A Tainted Love

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was dark in Garret's tent when he brought me inside. I was shivering from the cold and the only thing keeping me warm was his body pressed against mine. I looked around and was soon set down on the bed of furs. He lay down next to me and pulled me into his embrace, keeping me warm.

"Do you want to talk about it and tell me what happened?" Garret asked me after a moment or two of silence.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew he would want to know eventually. I started talking, telling him about my whole journey. I told him about Amos stopping and making me cook him dinner over a fire, I told him about my first meeting with Lily and her threatening me with a knife. I told him about meeting Derrick, and staying at Lily. I remembered her teaching me somewhat how to fight, but we only had one lesson. I could keep a person at bay if they were in their human form, but definitely not in their wolf form. I was somewhat strong and living in the wilderness with Garret and Amos had made me that way.

Garret remained silent the whole time I was talking and soon I finished with him darting into the room to save me from being raped once more. He looked at me in the darkness and I could only tell because I could feel his eyes on me.

"I'm so sorry that I let that happen to you. I feel like it's all my fault and I did nothing to stop it. Though I hadn't even met you at the time of your first raping I feel that I could have stopped it somehow. I had a dream about you and I think it was warning me of what had happened. You seemed so sad in it. Please forgive me for letting him take you from me once more and almost having you fully again." He turned away from me, almost as if he didn't want me to see his face. He might have forgotten, but I couldn't see his face in the dark anyway.

"I forgive you. It's not your fault and you couldn't have stopped it. Fate had it in store for us. I think it actually brought us closer. Just think that a little while ago I thought that you only loved me for this mate thing and now I see just how far you're willing to go for me. I love that about you," I told him softly. I didn't think I was ready to say that I loved him yet, but it would happen in the near future.

I found his face and cupped his cheek. He put his hand over mine and took in my scent. I could only hope I smelled ok. I was tired and a yawn escaped past my lips. He took notice and pulled me tighter to him.

"Let's get some sleep. You don't have to worry about that pack anymore. I don't think they'll come after us." He stopped talking and I wondered how he could think such a thing.

"You don't think Amos will come after me again?" I asked. I hoped that Amos would back off, but I couldn't be so sure.

"Honey, Amos is dead," Garret replied softly, trying to break the news to me gently. I felt like my heart stopped and then picked up speed all at once.

"When did this happen? How do you know this? Am I safe? Does that mean that you are now my mate?" I was so full of questions and I was getting no answers in return. Garret silenced me with a kiss on the lips.

It took us a little while to pull away after missing each other so greatly. I waited for him to speak and he started answering my questions in order as I had asked them.

"It happened as we were leaving. That's why Lily was so upset. I know because I heard his heart stop and then smelled as death started to creep in. It was fast in my opinion, but he had been dying since the poison entered his system. You are now completely safe, for I will not let another thing happen to you, this I promise." I stopped him there.

"Please don't make a promise you might not be able to keep. I hate lying, even if the person doesn't mean to do it," I said quickly. I took my finger away from his lips and let him continue his speech.