Claimed│✓

TWENTY-FOUR: AFTERMATH

[twenty-four]

+

[Gideon]

I studied the crack in the wall, feeling the sharp edges of splintered wood. I'd worked hard on this wall and now it was shot to hell because I couldn't control myself. Control. When have I ever had such a thing to worry about?

Maya.

I watched her rise from the bed,from the corner of my eye, her hair a wild mess covering her features. I narrowed my eyes at her stiff movements.

I must have shocked her when I stood so close but she was hiding something. I'd be damned if she got the chance to corner me, make me spill my guts and get nothing from her in return.

Blood.

She had unpleasantly stabbed me. I should have seen it coming. Sometimes my foresight is too amusing for me to even believe exists. I brushed her hair aside, revealing her twisted features.She was confused.

Blood was seeping through my shirt, just under her left breast. Same spot she'd impaled me. She had a strong grip. All this time and she was still making me sore.

I didn't even realize she was being pulled by this bond as strongly as myself.

"It's alright, it's natural."

She nodded and I watched her shoulders drop. My eyes widened in alarm.I wanted to say something to make her understand that she couldn't just take my word for it. I didn't want this to become a regular occurrence for her. She likes me but that doesn't mean she has any right to bleed for me.She looked up at me but I couldn't hold her eyes. I didn't want that trustworthy look. Fuck, she might remember what I did last night.She'd never know if I didn't dream about it,dream about her.

"Gideon,I'm fine." You're not (fucking) fine. You're tied to me and that rope is fucking tight.

I reached out for the hem of the shirt to see what it looked like.Did it hurt, like it did with me. I remembered just lying there completely at her mercy as she dug harder and deeper into my flesh and she made me watch. I didn't want that for her.

"I'll head out." I said pulling back.I was fucking pissed when Aiden struck her. His words were the least of my worries when I snapped his neck. I'd do it again and again for what he did to her, for what he made me do.

I wondered how I would feel seeing what damage she'd done to herself for my sake.It made me sick. Blood making me sick, what a cruel joke.

"I'll clean outside.I think you'd be better fixing the house." she piped up. I could hear the covers wrestling, so she had energy.

"Why?"

"I could live in anything given the chance. I...there's just so much blood out there." I nodded in response, she wasn't lying about that. Saying I let loose is just putting it lightly. The animals weren't anywhere near trusting my ass, not even if I tried. Why would I? They're stock for my wolf.

I turned to see her scamper into the bathroom and she didn't waste any time either.

As she passed me in the doorway, I took the liberty of admiring her stature.There was a lot to learn about a woman's body that I had yet to discover.The hair hid a lot of her but I know where her scar is. I wondered what she thought of me when she looked at me.

I couldn't help it when I tugged her towards me and stared like a fool at the top of her head. I came back to awareness when I felt her hands on my chest. We'd done this before, hadn't we? I might as well finish it. I bent down kissing her forehead. I let her go on her way but not before she squeezed my hand in return.

She was cute, I guess.

+

I couldn't stay stuck in this room alone. If I didn't want another knife in me, I'd behave.

The smell of their fear was expected but not enjoyable.I didn't think the animals would see me as much of an attraction with Maya there to soothe their worries. It would be a rare day before they got to spend more time with her than I could.

"Do you know what you're doing?" I felt bitter amusement watching her, bent over the very calf she'd birthed.She was wading in dangerous waters and I'd led her to it.

"I don't."

I smiled in bitterness,"Good,you're not there."

"Yet." So this is why she came out here.She couldn't resist the blood.She was doing a better job than I'd thought but it wasn't going to help her any just sitting around in it.

"You'll never get there." She wouldn't be like me, so unrecognizable.She was too good for that, naive almost.I wouldn't say innocent,she'd been around me long enough. There were times when I wondered what I might have been like at this age if my wolf hadn't gone insane.I didn't like that notion so much, my father was going to die. I knew it when I saw him that last time. If I'd been a good boy, man I would have forgotten him and I didn't want that. I never got my chance to prove to him that I was worthy of being his son in the flesh. I wouldn't give up the chance to prove that in spirit. Not for anything I could think of.

She shouldn't either,give up anything for me. It was so easy to take from her, if I didn't know any better I would say I was lucky but I wasn't. At least, my father's memory was there to help me through this mess.

"Why not?"

"It doesn't suit you." It didn't and it wouldn't if I could help it.I liked her the way she was,changing that made me feel like I was killing her.She deserved better but definitely not better than me.She would have me but not all my secrets.

I didn't tell her everything about my father and I sure as hell didn't tell her about the kiss. I'd saved that for later, if it ever needed to come up.

THIS IS AN UNEDITED DRAFT.THANK YOU FOR READING.