The Resilient Mate

Chapter Twenty- Two.

Shouts, slamming doors, dust and heat- all part of being on tour. I can’t say that I’d missed it, because that would have been a lie. It wasn’t the same as before, I felt like a part of me was missing; I didn’t enjoy it here, it felt like nothing more than a chore… and I wanted to scream. For seven years it had been my life and now, now I despised it.

“Eve, briefing in ten.” Griff said, walking into our tent and snapping me out of my thoughts. One look at me and his face twisted into concern, he glanced down at his watch and frowned. “You’ve been tying your shoe laces since I left… half an hour ago. What’s wrong?”

I shrugged and sat up straight as I finished tying my lace. “Just missing home.”

He knew me too well though and the bed dipped down as he sat. “You’re missing Kade.”

I sighed and nodded, closing my eyes as I pictured his face. I really did miss him. He might not talk much, he might be a bit withdrawn and intimidating but he was my mate, he stood by my side and he made me happy. “Yeah, I miss my family.” The loss of my child and my humanity also rested heavily on my shoulders; I had failed my child and I didn’t feel like myself anymore. All my life I’d been the only human in a pack full of wolves, the outcast because of my humanity; all tears, rejection, torment and pain I’d endured all seemed pointless now; I was no longer human. “And it’s… it’s just not-“

“The same, I know.” Griff said with a sigh. “It’s not the same here; I used to love it here, this was what I lived for, but now I just feel incomplete.” With sad eyes he looked over at me. “I had a taste of what it could have been like; someone to love, children, a home, peace.” I nodded, my gaze fixed to the sandy material of the tent; he just voiced exactly what I’d been feeling.

I inhaled and turned to look at my friend. “I think my time in the military is coming to a close Griff; after this mission, I’m leaving.” I couldn’t force myself to stick with something I no longer enjoyed. A part of me felt like I was quitting but another, bigger part of me knew that it was time to move on; it was a new stage of my life and I knew exactly who I’d share it with. “You’ll know where to find me.”

He smiled and stood, offering a hand to me. “For now though, you’re still our captain, we still have a mission and you’re still gonna kick arse.” With a grin I took his hand and we headed out of the tent.

-

The rumble of the plane drowned out the beating of my heart as I checked my weapon. We were all loaded into a plane, waiting to be airdropped into enemy territory to capture one of the Al Qaeda leaders and eliminate any threats.

I could feel Griffin’s gaze on me every few seconds and I know that he was mulling over our conversation. The next time I caught him staring at me I frowned and decided that enough was enough. I walked over and knocked him on his chest, winding him a little with my strength. “Get your head in the game.” I said harshly. “You’re not immortal so don’t fuck this up or you’ll die.”

He gave me a wicked grin as he gestured down to my gun. “Who’re you kidding Eve, you don’t need that; why not wolf out?”

I knew that no one else but Gunner would be able to hear but I hit his chest again. “Shut it Griff. There’s a war brewing between supernaturals and human kind; if I wolfed out I wouldn’t just be kicked out of the military, I’d be tortured and executed.” Yet another reason why I had to leave. I’d come to that conclusion when one night I’d caught the scent of another wolf on the wind. I’d gone to investigate but it was too late and I had watched as three of the highest commanders in the outpost executed the wolf. War was coming and both I and Gunner had agreed that we had to go back to the pack or risk it all by staying.