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
As Damien walked out of the forest with the deer around his shoulders, Gretchen ran along beside him. He put the deer down on the ground by the fire and the soldiers carried it off to quickly butcher."Congratulations, Gretchen. That's quite a big stag you nabbed yourself." Hazel patted her leg and picked up Gretchen's bag from the ground. Gretchen took the strap in her teeth. "Now run along and get dressed. I want to hear all about it.""Gretchen!" She turned around to see Damien waiting for her. He nodded towards the smith's shop. "Come on."Gretchen followed Damien to the building and he waited outside while she changed into her clothing. As she sat on the table putting on her boots, Damien came in and shut the door behind him. "You did well out there, my love."Gretchen looked up from her boot as she zipped up the side. "It's not my first hunt."He fisted his trembling hands
"I'm not complaining, baby, but can we go inside now?"Gretchen closed her eyes and savored the feeling of Damien's soft, wet lips against her neck. His hot breath on her skin made goosebumps erupt all over and her weak knees buckled as her senses faltered with each agonizing touch. Damien held her tightly in one arm as he braced them against the wall and sucked on the crook of her neck while she combed through his hair with her fingers. He slowly placed kisses up her neck and jawline until his eyes met hers. "I've dreamed of this night a million times." Damien shook his head. "I can't believe this is actually happening."Gretchen softly pushed the hair back off his face with her hands then slid her fingers down his cheeks. "You're making me a little nervous. I don't want to disappoint you."Damien kissed her lips gently and said, "You won't. I'm the one who has the burden tonight, I'm afraid."