The Crescent War

Chapter Fourteen

Grace’s POV

Grace bit at her lip and managed to look everywhere around the room but at Gale.

She had a major crush on him since she’d first saw him and he’d took a fatal blow for her. It made him like a superhero or something. A fantasy… Except he wasn’t. Gale had said he was her mate and that was a lot for a thirteen year old to take in.

“You going to say something?” Gale’s voice broke through the silence and she turned to meet his concerned gaze.

“Uh… guess I’m curious as to what the hell just happened.” She shrugged helplessly.

“Your dad punched me.” Gale’s lip quirked but he winced at the bruising on his face. It unsettled her to see him like this and it hurt even more when her own father had inflicted some damage but if the situation was reversed then she could probably understand. She was his precious little girl after all.

“Yeah, I caught that much. I mean… mates?” Weres learnt about mates and mating when they were pretty young to avoid any mishaps if they go into heat early but nearly all of them didn’t fully mature until eighteen and so were usually pretty safe. Grace may know all about it but damn did it scare her.

“Yeah… I kind of planned on telling you without your mum and dad present.” Gale offered her a soft smile and she couldn’t help wanting to nurture him, brushing some of his scruffy hair off his face to reveal the handsome man beneath.

“On the plus side my dad can’t kill you now.”

“Aw, Daniel’s a big teddy bear really.” Gale weakly flexed his muscles. “Couldn’t catch me if he tried.”

“Well, do not tempt him.” She matched his smile and found herself leaning over and giving him a hug, burying her head into his neck and taking in his scent properly for the first time.

Gale tensed at the sudden affection but wrapped his arms around her in return, wondering just how much his face would hurt if Daniel were to walk back into the room. He found his heart swelling when he noticed Grace scenting him and subtly did the same to her, she wasn’t mature yet and so there were no s****l feelings there but she definitely smelt like his mate and he’d protect her like a brother until the day came to seal their bond.

“Thank you for saving me.” Grace whispered, clutching on tighter before slowly pulling back.

“You got a lifetime of me saving you to look forward to.” Gale’s face hurt to smile but the thought was worth it.

It’d take a few years but he’d get his mate, one who would never hurt him.

“I’m glad.” And she was. She really was. “But… how can a cougar mate with a wolf? How do you know we even will mate?”

“You were born from a wolf who can turn into a cougar who is mated to an alpha wolf. Your blood is designed to adapt which is why you’ll never need to leave and live with the cougars who tried to abduct you.” He took her small hands in his. “I know you’re my mate because I can feel the pull to protect you, comfort you, love you and make you feel special every day. When I see you all I can think is that you’re mine. If that isn’t a mating bond then I don’t know what is.”

“What if the cougars come back?” Grace asked nervously, she had her home back and a future mate to look forward to. She wouldn’t let some cougars come and try to take it from her.

“They won’t.” He assured her firmly. “We royally kicked their asses. They can see that your mum is pretty much indestructible and can shift into a cougar. They have no real reason to come back.”

“What about aunt Isabella and uncle Luke?”

“I think your aunt Isabella has crossed the line. It’s unlikely you’ll see her on good terms again but I saw Luke defending your mother so maybe you won’t have to lose him too.”

“I don’t want to see her again after what she did.” Grace decided, she wouldn’t give her aunt a chance after what she did. “I’d like to see my uncle Luke again though.”

“I’m sure you will, kiddo.”

“Kiddo?” Grace raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “I’ll remember that when we’re mates you know.”

“Well I think babe would lead me to an early grave and Daniel investing in an outhouse to bury me under.”

Grace laughed, all the tension and fear from the past few months just disappearing in her mate’s company. “Can’t be having that.”