IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy
Chapter 34

Axel

Our wolves had spent the rest of the night together, running through the packhouse and out into the village like wildlings. Gabrielle had successfully managed to lure my wolf out and I was eternally grateful for it. She had shifted shortly after I did, but I couldn’t forget the look on her human face as she stared at me just before turning into her wolf. Something inside of her had changed, so much so that it made her cry.

No one has ever looked at me like she did in that moment.

Even my beast had gone quiet then. Still. Waited for her to make the first move, although it was he who bent down and licked the stray tear from her face with a gentleness I didn’t know he possessed.

I couldn’t even begin to explain her expression. The moment. But somehow, I knew it was something I would never forget. She was now burned into my memory for all eternity, edged into the very lining of my mind like she has always been a part of me in some unexplainable way.

After she had shifted and I snapped back to reality, I was so overwhelmed with joy and relief of having my dearest friend back, that I allowed my wolf to do whatever he wanted. I guess both of us did because it seemed Gabrielle let go of her reigns on her wolf as well and they practically took the place on horns.

I even permitted my wolf to mount hers, which he did four times in a row, counting only that one instance. Luckily, it didn’t seem to bother her, so I let it slide for the moment. I would definitely have to speak to him about that later on, he should not think that it was something to take lightly, no matter how horny he got or how much he wanted her. It didn’t help that Gabrielle’s wolf teased him relentlessly and urged him on in his wickedness either. The two of them were truly alike in their devilish nature.

A deadly combination.

Her wolf was the same shade as her hair, dark brown, so intense it almost appeared black, with glowing eyes a mere few shades lighter than her normal caramel orbs. To be honest, her wolf represented her extremely well, in appearance. Behaviour, I was still unsure of since I didn’t know anything about her. What she liked, what she disliked, was she loyal? Playful? Serious? I had no idea.

The fact that our wolves mated, repeatedly, didn’t change a thing between us though. They were animals after all and bound to their primal animal instincts. It didn’t mean that the mating was completed, and it certainly couldn’t end up in a pregnancy, so I would say the best thing to do, was to pretend it never happened and carry on as normal.

I must admit that I did see Gabrielle differently after what had happened between us, how she had helped me. I owed her a great deal, and I would have to figure out a way to repay her for her kindness.

We returned to our respective rooms at about 2h00 in the morning, leaving both of us a little less than five hours of sleep before sunrise. I didn’t mind. I loved spending time with her, uh-I mean, my wolf loved spending time with hers.

It didn’t take long for my eyes to shut and darkness to flood my senses. I slept like a baby. No nightmares of creatures creeping in the night to snatch away my loved ones and no wet dreams either. It was just sleep. Plain and simple, deep sleep. I needed it, and by the time I awoke to my alarm clock's obnoxious screech, I felt like a new man.

All my wounds were healed, well the physical ones at least and I felt truly rejuvenated. Ready for a new day. For a new start.

Dressing quickly in black gym shorts and a light grey t-shirt, I wet my hair, pulled a few hands through it and practically jogged down the stairs, aiming for the breakfast hall. My wolf was back, and he was hungry. I needed to feed him and get him to the arena to release some of his built-up energy.

I was ecstatic that we were finally reunited and swore never to take him for granted ever again, even if it meant I would try to make things work between me and Gabrielle. He seemed to love her already and I would have to respect that, whether I liked it or not.

When I stepped into the breakfast hall, more than half of the pack was already there, enjoying their hearty meals. My eyes scanned the hall but found no signs of her. Chatter and laughter floated through the air, along with the smell of grilled goodness just waiting to be consumed.

As usual, I aimed for Jarryd and the rest of the gang, taking a seat next to him and greeting all of them with a nod, but this time I paired the nod with a polite smile.

Jarryd’s one brow lifted in question.

Beast and Molly immediately exchanged glances and all eyes around the table narrowed in on my neck.

“What?” I asked with a shrug while a waitress plopped a loaded plate in front of me.

“You reek of Gabrielle,” Jarryd simply said, shoving a heap of protein into his mouth.

Molly squealed in excitement and covered her mouth with both hands. Numerous giggles escaped nonetheless. She was again sitting on Beast’s lap and had a tie-dye short summer dress on decorated with beads of all shapes and sizes.

Beast, the tattooed contrast to her colourful pallet, wiggled his brows at me and took a huge gulp of beer from a tall, fat glass sitting on the haggard table.

“Isn’t it too early to be drinking already?” I asked while picking up my utensils and digging in.

“Doesn’t count if it is still leftovers from last night,” he said and took another sip.

Molly pulled a face and Jarryd snorted to my left.

“Drinks doesn’t count as leftovers,” Jarryd grumbled.

“Who made that rule? You just give me a name and place, man!” Beast replied tapping the table with his index finger to prove the earnestness of his words.

Molly shushed him and enclosed her delicate hand around his angry pointed finger. “Tell us everything,” she whispered with large, excited eyes while leaning onto the table with both of her elbows.

For a second, it felt like everyone was leaning in too, but I simply shoved another fork of sausage into my mouth and waived the waitress with the coffee over.

She didn’t waste a second and practically brushed her entire front against me as she leaned over to place the hot cup onto the table, lingering there a little longer than necessary.

Molly cleared her throat loudly and eyed the waitress with disgust, “that is just dandy, THANK YOU,” she said with the bitchiest expression I have ever seen.

All of us stared at her in horror as the waitress scrambled off.

“Wow, Axel, you really bring out the worst in Molly, don’t you?” Beast stated sarcastically while patting his mate on the head like you would with a dog.

She swatted his hand away and leaned in again, “so?”

“So, what?” I asked with another shrug.

“WHAT HAPPENED!?” She asked through clenched teeth and a too large, stiff smile.

“Dude, you better spill or she is going to lose it,” Beast chimed from behind his mate and took another sip of the foamy warm beer.

I grinned at Molly who was anxiously waiting to hear some juicy story.

Jarryd stopped eating and turned his face towards me too.

“Nothing happened.”

Everyone snorted in symphony.

“Yeah right,” Molly said, rolling her eyes and laying back, resting onto her mate’s chest. Pride bloomed from him, and he pulled her closer into him with his right arm. Her blonde hair brushed against his neck where her mark lay and covered the top of a large tattoo hidden under the fabric of his shirt. In the other hand, he held his beer protectively to his left, well away from his moody mate.

Jarryd chuckled to my left and carried on eating.

I stuck my arm out to grab my coffee, but my muscles tensed up. Stiffened and on full alert. My wolf’s ears perked up. Her smell hit me before she even entered the room and as I glanced towards the entrance, Pamela’s red hair obscured her face from view. It only lasted a brief moment, because as Pamela stepped out of the way, Gabrielle came into view. Her dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail accentuating her long, slender neck. Smooth, tasty skin.

My mouth watered.

The jean shorts she wore hugged her in all the right places and the strappy, bronze top she had on fit her curvy, yet fit figure like a glove.

She saw me instantly, gawking at her like a fool, and nodded with a crooked smile.

I also nodded and turned back to the table.

Only then did I notice everyone around the table had stopped eating and was staring at me. Loud, rowdy laughter broke out a second later and I was sure she knew exactly what had just happened.