Marlena."
"You're welcome , sir." The n she left him alone with Jenny.
He once again walked to her side and whispered the words he should have said from the beginning.
"I love you."
Chapter Thirteen
"Gryph?" Jenny's voice sounded foreign.
"Oh, good heavens , lass, I was afraid I had lost you." Charlie handed her a cup of water.
She griped it gingerly and brought it to her parched lips.
"Drink it slowly; you don't want to make yourself ill." Marlena said.
Jenny scanned the room as the cool liquid cascaded down her throat. She placed the cup on the table beside the bed and tried to sit up. Charlie noticed her struggles and helped her.
"Where's Gryph? Who won the m atch?"
"Oh lass, I don't know how to tell you this, but Gryph-"
Marlena interrupted. "Go fetch the doctor while we girls have a chat."
Charlie's face was stricken as he nodded and left the room.
"Marlena, what happened?" Fear broke through her tone.
Marlena walked to the side of Jenny's bed and braced her small frame on the edge. She reached out and placed Jenny's hand in her own.
"You've been asleep for a week, the doctor arrived and wan ted to put you to rest. He feared you would never wake. Gryph wouldn't stand for it. He said someone as stubborn as you would not be trapped in their own mind when freedom was all you cared about." Marlena smiled as she gently squeezed Jenny's fingers and took a breath. "He won the Slag, I think he knew what he had to do, but it came with a terrible price."
"Oh God, is he dead? P lease tell me he's not dead." Jenny pleaded as pain echoed through her empty chest.
"No , he lives, but he's no longer t he man you once knew. His rage was too close to the surface and he let his wolf take over during the fight. He's lost to us."
"I don't understand." Jenny furrowed her brows. "If he's alive , how can he be lost?"
Marlena's tears began to fall as sh e continued. "He's out there somewhere in wolf form. His human half is buried too deep to find his way back. But before the final fight in the Slag , he had papers drawn up giving you your freedom when he won. He knew how important it was to you."
Jenn y pulled the covers from over her legs , disturbing Marlena's resting place. She found strength inside herself she hadn't known existed.
"What on earth are you doing?" Marlena squeaked in surprise.
"I'm going to find him and bring him back."
"Y ou can't. It's impossible."
"Well , we will just have to see about that, now , won't we." Jenny slipped off the bed and walked past the awestruck doctor and a bellowing Charlie. She was queen and would not rule without her king.
Jenny shifted into t he form of wolf, her blond hair making her almost seem white. She lifted her snout and scented the air. His scent of fresh mountain pine was weak , but the faint traces tickled her nose and warmed her heart. She followed , listening to wind caressing the lea ves and birds singing their enchanting songs. The scent was becoming stronger , so she increased her speed. Her body hummed with pleasure. The sun was warm on her fur and the ground felt firm and solid under her paws.
He was close. She could feel it de ep in her heart. She slowed and could see the light peeking through the trees , indicating some sort of clearing or meadow. She made sure to approach him from downwind. She poked her head out from between two bushes and was amazed at what she saw.
Gry ph was a massive black wolf. The sun glinted off his fur , making it seem blue in some places. He was breathtaking and easily twice her size. A small sliver of fear ran down her spine , but she dismissed it. She loved him and that was all there was to it. She took a step forward , the snapping of a twig under her paw caused Gryph to wake from his slumber. She
"You're welcome , sir." The n she left him alone with Jenny.
He once again walked to her side and whispered the words he should have said from the beginning.
"I love you."
Chapter Thirteen
"Gryph?" Jenny's voice sounded foreign.
"Oh, good heavens , lass, I was afraid I had lost you." Charlie handed her a cup of water.
She griped it gingerly and brought it to her parched lips.
"Drink it slowly; you don't want to make yourself ill." Marlena said.
Jenny scanned the room as the cool liquid cascaded down her throat. She placed the cup on the table beside the bed and tried to sit up. Charlie noticed her struggles and helped her.
"Where's Gryph? Who won the m atch?"
"Oh lass, I don't know how to tell you this, but Gryph-"
Marlena interrupted. "Go fetch the doctor while we girls have a chat."
Charlie's face was stricken as he nodded and left the room.
"Marlena, what happened?" Fear broke through her tone.
Marlena walked to the side of Jenny's bed and braced her small frame on the edge. She reached out and placed Jenny's hand in her own.
"You've been asleep for a week, the doctor arrived and wan ted to put you to rest. He feared you would never wake. Gryph wouldn't stand for it. He said someone as stubborn as you would not be trapped in their own mind when freedom was all you cared about." Marlena smiled as she gently squeezed Jenny's fingers and took a breath. "He won the Slag, I think he knew what he had to do, but it came with a terrible price."
"Oh God, is he dead? P lease tell me he's not dead." Jenny pleaded as pain echoed through her empty chest.
"No , he lives, but he's no longer t he man you once knew. His rage was too close to the surface and he let his wolf take over during the fight. He's lost to us."
"I don't understand." Jenny furrowed her brows. "If he's alive , how can he be lost?"
Marlena's tears began to fall as sh e continued. "He's out there somewhere in wolf form. His human half is buried too deep to find his way back. But before the final fight in the Slag , he had papers drawn up giving you your freedom when he won. He knew how important it was to you."
Jenn y pulled the covers from over her legs , disturbing Marlena's resting place. She found strength inside herself she hadn't known existed.
"What on earth are you doing?" Marlena squeaked in surprise.
"I'm going to find him and bring him back."
"Y ou can't. It's impossible."
"Well , we will just have to see about that, now , won't we." Jenny slipped off the bed and walked past the awestruck doctor and a bellowing Charlie. She was queen and would not rule without her king.
Jenny shifted into t he form of wolf, her blond hair making her almost seem white. She lifted her snout and scented the air. His scent of fresh mountain pine was weak , but the faint traces tickled her nose and warmed her heart. She followed , listening to wind caressing the lea ves and birds singing their enchanting songs. The scent was becoming stronger , so she increased her speed. Her body hummed with pleasure. The sun was warm on her fur and the ground felt firm and solid under her paws.
He was close. She could feel it de ep in her heart. She slowed and could see the light peeking through the trees , indicating some sort of clearing or meadow. She made sure to approach him from downwind. She poked her head out from between two bushes and was amazed at what she saw.
Gry ph was a massive black wolf. The sun glinted off his fur , making it seem blue in some places. He was breathtaking and easily twice her size. A small sliver of fear ran down her spine , but she dismissed it. She loved him and that was all there was to it. She took a step forward , the snapping of a twig under her paw caused Gryph to wake from his slumber. She
Similar Books
