19 Chapter 20

Gerard laughed with Shera as they stumbled up to the room, leaning on one another. He couldn't remember how the two had gotten to the state they were in but he didn't mind it. They were more relaxed this way, even as Taj talked loudly with Tyrone in the living room. Gerard shoves his door open, glancing down at the bottle in his hand before chucking it carelessly behind him. Shera gave a squeal and turned around before looking back at him and giving a small laugh, "Gerard!"

"What," he snickered. "I'll clean it up tomorrow." The two laughed and Gerard stared at her lips for a moment. He leaned down and kissed her, the fuzz in his mind diminishing slightly as she kissed him back. His arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her from the ground as the two became frantic.

Shera wasn't letting go of his hair, keeping his lips on hers as if she needed him to live. Gerard struggles with holding her as he tried to shut the door, succeeding after a few tries and a few laughs between them. He didn't bother with the lock as he made their way towards the bed. Her legs had wrapped around him, the dress lifting up her thighs and leaving only her open skin to grasp. Gerard overestimate over her as her back hit the bed, keeping his hands as still as possible.

A dull scratching noise seemed to fade into existence, the two stopping their frenzy as they looked past the bed. It took Gerard a moment, his focus blurry as he stared at the large figure. He shifted only slightly, losing control as he stared at the mass of fur and a sense of anger came over him at the sight. Shera was the first to shift, launching off of Gerard's hips after getting her footing there. Gerard couldn't tell what was happening as he felt more of his control slip, the sounds of yelping and snarling happening in front of him.

He launched forward after shifting all the way, avoiding hitting the red blur he knew to be Shera, "Little rats are in my room." The yelping stopped, leaving the snarling behind as Gerard stopped claws and teeth from puncturing him. Whoever this black furred lycan was, they had subdued Shera. His mouth closed down around their snout as she shoved them to the ground, the door swinging open as he pinned them and growled.

"Gerard, let him go," Tyrone yelled. He grabbed the man, pulling him from the body as the lycan shifted back. Gerard shoved Tyrone, glaring at him as the drunkenness wore off. "Gerard, this is Shera's brother," Tyrone motioned to the man standing over Shera and then back at Gerard, "Lionel, this is Gerard."

"Get off of her," Gerard snarled. Lionel was a large man with black hair and similar eyes to his sister. That same fire that burned in Shera's burned there in the depths as the two held eye contact.

"Shera, get up," Lionel snapped. He didn't get a response, looking under him and jerking back at the woman on the floor. Gerard stared at her, blinking and stepping closer. She had passed out, her hair sprawled on the floor. Lionel shoved at Gerard only to be grabbed and glared at.

"Lionel," Tyrone snapped. The man looked up to his uncle and then back at Gerard. "Lionel, Gerard is Shera's mate." The room fell silent, Lionel staring at Tyrone with wide eyes before stepping away more. Gerard lifted Shera up and set her on the bed as his mind caught up to him.

"You might have just given her a concussion," he sighed. He stared at Lionel before standing fully and holding his hand out. The man glared at his hand before taking it and giving it a shake.

"Someone finally mated her," Lionel sniffed. "Who knew someone would be into runts."

"Lionel," Tyrone snapped.

"I beat her finally. I can call her whatever I want," Lionel laughed and moved towards his uncle. Gerard could only see Scott in his personality, his brow deepening as he took the man in.

"They're also inebriated," Taj leaned on the doorframe, looking in. He eyed the man just as Gerard was, scowling ever so slightly. "So it wasn't a real fight."

"How'd you get in here," Gerard asked. They stared at him as he sat himself on the empty side of the bed, all of them confused.

"The door wasn't locked and I was following my sister's scent. Father called me and told me she was here against her will," Lionel turned to state at Tyrone. "Why are you here?"

"We have an alliance with this pack," Tyrone shook his head and held his hand out. "We have some thing you need to hear." Lionel stiffened slightly as his eyes widened. He looked much like Shera in that innocent face of shock.

"Harmony is with dad," Lionel informed Tyrone. The two made their way past Taj, their voices fading.

Taj sighed and rubbed his head, walking over and feeling at Shera's head as Gerard started taking his clothes off, "How did someone slip by so many people?"

Gerard stopped moving and frowned, turning to stare at the older man, "That's a good question. We're not going to get an answer from Lionel though." Gerard's haze fell onto Shera and he smirked a bit. It probably had something to do with how quiet she had been when they first met, or how quiet she had continued to be. Even as a human, she was oddly quiet and Gerard would have to strain to hear her. "We'll get answers when she wakes up."

"I find it difficult to think the boy means well," Taj nodded. Gerard raised an eyebrow at the statement before Taj waked for the door. "Who attacked first?"

"Shera did," Gerard answered. He blinked and stared at the mess on the floor created by the three. If he was her brother then why did she attack him? "We'll have to ask her when she wakes up why." Taj nodded and smiled, budding Gerard goodnight with a hug before leaving.

Gerard stared at Shera and sighed, carefully taking the dress off of her and pulling one of his shirts over her head. He stopped and stared at the reddening bandages around her stomach, his teeth gritting. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders and sat himself next to her, taking in how soft her face looked. She had moved as if nothing was wrong, as if she wasn't hurt and he had to question how she came to be accustomed to injuries. There was still so much he didn't know about her and it was maddening.

He slid into the bed next to her, carefully pulling her back to his chest and rubbing his nose into her auburn locks. It didn't feel long until she stirred from the light coming through the window. He subtle movements woke him before she was aware she was waking up. She slowly turned in his arms as he pretended to stay asleep, feeling her gaze on his face. It was how he wanted to wake up, he realized, as her fingers traced over the scars on his face.

Her touch was gentle and ghostly, as if she didn't want to break him. It was sweet to him and then he heard it, the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. It didn't stop her fingers until the door opened suddenly, making Shera jump in Gerard's hold. He faked a groan, tightening his grip on her as thoughts of her embarrassment crossed his mind.

"Get up, runt. We're going for a run," Gerard glared over his shoulder at Lionel who was dressed in basketball shorts and no shirt.

"Get out," Gerard snarled. "She's got open wounds on her stomach and a concussion."

"What are you? A doctor," Lionel sniffed. Shera slowly pushed herself up and away from Gerard, stopping and staring at the shirt she wore. Her face was already red as it deepened its hue.

"He-he is," she replied for him. Lionel scowled and looked at Gerard, walking forward. Gerard sat up and scowled back, hating how he lost the small moment Shera had created for him.

"I was enjoying myself, punk," Gerard sniffed.

"Yeah, being a creep," Lionel crosses his arms and looked over at Shera. "I don't like this guy."

"I didn't ask your opinion, little rascal," she giggled.

"I beat you last night," Lionel added quickly, his chest swelling with pride and the statement irking Gerard. "I'm in charge now-"

"Shut up," Gerard sniffed. "Taj spiked the punch. We were drunk." Lionel glared and huffed, reminding Gerard of a child as Shera pushed passed the two.

"The hell did you do to her," Lionel growled quietly when she had closed her bedroom door. Gerard stared and smirked before he shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he hummed. "We went to bed after Tyrone and you talked."

"You're making her act like some puppy," Lionel snorted. Gerard sighed as he got ready, pushing by Lionel as if he was nothing more than a toddler trying to throw a tantrum. "What happened to her face?"

"She got in a fight with my foster mother," Gerard shrugged. "They've healed-"

"She looks uglier than before," Lionel sniffed. "You should meet my other older sister. She's prettier." Gerard gritted his teeth at the open statement, starting to button his shirt up. What made the boy act like this to begin with? Did he know where he was?

"If I was looking for beauty, I wouldn't have to go far," Gerard hummed out. It made Lionel flinch and his eyes widen as Gerard calmed himself. He still felt the aftermath of the alcohol and it reminded him why he didn't drink often. "Shera is beautiful in her own way. Being her brother, shouldn't you consider that before you badmouth an alpha?" Gerard turned to see Lionel flinch again.

"I don't have siblings, so correct me if I'm wrong," Gerard continued and he sniffed a bit, smirking at the scent just outside his door. "I'm sure you're trying to protect her for some unforeseen reason, just like she probably wishes to do. I can tell you that I'm more infatuated with the woman by the day."

Lionel slowly relaxed, smirking a bit as he held his hand out, "Sorry about breaking in. Uncle Ty explained what was going on last night."

Gerard took his hand and laughed a bit, "I didn't realize just how closed off the Pillar's were to the affairs involving them."

"It's hard to keep up when you're traveling," Gerard frowned a bit and waited for Shera to pass as if she hadn't been standing just outside his door.

"You traveled," Gerard asked quietly and only received a slightly guilty look from the other.

"Shera made me. She said I deserved to see the world," Lionel nodded. "It's great and all, but you start to miss home." Gerard nodded and started out of the room, putting his hands in his pockets as he mindlessly stared down the hall.

"Go put a shirt on or go for your run. I'll have breakfast ready when you get back," Gerard called. He was confused as he recalled what Shera had said. At some point she confessed she wanted to travel, that it was one of her dreams. So why would she send her brother if it was her dream?

It confused him even more as he took the pricing into consideration, running the numbers through his head. Their pack wouldn't have been able to support it so how was she able to do it? He stopped in the kitchen doorway, watching Shera move around the kitchen while talking to a half-awake Taj. She seemed happy, the conversation on stories of the stars deep with someone who relied on them for witchcraft. It didn't take long for him to come to a conclusion but it raised so many more questions for him.

She loved people, her family to the point of self sabotage. She fought the arranged marriage in the beginning until she realized it would help her pack. She'd put so many people before herself, enough that her dreams might not have been realized in her lifetime. She was continuously doing it, even for those that struck at her. He'd seen it. It was the part of her that had him falling for her desperately and he only became enlightened more and more to the feeling.

He walked towards her silently, grinning widely as he grabbed her waist and held her. She jumped and turned to him slightly, her face turning red as she scowled up at him.

She pushed at him as he smirked, "Let go. You got your fill all night, you beast."

"Stop getting your affections on everything," Taj laughed. "Just go make pups already. I can handle breakfast." Shera was speechless as she stared wide-eyed at Taj, Gerard laughing. He wanted that face looking at him every day, to have that blushing glare angled at him for anything he did she secretly liked. He wanted that sass in his own children and to watch her plump up from baby fat.

"We should start planning the wedding," Gerard nodded. "You know any good ministers, Taj?"