Garreth
Indescribable joy filled me at finally being bonded with my mate after all the years I'd spent searching for her. What I didn't expect was the sickening feeling of sharing my magic through our bond. Werewolves aren't magic users, we just are magic. Our blood is gifted with the same magic that hangs the moon in the sky, our ability to shift tied to its ever-changing nature.
We were right in assuming that completing the bond would strengthen her, but I never anticipated the sickening effect it would have on me. I didn't mind though, as long as she was alive, gifting me with her smiles and gentle touch. This bought us a little more time to figure out a way to save her, save us both. It was obvious from the way I felt that this was no permanent solution. The madness was cleansed from my mind, the only evidence that remained was a scar on my soul.
We slept in each other's arms that night, too tired to even move to clean ourselves up. When the sun rose we t
Hazel Garreth left me alone in his room, even with the separation between us I could still feel his emotions through our bond. It would take me a long time to adjust to the sensation, but it was a comfort to always know if he was okay. Except that it didn’t feel like he was okay at the moment. I heard the door to the packhouse slam open and shouting. A woman was screaming her head off like someone was killing her. “Mama Grace, someone get Mama Grace now!” My mate called. I rushed out of the room, unable to help myself. His room was on the third floor, and since I was unconscious when I came here this was my first time seeing the place. Garreth stood in the entryway with a big blonde wolf, and in his arms was a very pregnant she-wolf. She was screaming and clutching her belly. I was a healer, at least I was when I still had magic. Before my parents died I had assisted in many nymph births. The process was mostly the same for all mammals and my desire to help h
Hazel After the baby was born, I went back to our bedroom, as Garreth called it. I opened the window for Gera. The cold night air poured in, and I could just make out her glowing yellow eyes perched in the tree nearest the packhouse. She watched me wave to her but remained outside eyeing the place with blatant distrust. Even with the weakened state of our connection, I could feel the displeasure rippling off her feathers. I wasn’t sure when she started watching and hovering, but I sincerely hoped it wasn’t while we mated. My cheeks burned at the thought of her seeing what we’d done. Even if she was only an owl she was still my familiar, and that wasn’t a side of myself I felt comfortable sharing with her. I cannot say the thought of her peeping was enough to keep me from him. The night passed with many
I stared at the creature who pretended to be my familiar, who laid with me when I slept, supported me while I mourned my parent's death, and endured the rejection of my people beside me. My safe harbor laid on the ground before me, leaving nothing truly safe left in my life. The wolf I loved, and bound my life and soul to, was fated to me, but still more or less a stranger. We didn't know anything about each other other than the impossible love between us. I had no doubt the connection of knowing each other well would come in time, but we didn't have it yet. I realized with a painful stab in my heart that the same was true for her. As much as I thought we were the best of friends, the closest two beings could be, I knew nothing about her. There was no one left in this world I truly knew. It made me wonder if I even knew my parents. Gera was certainly Fae, long-limbed, with pointed ears, and a touch of magic glowing in her, but it was darker than I was accusto
Garreth Rage, searing hot rage, and pain exploded within me. My wolf burst forth as she ran away from us, we watched her slender form darting away, she was quite fast. He wanted to chase her, and that speed only increased his desire to chase, to conquer. With strength I didn’t know I had, I managed to stop him. I battled with him, but now that I was in the back of his mind I didn’t know how. I knew if I was upset enough, he could use that weakness to force his way out, but my weakness was his strength, how did I fight that when my pain consumed me? I gave up on taking back my body and focused on controlling his. His growls poured out of him in a constant stream as I managed to keep him from hunting her. He didn’t want to hurt her, but I didn’t trust him, not in this state. If she needed space, I could understand that, I could come to terms with it. If she planned to leave me that was another matter, the pain of
Hazel The man I loved continued to lay in my lap until the sun slunk low in the sky. Well, that was a waste of a day I thought dryly, and a hysterical laugh burst free from my lips. He turned to face me for the first time since we'd been this way. My legs fell asleep hours ago but I didn't dare to move him. He peered up at me with his lovely amber eyes, red-rimmed and exhausted. "What's funny?" His voice was thick from the screaming, crying, howling, and not talking. I rolled my eyes, unable to help myself. “We didn’t get much done today.” “I suppose not.” The sadness in his voice nearly swallowed me whole. “We should head back to the packhouse, we’ll get cleaned up, have dinner, we can talk, and start again tomorrow.” “Okay.” I agreed, and he stood taking me with him. It made me a little sick to be covered in deer blood, but until this moment I didn’t think much of it. “I’ll carry you.
Garreth I could hardly believe what was happening, she was in my arms, telling me we needed to find a way forward, together. Together, she still wanted to be with me, and even more amazing I could smell her desire perfuming the air between us when she mentioned trying things she’d read about. The emotions coming through our bond had been so calm, so sure. The only reasonable interpretation I could come up with was that she was leaving me, and felt justified in that decision. I never imagined she could just accept me as damaged as I was. I didn’t deserve this incredible creature in my arms. Guilt swelled within me for feeling relieved she would stay beside me. She shouldn’t, not when I’d come so close to hurting her. I didn’t even remember what my wolf did, it was like I wasn’t even there. From the scene I returned to, and the intensity of his guilt, I knew it had to be something awful. The thought that
Hazel His words hit me like a wrecking ball. I couldn’t speak, I could barely breathe. “Do you want to know what happened?” He offered as he felt the tension in my body and the fear through our bond. I nodded my head against his chest. “Do you want a little space?” I shook my head as scared as I was, I was exactly where I belonged. He took a deep breath. "This isn't easy for me to talk about for a lot of reasons, but you must understand. I know you've bonded yourself to me because we needed to save your life, but once we get your wings back you can leave me if you choose. It's important for you to know you have options, I won't hold you prisoner." He ran his hand roughly through his hair. "I guess I'll start at the beginning." “My father’s name was Mason and my mother’s name was Claire. He was a typical headstrong, explosive, young alpha and she was the prettiest she-wolf you’d ever see.” The warmth in his voic
Hazel We stood at the portal to the Seelie Fae Realm, I couldn't help but look around in search of Gera. I kept expecting to see her soaring through the air prepared to make amends with me for whatever it was that happened. Part of me was sure she wouldn't let me go without help, without telling me what she knew. She loved me, and if I was wrong about that I didn’t know what I would do. I couldn’t see her, but I thought I felt her eyes on me. I was probably imagining things. Our connection was severed entirely when she shifted back to fae, I couldn’t feel her now. Garreth forced a smile at me and held my hand tightly in his. "Are you ready?" He aimed for light-hearted but I could feel his fear and doubt. We had no other choice, but leading me blindly into potential danger went against everything he stood for. "As I'll ever be." I smiled back. His lips met mine for a sweet kiss, and then we stepped throu