Zelena.“Okay” I said slowly, trying to swallow the ball of emotion in my chest. Lunaya cupped my cheek and smiled, then patted Gunner on the shoulder. Then she walked back towards her room. Gunner leaned down and whispered softly in my ear.“I’m proud of you” he said before kissing my cheek. I gripped my hand around the back of his neck and held his lips there for a moment longer.“Alright love birds, go and have your snack” Tobias snickered as he too walked off towards his room, not giving us a second look. We headed down to the kitchen and Gunner placed me on a stool by the bench. He walked over to the cupboard, and just like the first time I set foot in this kitchen, he pulled on one of Roe’s floral aprons. We laughed and joked about his cooking abilities as he got to work on the bacon and a few rare minute steaks. With nothing else on but the shorts and the apron, he looked completely out of place. Still totally delicious and good enough to bite into, but out of place nonetheless
Zelena.Gunner’s tears rolled down his cheeks and his bottom lip was pulled between his teeth. He leaned his head forward and pressed his forehead to mine.“You can’t” I managed to get out. Tears welled in my eyes and my head spun.“I have to” he whispered.“No, you don’t. We'll do this together. You can’t leave. You know what your mum said, True Mates can’t survive without each other” I sobbed and tried to pull my hands away from his face, but he didn’t let go.“That’s only if one dies Zee. I'm not dying, just going away for a little bit. You’ll be fine”“No, I won't. If you leave me, I will die!” I screamed. A burst of energy flew out of me, sending Gunner flying back across the bed. I stumbled to my feet, dragging the bedsheet with me and wrapped it around my naked body. Gunner quickly jumped up and rushed to stand in front of me. He picked me up and held me against his large chest. I struggled and thrashed and kicked my legs while growling and grunting for him to let me go, but it
Zelena.I lay in Gunner’s arms as his fingers gently traced circles over my bare back. The house was quiet at this time of night, letting the sounds of the forest slip through the open window. It was peaceful, listening to the insets and other forest animals sing through the night. Just as calm as the gentle caress of Gunner’s hand over my skin. The sparks and tingles that he is able to inflict on me are still the most wonderful sensations. A sensation that I hope never goes away.I turned my head and nuzzled my nose against his firm and perfectly hairless pectoral muscle. I spattered kisses across his chest as I worked my way up to the place where my mark sat. I poked out my tongue and let the tip run along the raised scar. Gunner groaned and tightened his hold on me. I sucked the skin into my mouth and repositioned myself on his lap, one knee on either side of his hips. I pressed my backside down and felt the hard length of his cock press against my core. I cupped his beautiful face
Zelena.“But she still gave up” I said softly. I rolled onto my back and looked up at the sky.“Oh child, she didn’t give up. After I found her, I thought she was going to die, and she was very close to it. But the All Mother still had use of her, so she brought her back” Alyse said fondly. I stayed quiet and let her continue,“Even before she was fully healed, she began the search. She looked at each and every body of her fallen packmates. Each face she looked upon, and each time that she didn’t find her family, another piece of her heart died. Together we buried and burned what we could. She had to see her entire pack, including her Alpha, buried or cremated. She held the weight of that responsibility over herself. After she realised that you weren’t on the pack lands, I followed her to a wooden hut somewhere out in the mountains. It was there that we waited, for weeks we waited. But no one came, and again, I saw more of her die. After that, she began to hunt the hunters”“She what?
Zelena.“Zelena” Gunner growled and dug his fingertips into my thigh,“Did you not listen? She fought for you, she nearly died for you. I know why you can see it as her giving up, but you don’t know how Aconite feels for a Were. Thankfully, you’ve never been exposed to it. But the fact that she was able to not just move after it hit her blood, but also keep fighting, it shows her willpower to protect you. She thought you were dead, what more was she meant to do?” Gunner said with a deep gruff voice, not his usual smooth calming tone.“You’re defending her?” I snapped at him,“I’m listening to her. You should try it” he snapped back. The fact that he was snapping at me, that he was defending her instead of me, just made me angrier. He is meant to be on my side. He is MY Mate! I stood up from the chair and turned to glare at Gunner. His face was contorted, and his eyes flickered black as he glared back up at me. Fuck. He was absorbing my anger again, feeling it through our bond as well
Zelena.Knowing I came from a place of love, that my life was a blessing to someone, and not the burden I was raised to belive it was, it healed a small piece of my soul.“What was he like?” I asked.“Your father was the strongest pack warrior I had ever met. He was fiercely protective of his pack and his family, and yet he was so kind and generous. He was the kind of Were to help the elder she-wolves move furniture and chop their firewood. And he loved you. He loved you so damn much. I wish you could have known him. You may not know it, but you are so much like him” she said with a widespread smile across her face.“I wish I knew him too. I wish I knew the both of you” I whispered. Lunaya sat quietly, lost in her own thoughts while I waited impatiently for her to continue. Gunner sat beside me, unmoving, apart from his thumb rubbing circles on my thigh.“When the hunters attacked, we were completely unaware. They had managed to get to the border patrols and scouts before they alerted