Mother of the Moon

Chapter 8

Zelena.

After a moment, when I felt I was calm enough to talk, I squeaked,

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry, my love” he soothed me.

“W-what happened?” I stuttered trying to control my breathing.

“We thought it was all over, that they were all dead. Everyone said it was clear. They were wrong, I was wrong, one of the fuckers shot you”.

“I was shot?”

“Yes. In the back. It ruptured your spleen and broke some ribs and just missed your kidney. They took the bullet out and fixed everything up, but you had to have a splenectomy”.

“What’s that?”

“It means they took out your spleen”.

“Is that bad? Can I still, like, live, okay?”

“You’ll be fine, you’re a badass werewolf Goddess remember” Gunner chuckled.

Holy s**t, this is a lot to take in. I lifted my hospital gown and looked down at my stomach. A small faint scar was sitting just below my ribcage. I gently traced my finger over the pale pink mark, it was completely healed. But why did it scar, all my old scars disappeared. Why hasn’t this one? Gunner grabbed the hem of my gown and gently pulled it back down. I eyed him curiously and he smiled softly at me.

“We’ll let you two chat” Roe’s voice startled me. I looked over at her. I had completely forgot that she and Lupus were here too.

“Roe” I called, reaching my hand out to her. Gunner let me go and she stepped over in front of me, cupping my cheek with her soft hand.

“Hi Baby Girl” she croaked, as a tear ran down her face. I smiled at her and she pulled me into a warm hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay” she sobbed quietly. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. Roe is my surrogate mother, the mother I always wished that I had. She pressed her lips to my cheek and left them there for a second. I felt her tears drip onto my skin. She let me go with a sniffle and stepped back. Without hesitation Lupus lunged forward, wrapping me in his giant warm arms and rocking me side to side.

“Hi Lupus” I choked out under the pressure of his embrace.

“Dad, you’re crushing her” Gunner said pulling his father’s arms back a bit.

“Oop, sorry” he chuckled. He let me go and stood back before grabbing my face in his hands.

“Thank the Goddess you’re back” he said with a smile. I noticed for the first time, the new scar across the side of his face. A deep dark pink jagged line ran from the corner of his lip, up over his cheek, and ended above his ear into his hairline. The battle. I forgot, he was hurt. My heart sank and I felt nauseous and overwhelming sadness. He noticed my staring and pulled my face forward, pressing his lips to my forehead before letting me go.

“Lupus, I’m so sorry” I said softly dropping my head.

“Hey now, what do you have to be sorry for?” he cooed, lifting my chin with his giant hand.

“Your face, it’s all my fault” I muttered,

“I think it makes me look even sexier, if that was at all possible” he smirked running his hand through his hair. I giggled, wiping my nose, and Roe smiled pressing herself into his side.

“Ugh Dad, really?” Gunner snorted, full of embarrassment.

“We’ll be at the cafeteria, and I’ll bring you back a little something” Roe winked at me. Not even having to ask anymore. Since changing, my appetite has skyrocketed. I used to eat nothing but table scraps and the occasional school lunch, but once I moved to Gunner’s pack, there were never ending meals. I’ve become accustomed to Roe’s cooking, well I had, three months ago I suppose.

Once they left, I turned back to Gunner, he cupped my face and pressed his forehead against mine.

“Hi, my Goddess” he whispered.

“Hi” I returned. I pulled him up to sit next to me on the bed and I tucked myself into his arms.

“Three months, really?” I asked softly.

“Yes. Three. f*****g. Months”.

How could that be possible? It felt like only yesterday that we were in the middle of a battle, but now I’m being told that it was months ago. What have I missed in that time? So many questions I need answers to, but where to even start. Let’s start with the most obvious.

“Are you doing okay?” I questioned Gunner.

“I am now”.

“But before now?”

He paused for a minute, thinking silently. Enough time for me to smell the pain and sadness seeping out of him. I clung to him a little tighter, waiting for his answer.

“No, Zelena. I haven’t been okay” he croaked.

My heart tightened and I felt a lump form in my throat. A heaviness pulled at my body and tears welled in my eyes. So much pain and sorrow surrounded him. I could feel it all. I held a breath and clasped my hand over my chest, it felt like my heart was about to shrivel and die. The pain was nearly unbearable. It was his pain, Gunner’s. My sweet Mate.

“Gunner” I groaned. Trying and failing to breathe again. He stiffened and took a deep breath calming himself down and stroking my cheek.

“Sorry Babe” he sniffed. The heaviness levelled and I took a deep breath, my body releasing and relaxing slightly.

“Oh, Gunner” I huffed as the tears rolled freely down my cheek.

“I’m so sorry I put you through that” I turned my face into his chest and sobbed.

“Hush now, it wasn’t your fault. I just missed you is all. I’ll keep it together, I’m sorry” he said calmingly, stroking my hair in long slow motions.

“How many” I asked,

“Babe?”

“How many did we lose?”

“We can talk about that when you’re back home, for now, I just want to hold you. Is that okay?”

He was hurting, I could still feel it. He has obviously been through so much and I don’t want to push him. I took a deep breath and pressed my cheek into his now wet shirt.

“That’s fine” I whispered.

I gently pulled him backwards to lay down on the bed. He understood what I was doing and shifted himself to lie next to me. We lay together on the bed facing each other. His face looks so different. He looks older and worn out. I gently slid my finger over the darkened skin under his eyes and then down to his slightly cracked lips. I moved my head forward and planted a soft kiss. He closed his eyes tight, but a small tear managed to escape through his lashes. I kissed the tear away and kissed his lips again. I pulled back and traced my fingers through the scruff on this chin and smiled.

“I kind of like this” I giggled,

“Oh yeah?” he smiled, scratching the hair with his fingers.

“Yeah, you should keep it”.

“You think so, ay?” he leaned forward and rubbed his chin across my cheek and over my face. I laughed and wriggled trying to move my face away from his scratchy hair.

“Okay, okay, maybe it’s not that great” I laughed pushing his face away. He sighed heavily and stroked his finger across my cheek.

“Goddess how I’ve missed that laugh, Little Wolf” he breathed out.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m yours and you’re mine, remember” I whispered,

“How could I ever forget” he smiled.

I leaned forward and captured his lips with mine. I lifted myself up slightly and pressed my lips against him harder. He moved one hand into my hair and the other under my waist and across my lower back, letting his fingers stop over the bump of my new scar. I deepened the kiss, and he didn’t hold back, pulling me against him tighter. He groaned into my mouth and I shifted myself up to straddle him. He slid his hands under my hospital gown and up over my thighs. He gripped his hands on each ass cheek and squeezed hard. I could feel his hardening length under me, and I pressed myself onto him harder. My tongue explored every inch of his mouth as my hands found his shaggy hair. I twisted my fingers into his hair and tugged slightly, Gunner growled into my mouth and lifted his hips higher. I slowly ground my hips forward along his length, the feeling sent shivers down my spine and a breath caught in my throat.

“Holy s**t” I whispered breathlessly.