Twin Moon - Chapter 206 - My Guardian, My Friend
Zelena.
“I’ll punch him right in that pretty face of his” Tobias said with a hopeful tone. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised one of his eyebrows expectantly.
“No, I don’t want you to punch him” I laughed,
“Just say the word little one, and I will happily deliver the blow” he smiled and held out his arm for me to take,
“I’ll keep that in mind” I chuckled as I stepped forward and wrapped my arm around Tobias’s,
“Your breakfast is ready for you” he said warmly and started walking us back towards the house. At the mention of food my stomach grumbled loudly and I smiled,
“Perfect, because we’re starving” I mused. When we reached the kitchen, Nat was gone, but on the counter was a spread worthy of royalty. We sat down and I ate my fill happily. I was too busy feeding my face to worry about conversation with Tobias. Not that he was overly chatty these days. After I had eaten all that I could, I was exhausted. From either the deep emotional breakthrough with Smith, the stress of Gunner’s imminent departure, or the fact that I’m growing a werewolf in my womb. Either way, exhaustion has become my second language. I stretched my arms out above my head and yawned.
“You’re tired already?” Tobias questioned,
“I’m pooped” I answered mid yawn,
“Come on then, I’ll take you upstairs for a nap” he said as he stood up and held his arms out,
“My hero” I teased and turned around on my chair. Tobias picked me up in his usual style and carried me upstairs. He plopped me down gently on the bed and threw the throw blanket over my legs, he then proceeded to surround my body in pillows, like he was building me a nest or something.
“Didn’t know you were the maternal type, Tobi” I teased and smiled at him cheekily. He grunted in a half laugh and lightly pinched my calf.
“Shut up and go to sleep” he huffed back and sat down on the chair by the window,
“So grumpy” I yawned and snuggled into the pillow,
“And don’t call me Tobi, that’s a terrible nickname” he grunted,
“Sorry, oh mighty warrior” I giggled, closed my eyes and was out.
-
I rolled onto my back and stretched out my arms and legs, accompanied by a mighty growl and a relaxed groan. I sat upright and turned to Tobias, who was still sitting in the chair by the window. He closed the book he was reading and placed it on the desk, then crossed his arms over his chest and pulled the corner of his mouth up in a half smile.
“How long did I sleep?” I asked him,
“Just over an hour” he answered,
“Has Gunner come back to the house yet?”. Tobias didn’t answer, he just leaned forward and rested his massive elbows on his knees. He looked at me and shook his head slowly.
“He’s putting his affairs in order” Tobias’s deep voice rumbled softly around the room,
“You say it like he’s dying” I quipped back annoyed. Again, he didn’t answer, just stared at me. And that felt like more of an answer than if he were to say it out loud.
“You think he is going to die?” I screeched more urgently,
“I don’t know little one”
“You know something, I can see it written all over your face. What has she told you?” I demanded of him and shuffled further along the bed.
“I promise you, I know no more than you do” he answered gently,
“Don’t lie to me Tobias” I growled and shifted to the edge of the bed,
“Tell me the truth, I'm a big girl, I can handle it”.
“Calm down, stress isn’t good for the pup” Tobias grunted and stood up. He stepped up to the edge of the bed and gently pushed some of my stray hairs back down. I hit his hand away and scowled at him. He looked down at me softly and I glared back up at him, neither one of us blinking or breaking. After a second, he huffed and dropped onto the bed beside me.
“Like I said, I don’t know anything for sure. But I have a feeling” Tobias started. His voice was soft and quiet, I could tell he was trying not to rile me up.
“What kind of feeling?” I demanded,
“If his wolf is taken from him, your bond will be too”
“Yes, Gunner and I have already gone over that”
“But what I don’t think Gunner has taken into account is the effect it will have on him, on his body and his soul” Tobias said while looking at the wall opposite us. I don’t understand. Didn’t Gunner say that he could still live without a wolf? What has changed since then? Well, a lot, I know that now. But this still doesn’t make any sense.
“What do you mean?” I asked Tobias as I shifted to face him. Tobias turned to face me as well and took a deep breath,
“Everything about Gunner has changed since he met you. Your True Mate bond made him stronger, then he became an Alpha, which made him stronger again. He has felt and used your power, which in itself is another form of strength. And now he has sired a pup. Everything that has happen over the past few months has completely altered his physiology. Once all that is stripped away, what will he have left?”
“If! You said once all that is gone. But he is leaving the pack, so that Selene won't have to take anything away from him” I rushed out, interrupting his spiel,
“But if she does?” Tobias snipped back,
“Do you think she will?”
“I think she is angry, and very disappointed in the both of you. This is punishment for you, just as much as it is for him”. Punishment. Wow. I didn’t really think of it like that. She is punishing me, for taking on the darkness, for using it, and for enjoying it. Is that all that I have done wrong in her eyes, or could there be more? I wish I could talk to her again. Maybe then I could get a little more clarity on this whole three week deal.
“What do you think the chances are, when Gunner leaves, do you think she will leave him be?” I was afraid of the answer, but I trust Tobias and his counsel, more than almost anyone else.
“Selene is above all things merciful. I think if she sees him sacrificing all that he knows and loves, if she sees just how far he will go and how much he will do, just to prove to her that he is worthy of you. I think she will give him a chance”. It wasn’t a promise. It wasn’t guaranteed. But it was hope. It was enough just to know that Tobias thinks Gunner still stands a chance.
“And do you think he can do it? Gunner, I mean. Do you think he’ll be able to get rid of the darkness on his own?” I asked while looking up at Tobias hopefully.
“I know that he is already close. Your birth mother has done very good work with him. But the extra strain that he is under, the animalistic urge to protect and fight when he is around you, it’s not helping things”. Ugh. That was brutal, like a punch to the guts. I know it's true. But hearing it said out loud that I am hindering Gunner's progress. It hurts a little bit more than a lot.
“Sounds like you agree he should leave” I said sadly,
“I think it’s the only chance he has left” Tobias confirmed.
“Damn, I was kind of hoping you’d be on my side on this one” I huffed and turned back around to throw my legs over the side of the bed.
“I’m always on your side little Goddess” he said and shifted to sit back next to me again. I rested my head on his gigantic bicep and sighed.
“Yeah, I know you are. It still hurts though” I conceded. Tobias wrapped his arm around me and pulled me flush against his side. He held the side of my face with his other hand and gently traced his thumb across my cheek, wiping away the stray tear that had started to roll away from my eye.
“I’ll be here Zelena. No matter what happens. I'm not just your guardian, I'm your friend. You'll get through it. And when you do, you and Gunner will have a beautiful little pup to make the days shine brighter again”.
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