Chapter 81
Chapter 81
One of Gideon’s hands reached out and fell on my thigh. He curled his fingers, bunching them in my clothes, and pulled me closer.
“Hey!” I yelped, but his eyes stayed closed, even as he hauled me into his lap.
Well, now what was I going to do?
With a contented sound, Gideon wrapped his arms around me, and his breathing deepened again. I was stuck sitting in his lap.
From where I was tucked against his chest, I could hear his breathing. Slow and steady. That was good.
I twisted my head to look at the bandages on his shoulder, and I pushed them to the side to check his healing. There was no more blood and the edges of the wound were fresh pink skin. Within a few days he would be fully healed, with minimal scarring.
“Thank you, Goddess,” I said with genuine feeling. I may not appreciate the way Gideon had me trapped, both socially and physically, but I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him either. I just…
I just wanted to know that I had a future here, with him. I was learning how to be a good Luna, but what did any of that matter if he didn’t want to spend his life with me?
“Who closed off your heart?” I whispered to his sleeping face. He didn’t respond.
I raised my hand and gently traced the line of his jaw, feeling the scratchy stubble on his cheeks where he
needed to shave.
“The stupid thing is, a part of me is happy to be stuck with you,” I confessed to the sleeping Alpha. “Even when you drive me crazy. Even when everyone seems to be trying to ruin our lives, being with you somehow always feels right p>
Gideon frowned in his sleep and made an indecipherable noise. That tracked, he always had to have the last
word.
“You want to keep me, but can you protect me from yourself?” I whispered. “Would you keep me in a cage, even if it meant both of us are miserable p>
His sleeping face was so beautiful. Sharp cheekbones, full mouth, wicked eyebrows.
The Moon Goddess had given me her blessing to heal him. Surely that meant she thought he was worthy of… something…
I just… I wanted to feel him. To imagine what it would be like to actually be his beloved Luna. The way he had said it, like he would do anything to keep me to himself.
Moving slowly, I leaned forward and gently kissed his lips. They were firm and searing hot beneath mine.
Gideon made a small noise but didn’t wake.
I pulled away after a moment and snuggled back into his chest and waited for sunrise.
A bit before dawn the rain stopped and the mist cleared. I slowly disentangled myself from Gideon whose fever
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Chapter 81
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had broken in the night. I stepped out from our shelter and stretched muscles that had cramped up from lying in one position on his lap.
“Don’t leave.” Gideon’s voice was hoarse with sleep.
I turned to look at him in surprise. His eyes were open and clear, no more wolf-gold.
“Promise not to leave before the wedding.” Gideon demanded suddenly.
I stared at him for a long moment.
“Promise to bring my mother over to Nightwolf.” I requested. If Zara had been intercepting my letters then my mother was in more danger than I’d thought. If he could do that, I could stay until the wedding at least.
“Deal.” Gideon agreed, rising to his feet as though he had never been injured at all. He flexed his shoulders experimentally, then shrugged back into his shirt. He seemed completely healed. Incredible.
I looked at him curiously, unsure how much, if any, of the previous night he remembered, but if he knew that we’d spent the night cuddled up like lovers, or that I’d kissed him, he gave no indication.
“Let’s head back.” He gestured for me to gather my stuff and head out, “We have a wedding to plan p>
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