The Hunt.

Ch. 26 Marry You.

As Dean finished stitching up my neck, Levi walked in. "What happened?" He asked, inspecting how battered I was. Sighing, I once again explained what happened. Dean bandaged up my wrist where the dagger cut me. In fact the dagger was still on the floor, coated in blood. Levi walked over, taking over the miniature medical adjustments being made to all the wounds I had. Seeing how deadpan serious Levi was surprised me. Usually when I saw him he was grinning, laughing, imagining him as the grim leader of a werewolf army was difficult, but seeing him like this made it easier to believe.

"Sorry Sandra, I suspected Francis of being a double agent, I never knew she'd attack you." Levi apologized, looking at me, "It won't happen again. You'll have personal guards on you." He stated, I shook my head, "No, you don't understand Levi, it's not about how many people are around me at all times, there will always be a way. I have to go, Trent is coming and I have to go hide." I responded, the panic raising in my voice. Flashbacks were hitting me. He'd take me again, but this time he'd kill me. That possessive, hateful mind, those grimy fingers grasping the dagger that lead to me inevitable torture, the slow, cold death that dagger would grant me.

That couldn't happen.

Levi's tight grip on my arms brought me back to reality. "That won't happen again Sandra, I will not let that happen." Levi assured me. I stared into his morbid green eyes and I knew he wasn't lying. I nodded, "I know." I responded slowly, he let go, and I didn't realize how tightly he was holding me. "I have guards positioned on every entrance and exit outside the house right now, Francis is being tracked, and you two need to meet me in the auditorium when you're done getting ready. We have things to discuss." I'd never seen Levi take himself or everything around him so seriously. I never understood how such a lighthearted joker could wear an expensive suit or how anyone took him so seriously, but watching the strong, well-dressed man in front of me order people around with a straight face and assure me of things. I understood. Levi was a leader, a good one too.

He walked off with ease, and I looked over at Dean, who seemed to be in deep thought. Slowly he looked back at me.

"I'm sorry kitten, I thought you'd be safe here." He apologized. "It's not your fault Trent is so dead set on killing me." I responded. Dean pushed off the wall where he'd been leaning, and walked over to me. He leaned in, inspecting me. "I hope you know, nothing Francis said was true. Everything she told you about this being your fault is a lie. Everyone here protects you because they want to. You haven't ruined anything." Staring into the depths of his grim, frost blue eyes, I thought about him. Those were the same color that they were when I'd first met him, the same shade of that nearly white blue, the eyes that ensnared me. Those playful blue eyes were the same eyes that I was seeing now. But they'd somehow changed. The price of love.

Staring into those intense blue eyes, I almost believed him.

Smiling, instead of responding, I just said, "I love you so much." He inspected me, "Why don't you believe me?" He asked quietly, staring me in the eyes. It was impossible to look away, impossible to ignore the surge of emotions swelling up in my chest. So in spite of my efforts, tears exploded from my eyes, and I attempted to wipe them away to no avail. "Because," my voice was breathy with tears. Dean pulled me close, not trying to wipe away my tears, but encouraging them in a way. "This is all my fault." He held me tightly, "Francis getting tortured is my fault." I whispered, Dean pulled back. "None of this is your fault Sandra. Trent is insane, he would've done it whether or not you were with me." He assured me, wiping away the tears from my face.

Before he could pull back I took his hands in mine, with a soft grip. When I first met Dean I told myself that loving him was worth the risk. Around him I was happy, and I had to remember that. He'd never intentionally put me in danger. He fought for me, he nearly died for me. Since then I've been everywhere, tortured, made into a werewolf, abandoned my family, and went into hiding. Looking into those familiar ice blue eyes, I knew I'd do it all again. He was worth the hunt, the depression, the torture. I didn't risk all of this for me, I did all of this because I loved Dean.

I'd do it all again if I had too. The fears, the tears, it was all worth it to see him again, just those eyes.

"Dean," I said, wiping away my tears and looking back into his eyes.

"Yes?"

"I love you, I love you, I love you so much." I professed, staring into his eyes, not with a coy smile, not with a wink and kiss, but with me. Sandra. My raw emotions, no sugar coating, no short cuts. As I stared at Dean, tears watering my gaze, I felt pure, raw emotions. "Even though I'm crying now, I love you. Everything I did up to this point was for you. I've never had anyone to give anything to. No one to care about. That's why when I found you, I was so willing to stay with you. Because I care about you, I love you, and I'd never sacrifice that. I'd go through two years of torture if it meant seeing you. Not dating you, not kissing you, just seeing you're beautiful gaze and playful smile, looking at you, I realize how everything that's happened, everything that's going to happen, it's all worth it."

He stared at me, his eyes wide with that I'd said, "Sandra," he said slowly, I leaned forward, and kissed him. His slightly chapped lips pressed against mine, fitting perfectly. As he pressed his lips against mine harder, his grip on my hands tightened. He kissed me with so much force and emotion, it was as if he was afraid I was going to just evaporate into thin air. When he pulled back he let out a small, trembling breath.

"I swear to you Sandra, one day I'm going to marry you."