Chapter 4 - His Plan

Zelena.

I laid 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 peaceful as the gentle caress of Gunner’s hand over my skin. The sparks and tingles that he is able to inflict on me, is still the most wonderful sensation. 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 that 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 in my small hands and kissed him hungrily. I rocked my hips back and forth, sliding my seeping slit along his hardened length. Gunner gripped my hips and pressed his fingertips hard into the soft flesh. He lifted me slightly and positioned himself at my entrance. I slid back down slowly, taking all of him inside of me. As Gunner groaned with pleasure, I sucked his tongue into my mouth and rolled my own around it. I ground my hips into him slowly, letting him fill me completely before rolling back again. It was slow, sensual, full of passion and love. It was just us.

Gunner sat up and I wrapped my ankles around his back. His lips and mouth desperately devoured my chest and neck as I rocked in his lap. My fingers twisted and gripped into his soft shaggy hair and pulled. Gunner growled and sucked one of my nipples into his mouth, biting and tugging on it gently. With them being extra sensitive lately, the sensation sent me soaring. My hips increased their pace and Gunner lifted and rocked his hips to meet my movements. It took no time at all for the tightness to come to my stomach. My legs were starting to shake, and I knew I was only seconds away from reaching my bliss. I bucked my hips and my head fell back, I groaned loudly as the orgasm hit me. Gunner moved his hands to the top of my shoulders and thrust into me a few more times before finding his own release. I rested my head on his shoulder and curled my arms around his back. Gunner laid his head on mine and ran his hands up and down my back. And we stayed like that, with him still inside me, just embracing each other.

“I’m so sorry” I croaked, trying not to let my wayward emotions get away from me again. Gunner lifted me off him and sat me between his legs, still facing him. He gripped my face and gently stroked his thumb over my quivering bottom lip.

“Whatever for, my love?” he said softly,

“I’m sorry for getting angry at you, I'm sorry for making you lose control, and I'm just sorry for being so horrible” I rushed out, followed quickly with a small sob. Gunner slipped his arms around my back and pulled me flush against his chest. He held the back of my head and heaved a heavy breath.

“It’s not your fault little wolf. Of course you would be upset about me getting close to another she-wolf, even if she is your mother” he huffed.

“You’re not mad at me? I keep making things worse, I keep letting my anger out and I can see how it’s affecting you”

“Zee, you’re a Were, a very powerful one in fact. It's only natural that you have a hot temper. And it’s not fair on you to have to force control over yourself all the time, especially not because of me”

“I don’t see it like that. I'm your Mate, I should be helping you”

“It’s not me you should be worrying about anymore” he said calmly and pulled back from me. He lowered his hands and placed them over my swollen belly.

“It’s him, or her. It's our pup that should be getting all of your attention, not me and my issues” he said while staring at my stomach.

“No Gunner, you’ve got my darkness in you. That’s not just your issue, it’s mine too. And even if you didn’t, you would still be at the top of my list of things to worry about. Alongside our pup” I told him earnestly while cupping his cheek.

“That’s the problem isn’t it. All the worry I'm putting onto you, it’s not good for you, for either of you” Gunner hissed. He was frustrated, with himself mostly, but I would imagine with a lot of other things too. There’s only four days left, and I don’t know what's going to happen at the end of them. I can’t imagine that Selene, the being that raised me, cared for me, and claims to love me, could possibly hurt me so much but taking away my Mate. I don’t think that she would really do it. She couldn’t. But Selene is not the kind of being to give empty threats. When she says something, she means it. Just the fact that she showed herself to Gunner, is enough to prove that she means business. But still, I just can’t imagine that she would do that to me. At least, I hope she won’t.

“Zelena” Gunner whispered softly,

“You’re using my full name again, this must be bad” I answered back. He paused and took a few deep breaths while letting his hands roam over my body.

“Zee I have to leave”. He said it quietly, but I definitely didn’t mishear him. Leave. Leave where?

“What are you talking about?” I asked, examining his face closely. His eyes fell on mine and I gulped. They were so full of sorrow and fear. I don’t think I have ever seen him look like that. It just about broke my heart. I reached up with both hands and grabbed his face.

“Gunner, what’s going on?” I asked urgently. He grabbed my wrists so that my hands would stay there and nuzzled into my hand.

“I can’t stay here, in the house or in the pack. I am putting you in danger. I can’t risk hurting you, or our pup, or anyone else for that matter. I don’t have a handle on this darkness. I can feel it turning inside me. The closer I get to Thursday the more scared I feel. And the darkness, it's eating away at that fear Zelena. I’m making it stronger, not weaker”. 

“You’re being stupid, don’t say stuff like that” I growled and shook my head,

“Maybe if I leave, if I take away the threat to you, Selene won't take my wolf. If you’re safe from me, maybe she’ll grant me more time to expel the darkness. I can’t lose you Zelena, I won’t survive it”. My heart was pinched, and pain radiated through my chest. He can’t be serious. He wants to leave me? I searched his face, looking for a sign that this is all just a cruel joke. I found nothing. Only pain and heartache. 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 was no use. His grip on me was firm and unbreakable.

“Zee stop” he pleaded,

“Put me down” I growled back,

“Not until you stop and listen”

“I have listened, but what you're saying is stupid”

“It’s the only way Zelena”. I kicked out and tried to push out of his grip, but his hold wasn’t wavering.

“You don’t know that! Maybe she’ll just punish you more for leaving me, for abandoning your Mate and pup” I growled at him, feigning anger. 

“I’m not abandoning you, I'm coming back”

“No you’re not, because you’re not fucking going”. I flung my head around and collided it with his collarbone. I won’t lie, it fucking hurt. But it didn’t stop my struggling, it only made me more determined. Whatever anger I felt at his idea to run was all but gone. All that was left was fear. Deep seeded and intense fear. He wouldn’t really leave me, would he? He wouldn’t leave us. I hadn’t realised I was crying, not at first. But I wasn’t just screaming at him not to go, I was howling with the pain at the thought of him not being here, not being close to me. The tears ran from my eyes like never ending pools of sadness.

“Zee, stop it, please” he pleaded with me, his own voice was cracked and broken as he begged me. My heart squeezed and wrenched at the sound of his breaking voice. I went limp in his arms and pressed my forehead to his chest. More sobs wracked my body as I continued to weep.

“You can’t leave, I won't let you” I sobbed and wriggled my arms around his back and gripped on to him.

“You know that I'll just follow you anyway”. Gunner didn’t respond, he just held me in his arms.