Chapter Nineteen
**
Gabrielle returned as silently as he had left, lifting his arm when he recognised one of his pack members on night patrol.
"Do not alert the others. I am in need of a hot shower and food. It is late. Morning is enough time for me to have rested and answer everyone's questions", he stated wearily, his appearance shocking the wolf who stared at his Alpha.
Luna will be beyond words.
"Luna? Who dare take the place of my Gabby?" Gabrielle roared.
Your own Gabby. She has healed but speaks very little and stays locked in your room I believe.
"She lives ... and breaths?" Gabe asked incredulously. "You have seen her?" he asked breathlessly.
I have not seen her. She hides from us all, despaired like we all have been by your absence.
"Goddess! What a fool", Gabe said transferring slowly, his weakened body making it hard.
Devon our mate is ...
Alive, he finished running like a crazed beast the last few miles back home.
Devon nodded his head as he passed more shocked faces, inwardly feeling alive for the first time in weeks.
Do not alert the others. I am well and have come home.
His heart was pounding when he finally made it to the pack house steps and stood in his naked form.
To hell with protocol or modesty, he entered the front door and flew up the stairs like a man possessed.
When he reached the third floor and saw the long passageway, he stopped and breathed. There it was, the distinct smell of lemon and lime.
One step in front of the other he approached the end door and listened. She was breathing deeply but something was bothering her sleep.
Opening the door and seeing with his own eyes, his Gabby was sleeping in his bed; it was too much. His lips started to quiver, and his eyes filled with unshed tears for the first time since he had left.
He knew he looked awful, must of smelt like shite but he didn't stop his approach until he was standing over her sleeping body.
She was alive. It was true, by the grace of the Moon Goddess, Gabby had not died at all.
"How?" he whispered
WHEN YOU DREAMT OF HER IN YOUR SLEEP. THEN YOU EARNED HER TRUST BY BEING KIND. YOU NUTUTRED YOUR MATE AND SHOWED HER PATIENCE. WHEN YOU GALLIANTLY TRIED TO PROTECT HER IT WAS THEN YOU FOUND TRUE LOVE.
Looking at his body, Gabe rushed towards the bathroom immediately to shower. The dirty water disappearing down the drain like his shame and guilt.
"Moon Goddess strike me down if I ever leave my Gabby alone again", he said filling his mouth with clean water and laughing like a fool.
'Of all the stupidest things I have done'.
Agreed! But I also believed she had died, said Devon.
You and I have a lot of groveling to do.
You first.
Me first, Gabe agreed wrapping a towel around his hips before opening the bathroom door and approaching the bed slowly.
Gabby took his breath away; her soft lashes were spanned across her cheeks while she slept. Her lips were as he imagined them to be, plump and very pink, not pale as they were the night he fled.
She emanated warmth and softness.
Dropping his towel, he pulled back the top sheets and all of the covers she needed to keep herself warm.
Tonight and forever, she will only need the sheet and his warmth.
Very carefully as he lay down, Gabe lifted her head and rested it over his arm. Wrapping her in his embrace, he then breathed her in and felt at peace.
After weeks of exhausting his body, Gabe finally fell into a deep sleep.
**
The first thing Gabby noticed was the warmth, then the smell of delicious coffee and thickened cream. Then the arm wrapped around her slender body.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed loudly trying to move away from whoever it was.
Unable to move Gabby started to panic, she couldn't unwrap the giant muscly arms which were encasing her until she turned and saw his face.
"Gabrielle", she whimpered when his pale blue eyes stared back at her.
"With all my heart, I am sorry for leaving you again my Gabby. Had I known you had survived I would never have left".
She had no words; she didn't know what to say so she just stared down at his glorious face and cried.
"Please don't. Let me beg your forgiveness Gabby. It was my actions that have caused you to feel so sad", he said sitting up in bed and gathering her in his arms once again.
"Nothing to forgive if you intend on staying. I thought you left me for good, again! I missed you terribly. Every minute of each day, for weeks Gabrielle. Didn't you once think to return if I was presumed dead, to come home and ..."
"And have it be confirmed. I couldn't. The very thought of you dying because I was too helpless to stop such a vulgarity, had me running away in the first place. My life ... it had no meaning Gabby. I only returned to end mine and join you".
Gabby turned in his arms and looked up into his face.
"Why would you want to kill yourself when you fought so valiantly for us?" she asked, her golden eyes sparkling so brightly.
"The moment we met there could be no other", she said looking sad. "Even when I thought you would never return, I could not let us go".
"I was neither valiant nor could I truly stay away. Now I understand why I couldn't mourn; you were alive all along. My Gabby", Gabrielle breathed, smiling widely.
His magnificent chest spread wide as Gabby rested her head against him.
"You know I heard your words in my head when I was running towards you. According to your brother Beta Simeon and Sentinels, we are already mated. I will never have a wolf though, is that a problem?" she asked lifting her head to look at Gabe once more.
"No baby! But first", he said holding her tiny neck in his hand, he lowered his head a kissed Gabby for the second time.
As her little tongue darted across his lips he tasted her citruses and grew hard, wanting more than her mouth against his lips.
"Gabby, may I ...?" he asked, leaving the question open.
"If you are gentle with me. I have been waiting for you since I was a little girl", she whispered against his warm soft lips.
"You are a virgin", he almost yelled, near waking the others on the floor below.
Turning a wonderful bright pink, Gabby's golden eyes shone even brighter.
"Goddess! I thought I had to lift my game because you were ... I mean I am ... as well", he answered awkwardly. "I also wanted to wait till I met my future Luna".
"Oh Gabrielle", she sighed sitting up straighter to change positions and straddle his hips, so she faced him.
"Ummm! Baby? Have you got panties on?"
"No", she breathed kissing his lips over and over, delighting in her early morning feast of coffee and thickened cream.
"Neither do I", he said feeling his huge cock start to thicken rather quickly.
"Then claim me and make me yours for all eternity".
Gabe rolled Gabby over rather roughly and lay between her divided legs, his promise just within reach if he moved up a little further.
Leaning on his elbows he looked down upon her face and drank in her early morning beauty, "Know that I am powerless against you. You are mine, you do realise".
"Now Gabe. Now, I want you now!" she almost demanded, hooking her slender arms behind his neck and urging him into action.
As he had said, he was powerless and did what he was asked.
**