Was it the invocation then, that had allowed me to access that power? A blessing from the Goddess who had once appeared in my dreams?
The stories my mother had told me of the old Moon Goddess Priestess hadn’t mentioned anything like that power. She mostly had told me about long holiday rituals and revels that brought the pack together.
Silvermoon might have a more extensive healing library, however. If I was going to continue to be stuck with Nightwolf pack, perhaps I could try and sneak over there and take a look at their old records.
“Avery.” I jumped when Gideon said my name. I almost dropped the bundle of moss I had been gathering to insulate us from the cold earth.
I spun around and headed back towards where he leaned against the fallen tree. When I got to him, I realized his eyes were closed.
“Avery.” he said again, but it was more of a murmur.
Was he… talking in his sleep?
I knelt next to him and put the back of my hand on his forehead. He was burning up. The fever would need to run its course while he healed. All I could do is try and make him comfortable.
A cold rain started to fall. I tucked my legs up to my chest and huddled next to Gideon while he slept. The branches I’d put over us deflected most of the water, but it was still damp and cold. In comparison, the heat emanating from Gideon’s body was like a small furnace.
I couldn’t help myself, I leaned into his warmth, tucking myself against his side. He was asleep, he wouldn’t know. I burrowed closer and sighed as the warm strength of him soothed my sore body.
After a while, my foot started to go to sleep, so I shifted positions. When I did, Gideon made a small sound of disapproval. It sounded so much like his wolf that I froze for a moment before realizing he was still sleeping.
“I’m just getting more comfortable,” I whispered to the darkness, to him, to his wolf, to whoever was listening. I lifted myself up and turned around.
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.”
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?”
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 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.”
Avery’s POV
It seemed so quiet and strange when we returned to Nightwolf. Tegan intercepted Gideon at the gates, and they talked quietly for a while, but no one else reacted to us returning.
It was as though no one else had even known it had happened.
It occurred to me then that Gideon and his warriors had really insulated his pack from what was going on in the woods around them. He didn’t want anyone to know we had left, or been attacked. Knowing him, he wouldn’t even tell his Beta that he was injured.
“Avery.” Gideon strode over to me. “I’m going-“
“To work in your office. Yeah, I figured.” I sighed.
I expected Gideon to look annoyed but he seemed more amused. “Tired of the routine already?”
“No, it’s not that.” I actually had enjoyed the days I’d spent as his assistant, before I’d made excuses and disappeared to plan my escape. “I just… don’t know anything about planning weddings.”
Gideon raised an eyebrow at that. “If you’re asking my opinion…”
“I’m not sure I am…” I quipped.
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