Gretchen's head lay against her arm as she looked out over the forest from the balcony while the sun went down behind the mountain. The orange light melted into pink before fading away in the horizon completely, leaving Gretchen alone in the darkness.
She shivered as an icy breeze went down the back of her shirt.The chill in the air let Gretchen know that time was still passing by and that everyone she loved back home was going on with their lives without her. Her eyes teared over and she inhaled a ragged breath as the bitter pain inched up her throat and consumed her.
"I've been looking everywhere for you, you little shit," said Haldir as he walked out onto the balcony with a small wooden crate and sat down beside her. "I brought you a plate."
Gretchen looked back over her shoulder and when Haldir saw her face, he scrunched up his and rubbed her back. "Everything's going to be alright, Gretch."
<"Good morning, Gretchen, it's Hazel. Do you mind if I come in?""Yeah.I'm awake. Come on in." Gretchen sat up in bed and stretched out her arms as Hazel came through the door then shut it behind her.Hazel laid a stack of clothing on the chair by the bed, then sat down on the mattress and stretched out across it with her chin resting on her hand. She looked at Hazel then raised her brow. "So, what did you and Uncle Damien get into once Rhett and I left last night? I want every gory detail"Gretchen looked at her questioningly then last nights events slowly came back to her. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, shit. Did that all actually happen? I take so much medicine at night to keep me from having nightmares that I completely forgot." Then, she slapped her hand on her forehead. "I'm such a goddamn idiot. I can't believe I did that. He must think I'm such an ass.""You and Damie
As Damien and Daniel looked over the smoldering bodies of the goblins and trolls, Damien’s mind wondered back to last night. He spent nearly the entire night awake in bed cursing himself for pushing Gretchen away and not kissing her back.“Why didn’t you just kiss her back?” asked Daniel, snapping Damien from his thoughts.Damien smirked and looked to his father. ”She was drunk and upset. I’m not going to take advantage of her.”Daniel shook his head. “She thinks she did something wrong now, Damien. She won't make the same mistake twice. You need to fix that."Damien crossed his arms and sighed. “I’ll go talk to her when we get back. I wanted to take it back the moment I did it, honestly.”"When the woman you love is kind enough to offer you her affection, you take it." Daniel patted Damien’s shou
Damien laid in his bed and thought about the first night he and his wife were together. He snuck into her room and crawled in bed with her like he did with Gretchen tonight.He knew the risks, but he didn't care. Nothing could have kept him away from her. From the instant their eyes met in the Great Hall, his whole being belonged to her. They disappeared together every chance they could to every secret place he knew of. Damien smiled to himself as he remembered her beautiful face and how her round, pregnant belly felt under his fingers. He traced the mark on his neck with his fingertips and the pain of their loss surged through his veins then washed through his body.The last time he saw her, she was asleep next to their son. She had been up all night with him, and he didn't want to wake her. He kissed her cheek gently then the top of his son's head and quietly left the room.As tears rolled down his ch
"Oh, honey, come here."Tessa held the door open for the golden brown wolf, then shut it behind her. She waited with a blanet and as soon as Gretchen shifted back, Tessa wrapped it around her and rubbed her hands up and down Gretchen's arms.Gretchen shivered as her fear and anger overwhelmed her. Her teeth chattered and Tessa pulled her in close to her chest. "Tessa, I saw it, I saw everything they did to me. Tessa, I know who it was, I saw him."Tessa put her hand on the back of Gretchen's head and whispered in her ear. "It's ok, honey. That world is behind us. All that is over. You're safe here, Gretchen."Gretchen pulled away and looked in Tessa's face. "My parents found me, Tess. Mommy and Daddy found me laying there like that."As her eyes filled with tears and she tried to swallow them down, Tessa blinked away. "Oh, Jesus. Teddy. Oh, that poor man."
Gretchen stood before the full length mirror in her room and looked herself over. Tessa's long white silk gown and matching robe were a bit tight, but Gretchen was hoping to not be in them for long. She shook out her hair then scrunched it in her hands. Taking a deep breath and smoothing out her hair one last time, she said, "Ok. Here I come."As she left her room, Damien was already waiting in his doorway. He stood there bare chested with only his pants on. He took Gretchen's hand and pulled her inside his room, then shut the door."Do you always know what I'm thinking?"Damien nodded. "Most of the time. Like right now, I know you came to collect on my promise."Gretchen's lips pulled up into a sultry side grin as she stepped closer and put her hands on his chest. "True. I'm afraid I'm a slave to my hormones for the next week or so. I hope you don't mind. I can be kind of n
Walking down the hallway, Gretchen looked over the murals of the Great War and looked into the faces of the kings and soldiers as they fought off their enemy. She followed the sound of the man the guarded the library speaking the old language and eventually came to the rounded wooden door. It opened slowly in front of her and as she stepped through it, her foot landed on the cobblestone road outside the castle. Gretchen turned back briefly and watched as the doors shut behind her, then continued to follow the voice.The Sentry didn't even acknowledge Gretchen as she walked past him and out the gates. While she walked the dirt path into the forest, Gretchen pulled her sweater snuggly across her body. She wasn't sure of the date anymore because time moves differently in the realm, but she figured it was some time in late fall by the smell of the leaves. The night air was chilly, even for a hot blooded Lycan like her. Not a time to be wandering through the darkness
"So, you're shacking up with Damien now?" asked Haldir as Gretchen sat down beside him.Gretchen's eyes widened and she curled her lips under as Jason looked up to her and smirked before returning to his food.Haldir laughed and straightened his beard. "Relax, I'm just messing with you, Gretch. Not like you to be so uptight."Gretchen bit her lip and pushed her food around on her plate. "You don't approve of it? Weren't you the one who dragged me here so we could make up?"Haldir took a drink from his cup then said, "Don't be silly. Damien's a good man. I'm happy for you both, Gretch. About time something good came along for you." Then he looked across the hall to Eason and shook his head. He should probably tell him that Gretchen's off the market permanently before he gets smashed under Damien's boot heel."Gretchen Mason! Just the fucking wolf we wanted to see," Rhett sai
"So tonights the night, is it?" asked Hazel as she lay on Gretchen's bed watching her go through her clothing in search of the perfect outfit for tonight.Gretchen looked in the mirror and shook her head. "Jesus, I'll never get used to you people being in my mind like this.""You're avoiding the question, deary."Gretchen rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Yes. Are you happy? Do you really want to hear about how I'm going to be riding your uncle's dick later?"Hazel chuckled to herself and looked over to Gretchen. "Now we're talking. You're so nervous though. Why?"Gretchen turned around and said, "I don't know."Hazel smirked because she knew the truth, even if Gretchen wasn't ready to admit it to herself. Gretchen breathed in deeply through her nose then said, "It's the full moon, I guess. My senses are all crazy, it's like I'm on full alert and just wait
Leaning against the windowsill, Damien looked down over his newborn son bathed in the glorious light of a new morning. Holding him close to his chest, Damien leaned in and kissed his head covered with short, soft dark hair. He inhaled the smell of jasmine and the comfort of it washed through his chest. "I have been waiting so very long to hold you again, Drago. I swear to you that, this time, there will be no safer place for you. There will be no creature strong enough to take you from my arms again."As he turned and brought Drago up to his shoulder, Damien softly rubbed his cheek against his fuzzy head. "You know, I had a vision of your future just right before you were born. She won't give you quite the trouble that your mother gave me, but these women aren't ever simple, are they? No, they aren't and that's what makes them so exciting, isn't it? But, not to worry, my son. She is a fine woman just the same."With his soft, plump cheeks re
The Great Hall was decorated in everything still left green this time of year in the Drake Kingdom. Holly and Ivy was tucked away along with white and gold bunting along the rafters while bouquets of rosemary encircled the gold candlesticks on the long rows of dining tables.When Damien and Gretchen entered the wreath hung wooden doors of the hall, the warm glow of the firelight made Gretchen shine like the sun as it caught her crown and the gold stitching of her dress. As all their family and subjects rose to greet them, Damien kissed Gretchen's hand then led her to their place at their family's table. As the smell of the dueling aromas of food hit Gretchen's nose, she closed her eyes tightly and groaned. Damien smiled sympathetically and rubbed her knee. "Do you think you can make it through the dinner?"She blew out a nauseated breath and reached for her glass. "I'll try. Of all the days for this. Christmas dinner is magical, I can'
Standing in front of the full length mirror, Gretchen shook out her fingers and blew out through her mouth. "I can't believe I'm so nervous."Appearing behind her in her reflection, Teddy put his hands on her arms and looked Gretchen over. "I believe it's quite common for women to be full of nerves on their wedding day, honey. Of course, I suppose it's not everyday that bride also becomes a princess."Gretchen crossed her arms and rubbed his hands. "Despite how this all came about, I'm so happy that you're both here." As she looked over her dress she asked, "So, how do I look? I clean up good, don't I?"Teddy twisted his lips to the side and furrowed his brows as he inspected the dress in the mirror. He had tasked Hazel with planning the dress with the kingdom's seamstresses, and she did not disappoint. The off white trumpeted gown had delicate scallop lace trim and flutter sleeves and a chapel train. The master seamstre
As the sky outside swirled an orange brown on the horizon, Teddy looked out the window as he rested against his hand with his elbow on the table. As Daniel received an update in his mind, he glanced to his new family members and cleared his throat.Turning his attention back to his King, Teddy sat up straight and nodded his acknowledgement.Damien turned to Teddy and Gretchen then took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I must apologize. I told you there'd be no more secrets, but I have one last surprise for you."Gretchen pulled down her brows and turned her face slightly to the side. "It better not end in me crying again, Damien."He smirked to himself and said, "I can't promise that, but I can promise you'll both like it." As Daniel rose from his seat, Damien nodded towards the door. "Come on. We have a bit of an early gift for you. It just couldn't wait."Walkin
"That's a mighty big goddamn tree!" Teddy scratched his dark chin stubble while he looked over the tall pine tree that brushed the roof of the foyer. "You're going to need to cut off a good foot or so though."Rhett took a few steps back to Teddy and crossed his arms as he proudly took in the tree he picked out. "No way, that things perfect. I told Gretchen I'd get her a tree she wouldn't even believe. Look at it. It's like the king of all the Christmas trees. It took nearly every soldier to drag that thing in here and get it in place."Teddy looked over to him and raised his brow. "It is a wonderous pretty tree, but just how do you expect to fit the star on the top, young man?"Rhett pushed out his lips and clicked his tongue a few times as he pointed at the tree. "I...was...not...thinking about that. Maybe we...""Mmm-hmm," hummed Teddy. "Amateur mistake. See, what you do when y
"Baby, keep doing that. That feels so good." As Damien's big rough hands, massaged their way down Gretchen's back, she giggled and moaned into the pillow. "Mmm! Damn! You can keep doing that all night if you want. I don't know much about magic Damien, but those hands of yours...Mmm! Remind me to thank your parents for them." Damien leaned down and placed a kiss on her shoulder, then went back to rubbing her. "I'll pamper you anyway you wish if it will make you behave yourself. You need to be getting to sleep now. You shouldn't even be out of the infirmary yet, Gretchen."As her eyes fluttered closed and she bit her lip in ecstasy, Gretchen's hips lifted from the bed and Damien leaned over and kissed her ass cheek. Gretchen smiled as he returned to her then said, "Imara checked me over as soon as we got here, I'm fine. She told me I just need to rest."Damien slapped her bottom playfully, then laid down beside her and pulled
While the autumn leaves fell around them, the torches lit up the dining hall where the Hexom's sat as a family for dinner. Gretchen curled her lips under as she lifted her chin and scanned the room for Damien. Not seeing him, she sighed then went back to her food. Her stomach danced inside her as she nervously picked at the chicken on her plate. Teddy bumped his shoulder against hers to get her attention. "Not eating isn't going to get him here any faster. You got someone depending on you now, Gretch."She smiled as the reality of his words reached her heart. "You're right."As she was finishing the last of her meal, she smelled Damien's scent coming closer and her heart began to thump against her chest. She blew out through her mouth and shook out her fingers as the coldness of fear took her hands over. When he rounded the corner of the stone wall, Gretchen held her breath as his eyes met hers. He licked his lips then slowly headed towards
Damien shoved his clothing in his bag as he cursed himself for his carelessness over the last few months. Seeing Gretchen writhing in pain and gasping for air as blood dripped from her wounds was a wake up call for Damien. No matter how hard he tried to hold onto her, he kept hurting her and pushing her away.As he watched Damien struggle with his conscience, Daniel crossed his arms and thought about what to say. "It's time for a different approach, Damien," Daniel said from the doorway.Damien glanced over his shoulder and nodded. "I know."Daniel shifted on his feet as he looked around at the dark heavy aura of regret and loneliness that blanketed the room. "So, what's the plan then?"Damien sighed and shook his head as his doubts whispered to him that he was fighting a losing battle and that he'd spend yet another lifetime without his mate. "I have no idea. Do you have any suggestions?
"Whoo, damn," Gretchen groaned as she braced her hand against the wound on her chest while she limped back to her bedroom. The further she walked, the weaker she felt and when she reached her room she was panting for air.Feeling her discomfort, Damien opened his door and saw her pushing her's open. "Gretchen, what are you doing? Why aren't you in bed?" He grabbed her arm and helped her to sit down on her bed.As she pushed him away, she said, "I'm fine. You can leave now."Damien pulled the chair in front of her and sat down. "Can you just put your stubborness aside for just one moment and look at yourself? You can scarcely breathe. Why are you even out of the infirmary anyway?"Gretchen looked him in the eyes and said, "I'm getting my things. I'm not going to spend one more night in this castle with you people."Damien wiped his mouth with his hand and shook his hea