come from a strict family." He was pointing it out. "Please, eat. I know you're hungry." Rush smiled and took a small bite of potatoes just so Oleander would begin to eat.

Oleander nodded and slowly ate his food. He closed his eyes for the first bit. "When was your last meal?" Indigo watched him. He reminded her of Origin when they found him. He was starving too. She recognized it.

Oleander swallowed his bite. "Uh, I don't know." He really couldn't remember.

Indigo took a sharp breath. "You poor thing. Eat and I'm sending food with you!" She was already packing a plate to go.

"Mom! Let's get through this meal!" Origin smiled at his generous mom. She had a very kind heart. "Oleander, she's crazy. There's no other word. When I first arrived, she almost cut open a vein for me."

Indigo glared and Rush laughed. "You know you did!" He watched his mate.

Indigo gave in and smiled. "I would still to this day."

"Mom, I know. I love you but calm down. You're probably freaking Oleander out. He's been through a lot." Origin was gentle with him.

Cedar just laughed into his glass of water. Origin glared at his brother who knew him too well. Origin was never gentle and protective. "Origin, are you okay?"

Origin shook his head. "Leave me alone and eat, Cedar." He glared.

Cedar just smiled at Origin as Origin smiled back. Cedar knew his brother had a crush on the wolf. Cedar had to admit that he was hot and being new added some mystery. "Great!" He winked at his brother as he turned to the door as the Witches arrived.

Rush smiled. "Gideon and Alanis, I guess you have met our new friend, Oleander."

Alanis sat across from Oleander, next to Cedar. "We have. Good to see you again, Oleander." She smiled a very genuine smile. She looked honestly happy to see Oleander again but he didn't know why. He was a stranger.

"Good to see you again." Oleander smiled from his plate. He almost had it cleared. Indigo was adding more food to his plate." Oh, thanks."

Indigo just smiled. "Sweetie, eat. A wolf should never starve."

Origin just sighed. "Mom, easy."

"Thanks for having me over, this is really nice." Oleander smiled a sad smile at Indigo and took a sip of his water.

Rush smiled at his sweet wife as he looked at Oleander. "Careful or she will kidnap you. You'll think it's nice at first but she will start zipping your jacket and picking out your clothes!"

Origin laughed. "It's true. When I was little she would make me wear a jacket or coat in the winter!" He watched Oleander stare. "Uh, Vampires don't get cold. Weather doesn't phase me but there I was in a coat and gloves!"

Oleander just nodded. He took small bites.

"So, you came from a very strict pack, huh?" Rush noticed.

"I guess. It... Why?" Oleander watched Rush. He thought about it as he took a breath. "We never ate until our elders took their first bite. It was considered rude."

Rush smiled. "I see. We're not that strict here, Oleander. If you're hungry, eat. And if I'm not here yet, eat. Never wait for me. Okay?"

Oleander nodded with a small smile. He couldn't do that but Rush was very kind. He never met such generous people.

"What happened to your parents?" Indigo was curious.

"My father was killed and my mother and sister were taken into another pack. My brother and I were still searching." Oleander quit talking. He didn't want to talk about his brother. He missed Cosmo and it hurt. "There wasn't room for more than two. We made them take the spots. They are safe and looked after."

"That is quite the sacrifice." Indigo saw how sad he was. "I'm sorry for your loss, Dear."

Oleander shook his head. "There was no sacrifice, Indigo. Knowing that they are safe and happy. They are building a new family. It's not a sacrifice to leave them happy." He wiped a tear and cleared his throat.

"How long have you been alone?" Rush was curious.

"I don't wish to talk about it, please." Oleander couldn't right now. This dinner was already too much.

Rain had been quiet up until now. She saw sadness. She knew loss and what real loss looked like. He lost more than family. He lost a mate. She gasped. "Your mate! He was your mate not your brother!" She covered her mouth. "I'm sorry!"

Indigo gasped too. "You lost your mate!"

Oleander cleared his throat and looked at his plate. "I know having a male mate is uncommon. We couldn't get accepted into a pack up north, so we roamed. It wasn't a choice. We didn't choose each other!"

He inhaled. He ached for his mate. "I was afraid after and we made a deal. We said if one lived and one died that we would call the other a brother instead. It could give one of us a chance to get into another pack. I guess it leaves a mark when you lose a mate."

Rain nodded. "My mother lost my father. I'm sorry for saying anything, Oleander."

Oleander sighed a little sigh. "It's not your fault. Do you think that your Alpha would let me sit in on the questioning of that Vampire?" He had to change the subject of his mate.

Rush sighed. "It's not for me to say, Oleander."

Origin sighed again. It wasn't normal for him but he couldn't stop it. "We can ask him in the morning. Okay?" He touched Oleander's shoulder.

Oleander just nodded. He hated to admit that he loved it when Origin worried about him or touched him, anywhere. He listened to them talk about their days. It was interesting and there was some cheesecake for dessert. Indigo packed two pieces for Oleander to take home.

He left the house with hugs from Rush, Indigo, Rain and Alanis. Cedar smiled at him and Origin as they walked out.

Origin walked Oleander to his room. "Sorry about dinner. Rain is very intuitive."

Oleander just nodded. "It's fine. I would never have said anything."

Origin nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss and it should be illegal for one to kill another's mate!" He growled and his fangs were visible. "Shit! Sorry. I would never hurt you, Oleander. I got a little passionate. Mom, calls it passionate."

Oleander smiled. "Passion should never be apologized for. Thanks for the tour and for dinner." He smiled at the two plates he had in his hands.

"There is a fridge in your room." Origin smiled. "It was my room for a time but I left the fridge. It's empty so don't worry."

Oleander smiled at Origin's gorgeous face. "Thanks for being different from the vampire crap that I met."

Origin smiled. "It's a pleasure." He almost purred. One purr slipped and he knew Oleander heard it.

Oleander smiled at the Vampire as he heard a purr. Did Origin purr? Oleander was almost weak in the knee. He straightened. "Well, thanks, Origin."

Origin nodded. Neither of them moved as they stared. Origin cleared his throat and finally turned and rushed out of the house. He had to stay away from that Werewolf, he knew that. He also knew that wasn't going to happen.