Chapter 7
Aoifa's knees made contact with the floor less than a second later. Her reserves were totally spent. Her well flared, almost angrily, and started to sap at her physical resources to replenish her loss. She struggled to keep her eyes open and rise to her feet. She needed food, something with lots of carbs, something sweet. Halfway to standing, arms wrapped around her. She was startled by them, almost forgetting her guests in her exhaustion. She relaxed in Gabal's hold, but forced her eyes open and her face neutral, refusing to show weakness.
"What just happened," asked a shaken Jackson. He tried to put on a tough front but one could tell by the slight tremble to his voice, and knees, that he was affected by the magic she had just displayed. As she glanced at the others, she could tell the same, though it was farther beneath the surface.
"We're home," was all Gabal said. He was busy rooting around in the kitchen after he set Aoifa on the counter. After a few moments he returned to her with the rest of her cashews from the night before and a tub of coffee, cookies and cream ice cream, her favorite. Gabal could already see her aether eating away at her body. Her cheek bones stuck out much more than before, and the slight sway she had even though she was stationary let him know she was much more tired than she appeared. He snapped his eyes to his pack. They watched her like hawks. Weariness oozed from them, suspicion clear on their faces.
Gabal neared his teeth and snarled. Their eyes immediately fell to the floor, shoulders rolled in, expressions contrite. "Out. Go home. Jackson send Samuel."
They shot him confused looks. Their Alpha wanted them to return from Ireland? Across the globe? And then send the pack Beta away? "Bu–," a booming roar erupted from their commander and everyone scrambled to do as he bid. The door closed quietly behind them. Ansel was the only one that remained, though he took up a patrol along the perimeter of the cabin, deciding to give the couple some time alone. He understood the protective instincts that ruled Gabal at this moment.
His Alpha's Given had expended an amazing amount of energy to do what she did. He had never seen anything like it. And because of this, her body was taking all of the nutrients she had stored for normal body functions and recycling that into aether to replenish her well. Any fat would go first, then muscle, then it would begin to sap energy from organs. If enough energy is used, it could easily kill the witch. Ansel held a worry for the girl he had not felt in ages. A protective urge that had been lost with his mate. Ansel paced around the cabin, shoving those revelations deep, and let go of all emotion as he did what he did best and kept a lookout for threats to the ones he held dear.
Inside, Gabal was feeding Aoifa spoonfuls of ice cream. He sat on the floor, back to a cabinet. Aoifa was leaning back against his chest from where she sat on his lap. He had one hand curled around her throat, his thumb tilting her chin up slightly. He would have found the way she swallowed beneath his hand intimately erotic had the circumstances been different. As it was, he was a bit too miffed to consider that too deeply.
"Aoifa," he started, his tone little more than a growl. He was livid. She could have died. The state she was in right now… As scared as he was that she would leave him, forsake the bond, if he was too overbearing, he could not chance her death. His previous thoughts about her knowing her limits were obviously bull.
His hand tightened on her throat, not enough to bring her pain, but enough to bring a bit of rasp to each breath. "Never again." He waited for a response, not pleased when he felt her pull away from him and shift off his lap. Fear coiled in his belly, releasing only slightly when she settled herself back against him, facing him now. Her face had gotten better after half the container of ice cream and the rest of the cashews. The gaunt quality was nearly gone.
"Why," she questioned. A quick scan of her face revealed only earnest curiosity, no challenge, no fear, no disgust. She wanted to know why? Did she truly have so little regard for her life? The more he thought about her question, the angrier he became. When he could finally get the words out, it was little more than a growl.
"You could die." Aoifa blinked at him a moment, confused and then laughed. That was the last straw for Gabal. To laugh at the prospect of her death. To disregard his worst nightmare. Before either of them knew what was happening, his bear came forward and had her on her back. He did not force a shift, knowing her soft skin would not forgive his sharp claws. Instead he pushed to the front of the human mind, not something he did often.
Aoifa saw the change on Gabal's face when she got her bearings from the sudden move. She could see the bear in his eyes, his nose, even his lips, though they did not transform. She could feel the frustration coming off of him in waves. The need to ensure her safety, the fear for her life, the desire to tie their souls and share strength. She could see it all now, and a weight made from guilt settled in her chest.
"I'm sorry I laughed. I understand that without all the information that was very callous. I didn't mean to spit in the face of your concern. Thank you for taking care of me so well, and for being such a good mate." She smiled up at him as she stroked her thumbs against her bearded cheeks, loving the rough, curled feel of it. "But the truth is, I can't die. And I don't mean, I am not in touch with my mortality, I mean that nothing can kill me. Many have tried, I have been burned alive, buried alive, stabbed, poisoned, dissected, suffocated, strangled, bludgeoned, you name it. But I always regenerate. I always come back. Sometimes it takes longer than others, the more damage done to my person, the longer it takes, but I will never leave you for long." When she refocused on his face, she could see the unmistakable, burning rage he poorly concealed. In a misguided effort to lighten the mood she attempted a joke. "You couldn't get rid of me even if you tried. You're stuck with me now." She shared a bright smile with him and in return he snarled.
"Names. All of them." Again she chuckled, her mouth twisting into something more sinister than moments ago.
"As sweet as that is, there's none left for you to hunt. Those that hurt me are long dead, all but a few misguided humans died by my hand. I do not spare those that intentionally bring me harm. The humans were a special circumstance, and I was very young. In the words of a wise man, 'forgive them, for they know not what they do.'" Gabal recognized the words, though he was not able to share the sentiment. Anyone that caused her harm, knowing or otherwise, would meet their end.
With a huff, the bear receded into the mind of the man. Gabal helped Aoifa to her feet. She tested her weight on both legs and was pleased to find she was stable.
"I recovered much faster this time," she exclaimed happily, smiling up at him. "And I know it wasn't the icecream." With a deep, silent sigh, Gabal let his frustration leave him. He still did not truly believe her claim that she could not die, but it was something that could be revisited at a later date. She was out of danger now, and she understood how worried she had made him. It was also near impossible to be angry with her after she had thanked him for being a good mate. His bear was practically preening under the praise, her past experiences not forgotten, but stored away for a later date.
A knock on the door drew them both back to reality. Aoifa rushed to open it, excited to meet more of her new pack. Gabal was right on her tail, he expected the Beta and knew his Shadow was patrolling, but one could never be too careful. Aoifa swung the door open wide and was immediately engulfed in a warm, but swift hug. The arms left almost as soon as they wrapped around her, and Aoifa caught a glimpse of black hair and a dark green shirt as a body was thrown backwards off her porch. She blinked, and blinked again as said body neatly flipped in the air and landed perfectly on his feet, arms raised like a gymnast.
"Welcome to the family, sister," he shouted with a grin. Gabal stood behind her emitting a low, sustained grumble.
"Hands to yourself," he snapped. Wrapping his arm around her, he placed a possessive hand on her stomach. "Mine," he added, just to make sure his rambunctious Beta understood. His Given melted back into him, happy, as always, to be in his arms, and completely unbothered by his grumpy disposition.
The Beta looked on in contentment, so ecstatic that his best friend and Alpha had found his Given. It had been many years since he had found his own, since he had started his family. Samuel had noticed the looks his Alpha sent the couple. Looks of longing and pain. It was known throughout the pack that their beloved leader was not a happy man. He was just, and he was fair, but he would never smile like he used to. Very few people remained today that knew Gabal as a young man. Those that did told tales of his exploits. They always described him the same. A strong young male, full of mischief, large of heart, and with a smile brighter than the morning sun. Those days had been gone for hundreds of years. But with Aoifa here, things may just take a turn in that direction again.
Aoifa grinned back at her new brother, elated by this development. Because she was an orphan, she had never had a regular, nuclear family. She was raised by the church, given strict guidelines by which to conduct herself, and kept away from other children in her village. Over the years, people had come into her life, trying to insert themselves into her close circle, but all had failed. Due in part to the fact that she had no one close, and in part to the fact she could not connect to others easily. Modern, human doctors called it sociopathic. But to Aoifa it was what she knew.
This was her chance to change that though. She now had a whole pack for which to care. So far the members had been warm in their welcome, if not understandably skeptical. This was her most enthusiastic greeting yet, and it was her first on pack grounds. Though she was trepidatious before, and still so now, a tension she had not known was there, lifted from her shoulders. It seemed as though this reception was a positive omen for things to come. For the first time in centuries, Aoifa looked forward to what tomorrow would bring.